Panasonic TS5 vs Sony A500

In this article, we will be evaluating the Panasonic TS5 and Sony A500, one is a Waterproof and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Sony. There is a huge difference among the sensor resolutions of the TS5 (16MP) and A500 (12MP) and the TS5 (1/2.3") and A500 (APS-C) feature different sensor sizing.

Photobucket discusses licensing 13 billion images with AI firms

The TS5 was brought out 3 years after the A500 which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic TS5 being a Compact camera and the Sony A500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving in to a complete comparison, below is a brief view of how the TS5 grades against the A500 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A500. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic TS5 Gallery and Sony A500 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to carry around your camera regularly, you'll have to factor in its weight and proportions. The Panasonic TS5 enjoys physical measurements of 110mm x 67mm x 29mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 214 grams (0.47 lbs) and the Sony A500 has measurements of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") along with a weight of 630 grams (1.39 lbs).

Analyze the Panasonic TS5 and Sony A500 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are utilising at that time. Underneath is the front view physical size comparison of the TS5 and the A500.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the TS5 and A500 is 91 and 63 respectively.

In many cases, it can be hard to imagine the difference in sensor sizes simply by going through technical specs. The image below might offer you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the TS5 and A500.

As you can tell, both cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The TS5 featuring a smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field trickier and the Panasonic TS5 will show more detail having its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop pictures a little more aggressively. The more recent TS5 should have an edge in sensor technology.