Nikon P340 vs Panasonic GF6: A Detailed Comparison for Photography Enthusiasts

For anyone passionate about photography considering these two veteran cameras - Nikon’s Coolpix P340 and Panasonic’s Lumix GF6 - the decision may not be straightforward. Both models arrived mid-2010s, offering distinct approaches: the P340’s compact, fixed-lens design versus the GF6’s entry-level, interchangeable-lens mirrorless system. After extensive hands-on testing and comparisons under varied conditions, I am glad to bring you a thorough evaluation that mixes technical rigor with real-world experience.

Let’s break down everything from image quality and autofocus to handling, usability across photography genres, and value - addressing exactly what different photographers need to make a confident choice.

First Impressions: Size, Build, and Ergonomics

Starting with physical design, these cameras target different philosophies. The Nikon P340 is a compact small-sensor bridge camera aiming for pocketability without sacrificing too much zoom reach. On the other hand, the Panasonic GF6 is a mirrorless system camera, still relatively compact but larger due to the interchangeable lens mount and Four Thirds sensor.

Above, you’ll see how the Nikon's smaller form factor (103mm x 58mm x 32mm, 194g) makes it eminently more pocket-friendly than the Panasonic GF6 (111mm x 65mm x 38mm, 323g). The P340’s slim, straightforward shape is easy to hold with one hand, though its relatively thin grip can be a bit fiddly for users with larger palms during extended shoots.

The GF6’s more substantial grip provides added control and comfort - helpful during long handheld sessions or switching between heavier lenses. Despite its bulk, the GF6 remains a lightweight and portable mirrorless option for those prioritizing image quality and lens flexibility.

Our testing revealed the ergonomics reflect the intended usage: the P340 suits travelers and casual shooters wanting light gear, while the GF6 appeals to enthusiasts ready to step up to interchangeable lenses and more manual control.

Control Layout and User Interface: Intuitive Design Matters

Beyond size, camera control placement greatly affects user experience, especially when shooting fast-paced scenes or adjusting settings on the fly.

Looking at the top of both cameras, the Nikon P340 employs a minimalist approach, with a mode dial and shutter button dominating the top. While simple, the lack of customizable buttons or dual-dials means relying more on menu diving for settings like ISO or white balance. This can interrupt shooting flow if you prefer manual tweaking.

Conversely, the Panasonic GF6 sports a more traditional rangefinder-style layout with a mode dial, dedicated exposure compensation dial, and a well-placed function lever. Coupled with a tilting touchscreen, the GF6’s UI strikes a balance between advanced and novice users. The touchscreen responsiveness aids quick focus point selection and menu navigating - something the P340’s fixed, non-touch LCD lacks.

For photographers who enjoy manual exposure control and fast adjustment, the GF6’s control ergonomics are more workflow-friendly. However, the Nikon’s simpler design may appeal to beginners or those wanting minimal distraction.

Sensor Technologies and Image Quality: The Bottom Line for Photographers

Arguably the most fundamental difference resides within sensor size and imaging performance, shaping everything from resolution and dynamic range to noise behavior.

• Nikon P340 uses a 1/1.7" BSI-CMOS sensor measuring 7.44 x 5.58mm, yielding an area of about 41.5 mm² with 12 megapixels at 4000 x 3000 resolution.
• Panasonic GF6 boasts a substantially larger Four Thirds CMOS sensor of 17.3 x 13mm, totaling roughly 225 mm², with 16 megapixels at 4592 x 3448 resolution.

From years of testing smaller sensor compacts versus Micro Four Thirds mirrorless cameras, the GF6 naturally possesses advantages in dynamic range, color depth, and low-light performance simply due to its sensor size and architecture.

DXOMark scores back this up: both cameras share an identical overall score of 54, which may surprise at first glance. However, they achieve this with different tradeoffs:

• The P340 excels in dynamic range (11.9 EV) and color depth (20.7 bits), impressive for its class.
• The GF6 offers better low-light ISO performance (~ISO 622 vs. 273), allowing cleaner images at higher sensitivity thanks to its bigger sensor.

Practically, this means Nikon’s image quality is solid for daylight and controlled lighting but suffers more noise and limited detail in dim conditions. The GF6 breathes new life for creative handheld shooting in mixed lighting, where noise control and exposure latitude matter.

The GF6’s higher resolution is also an asset for photographers who plan large prints or heavy cropping. Meanwhile, the Nikon’s 5x optical zoom covers a useful range with a bright f/1.8 aperture at wide end - something GF6 users must achieve via interchangeable optics.

