Panasonic FX78 vs Sony A100

Its time to take a closer look at the Panasonic FX78 and Sony A100, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Panasonic and Sony. The image resolution of the FX78 (12MP) and the A100 (10MP) is fairly well matched but the FX78 (1/2.3") and A100 (APS-C) have totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The FX78 was unveiled 4 years later than the A100 and that is quite a large gap as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FX78 being a Compact camera and the Sony A100 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going into a step-by-step comparison, here is a quick synopsis of how the FX78 grades vs the A100 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX78 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A100. The full galleries are provided at Panasonic FX78 Gallery and Sony A100 Gallery.

For anybody who is aiming to carry your camera, you need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic FX78 features physical measurements of 100mm x 55mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.8") having a weight of 142 grams (0.31 lbs) and the Sony A100 has dimensions of 133mm x 95mm x 71mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 2.8") having a weight of 638 grams (1.41 lbs).

Check the Panasonic FX78 and Sony A100 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you choose at that moment. The following is a front view physical size comparison of the FX78 against the A100.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the FX78 and A100 is 95 and 64 respectively.

In many cases, it's hard to see the gap between sensor sizing simply by looking at specifications. The visual below may give you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the FX78 and A100.

To sum up, both of these cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The FX78 with its tinier sensor will make getting shallow depth of field trickier and the Panasonic FX78 will resolve more detail having an extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also help you crop images way more aggressively. The newer FX78 is going to have an advantage when it comes to sensor technology.