Panasonic FZ300 vs Panasonic GM5

Below is a in depth analysis of the Panasonic FZ300 and Panasonic GM5, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and they are both built by Panasonic. There exists a significant gap between the image resolutions of the FZ300 (12MP) and GM5 (16MP) and the FZ300 (1/2.3") and GM5 (Four Thirds) boast totally different sensor size.

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The FZ300 was manufactured 11 months later than the GM5 and they are both of a similar generation. The two cameras have different body design with the Panasonic FZ300 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Panasonic GM5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going right into a thorough comparison, here is a short summary of how the FZ300 matches up versus the GM5 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM5. The entire galleries are provided at Panasonic FZ300 Gallery and Panasonic GM5 Gallery.

If you are planning to lug around your camera frequently, you will want to think about its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FZ300 provides external measurements of 132mm x 92mm x 117mm (5.2" x 3.6" x 4.6") having a weight of 691 grams (1.52 lbs) while the Panasonic GM5 has measurements of 99mm x 60mm x 36mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.4") having a weight of 211 grams (0.47 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic FZ300 and Panasonic GM5 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are using at that time. Following is a front view physical size comparison of the FZ300 vs the GM5.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the FZ300 and GM5 is 59 and 91 respectively.

Sometimes, its tough to visualise the gap between sensor measurements only by looking at a spec sheet. The visual here will give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the FZ300 and GM5.

Clearly, each of these cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The FZ300 because of its tinier sensor will make getting shallow DOF harder and the Panasonic GM5 will give greater detail due to its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop photographs more aggressively. The fresher FZ300 will have an advantage in sensor tech.