Panasonic FZ80 vs Panasonic GM5

Its time to look a bit more in depth at the Panasonic FZ80 and Panasonic GM5, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both of them are sold by Panasonic. The image resolution of the FZ80 (18MP) and the GM5 (16MP) is pretty comparable but the FZ80 (1/2.3") and GM5 (Four Thirds) possess totally different sensor dimensions.

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The FZ80 was introduced 2 years later than the GM5 and that is a fairly significant difference as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic FZ80 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Panasonic GM5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting in to a detailed comparison, below is a simple synopsis of how the FZ80 matches up versus the GM5 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ80 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM5. The whole galleries are provided at Panasonic FZ80 Gallery & Panasonic GM5 Gallery.

If you're planning to carry your camera often, you need to factor its weight and size. The Panasonic FZ80 provides physical dimensions of 130mm x 94mm x 119mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 4.7") having a weight of 616 grams (1.36 lbs) while the Panasonic GM5 has specifications of 99mm x 60mm x 36mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.4") having a weight of 211 grams (0.47 lbs).

See the Panasonic FZ80 and Panasonic GM5 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you have at that moment. Underneath is the front view proportions comparison of the FZ80 versus the GM5.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the FZ80 and GM5 is 63 and 91 respectively.

Typically, its tough to visualise the contrast in sensor sizing simply by checking out specifications. The visual underneath will help provide you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the FZ80 and GM5.

To sum up, both of the cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The FZ80 using its smaller sensor will make shooting bokeh trickier and the Panasonic FZ80 will produce greater detail using its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop photographs much more aggressively. The fresher FZ80 will have a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.