Panasonic LX5 vs Sony A580

Below is a extensive overview of the Panasonic LX5 versus Sony A580, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Panasonic and Sony. There is a big difference among the sensor resolutions of the LX5 (10MP) and A580 (16MP) and the LX5 (1/1.63") and A580 (APS-C) have different sensor size.

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The LX5 was manufactured 7 months later than the A580 and they are both of a similar generation. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic LX5 being a Compact camera and the Sony A580 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going right into a in-depth comparison, here is a concise overview of how the LX5 matches up vs the A580 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A580. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic LX5 Gallery and Sony A580 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to lug around your camera regularly, you have to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic LX5 has external dimensions of 110mm x 65mm x 43mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.7") and a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs) and the Sony A580 has dimensions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") having a weight of 599 grams (1.32 lbs).

Analyze the Panasonic LX5 versus Sony A580 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you choose during that time. The following is a front view over all size comparison of the LX5 vs the A580.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the LX5 and A580 is 88 and 64 respectively.

Usually, it's tough to picture the gap in sensor measurements simply by seeing technical specs. The graphic below may provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the LX5 and A580.

As you have seen, both cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The LX5 due to its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF more challenging and the Sony A580 will provide extra detail due to its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop pics more aggressively. The more recent LX5 should have an edge with regard to sensor tech.