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Panasonic GX7 Comparison Review

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera that was announced in August 2013 and is equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. It offers a resolution of 15.8 megapixel.

camera

Is the Panasonic GX7 a good camera? The GX7 has a Camera Elo of 1927. This rating puts the GX7 below average of all mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (Four Thirds cameras), the GX7 ranks among the top 50 percent. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 3-star performance rating.

Headline Specifications
Panasonic GX7
Mirrorless system camera
Micro Four Thirds lenses
15.8 MP, Four Thirds Sensor
1080/60p Video
ISO 125 - 25 600
Electronic viewfinder (2760k dots)
3.0 LCD, 1040k dots
Tilting touchscreen
5 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization
350 shots per battery charge
123 x 71 x 55 mm, 402 g

Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.

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Body comparison with a credit card

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size of the Panasonic GX7 vis-à-vis a credit card. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Panasonic GX7 vs credit card front
GX7 versus credit card top view
GX7 and credit card rear side

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Panasonic GX7 alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

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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 GX7 123 mm 71 mm 55 mm 402 g 350 n Aug 2013 999ebay.com
2.
 
Olympus E-M10 119 mm 82 mm 46 mm 396 g 320 n Jan 2014 699ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-PL7 115 mm 67 mm 38 mm 357 g 350 n Aug 2014 599ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-P5 122 mm 69 mm 37 mm 420 g 330 n May 2013 999ebay.com
5.
 
Panasonic G85 128 mm 89 mm 74 mm 505 g 330 Y Sep 2016 899ebay.com
6.
 
Panasonic GX85 122 mm 71 mm 44 mm 426 g 290 n Apr 2016 799 amazon.com
7.
 
Panasonic GX8 133 mm 78 mm 63 mm 487 g 330 Y Jul 2015 1,199ebay.com
8.
 
Panasonic GM5 99 mm 60 mm 36 mm 211 g 220 n Sep 2014 749ebay.com
9.
 
Panasonic G6 122 mm 85 mm 71 mm 390 g 340 n Apr 2013 599ebay.com
10.
 
Panasonic G5 120 mm 83 mm 71 mm 396 g 320 n Jul 2012 599ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic GH2 124 mm 90 mm 76 mm 442 g 330 n Sep 2010 899ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Panasonic GX7 was launched in the US market at a price of $999. 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.

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Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors 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. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

The Panasonic GX7 features a Four Thirds sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Panasonic GX7 among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability.

Panasonic GX7 sensor measures

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for most 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"). 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
#   Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Panasonic GX7 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34481080/60p22.612.271870
2.
 
Olympus E-M10 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.388472
3.
 
Olympus E-PL7 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.712.487372
4.
 
Olympus E-P5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.489572
5.
 
Panasonic G85 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34484K/30p22.812.565671
6.
 
Panasonic GX85 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34484K/30p22.912.666271
7.
 
Panasonic GX8 Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.512.680675
8.
 
Panasonic GM5 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34481080/60p22.111.772166
9.
 
Panasonic G6 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p21.311.563961
10.
 
Panasonic G5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p21.411.661861
11.
 
Panasonic GH2 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60i21.211.365560
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Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The GX7 indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the GX7 can use is 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the GX7 has an electronic viewfinder with a resolution of 2760k dots. The viewfinder offers a field of view of 100% and a magnification of 0.70x. The tables below summarize some of the other core capabilities of the Panasonic GX7 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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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 GX72760 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/8000s 5.0/s Y Y
2.
 
Olympus E-M101440 n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
3.
 
Olympus E-PL7optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
4.
 
Olympus E-P5optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/8000s 9.0/s Y Y
5.
 
Panasonic G852360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 9.0/s Y Y
6.
 
Panasonic GX852765 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
7.
 
Panasonic GX82360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
8.
 
Panasonic GM51166 n3.0 / 921 fixed Y 1/500s 5.8/s n n
9.
 
Panasonic G61440 n3.0 / 1036 swivel Y 1/4000s 7.0/s Y n
10.
 
Panasonic G51440 n3.0 / 920 swivel Y 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
11.
 
Panasonic GH21534 n3.0 / 460 swivel n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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The LCD screen on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7 is flexibly attached to the body. In particular, the LCD can be tilted vertically to facilitate odd-angle shots in landscape orientation. This tilting design is often preferred, for example, by street photographers to a fully articulated, swivel type of LCD attachment, as it is more unobtrusive during shooting than a screen that flips out to the side.

articulated screen
Flexible screen on the GX7

One convenient feature of the GX7 is the presence of an on-board flash. While this built-in flash is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light to brighten deep shadow areas.

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Connection 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-GX7 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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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 GX7Ystereo / mono--mini2.0YY-
2.
 
Olympus E-M10Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
3.
 
Olympus E-PL7Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
4.
 
Olympus E-P5Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
5.
 
Panasonic G85Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0Y--
6.
 
Panasonic GX85Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
7.
 
Panasonic GX8Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0YY-
8.
 
Panasonic GM5Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
9.
 
Panasonic G6Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
10.
 
