Panasonic FP5 vs Sony A700

Below is a extensive review of the Panasonic FP5 vs Sony A700, former being a Ultracompact while the other is a Advanced DSLR by companies Panasonic and Sony. The image resolution of the FP5 (14MP) and the A700 (12MP) is very close but the FP5 (1/2.3") and A700 (APS-C) offer different sensor sizes.

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The FP5 was released 3 years later than the A700 and that is a fairly significant difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FP5 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony A700 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting into a comprehensive comparison, here is a short summation of how the FP5 grades against the A700 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP5 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A700. The complete galleries are provided at Panasonic FP5 Gallery & Sony A700 Gallery.

In case you're going to lug around your camera, you're going to have to factor in its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FP5 has physical dimensions of 101mm x 59mm x 18mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 0.7") and a weight of 141 grams (0.31 lbs) while the Sony A700 has measurements of 142mm x 105mm x 80mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.1") having a weight of 768 grams (1.69 lbs).

See the Panasonic FP5 vs Sony A700 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you have chosen at that time. Below is a front view measurements comparison of the FP5 compared to the A700.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the FP5 and A700 is 95 and 58 respectively.

Sometimes, it's hard to picture the gap in sensor measurements just by viewing technical specs. The visual below may give you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the FP5 and A700.

As you have seen, the two cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The FP5 because of its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF harder and the Panasonic FP5 will render more detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will enable you to crop images way more aggressively. The more modern FP5 should have an advantage in sensor technology.