Panasonic GH5s vs GH6

The Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5s and the Panasonic Lumix DC-GH6 are two enthusiast cameras that were announced, respectively, in January 2018 and February 2022. Both the GH5s and the GH6 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. The GH5s has a resolution of 9.9 megapixels, whereas the GH6 provides 25 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Panasonic GH5s		Panasonic GH6
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Micro Four Thirds lenses		Micro Four Thirds lenses
9.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor		25 MP – Four Thirds sensor
4K/60p Video		5.7K/60p Video
ISO 160-51,200 (80 - 204,800)		ISO 100-25,600
Electronic viewfinder (3680k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (3680k dots)
3.2" LCD – 1620k dots		3.0" LCD – 1840k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Fully flexible touchscreen
12 shutter flaps per second		14 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
440 shots per battery charge		360 shots per battery charge
139 x 98 x 87 mm, 660 g		138 x 100 x 100 mm, 823 g

Check GH5s price at
amazon.com
Check GH6 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5s and the Panasonic Lumix DC-GH6? 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 GH5s and the Panasonic GH6. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. 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 GH6 is somewhat larger (1 percent) than the Panasonic GH5s. Moreover, the GH6 is markedly heavier (25 percent) than the GH5s. 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 GH5s gets 440 shots out of its Panasonic DMW-BLF19 battery, while the GH6 can take 360 images on a single charge of its Panasonic DMW-BLK22 power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Panasonic GH5s	139 mm	98 mm	87 mm	660 g	440	Y	Jan 2018	2,499	amazon.com
2.		Panasonic GH6	138 mm	100 mm	100 mm	823 g	360	Y	Feb 2022	2,199	amazon.com
3.		Canon R	139 mm	98 mm	84 mm	660 g	370	Y	Sep 2018	2,299	ebay.com
4.		Panasonic FZ300	132 mm	92 mm	117 mm	691 g	380	Y	Jul 2015	599	amazon.com
5.		Panasonic G2	124 mm	84 mm	74 mm	428 g	360	n	Mar 2010	599	ebay.com
6.		Panasonic G9	137 mm	97 mm	92 mm	658 g	400	Y	Nov 2017	1,699	ebay.com
7.		Panasonic G9 II	134 mm	102 mm	90 mm	658 g	390	Y	Sep 2023	1,899	amazon.com
8.		Panasonic G10	124 mm	84 mm	74 mm	388 g	380	n	Mar 2010	499	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic GF3	108 mm	67 mm	32 mm	264 g	300	n	Jun 2011	549	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic GF5	108 mm	67 mm	37 mm	267 g	360	n	Apr 2012	499	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic GH3	133 mm	93 mm	82 mm	550 g	540	Y	Sep 2012	1,299	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic GH4	133 mm	93 mm	84 mm	560 g	500	Y	Feb 2014	1,499	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic GH5	139 mm	98 mm	87 mm	725 g	410	Y	Jan 2017	1,999	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic GH5 II	139 mm	98 mm	87 mm	727 g	400	Y	May 2021	1,699	amazon.com
15.		Panasonic S5	133 mm	98 mm	82 mm	714 g	440	Y	Sep 2020	1,999	amazon.com
16.		Panasonic S5 II	134 mm	102 mm	90 mm	740 g	370	Y	Jan 2023	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 listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The GH6 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 12 percent) than the GH5s, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to 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 GH6 offers a higher resolution of 25 megapixels, compared with 9.9 MP of the GH5s. This megapixels advantage translates into a 57 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the GH6 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.00μm versus 4.77μm for the GH5s). However, it should be noted that the GH6 is much more recent (by 4 years and 1 month) than the GH5s, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that 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 GH6 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the GH6 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 28.9 x 21.7 inches or 73.4 x 55.1 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 23.1 x 17.3 inches or 58.7 x 44.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 19.3 x 14.5 inches or 48.9 x 36.7 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.

Unlike the GH5s, the GH6 has the capacity to capture high quality composite images (100MP) by combining multiple shots after shifting its sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

The Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5s has a native sensitivity range from ISO 160 to ISO 51200, which can be extended to ISO 80-204800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Panasonic Lumix DC-GH6 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-25600.

