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Panasonic GF2 vs Panasonic SZ8

Portability
88
Imaging
48
Features
50
Overall
48
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2 front
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ8 front
Portability
94
Imaging
40
Features
31
Overall
36

Panasonic GF2 vs Panasonic SZ8 Key Specs

Panasonic GF2
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 310g - 113 x 68 x 33mm
  • Released February 2011
  • Succeeded the Panasonic GF1
  • Successor is Panasonic GF3
Panasonic SZ8
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 1600 (Push to 6400)
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 24-288mm (F3.1-6.3) lens
  • 159g - 100 x 60 x 27mm
  • Launched January 2014
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Panasonic GF2 vs Panasonic SZ8 Overview

The following is a detailed review of the Panasonic GF2 vs Panasonic SZ8, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both are offered by Panasonic. There exists a substantial gap among the sensor resolutions of the GF2 (12MP) and SZ8 (16MP) and the GF2 (Four Thirds) and SZ8 (1/2.3") enjoy different sensor sizes.

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The GF2 was manufactured 3 years earlier than the SZ8 which is a fairly big difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic GF2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic SZ8 being a Compact camera.

Before delving through a full comparison, below is a simple overview of how the GF2 grades against the SZ8 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

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Reasons to pick Panasonic GF2 over the Panasonic SZ8

 GF2 SZ8 
Focus manually More exact focusing
Touch display Easily navigate

Reasons to pick Panasonic SZ8 over the Panasonic GF2

 SZ8 GF2 
LaunchedJanuary 2014February 2011Newer by 34 months

Common features in the Panasonic GF2 and Panasonic SZ8

 GF2 SZ8 
Display typeFixed Fixed Fixed display
Display sizing3"3"Equivalent display dimensions
Display resolution460k460kSame display resolution
Selfie screen Lacking selfie screen

Panasonic GF2 vs Panasonic SZ8 Physical Comparison

For anyone who is aiming to travel with your camera often, you should think about its weight and proportions. The Panasonic GF2 features outer dimensions of 113mm x 68mm x 33mm (4.4" x 2.7" x 1.3") having a weight of 310 grams (0.68 lbs) and the Panasonic SZ8 has measurements of 100mm x 60mm x 27mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.1") along with a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs).

Analyze the Panasonic GF2 vs Panasonic SZ8 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you select at that time. Following is the front view scale comparison of the GF2 and the SZ8.

Panasonic GF2 vs Panasonic SZ8 size comparison

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the GF2 and SZ8 is 88 and 94 respectively.

Panasonic GF2 vs Panasonic SZ8 top view buttons comparison

Panasonic GF2 vs Panasonic SZ8 Sensor Comparison

More often than not, it's hard to visualize the contrast in sensor dimensions just by going through specifications. The picture below will help provide you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the GF2 and SZ8.

To sum up, both the cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The GF2 because of its larger sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF simpler and the Panasonic SZ8 will provide greater detail due to its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop photos far more aggressively. The more aged GF2 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.

Panasonic GF2 vs Panasonic SZ8 sensor size comparison

Panasonic GF2 vs Panasonic SZ8 Screen and ViewFinder

Panasonic GF2 vs Panasonic SZ8 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Panasonic GF2 Portrait photography highlights
Panasonic SZ8 Portrait photography highlights
60
has manual focus
sensor size is nice (Four Thirds)
supports face detect focusing
supports RAW files
low resolution (12MP)
35
decent sensor resolution (16 megapixels)
supports face detect focusing
manual focus not available
manual mode not possible
can't use external flash
very small sensor (1/2.3")
no RAW files
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Street Comparison

Panasonic GF2 Street photography highlights
Panasonic SZ8 Street photography highlights
65
sensor size is nice (Four Thirds)
supports RAW files
fixed screen
does not have image stabilization
63
built in image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than average (159 grams)
no articulating screen
very small sensor (1/2.3")
no RAW files
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Sports Comparison

Panasonic GF2 Sports photography information
Panasonic SZ8 Sports photography information
38
sensor size is nice (Four Thirds)
supports tracking focus
slow frames per second (3.0 fps)
does not have image stabilization
low resolution (12MP)
low battery pack (300 shots)
lacks phase detect AF
34
built in image stabilization (Optical)
decent sensor resolution (16MP)
slow continuous shooting (1.0 frames per second)
no shutter priority mode
very small sensor (1/2.3")
low battery (200 CIPA)
no phase detect AF
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Travel Comparison

