Panasonic FH7 vs Sony NEX-F3

Let's look a bit more in depth at the Panasonic FH7 versus Sony NEX-F3, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Panasonic and Sony. The image resolution of the FH7 (16MP) and the NEX-F3 (16MP) is pretty comparable but the FH7 (1/2.3") and NEX-F3 (APS-C) provide totally different sensor sizes.

Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

The FH7 was revealed 11 months before the NEX-F3 and they are of a similar age. Both cameras have different body design with the Panasonic FH7 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-F3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go right into a more detailed comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the FH7 grades against the NEX-F3 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH7 & Sony Alpha NEX-F3. The full galleries are available at Panasonic FH7 Gallery & Sony NEX-F3 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to travel with your camera often, you'll need to factor its weight and size. The Panasonic FH7 provides physical measurements of 95mm x 56mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.7") along with a weight of 126 grams (0.28 lbs) while the Sony NEX-F3 has specifications of 117mm x 67mm x 42mm (4.6" x 2.6" x 1.7") with a weight of 314 grams (0.69 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic FH7 versus Sony NEX-F3 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are utilising at the time. Following is a front view size comparison of the FH7 and the NEX-F3.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the FH7 and NEX-F3 is 96 and 86 respectively.

Usually, it is very tough to visualise the difference in sensor dimensions purely by checking out specs. The pic below should give you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the FH7 and NEX-F3.

All in all, the 2 cameras have the same MP albeit not the same sensor dimensions. The FH7 provides the smaller sensor which will make obtaining shallow DOF more challenging. The more aged FH7 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.