Panasonic GF5 vs Sony A6500

Below, we are reviewing the Panasonic GF5 and Sony A6500, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Advanced Mirrorless by brands Panasonic and Sony. There is a big difference among the resolutions of the GF5 (12MP) and A6500 (24MP) and the GF5 (Four Thirds) and A6500 (APS-C) possess different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The GF5 was revealed 5 years earlier than the A6500 and that is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of these cameras come with the identical body type (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before getting through a step-by-step comparison, below is a short highlight of how the GF5 scores versus the A6500 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5 and Sony Alpha a6500. The full galleries are viewable at Panasonic GF5 Gallery and Sony A6500 Gallery.

For anyone who is going to carry your camera, you will have to factor in its weight and volume. The Panasonic GF5 provides external dimensions of 108mm x 67mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.5") with a weight of 267 grams (0.59 lbs) and the Sony A6500 has sizing of 120mm x 67mm x 53mm (4.7" x 2.6" x 2.1") accompanied by a weight of 453 grams (1.00 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic GF5 and Sony A6500 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you choose at the time. Following is the front view dimensions comparison of the GF5 vs the A6500.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the GF5 and A6500 is 89 and 81 respectively.

In many cases, its hard to picture the contrast in sensor sizing merely by viewing a spec sheet. The photograph below might offer you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the GF5 and A6500.

Clearly, each of the cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The GF5 having a smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field more difficult and the Sony A6500 will render greater detail because of its extra 12 Megapixels. Greater resolution will let you crop pics much more aggressively. The older GF5 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.