Panasonic GM5 vs Panasonic ZS30

Below, we are evaluating the Panasonic GM5 and Panasonic ZS30, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both of them are manufactured by Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the GM5 (16MP) and the ZS30 (18MP) is fairly comparable but the GM5 (Four Thirds) and ZS30 (1/2.3") enjoy totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The GM5 was manufactured 21 months after the ZS30 making the cameras a generation away from each other. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic GM5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS30 being a Compact camera.

Before delving straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a concise summary of how the GM5 scores versus the ZS30 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM5 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS30. The entire galleries are available at Panasonic GM5 Gallery and Panasonic ZS30 Gallery.

If you are aiming to carry around your camera frequently, you will have to think about its weight and measurements. The Panasonic GM5 has got outer dimensions of 99mm x 60mm x 36mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.4") and a weight of 211 grams (0.47 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS30 has proportions of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") and a weight of 198 grams (0.44 lbs).

Examine the Panasonic GM5 and Panasonic ZS30 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have at the time. Following is the front view proportions comparison of the GM5 vs the ZS30.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the GM5 and ZS30 is 91 and 92 respectively.

In many cases, it is very tough to envision the gap in sensor sizes simply by checking out a spec sheet. The picture below may give you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the GM5 and ZS30.

As you can see, each of the cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The GM5 because of its larger sensor will make getting shallow DOF less difficult and the Panasonic ZS30 will provide greater detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also help you crop photos much more aggressively. The fresher GM5 will have a benefit in sensor innovation.