Panasonic S1 vs Sony A560

Here, we will be matching up the Panasonic S1 and Sony A560, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Sony. The sensor resolution of the S1 (12MP) and the A560 (14MP) is relatively well matched but the S1 (1/2.3") and A560 (APS-C) boast different sensor sizes.

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The S1 was released 5 months after the A560 so they are of a similar age. The two cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic S1 being a Compact camera and the Sony A560 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going into a full comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the S1 scores versus the A560 for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-S1 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A560. The complete galleries are provided at Panasonic S1 Gallery & Sony A560 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to carry around your camera frequently, you'll have to take into account its weight and volume. The Panasonic S1 enjoys outside measurements of 99mm x 59mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") along with a weight of 117 grams (0.26 lbs) and the Sony A560 has sizing of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") having a weight of 599 grams (1.32 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic S1 and Sony A560 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you are utilizing at that moment. The following is a front view proportions comparison of the S1 against the A560.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the S1 and A560 is 96 and 64 respectively.

In many cases, it's difficult to imagine the contrast between sensor sizes purely by looking at a spec sheet. The image here may provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the S1 and A560.

Clearly, both of these cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The S1 due to its tinier sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field harder and the Sony A560 will give you extra detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will let you crop shots a good deal more aggressively.