Panasonic FZ200 vs Panasonic GM1

Its time to look closer at the Panasonic FZ200 vs Panasonic GM1, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and they are both offered by Panasonic. There exists a big gap among the resolutions of the FZ200 (12MP) and GM1 (16MP) and the FZ200 (1/2.3") and GM1 (Four Thirds) boast different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The FZ200 was unveiled 17 months earlier than the GM1 which makes them a generation apart from one another. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FZ200 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Panasonic GM1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a concise summary of how the FZ200 matches up versus the GM1 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM1. The full galleries are provided at Panasonic FZ200 Gallery and Panasonic GM1 Gallery.

If you are going to lug around your camera regularly, you will need to consider its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic FZ200 offers external dimensions of 125mm x 87mm x 110mm (4.9" x 3.4" x 4.3") along with a weight of 588 grams (1.30 lbs) while the Panasonic GM1 has dimensions of 99mm x 55mm x 30mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.2") accompanied by a weight of 204 grams (0.45 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic FZ200 vs Panasonic GM1 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you have at that time. Below is a front view overall size comparison of the FZ200 and the GM1.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the FZ200 and GM1 is 65 and 93 respectively.

Typically, its hard to imagine the contrast in sensor measurements merely by viewing a spec sheet. The graphic here may give you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the FZ200 and GM1.

Clearly, each of the cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The FZ200 having a smaller sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field more challenging and the Panasonic GM1 will provide you with more detail having an extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop photographs way more aggressively. The older FZ200 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.