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Panasonic GX7 vs G7

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G7 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in August 2013 and May 2015. Both the GX7 and the G7 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 15.8 megapixels.

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

Headline Specifications
Panasonic GX7
versus
Panasonic G7
Panasonic GX7   Panasonic G7
Mirrorless system camera Mirrorless system camera
Micro Four Thirds lenses Micro Four Thirds lenses
15.8 MP – Four Thirds sensor 15.8 MP – Four Thirds sensor
1080/60p Video 4K/30p Video
ISO 125-25,600 ISO 160-25,600
Electronic viewfinder (2760k dots) Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots 3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Tilting touchscreen Swivel touchscreen
5 shutter flaps per second 7 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilizationLens stabilization only
350 shots per battery charge350 shots per battery charge
123 x 71 x 55 mm, 402 g 125 x 86 x 77 mm, 410 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G7? 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 side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Panasonic GX7 and the Panasonic G7. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Both cameras are available in two different colors (black, silver).

Size Panasonic GX7 vs Panasonic G7
Compare GX7 versus G7 top
Comparison GX7 or G7 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Panasonic G7 is notably larger (23 percent) than the Panasonic GX7. Moreover, the G7 is slightly heavier (2 percent) than the GX7. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the GX7 nor the G7 are weather-sealed.

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.

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
# image 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.
 
Panasonic G7 125 mm 86 mm 77 mm 410 g 350 n May 2015 649ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-M10 119 mm 82 mm 46 mm 396 g 320 n Jan 2014 699ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-PL7 115 mm 67 mm 38 mm 357 g 350 n Aug 2014 599ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-P5 122 mm 69 mm 37 mm 420 g 330 n May 2013 999ebay.com
6.
 
Panasonic G85 128 mm 89 mm 74 mm 505 g 330 Y Sep 2016 899ebay.com
7.
 
Panasonic GX85 122 mm 71 mm 44 mm 426 g 290 n Apr 2016 799 amazon.com
8.
 
Panasonic GX8 133 mm 78 mm 63 mm 487 g 330 Y Jul 2015 1,199ebay.com
9.
 
Panasonic GM5 99 mm 60 mm 36 mm 211 g 220 n Sep 2014 749ebay.com
10.
 
Panasonic G6 122 mm 85 mm 71 mm 390 g 340 n Apr 2013 599ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic GM1 99 mm 55 mm 30 mm 204 g 230 n Oct 2013 749ebay.com
12.
 
Panasonic G5 120 mm 83 mm 71 mm 396 g 320 n Jul 2012 599ebay.com
13.
 
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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Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The G7 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 35 percent) than the GX7, 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 imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors 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.

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.

Panasonic GX7 and Panasonic G7 sensor measures

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 15.8 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the GX7 and the G7 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the G7 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 9 months) than the GX7, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 125 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G7 are ISO 160 to ISO 25600 (no boost).

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.

GX7 versus G7 MP

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.

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Sensor Characteristics
# image 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.
 
Panasonic G7 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34484K/30p22.812.490471
3.
 
Olympus E-M10 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.388472
4.
 
Olympus E-PL7 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.712.487372
5.
 
Olympus E-P5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.489572
6.
 
Panasonic G85 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34484K/30p22.812.565671
7.
 
Panasonic GX85 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34484K/30p22.912.666271
8.
 
Panasonic GX8 Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.512.680675
9.
 
Panasonic GM5 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34481080/60p22.111.772166
10.
 
Panasonic G6 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p21.311.563961
11.
 
Panasonic GM1 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34481080/60i22.311.766066
12.
 
Panasonic G5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p21.411.661861
13.
 
Panasonic GH2 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60i21.211.365560
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the G7 provides a better video resolution than the GX7. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the GX7 is limited to 1080/60p.

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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the GX7 offers a higher resolution than the one in the G7 (2760k vs 2360k dots). The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Panasonic GX7 and Panasonic G7 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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Core Features
# image 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.
 
Panasonic G72360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 7.0/s Y n
3.
 
Olympus E-M101440 n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
4.
 
Olympus E-PL7optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
5.
 
Olympus E-P5optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/8000s 9.0/s Y Y
6.
 
Panasonic G852360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 9.0/s Y Y
7.
 
Panasonic GX852765 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
8.
 
Panasonic GX82360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
9.
 
Panasonic GM51166 n3.0 / 921 fixed Y 1/500s 5.8/s n n
10.
 
Panasonic G61440 n3.0 / 1036 swivel Y 1/4000s 7.0/s Y n
11.
 
Panasonic GM1none n3.0 / 1036 fixed Y 1/500s 5.0/s Y n
12.
 
Panasonic G51440 n3.0 / 920 swivel Y 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
13.
 
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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One feature that differentiates the GX7 and the G7 is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The GX7 reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the G7 offers no blur reduction with lenses that themselves do not provide optical image stabilization.

