Olympus XZ-1 vs Panasonic GH5

In this write-up, we are comparing the Olympus XZ-1 and Panasonic GH5, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Pro Mirrorless by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There is a large difference between the sensor resolutions of the XZ-1 (10MP) and GH5 (20MP) and the XZ-1 (1/1.63") and GH5 (Four Thirds) feature different sensor dimensions.

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The XZ-1 was launched 7 years prior to the GH5 which is quite a serious difference as far as tech is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus XZ-1 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic GH5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving through a thorough comparison, below is a concise summary of how the XZ-1 grades vs the GH5 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus XZ-1 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH5. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus XZ-1 Gallery & Panasonic GH5 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to carry around your camera frequently, you'll have to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus XZ-1 enjoys external measurements of 111mm x 65mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7") and a weight of 275 grams (0.61 lbs) and the Panasonic GH5 has sizing of 139mm x 98mm x 87mm (5.5" x 3.9" x 3.4") and a weight of 725 grams (1.60 lbs).

Check the Olympus XZ-1 and Panasonic GH5 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you choose at that moment. Below is the front view sizing comparison of the XZ-1 compared to the GH5.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the XZ-1 and GH5 is 88 and 59 respectively.

Oftentimes, it's tough to picture the contrast between sensor sizes purely by reading through a spec sheet. The picture below will provide you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the XZ-1 and GH5.

As you can see, both of those cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The XZ-1 featuring a tinier sensor is going to make achieving bokeh more challenging and the Panasonic GH5 will resolve extra detail utilizing its extra 10MP. Greater resolution will also let you crop pics far more aggressively. The more aged XZ-1 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.