Panasonic FS15 vs Sony A550

Lets look closer at the Panasonic FS15 versus Sony A550, one being a Ultracompact and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Sony. The sensor resolution of the FS15 (12MP) and the A550 (14MP) is relatively well matched but the FS15 (1/2.3") and A550 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor dimensions.

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The FS15 was manufactured 10 months prior to the A550 and they are both of a similar generation. The two cameras have different body design with the Panasonic FS15 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony A550 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving right into a detailed comparison, here is a quick summary of how the FS15 matches up against the A550 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS15 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A550. The entire galleries are provided at Panasonic FS15 Gallery and Sony A550 Gallery.

If you're intending to lug around your camera regularly, you should factor its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FS15 enjoys physical dimensions of 97mm x 54mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.1" x 0.9") with a weight of 136 grams (0.30 lbs) and the Sony A550 has measurements of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") accompanied by a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic FS15 versus Sony A550 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you use at the time. Underneath is a front view scale comparison of the FS15 versus the A550.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the FS15 and A550 is 95 and 63 respectively.

Oftentimes, it's hard to envision the contrast between sensor measurements just by looking at specs. The graphic underneath will give you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the FS15 and A550.

As you can plainly see, each of the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The FS15 due to its tinier sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field more challenging and the Sony A550 will give you extra detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will help you crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The older FS15 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor tech.