Panasonic GM5 vs Pentax WG-1 GPS

Let's look a little more closely at the Panasonic GM5 and Pentax WG-1 GPS, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Waterproof by companies Panasonic and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the GM5 (16MP) and the WG-1 GPS (14MP) is fairly similar but the GM5 (Four Thirds) and WG-1 GPS (1/2.3") feature different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The GM5 was announced 3 years after the WG-1 GPS which is quite a large difference as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic GM5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax WG-1 GPS being a Compact camera.

Before getting through a step-by-step comparison, below is a concise synopsis of how the GM5 scores versus the WG-1 GPS in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM5 & Pentax Optio WG-1 GPS. The whole galleries are provided at Panasonic GM5 Gallery & Pentax WG-1 GPS Gallery.

When you are looking to travel with your camera regularly, you need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic GM5 offers outside dimensions of 99mm x 60mm x 36mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.4") accompanied by a weight of 211 grams (0.47 lbs) whilst the Pentax WG-1 GPS has dimensions of 116mm x 59mm x 29mm (4.6" x 2.3" x 1.1") having a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic GM5 and Pentax WG-1 GPS in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you have at that moment. Underneath is the front view physical size comparison of the GM5 compared to the WG-1 GPS.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the GM5 and WG-1 GPS is 91 and 93 respectively.

Usually, it is very difficult to visualize the contrast between sensor dimensions just by going over a spec sheet. The image below may give you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the GM5 and WG-1 GPS.

As you can see, both the cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The GM5 having a larger sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF easier and the Panasonic GM5 will offer you extra detail with its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop images much more aggressively. The fresher GM5 provides an advantage in sensor technology.