Panasonic FP1 vs Sony A55

Here is a detailed overview of the Panasonic FP1 versus Sony A55, former being a Ultracompact while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Sony. There exists a noticeable gap between the sensor resolutions of the FP1 (12MP) and A55 (16MP) and the FP1 (1/2.3") and A55 (APS-C) provide different sensor dimensions.

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The FP1 was launched 7 months earlier than the A55 so they are both of a similar age. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Panasonic FP1 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony A55 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving right into a in depth comparison, here is a short summary of how the FP1 scores vs the A55 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP1 & Sony SLT-A55. The complete galleries are provided at Panasonic FP1 Gallery & Sony A55 Gallery.

If you're intending to carry your camera regularly, you'll need to think about its weight and measurements. The Panasonic FP1 features exterior measurements of 99mm x 59mm x 19mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.7") accompanied by a weight of 151 grams (0.33 lbs) whilst the Sony A55 has proportions of 124mm x 92mm x 85mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 3.3") having a weight of 500 grams (1.10 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic FP1 versus Sony A55 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you are employing at that moment. Underneath is a front view physical size comparison of the FP1 against the A55.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the FP1 and A55 is 95 and 67 respectively.

Quite often, it is very tough to picture the contrast between sensor sizing simply by looking at specifications. The photograph below will give you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the FP1 and A55.

To sum up, both of the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The FP1 featuring a tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF trickier and the Sony A55 will resolve greater detail utilizing its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop shots a bit more aggressively. The older FP1 is going to be behind in sensor tech.