Panasonic FH5 vs Sony A380

On this page, we will be comparing the Panasonic FH5 versus Sony A380, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Sony. The resolution of the FH5 (16MP) and the A380 (14MP) is relatively close but the FH5 (1/2.3") and A380 (APS-C) offer different sensor sizing.

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The FH5 was unveiled 17 months later than the A380 which makes them a generation apart from one another. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Panasonic FH5 being a Compact camera and the Sony A380 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a simple overview of how the FH5 matches up versus the A380 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH5 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A380. The full galleries are provided at Panasonic FH5 Gallery & Sony A380 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to lug around your camera often, you're going to have to consider its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FH5 enjoys external measurements of 94mm x 54mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.7") and a weight of 121 grams (0.27 lbs) whilst the Sony A380 has measurements of 128mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.8") along with a weight of 519 grams (1.14 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic FH5 versus Sony A380 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you are employing at the time. Here is a front view measurements comparison of the FH5 and the A380.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the FH5 and A380 is 96 and 68 respectively.

More often than not, it's difficult to visualize the difference in sensor measurements just by looking through specs. The photograph here should give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the FH5 and A380.

All in all, each of the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The FH5 having a smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF more difficult and the Panasonic FH5 will result in extra detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will enable you to crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The newer FH5 should have an edge when it comes to sensor innovation.