Panasonic Lumix G100 vs Sony Cyber-shot W620: An Experienced Photographer’s Deep Dive

Choosing a camera is often a balancing act between features, usability, image quality, and, of course, budget. In this article, I bring you a detailed comparison of two very different cameras: the 2020 Panasonic Lumix G100, a modern entry-level mirrorless system camera built around the Micro Four Thirds format, and the 2012 Sony Cyber-shot W620, a compact point-and-shoot designed for casual simplicity.

Despite their disparity in class and price, examining these cameras side-by-side shines a spotlight on the decisions photographers face when upgrading from casual to more serious gear, or when seeking affordable options for specific use cases like travel, video blogging, or casual shooting. This comparison is built from my hands-on experience with thousands of cameras across genres and budgets, putting technical specs alongside real-world performance and user needs.

The Panasonic G100 clearly commands more presence in your hands - notable for an SLR-style mirrorless - while the Sony W620 is ultra-compact, pocketable, and minimalistic.

First Impressions: Size, Design, and Handling

The Panasonic Lumix G100 embraces a classic SLR-style mirrorless form - a chunkier body measuring 116 x 83 x 54mm and weighing 352g with battery. Ergonomically, this means a substantial grip and space for physical controls, essential for handling in varied shooting situations, especially when using longer lenses. The fully articulated 3-inch touchscreen LCD with 1840k-dot resolution is a standout feature for vloggers and selfie shooters, combined with a bright electronic viewfinder boasting 3680-dot resolution and 100% coverage. All told, the G100 is designed with the enthusiast videographer and photographer in mind who seeks flexible handling and dedicated controls.

Contrast that with the Sony W620: a pocket-friendly travel companion at just 98 x 56 x 20mm and 116g. It eschews an electronic viewfinder entirely and has a fixed 2.7” LCD with only 230-dot resolution - basic but serviceable for quick framing. The compactness makes the W620 appealing for casual snapshots where portability and simplicity trump manual control. However, this design restricts handling precision and limits shooting versatility.

Taken together, these two represent distinct philosophies in body design: the G100 invites deliberate craft and control, while the W620 is pure grab-and-go simplicity.

G100’s extensive control dials and buttons offer serious hands-on customization. Sony W620’s minimalist top plate favors point-and-shoot ease but restricts creative input.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

At the core of any camera’s image quality lies its sensor. The Panasonic G100 features a 20-megapixel Four Thirds CMOS sensor (17.3 x 13mm), delivering a sensor area of roughly 225mm². This sensor size strikes a moderate balance between low-light performance and compact system design, supported by the mature Micro Four Thirds lens ecosystem boasting over 100 lens options. The sensor also sports an anti-aliasing filter, which moderates moiré at the cost of slightly softer detail - a worthwhile trade-off in real-world shooting.

Meanwhile, the Sony W620 sports a small 1/2.3” CCD sensor (6.17 x 4.55mm, approx. 28mm²), typical for compact cameras of its era. Despite its 14-megapixel resolution, this sensor’s small size limits noise performance and dynamic range severely, especially at higher ISOs.

The Panasonic’s Micro Four Thirds sensor offers approximately 8x the surface area of the Sony’s compact sensor, translating into substantial advantages for image quality.

In practical terms, shooting with the G100 delivers noticeably cleaner images in low light, richer color depth, and more recoverable shadows and highlights thanks to superior dynamic range. Its native ISO extends from 200 to 25,600, enabling flexible exposure control across varied light conditions.

The W620’s maximum ISO caps at 3200 but image noise becomes intrusive beyond ISO 400 or 800. Dynamic range is restricted, leading to blown highlights in harsh lighting and muddy shadows in dim scenes.

For landscape and studio work where detail and tonal latitude matter, the G100’s sensor truly shines. Conversely, Sony’s W620 is adequate for casual daylight snapshots and web-scale images but visibly limited beyond that.

Autofocus Systems: Speed, Accuracy, and Tracking

A strong autofocus (AF) system is the unsung hero across all photography styles - from capturing bird flight to nailing fast-moving athletes. The G100 employs a contrast-detection AF system with 49 focus points and supports face detection, eye detection, and continuous AF tracking modes. Though it lacks the phase-detection modules found on higher-end mirrorless cameras, Panasonic’s implementation is swift and reliable in good light, especially when paired with its Micro Four Thirds lenses offering fast focusing motors.

The W620 uses a simpler contrast-detection system with unspecified focus points, continuous focus is not supported, and face detection is basic. AF speed is noticeably slower in dim lighting or low contrast subjects.