Panasonic G5Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
11.
 
Panasonic GH2Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0---
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It is notable that the GX7 offers wifi support. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Further information on the features and operation of the GX7 can be found in the free online Panasonic GX7 Manual or on the Panasonic support site.

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Expert reviews

While the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says nothing about, for example, the handling, responsiveness, and overall imaging quality of the GX7 in practical situations. 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. This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below summarizes the assessments of some of the best known camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]).

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Review Scores
#    Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Panasonic GX74/5+..79/1005/55/5 Aug 2013 999ebay.com
2.
 
Olympus E-M104/5....80/1005/55/5 Jan 2014 699ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-PL74/5+....5/54/5 Aug 2014 599ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-P55/5+ +..78/1004.5/55/5 May 2013 999ebay.com
5.
 
Panasonic G85..+ +..84/1005/54.5/5 Sep 2016 899ebay.com
6.
 
Panasonic GX854.5/5+ +..82/1005/55/5 Apr 2016 799 amazon.com
7.
 
Panasonic GX85/5+..82/1004.5/54.5/5 Jul 2015 1,199ebay.com
8.
 
Panasonic GM53.5/5+..77/1005/54.5/5 Sep 2014 749ebay.com
9.
 
Panasonic G64/5+ +....5/54.5/5 Apr 2013 599ebay.com
10.
 
Panasonic G53/5+ +....4.5/54.5/5 Jul 2012 599ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic GH25/5+ +..79/1004.5/55/5 Sep 2010 899ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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The review scores listed above should be treated 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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Panasonic GX7 FAQ

Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the GX7.

What is the technology behind the imaging sensor in the Panasonic GX7?

The camera is build around a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor.

Which image processing chip is used in the Panasonic GX7 to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?

Panasonic equipped the GX7 with the Venus image processor.

What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Panasonic GX7?

The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 125 to ISO 25600.

What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7?

Panasonic does not publish a shutter rating for the GX7. Yet, shutters in comparable cameras from other manufacturers are said to be good for at least 100 000 actuations. It should be noted, though, that this number represents a Mean Time before Failure. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust an expected shutter life of 100 000 shots over, say, three years, one would have to take about 100 pictures each and every day.

How do I find the shutter count on my Panasonic GX7?

Panasonic embeds the number of shutter actuations in hidden menus. You can check the number of shots that your GX7 has taken up to now by carefully following the steps described on the Panasonic GX7 shutter count page.

Is completely silent shooting possible with the Panasonic GX7?

The camera has an electronic shutter option, so that it is indeed feasible to capture images without any shutter noise.

Do I need to purchase an external camera trigger to shoot time-lapse sequences with the Panasonic GX7?

No, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7 has an intervalometer built-in, so that low frequency shooting (for example, flower blooming, sunset, moon rise) can be undertaken without the need to purchase a separate external intervalometer and related software.

Is it difficult to use manual focus lenses with the Panasonic GX7?

The GX7 offers focus peaking as a manual focus aid. This feature works by placing a colored highlight on in-focus zones within the image.

Does the Panasonic GX7 feature an autofocus assist light?

Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.

What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Panasonic GX7 for flash photography?

The GX7's flash sync speed is 1/320 sec.

Does the Panasonic GX7 support the Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus interface for SD cards?

Yes, the camera can indeed use UHS-I cards (data transfer speed of up to 104 MB/s).

Which battery does the Panasonic GX7 use?

The camera gets its power from the DMW-BLG10 (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.

Camera to camera comparisons

If you would like to see a side-by-side review with another camera, 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 Summary
    Camera Model Panasonic GX7
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Micro Four Thirds lenses
    Launch Date August 2013
    Launch Price USD 999
    Sensor Specs
    Sensor Technology CMOS
    Sensor Format Four Thirds Sensor
    Sensor Size 17.3 x 13.0 mm
    Sensor Area 225 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 21.6 mm
    Crop Factor 2.0x
    Sensor Resolution 15.8 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4 592 x 3 448 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.77 μm
    Pixel Density 7.04 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 1080/60p Video
    ISO Setting 125 - 25 600 ISO
    Image Processor Venus
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 70
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 22.6
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 12.2
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 718
    Screen Specs
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.70x
    Viewfinder Resolution 2760k dots
    Top-Level Screen no Top Display
    LCD Framing Live View
    LCD Size 3.0 inch
    LCD Resolution 1040k dots
    LCD Attachment Tilting screen
    V-logging Friendliness No front-flip
    Touch Input Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF
    Manual Focusing AidFocus Peaking
    Maximum Shutter Speed 1/8000s
    Continuous Shooting 5 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy100 000 actuations
    Silent ShootingElectronic Shutter
    Time Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer Built-in
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot
    UHS card support UHS-I
    Connectivity Specs
    External Flash Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in
    Near-Field Communication NFC built-in
    Body Specs
    Battery Type DMW-BLG10 power pack
    Battery Life (CIPA)350 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 123 x 71 x 55 mm
    (4.8 x 2.8 x 2.2 in)
    Camera Weight 402 g (14.2 oz)

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