Panasonic GX850 vs Olympus E-M1
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX850 (called Panasonic GX800 in some regions) and the Olympus OM-D E-M1 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in January 2017 and September 2013. Both the GX850 and the E-M1 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. The Panasonic has a resolution of 15.8 megapixels, whereas the Olympus provides 15.9 MP.
Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX850 and the Olympus OM-D E-M1? 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 physical size and weight of the Panasonic GX850 and the Olympus E-M1 are illustrated 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 measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
The GX850 can be obtained in three different colors (black, silver, red), while the E-M1 is available in two color-versions (black, silver).
If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-M1 is considerably larger (76 percent) than the Panasonic GX850. Moreover, the E-M1 is substantially heavier (85 percent) than the GX850. It is noteworthy in this context that the E-M1 is splash and dust-proof, while the GX850 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. 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 GX850 gets 210 shots out of its Panasonic DMW-BLH7 battery, while the E-M1 can take 350 images on a single charge of its Olympus BLN-1 power pack.
The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.
Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Panasonic GX850 | 107 mm | 65 mm | 33 mm | 269 g | 210 | n | Jan 2017 | 549 | ebay.com | |
2. | Olympus E-M1 | 130 mm | 94 mm | 63 mm | 497 g | 350 | Y | Sep 2013 | 1,399 | ebay.com | |
3. | Olympus E-M1 II | 134 mm | 91 mm | 67 mm | 574 g | 440 | Y | Sep 2016 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
4. | Olympus E-M5 | 122 mm | 89 mm | 43 mm | 425 g | 360 | Y | Feb 2012 | 1,299 | ebay.com | |
5. | Olympus E-M5 II | 124 mm | 85 mm | 45 mm | 469 g | 310 | Y | Feb 2015 | 1,099 | ebay.com | |
6. | Olympus E-P5 | 122 mm | 69 mm | 37 mm | 420 g | 330 | n | May 2013 | 999 | ebay.com | |
7. | Olympus E-PL5 | 111 mm | 64 mm | 38 mm | 325 g | 360 | n | Sep 2012 | 599 | ebay.com | |
8. | Olympus E-PM2 | 110 mm | 64 mm | 34 mm | 269 g | 360 | n | Sep 2012 | 499 | ebay.com | |
9. | Olympus PEN-F | 125 mm | 72 mm | 37 mm | 427 g | 330 | n | Jan 2016 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
10. | Panasonic G3 | 115 mm | 84 mm | 47 mm | 336 g | 270 | n | May 2011 | 599 | ebay.com | |
11. | Panasonic G5 | 120 mm | 83 mm | 71 mm | 396 g | 320 | n | Jul 2012 | 599 | ebay.com | |
12. | Panasonic G6 | 122 mm | 85 mm | 71 mm | 390 g | 340 | n | Apr 2013 | 599 | ebay.com | |
13. | Panasonic GF3 | 108 mm | 67 mm | 32 mm | 264 g | 300 | n | Jun 2011 | 549 | ebay.com | |
14. | Panasonic GF5 | 108 mm | 67 mm | 37 mm | 267 g | 360 | n | Apr 2012 | 499 | ebay.com | |
15. | Panasonic GF6 | 111 mm | 65 mm | 38 mm | 323 g | 340 | n | Apr 2013 | 499 | ebay.com | |
16. | Panasonic GF7 | 107 mm | 65 mm | 33 mm | 266 g | 230 | n | Jan 2015 | 499 | ebay.com | |
17. | Panasonic GX1 | 116 mm | 68 mm | 39 mm | 318 g | 320 | n | Nov 2011 | 699 | ebay.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. 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 GX850 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 61 percent) than the E-M1, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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 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 E-M1 offers a slightly higher resolution of 15.9 megapixels, compared with 15.8 MP of the GX850. This megapixels advantage translates into a 0.3 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the E-M1 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.76μm versus 3.77μm for the GX850). Moreover, it should be noted, that the GX850 is much more recent (by 3 years and 3 months) than the E-M1, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of individual pixels. 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 E-M1 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX850 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. The Olympus OM-D E-M1 offers exactly the same ISO settings.
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.
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 Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.
Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Panasonic GX850 | Four Thirds | 15.8 | 4592 | 3448 | 4K/30p | 23.2 | 13.3 | 586 | 73 | |
2. | Olympus E-M1 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 23.0 | 12.7 | 757 | 73 | |
3. | Olympus E-M1 II | Four Thirds | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/30p | 23.7 | 12.8 | 1312 | 80 | |
4. | Olympus E-M5 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60i | 22.8 | 12.3 | 826 | 71 | |
5. | Olympus E-M5 II | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60p | 23.0 | 12.5 | 842 | 73 | |
6. | Olympus E-P5 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.8 | 12.4 | 895 | 72 | |
7. | Olympus E-PL5 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.8 | 12.3 | 889 | 72 | |
8. | Olympus E-PM2 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.7 | 12.2 | 932 | 72 | |
9. | Olympus PEN-F | Four Thirds | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 1080/60p | 23.1 | 12.4 | 894 | 74 | |
10. | Panasonic G3 | Four Thirds | 15.8 | 4592 | 3448 | 1080/60i | 21.0 | 10.6 | 667 | 56 | |
11. | Panasonic G5 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60p | 21.4 | 11.6 | 618 | 61 | |
12. | Panasonic G6 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60p | 21.3 | 11.5 | 639 | 61 | |
13. | Panasonic GF3 | Four Thirds | 12.0 | 4000 | 3000 | 1080/60i | 20.6 | 10.1 | 459 | 50 | |
14. | Panasonic GF5 | Four Thirds | 12.0 | 4000 | 3000 | 1080/60i | 20.5 | 10.0 | 573 | 50 | |
15. | Panasonic GF6 | Four Thirds | 15.8 | 4592 | 3448 | 1080/60i | 20.7 | 10.6 | 622 | 54 | |
16. | Panasonic GF7 | Four Thirds | 15.8 | 4592 | 3448 | 1080/60p | 22.7 | 12.3 | 874 | 70 | |
17. | Panasonic GX1 | Four Thirds | 15.8 | 4592 | 3448 | 1080/60p | 20.8 | 10.6 | 703 | 55 | |
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. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the GX850 provides a higher video resolution than the E-M1. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Olympus is limited to 1080/30p.
