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Panasonic FZ80 vs Sony a5000 Comparison

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Panasonic FZ80

18 MP | 1/2.3 BSI-CMOS Sensor

Panasonic FZ80
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Sony a5000

20 MP | APS-C (23.2 x 15.4 mm) CMOS Sensor

Sony a5000
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Panasonic FZ80 vs Sony a5000 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Panasonic FZ80, which was introduced in January 2017 is a Small Sensor Superzoom camera with a 18.0MP 1/2.3 sensor whereas Sony a5000, which was introduced in January 2014 is a Entry-Level Mirrorless camera with a 20.0MP APS-C sensor. As you can see, a5000 is 3 years older than FZ80. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Comparing an interchangeble lens camera to a fixed lens camera is a bit tricky but we will do our best to make this a fair comparison.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Panasonic FZ80 and Sony a5000 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Panasonic FZ80 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2017-01-04
  • 18MP - 1/2.3 BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 3200 ( expands to 6400)
  • 20-1200 mm F2.8-5.9 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • 1166k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 10.0fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • 240fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 616g. 130 x 94 x 119 mm
  • Also known as Lumix DMC-FZ85

Sony a5000 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2014-01-07
  • 20MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 16000
  • Sony E Mount
  • 3.00" Tilting Screen
  • 4.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 269g. 110 x 63 x 36 mm
  • Replaced Sony Alpha NEX-3N Compare

Sony a5000 was replaced by Sony Alpha a5100. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Alpha a5100 vs Sony Alpha a5000
Sony Alpha a5100 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ80 (Lumix DMC-FZ82)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic FZ80 and Sony a5000 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ80 over Sony Alpha a5000
In-built Image Stabilization
Optical vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and slow shutter speeds
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder
Electronic vs None Better framing and control
Number of Focus Points
49 vs 25 24 more focus points
LCD Resolution
1.040k dots vs 461k dots 125% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting
10.0fps vs 4.0fps 6 fps faster
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs With optional app creative shooting
Flash Coverage
14.1m vs 4.0m 10.1m longer range
Max Video Resolution
3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080 Higher Resolution Video
4K Photo Mode
Yes vs No Extract 8MP photos from 4K Video
Focus Bracketing
Yes vs No Take multiple photos shifting focus point
Focus Stacking
Yes vs No Stacks photos in-camera to maximize depth of field
Post Focus Mode
Yes vs No Change focus point after taking a shot
UHS Card Support
UHS-I vs none Read/Write in High Speeds
CHECK FZ80 PRICE


Reasons to choose Sony Alpha a5000 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ80
LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Sensor Resolution
20 MP vs 18 MP 11% more pixels
Max ISO
16.000 vs 3.200 400% higher Max ISO
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life
420 shots vs 330 shots 90 more frames with a single charge
Weight
269 g vs 616 g 347 g lighter
Sensor Pixel Area
18.03µm2 vs 1.56µm2 1055% larger pixel area
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
CHECK a5000 PRICE

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ80 and Sony Alpha a5000
Wireless Connection
Yes vs Yes Better connectivity
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Max Resolution
18 MP vs 20 MP Bigger prints and more details
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs Yes Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ80 and Sony Alpha a5000
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Panasonic FZ80 vs Sony a5000: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Panasonic FZ80 and Sony a5000 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Panasonic FZ80 has external dimensions of 130 x 94 x 119 mm (5.12 x 3.7 x 4.69″) and weighs 616 g (1.36 lb / 21.73 oz) (including batteries). Sony a5000 has external dimensions of 110 x 63 x 36 mm (4.33 x 2.48 x 1.42″) and weighs 269 g (0.59 lb / 9.49 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic FZ80 and Sony a5000. Sony a5000 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 20mm narrower, 31mm shorter and 83mm thinner than Panasonic FZ80. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Panasonic FZ80 has a built-in lens but Sony a5000 doesn't. Once you put a lens on a5000, its thickness will increase significantly.

Panasonic FZ80 vs Sony a5000 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Panasonic FZ80 and Sony a5000 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic FZ80 and Sony a5000.

