Panasonic FH5 vs Panasonic GH3

Lets look a little more closely at the Panasonic FH5 vs Panasonic GH3, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Advanced Mirrorless and they are both designed by Panasonic. The resolution of the FH5 (16MP) and the GH3 (16MP) is fairly similar but the FH5 (1/2.3") and GH3 (Four Thirds) provide totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The FH5 was unveiled 20 months earlier than the GH3 making them a generation away from each other. Both the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic FH5 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic GH3 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving right into a in depth comparison, here is a brief summation of how the FH5 matches up against the GH3 for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH5 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3. The full galleries are available at Panasonic FH5 Gallery and Panasonic GH3 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to carry around your camera often, you will need to consider its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FH5 enjoys outside dimensions of 94mm x 54mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.7") accompanied by a weight of 121 grams (0.27 lbs) while the Panasonic GH3 has measurements of 133mm x 93mm x 82mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 3.2") accompanied by a weight of 550 grams (1.21 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic FH5 vs Panasonic GH3 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are utilizing at that moment. Here is a front view overall size comparison of the FH5 compared to the GH3.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the FH5 and GH3 is 96 and 66 respectively.

Generally, it is very hard to visualise the gap between sensor sizes purely by reading a spec sheet. The pic below will help offer you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the FH5 and GH3.

As you can see, both the cameras have the same resolution but not the same sensor sizes. The FH5 contains the tinier sensor which should make achieving shallow depth of field tougher. The more aged FH5 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor technology.