Panasonic FH5 vs Sony Alpha A330: A Deep Dive into Two Very Different Cameras

Choosing your next camera can feel like navigating a jungle of specs, features, and marketing buzz. I’ve spent over 15 years hands-on with thousands of cameras, and today I want to share what I’ve found after thoroughly testing two very different models: the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH5 compact and the Sony Alpha DSLR-A330 entry-level DSLR. While both are over a decade old, they represent very different approaches to photography - one focused on point-and-shoot convenience, the other on DSLR versatility and control.

In this in-depth comparison, I’ll break down how these two cameras perform across popular photography types, analyze their technical strengths and weaknesses, and help you decide which is the better fit for your style, budget, and ambitions.

Let’s get started by looking at the basics.

A Tale of Two Cameras: Compact vs Entry-Level DSLR

At first glance, the Panasonic FH5 and Sony A330 couldn’t be more different. The FH5 is a tiny, pocket-friendly compact from early 2011, designed for casual snaps and easy use. Meanwhile, the A330, released in 2009, is a full-bodied DSLR aimed at photographers who want more control and the ability to change lenses.

Take a look at the size difference:

At just 94 x 54 x 19 mm and weighing 121 grams, the Panasonic FH5 slips into your palm with ease. Perfect for travel or everyday carry without a second thought. On the flip side, the Sony A330’s much larger 128 x 97 x 71 mm dimensions and 529 grams weight reflect its DSLR heritage and robust build.

Ergonomically, the Panasonic’s tiny fixed lens and minimal controls mean you’ll rely mainly on automatic modes or simple point-and-shoot. The Sony offers a more tactile experience with a larger grip, numerous buttons, and the ability to swap lenses - a huge plus for more creative flexibility.

If portability is your priority and you’re after a no-fuss camera for casual outings, the FH5’s compactness is a major selling point. But if you’re serious about exploring manual controls and building a lens collection, the A330 shows its class.

Next, let’s dig deeper into sensor technology and the cameras’ heart: image quality.

Inside the Sensor: Image Quality and Technical Specs

Image quality usually boils down to sensor size, sensor technology, and image processing. Here’s a visual comparison of the sensors in both cameras:

The Panasonic FH5 uses a 1/2.3-inch CCD sensor measuring roughly 6.08 x 4.56 mm (around 27.7 mm²) with 16 megapixels. Meanwhile, the Sony A330’s APS-C sized CCD sensor is 23.5 x 15.7 mm (about 369 mm²) with 10 megapixels. That’s a massive difference in sensor area - about 13 times larger on the Sony.

Why does that matter? Larger sensors capture more light, improving dynamic range, low-light performance, and depth of field control. The trade-off is a bigger, heavier camera and more expensive lenses.

The sensor resolution difference is interesting: Panasonic has higher megapixels, but on a much smaller sensor. That means pixels are packed tightly, which often results in higher noise at elevated ISOs and less dynamic range.

Based on my tests and industry-standard evaluations, the Sony A330 shows significantly better image quality, especially in tricky lighting or when you want richer tonality. Color depth measured at 22.4 bits on DxOMark (versus Panasonic’s untested but expected lower) and dynamic range around 11.5 stops indicate the A330 can hold highlights and shadows much better.

ISO sensitivity tops out at ISO 6400 on the Panasonic but is limited to ISO 3200 on the Sony. However, the larger sensor’s superior noise handling means you’ll likely get cleaner images on the A330 at higher ISOs than the FH5.

In real-world shooting, I found that the Panasonic is best suited for bright daylight or casual indoor shots with flash, whereas the Sony can handle a broader variety of conditions with more usable image quality.

User Interface and Control: How They Feel in Your Hands

Controls and the shooting experience can make or break a camera’s usefulness. Comparing the top and rear views reveals how each brand approaches user interaction:

Both share a 2.7-inch screen with 230k pixels, but the Panasonic’s screen is fixed while the Sony’s tilts - a boon for low or high-angle shooting.

On the back:

The Panasonic FH5’s interface is extremely simplified by necessity - no manual exposure modes, no aperture or shutter priority, no direct exposure compensation. This simplicity is ideal if you want quick point-and-shoot, but limits creative control.

The Sony A330 provides full manual modes, shutter priority, aperture priority, exposure compensation, and customizable white balance. Plus, with an optical pentamirror viewfinder (coverage about 95%), you get a traditional DSLR shooting experience allowing you to compose through the lens even in bright outdoor light.

Panasonic’s autofocus points number 11 and rely solely on contrast detection, which can be slower and less accurate. Sony’s A330 incorporates 9 phase detection autofocus points complemented by contrast detection - this hybrid system results in faster and more reliable focus acquisition, especially with moving subjects.

For me, the Sony’s superior handling and manual controls make it a better learning tool and creative instrument. The Panasonic’s ease of use suits first-time shooters or a pocketable backup.

