Sony A77 vs Panasonic FZ1000

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Sony A77 vs Panasonic FZ1000

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APS-C 369.7mm²
24.3 megapixels
ISO 100 - 16,000

Go in depth with our full Sony A77 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the A77.

1 inch 116.2mm²
20.1 megapixels
25.00mm - 400.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Panasonic FZ1000 Review.
How does it shoot? Panasonic FZ1000 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the FZ1000.
Compare Panasonic FZ1000 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Panasonic FZ1000 conclusion.

Succeeded by the Sony A77 II
Compare A77 vs A77 II

Succeeded by the Panasonic FZ1000 II
Compare FZ1000 vs FZ1000 II

Compare SONY A77 II vs PANASONIC FZ1000 II

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Differences

Sony A77 advantages over Panasonic FZ1000

Larger sensor
APS-C vs 1 inch
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 3.95 vs 2.41 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Fast startup
~0.80 vs 1.2 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
A77 test data on DxO Mark FZ1000 test data on DxO Mark

801 vs 517 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
More dynamic range

More dynamic range

Cameras with more dynamic range allow you to take photos with dramatic differences in highlight and shadow areas while retaining detail in both.

Think of a brilliant sunset on a rocky beach: Bright sunset in the background, with dark rocks in the foreground. High dynamic range means more of the extremes will be faithfully reproduced.

Dynamic range test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
A77 test data on DxO Mark FZ1000 test data on DxO Mark

13.2 vs 11.7 evs
Retain detail in highlight and shadows
Built-in GPS
GPS vs None
Geotag your photos
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

530 vs 360 shots
Capture more photos
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Thinner
80 mm vs 130 mm
Thinner
More pixels
24.3 vs 20.1 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Faster JPEG shooting
11.6 fps vs 9.5 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
11.6 fps vs 9.0 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode

Panasonic FZ1000 advantages over Sony A77

Less expensive
$748* vs $1899
Save money for lenses or accessories
Shoot 4K video
4K (UHD) vs 1080p
Make sure you have a fast computer
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Higher max flash sync
1/4000 vs 1/250 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Longer exposure
60 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Bigger JPEG buffer
73 vs 17 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Faster shutter
1/16000 vs 1/8000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
Higher extended ISO
25600 vs 16000 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

Rear display
Both provide
Review photos on the back of the camera
Focus peaking
Both provide
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Tilt-swivel screen
Both provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Both provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
In-camera panoramas
Both provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
RAW file ability
Both provide
Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
Internal flash
Both provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Manual focus
Both provide
AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.
External Mic Jack
Both provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Touchscreen
Neither provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Integrated ND filter
Neither provide
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Neither provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read A77 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read FZ1000 User Reviews

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Your purchases support this site

Buy the Sony A77

Body Only

Body Only
Kit with 16-50mm Lens
Kit with 18-135mm Lens

All A77 Deals

Your purchases support this site

Buy the Panasonic FZ1000

Panasonic FZ1000

All FZ1000 Deals

Review Excerpt

Very fast top frame rate; full-time phase-detect autofocus; Full 60p HD video; Excellent kit lens; Very good high-resolution sensor.
Heavy; EVF appears dim when used in bright light; AF tracking in Movie mode was unreliable in our testing.
Read our Sony A77 Full Review

Extremely compact compared to interchangeable-lens camera with similar lenses; Comfortable grip and controls; Bright, far-reaching 16x zoom lens; Excellent electronic viewfinder; Versatile tilt/swivel LCD; Excellent performance; Great image quality
Body materials feel a bit plasticky; Connector compartment door is fiddly; Limited raw buffer depth; Battery life below average for class; No built-in neutral density filter
Read our Panasonic FZ1000 Review

The Competition

Compared to Sony RX10

Sony A77

Sony RX10

$1899
APS-C

Larger sensor
Tilt-swivel screen

$698
1 inch

Less expensive
Built-in Wi-Fi

Compare Sony A77 vs Sony RX10

Panasonic FZ1000

Sony RX10

$773
1 inch

Tilt-swivel screen
Shoot 4K video

$698
1 inch

Top deck display
Integrated ND filter

Compare Panasonic FZ1000 vs Sony RX10

Compared to Canon 7D

Sony A77

Canon 7D

$1899
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Focus peaking

$1499
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A77 vs Canon 7D

Panasonic FZ1000

Canon 7D

$773
1 inch

Focus peaking
Less expensive

$1499
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Panasonic FZ1000 vs Canon 7D

Compared to Canon 70D

Sony A77

Canon 70D

$1899
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$1149
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A77 vs Canon 70D

Panasonic FZ1000

Canon 70D

$773
1 inch

Focus peaking
Less expensive

$1149
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Panasonic FZ1000 vs Canon 70D

Compared to Sony A77 II

Sony A77

Sony A77 II

$1899
APS-C

Built-in GPS

$1198
APS-C

Built-in Wi-Fi
NFC

Compare Sony A77 vs Sony A77 II

Panasonic FZ1000

Sony A77 II

$773
1 inch

Less expensive
Shoot 4K video

$1198
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Panasonic FZ1000 vs Sony A77 II

Compared to Leica V-LUX (Typ 114)

Sony A77

Leica V-LUX (Typ 114)

$1899
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Larger sensor

$899
1 inch

Less expensive
Shoot 4K video

Compare Sony A77 vs Leica V-LUX (Typ 114)

Panasonic FZ1000

Leica V-LUX (Typ 114)

$773
1 inch

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

$899
1 inch

Faster JPEG shooting

Compare Panasonic FZ1000 vs Leica V-LUX (Typ 114)

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