Panasonic FH5 vs Sony NEX-3

Let's look a bit more closely at the Panasonic FH5 vs Sony NEX-3, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by brands Panasonic and Sony. The image resolution of the FH5 (16MP) and the NEX-3 (14MP) is relatively similar but the FH5 (1/2.3") and NEX-3 (APS-C) use different sensor sizes.

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The FH5 was revealed 8 months after the NEX-3 which means that they are of a similar age. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic FH5 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going through a in depth comparison, below is a short overview of how the FH5 scores against the NEX-3 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH5 & Sony Alpha NEX-3. The full galleries are available at Panasonic FH5 Gallery & Sony NEX-3 Gallery.

For those who are looking to carry around your camera, you need to consider its weight and measurements. The Panasonic FH5 comes with outer measurements of 94mm x 54mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.7") with a weight of 121 grams (0.27 lbs) while the Sony NEX-3 has proportions of 117mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 297 grams (0.65 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic FH5 vs Sony NEX-3 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you use at the time. Below is the front view over all size comparison of the FH5 compared to the NEX-3.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the FH5 and NEX-3 is 96 and 89 respectively.

Quite often, it is difficult to picture the gap between sensor sizes just by reading technical specs. The picture below may offer you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the FH5 and NEX-3.

As you have seen, the 2 cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The FH5 using its tinier sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field trickier and the Panasonic FH5 will offer you more detail because of its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also help you crop pictures a little more aggressively. The fresher FH5 provides an advantage in sensor innovation.