Panasonic F5 vs Panasonic GF7

On this page, we are evaluating the Panasonic F5 vs Panasonic GF7, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both are manufactured by Panasonic. The resolution of the F5 (14MP) and the GF7 (16MP) is fairly close but the F5 (1/2.3") and GF7 (Four Thirds) have totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The F5 was manufactured 3 years before the GF7 and that is a fairly serious difference as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Panasonic F5 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic GF7 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving into a in depth comparison, here is a simple view of how the F5 grades vs the GF7 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-F5 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF7. The entire galleries are provided at Panasonic F5 Gallery & Panasonic GF7 Gallery.

If you are looking to carry your camera regularly, you'll need to take into account its weight and volume. The Panasonic F5 features outer dimensions of 97mm x 58mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.3" x 0.9") with a weight of 121 grams (0.27 lbs) and the Panasonic GF7 has sizing of 107mm x 65mm x 33mm (4.2" x 2.6" x 1.3") having a weight of 266 grams (0.59 lbs).

Check the Panasonic F5 vs Panasonic GF7 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you use at the time. Here is a front view scale comparison of the F5 compared to the GF7.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the F5 and GF7 is 96 and 90 respectively.

Usually, its tough to envision the difference in sensor sizing just by viewing a spec sheet. The graphic underneath will provide you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the F5 and GF7.

As you can see, both cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The F5 featuring a smaller sensor will make achieving shallower DOF trickier and the Panasonic GF7 will render greater detail due to its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop pics more aggressively. The older F5 will be behind with regard to sensor tech.