Panasonic FP1 vs Sony NEX-5

Lets look a little more in depth at the Panasonic FP1 and Sony NEX-5, one being a Ultracompact and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Panasonic and Sony. The sensor resolution of the FP1 (12MP) and the NEX-5 (14MP) is very comparable but the FP1 (1/2.3") and NEX-5 (APS-C) offer different sensor sizes.

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The FP1 was manufactured 5 months before the NEX-5 and they are both of a similar generation. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FP1 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony NEX-5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going straight to a in depth comparison, here is a short introduction of how the FP1 scores versus the NEX-5 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP1 and Sony Alpha NEX-5. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic FP1 Gallery and Sony NEX-5 Gallery.

For anyone who is going to carry your camera frequently, you need to think about its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FP1 offers external measurements of 99mm x 59mm x 19mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.7") with a weight of 151 grams (0.33 lbs) while the Sony NEX-5 has measurements of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 287 grams (0.63 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic FP1 and Sony NEX-5 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you have at that moment. Here is a front view size comparison of the FP1 vs the NEX-5.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the FP1 and NEX-5 is 95 and 89 respectively.

In many cases, it is hard to imagine the gap in sensor sizing just by seeing a spec sheet. The graphic below should give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the FP1 and NEX-5.

As you can see, both of the cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The FP1 featuring a smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF harder and the Sony NEX-5 will show greater detail due to its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also let you crop pics way more aggressively.