Panasonic FZ80 vs Sony a5000 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Panasonic FZ80 and Sony a5000 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic FZ80 and Sony a5000.
Panasonic FZ80 vs Sony a5000 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Panasonic FZ80 and Sony a5000 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony a5000 is significantly lighter (347g ) than the Panasonic FZ80 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 a5000, the total kit will weigh much higher.

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ80 (Lumix DMC-FZ82) nor Sony Alpha a5000 provides any type of weather sealing in their body, 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 Bridge Cameras with Weather Sealing
Top Mirrorless Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Panasonic FZ80 and Sony a5000's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.00".

On the other hand, Sony a5000 features a Tilting screen where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels whereas the Panasonic FZ80 has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to a5000.


Panasonic FZ80 vs Sony a5000: Sensor Comparison

Panasonic FZ80 has a 18.0MP 1/2.3 (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Venus Engine processor. On the other hand, Sony a5000 has a 20.0MP APS-C (23.2 x 15.4 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Bionz X processor.

Below you can see the FZ80 and a5000 sensor size comparison.

Panasonic FZ80 vs Sony a5000 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic FZ80 and Sony a5000 Cameras


As seen above, Sony a5000 has a 12.7x Larger sensor area than Panasonic FZ80. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

What types of Photography are Panasonic FZ80 and Sony a5000 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic FZ80 and Sony a5000 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Panasonic FZ80 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Sony a5000 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/2.3 sensor
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.2 x 15.4 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Panasonic FZ80 for Street Photography

GOOD

Sony a5000 for Street Photography

GOOD
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
20 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
Small 1/2.3 sensor
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.2 x 15.4 mm) sensor
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Panasonic FZ80 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Sony a5000 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
49 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
1200 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
Environmental Sealings
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
25 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Continuous Shooting: 4.0fps
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Panasonic FZ80 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Sony a5000 for Daily Photography

GOOD
60.0X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.3 sensor
616g
Body Thickness 119mm
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.2 x 15.4 mm) sensor
269g
Medium size Body
Read the details

Panasonic FZ80 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Sony a5000 for Landscape Photography

POOR
Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
20 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.2 x 15.4 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Live-view
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Panasonic FZ80 vs Sony a5000: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Panasonic FZ80 and Sony a5000, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Panasonic FZ80 and Sony a5000 scores compare:

Panasonic FZ80
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #17 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #306 out of 1259 in all Cameras
Sony a5000
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #78 out of 134 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #369 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Panasonic FZ80 has a higher Overall Score than the Sony a5000 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Panasonic FZ80
Panasonic FZ80
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Sony a5000
Sony a5000
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Sony a5000 vs Panasonic FZ80 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ80 Sony Alpha a5000
Brand Panasonic Sony
Announced 2017-01-04 2014-01-07
Body Type SLR-like (bridge) Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type BSI-CMOS CMOS
Size 1/2.3 APS-C
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 23.2 x 15.4 mm
Area 28.07mm2 357.28mm2
Megapixels 18 megapixels 20 megapixels
Max Resolution 4896 x 3672 5456 x 3632
Max Native Light sensitivity 3,200 ISO 16,000 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 6400 ISO -
Min Native Light sensitivity 80 ISO 100 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 49 25
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens Sony E
Lens Focal Range 20-1200 mm (60x) no lens
Max Aperture F2.8-5.9 no lens
Macro Focus Range 1cm no lens
Screen
Type Fixed type Tilting
Size 3.00" 3.00"
Resolution 1,040k dots 461k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic None
Viewfinder Resolution 1,166k dots no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage 100% n/a
Viewfinder Magnification 0.46x n/a
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/2000s 1/4000s
Max Electronic Shutter 1/16000s n/a
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Optical No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 14.10 m (at Auto ISO) 4.00 m (at ISO 100)
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/160s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 10.0 fps 4.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MPEG-4, AVCHD MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 616g 269g
Dimensions 130 x 94 x 119mm 110 x 63 x 36mm
Battery Life 330 shots 420 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording With Downloadable App
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 79
DxO Color Depth not tested 23.8
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 13.0
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 1089
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