Panasonic G90 vs GH5s

The Panasonic Lumix DC-G90 (called Panasonic G95 in some regions) and the Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5s are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in April 2019 and January 2018. Both the G90 and the GH5s are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. The G90 has a resolution of 20.2 megapixels, whereas the GH5s provides 9.9 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Panasonic G90		Panasonic GH5s
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Micro Four Thirds lenses		Micro Four Thirds lenses
20.2 MP – Four Thirds sensor		9.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/60p Video
ISO 200-25,600		ISO 160-51,200 (80 - 204,800)
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (3680k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1240k dots		3.2" LCD – 1620k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
9 shutter flaps per second		12 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		Lens stabilization only
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
290 shots per battery charge		440 shots per battery charge
130 x 94 x 77 mm, 536 g		139 x 98 x 87 mm, 660 g

Check G90 offers at
ebay.com
Check GH5s price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Panasonic Lumix DC-G90 and the Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5s? 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 G90 and the Panasonic GH5s. 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.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Panasonic GH5s is notably larger (11 percent) than the Panasonic G90. Moreover, the GH5s is markedly heavier (23 percent) than the G90. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

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 G90 gets 290 shots out of its Panasonic DMW-BLC12 battery, while the GH5s can take 440 images on a single charge of its Panasonic DMW-BLF19 power pack. The power pack in the G90 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

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 G90	130 mm	94 mm	77 mm	536 g	290	Y	Apr 2019	999	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic GH5s	139 mm	98 mm	87 mm	660 g	440	Y	Jan 2018	2,499	amazon.com
3.		Olympus E-M1 III	134 mm	91 mm	69 mm	580 g	420	Y	Feb 2020	1,799	ebay.com
4.		Olympus E-M5 III	125 mm	85 mm	50 mm	414 g	310	Y	Oct 2019	1,199	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-M1 II	134 mm	91 mm	67 mm	574 g	440	Y	Sep 2016	1,999	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-M5 II	124 mm	85 mm	45 mm	469 g	310	Y	Feb 2015	1,099	ebay.com
7.		Panasonic GX9	124 mm	72 mm	47 mm	407 g	260	n	Feb 2018	849	ebay.com
8.		Panasonic G9	137 mm	97 mm	92 mm	658 g	400	Y	Nov 2017	1,699	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic GH5	139 mm	98 mm	87 mm	725 g	410	Y	Jan 2017	1,999	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic G80	128 mm	89 mm	74 mm	505 g	330	Y	Sep 2016	899	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic FZ330	132 mm	92 mm	117 mm	691 g	380	Y	Jul 2015	599	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic GX8	133 mm	78 mm	63 mm	487 g	330	Y	Jul 2015	1,199	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic GH4	133 mm	93 mm	84 mm	560 g	500	Y	Feb 2014	1,499	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic GH3	133 mm	93 mm	82 mm	550 g	540	Y	Sep 2012	1,299	ebay.com
15.		Sony A7 III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	610	Y	Feb 2018	1,999	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. 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 G90 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 60 percent) than the GH5s, which puts it into a different 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 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.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the G90 offers a higher resolution of 20.2 megapixels, compared with 9.9 MP of the GH5s. This megapixels advantage translates into a 41 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the G90 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.34μm versus 4.77μm for the GH5s). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the G90 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 2 months) than the GH5s, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Panasonic G90 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the G90 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 25.9 x 19.4 inches or 65.8 x 49.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 20.7 x 15.6 inches or 52.7 x 39.5 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 17.3 x 13 inches or 43.9 x 32.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Panasonic GH5s are 18.4 x 13.5 inches or 46.7 x 34.3 cm for good quality, 14.7 x 10.8 inches or 37.4 x 27.4 cm for very good quality, and 12.3 x 9 inches or 31.2 x 22.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Panasonic Lumix DC-G90 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5s are ISO 160 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 80-204800.

