Size and weight are big decision factors when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs.
In this section, we are going to illustrate the Panasonic FX48 and Sony A33 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Panasonic FX48 has external dimensions of 95 x 53 x 22 mm (3.74 x 2.09 x 0.87″) and weighs 150 g (0.33 lb / 5.29 oz) (including batteries). Sony A33 has external dimensions of 124 x 92 x 85 mm (4.88 x 3.62 x 3.35″) and weighs 500 g (1.10 lb / 17.64 oz) (including batteries).
Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Panasonic FX48 and the Sony A33. Panasonic FX48 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 29mm narrower, 39mm shorter and 63mm thinner than Sony A33. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Panasonic FX48 has a built-in lens but Sony A33 doesn't. Once you put a lens on A33, its thickness will increase significantly.
Weight is another important factor, especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day.
Panasonic FX48 is significantly lighter (350g ) than the Sony A33 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.
Again, this comparison may not be very useful in real life as we are comparing the weight of a camera with a built-in lens to the body-only weight of an interchangeable lens camera. Once you put a lens on A33, the total kit will weigh much higher.
Weather Sealing
Unfortunately neither the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48 (Lumix DMC-FX40) nor Sony SLT-A33 provides any type of weather sealing in their bodies, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections: Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing Top DSLR Cameras with Weather Sealing
LCD Screen Size and Features
Sony A33's 3.00" LCD screen is slightly larger than Panasonic FX48's 2.5" screen.
Moreover, Sony A33 sports a
Fully Articulated screen which you can change the angle and position of the screen almost freely, making it possible to shoot from waist or over-the-head levels, and especially very useful for shooting selfies and video. On the other hand, Panasonic FX48 has a fixed type screen which provides almost no flexibility in shooting positions compared to A33.