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Panasonic G5 vs G6

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G6 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in July 2012 and April 2013. Both the G5 and the G6 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 15.9 megapixels.

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

Headline Specifications
Panasonic G5
versus
Panasonic G6
Panasonic G5   Panasonic G6
Mirrorless system camera Mirrorless system camera
Micro Four Thirds lenses Micro Four Thirds lenses
15.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor 15.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor
1080/60p Video 1080/60p Video
ISO 160-12,800 ISO 160-12,800 (160 - 25,600)
Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots) Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)
3.0" LCD – 920k dots 3.0" LCD – 1036k dots
Swivel touchscreen Swivel touchscreen
6 shutter flaps per second 7 shutter flaps per second
320 shots per battery charge340 shots per battery charge
120 x 83 x 71 mm, 396 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-G5 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.

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Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Panasonic G5 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 size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The G5 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the G6 is available in three color-versions (black, silver, white).

Size Panasonic G5 vs Panasonic G6
Compare G5 versus G6 top
Comparison G5 or G6 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Panasonic G6 is somewhat larger (4 percent) than the Panasonic G5. However, the G6 is slightly lighter (2 percent) than the G5. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the G5 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.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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.

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Body Specifications
  empty Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Panasonic G5 120 mm 83 mm 71 mm 396 g 320 n Jul 2012 US$ 599ebay.com
2.
 
Panasonic G6 122 mm 85 mm 71 mm 390 g 340 n Apr 2013 US$ 599ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-M10 119 mm 82 mm 46 mm 396 g 320 n Jan 2014 US$ 699ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-PL5 111 mm 64 mm 38 mm 325 g 360 n Sep 2012 US$ 599ebay.com
5.
 
Panasonic G3 115 mm 84 mm 47 mm 336 g 270 n May 2011 US$ 599ebay.com
6.
 
Panasonic G7 125 mm 86 mm 77 mm 410 g 350 n May 2015 US$ 649ebay.com
7.
 
Panasonic G10 124 mm 84 mm 74 mm 388 g 380 n Mar 2010 US$ 499ebay.com
8.
 
Panasonic GF3 108 mm 67 mm 32 mm 264 g 300 n Jun 2011 US$ 549ebay.com
9.
 
Panasonic GF5 108 mm 67 mm 37 mm 267 g 360 n Apr 2012 US$ 499ebay.com
10.
 
Panasonic GF6 111 mm 65 mm 38 mm 323 g 340 n Apr 2013 US$ 499ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic GH2 124 mm 90 mm 76 mm 442 g 330 n Sep 2010 US$ 899ebay.com
12.
 
Panasonic GX1 116 mm 68 mm 39 mm 318 g 320 n Nov 2011 US$ 699ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The two cameras under review were launched at the same price and fall into the same market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to 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.

Panasonic G5 and Panasonic G6 sensor measures

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 15.9 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the G5 and the G6 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the G6 is a somewhat more recent model (by 9 months) than the G5, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 160 to ISO 12800. 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.

G5 versus G6 MP

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. The Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
  empty Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Panasonic G5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p21.411.661861
2.
 
Panasonic G6 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p21.311.563961
3.
 
Olympus E-M10 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.388472
4.
 
Olympus E-PL5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.388972
5.
 
Panasonic G3 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34481080/60i21.010.666756
6.
 
Panasonic G7 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34484K/30p22.812.490471
7.
 
Panasonic G10 Four Thirds 12.0 4000 3000720/30p21.210.141152
8.
 
Panasonic GF3 Four Thirds 12.0 4000 30001080/60i20.610.145950
9.
 
Panasonic GF5 Four Thirds 12.0 4000 30001080/60i20.510.057350
10.
 
Panasonic GF6 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34481080/60i20.710.662254
11.
 
Panasonic GH2 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60i21.211.365560
12.
 
Panasonic GX1 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34481080/60p20.810.670355
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/60p).

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Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The G5 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 adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Panasonic G5 and Panasonic G6 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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Core Features
  empty 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 G51440 n3.0 / 920 swivel Y 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
2.
 
Panasonic G61440 n3.0 / 1036 swivel Y 1/4000s 7.0/s Y n
3.
 
Olympus E-M101440 n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
4.
 
Olympus E-PL5optional n3.0 / 460 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
5.
 
Panasonic G31440 n3.0 / 460 swivel Y 1/4000s 4.0/s Y n
6.
 
Panasonic G72360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 7.0/s Y n
7.
 
Panasonic G10202 n3.0 / 460 fixed n 1/4000s 2.6/s Y n
8.
 
Panasonic GF3none n3.0 / 460 fixed Y 1/4000s 3.2/s Y n
9.
 
Panasonic GF5none n3.0 / 920 fixed Y 1/4000s 4.0/s Y n
10.
 
Panasonic GF6none n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 4.2/s Y n
11.
 
Panasonic GH21534 n3.0 / 460 swivel n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
12.
 
Panasonic GX1optional n3.0 / 460 fixed Y 1/4000s 4.2/s Y n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
Both cameras have an articulated rear screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This feature will be particularly appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies.

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.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the G5 and the G6 write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

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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-G5 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-G6 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
  empty Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Panasonic G5Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
2.
 
