Panasonic XS1 vs Sony A580

Its time to look more in depth at the Panasonic XS1 vs Sony A580, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Sony. The sensor resolution of the XS1 (16MP) and the A580 (16MP) is fairly comparable but the XS1 (1/2.3") and A580 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor dimensions.

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The XS1 was manufactured 20 months later than the A580 making them a generation apart from each other. The two cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic XS1 being a Compact camera and the Sony A580 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving right into a thorough comparison, here is a simple view of how the XS1 matches up vs the A580 for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-XS1 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A580. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic XS1 Gallery and Sony A580 Gallery.

When you are intending to lug around your camera frequently, you'll need to think about its weight and volume. The Panasonic XS1 enjoys exterior measurements of 94mm x 54mm x 14mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.6") and a weight of 103 grams (0.23 lbs) whilst the Sony A580 has sizing of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") and a weight of 599 grams (1.32 lbs).

Analyze the Panasonic XS1 vs Sony A580 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you have chosen at that moment. Underneath is a front view over all size comparison of the XS1 compared to the A580.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the XS1 and A580 is 97 and 64 respectively.

Usually, it is tough to envision the gap in sensor measurements merely by seeing a spec sheet. The photograph here will offer you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the XS1 and A580.

As you can see, the 2 cameras feature the identical resolution but not the same sensor measurements. The XS1 has the smaller sensor which is going to make achieving shallow depth of field trickier. The more recent XS1 is going to have an advantage in sensor tech.