Panasonic FH8 vs Sony A200

Below is a complete review of the Panasonic FH8 and Sony A200, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Sony. There is a crucial difference among the sensor resolutions of the FH8 (16MP) and A200 (10MP) and the FH8 (1/2.3") and A200 (APS-C) have different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The FH8 was introduced 3 years later than the A200 and that is a fairly serious gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic FH8 being a Compact camera and the Sony A200 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going straight to a full comparison, here is a short view of how the FH8 grades vs the A200 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH8 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A200. The whole galleries are provided at Panasonic FH8 Gallery and Sony A200 Gallery.

For those who are going to lug around your camera, you will have to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic FH8 features exterior dimensions of 96mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") accompanied by a weight of 123 grams (0.27 lbs) while the Sony A200 has dimensions of 131mm x 99mm x 71mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 2.8") and a weight of 572 grams (1.26 lbs).

Examine the Panasonic FH8 and Sony A200 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you use at that time. Underneath is a front view physical size comparison of the FH8 compared to the A200.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the FH8 and A200 is 96 and 66 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is tough to picture the gap in sensor measurements merely by researching technical specs. The visual below may give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the FH8 and A200.

As you can tell, both cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The FH8 having a smaller sensor is going to make shooting bokeh more difficult and the Panasonic FH8 will render extra detail using its extra 6MP. Higher resolution can also let you crop photographs more aggressively. The more modern FH8 should have a benefit when it comes to sensor technology.