Panasonic GF2 vs Sony W550

Below, we are looking at the Panasonic GF2 and Sony W550, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Ultracompact by brands Panasonic and Sony. The resolution of the GF2 (12MP) and the W550 (14MP) is fairly comparable but the GF2 (Four Thirds) and W550 (1/2.3") use different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The GF2 was released 5 months earlier than the W550 which means that they are both of a similar generation. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic GF2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony W550 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before diving straight into a thorough comparison, below is a concise introduction of how the GF2 scores versus the W550 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W550. The complete galleries are viewable at Panasonic GF2 Gallery and Sony W550 Gallery.

For those who are going to lug around your camera regularly, you're going to have to think about its weight and proportions. The Panasonic GF2 features physical measurements of 113mm x 68mm x 33mm (4.4" x 2.7" x 1.3") with a weight of 310 grams (0.68 lbs) whilst the Sony W550 has measurements of 94mm x 56mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.7") having a weight of 110 grams (0.24 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic GF2 and Sony W550 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are utilizing at that time. Underneath is the front view dimension comparison of the GF2 vs the W550.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the GF2 and W550 is 88 and 96 respectively.

Often, it's hard to picture the gap in sensor measurements simply by checking out technical specs. The graphic below might give you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the GF2 and W550.

As you have seen, the two cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The GF2 featuring a larger sensor is going to make getting bokeh simpler and the Sony W550 will produce greater detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop images somewhat more aggressively.