Panasonic G6Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
3.
 
Olympus E-M10Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
4.
 
Olympus E-PL5Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
5.
 
Panasonic G3Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
6.
 
Panasonic G7Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0Y--
7.
 
Panasonic G10Ymono / ---mini2.0---
8.
 
Panasonic GF3-stereo / mono--mini2.0---
9.
 
Panasonic GF5-stereo / mono--mini2.0---
10.
 
Panasonic GF6-stereo / mono--mini2.0YY-
11.
 
Panasonic GH2Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0---
12.
 
Panasonic GX1Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---

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 G5 does not provide wifi capability.

Both the G5 and the G6 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The G5 was replaced by the Panasonic G6, while the G6 was followed by the Panasonic G7. Further information on the features and operation of the G5 and G6 can be found, respectively, in the Panasonic G5 Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic G6 Manual.

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Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Panasonic G5 or the Panasonic G6 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.


Advantages of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5:

  • More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in July 2012).


Arguments in favor of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G6:

  • Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1036k vs 920k dots).
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (7 vs 6 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.
  • More modern: Was introduced somewhat (9 months) more recently.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the G6 is the clear winner of the contest (8 : 1 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

G5 01:08 G6

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Panasonic G5 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 specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the G5 and the G6 in practical situations. 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 expert reviews 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.

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Expert Camera Reviews
  empty  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Panasonic G53/5+ +....4.5/54.5/5 Jul 2012 US$ 599ebay.com
2.
 
Panasonic G64/5+ +....5/54.5/5 Apr 2013 US$ 599ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-M104/5....80/1005/55/5 Jan 2014 US$ 699ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-PL53/5+ +....4.5/54.5/5 Sep 2012 US$ 599ebay.com
5.
 
Panasonic G33/5+ +..75/1004.5/55/5 May 2011 US$ 599ebay.com
6.
 
Panasonic G74/5+ +3.5/580/1005/54.5/5 May 2015 US$ 649ebay.com
7.
 
Panasonic G103/5....70/1004/54/5 Mar 2010 US$ 499ebay.com
8.
 
Panasonic GF33/582/100..71/1004.5/54/5 Jun 2011 US$ 549ebay.com
9.
 
Panasonic GF53/5......4.5/54.5/5 Apr 2012 US$ 499ebay.com
10.
 
Panasonic GF6..+ +....4.5/54.5/5 Apr 2013 US$ 499ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic GH25/5+ +..79/1004.5/55/5 Sep 2010 US$ 899ebay.com
12.
 
Panasonic GX13/5+..77/1004.5/54.5/5 Nov 2011 US$ 699ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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    Specifications: Panasonic G5 vs Panasonic G6

    Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

    Camera Specifications
    Camera Model Panasonic G5 Panasonic G6
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Micro Four Thirds lenses Micro Four Thirds lenses
    Launch Date July 2012 April 2013
    Launch Price USD 599 USD 599
    Sensor Specs Panasonic G5 Panasonic G6
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format Four Thirds Sensor Four Thirds Sensor
    Sensor Size 17.3 x 13.0 mm 17.3 x 13.0 mm
    Sensor Area 224.9 mm2 224.9 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 21.6 mm 21.6 mm
    Crop Factor 2.0x 2.0x
    Sensor Resolution 15.9 Megapixels 15.9 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4608 x 3456 pixels 4608 x 3456 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.76 μm 3.76 μm
    Pixel Density 7.08 MP/cm2 7.08 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 1080/60p Video 1080/60p Video
    ISO Setting 160 - 12,800 ISO 160 - 12,800 ISO
    ISO Boost no Enhancement 160 - 25,600 ISO
    Image Processor Venus VII FHD Venus
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 61 61
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 21.4 21.3
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 11.6 11.5
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 618 639
    Screen Specs Panasonic G5 Panasonic G6
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100% 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.70x 0.70x
    Viewfinder Resolution 1440k dots 1440k dots
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 920k dots 1036k dots
    LCD Attachment Swivel screen Swivel screen
    Touch Input Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Panasonic G5 Panasonic G6
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF Contrast-detect AF
    Manual Focusing Aidno Peaking FeatureFocus Peaking
    Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/4000s 1/4000s
    Continuous Shooting 6 shutter flaps/s 7 shutter flaps/s
    Electronic Shutterno E-Shutterup to 1/4000s
    Time-Lapse Photographyno IntervalometerIntervalometer built-in
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Single card slot
    UHS card support UHS-I UHS-I
    Connectivity Specs Panasonic G5 Panasonic G6
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI mini HDMI
    Microphone Port no MIC socket External MIC port
    Wifi Support no Wifi Wifi built-in
    Near-Field Communication no NFC NFC built-in
    Body Specs Panasonic G5 Panasonic G6
    Battery Type Panasonic DMW-BLC12 Panasonic DMW-BLC12
    Battery Life (CIPA)320 shots per charge340 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 120 x 83 x 71 mm
    (4.7 x 3.3 x 2.8 in)
    122 x 85 x 71 mm
    (4.8 x 3.3 x 2.8 in)
    Camera Weight 396 g (14.0 oz) 390 g (13.8 oz)
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