Zoom, Lenses, and Flexibility

The Panasonic FH5 has a fixed 28-112 mm equivalent lens (4x zoom) with variable aperture from f/3.1 to f/6.5. This range covers wide-angle to telephoto reasonably well for everyday scenes but restricts you to the built-in optics. The lens allows for macro focusing down to 5 cm, great for casual close-ups.

The Sony A330 accepts Sony/Minolta Alpha mount lenses - at the time, over 140 compatible options ranging from ultra-wide primes to super-telephoto zooms and dedicated macro lenses. This vast ecosystem means you can tailor your lens choice precisely for portraits, wildlife, sports, or macro photography.

Judging lens sharpness and speed, the Panasonic’s lens provides decent IQ but shows softness at telephoto and visible chromatic aberration in high-contrast edges. The Sony’s lens choice varies, but pairing with fast primes or professional-grade zooms unlocks the sensor’s potential fully.

If adaptability is important, especially for specialized genres like wildlife or macro, the Sony’s lens system wins hands down.

Autofocus, Burst Speed and Performance in Action

Let’s talk performance for dynamic subjects. The Panasonic FH5’s continuous shooting tops out at 4 fps but with autofocus that can struggle to keep up due to slower contrast detection AF. The Sony A330 shoots at about 3 fps but benefits from phase detection AF, making it better at locking focus on moving subjects.

In wildlife or sports scenarios, focus accuracy and tracking speed matter considerably. The Panasonic’s 11 contrast detection points and no dedicated tracking AF mean you’ll find it hard to capture fast or erratic movement sharply.

On the Sony side, the 9-point phase detection system lets you track subjects more confidently, although it’s no professional-level speed rivaling higher-end DSLRs. Still, for entry-level use, it’s a solid performer.

Low-light autofocus also benefits from the Sony’s phase detection module. The Panasonic’s contrast-based AF may hunt and lag under dim conditions, limiting action shooting indoors or at dusk.

Portrait Photography: Skin Tones and Creativity

For portraits, image quality, color rendition, bokeh (background blur), and autofocus with face/eye detection all count.

The Panasonic FH5 uses face detection autofocus and contrast AF but lacks eye detection or subject tracking sophistication. Its smaller sensor also limits depth-of-field control - backgrounds are more likely to be in focus, reducing that creamy bokeh effect portrait enthusiasts crave.

The Sony A330 uses face detection but no eye detection (typical of its generation). Thanks to its larger APS-C sensor, and when paired with wider aperture lenses (like f/1.8 primes), you can achieve beautiful background separation and better tonal gradation on skin.

Color accuracy on both cameras is good straight from the camera, but the Sony offers raw shooting for advanced color tweaking in post, while the Panasonic is JPEG-only.

So, if portrait photography is your focus, the Sony A330 is your better bet for professional-looking results.

Landscape and Nature Photography

Landscape photographers prize dynamic range, resolution, and weather resistance to capture fine detail and subtle tonal variations.

Right away, the Sony’s much larger sensor gives it an edge in dynamic range and low noise at base ISOs. Though the Panasonic has 16 megapixels vs 10, the Sony’s pixels are larger and inherently cleaner.

Neither camera offers weather sealing or rugged environmental protection - both should be sheltered in humid or dusty conditions.

Resolution-wise, the Panasonic can generate images at 4608 x 3456 pixels, higher than the Sony’s 3872 x 2592. However, pixel count alone is never the whole story - image quality depends on sensor size and lens sharpness.

For landscapes, the Sony A330’s image quality, richer tonality, and lens selection advantage mean substantially better results if you’re willing to carry a DSLR.

Wildlife and Sports: Which Keeps Up?

Wildlife and sports are challenging genres requiring fast burst rates, reliable autofocus, and long telephoto reach.

Here, the Sony A330 is clearly ahead thanks to its lens ecosystem, phase detection autofocus, and more responsive controls. The APS-C sensor’s 1.5x crop factor also effectively extends your reach compared to full-frame, making telephoto lenses more affordable.

The Panasonic’s fixed 28-112 mm lens is limiting for distant subjects, and its autofocus and burst mode lag make it less suitable.

If you’re serious about birding, action sports, or fast animals, the Sony is the better tool.

Street and Travel Photography: Portability vs Versatility

Street photographers often prioritize discretion, portability, and quick responsiveness. The PanasonicFH5’s size and weight make it incredibly easy to carry discreetly, ideal for catching candid moments.

The Sony A330, though smaller than many DSLRs, is still bulky compared to modern mirrorless or compact cameras. Its slower burst rate and less silent shutter (it lacks an electronic shutter) can make it a bit obtrusive in quiet street environments.

Travel photography demands versatility, battery life, and durability. Both cameras lack weather sealing, but the Panasonic’s portability and 260 shot battery life edge make it a sensible travel companion for casual travel.

The Sony weighs more and offers wider creative options with lenses but has a slightly shorter 230 shot battery life per charge.

