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Panasonic GX85 vs Nikon D500

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX85 (called Panasonic GX80 in some regions) and the Nikon D500 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in April 2016 and January 2016. The GX85 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the D500 is a DSLR. The cameras are based on a Four Thirds (GX85) and an APS-C (D500) sensor. The Panasonic has a resolution of 15.8 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 20.7 MP.

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

Headline Specifications
Panasonic GX85
versus
Nikon D500
Panasonic GX85   Nikon D500
Mirrorless system camera Digital single lens reflex
Micro Four Thirds lenses Nikon F mount lenses
15.8 MP – Four Thirds sensor 20.7 MP – APS-C sensor
4K/30p Video 4K/30p Video
ISO 200-25,600 ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 1,640,000)
Electronic viewfinder (2765k dots) Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots 3.2" LCD – 2359k dots
Tilting touchscreen Tilting touchscreen
8 shutter flaps per second 10 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilizationLens stabilization only
not weather sealedWeathersealed body
290 shots per battery charge1240 shots per battery charge
122 x 71 x 44 mm, 426 g 147 x 115 x 81 mm, 860 g
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Check D500 offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX85 and the Nikon D500? 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

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Panasonic GX85 and the Nikon D500 is provided 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 dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The GX85 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the D500 is only available in black.

Size Panasonic GX85 vs Nikon D500
Compare GX85 versus D500 top
Comparison GX85 or D500 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon D500 is considerably larger (95 percent) than the Panasonic GX85. Moreover, the D500 is substantially heavier (102 percent) than the GX85. It is noteworthy in this context that the D500 is splash and dust-proof, while the GX85 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 (GX85) and the Nikon Lens Catalog (D500). Mirrorless cameras, such as the Panasonic GX85, 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.

Concerning battery life, the GX85 gets 290 shots out of its Panasonic DMW-BLG10 battery, while the D500 can take 1240 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL15 power pack. The power pack in the GX85 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

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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 (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Panasonic GX85 122 mm 71 mm 44 mm 426 g 290 n Apr 2016 799 amazon.com
2.
 
Nikon D500 147 mm 115 mm 81 mm 860 g 1240 Y Jan 2016 1,999ebay.com
3.
 
Nikon D300S 147 mm 115 mm 81 mm 938 g 950 Y Jul 2009 1,799ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon D3400 124 mm 98 mm 76 mm 445 g 1200 n Aug 2016 499ebay.com
5.
 
Nikon D5500 124 mm 97 mm 70 mm 470 g 820 n Jan 2015 899ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon D7200 136 mm 107 mm 76 mm 765 g 1110 Y Mar 2015 1,199ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon D7500 136 mm 104 mm 73 mm 720 g 950 Y Apr 2017 1,299 amazon.com
8.
 
Olympus E-M10 119 mm 82 mm 46 mm 396 g 320 n Jan 2014 699ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-M10 II 120 mm 83 mm 47 mm 390 g 320 n Aug 2015 649ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-PL8 115 mm 67 mm 38 mm 357 g 350 n Sep 2016 549ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic G7 125 mm 86 mm 77 mm 410 g 350 n May 2015 649ebay.com
12.
 
Panasonic G85 128 mm 89 mm 74 mm 505 g 330 Y Sep 2016 899ebay.com
13.
 
Panasonic GH2 124 mm 90 mm 76 mm 442 g 330 n Sep 2010 899ebay.com
14.
 
Panasonic GM5 99 mm 60 mm 36 mm 211 g 220 n Sep 2014 749ebay.com
15.
 
Panasonic GX7 123 mm 71 mm 55 mm 402 g 350 n Aug 2013 999ebay.com
16.
 
Panasonic GX8 133 mm 78 mm 63 mm 487 g 330 Y Jul 2015 1,199ebay.com
17.
 
Panasonic GX9 124 mm 72 mm 47 mm 407 g 260 n Feb 2018 849ebay.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 naturally be influenced heavily by the price. 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 GX85 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 60 percent) than the D500, 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 imaging sensor is a crucial determinant 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 associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Panasonic GX85 features a Four Thirds sensor and the Nikon D500 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the D500 is 64 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.0 and 1.5. The sensor in the GX85 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the D500 offers a 3:2 aspect.

Panasonic GX85 and Nikon D500 sensor measures

With 20.7MP, the D500 offers a higher resolution than the GX85 (15.8MP), but the D500 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.22μm versus 3.77μm for the GX85) due to its larger sensor. However, the GX85 is a somewhat more recent model (by 2 months) than the D500, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. 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 Nikon D500 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the D500 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 27.8 x 18.6 inches or 70.7 x 47.1 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 22.3 x 14.8 inches or 56.6 x 37.7 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.6 x 12.4 inches or 47.1 x 31.4 cm. The corresponding values for the Panasonic GX85 are 23 x 17.2 inches or 58.3 x 43.8 cm for good quality, 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.7 x 35 cm for very good quality, and 15.3 x 11.5 inches or 38.9 x 29.2 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX85 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 Nikon D500 are ISO 100 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-1640000.

