Panasonic FH5 vs Sony A33

Here, we will be reviewing the Panasonic FH5 versus Sony A33, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Panasonic and Sony. The resolution of the FH5 (16MP) and the A33 (14MP) is pretty well matched but the FH5 (1/2.3") and A33 (APS-C) posses different sensor sizing.

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The FH5 was announced 5 months later than the A33 and they are both of a similar age. Both cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FH5 being a Compact camera and the Sony A33 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the FH5 grades versus the A33 for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH5 & Sony SLT-A33. The whole galleries are viewable at Panasonic FH5 Gallery & Sony A33 Gallery.

If you're intending to lug around your camera frequently, you're going to have to think about its weight and volume. The Panasonic FH5 offers exterior 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 A33 has sizing of 124mm x 92mm x 85mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 3.3") having a weight of 500 grams (1.10 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic FH5 versus Sony A33 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are utilising at the time. Below is a front view over all size comparison of the FH5 versus the A33.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the FH5 and A33 is 96 and 67 respectively.

Quite often, it can be hard to picture the difference between sensor measurements simply by looking at a spec sheet. The photograph underneath should provide you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the FH5 and A33.

As you can see, each of the cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The FH5 having a tinier sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF more difficult and the Panasonic FH5 will give more detail with its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop photographs way more aggressively.