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Panasonic GF3 vs Sony A7 IV

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 and the Sony Alpha A7 IV are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in June 2011 and October 2021. Both the GF3 and the A7 IV are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are based on a Four Thirds (GF3) and a full frame (A7 IV) sensor. The Panasonic has a resolution of 12 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 32.7 MP.

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

Headline Specifications
Panasonic GF3
versus
Sony A7 IV
Panasonic GF3   Sony A7 IV
Mirrorless system camera Mirrorless system camera
Micro Four Thirds lenses Sony E mount lenses
12 MP – Four Thirds sensor 32.7 MP – Full Frame sensor
1080/60i Video 4K/60p Video
ISO 160-6,400 ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 204,800)
No viewfinder, LCD framing Electronic viewfinder (3686k dots)
3.0" LCD – 460k dots 3.0" LCD – 1037k dots
Fixed touchscreen Swivel touchscreen
3.2 shutter flaps per second 10 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization onlyIn-body stabilization
not weather sealedWeathersealed body
300 shots per battery charge580 shots per battery charge
108 x 67 x 32 mm, 264 g 131 x 96 x 80 mm, 659 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 and the Sony Alpha A7 IV? 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

The physical size and weight of the Panasonic GF3 and the Sony A7 IV are illustrated 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 measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The GF3 can be obtained in five different colors (black, brown, pink, red, white), while the A7 IV is only available in black.

Size Panasonic GF3 vs Sony A7 IV
Compare GF3 versus A7 IV top
Comparison GF3 or A7 IV rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A7 IV is considerably larger (74 percent) than the Panasonic GF3. Moreover, the A7 IV is substantially heavier (150 percent) than the GF3. It is noteworthy in this context that the A7 IV is splash and dust-proof, while the GF3 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

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. A larger imaging sensor will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog (GF3) and the Sony FE Lens Catalog (A7 IV). 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 GF3 gets 300 shots out of its Panasonic DMW-BLE9 battery, while the A7 IV can take 580 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FZ100 power pack. The power pack in the A7 IV can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. 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 GF3 108 mm 67 mm 32 mm 264 g 300 n Jun 2011 US$ 549ebay.com
2.
 
Sony A7 IV 131 mm 96 mm 80 mm 659 g 580 Y Oct 2021 US$ 2 499 amazon.com
3.
 
Olympus E-PL3 110 mm 64 mm 37 mm 313 g 300 n Jun 2011 US$ 599ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-PM1 110 mm 64 mm 34 mm 265 g 330 n Jun 2011 US$ 499ebay.com
5.
 
Panasonic G1 124 mm 84 mm 45 mm 360 g 410 n Sep 2008 US$ 599ebay.com
6.
 
Panasonic G2 124 mm 84 mm 74 mm 428 g 360 n Mar 2010 US$ 599ebay.com
7.
 
Panasonic G3 115 mm 84 mm 47 mm 336 g 270 n May 2011 US$ 599ebay.com
8.
 
Panasonic G10 124 mm 84 mm 74 mm 388 g 380 n Mar 2010 US$ 499ebay.com
9.
 
Panasonic GF2 113 mm 68 mm 33 mm 310 g 300 n Nov 2010 US$ 549ebay.com
10.
 
Panasonic GF5 108 mm 67 mm 37 mm 267 g 360 n Apr 2012 US$ 499ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic LX5 110 mm 65 mm 43 mm 271 g 400 n Jul 2010 US$ 499ebay.com
12.
 
Panasonic LX7 111 mm 68 mm 46 mm 298 g 330 n Jul 2012 US$ 499ebay.com
13.
 
Sony A1 129 mm 97 mm 81 mm 737 g 530 Y Jan 2021 US$ 6 499 amazon.com
14.
 
Sony A7 III 127 mm 96 mm 74 mm 650 g 610 Y Feb 2018 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
15.
 
Sony A7R IIIA 127 mm 96 mm 74 mm 650 g 650 Y Apr 2021 US$ 3 199 amazon.com
16.
 
Sony A7R V 131 mm 97 mm 82 mm 723 g 530 Y Oct 2022 US$ 3 899 amazon.com
17.
 
