Panasonic G5 vs Sony A58

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 and the Sony Alpha SLT-A58 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in July 2012 and February 2013. The G5 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the A58 is a DSLR. The cameras are based on a Four Thirds (G5) and an APS-C (A58) sensor. The Panasonic has a resolution of 15.9 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 19.8 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Panasonic G5		Sony A58
Mirrorless system camera		Digital single lens reflex
Micro Four Thirds lenses		Sony A mount lenses
15.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor		19.8 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60p Video		1080/60i Video
ISO 160-12,800		ISO 100-16,000 (100 - 25,600)
Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)
3.0" LCD – 920k dots		2.7" LCD – 460k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
6 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
320 shots per battery charge		690 shots per battery charge
120 x 83 x 71 mm, 396 g		129 x 95 x 78 mm, 492 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 Sony Alpha SLT-A58? 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 G5 and the Sony A58 is provided in the side-by-side display below. 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 dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The G5 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the A58 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 Sony A58 is notably larger (23 percent) than the Panasonic G5. Moreover, the A58 is markedly heavier (24 percent) than the G5. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the G5 nor the A58 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. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the G5 gets 320 shots out of its Panasonic DMW-BLC12 battery, while the A58 can take 690 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FM500H power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Panasonic G5	120 mm	83 mm	71 mm	396 g	320	n	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
2.		Sony A58	129 mm	95 mm	78 mm	492 g	690	n	Feb 2013	599	ebay.com
3.		Nikon D3200	125 mm	96 mm	77 mm	505 g	540	n	Apr 2012	599	ebay.com
4.		Panasonic G3	115 mm	84 mm	47 mm	336 g	270	n	May 2011	599	ebay.com
5.		Panasonic G6	122 mm	85 mm	71 mm	390 g	340	n	Apr 2013	599	ebay.com
6.		Panasonic G10	124 mm	84 mm	74 mm	388 g	380	n	Mar 2010	499	ebay.com
7.		Panasonic GF5	108 mm	67 mm	37 mm	267 g	360	n	Apr 2012	499	ebay.com
8.		Panasonic GF6	111 mm	65 mm	38 mm	323 g	340	n	Apr 2013	499	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic GH2	124 mm	90 mm	76 mm	442 g	330	n	Sep 2010	899	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic GM1	99 mm	55 mm	30 mm	204 g	230	n	Oct 2013	749	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic GX1	116 mm	68 mm	39 mm	318 g	320	n	Nov 2011	699	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic GX7	123 mm	71 mm	55 mm	402 g	350	n	Aug 2013	999	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic GX850	107 mm	65 mm	33 mm	269 g	210	n	Jan 2017	549	ebay.com
14.		Sony A68	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	610 g	540	n	Nov 2015	699	ebay.com
15.		Sony A77 II	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	647 g	480	Y	May 2014	1,199	ebay.com
16.		Sony A5100	110 mm	63 mm	36 mm	283 g	400	n	Aug 2014	549	ebay.com
17.		Sony A6000	120 mm	67 mm	45 mm	344 g	360	n	Feb 2014	599	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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The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. 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 size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant 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 tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Panasonic G5 features a Four Thirds sensor and the Sony A58 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the A58 is 63 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.0 and 1.5. The sensor in the G5 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the A58 offers a 3:2 aspect.

With 19.8MP, the A58 offers a higher resolution than the G5 (15.9MP), but the A58 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.31μm versus 3.76μm for the G5) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the A58 is a somewhat more recent model (by 7 months) than the G5, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The resolution advantage of the Sony A58 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A58 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 27.3 x 18.2 inches or 69.3 x 46.1 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 21.8 x 14.5 inches or 55.4 x 36.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.2 x 12.1 inches or 46.2 x 30.8 cm. The corresponding values for the Panasonic G5 are 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 160 to ISO 12800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha SLT-A58 are ISO 100 to ISO 16000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

