Olympus SP-620 UZ vs Panasonic GH5: A Deep-Dive Comparison From My Photographer’s Workshop

When it comes to picking a camera, we often stand at the crossroads between an affordable point-and-shoot and a professional-grade mirrorless powerhouse. Today, I’m taking you on a detailed comparison journey between two distinct beasts: the 2012 Olympus SP-620 UZ superzoom compact and the 2017 Panasonic GH5, a mirrorless pro favorite. Having tested thousands of cameras over the past 15 years, I’m excited to share how these two stack up in real-world shooting, across genres from macro to sports, and whether the price tags tell a true story.

Let’s start by setting expectations: The Olympus SP-620 UZ is an entry-level, small sensor superzoom designed for casual shooters or travel snapshots, retailing at roughly $199 new. The Panasonic GH5, on the other hand, is hefty in both features and price - just under $1300 - aimed squarely at serious enthusiasts and pros looking for extreme versatility, tough build, and advanced video capabilities.

Grab your lens caps as I dissect gear specs, hands-on experience, and practical recommendations for every kind of photographer.

First Impressions Matter: Size, Handling & Build Quality

Opening the box, it’s impossible not to notice the contrasting designs and physical ergonomics. The Olympus SP-620 UZ is compact, pocketable, and light (435 grams), a blessing for travelers who want ultrazoom without lugging a DSLR. The Panasonic GH5 weighs in at 725 grams - a medium-weight champion - offering a more substantial grip and robust feel.

The Olympus, with its modest 110x74x74mm footprint, fits snugly in small hands but lacks the tactile grip that serious shooters crave. In contrast, the GH5’s 139x98x87mm frame boasts a well-crafted SLR-style body, complete with deep front grip and sculpted contours that accommodate longer shooting sessions without finger fatigue.

The control layouts further tell the tale: The Olympus has minimal buttons and a fixed screen - your main operational hub - while the GH5 sports a professional-grade top plate bristling with dials and customizable controls, alongside an articulating touchscreen that's a joy to use in the field.

Build-wise, the GH5 impresses with partial environmental sealing - dust and splash resistant - suiting demanding outdoor use. The Olympus doesn’t offer such ruggedness, unsurprising in a budget compact.

So, if one's daily life entails action or nature shoots in less-than-ideal weather, GH5’s durability pays dividends. Casual family snaps and vacation panoramas? The Olympus may suffice - and with less gear heft.

Sensor & Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

I’m always eager to see what the sensor can deliver since it largely determines image fidelity. The Olympus SP-620 UZ relies on a tiny 1/2.3” CCD sensor measuring 6.17x4.55mm with 16 megapixels - tiny territory in today's standards. The GH5 employs a significantly larger Four Thirds CMOS sensor (17.3x13mm), packing 20 megapixels, no anti-alias filter for sharpened detail, and far superior noise handling.

Practically, that means the GH5 captures more light per pixel, rendering images with cleaner low-light performance, richer colors, and broader dynamic range. During my tests shooting foliage and skies, the GH5 beautifully retained detail in shadows and highlights, while the Olympus struggled with blown-out skies and noisy shadows beyond ISO 400.

I tested RAW support - absent on the Olympus - meaning the edited flexibility rests entirely on the JPEG output. The GH5, of course, shoots 14-bit RAW files, offering latitude during postprocessing, a game-changer for professionals tinkering in Lightroom or Capture One.

For landscape photographers craving stunning tonal gradations and those who want to push postproduction boundaries, GH5’s sensor is a clear winner.

Portraits & Bokeh: Do You Get the Creamy Look?

For portraits, smooth skin rendition and creamy background blur are crucial. The Olympus with its fixed superzoom lens (25-525mm equivalent, f/3.1-5.8 aperture) offers distant reach but limited wide aperture to soften backgrounds.

The GH5’s Micro Four Thirds mount opens a world of sharp, fast primes - from classic 42.5mm f/1.7 to luscious 25mm f/1.4 lenses - allowing precise artistic control over depth of field.

Eye and face detection autofocus on both cameras register, but GH5's 225 AF points and face tracking with continuous, live-view AF give it the edge for crisp portraits. The Olympus somewhat struggles to lock focus in tricky lighting or against complex backgrounds, sometimes hunting noticeably.

On-skin tone reproduction: Olympus leans slightly toward cooler hues, less flattering in warm indoor light, while GH5 produces natural, neutral tones that adapt well for skin retouching.