Travel photography with Panasonic GF2
Travel photography with Panasonic SZ8
52
built-in flash
no Time Lapse mode
low battery pack (300 shots)
low resolution (12MP)
display isn't selfie friendly
67
lighter than average (159 grams)
decent sensor resolution (16MP)
built-in flash
reasonably wide (24mm)
great zoom (288mm)
lack of Timelapse recording
low battery (200 CIPA)
screen isn't selfie friendly
slow maximum aperture (f3.1)
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Landscape Comparison

Landscape photography with Panasonic GF2
Landscape photography with Panasonic SZ8
55
has manual focus
interchangeable lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
pretty good screen size (3 inch)
sensor size is nice (Four Thirds)
supports RAW files
does not have image stabilization
low resolution (12MP)
low battery pack (300 shots)
no Time Lapse mode
42
reasonably wide (24mm)
decent sized screen (3 inch)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
decent sensor resolution (16MP)
manual focus not available
cannot swap lenses (fixed lens mount)
slow maximum aperture (f3.1)
manual mode not possible
very small sensor (1/2.3")
no RAW files
low battery (200 CIPA)
lack of Timelapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Vlogging with Panasonic GF2
Vlogging with Panasonic SZ8
32
touchscreen functionality
supports face detect focusing
good video quality (1920 x 1080 resolution)
display isn't selfie friendly
does not have image stabilization
no mic port
32
reasonably wide (24mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
supports face detect focusing
lighter than average (159 grams)
slow maximum aperture (f3.1)
screen isn't selfie friendly
low res video (1280 x 720 pxls)
lack of microphone support
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Panasonic GF2 vs Panasonic SZ8 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Panasonic GF2 and Panasonic SZ8
 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ8
General Information
Brand Name Panasonic Panasonic
Model Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2 Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ8
Type Entry-Level Mirrorless Small Sensor Superzoom
Released 2011-02-24 2014-01-06
Physical type Rangefinder-style mirrorless Compact
Sensor Information
Processor Chip Venus Engine FHD Venus Engine
Sensor type CMOS CCD
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/2.3"
Sensor measurements 17.3 x 13mm 6.08 x 4.56mm
Sensor area 224.9mm² 27.7mm²
Sensor resolution 12 megapixel 16 megapixel
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Full resolution 4000 x 3000 4608 x 3456
Max native ISO 6400 1600
Max boosted ISO - 6400
Min native ISO 100 100
RAW format
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Touch focus
Continuous autofocus
Single autofocus
Autofocus tracking
Selective autofocus
Center weighted autofocus
Autofocus multi area
Autofocus live view
Face detection autofocus
Contract detection autofocus
Phase detection autofocus
Number of focus points 23 9
Lens
Lens mount Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens focal range - 24-288mm (12.0x)
Maximal aperture - f/3.1-6.3
Total lenses 107 -
Crop factor 2.1 5.9
Screen
Screen type Fixed Type Fixed Type
Screen diagonal 3" 3"
Resolution of screen 460 thousand dots 460 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch display
Screen tech TFT Color LCD with wide-viewing angle TFT LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None None
Features
Slowest shutter speed 60s 8s
Maximum shutter speed 1/4000s 1/2000s
Continuous shooting rate 3.0fps 1.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation Yes -
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range 6.00 m 5.20 m
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync Auto, Auto/Red-eye Reduction, Forced On, Slow Sync./Red-eye Reduction, Forced Off
External flash
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Maximum flash synchronize 1/160s -
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (60 fps), 1280 x 720p (60, 30 fps), 848 x 480 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps) 1280 x 720 (30p), 640 x 480 (30p), 320 x 240 (30p)
Max video resolution 1920x1080 1280x720
Video file format AVCHD, Motion JPEG Motion JPEG
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless None Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 310 grams (0.68 pounds) 159 grams (0.35 pounds)
Dimensions 113 x 68 x 33mm (4.4" x 2.7" x 1.3") 100 x 60 x 27mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.1")
DXO scores
DXO All around score 54 not tested
DXO Color Depth score 21.2 not tested
DXO Dynamic range score 10.3 not tested
DXO Low light score 506 not tested
Other
Battery life 300 photographs 200 photographs
Form of battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec, 10 sec (3 images)) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse recording
Storage type SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal
Card slots 1 1
Pricing at launch $330 $275