Panasonic FH5 vs Sony A77

In this write-up, we are comparing the Panasonic FH5 vs Sony A77, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Sony. There exists a big gap between the image resolutions of the FH5 (16MP) and A77 (24MP) and the FH5 (1/2.3") and A77 (APS-C) possess different sensor size.

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The FH5 was revealed 9 months prior to the A77 and they are of a similar generation. Both cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic FH5 being a Compact camera and the Sony A77 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting in to a thorough comparison, below is a simple view of how the FH5 grades versus the A77 for portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH5 and Sony SLT-A77. The full galleries are provided at Panasonic FH5 Gallery and Sony A77 Gallery.

When you are looking to travel with your camera frequently, you'll need to think about its weight and size. The Panasonic FH5 enjoys 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) whilst the Sony A77 has specifications of 143mm x 104mm x 81mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.2") with a weight of 732 grams (1.61 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic FH5 vs Sony A77 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you select at that moment. Here is the front view dimension comparison of the FH5 and the A77.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the FH5 and A77 is 96 and 59 respectively.

More often than not, it is tough to visualize the difference between sensor dimensions only by reading through a spec sheet. The picture here might give you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the FH5 and A77.

Clearly, both of the cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The FH5 having a tinier sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF trickier and the Sony A77 will give extra detail because of its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop images a little more aggressively. The more aged FH5 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.