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.

GX85 versus D500 MP

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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 D500 offers substantially better image quality than the GX85 (overall score 12 points higher). The advantage is based on 1.1 bits higher color depth, 1.4 EV in additional dynamic range, and 1 stops in additional low light sensitivity. 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
  empty Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Panasonic GX85 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34484K/30p22.912.666271
2.
 
Nikon D500 APS-C 20.7 5568 37124K/30p24.014.0132483
3.
 
Nikon D300S APS-C 12.2 4288 2848720/24p22.512.278770
4.
 
Nikon D3400 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.813.9119286
5.
 
Nikon D5500 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.114.0143884
6.
 
Nikon D7200 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.514.6133387
7.
 
Nikon D7500 APS-C 20.7 5568 37124K/30p24.314.0148386
8.
 
Olympus E-M10 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.388472
9.
 
Olympus E-M10 II Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p23.112.584273
10.
 
Olympus E-PL8 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p23.012.6103073
11.
 
Panasonic G7 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34484K/30p22.812.490471
12.
 
Panasonic G85 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34484K/30p22.812.565671
13.
 
Panasonic GH2 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60i21.211.365560
14.
 
Panasonic GM5 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34481080/60p22.111.772166
15.
 
Panasonic GX7 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34481080/60p22.612.271870
16.
 
Panasonic GX8 Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.512.680675
17.
 
Panasonic GX9 Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.112.8116374
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 two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the GX85 has an electronic viewfinder (2765k dots), while the D500 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the GX85 has a higher magnification than the one of the D500 (0.70x vs 0.67x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Panasonic GX85, the Nikon D500, and comparable 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 GX852765 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
2.
 
Nikon D500optical Y3.2 / 2359 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n n
3.
 
Nikon D300Soptical Y3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/8000s 7.0/s Y n
4.
 
Nikon D3400optical n3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
5.
 
Nikon D5500optical n3.2 / 1037 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
6.
 
Nikon D7200optical Y3.2 / 1229 fixed n 1/8000s 6.0/s Y n
7.
 
Nikon D7500optical Y3.2 / 922 tilting Y 1/8000s 8.0/s Y n
8.
 
Olympus E-M101440 n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
9.
 
Olympus E-M10 II2360 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
10.
 
Olympus E-PL8optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
11.
 
Panasonic G72360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 7.0/s Y n
12.
 
Panasonic G852360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 9.0/s Y Y
13.
 
Panasonic GH21534 n3.0 / 460 swivel n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
14.
 
Panasonic GM51166 n3.0 / 921 fixed Y 1/500s 5.8/s n n
15.
 
Panasonic GX72760 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/8000s 5.0/s Y Y
16.
 
Panasonic GX82360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
17.
 
Panasonic GX92760 n3.0 / 1240 tilting Y 1/4000s 9.0/s Y 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 GX85 has one, while the D500 does not. While the built-in flash of the GX85 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

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 GX85 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 GX85 and the Nikon D500 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 GX85 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the D500 uses SDXC or XQD cards. The D500 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the GX85 only has one slot. The D500 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the GX85 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-GX85 and Nikon D500 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 GX85Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
2.
 
Nikon D500Ystereo / monoYYmini3.0YYY
3.
 
Nikon D300SYstereo / monoY-mini2.0---
4.
 
Nikon D3400Ymono / mono--mini2.0--Y
5.
 
Nikon D5500Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0Y--
6.
 
Nikon D7200Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0YY-
7.
 
Nikon D7500Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0Y-Y
8.
 
Olympus E-M10Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
9.
 
Olympus E-M10 IIYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
10.
 
Olympus E-PL8Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
11.
 
Panasonic G7Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0Y--
12.
 
Panasonic G85Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0Y--
13.
 
Panasonic GH2Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0---
14.
 
Panasonic GM5Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
15.
 
Panasonic GX7Ystereo / mono--mini2.0YY-
16.
 
Panasonic GX8Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0YY-
17.
 
Panasonic GX9Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y

It is notable that the D500 has a headphone jack, which makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process. The GX85 lacks such a headphone port.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Nikon D500 (unlike the GX85) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

The GX85 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Panasonic. In contrast, the D500 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the D500 from Nikon. Further information on the features and operation of the GX85 and D500 can be found, respectively, in the Panasonic GX85 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon D500 Manual.

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Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Panasonic GX85 and the Nikon D500? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

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Arguments in favor of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX85:

  • More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.67x).
  • Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
  • More compact: Is smaller (122x71mm vs 147x115mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 434g or 50 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
  • Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
  • Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
  • More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
  • Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (60 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 2 months after the D500).

