Panasonic GF7 vs Panasonic ZS5

On this page, we are looking at the Panasonic GF7 and Panasonic ZS5, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and they are both created by Panasonic. There is a big difference among the sensor resolutions of the GF7 (16MP) and ZS5 (12MP) and the GF7 (Four Thirds) and ZS5 (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor sizing.

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The GF7 was revealed 4 years after the ZS5 which is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic GF7 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS5 being a Compact camera.

Before delving into a full comparison, here is a short summary of how the GF7 scores against the ZS5 for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF7 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5. The full galleries are provided at Panasonic GF7 Gallery and Panasonic ZS5 Gallery.

For those who are looking to carry around your camera frequently, you'll have to think about its weight and measurements. The Panasonic GF7 has got external dimensions of 107mm x 65mm x 33mm (4.2" x 2.6" x 1.3") and a weight of 266 grams (0.59 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZS5 has proportions of 103mm x 60mm x 32mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") with a weight of 214 grams (0.47 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic GF7 and Panasonic ZS5 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you choose at that moment. Following is a front view size comparison of the GF7 versus the ZS5.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the GF7 and ZS5 is 90 and 92 respectively.

Usually, it's tough to envision the gap in sensor sizes merely by researching technical specs. The picture underneath might provide you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the GF7 and ZS5.

As you can tell, the two cameras have different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The GF7 using its larger sensor will make getting shallower DOF easier and the Panasonic GF7 will render more detail because of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will help you crop images a bit more aggressively. The newer GF7 is going to have an advantage with regard to sensor technology.