Panasonic FP3 vs Sony A330

Below, we will be evaluating the Panasonic FP3 vs Sony A330, one is a Ultracompact and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Sony. There exists a sizeable gap between the resolutions of the FP3 (14MP) and A330 (10MP) and the FP3 (1/2.3") and A330 (APS-C) come with totally different sensor measurements.

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The FP3 was announced 8 months after the A330 which means that they are of a similar generation. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic FP3 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony A330 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going straight into a in depth comparison, below is a concise summation of how the FP3 matches up vs the A330 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP3 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A330. The whole galleries are provided at Panasonic FP3 Gallery and Sony A330 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to carry around your camera, you'll have to take into account its weight and volume. The Panasonic FP3 has got outside dimensions of 99mm x 59mm x 19mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.7") accompanied by a weight of 155 grams (0.34 lbs) whilst the Sony A330 has sizing of 128mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.8") with a weight of 529 grams (1.17 lbs).

See the Panasonic FP3 vs Sony A330 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have at the time. Below is the front view dimensions comparison of the FP3 versus the A330.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the FP3 and A330 is 95 and 67 respectively.

Typically, it's tough to envision the contrast between sensor sizes simply by looking at a spec sheet. The pic underneath will help give you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the FP3 and A330.

Clearly, the two cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The FP3 using its tinier sensor will make achieving shallow DOF trickier and the Panasonic FP3 will give you greater detail with its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will also let you crop photographs somewhat more aggressively. The newer FP3 is going to have an advantage in sensor innovation.