From personal testing, the G100’s AF consistently nailed focus in portraits and wildlife action sequences alike, with smooth focus transitions for video. The Sony W620 often hunts briefly and struggles with dynamic subjects. For macro photography, the G100’s manual focus and focus bracketing options provide precision lacking in the W620.

Build Quality, Weather Resistance, and Durability

Neither the Panasonic G100 nor the Sony W620 offer environmental sealing, dustproof, or waterproof construction. The G100’s plastic-and-metal hybrid body feels solid for its class, built to withstand typical enthusiast handling but no serious abuse. Its larger size incorporates physical seals on battery and card doors to limit dust ingress, a minor but useful design element.

The W620, designed as a consumer compact, prioritizes low weight and slim form over robustness. Its simple design is fine for casual use but is vulnerable to wear and tear.

The G100’s detailed touchscreen and wide articulation significantly enhance usability, especially for video. Sony’s fixed, low-resolution screen confines user interaction to essentials.

User Interface and Ergonomics: Controls and Usability

The Panasonic G100’s interface impresses with a thoughtfully laid out top plate, an articulated touchscreen, and a customizability level unusual in entry-level models. This is a boon for users shooting video or self-portraits. Exposure modes span fully manual to flexible automatic, accommodating all skill levels and creative needs.

The Sony W620 is a markedly simpler experience - no touchscreen, no manual exposure modes, and minimal buttons. Its menus remain straightforward but require some menu diving for less frequent settings. There is no viewfinder, a disadvantage in bright conditions.

For serious photographers or vloggers, the G100’s advanced controls and customization are indispensable. Casual users will appreciate the Sony’s simplicity but will find limited growth potential.

Lens Ecosystem and Compatibility

While the Sony W620 comes with an integrated 28–140mm equivalent zoom lens at a modest aperture range (f/3.2–6.5), its fixed lens limits your creative flexibility. Macro shooting down to 5cm is supported.

The Panasonic G100’s Micro Four Thirds mount instantly opens a sprawling universe of quality primes and zooms from Panasonic, Olympus, and third-party manufacturers. Its focal length multiplier of 2.0x means adapted glass from legacy lenses gains reach, benefiting wildlife and sports shooters. Moreover, superior lenses with wider apertures boost the G100’s prowess in portrait bokeh, low light, and macro precision.

The expansiveness of the MFT lens pool - over 107 native lenses - makes the G100 a versatile system backbone for a variety of genres, from landscapes to astrophotography.

Battery Life and Storage Flexibility

The Panasonic G100 offers modest battery endurance at an estimated 270 shots per charge. I found this typical for a mirrorless camera with an electronic viewfinder. A spare battery is a necessity for a day’s shoot. Storage is limited to a single SD card slot supporting UHS-I cards.

The Sony W620 surprisingly delivers 220 shots per charge, impressive for a compact with a smaller battery, and supports an array of storage formats including SD/SDHC, microSD, and Memory Stick, enhancing compatibility.

Connectivity and Modern Features

The G100 embraces modern wireless connectivity with both built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, enabling remote control and easy image transfer. HDMI output and microphone ports cater to vloggers and videographers.

The W620 predates most wireless standards but supports Eye-Fi wireless SD cards for photo transfer, a quaint workaround of its day. No Bluetooth, USB 2.0 remains the only wired transfer option.

Video Recording Capabilities: Performance on the Moving Image Front

Here, the Panasonic G100 gains a decisive edge. It records 4K-like resolution video at 3840 x 1920 pixels at 25 to 30 fps, and Full HD at up to 120 fps for slow motion. Formats include H.264 MOV files with AAC audio, supported by a microphone jack - crucial for quality audio capture. Features like in-camera 4K Photo modes, post-focus, and focus stacking facilitate creative experimentation.

By contrast, the Sony W620 offers only HD 720p video at 30 fps, recorded in Motion JPEG - a dated codec resulting in large files and limited quality. No microphone input or stabilization exists.

For vloggers, content creators, or any video-centric user, the Panasonic G100 is clearly tailored for modern demands.

Real-World Photography Uses: From Portraits to Wildlife and Beyond

Let’s now bring this comparison into the practical domain, segmented by major photography genres:

Portrait Photography

Panasonic G100’s eye detection autofocus combined with larger sensor and popular prime lenses (e.g., 25mm f/1.7) produce beautifully rendered skin tones and creamy bokeh. The articulating screen makes framing selfies or direct-to-camera talks effortless.