Macro, Night, and Astro Photography

Macro shooting is limited on the Panasonic to its fixed lens macro mode (5 cm), which is fine for casual close-ups. The Sony’s lens options include specialized macro lenses with superior image quality and focusing precision.

For night and astro photography, sensor size and ISO capabilities are crucial. The Panasonic’s high max ISO of 6400 looks good on paper but produces noisy images with its smaller sensor. The Sony’s smaller max ISO of 3200 yields better low-light usability thanks to cleaner data from its larger sensor.

Neither camera is optimized for astrophotography, but the Sony’s longer shutter capability (up to 30 sec) and manual controls give it slight advantages for long exposures.

Video and Multimedia Capabilities

Early compact cameras like the Panasonic FH5 offer basic HD video (720p at 30fps) in Motion JPEG format - adequate for casual sharing but limited in quality, dynamic range, and file compressions. No mic input or advanced recording options are available.

The Sony A330, although a DSLR, does not have video recording capabilities - a surprise for a camera from 2009 but not unusual at the time.

If video is important to you, the Panasonic wins by default here, but know it’s limited to basic recording. Newer cameras would be recommended for serious videography.

Build Quality, Weather Sealing, and Battery Life

Neither camera has environmental sealing, dustproofing, waterproofing, or freezeproofing. Both should be treated with care in challenging conditions.

Build quality feels more robust on the Sony A330 due to its DSLR design - with a solid grip, larger body, and longer-lasting battery. The Panasonic FH5’s plastic compact design reflects its budget and portability focus.

Battery life is better on Panasonic at around 260 shots per charge vs Sony’s 230 shots. Both use proprietary battery packs, easy to find but important to carry spares for longer shoots.

Connectivity and Storage Options

Both cameras are quite basic here. No wireless or Bluetooth connectivity is available.

Sony supports SD/SDHC cards plus Memory Stick Pro Duo, giving some flexibility. Panasonic is limited to SD/SDHC/SDXC only.

USB 2.0 ports on both cameras are used mainly for downloading images.

Putting It All Together: Performance Scores and Analysis

Here’s a comparative performance chart summarizing their strengths across different photography disciplines:

And a genre-specific breakdown gives insight into where each camera shines:

Samsung edges ahead in low-light landscapes and portraits while Panasonic shows strengths in ease-of-use fields. (Note: This is a graphical representation based on camera specs, tested performance, and user feedback accumulated over years.)

Sample Images: Panasonic vs Sony in the Real World

I shot a variety of scenes with both cameras to give you a direct visual comparison:

Panasonic FH5 front Panasonic FH5 screen back Sony A330 front Sony A330 screen back

Notice the richer tonality and better dynamic range in the Sony’s shots. The Panasonic’s images feel flatter and noisier in shadows, but hold up reasonably under good light.

Who Should Buy the Panasonic FH5?

• Casual users wanting a truly pocketable camera for everyday snapshots and travel
• Photographers who prefer simplicity over manual controls
• Budget-conscious buyers who want decent image quality in bright, well-lit scenarios
• Those who want basic HD video recording on a compact device

The FH5 is easy to carry, straightforward, and fun for quick photos without fuss. But its limitations in sensor size, manual modes, and lens flexibility mean it’s best as a secondary camera or for beginner casual use.

Who Should Invest in the Sony A330?

• Enthusiasts and beginners wanting to learn manual photography with a DSLR interface
• Photographers valuing image quality, better autofocus, and lens flexibility
• Shooting portraits, landscapes, wildlife, or sports on a budget
• Those who want to explore RAW shooting and post-processing
• Users preferring optical viewfinder shooting and solid ergonomics

While heavier and less portable, the Sony delivers much more creative control and final image quality potential.

Final Thoughts: Which Camera Wins in 2024?

Between a compact point-and-shoot and an entry-level DSLR, the decision fundamentally rests on your photography ambitions.

The Panasonic Lumix FH5 offers excellent portability and ease of use, making it well-suited for casual photographers or those seeking a backup camera. It’s lightweight, straightforward, and capable of decent daylight photos and simple video clips.

The Sony Alpha A330, meanwhile, is a fully-fledged DSLR experience with manual controls, better image quality, interchangeable lenses, and improved autofocus systems. It’s best for enthusiasts ready to grow their skills or professionals needing a budget DSLR.

Whether you prioritize compactness or control, I hope this comparison helps clarify what you’ll give and gain with each camera.

I want to close by encouraging you to carefully consider how and where you’ll shoot the most. If you want to capture fleeting wildlife moments, chase dramatic landscapes, or make beautiful portraits, the Sony A330 offers a better foundation, even if it’s heavier. If you just want something simple, portable, and affordable for everyday use, the Panasonic FH5 is a good utility player.

Feel free to reach out if you want recommendations on lenses for the Sony or tips for maximizing your FH5’s potential. Happy shooting!

Images courtesy of official product releases and my personal testing archive.