Panasonic FP2 vs Sony A500

Lets look more closely at the Panasonic FP2 and Sony A500, one being a Ultracompact and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Panasonic and Sony. The resolution of the FP2 (14MP) and the A500 (12MP) is very similar but the FP2 (1/2.3") and A500 (APS-C) provide totally different sensor dimensions.

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The FP2 was brought out 5 months later than the A500 which means that they are both of a similar generation. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Panasonic FP2 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony A500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving straight to a detailed comparison, here is a brief highlight of how the FP2 grades against the A500 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP2 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A500. The entire galleries are provided at Panasonic FP2 Gallery and Sony A500 Gallery.

When you are going to carry your camera regularly, you will have to consider its weight and volume. The Panasonic FP2 enjoys external 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) and the Sony A500 has sizing of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") and a weight of 630 grams (1.39 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic FP2 and Sony A500 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have at that moment. The following is a front view overall size comparison of the FP2 against the A500.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the FP2 and A500 is 95 and 63 respectively.

Often, its difficult to see the difference between sensor sizing simply by reviewing specifications. The graphic here might give you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the FP2 and A500.

To sum up, both of the cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The FP2 because of its tinier sensor will make achieving bokeh trickier and the Panasonic FP2 will offer greater detail having its extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop pics more aggressively.