Panasonic GH2 vs Sony W800

Below, we will be reviewing the Panasonic GH2 versus Sony W800, one being a Advanced Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by brands Panasonic and Sony. The resolution of the GH2 (16MP) and the W800 (20MP) is pretty comparable but the GH2 (Four Thirds) and W800 (1/2.3") use totally different sensor measurements.

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The GH2 was manufactured 3 years earlier than the W800 and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic GH2 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony W800 being a Compact camera.

Before we go straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a simple summation of how the GH2 scores against the W800 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W800. The entire galleries are provided at Panasonic GH2 Gallery and Sony W800 Gallery.

If you're going to lug around your camera, you need to take into account its weight and measurements. The Panasonic GH2 has got physical measurements of 124mm x 90mm x 76mm (4.9" x 3.5" x 3.0") with a weight of 442 grams (0.97 lbs) while the Sony W800 has proportions of 97mm x 55mm x 21mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.8") with a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs).

Check the Panasonic GH2 versus Sony W800 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you choose at that time. Below is the front view dimension comparison of the GH2 and the W800.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the GH2 and W800 is 70 and 96 respectively.

Generally, it is tough to envision the difference in sensor measurements simply by seeing specifications. The visual here will help provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the GH2 and W800.

To sum up, each of the cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The GH2 because of its bigger sensor will make achieving shallower DOF simpler and the Sony W800 will produce greater detail due to its extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also let you crop photographs much more aggressively. The older GH2 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.