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Panasonic FZ40 vs Sony A65

Portability
68
Imaging
37
Features
40
Overall
38
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40 front
 
Sony SLT-A65 front
Portability
64
Imaging
64
Features
85
Overall
72

Panasonic FZ40 vs Sony A65 Key Specs

Panasonic FZ40
(Full Review)
  • 14MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 25-600mm (F2.8-5.2) lens
  • 494g - 120 x 80 x 92mm
  • Revealed July 2010
  • Additionally Known as Lumix DMC-FZ45
Sony A65
(Full Review)
  • 24MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Fully Articulated Screen
  • ISO 100 - 12800 (Expand to 25600)
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount
  • 622g - 132 x 97 x 81mm
  • Launched November 2011
  • Updated by Sony A68
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Panasonic FZ40 vs Sony A65 Overview

Below is a extensive review of the Panasonic FZ40 and Sony A65, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Panasonic and Sony. There exists a big gap among the sensor resolutions of the FZ40 (14MP) and A65 (24MP) and the FZ40 (1/2.3") and A65 (APS-C) possess different sensor sizing.

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The FZ40 was revealed 16 months prior to the A65 which makes the cameras a generation apart from one another. Both cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic FZ40 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Sony A65 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go straight into a in depth comparison, below is a short introduction of how the FZ40 matches up versus the A65 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Panasonic FZ40 over the Sony A65

 FZ40 A65 

Reasons to pick Sony A65 over the Panasonic FZ40

 A65 FZ40 
LaunchedNovember 2011July 2010More recent by 16 months
Screen typeFully ArticulatedFixed Fully Articulating screen
Screen resolution921k230kSharper screen (+691k dot)
Selfie screen Easy selfies

Common features in the Panasonic FZ40 and Sony A65

 FZ40 A65 
Manually focus Very precise focus
Screen sizing3"3"Equivalent screen measurement
Touch screen Neither comes with Touch screen

Panasonic FZ40 vs Sony A65 Physical Comparison

When you are aiming to lug around your camera often, you have to think about its weight and measurements. The Panasonic FZ40 comes with outer dimensions of 120mm x 80mm x 92mm (4.7" x 3.1" x 3.6") accompanied by a weight of 494 grams (1.09 lbs) and the Sony A65 has proportions of 132mm x 97mm x 81mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 3.2") accompanied by a weight of 622 grams (1.37 lbs).

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Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have chosen during that time. Following is the front view dimension comparison of the FZ40 vs the A65.

Panasonic FZ40 vs Sony A65 size comparison

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the FZ40 and A65 is 68 and 64 respectively.

Panasonic FZ40 vs Sony A65 top view buttons comparison

Panasonic FZ40 vs Sony A65 Sensor Comparison

Typically, its tough to picture the gap in sensor measurements purely by looking through technical specs. The graphic here will help provide you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the FZ40 and A65.

As you can tell, both the cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The FZ40 using its smaller sensor is going to make getting bokeh more difficult and the Sony A65 will result in more detail because of its extra 10 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also help you crop photographs a little more aggressively. The older FZ40 will be behind in sensor innovation.

Panasonic FZ40 vs Sony A65 sensor size comparison

Panasonic FZ40 vs Sony A65 Screen and ViewFinder

Panasonic FZ40 vs Sony A65 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Panasonic FZ40 as a Portrait photography camera
Sony A65 as a Portrait photography camera
46
manual focus
good MP (14 megapixels)
delivers RAW files
no external flash support
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
78
manual focus
decent megapixels (24MP)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
supports face detect autofocus
supports RAW formats
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Street Comparison

Panasonic FZ40 Street photography advice
Sony A65 Street photography advice
51
has image stabilization (Optical)
delivers RAW files
fixed screen
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
heavier than competitors (494g)
77
screen articulates
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
supports RAW formats
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Sports Comparison

Panasonic FZ40 Sports photography advice
Sony A65 Sports photography advice
43
long zoom range (25-600mm 24.0 x zoom)
has image stabilization (Optical)
good MP (14MP)
max fps low (2.0 fps)
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
no phase detect autofocus
82
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent megapixels (24MP)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
supports tracking focus
has phase detect autofocus
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Travel Comparison

