Panasonic FP2 vs Sony A57

Its time to look closer at the Panasonic FP2 vs Sony A57, former being a Ultracompact while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Panasonic and Sony. The resolution of the FP2 (14MP) and the A57 (16MP) is fairly close but the FP2 (1/2.3") and A57 (APS-C) come with totally different sensor dimensions.

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The FP2 was unveiled 3 years earlier than the A57 and that is a fairly significant difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic FP2 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony A57 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving straight into a detailed comparison, below is a quick introduction of how the FP2 grades versus the A57 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP2 & Sony SLT-A57. The full galleries are provided at Panasonic FP2 Gallery & Sony A57 Gallery.

When you are aiming to carry your camera frequently, you're going to have to take into account its weight and measurements. The Panasonic FP2 has physical dimensions 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 A57 has proportions of 132mm x 98mm x 81mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.2") and a weight of 618 grams (1.36 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic FP2 vs Sony A57 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you select at the time. Underneath is the front view overall size comparison of the FP2 against the A57.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the FP2 and A57 is 95 and 64 respectively.

Normally, its hard to see the gap in sensor sizing purely by looking through specifications. The graphic underneath should give you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the FP2 and A57.

Plainly, both of the cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The FP2 using its smaller sensor will make getting shallower depth of field harder and the Sony A57 will render greater detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop pics a little more aggressively. The older FP2 will be behind in sensor innovation.