Panasonic FZ200 vs Sony A580

Its time to look closer at the Panasonic FZ200 and Sony A580, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Sony. There is a noticeable difference among the sensor resolutions of the FZ200 (12MP) and A580 (16MP) and the FZ200 (1/2.3") and A580 (APS-C) offer totally different sensor sizes.

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The FZ200 was introduced 14 months later than the A580 making them a generation apart from each other. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FZ200 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Sony A580 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a simple synopsis of how the FZ200 grades vs the A580 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A580. The whole galleries are available at Panasonic FZ200 Gallery & Sony A580 Gallery.

If you are planning to lug around your camera often, you have to consider its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic FZ200 provides outer dimensions of 125mm x 87mm x 110mm (4.9" x 3.4" x 4.3") with a weight of 588 grams (1.30 lbs) and the Sony A580 has dimensions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") accompanied by a weight of 599 grams (1.32 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic FZ200 and Sony A580 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you have attached at that moment. Below is a front view scale comparison of the FZ200 versus the A580.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the FZ200 and A580 is 65 and 64 respectively.

Generally, it can be hard to visualise the gap in sensor measurements only by going through a spec sheet. The photograph underneath may provide you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the FZ200 and A580.

Clearly, each of the cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The FZ200 using its smaller sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field more difficult and the Sony A580 will produce greater detail using its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop images a good deal more aggressively. The more modern FZ200 will have an advantage in sensor tech.