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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 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 GH5s	Four Thirds	9.9	3680	2700	4K/60p	23.1	12.8	1154	74
2.		Panasonic GH6	Four Thirds	25.0	5776	4336	5.7K/60p	23.4	13.4	1555	77
3.		Canon R	Full Frame	30.1	6720	4480	4K/30p	24.5	13.5	2742	89
4.		Panasonic FZ300	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	19.3	11.0	97	38
5.		Panasonic G2	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	720/30p	21.2	10.3	493	53
6.		Panasonic G9	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.1	12.8	1138	74
7.		Panasonic G9 II	Four Thirds	25.0	5776	4336	5.7K/60p	23.4	13.5	1710	78
8.		Panasonic G10	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	720/30p	21.2	10.1	411	52
9.		Panasonic GF3	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60i	20.6	10.1	459	50
10.		Panasonic GF5	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60i	20.5	10.0	573	50
11.		Panasonic GH3	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	22.7	12.4	812	71
12.		Panasonic GH4	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	23.2	12.8	791	74
13.		Panasonic GH5	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.9	13.0	807	77
14.		Panasonic GH5 II	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.7	13.1	1136	79
15.		Panasonic S5	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.1	14.5	2697	94
16.		Panasonic S5 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.6	3158	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 are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the GH6 provides a better video resolution than the GH5s. It can shoot movie footage at 5.7K/60p, while the GH5s is limited to 4K/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The GH5s and the GH6 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 3680k dots. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Panasonic GH5s and Panasonic GH6 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 GH5s	3680	n	3.2 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	n
2.		Panasonic GH6	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon R	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
4.		Panasonic FZ300	1440	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Panasonic G2	1440	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	Y	1/4000s	2.6/s	Y	n
6.		Panasonic G9	3680	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
7.		Panasonic G9 II	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
8.		Panasonic G10	202	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.6/s	Y	n
9.		Panasonic GF3	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	Y	1/4000s	3.2/s	Y	n
10.		Panasonic GF5	none	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
11.		Panasonic GH3	1746	n	3.0 / 614	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
12.		Panasonic GH4	2359	n	3.0 / 1036	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	n
13.		Panasonic GH5	3680	n	3.2 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
14.		Panasonic GH5 II	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
15.		Panasonic S5	2360	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	n	Y
16.		Panasonic S5 II	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that differentiates the GH6 and the GH5s is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The GH6 reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the GH5s offers no blur reduction with lenses that themselves do not provide optical image stabilization.

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 GH5s and the Panasonic GH6 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.

The GH5s writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the GH6 uses CFexpress (type B) or SDXC cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. Moreover, both the GH5s and the GH6 support UHS-II cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s, on both slots.

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-GH5s and Panasonic Lumix DC-GH6 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 GH5s	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
2.		Panasonic GH6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
4.		Panasonic FZ300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
5.		Panasonic G2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Panasonic G9	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Panasonic G9 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
8.		Panasonic G10	Y	mono / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Panasonic GF3	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Panasonic GF5	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Panasonic GH3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Panasonic GH4	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Panasonic GH5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
14.		Panasonic GH5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
15.		Panasonic S5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
16.		Panasonic S5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y

Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers.

Both the GH5s and the GH6 are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The GH6 replaced the earlier Panasonic GH5 II, while the GH5s does not have a direct predecessor. Further information on the features and operation of the GH5s and GH6 can be found, respectively, in the Panasonic GH5s Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic GH6 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Panasonic GH5s or the Panasonic GH6 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5s:

• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 163g or 20 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (440 versus 360) on a single battery charge.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in January 2018).

Reasons to prefer the Panasonic Lumix DC-GH6:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (25 vs 9.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 58%.
• High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (5.7K/60p vs 4K/60p).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1840k vs 1620k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (14 vs 12 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 3.1).
• More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (12 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 4 years and 1 month of technical progress since the GH5s launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the GH6 is the clear winner of the contest (9 : 4 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 sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Panasonic GH5s and the Panasonic GH6 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 partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the GH5s or the GH6. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The 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 GH5s	..	..	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2018	2,499	amazon.com
2.		Panasonic GH6	5/5	+ +	5/5	87/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2022	2,199	amazon.com
3.		Canon R	4/5	o	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2018	2,299	ebay.com
4.		Panasonic FZ300	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2015	599	amazon.com
5.		Panasonic G2	..	..	..	72/100	4/5	4.5/5	Mar 2010	599	ebay.com
6.		Panasonic G9	..	+ +	5/5	85/100	5/5	5/5	Nov 2017	1,699	ebay.com
7.		Panasonic G9 II	5/5	..	4.5/5	87/100	..	4.5/5	Sep 2023	1,899	amazon.com
8.		Panasonic G10	3/5	..	..	70/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2010	499	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic GF3	3/5	82/100	..	71/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2011	549	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic GF5	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2012	499	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic GH3	5/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	1,299	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic GH4	5/5	+ +	..	85/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	1,499	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic GH5	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2017	1,999	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic GH5 II	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2021	1,699	amazon.com
15.		Panasonic S5	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2020	1,999	amazon.com
16.		Panasonic S5 II	4.5/5	+ +	5/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2023	1,999	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Check GH5s price at
amazon.com
Check GH6 price at
amazon.com

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. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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Check GH5s price at
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Check GH6 price at
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