The G7 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 GX7 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, 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 GX7 and the Panasonic G7 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 GX7 and the G7 write their files to SDXC cards. The G7 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the GX7 can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

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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-GX7 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-G7 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
# image 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.
 
Panasonic G7Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0Y--
3.
 
Olympus E-M10Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
4.
 
Olympus E-PL7Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
5.
 
Olympus E-P5Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
6.
 
Panasonic G85Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0Y--
7.
 
Panasonic GX85Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
8.
 
Panasonic GX8Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0YY-
9.
 
Panasonic GM5Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
10.
 
Panasonic G6Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
11.
 
Panasonic GM1-stereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
12.
 
Panasonic G5Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
13.
 
Panasonic GH2Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0---
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It is notable that the G7 has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The GX7 does not feature such a mic input.

Both the GX7 and the G7 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The GX7 was replaced by the Panasonic GX85, while the G7 was followed by the Panasonic G85. Further information on the features and operation of the GX7 and G7 can be found, respectively, in the Panasonic GX7 Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic G7 Manual.

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Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Panasonic GX7 or the Panasonic G7 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.


Advantages of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7:

  • More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (2760k vs 2360k dots).
  • Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
  • More compact: Is smaller (123x71mm vs 125x86mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
  • Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
  • Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in August 2013).


Arguments in favor of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G7:

  • Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
  • Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
  • 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 burst: Shoots at higher frequency (7 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (35 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year and 9 months) more recently.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the G7 emerges as the winner of the match-up (8 : 6 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision 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.

GX7 06:08 G7

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Panasonic GX7 and the Panasonic G7 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 specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the GX7 or the G7 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
# image  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.
 
Panasonic G74/5+ +3.5/580/1005/54.5/5 May 2015 649ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-M104/5....80/1005/55/5 Jan 2014 699ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-PL74/5+....5/54/5 Aug 2014 599ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-P55/5+ +..78/1004.5/55/5 May 2013 999ebay.com
6.
 
Panasonic G85..+ +..84/1005/54.5/5 Sep 2016 899ebay.com
7.
 
Panasonic GX854.5/5+ +..82/1005/55/5 Apr 2016 799 amazon.com
8.
 
Panasonic GX85/5+..82/1004.5/54.5/5 Jul 2015 1,199ebay.com
9.
 
Panasonic GM53.5/5+..77/1005/54.5/5 Sep 2014 749ebay.com
10.
 
Panasonic G64/5+ +....5/54.5/5 Apr 2013 599ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic GM13/5+..78/1005/54.5/5 Oct 2013 749ebay.com
12.
 
Panasonic G53/5+ +....4.5/54.5/5 Jul 2012 599ebay.com
13.
 
Panasonic GH25/5+ +..79/1004.5/55/5 Sep 2010 899ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. 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. 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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    Specifications: Panasonic GX7 vs Panasonic G7

    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 GX7 Panasonic G7
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Micro Four Thirds lenses Micro Four Thirds lenses
    Launch Date August 2013 May 2015
    Launch Price USD 999 USD 649
    Sensor Specs Panasonic GX7 Panasonic G7
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format Four Thirds Sensor Four Thirds Sensor
    Sensor Size 17.3 x 13.0 mm 17.3 x 13.0 mm
    Sensor Area 224.9 mm2 224.9 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 21.6 mm 21.6 mm
    Crop Factor 2.0x 2.0x
    Sensor Resolution 15.8 Megapixels 15.8 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4592 x 3448 pixels 4592 x 3448 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.77 μm 3.77 μm
    Pixel Density 7.04 MP/cm2 7.04 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 1080/60p Video 4K/30p Video
    ISO Setting 125 - 25,600 ISO 160 - 25,600 ISO
    Image Processor Venus 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 Panasonic GX7 Panasonic G7
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100% 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.70x 0.70x
    Viewfinder Resolution 2760k dots 2360k dots
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 1040k dots 1040k dots
    LCD Attachment Tilting screen Swivel screen
    Touch Input Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Panasonic GX7 Panasonic G7
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF Contrast-detect AF
    Manual Focusing AidFocus PeakingFocus Peaking
    Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/8000s 1/4000s
    Continuous Shooting 5 shutter flaps/s 7 shutter flaps/s
    Electronic Shutterup to 1/8000sup to 1/16000s
    Time-Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer built-inIntervalometer built-in
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilizationLens stabilization only
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Single card slot
    UHS card support UHS-I UHS-II
    Connectivity Specs Panasonic GX7 Panasonic G7
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI micro HDMI
    Microphone Port no MIC socket External MIC port
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in Wifi built-in
    Near-Field Communication NFC built-in no NFC
    Body Specs Panasonic GX7 Panasonic G7
    Battery Type Panasonic DMW-BLG10 Panasonic DMW-BLC12
    Battery Life (CIPA)350 shots per charge350 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 123 x 71 x 55 mm
    (4.8 x 2.8 x 2.2 in)
    125 x 86 x 77 mm
    (4.9 x 3.4 x 3.0 in)
    Camera Weight 402 g (14.2 oz) 410 g (14.5 oz)
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