Panasonic FP3 vs Sony A55

Here, we are looking at the Panasonic FP3 and Sony A55, one being a Ultracompact and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Sony. The image resolution of the FP3 (14MP) and the A55 (16MP) is fairly similar but the FP3 (1/2.3") and A55 (APS-C) provide different sensor measurements.

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The FP3 was brought out 7 months earlier than the A55 so they are both of a similar generation. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FP3 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony A55 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going into a comprehensive comparison, here is a brief overview of how the FP3 scores vs the A55 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP3 and Sony SLT-A55. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic FP3 Gallery and Sony A55 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to carry your camera frequently, you need to factor its weight and size. The Panasonic FP3 has got outside dimensions of 99mm x 59mm x 19mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.7") with a weight of 155 grams (0.34 lbs) while the Sony A55 has specifications of 124mm x 92mm x 85mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 3.3") and a weight of 500 grams (1.10 lbs).

See the Panasonic FP3 and Sony A55 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you choose at that time. Following is a front view dimensions comparison of the FP3 against the A55.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the FP3 and A55 is 95 and 67 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is tough to picture the gap between sensor sizing simply by going over technical specs. The visual below should provide you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the FP3 and A55.

As you can tell, both the cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The FP3 due to its tinier sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field more challenging and the Sony A55 will offer you greater detail having its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop photos way more aggressively. The older FP3 is going to be behind in sensor technology.