Panasonic G90 vs Sony A850

The Panasonic Lumix DC-G90 (called Panasonic G95 in some regions) and the Sony Alpha A850 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in April 2019 and August 2009. The G90 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the A850 is a DSLR. The cameras are based on a Four Thirds (G90) and a full frame (A850) sensor. The Panasonic has a resolution of 20.2 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 24.4 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Panasonic G90		Sony A850
Mirrorless system camera		Digital single lens reflex
Micro Four Thirds lenses		Sony A mount lenses
20.2 MP – Four Thirds sensor		24.4 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/30p Video		no Video
ISO 200-25,600		ISO 200-3,200 (100 - 6,400)
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1240k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
9 shutter flaps per second		3 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
290 shots per battery charge		880 shots per battery charge
130 x 94 x 77 mm, 536 g		156 x 117 x 82 mm, 895 g

Check G90 offers at
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Check A850 offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Panasonic Lumix DC-G90 and the Sony Alpha A850? 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 G90 and the Sony A850 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.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A850 is considerably larger (49 percent) than the Panasonic G90. Moreover, the A850 is substantially heavier (67 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. 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 G90 gets 290 shots out of its Panasonic DMW-BLC12 battery, while the A850 can take 880 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FM500H 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 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 G90	130 mm	94 mm	77 mm	536 g	290	Y	Apr 2019	999	ebay.com
2.		Sony A850	156 mm	117 mm	82 mm	895 g	880	Y	Aug 2009	1,999	ebay.com
3.		Nikon D750	141 mm	113 mm	78 mm	750 g	1230	Y	Sep 2014	2,299	ebay.com
4.		Olympus E-M1 II	134 mm	91 mm	67 mm	574 g	440	Y	Sep 2016	1,999	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-M1 III	134 mm	91 mm	69 mm	580 g	420	Y	Feb 2020	1,799	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-M5 II	124 mm	85 mm	45 mm	469 g	310	Y	Feb 2015	1,099	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-M5 III	125 mm	85 mm	50 mm	414 g	310	Y	Oct 2019	1,199	ebay.com
8.		Panasonic G9	137 mm	97 mm	92 mm	658 g	400	Y	Nov 2017	1,699	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic G80	128 mm	89 mm	74 mm	505 g	330	Y	Sep 2016	899	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic GH5	139 mm	98 mm	87 mm	725 g	410	Y	Jan 2017	1,999	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic GX8	133 mm	78 mm	63 mm	487 g	330	Y	Jul 2015	1,199	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic GX9	124 mm	72 mm	47 mm	407 g	260	n	Feb 2018	849	ebay.com
13.		Sony A7 III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	610	Y	Feb 2018	1,999	amazon.com
14.		Sony A7C	124 mm	71 mm	60 mm	509 g	740	Y	Sep 2020	1,799	amazon.com
15.		Sony A99	147 mm	111 mm	78 mm	812 g	500	Y	Sep 2012	2,799	ebay.com
16.		Sony A900	156 mm	117 mm	82 mm	895 g	880	Y	Sep 2008	2,999	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 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 50 percent) than the A850, 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 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. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Panasonic G90 features a Four Thirds sensor and the Sony A850 a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the A850 is 283 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.0 and 1.0. The sensor in the G90 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the A850 offers a 3:2 aspect.

With 24.4MP, the A850 offers a higher resolution than the G90 (20.2MP), but the A850 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.94μm versus 3.34μm for the G90) due to its larger sensor. However, the G90 is a much more recent model (by 9 years and 7 months) than the A850, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the G90 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Sony A850 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A850 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30.2 x 20.2 inches or 76.8 x 51.2 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24.2 x 16.1 inches or 61.4 x 41 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20.2 x 13.4 inches or 51.2 x 34.1 cm. The corresponding values for the Panasonic G90 are 25.9 x 19.4 inches or 65.8 x 49.4 cm for good quality, 20.7 x 15.6 inches or 52.7 x 39.5 cm for very good quality, and 17.3 x 13 inches or 43.9 x 32.9 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 Sony Alpha A850 are ISO 200 to ISO 3200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-6400.