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.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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 adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-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 G90	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.2	13.0	1273	75
2.		Panasonic GH5s	Four Thirds	9.9	3680	2700	4K/60p	23.1	12.8	1154	74
3.		Olympus E-M1 III	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.3	13.1	1356	76
4.		Olympus E-M5 III	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.3	13.1	1324	76
5.		Olympus E-M1 II	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.7	12.8	1312	80
6.		Olympus E-M5 II	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	23.0	12.5	842	73
7.		Panasonic GX9	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.1	12.8	1163	74
8.		Panasonic G9	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.1	12.8	1138	74
9.		Panasonic GH5	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.9	13.0	807	77
10.		Panasonic G80	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	4K/30p	22.8	12.5	656	71
11.		Panasonic FZ330	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	19.3	11.0	97	38
12.		Panasonic GX8	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.5	12.6	806	75
13.		Panasonic GH4	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	23.2	12.8	791	74
14.		Panasonic GH3	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	22.7	12.4	812	71
15.		Sony A7 III	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.7	3730	96
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 have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the GH5s provides a faster frame rate than the G90. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/60p, while the G90 is limited to 4K/30p.

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 GH5s offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the G90 (3680k vs 2360k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Panasonic G90 and Panasonic GH5s 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 G90	2360	n	3.0 / 1240	swivel	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Panasonic GH5s	3680	n	3.2 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	n
3.		Olympus E-M1 III	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	18.0/s	n	Y
4.		Olympus E-M5 III	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
5.		Olympus E-M1 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	18.0/s	n	Y
6.		Olympus E-M5 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
7.		Panasonic GX9	2760	n	3.0 / 1240	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Panasonic G9	3680	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
9.		Panasonic GH5	3680	n	3.2 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
10.		Panasonic G80	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Panasonic FZ330	1440	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Panasonic GX8	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
13.		Panasonic GH4	2359	n	3.0 / 1036	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	n
14.		Panasonic GH3	1746	n	3.0 / 614	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
15.		Sony A7 III	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The G90 has one, while the GH5s does not. While the built-in flash of the G90 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

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, both cameras under consideration feature an 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 G90 and the Panasonic GH5s both have 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 G90 and the GH5s write their files to SDXC cards. The GH5s features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the G90 only has one slot. Moreover, both cameras support UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s).

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 DC-G90 and Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5s 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 G90	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Panasonic GH5s	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
3.		Olympus E-M1 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
4.		Olympus E-M5 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Olympus E-M1 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.0	Y	-	-
6.		Olympus E-M5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Panasonic GX9	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Panasonic G9	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.0	Y	-	Y
9.		Panasonic GH5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
10.		Panasonic G80	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Panasonic FZ330	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Panasonic GX8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Panasonic GH4	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Panasonic GH3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Sony A7 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Panasonic GH5s (unlike the G90) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

The GH5s is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Panasonic. In contrast, the G90 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the G90 from Panasonic. Further information on the features and operation of the G90 and GH5s can be found, respectively, in the Panasonic G90 Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic GH5s Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Panasonic G90 better than the Panasonic GH5s or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Panasonic Lumix DC-G90:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (20.2 vs 9.9MP) with a 42% higher linear resolution.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 124g or 19 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (60 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 2 months after the GH5s).

Advantages of the Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5s:

• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (4K/60p versus 4K/30p).
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (3680k vs 2360k dots).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.76x vs 0.74x).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1620k vs 1240k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (12 vs 9 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (440 versus 290) out of a single battery charge.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.1 vs 2.0).
• More solid recording: Has a full-sized HDMI port for a sturdy connection to an external recorder.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in January 2018).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the GH5s is the clear winner of the contest (13 : 7 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.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Panasonic G90 and the Panasonic GH5s 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 the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the G90 or the GH5s. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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 G90	4.5/5	+	4.5/5	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2019	999	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic GH5s	..	..	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2018	2,499	amazon.com
3.		Olympus E-M1 III	5/5	..	5/5	83/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2020	1,799	ebay.com
4.		Olympus E-M5 III	5/5	+	5/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2019	1,199	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-M1 II	5/5	+ +	5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	1,999	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-M5 II	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	81/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2015	1,099	ebay.com
7.		Panasonic GX9	4/5	+	4/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2018	849	ebay.com
8.		Panasonic G9	..	+ +	5/5	85/100	5/5	5/5	Nov 2017	1,699	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic GH5	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2017	1,999	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic G80	..	+ +	..	84/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	899	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic FZ330	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2015	599	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic GX8	5/5	+	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2015	1,199	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic GH4	5/5	+ +	..	85/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	1,499	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic GH3	5/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	1,299	ebay.com
15.		Sony A7 III	..	+ +	4.5/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2018	1,999	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted 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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Check GH5s price at
amazon.com

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. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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