Panasonic FH7 vs Sony A500

Below is a thorough review of the Panasonic FH7 vs Sony A500, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Sony. There exists a huge gap between the resolutions of the FH7 (16MP) and A500 (12MP) and the FH7 (1/2.3") and A500 (APS-C) have totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The FH7 was introduced 2 years later than the A500 and that is quite a significant gap as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FH7 being a Compact camera and the Sony A500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going into a comprehensive comparison, here is a concise introduction of how the FH7 matches up versus the A500 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH7 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A500. The whole galleries are provided at Panasonic FH7 Gallery and Sony A500 Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to lug around your camera, you will need to factor its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FH7 features outer measurements of 95mm x 56mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.7") with a weight of 126 grams (0.28 lbs) while the Sony A500 has measurements of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") along with a weight of 630 grams (1.39 lbs).

Analyze the Panasonic FH7 vs Sony A500 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have during that time. Underneath is a front view proportions comparison of the FH7 versus the A500.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the FH7 and A500 is 96 and 63 respectively.

Typically, it is difficult to visualise the difference between sensor measurements just by reviewing technical specs. The visual below will give you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the FH7 and A500.

As you can tell, the two cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The FH7 with its tinier sensor will make shooting shallow DOF harder and the Panasonic FH7 will offer you greater detail using its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also let you crop images way more aggressively. The newer FH7 is going to have an edge with regard to sensor innovation.