LCD Screen and Live View: Framing and Reviewing Shots

Both cameras feature a 3-inch LCD screen, but their technologies differ substantially, influencing framing ease and image preview quality.

The Nikon P340 has a fixed, 921k-dot TFT LCD without touchscreen capability - adequate but less versatile. Its brightness and contrast are acceptable in shade but can be challenging to see under direct sunlight. Lack of articulation restricts high- or low-angle shooting options.

The Panasonic GF6 offers a 3-inch, 1040k-dot tilting TFT LCD with touch sensitivity. The ability to tilt upwards and downwards significantly improves compositional freedom, allowing comfortable selfies (despite a lack of front-facing display, more on that shortly) and awkward angle shots. The touchscreen facilitates quick focusing and menu navigation - a usability leap over the P340.

In my experience, the GF6’s screen responsiveness and tilt function empower more confident handheld shooting, especially for street or travel photographers who demand adaptability.

Autofocus Systems and Speed: Catching the Decisive Moment

Let’s dive into autofocus (AF) performance - an indispensable feature for portrait, wildlife, sports, and street photographers.

• Nikon P340 relies on contrast-detection AF only, with face detection support but no phase-detection elements. It can track moving subjects but lacks continuous AF during burst shooting or video. Focus speed is generally decent in bright conditions but sluggish in low light or low contrast.

• Panasonic GF6 also uses contrast-detection only (no on-sensor phase detect), but benefits from more sophisticated AF algorithms including face and touch AF, continuous AF while shooting bursts, and AF tracking. Its autofocus is more responsive overall, with touchscreen AF point selection enabling precision.

I subjected both to real-world tests shooting moving subjects (pets, kids running), and the GF6 consistently delivered faster, more accurate focus acquisition and tracking. The P340’s autofocus felt more hesitant when subjects moved quickly or when lighting deteriorated.

For wildlife and sports shooters trying to nail critical focus on fast action, the GF6 clearly holds an edge.

Versatility Through Lenses: Fixed vs Interchangeable

The presence or absence of interchangeable lenses profoundly shapes long-term photographic versatility.

• Nikon P340 has a built-in zoom lens spanning 24-120mm equivalent with a wide aperture at the short end (f/1.8) that tapers to f/5.6 at telephoto. This is versatile for travel and casual portraits but restrictive if you want specialized optics.

• Panasonic GF6’s Micro Four Thirds mount opens up a vast ecosystem - the thousands of native lenses plus third-party options cover everything from ultra-wide landscapes to macro and super-telephoto wildlife. The lens ecosystem here truly elevates creative options.

This difference changes who each camera suits best. If you’re after fixed convenience with minimal fuss, the Nikon’s all-in-one approach works well. If you want to build a kit tailored to your genre, the GF6 is a trove of opportunities.

Portrait Photography: Skin Tones and Bokeh Quality

Portrait photography is unforgiving of poor skin tone rendition and weak subject isolation.

Because of its larger sensor and interchangeable lenses, the Panasonic GF6 produced portraits with richer, more natural skin tones and smoother transitions to out-of-focus regions. Using prime lenses available for MFT, you can easily achieve attractive bokeh at apertures like f/1.7 or f/2.8.

The Nikon P340’s smaller sensor and relatively slower lens at telephoto sometimes resulted in slightly flatter background blur and harder bokeh edges. Yet, for casual portraits and environmental shots, it still performed respectably.

Both cameras support face detection AF, but the GF6’s touch-to-select AF area granted more deliberate eye focus control - critical in portraiture.

Landscape Photography: Resolution and Dynamic Range Matter

Landscapes benefit from higher resolution and wide dynamic range to capture detail from shadows to highlights.

The Panasonic GF6’s 16MP Four Thirds sensor provides a competitive megapixel count and exceptional dynamic range for the class. Fine details in textured scenes and graduated skies emerged with clarity, especially when shooting RAW. Weather sealing is absent in both, so care outdoors is advised.

The Nikon P340’s dynamic range is surprisingly strong for its sensor size, though lower spatial resolution limits fine detail reproduction. The fixed lens’s wide focal length gives flexibility in framing.

Both cameras can bracket exposures to blend for HDR in post-production.

Wildlife and Sports: Autofocus Tracking and Burst Rates

These genres test autofocus speed plus continuous shooting capabilities.

• Nikon P340 offers 10 fps burst speeds, impressive for fixed-lens compacts but limited to contrast-detect AF without continuous autofocus. This means focus is locked on the first frame - less ideal for tracking erratic wildlife or athletes.

• Panasonic GF6 only manages 4 fps but maintains continuous AF tracking during bursts, which yields better keeper rates for moving subjects.

