Panasonic GH4 vs Panasonic ZS20

In this article, we are looking at the Panasonic GH4 and Panasonic ZS20, former being a Pro Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both of them are produced by Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the GH4 (16MP) and the ZS20 (14MP) is very close but the GH4 (Four Thirds) and ZS20 (1/2.3") use totally different sensor sizes.

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The GH4 was released 22 months later than the ZS20 making the cameras a generation apart from each other. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic GH4 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS20 being a Compact camera.

Before getting straight into a full comparison, below is a brief highlight of how the GH4 matches up vs the ZS20 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20. The complete galleries are provided at Panasonic GH4 Gallery & Panasonic ZS20 Gallery.

In case you're planning to lug around your camera frequently, you're going to have to think about its weight and proportions. The Panasonic GH4 has got exterior measurements of 133mm x 93mm x 84mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 3.3") along with a weight of 560 grams (1.23 lbs) and the Panasonic ZS20 has measurements of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") with a weight of 206 grams (0.45 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic GH4 and Panasonic ZS20 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you have at that time. Underneath is the front view measurement comparison of the GH4 compared to the ZS20.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the GH4 and ZS20 is 66 and 92 respectively.

Usually, it is very difficult to visualise the gap in sensor measurements only by researching specs. The photograph underneath should offer you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the GH4 and ZS20.

All in all, the 2 cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The GH4 featuring a larger sensor will make getting shallow DOF easier and the Panasonic GH4 will provide you with greater detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also help you crop photos far more aggressively. The more modern GH4 is going to have an advantage when it comes to sensor tech.