Panasonic GM5 vs Panasonic ZS5

Its time to take a closer look at the Panasonic GM5 and Panasonic ZS5, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and they are both sold by Panasonic. There is a big difference among the image resolutions of the GM5 (16MP) and ZS5 (12MP) and the GM5 (Four Thirds) and ZS5 (1/2.3") come with different sensor size.

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The GM5 was manufactured 4 years later than the ZS5 and that is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic GM5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS5 being a Compact camera.

Before diving through a step-by-step comparison, below is a quick view of how the GM5 scores vs the ZS5 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM5 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic GM5 Gallery and Panasonic ZS5 Gallery.

If you are going to carry your camera regularly, you will need to think about its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic GM5 offers physical dimensions of 99mm x 60mm x 36mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.4") along with a weight of 211 grams (0.47 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZS5 has dimensions of 103mm x 60mm x 32mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") along with a weight of 214 grams (0.47 lbs).

Examine the Panasonic GM5 and Panasonic ZS5 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you use at that moment. Underneath is the front view measurements comparison of the GM5 and the ZS5.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the GM5 and ZS5 is 91 and 92 respectively.

In many cases, it can be hard to picture the contrast in sensor sizing just by seeing specifications. The graphic below will help give you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the GM5 and ZS5.

Plainly, the two cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The GM5 due to its larger sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field simpler and the Panasonic GM5 will provide greater detail due to its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop images much more aggressively. The newer GM5 should have an advantage in sensor technology.