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Reasons to prefer the Nikon D500:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (20.7 vs 15.8MP), which boosts linear resolution by 17%.
  • Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (12 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
  • Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (1.1 bits more color depth).
  • More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (1.4 EV of extra DR).
  • Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (1 stops ISO advantage).
  • 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.
  • Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
  • Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
  • Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2359k vs 1040k dots).
  • Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 8 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (1240 versus 290) out of a single battery charge.
  • Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
  • Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
  • Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
  • Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
  • Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
  • Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
  • Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
  • More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in January 2016).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the D500 is the clear winner of the contest (22 : 11 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 wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

GX85 11:22 D500

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Panasonic GX85 and the Nikon D500 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 says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the GX85 and the D500 in practical situations. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. 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.

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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 (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Panasonic GX854.5/5+ +..82/1005/55/5 Apr 2016 799 amazon.com
2.
 
Nikon D5005/5+ +4.7/591/1004.5/55/5 Jan 2016 1,999ebay.com
3.
 
Nikon D300S5/5+ +..82/1004/54.5/5 Jul 2009 1,799ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon D34004/5+4/576/1004/54.5/5 Aug 2016 499ebay.com
5.
 
Nikon D55005/5+..79/1004.5/54.5/5 Jan 2015 899ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon D72004/5+ +..84/1004.5/54.5/5 Mar 2015 1,199ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon D75004.5/5+ +4.5/586/1005/54.5/5 Apr 2017 1,299 amazon.com
8.
 
Olympus E-M104/5....80/1005/55/5 Jan 2014 699ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-M10 II4.5/5+ +..80/1005/55/5 Aug 2015 649ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-PL8........4.5/54/5 Sep 2016 549ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic G74/5+ +3.5/580/1005/54.5/5 May 2015 649ebay.com
12.
 
Panasonic G85..+ +..84/1005/54.5/5 Sep 2016 899ebay.com
13.
 
Panasonic GH25/5+ +..79/1004.5/55/5 Sep 2010 899ebay.com
14.
 
Panasonic GM53.5/5+..77/1005/54.5/5 Sep 2014 749ebay.com
15.
 
Panasonic GX74/5+..79/1005/55/5 Aug 2013 999ebay.com
16.
 
Panasonic GX85/5+..82/1004.5/54.5/5 Jul 2015 1,199ebay.com
17.
 
Panasonic GX94/5+4/584/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2018 849ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time 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 would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu 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 GX85 vs Nikon D500

    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 GX85 Nikon D500
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Micro Four Thirds lenses Nikon F mount lenses
    Launch Date April 2016 January 2016
    Launch Price USD 799 USD 1,999
    Sensor Specs Panasonic GX85 Nikon D500
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format Four Thirds Sensor APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 17.3 x 13.0 mm 23.5 x 15.7 mm
    Sensor Area 224.9 mm2 368.95 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 21.6 mm 28.3 mm
    Crop Factor 2.0x 1.5x
    Sensor Resolution 15.8 Megapixels 20.7 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4592 x 3448 pixels 5568 x 3712 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.77 μm 4.22 μm
    Pixel Density 7.04 MP/cm2 5.60 MP/cm2
    Moiré control no AA filter no AA filter
    Movie Capability 4K/30p Video 4K/30p Video
    ISO Setting 200 - 25,600 ISO 100 - 51,200 ISO
    ISO Boost 100 - 25,600 ISO 50 - 1,640,000 ISO
    Image Processor Venus EXPEED 5
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 71 83
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 22.9 24.0
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 12.6 14.0
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 662 1324
    Screen Specs Panasonic GX85 Nikon D500
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100% 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.70x 0.67x
    Viewfinder Resolution 2765k dots
    Top-Level Screen no Top Display Control Panel
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.2inch
    LCD Resolution 1040k dots 2359k dots
    LCD Attachment Tilting screen Tilting screen
    Touch Input Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Panasonic GX85 Nikon D500
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF Phase-detect AF
    Manual Focusing AidFocus Peakingno Peaking Feature
    Continuous Shooting 8 shutter flaps/s 10 shutter flaps/s
    Electronic Shutterup to 1/16000sno E-Shutter
    Time-Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer built-inIntervalometer built-in
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilizationLens stabilization only
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards SDXC or XQD cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Dual card slots
    UHS card support UHS-I UHS-II
    Connectivity Specs Panasonic GX85 Nikon D500
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    Studio Flash no PC Sync PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 3.0
    HDMI Port micro HDMI mini HDMI
    Microphone Port no MIC socket External MIC port
    Headphone Socket no Headphone port Headphone port
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in Wifi built-in
    Near-Field Communication no NFC NFC built-in
    Bluetooth Support no Bluetooth Bluetooth built-in
    Body Specs Panasonic GX85 Nikon D500
    Environmental Sealingnot weather sealedWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Panasonic DMW-BLG10 Nikon EN-EL15
    Battery Life (CIPA)290 shots per charge1240 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging USB charging no USB charging
    Body Dimensions 122 x 71 x 44 mm
    (4.8 x 2.8 x 1.7 in)
    147 x 115 x 81 mm
    (5.8 x 4.5 x 3.2 in)
    Camera Weight 426 g (15.0 oz) 860 g (30.3 oz)
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