Sony A7S III 127 mm 97 mm 81 mm 699 g 600 Y Jul 2020 US$ 3 499 amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The GF3 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 78 percent) than the A7 IV, 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 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. 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 associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Panasonic GF3 features a Four Thirds sensor and the Sony A7 IV a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the A7 IV is 281 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 GF3 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the A7 IV offers a 3:2 aspect.

Panasonic GF3 and Sony A7 IV sensor measures

With 32.7MP, the A7 IV offers a higher resolution than the GF3 (12MP), but the A7 IV nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.12μm versus 4.33μm for the GF3) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the A7 IV is a much more recent model (by 10 years and 4 months) than the GF3, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the A7 IV has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Sony A7 IV implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A7 IV for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 35 x 23.4 inches or 89 x 59.3 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 28 x 18.7 inches or 71.2 x 47.5 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 23.4 x 15.6 inches or 59.3 x 39.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Panasonic GF3 are 20 x 15 inches or 50.8 x 38.1 cm for good quality, 16 x 12 inches or 40.6 x 30.5 cm for very good quality, and 13.3 x 10 inches or 33.9 x 25.4 cm for excellent quality prints.

The A7 IV has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 160 to ISO 6400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A7 IV are ISO 100 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-204800.

In terms of underlying technology, the GF3 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the A7 IV uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

GF3 versus A7 IV MP

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"). Of the two cameras under consideration, the A7 IV offers substantially better image quality than the GF3 (overall score 47 points higher). The advantage is based on 4.8 bits higher color depth, 4.6 EV in additional dynamic range, and 2.9 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.

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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 GF3 Four Thirds 12.0 4000 30001080/60i20.610.145950
2.
 
Sony A7 IV Full Frame 32.7 7008 46724K/60p25.414.7337997
3.
 
Olympus E-PL3 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 30241080/60i20.910.349952
4.
 
Olympus E-PM1 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 30241080/60i21.010.349952
5.
 
Panasonic G1 Four Thirds 12.0 4000 3000none21.110.346353
6.
 
Panasonic G2 Four Thirds 12.0 4000 3000720/30p21.210.349353
7.
 
Panasonic G3 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34481080/60i21.010.666756
8.
 
Panasonic G10 Four Thirds 12.0 4000 3000720/30p21.210.141152
9.
 
Panasonic GF2 Four Thirds 12.0 4000 30001080/60i21.210.350654
10.
 
Panasonic GF5 Four Thirds 12.0 4000 30001080/60i20.510.057350
11.
 
Panasonic LX5 1/1.7 10.0 3648 2736720/60p19.610.813241
12.
 
Panasonic LX7 1/1.7 10.0 3648 27361080/60p20.711.714750
13.
 
Sony A1 Full Frame 49.8 8640 57608k/30p25.914.5316398
14.
 
Sony A7 III Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p25.014.7373096
15.
 
Sony A7R IIIA Full Frame 42.2 7952 53044K/30p26.014.73523100
16.
 
Sony A7R V Full Frame 60.2 9504 63368k/24p26.514.83187100
17.
 
Sony A7S III Full Frame 12.0 4240 28324K/120p23.713.9252086

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the A7 IV provides a better video resolution than the GF3. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/60p, while the Panasonic is limited to 1080/60i.

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Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A7 IV has an electronic viewfinder (3686k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the GF3 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Panasonic GF3 and Sony A7 IV in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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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 GF3none n3.0 / 460 fixed Y 1/4000s 3.2/s Y n
2.
 
Sony A7 IV3686 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
3.
 
Olympus E-PL3optional n3.0 / 460 tilting n 1/4000s 5.5/s n Y
4.
 
Olympus E-PM1optional n3.0 / 460 fixed n 1/4000s 5.5/s n Y
5.
 
Panasonic G11440 n3.0 / 460 swivel n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
6.
 
Panasonic G21440 n3.0 / 460 swivel Y 1/4000s 2.6/s Y n
7.
 
Panasonic G31440 n3.0 / 460 swivel Y 1/4000s 4.0/s Y n
8.
 
Panasonic G10202 n3.0 / 460 fixed n 1/4000s 2.6/s Y n
9.
 
Panasonic GF2optional n3.0 / 460 fixed Y 1/4000s 2.6/s Y n
10.
 
