Panasonic FH6 vs Sony NEX-3

Following is a in depth assessment of the Panasonic FH6 and Sony NEX-3, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by companies Panasonic and Sony. The image resolution of the FH6 (14MP) and the NEX-3 (14MP) is relatively well matched but the FH6 (1/2.3") and NEX-3 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor sizing.

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The FH6 was unveiled 20 months after the NEX-3 which makes them a generation away from each other. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Panasonic FH6 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going right into a thorough comparison, here is a simple highlight of how the FH6 scores vs the NEX-3 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH6 and Sony Alpha NEX-3. The full galleries are available at Panasonic FH6 Gallery and Sony NEX-3 Gallery.

When you are looking to carry around your camera frequently, you will want to think about its weight and volume. The Panasonic FH6 comes with outside measurements of 96mm x 56mm x 20mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.8") accompanied by a weight of 119 grams (0.26 lbs) while the Sony NEX-3 has sizing of 117mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.3") having a weight of 297 grams (0.65 lbs).

Analyze the Panasonic FH6 and Sony NEX-3 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are employing at that moment. Below is a front view proportions comparison of the FH6 vs the NEX-3.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the FH6 and NEX-3 is 96 and 89 respectively.

Oftentimes, it's difficult to envision the gap between sensor sizes just by reading through technical specs. The image here might offer you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the FH6 and NEX-3.

As you can tell, the 2 cameras have the same MP albeit not the same sensor sizes. The FH6 contains the tinier sensor which should make achieving shallower depth of field more difficult. The more modern FH6 will have an advantage in sensor technology.