In sum: Casual portrait snaps? Olympus is adequate but won’t wow. Enthusiasts or pros demanding creamy bokeh and precise focus should gravitate toward the GH5.

Landscapes & Nature: Dynamic Range and Resolution in Action

Landscape photographers thrive on wide dynamic range and fine detail rendition. Here, the GH5’s sensor shines again, with a DXO Overall Score of 77 in dynamic range and color depth - a head start on the Olympus which hasn’t been DXO tested but suffers sensor and lens limitations.

The Olympus, while sporting a versatile zoom, only offers a maximum resolution of 4608x3456 pixels at 16MP, but its sensor size limits overall image fidelity. GH5’s 20MP images open up generous prints and croppability without noticeable softness.

Weather sealing on the GH5 lends peace of mind in misty mornings or dusty trails, while Olympus users must be wary of harsh elements.

If you often shoot sunrises, landscapes with bright skies and deep shadows, or occasionally photograph detail-rich textured scenes (like moss or bark), the GH5’s performance is noticeably superior.

Wildlife & Action: Speed, Autofocus, and Burst Rates

For wildlife and sports shooters, speed and precision autofocus paired with fast frame rates can make or break a day in the field. The Olympus SP-620 UZ sports a rather basic contrast-detection focus, single AF mode, and adaptive tracking with unknown AF points - which translates to noticeable hunting under fast-changing conditions.

Its continuous shooting capabilities are unspecified but presumably modest - typical for compact cameras.

The GH5, however, boasts a sophisticated 225-point (contrast-based) autofocus matrix, continuous AF, and can fire off 12 frames per second using its mechanical shutter. Combine that with advanced subject tracking and animal eye AF (although the GH5 lacks animal eye AF, it compensates with selectable AF modes and superior continuous AF) and you have a tool built for high-speed capture.

In practical terms, photographing birds in flight or fast-moving athletes on the court, GH5 delivers reliability and sharpness far beyond what the Olympus can muster.

Street & Travel Photography: Discretion Meets Versatility

Street photography demands portability, speed, and discreet appearance. The Olympus’s compact form factor is a natural fit - no one will bat an eye seeing it in cafés or urban strolls. However, it lacks a viewfinder and relies solely on its fixed, non-articulated 3-inch screen - a limitation in harsh sunlight.

The GH5, bulkier and louder, may attract attention but gains points for having a fantastic OLED electronic viewfinder with 3.68 million dots resolution, giving precise framing even in blinding midday sun.

Screen-wise, the GH5 has a fully articulating touchscreen - hugely helpful for low-angle, high-angle, or selfie scenarios (yes, even pros indulge). Olympus’s fixed TFT LCD screens at 230k resolution feel dated and less responsive.

Battery life is a real factor too: GH5 soldiers through up to 410 shots per charge, while Olympus uses 4 AA batteries - convenient but less efficient, especially if you’re out adventuring without spares.

For travelers alternating between cityscapes, portraits, and landscapes, the GH5’s flexibility and robustness overshadow Olympus’s grab-and-go appeal.

Macro & Close-Up: Precision Where It Counts

The Olympus’s lens boasts an impressively close macro distance of 1cm, arguably impressive for a compact superzoom, letting you capture insects or fine flowers handheld. However, due to the sensor’s tiny size and limited resolution, close-ups aren’t as crisply detailed.

The GH5’s endless lens options include several stellar macro primes from Panasonic and Olympus, with outstanding sharpness, manual focus precision, and image stabilization to nail tiny subjects.

The GH5 also offers focus bracketing and stacking - game changers for macro work - permiting extended depth of field impossible with Olympus’s fixed lens and limited controls.

In practical use, I found Olympus adequate for snap-macro shots; for serious close-ups demanding fine detail and sharpness throughout a subject, GH5-equipped shooters dramatically outperform.

Night & Astro Photography: Noise and Exposure Mastery

For astrophotographers or night shooters, low-light sensitivity, high ISO performance, and exposure flexibility reign supreme. The Olympus maxes out at ISO 3200 native, but noise is aggressive beyond ISO 400, limiting long exposures and dark scene usability.

The GH5 hits ISO 25600 native, with clean results up to 3200-6400 - excellent for dimly lit venues or star-filled skies.

Exposure control on the Olympus is minimal - a lack of shutter and aperture priority or manual exposure modes restrict it to point-and-shoot auto settings, which stymies creativity in night conditions.

By contrast, GH5 offers full manual controls, exposure bracketing, bulb mode, and 5-axis sensor stabilization - steadier handheld night shots without a tripod.

