Panasonic FH8 vs Sony A230

Its time to look closer at the Panasonic FH8 vs Sony A230, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Panasonic and Sony. There is a sizable difference between the resolutions of the FH8 (16MP) and A230 (10MP) and the FH8 (1/2.3") and A230 (APS-C) possess totally different sensor sizing.

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The FH8 was released 2 years later than the A230 and that is quite a significant difference as far as tech is concerned. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic FH8 being a Compact camera and the Sony A230 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving through a complete comparison, below is a simple summary of how the FH8 scores versus the A230 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH8 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A230. The complete galleries are provided at Panasonic FH8 Gallery & Sony A230 Gallery.

In case you're planning to lug around your camera, you will need to consider its weight and size. The Panasonic FH8 comes with outside dimensions of 96mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") along with a weight of 123 grams (0.27 lbs) and the Sony A230 has specifications of 128mm x 97mm x 68mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.7") and a weight of 490 grams (1.08 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic FH8 vs Sony A230 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you select at the time. Below is the front view over all size comparison of the FH8 against the A230.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the FH8 and A230 is 96 and 69 respectively.

Oftentimes, it can be tough to visualise the gap between sensor measurements purely by going over specs. The photograph underneath might offer you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the FH8 and A230.

All in all, both of the cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The FH8 featuring a tinier sensor will make getting shallower depth of field more challenging and the Panasonic FH8 will offer you more detail as a result of its extra 6MP. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop pictures far more aggressively. The fresher FH8 will have a benefit when it comes to sensor technology.