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"). 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.		Sony A850	Full Frame	24.4	6048	4032	none	23.8	12.2	1415	79
3.		Nikon D750	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/60p	24.8	14.5	2956	93
4.		Olympus E-M1 II	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.7	12.8	1312	80
5.		Olympus E-M1 III	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.3	13.1	1356	76
6.		Olympus E-M5 II	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	23.0	12.5	842	73
7.		Olympus E-M5 III	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.3	13.1	1324	76
8.		Panasonic G9	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.1	12.8	1138	74
9.		Panasonic G80	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	4K/30p	22.8	12.5	656	71
10.		Panasonic GH5	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.9	13.0	807	77
11.		Panasonic GX8	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.5	12.6	806	75
12.		Panasonic GX9	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.1	12.8	1163	74
13.		Sony A7 III	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.7	3730	96
14.		Sony A7C	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.7	3407	95
15.		Sony A99	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.0	14.0	1555	89
16.		Sony A900	Full Frame	24.4	6048	4032	none	23.7	12.3	1431	79
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 G90 indeed provides movie recording capabilities, while the A850 does not. The highest resolution format that the G90 can use is 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the G90 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), while the A850 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinder in the G90 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the A850 (98%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Panasonic G90, the Sony A850, and comparable 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.		Sony A850	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	n	Y
3.		Nikon D750	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	tilting	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
4.		Olympus E-M1 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	18.0/s	n	Y
5.		Olympus E-M1 III	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.		Olympus E-M5 III	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
8.		Panasonic G9	3680	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
9.		Panasonic G80	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Panasonic GH5	3680	n	3.2 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
11.		Panasonic GX8	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
12.		Panasonic GX9	2760	n	3.0 / 1240	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Sony A7 III	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A7C	2360	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A99	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A900	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/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 A850 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, the G90 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 G90 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 G90 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A850 uses Compact Flash or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The A850 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the G90 only has one slot.

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 Sony Alpha A850 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.		Sony A850	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Nikon D750	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
4.		Olympus E-M1 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.0	Y	-	-
5.		Olympus E-M1 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
6.		Olympus E-M5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Olympus E-M5 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Panasonic G9	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.0	Y	-	Y
9.		Panasonic G80	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Panasonic GH5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
11.		Panasonic GX8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Panasonic GX9	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Sony A7 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
14.		Sony A7C	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y
15.		Sony A99	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Sony A900	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the G90 offers wifi support, while the A850 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Sony A850 (unlike the G90) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the G90 and the A850 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. Neither of the two has a direct successor, so they represent the end of the respective camera lines from Panasonic and Sony. Further information on the features and operation of the G90 and A850 can be found, respectively, in the Panasonic G90 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A850 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Panasonic G90 and the Sony A850? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Arguments in favor of the Panasonic Lumix DC-G90:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Broader imaging potential: Can record not only still images but also 4K/30p movies.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 98%).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1240k vs 922k 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 (9 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.
• More compact: Is smaller (130x94mm vs 156x117mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 359g or 40 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (50 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 9 years and 7 months of technical progress since the A850 launch.

Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha A850:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (24.4 vs 20.2MP), which boosts linear resolution by 12%.
• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (880 versus 290) out of a single battery charge.
• 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 around for much longer (launched in August 2009).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the G90 is the clear winner of the match-up (20 : 9 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 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 G90 and the Sony A850 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 G90 and the A850 in practical situations. 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 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 (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.		Sony A850	3/5	..	..	75/100	..	4.5/5	Aug 2009	1,999	ebay.com
3.		Nikon D750	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	2,299	ebay.com
4.		Olympus E-M1 II	5/5	+ +	5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	1,999	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-M1 III	5/5	..	5/5	83/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2020	1,799	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.		Olympus E-M5 III	5/5	+	5/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2019	1,199	ebay.com
8.		Panasonic G9	..	+ +	5/5	85/100	5/5	5/5	Nov 2017	1,699	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic G80	..	+ +	..	84/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	899	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic GH5	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2017	1,999	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic GX8	5/5	+	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2015	1,199	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic GX9	4/5	+	4/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2018	849	ebay.com
13.		Sony A7 III	..	+ +	4.5/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2018	1,999	amazon.com
14.		Sony A7C	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	86/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2020	1,799	amazon.com
15.		Sony A99	5/5	..	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,799	ebay.com
16.		Sony A900	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2008	2,999	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. 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, 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 would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu 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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