Travel photography with Panasonic FZ40
Travel photography with Sony A65
54
good MP (14 megapixels)
built-in flash
quite wide (25mm)
long zoom (600mm)
missing Time Lapse mode
heavier than competitors (494g)
display isn't selfie friendly
slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
68
decent megapixels (24MP)
has built in flash
selfie friendly screen
lack of Timelapse mode
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Landscape Comparison

Panasonic FZ40 as a Landscape photography camera
Sony A65 as a Landscape photography camera
51
manual focus
quite wide (25mm)
pretty good screen size (3 inch)
has image stabilization (Optical)
good MP (14 megapixels)
delivers RAW files
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
missing Time Lapse mode
75
manual focus
swap lenses (Sony/Minolta Alpha mount)
nice screen size (3 inches)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent megapixels (24 megapixels)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
supports RAW formats
lack of Timelapse mode
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Vlogging Comparison

Panasonic FZ40 Vlogging information
Sony A65 Vlogging information
23
quite wide (25mm)
has image stabilization (Optical)
slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
display isn't selfie friendly
video resolution low (1280 x 720 pxls)
missing external mic support
heavier than competitors (494 grams)
78
selfie friendly screen
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
supports face detect autofocus
high res video (1920 x 1080 resolution)
has microphone socket
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Panasonic FZ40 vs Sony A65 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Panasonic FZ40 and Sony A65
 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40Sony SLT-A65
General Information
Brand Panasonic Sony
Model type Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40 Sony SLT-A65
Alternative name Lumix DMC-FZ45 -
Category Small Sensor Superzoom Entry-Level DSLR
Revealed 2010-07-21 2011-11-15
Physical type SLR-like (bridge) Compact SLR
Sensor Information
Processor Venus Engine HD II Bionz
Sensor type CCD CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" APS-C
Sensor measurements 6.08 x 4.56mm 23.5 x 15.6mm
Sensor surface area 27.7mm² 366.6mm²
Sensor resolution 14 megapixel 24 megapixel
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 3:2 and 16:9
Peak resolution 4320 x 3240 6000 x 4000
Highest native ISO 6400 12800
Highest enhanced ISO - 25600
Lowest native ISO 80 100
RAW format
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
AF touch
Continuous AF
Single AF
AF tracking
AF selectice
Center weighted AF
AF multi area
Live view AF
Face detection focusing
Contract detection focusing
Phase detection focusing
Total focus points - 15
Cross type focus points - 3
Lens
Lens mount type fixed lens Sony/Minolta Alpha
Lens zoom range 25-600mm (24.0x) -
Maximum aperture f/2.8-5.2 -
Macro focusing distance 1cm -
Available lenses - 143
Focal length multiplier 5.9 1.5
Screen
Type of screen Fixed Type Fully Articulated
Screen diagonal 3 inch 3 inch
Resolution of screen 230k dots 921k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch screen
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder Electronic Electronic
Viewfinder resolution - 2,359k dots
Viewfinder coverage - 100 percent
Viewfinder magnification - 0.73x
Features
Min shutter speed 60s 30s
Max shutter speed 1/2000s 1/4000s
Continuous shutter rate 2.0 frames per second 10.0 frames per second
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Set WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash distance 9.50 m 10.00 m
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow Sync Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, High Speed Sync, Rear Curtain, Fill-in, Wireless
Hot shoe
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Max flash synchronize - 1/160s
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1280 x 720 (60, 30 fps), 848 x 480 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps) 1920 x 1080 (60, 24 fps), 1440 x 1080 (30fps), 640 x 424 (29.97 fps)
Highest video resolution 1280x720 1920x1080
Video data format AVCHD Lite MPEG-4, AVCHD, H.264
Microphone port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless None Eye-Fi Connected
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None BuiltIn
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 494 grams (1.09 lbs) 622 grams (1.37 lbs)
Dimensions 120 x 80 x 92mm (4.7" x 3.1" x 3.6") 132 x 97 x 81mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 3.2")
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating not tested 74
DXO Color Depth rating not tested 23.4
DXO Dynamic range rating not tested 12.6
DXO Low light rating not tested 717
Other
Battery life - 560 pictures
Battery type - Battery Pack
Battery ID - NP-FM500H
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec, 10 sec (3 pictures)) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse feature
Storage type SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo
Card slots 1 1
Pricing at release $420 $700