Panasonic GX800 vs L1

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX800 (called Panasonic GX850 in some regions) and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in January 2017 and February 2006. The GX800 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the L1 is a DSLR. Both cameras are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. The GX800 has a resolution of 15.8 megapixels, whereas the L1 provides 7.4 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Panasonic GX800		Panasonic L1
Mirrorless system camera		Digital single lens reflex
Micro Four Thirds lenses		Four Thirds lenses
15.8 MP – Four Thirds sensor		7.4 MP – Four Thirds sensor
4K/30p Video		no Video
ISO 200-25,600		ISO 100-1,600
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		2.5" LCD – 207k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
10 shutter flaps per second		3 shutter flaps per second
210 shots per battery charge		750 shots per battery charge
107 x 65 x 33 mm, 269 g		146 x 87 x 64 mm, 606 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX800 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1? 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 GX800 and the Panasonic L1. 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.

The GX800 can be obtained in three different colors (black, silver, red), while the L1 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Panasonic L1 is considerably larger (83 percent) than the Panasonic GX800. Moreover, the L1 is substantially heavier (125 percent) than the GX800. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the GX800 nor the L1 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. Both cameras have similarly sized sensors, but DSLRs have a larger flange-to-focal plane distance than mirrorless cameras, which imposes contraints on the optical engineering process and generally leads to bigger and heavier lenses. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog (GX800) and the Four Thirds Lens Catalog (L1). Mirrorless cameras, such as the Panasonic GX800, have moreover the advantage that they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance and can thus use many lenses from other systems via adapters.

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 GX800	107 mm	65 mm	33 mm	269 g	210	n	Jan 2017	549	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic L1	146 mm	87 mm	64 mm	606 g	750	n	Feb 2006	999	ebay.com
3.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
4.		Canon M10	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	301 g	255	n	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
5.		Canon 350D	127 mm	94 mm	64 mm	540 g	400	n	Feb 2005	899	ebay.com
6.		Leica Digilux 3	146 mm	87 mm	77 mm	606 g	750	n	Sep 2006	1,499	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-330	140 mm	87 mm	72 mm	637 g	750	n	Jan 2006	999	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-300	147 mm	85 mm	64 mm	624 g	750	n	Sep 2004	799	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic G7	125 mm	86 mm	77 mm	410 g	350	n	May 2015	649	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic GF7	107 mm	65 mm	33 mm	266 g	230	n	Jan 2015	499	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic GM5	99 mm	60 mm	36 mm	211 g	220	n	Sep 2014	749	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic G6	122 mm	85 mm	71 mm	390 g	340	n	Apr 2013	599	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic GF6	111 mm	65 mm	38 mm	323 g	340	n	Apr 2013	499	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic GM1	99 mm	55 mm	30 mm	204 g	230	n	Oct 2013	749	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic G5	120 mm	83 mm	71 mm	396 g	320	n	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic GF5	108 mm	67 mm	37 mm	267 g	360	n	Apr 2012	499	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic L10	135 mm	96 mm	78 mm	556 g	450	n	Aug 2007	599	ebay.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 obviously take relative prices into account. 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 GX800 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 45 percent) than the L1, 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 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. 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 more expensive and 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 GX800 offers a higher resolution of 15.8 megapixels, compared with 7.4 MP of the L1. This megapixels advantage translates into a 46 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the GX800 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.77μm versus 5.51μm for the L1). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the GX800 is much more recent (by 10 years and 10 months) than the L1, 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 the GX800 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Panasonic GX800 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the GX800 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 23 x 17.2 inches or 58.3 x 43.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.7 x 35 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 15.3 x 11.5 inches or 38.9 x 29.2 cm. The corresponding values for the Panasonic L1 are 15.7 x 11.8 inches or 39.8 x 29.9 cm for good quality, 12.5 x 9.4 inches or 31.9 x 23.9 cm for very good quality, and 10.5 x 7.8 inches or 26.6 x 19.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX800 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 Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1 are ISO 100 to ISO 1600 (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.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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 following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Panasonic GX800	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	4K/30p	23.2	13.3	586	73
2.		Panasonic L1	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	20.8	10.4	80	52
3.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
4.		Canon M10	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.4	753	65
5.		Canon 350D	APS-C	8.0	3456	2304	none	21.8	10.8	637	60
6.		Leica Digilux 3	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	21.0	10.6	127	53
7.		Olympus E-330	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	20.8	10.4	73	52
8.		Olympus E-300	Four Thirds	8.0	3264	2448	none	20.4	10.1	-40	48
9.		Panasonic G7	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	4K/30p	22.8	12.4	904	71
10.		Panasonic GF7	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60p	22.7	12.3	874	70
11.		Panasonic GM5	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60p	22.1	11.7	721	66
12.		Panasonic G6	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	21.3	11.5	639	61
13.		Panasonic GF6	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60i	20.7	10.6	622	54
14.		Panasonic GM1	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60i	22.3	11.7	660	66
15.		Panasonic G5	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	21.4	11.6	618	61
16.		Panasonic GF5	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60i	20.5	10.0	573	50
17.		Panasonic L10	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.3	10.8	429	55
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 GX800 indeed provides movie recording capabilities, while the L1 does not. The highest resolution format that the GX800 can use is 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the L1 has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the GX800 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Panasonic GX800 and Panasonic L1 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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 GX800	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/500s	10.0/s	Y	n
2.		Panasonic L1	optical	n	2.5 / 207	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
4.		Canon M10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.6/s	Y	n
5.		Canon 350D	optical	n	1.8 / 115	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
6.		Leica Digilux 3	optical	n	2.5 / 207	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
7.		Olympus E-330	optical	n	2.5 / 215	tilting	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
8.		Olympus E-300	optical	n	1.8 / 134	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
9.		Panasonic G7	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	n
10.		Panasonic GF7	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/500s	5.8/s	Y	n
11.		Panasonic GM5	1166	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	Y	1/500s	5.8/s	n	n
12.		Panasonic G6	1440	n	3.0 / 1036	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	n
13.		Panasonic GF6	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
14.		Panasonic GM1	none	n	3.0 / 1036	fixed	Y	1/500s	5.0/s	Y	n
15.		Panasonic G5	1440	n	3.0 / 920	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
16.		Panasonic GF5	none	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
17.		Panasonic L10	optical	n	2.5 / 207	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The GX800 has a touchscreen, while the L1 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

