Panasonic GF5 vs Panasonic ZS30

On this page, we are looking at the Panasonic GF5 versus Panasonic ZS30, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both are built by Panasonic. There is a sizable difference between the sensor resolutions of the GF5 (12MP) and ZS30 (18MP) and the GF5 (Four Thirds) and ZS30 (1/2.3") boast different sensor sizing.

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The GF5 was introduced 9 months prior to the ZS30 so they are of a similar age. Both the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic GF5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS30 being a Compact camera.

Before going right into a thorough comparison, here is a simple summation of how the GF5 grades against the ZS30 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS30. The whole galleries are available at Panasonic GF5 Gallery & Panasonic ZS30 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to carry around your camera, you need to factor in its weight and size. The Panasonic GF5 comes with outer dimensions of 108mm x 67mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.5") and a weight of 267 grams (0.59 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZS30 has specifications of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") having a weight of 198 grams (0.44 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic GF5 versus Panasonic ZS30 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you are utilizing during that time. The following is a front view scale comparison of the GF5 and the ZS30.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the GF5 and ZS30 is 89 and 92 respectively.

In many cases, it's tough to picture the difference between sensor sizes purely by reading specs. The image below will offer you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the GF5 and ZS30.

As you can plainly see, each of the cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The GF5 using its larger sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field simpler and the Panasonic ZS30 will offer more detail using its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop pics more aggressively. The more aged GF5 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.