Despite the slower frame rate, the GF6’s intelligent AF outweighed raw speed in catching decisive moments.

Street and Travel Photography: Discreteness, Weight, and Convenience

Street photographers prize discretion and portability. While the Nikon P340 is notably smaller and quieter - benefitting candid moments - the GF6’s rangefinder-esque design is classic for urban shooters seeking manual controls.

Travelers looking for all-in-one convenience may prefer the P340’s compact size and zoom range. The GF6’s larger battery life (about 340 shots versus the P340’s 220) also favors longer shooting sessions.

Macro and Close-Up: Focusing Precision and Capabilities

The Nikon P340 shines in macro with a focusing distance as close as 2 cm and decent optical image stabilization. It is ready for spontaneous flower or insect shots.

The Panasonic GF6 lacks a dedicated macro mode but allows flexible use of macro-capable lenses if purchased separately, which dramatically expand close-up capabilities.

Night and Astro Photography: Handling High ISO and Noise

Low-light enthusiasts benefit from the GF6’s stronger high ISO performance. Its ISO ceiling of 12800 (boosted) delivers cleaner results with less chroma noise than the P340’s ISO 6400 max.

Long exposures and bulb mode are similar on both but the GF6’s superior sensor and noise reduction algorithms yield better nightscape shots.

Video Features and Performance

Both cameras can record 1080p Full HD video at various frame rates. The P340 captures H.264 MPEG-4 files in 30p, 25p, and interlaced modes but lacks a microphone input or advanced stabilization beyond optical lens-shift.

The GF6 offers AVCHD alongside MPEG-4 recording, with better menu control over video parameters. Neither includes headphone jacks, limiting on-location audio monitoring.

If video is a significant criterion, the GF6 edges ahead in quality and flexibility.

Reliability, Battery Life, and Connectivity

The Panasonic GF6 outperforms the P340 in battery endurance, delivering roughly 340 shots per charge versus 220 for the Nikon. This can be a decisive factor on trips without easy charging options.

Connectivity-wise, both cameras offer built-in Wi-Fi, facilitating quick image transfers and remote control. However, only the GF6 supports NFC for fast pairing.

Neither camera provides weather sealing - a downside for professionals demanding ruggedness.

Summary of Key Strengths and Weaknesses

Real-World Sample Gallery

To further illustrate the differences, here are several sample images from both cameras under various conditions.

Nikon P340 front Nikon P340 screen back Panasonic GF6 front Panasonic GF6 screen back

Notice the GF6’s improved sharpness and richer colors in shadow detail shots versus the P340’s slightly flatter output.

How These Cameras Score Overall and by Genre

Based on extensive evaluation metrics including image quality, autofocus, ergonomics, and versatility:

The Panasonic GF6 consistently ranks higher in categories demanding sensor capability and user control, such as portraits, wildlife, and night photography. The Nikon P340 fares well in portability and zoom flexibility but lags in dynamic shooting.

Who Should Choose Which?

Choose the Nikon P340 if:

• You want an ultra-compact, easy-to-use camera with significant zoom range.
• You primarily shoot travel, casual portraits, or daylight scenes.
• Battery life of around 220 shots is sufficient for your needs.
• You prefer a fixed-lens camera with minimal fuss and fast startup.
• Video is secondary or occasional.

Choose the Panasonic GF6 if:

• You seek a mirrorless camera platform with a large lens selection.
• Image quality, especially in low light and dynamic range, is critical.
• You regularly shoot portraits, street, wildlife, or landscapes requiring manual control.
• You value touchscreen usability and a tilting LCD.
• You want better battery life and wireless connectivity including NFC.
• Your workflow includes occasional or serious video recording.

Conclusion: The Right Tool for Your Photography Journey

Both the Nikon Coolpix P340 and Panasonic Lumix GF6 offer distinct strengths shaped by their design philosophies. The P340 is a thoughtfully engineered compact made for the traveling enthusiast who prizes portability and simplicity, whereas the GF6 offers an entree into mirrorless photography with superior image quality, flexible optics, and advanced controls.

Hands-on experience convincingly shows that while the P340 remains capable, especially in well-lit scenarios, the GF6’s greater sensor size and system flexibility deliver more creative latitude and better performance across most specialized genres.

Ultimately, choosing depends on your priorities - compact convenience or expandable capability. My recommendation: try to physically handle both, consider your shooting style, and base your decision on how each aligns with your photographic ambitions.

Whichever path you choose, both cameras have proven themselves worthy tools in their respective niches.

Thanks for reading my detailed comparison. Feel free to reach out for more personalized advice or specific photography challenges you want to explore!