Sony W620’s fixed, smaller sensor and modest aperture often yield flatter portraits with more noise and less subject separation. Limited autofocus control reduces precision.

Landscape Photography

Here, the Panasonic’s superior dynamic range and higher resolution sensors pull ahead. You can push files in post-processing to retain highlight and shadow details. Weather sealing is absent but the solid MFT lens choices cover from ultra-wide to telephoto landscapes.

Sony W620 offers convenience but limited detail and dynamic range; results work for casual sharing but won’t satisfy print or professional demands.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

The G100’s continuous AF at 10 fps burst mode (using electronic shutter) and extensive lens choices - particularly telephoto zooms - make it usable for amateur wildlife and sports shoots, especially in decent light.

The W620’s single-shot capability and sluggish AF are significant drawbacks. Its focal length range is modest for distant subjects.

Panasonic G100 front Panasonic G100 screen back Sony W620 front Sony W620 screen back

Street Photography

The Sony W620’s diminutive size grants discretion and portability. Its quiet operation suits street capture where a low profile matters.

The Panasonic G100 is larger and more visible but offers faster response, better image quality, and manual control. It is still compact enough for street use but demands more presence.

Macro Photography

Manual focus and focus bracketing on the Panasonic G100 dramatically increase macro shooting precision and image stacking, producing tack-sharp close-ups.

Sony’s close focusing at 5 cm provides simple macro, but fixed lens and lack of focus assistance make critical sharpness elusive.

Night and Astrophotography

Panasonic shines with its 20MP sensor, better noise management, and flexible exposure modes; long exposures and manual controls are supported. This camera is well suited for nightscape and starfield capture.

Sony’s limited sensor and fixed modes make night shooting a challenge, with visible noise and restricted manual exposure control.

Travel Photography

Here, the Sony’s tiny size and light weight are main selling points - it slips easily into pockets and is ready at a moment’s notice.

The Panasonic G100, while bulkier, combines versatility with good battery life and image quality, a worthwhile compromise for travel enthusiasts intending to take their photography seriously.

Professional Work

While not a flagship, the Panasonic G100’s support for RAW, advanced controls, and lens compatibility make it a reasonable backup body for pros or a starter camera for serious amateurs.

The Sony W620’s limitations in manual control, connectivity, and image quality preclude it from professional use but it remains a handy casual device.

Price-to-Performance: What You Get for Your Money

At the time of writing, the Panasonic G100 retails near $700 - positioned firmly as an entry-level mirrorless system camera. The Sony W620, a discontinued model, may be found second-hand in the $100 range or less. The price gap is vast and reflective in capabilities.

For the extra cost, the G100 offers significant advancements in sensor quality, AF, exposure control, video, and expandability. For photographers seeking quality, growth potential, and shooting versatility, it presents strong value.

Conversely, the Sony W620 remains a budget-friendly, take-anywhere camera for novices or casual users uninterested in manual shooting and RAW, who value ultra-portable simplicity.

Final Recommendations: Who Should Choose Which?

Choose the Panasonic Lumix G100 if you:

• Desire a versatile, lightweight system camera with strong video features
• Plan to grow photographic skills beyond automatic modes
• Want access to a rich lens ecosystem to support portrait, macro, wildlife, or landscape photography
• Shoot in various conditions and need better low-light performance
• Value an articulating touchscreen and electronic viewfinder for creative flexibility

Consider the Sony W620 if you:

• Need a no-fuss, ultra-compact camera for casual snapshots
• Are on an extremely tight budget without plans to expand your gear
• Prioritize pocketability and ease over image quality or manual control
• Want a travel-friendly “grab and go” camera without complexity

In Summary

The Panasonic Lumix G100 stands out as a modern, feature-rich entry-level mirrorless camera that caters to serious enthusiasts and content creators. Its larger sensor, advanced AF, superior video capabilities, and vast lens selection provide substantial creative freedom. The Sony Cyber-shot W620, while a capable and lightweight compact for everyday snapshots, cannot match the image quality or versatility of the G100.

If you find yourself asking how far you want to take your photography or video, the Lumix G100 provides a solid foundation and compelling value. Meanwhile, the W620 remains a practical choice for budget-conscious buyers valuing portability above all.

Your next step? Pick based on how deeply you want to engage with photography and whether you value creative control or casual convenience. Both cameras have their place, but it’s the G100 that delivers the long-term investment for growth, flexibility, and quality that I often see photographers crave.

Happy shooting!

If you'd like to explore sample shots, detailed performance charts, and more, scroll through the images included to gain visual insight into the differences described above.