Panasonic FS7 vs Sony NEX-3

Below is a in depth assessment of the Panasonic FS7 versus Sony NEX-3, former being a Ultracompact while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by companies Panasonic and Sony. There exists a substantial gap among the image resolutions of the FS7 (10MP) and NEX-3 (14MP) and the FS7 (1/2.5") and NEX-3 (APS-C) have totally different sensor sizes.

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The FS7 was manufactured 16 months before the NEX-3 which makes them a generation apart from one another. Both cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FS7 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony NEX-3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving into a more detailed comparison, here is a short view of how the FS7 grades vs the NEX-3 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS7 & Sony Alpha NEX-3. The entire galleries are available at Panasonic FS7 Gallery & Sony NEX-3 Gallery.

If you are going to lug around your camera often, you will have to take into account its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FS7 provides external measurements of 97mm x 54mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.1" x 0.9") with a weight of 139 grams (0.31 lbs) and the Sony NEX-3 has measurements of 117mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.3") and a weight of 297 grams (0.65 lbs).

See the Panasonic FS7 versus Sony NEX-3 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you have attached at that moment. The following is a front view measurements comparison of the FS7 and the NEX-3.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the FS7 and NEX-3 is 95 and 89 respectively.

More often than not, it is very difficult to envision the gap in sensor measurements simply by checking out technical specs. The graphic here should offer you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the FS7 and NEX-3.

As you have seen, the 2 cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The FS7 because of its smaller sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field tougher and the Sony NEX-3 will show extra detail due to its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop pictures a good deal more aggressively. The older FS7 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.