Panasonic FZ1000 II vs Panasonic GM5

Here, we will be evaluating the Panasonic FZ1000 II and Panasonic GM5, one being a Large Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both of them are built by Panasonic. There exists a sizeable gap among the resolutions of the FZ1000 II (20MP) and GM5 (16MP) and the FZ1000 II (1") and GM5 (Four Thirds) provide totally different sensor sizing.

Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

The FZ1000 II was introduced 4 years later than the GM5 and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FZ1000 II being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Panasonic GM5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving into a full comparison, here is a concise summation of how the FZ1000 II grades against the GM5 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ1000 II and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM5. The whole galleries are viewable at Panasonic FZ1000 II Gallery and Panasonic GM5 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to carry your camera frequently, you are going to need to take into account its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FZ1000 II comes with outer measurements of 136mm x 97mm x 132mm (5.4" x 3.8" x 5.2") having a weight of 808 grams (1.78 lbs) while the Panasonic GM5 has measurements of 99mm x 60mm x 36mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.4") and a weight of 211 grams (0.47 lbs).

Examine the Panasonic FZ1000 II and Panasonic GM5 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you have chosen at the time. Below is a front view scale comparison of the FZ1000 II vs the GM5.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the FZ1000 II and GM5 is 55 and 91 respectively.

Sometimes, it can be difficult to see the difference in sensor sizing simply by looking through specs. The visual underneath should give you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the FZ1000 II and GM5.

As you can plainly see, both of the cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The FZ1000 II using its smaller sensor will make getting shallow DOF more difficult and the Panasonic FZ1000 II will render extra detail using its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop photographs a good deal more aggressively. The younger FZ1000 II will have an edge when it comes to sensor tech.