Panasonic SZ3 vs Sony A380

Its time to take a more detailed look at the Panasonic SZ3 versus Sony A380, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Sony. The sensor resolution of the SZ3 (16MP) and the A380 (14MP) is relatively well matched but the SZ3 (1/2.3") and A380 (APS-C) have totally different sensor size.

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The SZ3 was announced 3 years after the A380 which is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic SZ3 being a Compact camera and the Sony A380 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go into a more detailed comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the SZ3 grades vs the A380 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ3 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A380. The whole galleries are viewable at Panasonic SZ3 Gallery and Sony A380 Gallery.

For anyone who is going to carry around your camera often, you'll have to factor its weight and proportions. The Panasonic SZ3 has got outside dimensions of 95mm x 56mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") and a weight of 126 grams (0.28 lbs) whilst the Sony A380 has measurements of 128mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.8") along with a weight of 519 grams (1.14 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic SZ3 versus Sony A380 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you are employing at that moment. Below is a front view proportions comparison of the SZ3 and the A380.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the SZ3 and A380 is 96 and 68 respectively.

Generally, it can be difficult to visualise the contrast between sensor sizes purely by reading through technical specs. The image below should provide you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ3 and A380.

As you can tell, each of the cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The SZ3 using its tinier sensor will make achieving bokeh trickier and the Panasonic SZ3 will give you more detail with its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop shots way more aggressively. The younger SZ3 is going to have an advantage when it comes to sensor technology.