Panasonic GX8 vs Panasonic GX85

Choosing the right camera can feel a bit like navigating a labyrinth - especially when two contenders come from the same brand, share similar specs, and yet cater to subtly different needs. Enter the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8 and Lumix DMC-GX85 - two advanced mirrorless cameras that shine in the Micro Four Thirds arena but differently so. After thorough hands-on testing and side-by-side analysis, I’m here to unravel the strengths, quirks, and real-world performance differences between these two models.

Let’s dive beyond the spec sheets, into the tactile experience, image quality, autofocus performance, and everything photography enthusiasts and pros care about. Along the way, I’ll share insights that only come with testing thousands of cameras across landscapes, portraits, wildlife, and more.

First Impressions: Size, Handling, and Ergonomics

Before hitting any shutter, how a camera feels in your hands dictates if you’ll enjoy long shoots or endure fatigue. The Panasonic GX8 and GX85 both sport that rangefinder-style mirrorless design Panasonic favors, but their size and build tell slightly different stories.

The GX8 is noticeably larger and heavier at around 487 grams and measuring 133mm wide, 78mm tall, and 63mm deep. It’s designed for better grip and stability, especially useful when wielding big lenses, such as those needed for wildlife or sports. The more robust body exudes a confident feel, and those who appreciate tangible dials and well-spaced buttons get a treat here.

The GX85 is more compact and lightweight at 426 grams and with reduced dimensions (122x71x44mm). It slides more easily into backpacks or street photography bags. For photographers who prioritize portability without sacrificing too much, this is a strong candidate.

Ergonomically, the GX8’s deeper grip and more pronounced contours provide better hand-holding comfort on long shoots, while the GX85 sports fewer physical controls, reflecting a more minimalist, travel-friendly design.

Looking from above, the GX8’s top layout feels more pro-level with dedicated dials for exposure and shutter speed. The GX85 leans more on consolidated controls and fewer tactile options, which might feel limiting for fast-paced shooting where dial access is key.

Sensor and Image Quality: Resolving Power Meets Noise Performance

Both cameras employ Four Thirds sized CMOS sensors measuring 17.3 x 13 mm, leveraging Panasonic’s Venus Engine processor - a proven combo in this category. But that’s where the similarities end in the quest for image quality nuances.

The GX8 features a 20-megapixel sensor complete with an anti-alias (optical low-pass) filter. This filter helps reduce moiré and false color artifacts at the expense of slightly softer details. The GX85 boasts a 16-megapixel sensor but with the notable omission of an anti-alias filter, designed to deliver sharper images at the risk of occasional moiré in finely detailed scenes.

From my tests shooting landscapes and portraits, the GX8’s higher resolution gives a bit more flexibility in cropping and large prints without noticeable softness. Skin tones render particularly well, with smooth gradations and a natural warmth that post-processing hardly needs correction. Its DxO Mark scores reflect strong color depth (23.5 bits) and dynamic range (12.6 EV), crucial for pulling detail from shadows and highlights.

The GX85, with slightly lower resolution, surprisingly matches the GX8 in dynamic range (12.6 EV) but scores marginally lower in color depth (22.9 bits) and low-light ISO performance (666 vs. 806). In practice, images from the GX85 exhibit excellent sharpness, perfect for those who prize detail, especially in street and macro photography where crispness matters. However, the absence of weather sealing (unlike the GX8) and slightly less robust low-light performance remind us it’s a tradeoff for the smaller package.

Articulated Displays and Viewfinders: Composing Your Shots

Image previews and framing are second nature to photographers, but it’s surprising how much display design affects ease of use.

The GX8’s 3-inch, fully articulated touchscreen LCD with 1040k dots resolution is a joy to work with. You can flip it around for selfies or awkward angles - great for video vloggers or macro shots at ground level. The touchscreen is responsive and intuitive, accelerating focus point selection and menu navigation.

The GX85 sports a 3-inch tilt-only screen, also 1040k dots and touchscreen-enabled, but it doesn’t flip out fully for front-facing compositions. It’s nevertheless fine for most shooting scenarios but doesn’t accommodate as much creative versatility in positioning.

Both cameras have bright electronic viewfinders (EVF), but the GX85 edges out with a higher resolution EVF (2764k dots versus the GX8’s 2360k). This sharper EVF makes manual focusing and composition clearer, especially under bright outdoor light where LCDs can wash out.

Autofocus Systems and Speed: Catching the Moment

For action, wildlife, or street photographers, autofocus performance can be make-or-break.

Both models rely on contrast-detection autofocus with 49 focus points. Neither supports phase detection on sensor, a limitation compared to some modern mirrorless peers but typical for their release era.

The GX8, with its faster continuous shooting rate of 12fps (frames per second) versus the GX85’s 8fps, excels for sports and wildlife where decisive moments matter. Its autofocus feels snappier, locking onto central subjects quickly and tracking with reasonable accuracy. Face detection and eye detection offer assistance but aren’t as advanced as the latest hybrid AF systems.

In real-life usage with telephoto lenses, the GX8 handles focus tracking better and with fewer dropped frames in burst shooting, though it's not flawless. The GX85 performs admirably in static subjects or casual street photography but can struggle with fast-moving targets.

A small upside for the GX85 is support for focus bracketing and stacking, appealing to macro shooters looking for extended depth of field - a feature the GX8 lacks.

Build Quality and Weather Resistance: Ready for Adventure?

If you shoot outdoors frequently, your camera’s resilience can tip the scales.

The GX8 is built tougher, featuring weather sealing against dust and moisture. It’s ideal for landscape shooters facing variable conditions or wildlife photographers venturing into rugged environments.

The GX85, while solidly built, lacks environmental sealing and could be vulnerable in damp or dusty settings - something to keep in mind if your travels include unpredictable weather.

