Panasonic FH5 vs Sony A390

Below is a thorough comparison of the Panasonic FH5 and Sony A390, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Sony. The resolution of the FH5 (16MP) and the A390 (14MP) is relatively well matched but the FH5 (1/2.3") and A390 (APS-C) enjoy totally different sensor sizes.

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The FH5 was announced 6 months later than the A390 so they are both of a similar generation. Both cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic FH5 being a Compact camera and the Sony A390 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go through a step-by-step comparison, below is a concise synopsis of how the FH5 scores versus the A390 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH5 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A390. The whole galleries are provided at Panasonic FH5 Gallery and Sony A390 Gallery.

If you are intending to lug around your camera frequently, you should think about its weight and measurements. The Panasonic FH5 has physical dimensions of 94mm x 54mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.7") and a weight of 121 grams (0.27 lbs) while the Sony A390 has proportions of 128mm x 97mm x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") with a weight of 549 grams (1.21 lbs).

Check the Panasonic FH5 and Sony A390 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you choose at the time. Below is the front view dimension comparison of the FH5 compared to the A390.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the FH5 and A390 is 96 and 66 respectively.

Normally, it's hard to envision the contrast between sensor measurements simply by reading through a spec sheet. The visual underneath will help provide you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the FH5 and A390.

Clearly, both of these cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The FH5 with its tinier sensor will make achieving bokeh trickier and the Panasonic FH5 will resolve extra detail with its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop photographs much more aggressively.