Panasonic GF5none n3.0 / 920 fixed Y 1/4000s 4.0/s Y n
11.
 
Panasonic LX5optional n3.0 / 460 fixed n 1/4000s 2.5/s Y Y
12.
 
Panasonic LX7optional n3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/4000s 11.0/s Y Y
13.
 
Sony A19437 n3.0 / 1440 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
14.
 
Sony A7 III2359 n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
15.
 
Sony A7R IIIA3686 n3.0 / 2340 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
16.
 
Sony A7R V9440 n3.2 / 2100 full-flex Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
17.
 
Sony A7S III9440 n3.0 / 1440 swivel 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 GF3 has one, while the A7 IV does not. While the built-in flash of the GF3 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The A7 IV has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies. In contrast, the GF3 does not have a selfie-screen.

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 A7 IV 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 GF3 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A7 IV uses CFexpress (type A) or SDXC cards. The A7 IV features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the GF3 only has one slot. The A7 IV supports UHS-II cards (on both slots), while the GF3 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

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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-GF3 and Sony Alpha A7 IV 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 GF3-stereo / mono--mini2.0---
2.
 
Sony A7 IVYstereo / monoYYfull3.2Y-Y
3.
 
Olympus E-PL3Ystereo / ---mini2.0---
4.
 
Olympus E-PM1Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
5.
 
Panasonic G1Y- / ---mini2.0---
6.
 
Panasonic G2Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
7.
 
Panasonic G3Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
8.
 
Panasonic G10Ymono / ---mini2.0---
9.
 
Panasonic GF2Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
10.
 
Panasonic GF5-stereo / mono--mini2.0---
11.
 
Panasonic LX5Ymono / mono--mini2.0---
12.
 
Panasonic LX7Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
13.
 
Sony A1Ystereo / monoYYfull3.2Y-Y
14.
 
Sony A7 IIIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY
15.
 
Sony A7R IIIAYstereo / monoYYmicro3.2YYY
16.
 
Sony A7R VYstereo / monoYYfull3.2Y-Y
17.
 
Sony A7S IIIYstereo / monoYYfull3.2Y-Y

It is notable that the A7 IV offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the GF3 does not provide wifi capability.

The A7 IV is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Sony. In contrast, the GF3 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the GF3 was succeeded by the Panasonic GF5. Further information on the features and operation of the GF3 and A7 IV can be found, respectively, in the Panasonic GF3 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A7 IV Manual.

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Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Panasonic GF3 better than the Sony A7 IV or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

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Reasons to prefer the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3:

  • Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
  • More compact: Is smaller (108x67mm vs 131x96mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 395g or 60 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
  • Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (78 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in June 2011).

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Advantages of the Sony Alpha A7 IV:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (32.7 vs 12MP), which boosts linear resolution by 68%.
  • Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
  • Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (47 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
  • Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (4.8 bits more color depth).
  • More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (4.6 EV of extra DR).
  • Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (2.9 stops ISO advantage).
  • Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/60p vs 1080/60i).
  • Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
  • Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
  • Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
  • Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1037k vs 460k dots).
  • More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
  • More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
  • Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 3.2 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (580 versus 300) out of a single battery charge.
  • Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
  • Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
  • Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
  • Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
  • Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
  • 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.
  • Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
  • Faster buffer clearing: Supports Ultra High Speed (UHS-II) SDXC cards on both slots.
  • More modern: Reflects 10 years and 4 months of technical progress since the GF3 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A7 IV is the clear winner of the contest (29 : 6 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.

GF3 06:29 A7 IV

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Panasonic GF3 and the Sony A7 IV 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 remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the GF3 or the A7 IV perform in practice. 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 expert reviews 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.

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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 GF33/582/100..71/1004.5/54/5 Jun 2011 US$ 549ebay.com
2.
 
Sony A7 IV5/5+ +4.5/589/1004.5/54.5/5 Oct 2021 US$ 2 499 amazon.com
3.
 
Olympus E-PL33/5+ +..72/1004.5/54/5 Jun 2011 US$ 599ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-PM1..86/100..71/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2011 US$ 499ebay.com
5.
 
Panasonic G1..+ +..70/1004/54.5/5 Sep 2008 US$ 599ebay.com
6.
 