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 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"). Of the two cameras under consideration, the A58 offers substantially better image quality than the G5 (overall score 13 points higher). The advantage is based on 1.9 bits higher color depth, 0.9 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.3 stops in additional low light sensitivity. 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.		Sony A58	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.3	12.5	753	74
3.		Nikon D3200	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/30p	24.1	13.2	1131	81
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 G10	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	720/30p	21.2	10.1	411	52
7.		Panasonic GF5	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60i	20.5	10.0	573	50
8.		Panasonic GF6	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60i	20.7	10.6	622	54
9.		Panasonic GH2	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	21.2	11.3	655	60
10.		Panasonic GM1	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60i	22.3	11.7	660	66
11.		Panasonic GX1	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60p	20.8	10.6	703	55
12.		Panasonic GX7	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60p	22.6	12.2	718	70
13.		Panasonic GX850	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	4K/30p	23.2	13.3	586	73
14.		Sony A68	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.1	13.5	701	79
15.		Sony A77 II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.4	13.4	1013	82
16.		Sony A5100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	12.7	1347	80
17.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. 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 A58. It can shoot video footage at 1080/60p, while the Sony is limited to 1080/60i.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The G5 and the A58 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 Sony A58 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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.		Sony A58	1440	n	2.7 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Nikon D3200	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
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 G10	202	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.6/s	Y	n
7.		Panasonic GF5	none	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
8.		Panasonic GF6	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
9.		Panasonic GH2	1534	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
10.		Panasonic GM1	none	n	3.0 / 1036	fixed	Y	1/500s	5.0/s	Y	n
11.		Panasonic GX1	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
12.		Panasonic GX7	2760	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Panasonic GX850	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/500s	10.0/s	Y	n
14.		Sony A68	1440	Y	2.7 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony A77 II	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony A5100	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
17.		Sony A6000	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/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 G5 has a touchscreen, while the A58 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The G5 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A58 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The G5 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the A58 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 Sony Alpha SLT-A58 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.		Sony A58	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Nikon D3200	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	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 G10	Y	mono / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Panasonic GF5	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Panasonic GF6	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Panasonic GH2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Panasonic GM1	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Panasonic GX1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Panasonic GX7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Panasonic GX850	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Sony A68	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Sony A77 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony A5100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony A6000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the A58 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 A58 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The G5 was replaced by the Panasonic G6, while the A58 was followed by the Sony A68. Further information on the features and operation of the G5 and A58 can be found, respectively, in the Panasonic G5 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A58 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Panasonic G5 and the Sony A58? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5:

• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/60i).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.57x).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.7") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (920k vs 460k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (120x83mm vs 129x95mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 96g or 20 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in July 2012).

Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha SLT-A58:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (19.8 vs 15.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 14%.
• Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (13 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (1.9 bits more color depth).
• More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (0.9 EV of extra DR).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (690 versus 320) out of a single battery charge.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (7 months) more recently.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the G5 is the clear winner of the match-up (13 : 8 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 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.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Panasonic G5 and the Sony A58 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings 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 A58 in practical situations. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Panasonic G5	3/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
2.		Sony A58	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	599	ebay.com
3.		Nikon D3200	5/5	+ +	..	73/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2012	599	ebay.com
4.		Panasonic G3	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2011	599	ebay.com
5.		Panasonic G6	4/5	+ +	..	..	5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	599	ebay.com
6.		Panasonic G10	3/5	..	..	70/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2010	499	ebay.com
7.		Panasonic GF5	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2012	499	ebay.com
8.		Panasonic GF6	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	499	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic GH2	5/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2010	899	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic GM1	3/5	+	..	78/100	5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	749	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic GX1	3/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Nov 2011	699	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic GX7	4/5	+	..	79/100	5/5	5/5	Aug 2013	999	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic GX850	..	+	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	549	ebay.com
14.		Sony A68	3/5	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Nov 2015	699	ebay.com
15.		Sony A77 II	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	1,199	ebay.com
16.		Sony A5100	4.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2014	549	ebay.com
17.		Sony A6000	5/5	+	4.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	599	ebay.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. 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. 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? 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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