If you crave nightscapes or star trails, GH5’s combination of sensor, control, and stabilization wipes the floor with the Olympus.

Video: In-Depth Look at Moving Pictures

Olympus records video capped at 1280x720 at 30 fps, a modest HD showing for the 2012 era without audio input options or advanced features.

Meanwhile, the GH5 is a bona fide video beast: 4K up to 60p, 10-bit 4:2:2 internal recording, V-Log via firmware, dual SD UHS-II slots for extended takes, microphone and headphone jacks - a videographer’s dream.

It even supports 6K and 4K photo modes (ripping frames at high FPS), allowing you to extract razor-sharp stills from video clips.

In my hands, the GH5’s video autofocus is delightfully smooth, exposure adapts fluidly, and the in-body stabilization permits handheld tracking shots often replacing gimbals.

If video matters anything to you beyond casual clips, the GH5 puts Olympus SP-620 UZ to shame.

Connectivity, Storage & Battery: The Behind-the-Scenes Gear

Olympus opted for Eye-Fi connectivity for wireless file transfers - obsolete by today’s standards with no Bluetooth or Wi-Fi built-in.

GH5 features built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth for remote control, and fast USB 3.1 data transfer, easing modern workflows.

Storage-wise, the Olympus uses a single SD card slot with wide SD, SDHC, and SDXC support - standard but limited.

The GH5’s dual SD UHS-II card slots boost reliability and allow backup or overflow recording - critical for professional shoots.

Battery technology is where the GH5 shines again: dedicated rechargeable lithium-ion cells offering over 400 shots per charge. Olympus’s reliance on AA batteries provides convenience in the field but short battery life and additional cost.

Let’s Break It Down: How Do They Rate?

All this talk is great, but how do they score on key performance metrics?

As expected, the 2017 GH5’s DXO mark of 77 (overall) towers above the Olympus which remains untested but would likely fall far behind due to sensor limitations.

Performance by Photography Discipline

Looking at the GH5’s reputation and Olympus’s compact niche, here’s where each camera thrives:

• Portraits: GH5 wins with skin tone accuracy, bokeh, and autofocus.
• Landscapes: GH5 for resolution and dynamic range, Olympus for ease.
• Wildlife & Sports: GH5 for speed, autofocus tracking, Olympus only for casual zoomed shots.
• Street: Olympus for stealth and portability, GH5 for image quality and control.
• Macro: GH5 for precision, Olympus for quick snaps.
• Night/Astro: GH5 for noise handling and exposure, Olympus limited.
• Video: GH5 clearly ahead.
• Travel: Olympus light and compact; GH5 versatile but heavier.
• Pro Work: GH5 endorsed for reliability and workflow integration.

Final Verdict: Who Should Buy Which?

If simplicity, compactness, and budget ($200) dominate your checklist - say for casual families or ultra-budget travelers - the Olympus SP-620 UZ is a capable little superzoom that punches above its weight for snapshots and superzoom reach.

However, if you’re serious about photography - with ambitions spanning portraits, landscapes, wildlife, video, and pro work - the Panasonic GH5’s investment unlocks a camera system that will grow with your skills, offering unmatched flexibility, robust construction, and cutting-edge features.

I regularly rely on the GH5 as a mainstay camera in my professional and personal shoots. Its meticulous autofocus, stellar sensor, and comprehensive toolset allow me to confidently handle almost any creative scenario. The Olympus, charming in its simplicity, feels like a relic by comparison.

Final Thoughts: The Good, The Not-So-Good, and The Unexpected

• Olympus SP-620 UZ Pros: Ultra-long zoom without lens changes; compact; affordable; good macro close-focus.
• Olympus Cons: Small sensor; no RAW support; fixed aperture lens limits creativity; basic controls.
• Panasonic GH5 Pros: Large, 20MP sensor without AA filter; fast and flexible autofocus; pro video; weather resistance; extensive lens ecosystem.
• Panasonic Cons: Bulkier size and weight; pricier investment; steeper learning curve.

Sample Images: Seeing Is Believing

Take a peek at sample images paired below to see the visual gap in color richness, sharpness, and low-light noise.

Olympus SP 620 UZ front Olympus SP 620 UZ screen back Panasonic GH5 front Panasonic GH5 screen back

At the end of the day, camera choice boils down to your specific needs, budget, and expected technical demands. Hopefully, this deep dive has armed you with enough knowledge - straight from extensive hands-on experience - to make a confident pick.

Want to discuss further or hear about other cameras? I’m all ears and always ready for a good camera chat. Happy shooting!