Panasonic FP5 vs Sony A850

On this page, we will be comparing the Panasonic FP5 versus Sony A850, one being a Ultracompact and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Sony. There exists a significant gap among the image resolutions of the FP5 (14MP) and A850 (25MP) and the FP5 (1/2.3") and A850 (Full frame) offer different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The FP5 was released 9 months later than the A850 which means that they are both of a similar generation. Both cameras have different body design with the Panasonic FP5 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony A850 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going straight to a full comparison, here is a brief summation of how the FP5 grades against the A850 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP5 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A850. The complete galleries are viewable at Panasonic FP5 Gallery and Sony A850 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to lug around your camera regularly, you will have to consider its weight and volume. The Panasonic FP5 features outside measurements of 101mm x 59mm x 18mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 0.7") along with a weight of 141 grams (0.31 lbs) while the Sony A850 has sizing of 156mm x 117mm x 82mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 3.2") along with a weight of 895 grams (1.97 lbs).

See the Panasonic FP5 versus Sony A850 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have chosen at the time. Here is a front view measurements comparison of the FP5 against the A850.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the FP5 and A850 is 95 and 54 respectively.

Quite often, it is difficult to imagine the gap in sensor measurements purely by looking through technical specs. The photograph below will offer you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the FP5 and A850.

As you can tell, both the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The FP5 because of its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF tougher and the Sony A850 will provide you with extra detail as a result of its extra 11MP. Higher resolution can also help you crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The fresher FP5 should have a benefit in sensor innovation.