Panasonic FS15 vs Sony A580

Its time to look a little more in depth at the Panasonic FS15 vs Sony A580, one is a Ultracompact and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Panasonic and Sony. There exists a crucial gap among the sensor resolutions of the FS15 (12MP) and A580 (16MP) and the FS15 (1/2.3") and A580 (APS-C) come with totally different sensor size.

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The FS15 was brought out 3 years earlier than the A580 which is a fairly serious gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic FS15 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony A580 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a brief synopsis of how the FS15 scores against the A580 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS15 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A580. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic FS15 Gallery and Sony A580 Gallery.

If you're looking to carry around your camera frequently, you'll need to take into account its weight and volume. The Panasonic FS15 has got external 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 A580 has sizing of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") with a weight of 599 grams (1.32 lbs).

Examine the Panasonic FS15 vs Sony A580 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have chosen during that time. Below is the front view physical size comparison of the FS15 against the A580.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the FS15 and A580 is 95 and 64 respectively.

More often than not, its hard to envision the gap in sensor sizes merely by viewing technical specs. The picture below will help give you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the FS15 and A580.

As you have seen, both of those cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The FS15 because of its smaller sensor will make shooting shallower DOF harder and the Sony A580 will provide you with greater detail having its extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop pics somewhat more aggressively. The more aged FS15 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.