Panasonic FP1 vs Sony NEX-3

Let's take a deeper look at the Panasonic FP1 and Sony NEX-3, former being a Ultracompact while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Panasonic and Sony. The sensor resolution of the FP1 (12MP) and the NEX-3 (14MP) is relatively comparable but the FP1 (1/2.3") and NEX-3 (APS-C) feature totally different sensor dimensions.

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The FP1 was launched 5 months prior to the NEX-3 and they are both of a similar age. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic FP1 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony NEX-3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting through a complete comparison, below is a brief view of how the FP1 matches up vs the NEX-3 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP1 & Sony Alpha NEX-3. The complete galleries are provided at Panasonic FP1 Gallery & Sony NEX-3 Gallery.

For those who are going to lug around your camera regularly, you have to factor in its weight and measurements. The Panasonic FP1 offers outside dimensions of 99mm x 59mm x 19mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.7") and a weight of 151 grams (0.33 lbs) and the Sony NEX-3 has proportions of 117mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.3") with a weight of 297 grams (0.65 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic FP1 and Sony NEX-3 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you are working with at that moment. Underneath is the front view dimensions comparison of the FP1 compared to the NEX-3.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the FP1 and NEX-3 is 95 and 89 respectively.

Usually, it's difficult to visualise the gap in sensor measurements only by going through a spec sheet. The graphic here might provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the FP1 and NEX-3.

As you can see, each of these cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The FP1 due to its smaller sensor will make achieving shallow DOF more challenging and the Sony NEX-3 will show greater detail utilizing its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop shots somewhat more aggressively.