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 GX800 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 GX800 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 GX800 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the L1 uses SDHC cards. The GX800 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the L1 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

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-GX800 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1 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 GX800	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
2.		Panasonic L1	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon M10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon 350D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Leica Digilux 3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Olympus E-330	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Olympus E-300	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Panasonic G7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Panasonic GF7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Panasonic GM5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Panasonic G6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Panasonic GF6	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Panasonic GM1	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Panasonic G5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Panasonic GF5	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Panasonic L10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the GX800 offers wifi support, while the L1 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Both the GX800 and the L1 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The L1 was replaced by the Panasonic L10, while the GX800 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the GX800 and L1 can be found, respectively, in the Panasonic GX800 Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic L1 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Panasonic GX800 and the Panasonic L1? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX800:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (15.8 vs 7.4MP) with a 46% higher linear resolution.
• 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.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.5") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 207k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in 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 (10 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 (107x65mm vs 146x87mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 337g or 56 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (45 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 10 years and 10 months of technical progress since the L1 launch.

Arguments in favor of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/500s) to freeze action.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (750 versus 210) out of a single battery charge.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in February 2006).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the GX800 is the clear winner of the match-up (18 : 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 wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports 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 GX800 and the Panasonic L1 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 remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the GX800 or the L1. 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 where reviews by experts come in. 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 GX800	..	+	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	549	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic L1	..	85/100	..	+	..	3.5/5	Feb 2006	999	ebay.com
3.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
4.		Canon M10	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
5.		Canon 350D	..	80/100	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2005	899	ebay.com
6.		Leica Digilux 3	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2006	1,499	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-330	..	..	..	+	o	..	Jan 2006	999	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-300	..	..	..	+	o	4.5/5	Sep 2004	799	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic G7	4/5	+ +	3.5/5	80/100	5/5	4.5/5	May 2015	649	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic GF7	4/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	499	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic GM5	3.5/5	+	..	77/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	749	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic G6	4/5	+ +	..	..	5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	599	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic GF6	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	499	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic GM1	3/5	+	..	78/100	5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	749	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic G5	3/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic GF5	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2012	499	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic L10	..	85/100	..	+	3.5/5	4/5	Aug 2007	599	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. 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. 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 are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. 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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