Panasonic G1 vs G6

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G6 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in September 2008 and April 2013. Both the G1 and the G6 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. The G1 has a resolution of 12 megapixels, whereas the G6 provides 15.9 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Panasonic G1		Panasonic G6
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Micro Four Thirds lenses		Micro Four Thirds lenses
12 MP – Four Thirds sensor		15.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor
no Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-1,600 (100 - 3,200)		ISO 160-12,800 (160 - 25,600)
Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)
3.0" LCD – 460k dots		3.0" LCD – 1036k dots
Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel touchscreen
3 shutter flaps per second		7 shutter flaps per second
410 shots per battery charge		340 shots per battery charge
124 x 84 x 45 mm, 360 g		122 x 85 x 71 mm, 390 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G6? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Panasonic G1 and the Panasonic G6 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The G6 can be obtained in three different colors (black, silver, white), while the G1 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Panasonic G1 and the Panasonic G6 are of equal size. However, the G6 is markedly heavier (8 percent) than the G1. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the G1 nor the G6 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog. Mirrorless cameras, such as the two under consideration, have the additional advantage of having a short flange to focal plane distance, which makes it possible to mount many lenses from other systems onto the camera via adapters.

Concerning battery life, the G1 gets 410 shots out of its Panasonic DMW-BLB13 battery, while the G6 can take 340 images on a single charge of its Panasonic DMW-BLC12 power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Panasonic G1	124 mm	84 mm	45 mm	360 g	410	n	Sep 2008	EUR 499	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic G6	122 mm	85 mm	71 mm	390 g	340	n	Apr 2013	EUR 549	ebay.com
3.		Olympus E-M10	119 mm	82 mm	46 mm	396 g	320	n	Jan 2014	EUR 599	ebay.com
4.		Panasonic G2	124 mm	84 mm	74 mm	428 g	360	n	Mar 2010	EUR 549	ebay.com
5.		Panasonic G3	115 mm	84 mm	47 mm	336 g	270	n	May 2011	EUR 579	ebay.com
6.		Panasonic G5	120 mm	83 mm	71 mm	396 g	320	n	Jul 2012	EUR 649	ebay.com
7.		Panasonic G7	125 mm	86 mm	77 mm	410 g	350	n	May 2015	EUR 699	ebay.com
8.		Panasonic G10	124 mm	84 mm	74 mm	388 g	380	n	Mar 2010	EUR 499	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic GF1	119 mm	71 mm	36 mm	385 g	380	n	Sep 2009	EUR 649	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic GF2	113 mm	68 mm	33 mm	310 g	300	n	Nov 2010	EUR 499	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic GF3	108 mm	67 mm	32 mm	264 g	300	n	Jun 2011	EUR 469	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic GF5	108 mm	67 mm	37 mm	267 g	360	n	Apr 2012	EUR 449	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic GF6	111 mm	65 mm	38 mm	323 g	340	n	Apr 2013	EUR 499	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic GH1	124 mm	90 mm	45 mm	385 g	300	n	Mar 2009	EUR 799	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The two cameras under review were launched at the same price and fall into the same market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a Four Thirds sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the G6 offers a higher resolution of 15.9 megapixels, compared with 12 MP of the G1. This megapixels advantage translates into a 15 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the G6 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.76μm versus 4.33μm for the G1). However, it should be noted that the G6 is much more recent (by 4 years and 7 months) than the G1, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The resolution advantage of the Panasonic G6 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the G6 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Panasonic G1 are 20 x 15 inches or 50.8 x 38.1 cm for good quality, 16 x 12 inches or 40.6 x 30.5 cm for very good quality, and 13.3 x 10 inches or 33.9 x 25.4 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600, which can be extended to ISO 100-3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G6 are ISO 160 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 160-25600.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. Of the two cameras under consideration, the G6 has a markedly higher DXO score than the G1 (overall score 8 points higher), which will translate into better image quality. The advantage is based on 0.2 bits higher color depth, 1.2 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.5 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Panasonic G1	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	none	21.1	10.3	463	53
2.		Panasonic G6	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	21.3	11.5	639	61
3.		Olympus E-M10	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.3	884	72
4.		Panasonic G2	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	720/30p	21.2	10.3	493	53
5.		Panasonic G3	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60i	21.0	10.6	667	56
6.		Panasonic G5	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	21.4	11.6	618	61
7.		Panasonic G7	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	4K/30p	22.8	12.4	904	71
8.		Panasonic G10	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	720/30p	21.2	10.1	411	52
9.		Panasonic GF1	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	720/30p	21.2	10.3	513	54
10.		Panasonic GF2	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60i	21.2	10.3	506	54
11.		Panasonic GF3	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60i	20.6	10.1	459	50
12.		Panasonic GF5	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60i	20.5	10.0	573	50
13.		Panasonic GF6	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60i	20.7	10.6	622	54
14.		Panasonic GH1	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	21.6	11.6	772	64
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The G6 indeed provides for movie recording, while the G1 does not. The highest resolution format that the G6 can use is 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The G1 and the G6 are similar in the sense that both feature an electronic viewfinder, which is helpful when framing images in bright sunlight. Moreover, their viewfinders offer an identical resolution of 1440k dots. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Panasonic G1 and Panasonic G6 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Panasonic G1	1440	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
2.		Panasonic G6	1440	n	3.0 / 1036	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	n
3.		Olympus E-M10	1440	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
4.		Panasonic G2	1440	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	Y	1/4000s	2.6/s	Y	n
5.		Panasonic G3	1440	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	Y	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
6.		Panasonic G5	1440	n	3.0 / 920	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
7.		Panasonic G7	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	n
8.		Panasonic G10	202	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.6/s	Y	n
9.		Panasonic GF1	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
10.		Panasonic GF2	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	Y	1/4000s	2.6/s	Y	n
11.		Panasonic GF3	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	Y	1/4000s	3.2/s	Y	n
12.		Panasonic GF5	none	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
13.		Panasonic GF6	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
14.		Panasonic GH1	1440	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The G6 has a touchscreen, while the G1 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the G6 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Panasonic G6 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The G1 writes its imaging data to SDHC cards, while the G6 uses SDXC cards. The G6 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the G1 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-G6 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Panasonic G1	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Panasonic G6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Olympus E-M10	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
4.		Panasonic G2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Panasonic G3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Panasonic G5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Panasonic G7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Panasonic G10	Y	mono / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Panasonic GF1	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Panasonic GF2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Panasonic GF3	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Panasonic GF5	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Panasonic GF6	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Panasonic GH1	Y	stereo / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the G6 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the G1 does not provide wifi capability.

