Panasonic G85 vs Panasonic ZS5

Here is a complete overview of the Panasonic G85 versus Panasonic ZS5, one being a Advanced Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both are produced by Panasonic. There is a huge difference between the image resolutions of the G85 (16MP) and ZS5 (12MP) and the G85 (Four Thirds) and ZS5 (1/2.3") feature different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The G85 was revealed 6 years later than the ZS5 and that is quite a significant gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic G85 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS5 being a Compact camera.

Before delving through a step-by-step comparison, below is a short summary of how the G85 grades vs the ZS5 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-G85 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5. The full galleries are provided at Panasonic G85 Gallery and Panasonic ZS5 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to carry your camera regularly, you're going to have to factor in its weight and size. The Panasonic G85 enjoys external dimensions of 128mm x 89mm x 74mm (5.0" x 3.5" x 2.9") accompanied by a weight of 505 grams (1.11 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS5 has specifications of 103mm x 60mm x 32mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 214 grams (0.47 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic G85 versus Panasonic ZS5 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you select at that moment. Here is the front view physical size comparison of the G85 and the ZS5.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the G85 and ZS5 is 69 and 92 respectively.

Often, it can be hard to imagine the contrast between sensor sizing just by reviewing a spec sheet. The graphic here may provide you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the G85 and ZS5.

As you can see, both the cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The G85 using its larger sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field simpler and the Panasonic G85 will deliver more detail because of its extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also help you crop images much more aggressively. The fresher G85 should have an advantage when it comes to sensor tech.