Panasonic G2......72/1004/54.5/5 Mar 2010 US$ 599ebay.com
7.
 
Panasonic G33/5+ +..75/1004.5/55/5 May 2011 US$ 599ebay.com
8.
 
Panasonic G103/5....70/1004/54/5 Mar 2010 US$ 499ebay.com
9.
 
Panasonic GF23/582/100..70/1004.5/54.5/5 Nov 2010 US$ 549ebay.com
10.
 
Panasonic GF53/5......4.5/54.5/5 Apr 2012 US$ 499ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic LX54/5+..73/1004.5/54.5/5 Jul 2010 US$ 499ebay.com
12.
 
Panasonic LX73/5+ +..75/1004/54.5/5 Jul 2012 US$ 499ebay.com
13.
 
Sony A15/5o4.5/593/1004.5/55/5 Jan 2021 US$ 6 499 amazon.com
14.
 
Sony A7 III..+ +4.5/589/1005/55/5 Feb 2018 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
15.
 
Sony A7R IIIA..+ +4/590/1004.5/55/5 Apr 2021 US$ 3 199 amazon.com
16.
 
Sony A7R V5/5+ +4.5/592/100.... Oct 2022 US$ 3 899 amazon.com
17.
 
Sony A7S III4.5/5+ +5/591/1004.5/55/5 Jul 2020 US$ 3 499 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. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, 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? 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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    Specifications: Panasonic GF3 vs Sony A7 IV

    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 GF3 Sony A7 IV
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Micro Four Thirds lenses Sony E mount lenses
    Launch Date June 2011 October 2021
    Launch Price USD 549 USD 2,499
    Sensor Specs Panasonic GF3 Sony A7 IV
    Sensor Technology CMOS BSI-CMOS
    Sensor Format Four Thirds Sensor Full Frame Sensor
    Sensor Size 17.3 x 13.0 mm 35.9 x 23.9 mm
    Sensor Area 224.9 mm2 858.01 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 21.6 mm 43.1 mm
    Crop Factor 2.0x 1.0x
    Sensor Resolution 12 Megapixels 32.7 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4000 x 3000 pixels 7008 x 4672 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 4.33 μm 5.12 μm
    Pixel Density 5.34 MP/cm2 3.82 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter no AA filter
    Movie Capability 1080/60i Video 4K/60p Video
    ISO Setting 160 - 6,400 ISO 100 - 51,200 ISO
    ISO Boost no Enhancement 50 - 204,800 ISO
    Image Processor Venus FHD BIONZ XR
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 50 97
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 20.6 25.4
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 10.1 14.7
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 459 3379
    Screen Specs Panasonic GF3 Sony A7 IV
    Viewfinder Type no viewfinder Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.78x
    Viewfinder Resolution 3686k dots
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 460k dots 1037k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen Swivel screen
    Touch Input Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Panasonic GF3 Sony A7 IV
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF On-Sensor Phase-detect
    Manual Focusing Aidno Peaking FeatureFocus Peaking
    Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/4000s 1/8000s
    Continuous Shooting 3.2 shutter flaps/s 10 shutter flaps/s
    Electronic Shutterno E-ShutterYES
    Image StabilizationLens stabilization onlyIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards CFexA or SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Dual card slots
    UHS card support no Dual UHS-II
    Connectivity Specs Panasonic GF3 Sony A7 IV
    External Flash no Hotshoe Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 3.2
    HDMI Port mini HDMI full HDMI
    Microphone Port no MIC socket External MIC port
    Headphone Socket no Headphone port Headphone port
    Wifi Support no Wifi Wifi built-in
    Bluetooth Support no Bluetooth Bluetooth built-in
    Body Specs Panasonic GF3 Sony A7 IV
    Environmental Sealingnot weather sealedWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Panasonic DMW-BLE9 Sony NP-FZ100
    Battery Life (CIPA)300 shots per charge580 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging no USB charging USB charging
    Body Dimensions 108 x 67 x 32 mm
    (4.3 x 2.6 x 1.3 in)
    131 x 96 x 80 mm
    (5.2 x 3.8 x 3.1 in)
    Camera Weight 264 g (9.3 oz) 659 g (23.2 oz)
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