Both the G1 and the G6 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The G1 was replaced by the Panasonic G2, while the G6 was followed by the Panasonic G7. Further information on the features and operation of the G1 and G6 can be found, respectively, in the Panasonic G1 Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic G6 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Panasonic G1 better than the Panasonic G6 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1:

• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (410 versus 340) on a single battery charge.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2008).

Reasons to prefer the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G6:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (15.9 vs 12MP), which boosts linear resolution by 15%.
• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (8 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (1.2 EV of extra DR).
• Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (0.5 stops ISO advantage).
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/60p video.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1036k vs 460k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (7 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 4 years and 7 months of technical progress since the G1 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the G6 is the clear winner of the contest (14 : 2 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Panasonic G1 and the Panasonic G6 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the G1 or the G6 perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Panasonic G1	..	+ +	..	70/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2008	EUR 499	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic G6	4/5	+ +	..	..	5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	EUR 549	ebay.com
3.		Olympus E-M10	4/5	..	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Jan 2014	EUR 599	ebay.com
4.		Panasonic G2	..	..	..	72/100	4/5	4.5/5	Mar 2010	EUR 549	ebay.com
5.		Panasonic G3	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2011	EUR 579	ebay.com
6.		Panasonic G5	3/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2012	EUR 649	ebay.com
7.		Panasonic G7	4/5	+ +	3.5/5	80/100	5/5	4.5/5	May 2015	EUR 699	ebay.com
8.		Panasonic G10	3/5	..	..	70/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2010	EUR 499	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic GF1	..	85/100	..	69/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2009	EUR 649	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic GF2	3/5	82/100	..	70/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Nov 2010	EUR 499	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic GF3	3/5	82/100	..	71/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2011	EUR 469	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic GF5	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2012	EUR 449	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic GF6	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	EUR 499	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic GH1	..	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2009	EUR 799	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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