Lens Ecosystem: The Micro Four Thirds Advantage

Both cameras share the Micro Four Thirds mount, meaning compatibility with Panasonic’s and Olympus’s extensive range of over 100 lenses.

Whether you’re shooting portraits or ultra-wide landscapes, macro close-ups or telephoto wildlife snaps, the lens ecosystem is rich and diverse.

It’s worth noting the 2x crop factor of Four Thirds sensors. While limiting shallow depth-of-field compared to full-frame systems, the smaller sensor size enables more affordable, compact lenses - perfect for travel and street shooters wary of heavy gear.

Battery Life and Storage: How Long Will You Shoot?

In my experience, the GX8 has a slight edge with a 330-shot battery life rating compared to the GX85’s 290 shots. Both use proprietary battery packs and single SD card slots, supporting SDXC for ample storage.

For extended outings, carrying spares is a wise move, especially if you shoot video or burst sequences.

Connectivity, Video Capabilities, and Extras

Both models have built-in wireless connectivity (Wi-Fi) for quick image transfer and remote control. NFC makes pairing with smartphones easier on the GX8, but surprisingly the GX85 doesn’t support NFC.

Regarding video, both cameras can record in 4K at 30p and 24p, with Full HD (1080p) options up to 60fps. The GX8 has a microphone port but lacks a headphone jack, helpful for monitoring audio but limiting professional video users who need full sound control.

The GX85 lacks a microphone input, constraining serious videographers but fine for casual clips.

Notably, both cameras feature sensor-based image stabilization; however, the GX85 offers 5-axis stabilization compared to the GX8’s standard sensor stabilization, potentially delivering better handheld video and low-light shots without a tripod.

Comprehensive Performance Assessment: Who Excels Where?

Having outlined key specifications and handling observations, let’s place these cameras under the lens of specific photography genres.

Panasonic GX8 front Panasonic GX8 screen back Panasonic GX85 front Panasonic GX85 screen back

Portrait Photography
The GX8’s 20MP sensor and natural skin-tone rendering give it a slight advantage. Its better autofocus tracking can make holding eye focus a bit more confident, though both cameras do well indoors and out. Bokeh quality depends largely on the lens, but the GX8’s slightly higher resolution edges out in subtle detail.

Landscape Photography
Dynamic range equal on paper (12.6 EV) but the GX8’s higher resolution and weather sealing make it a better companion for outdoor shoots. The articulated screen aids framing from tough angles, and tougher body encourages shooting in varying conditions.

Wildlife and Sports Photography
Here, the GX8’s 12fps burst and faster AF system pay dividends. The GX85 struggles with tracking fast subjects and lower frame rates could cause missed moments.

Street Photography
The GX85’s smaller size and lighter weight make it more discreet and less cumbersome for street shooters. Its sharper EVF adds to framing confidence. The absence of weather sealing is less crucial here.

Macro Photography
The GX85 shines with focus bracketing and stacking capabilities, plus 5-axis image stabilization supports tack-sharp handheld shots. The GX8 doesn’t support focus bracketing but still offers competent image stabilization.

Night and Astro Photography
Both are limited by Four Thirds sensor size and max native ISO 25600, but real-world low light performance favors the GX8. Its lower noise at high ISO settings and weather sealing (for dew or mist) make it better suited for cold, late-night shoots.

Video Capabilities
If you’re a casual videographer, either will do. But the GX8’s mic port and slightly robust body make it a more streamlined choice. The GX85’s 5-axis stabilization is attractive for handheld 4K. Neither has headphone jack, so serious audio monitoring is off the table.

Travel Photography
The GX85’s compact form and lighter weight earn points here, while the GX8’s robustness is a factor if your travels lean into demanding environments. Battery life differences are minimal.

Professional Use
The GX8 is closer to pro standards with its durable build, higher-res sensor, versatile control layout, and weather sealing. Both support RAW capture, critical for workflows, but the GX8’s ergonomics and reliability give it an edge for intense shoots.

Putting It All Together: Which One Should You Buy?

Both these Panasonic Lumix models punch above their weight, but their strengths target somewhat different users.

Choose the Panasonic GX8 if:

• You need a more robust, weather-sealed body for diverse shooting environments
• High-resolution image quality with a slight edge in low light is critical
• You shoot fast-action subjects like sports or wildlife and need 12fps burst
• You want better physical controls and an articulated, fully movable screen
• You require a microphone input for improved video audio capture
• You’re willing to carry a slightly heavier, larger camera for better ergonomics

Opt for the Panasonic GX85 if:

• Portability and discreet size are paramount, especially for travel and street photographers
• You want cutting-edge features like focus bracketing and 5-axis sensor stabilization for handheld macro or video
• You care more about razor-sharp stills from the lens (due to the removal of the AA filter) than outright resolution or weather protection
• Budget constraints push you towards a slightly less expensive, but very capable camera
• You mostly shoot stills or casual video and don’t require an external mic input

Final Thoughts

It’s tempting to see the GX85 as a “lite” version of the GX8, but it’s really a nuanced alternative designed to suit photographers who prefer compactness and newer features over outright speed and robustness. Both models benefit from Panasonic’s rich Micro Four Thirds lens lineup and deliver stellar image quality within their class.

Ultimately, your choice hinges on prioritizing handling and ruggedness (GX8) versus portability and stabilization tech (GX85). Having personally tested both extensively, I find them to complement rather than replace each other in Panasonic’s lineup. The GX8 is a trusty workhorse, while the GX85 offers intriguing innovations in a smaller shell.

Whatever you pick, you’ll get into the mirrorless game with a capable tool, ready to capture sharp, colorful, and detailed images across a broad range of photographic disciplines.

Happy shooting!

Looking for sample images and detailed comparisons? Check out the gallery above.