Panasonic XS1 vs Sony A900

Following is a thorough analysis of the Panasonic XS1 versus Sony A900, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Sony. There is a huge difference among the image resolutions of the XS1 (16MP) and A900 (25MP) and the XS1 (1/2.3") and A900 (Full frame) come with totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The XS1 was announced 4 years after the A900 which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic XS1 being a Compact camera and the Sony A900 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before delving straight into a complete comparison, below is a quick view of how the XS1 grades vs the A900 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-XS1 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A900. The whole galleries are viewable at Panasonic XS1 Gallery and Sony A900 Gallery.

In case you're intending to carry around your camera regularly, you'll have to take into account its weight and size. The Panasonic XS1 provides physical dimensions of 94mm x 54mm x 14mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.6") accompanied by a weight of 103 grams (0.23 lbs) whilst the Sony A900 has specifications of 156mm x 117mm x 82mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 3.2") accompanied by a weight of 895 grams (1.97 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic XS1 versus Sony A900 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 are employing at that moment. Below is the front view physical size comparison of the XS1 compared to the A900.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the XS1 and A900 is 97 and 54 respectively.

Often, it can be difficult to see the gap in sensor sizes only by looking through a spec sheet. The picture here may offer you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the XS1 and A900.

As you can see, the two cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The XS1 using its smaller sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field more difficult and the Sony A900 will result in more detail with its extra 9MP. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop shots much more aggressively. The fresher XS1 is going to have an advantage in sensor innovation.