Panasonic G5 vs GH2

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in July 2012 and September 2010. Both the G5 and the GH2 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		Panasonic GH2
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		1080/60i Video
ISO 160-12,800		ISO 160-12,800
Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (1534k dots)
3.0" LCD – 920k dots		3.0" LCD – 460k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
6 shutter flaps per second		3 shutter flaps per second
320 shots per battery charge		330 shots per battery charge
120 x 83 x 71 mm, 396 g		124 x 90 x 76 mm, 442 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-GH2? 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

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Panasonic G5 and the Panasonic GH2. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Both cameras are available in two different colors (black, silver).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Panasonic GH2 is notably larger (12 percent) than the Panasonic G5. Moreover, the GH2 is markedly heavier (12 percent) than the G5. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the G5 nor the GH2 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 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 G5	120 mm	83 mm	71 mm	396 g	320	n	Jul 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic GH2	124 mm	90 mm	76 mm	442 g	330	n	Sep 2010	US$ 899	ebay.com
3.		Olympus E-PL5	111 mm	64 mm	38 mm	325 g	360	n	Sep 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
4.		Panasonic G3	115 mm	84 mm	47 mm	336 g	270	n	May 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
5.		Panasonic G6	122 mm	85 mm	71 mm	390 g	340	n	Apr 2013	US$ 599	ebay.com
6.		Panasonic G7	125 mm	86 mm	77 mm	410 g	350	n	May 2015	US$ 649	ebay.com
7.		Panasonic G10	124 mm	84 mm	74 mm	388 g	380	n	Mar 2010	US$ 499	ebay.com
8.		Panasonic GF3	108 mm	67 mm	32 mm	264 g	300	n	Jun 2011	US$ 549	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic GF5	108 mm	67 mm	37 mm	267 g	360	n	Apr 2012	US$ 499	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic GF6	111 mm	65 mm	38 mm	323 g	340	n	Apr 2013	US$ 499	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic GH1	124 mm	90 mm	45 mm	385 g	300	n	Mar 2009	US$ 899	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic GH3	133 mm	93 mm	82 mm	550 g	540	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic GM5	99 mm	60 mm	36 mm	211 g	220	n	Sep 2014	US$ 749	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic GX1	116 mm	68 mm	39 mm	318 g	320	n	Nov 2011	US$ 699	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The G5 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 33 percent) than the GH2, which puts it into a different 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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 tend to be more expensive and 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.

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 GH2 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the G5 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 9 months) than the GH2, 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 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 offers exactly the same ISO settings.

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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). 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.

Sensor Characteristics

		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	3456	1080/60p	21.4	11.6	618	61
2.		Panasonic GH2	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	21.2	11.3	655	60
3.		Olympus E-PL5	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.3	889	72
4.		Panasonic G3	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60i	21.0	10.6	667	56
5.		Panasonic G6	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	21.3	11.5	639	61
6.		Panasonic G7	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	4K/30p	22.8	12.4	904	71
7.		Panasonic G10	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	720/30p	21.2	10.1	411	52
8.		Panasonic GF3	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60i	20.6	10.1	459	50
9.		Panasonic GF5	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60i	20.5	10.0	573	50
10.		Panasonic GF6	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60i	20.7	10.6	622	54
11.		Panasonic GH1	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	21.6	11.6	772	64
12.		Panasonic GH3	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	22.7	12.4	812	71
13.		Panasonic GM5	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60p	22.1	11.7	721	66
14.		Panasonic GX1	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60p	20.8	10.6	703	55
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. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the G5 provides a higher frame rate than the GH2. It can shoot video footage at 1080/60p, while the GH2 is limited to 1080/60i.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the GH2 offers a slightly higher resolution than the one in the G5 (1534k vs 1440k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Panasonic G5 and Panasonic GH2 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 G5	1440	n	3.0 / 920	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
2.		Panasonic GH2	1534	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
3.		Olympus E-PL5	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
4.		Panasonic G3	1440	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	Y	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
5.		Panasonic G6	1440	n	3.0 / 1036	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	n
6.		Panasonic G7	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	n
7.		Panasonic G10	202	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.6/s	Y	n
8.		Panasonic GF3	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	Y	1/4000s	3.2/s	Y	n
9.		Panasonic GF5	none	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
10.		Panasonic GF6	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
11.		Panasonic GH1	1440	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
12.		Panasonic GH3	1746	n	3.0 / 614	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
13.		Panasonic GM5	1166	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	Y	1/500s	5.8/s	n	n
14.		Panasonic GX1	optional	n	3.0 / 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.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The G5 has a touchscreen, while the GH2 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the G5 and the GH2 write their files to SDXC cards. The G5 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the GH2 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-G5 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 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 G5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Panasonic GH2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Olympus E-PL5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Panasonic G3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Panasonic G6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Panasonic G7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Panasonic G10	Y	mono / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Panasonic GF3	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Panasonic GF5	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Panasonic GF6	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Panasonic GH1	Y	stereo / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Panasonic GH3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Panasonic GM5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Panasonic GX1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the GH2 has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The G5 does not feature such a mic input.

Both the G5 and the GH2 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The GH2 was replaced by the Panasonic GH3, while the G5 was followed by the Panasonic G6. Further information on the features and operation of the G5 and GH2 can be found, respectively, in the Panasonic G5 Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic GH2 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Panasonic G5 better than the Panasonic GH2 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5:

• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/60i).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (920k vs 460k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (120x83mm vs 124x90mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 46g or 10 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (33 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 9 months after the GH2).

Advantages of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2:

• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.71x vs 0.70x).
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in September 2010).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the G5 is the clear winner of the match-up (9 : 3 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 sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape 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 G5 and the Panasonic GH2 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 says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the G5 and the GH2 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 adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular 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 G5	3/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic GH2	5/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2010	US$ 899	ebay.com
3.		Olympus E-PL5	3/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
4.		Panasonic G3	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
5.		Panasonic G6	4/5	+ +	..	..	5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	US$ 599	ebay.com
6.		Panasonic G7	4/5	+ +	3.5/5	80/100	5/5	4.5/5	May 2015	US$ 649	ebay.com
7.		Panasonic G10	3/5	..	..	70/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2010	US$ 499	ebay.com
8.		Panasonic GF3	3/5	82/100	..	71/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2011	US$ 549	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic GF5	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2012	US$ 499	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic GF6	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	US$ 499	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic GH1	..	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2009	US$ 899	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic GH3	5/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic GM5	3.5/5	+	..	77/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 749	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic GX1	3/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Nov 2011	US$ 699	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. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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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 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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