Feature comparison
Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the E-M1 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the GX850 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Panasonic GX850 and Olympus E-M1 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.
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 GX850 | none | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/500s | 10.0/s | Y | n | |
2. | Olympus E-M1 | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1037 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
3. | Olympus E-M1 II | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1037 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 18.0/s | n | Y | |
4. | Olympus E-M5 | 1440 | n | 3.0 / 610 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 9.0/s | n | Y | |
5. | Olympus E-M5 II | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1037 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
6. | Olympus E-P5 | optional | n | 3.0 / 1037 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 9.0/s | Y | Y | |
7. | Olympus E-PL5 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | n | Y | |
8. | Olympus E-PM2 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | Y | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | n | Y | |
9. | Olympus PEN-F | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1037 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
10. | Panasonic G3 | 1440 | n | 3.0 / 460 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 4.0/s | Y | n | |
11. | Panasonic G5 | 1440 | n | 3.0 / 920 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 6.0/s | Y | n | |
12. | Panasonic G6 | 1440 | n | 3.0 / 1036 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 7.0/s | Y | n | |
13. | Panasonic GF3 | none | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | Y | 1/4000s | 3.2/s | Y | n | |
14. | Panasonic GF5 | none | n | 3.0 / 920 | fixed | Y | 1/4000s | 4.0/s | Y | n | |
15. | Panasonic GF6 | none | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 4.2/s | Y | n | |
16. | Panasonic GF7 | none | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/500s | 5.8/s | Y | n | |
17. | Panasonic GX1 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | Y | 1/4000s | 4.2/s | Y | n | |
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 GX850 has one, while the E-M1 does not. While the built-in flash of the GX850 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.
The GX850 has an articulated LCD that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in snapping selfies. In contrast, the E-M1 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 GX850 and the Olympus E-M1 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 GX850 and the E-M1 write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.
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-GX850 and Olympus OM-D E-M1 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Mic / Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support |
NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Panasonic GX850 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
2. | Olympus E-M1 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
3. | Olympus E-M1 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.0 | Y | - | - | |
4. | Olympus E-M5 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
5. | Olympus E-M5 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
6. | Olympus E-P5 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
7. | Olympus E-PL5 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
8. | Olympus E-PM2 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
9. | Olympus PEN-F | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
10. | Panasonic G3 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
11. | Panasonic G5 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
12. | Panasonic G6 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
13. | Panasonic GF3 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
14. | Panasonic GF5 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
15. | Panasonic GF6 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
16. | Panasonic GF7 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
17. | Panasonic GX1 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - |
It is notable that the E-M1 has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The GX850 does not feature such a mic input.
Studio photographers will appreciate that the Olympus E-M1 (unlike the GX850) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.
Both the GX850 and the E-M1 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-M1 was replaced by the Olympus E-M1 II, while the GX850 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the GX850 and E-M1 can be found, respectively, in the Panasonic GX850 Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-M1 Manual.
Review summary
So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Panasonic GX850 better than the Olympus E-M1 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.
Reasons to prefer the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX850:
- More dynamic range: Captures a larger spectrum of light and dark details (0.6 EV of extra DR).
- Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/30p).
- More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
- More compact: Is smaller (107x65mm vs 130x94mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
- Less heavy: Is lighter (by 228g or 46 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
- Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
- More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (61 percent cheaper at launch).
- More modern: Reflects 3 years and 3 months of technical progress since the E-M1 launch.
Advantages of the Olympus OM-D E-M1:
- Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (0.4 stops ISO advantage).
- Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
- Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
- Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
- Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/500s) to freeze action.
- Longer lasting: Gets more shots (350 versus 210) out of a single battery charge.
- Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
- Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
- Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
- Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
- More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in September 2013).
If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the E-M1 emerges as the winner of the match-up (11 : 8 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 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 GX850 and the Olympus E-M1 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 the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the GX850 or the E-M1. 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 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.
Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Panasonic GX850 | .. | + | .. | 76/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jan 2017 | 549 | ebay.com | |
2. | Olympus E-M1 | 5/5 | + + | .. | 84/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2013 | 1,399 | ebay.com | |
3. | Olympus E-M1 II | 5/5 | + + | 5/5 | 85/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2016 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
4. | Olympus E-M5 | 4/5 | + + | .. | 80/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2012 | 1,299 | ebay.com | |
5. | Olympus E-M5 II | 5/5 | + + | 4.5/5 | 81/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2015 | 1,099 | ebay.com | |
6. | Olympus E-P5 | 5/5 | + + | .. | 78/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | May 2013 | 999 | ebay.com | |
7. | Olympus E-PL5 | 3/5 | + + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2012 | 599 | ebay.com | |
8. | Olympus E-PM2 | 3/5 | .. | .. | 77/100 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2012 | 499 | ebay.com | |
9. | Olympus PEN-F | .. | .. | 4/5 | 82/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jan 2016 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
10. | Panasonic G3 | 3/5 | + + | .. | 75/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | May 2011 | 599 | ebay.com | |
11. | Panasonic G5 | 3/5 | + + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jul 2012 | 599 | ebay.com | |
12. | Panasonic G6 | 4/5 | + + | .. | .. | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | Apr 2013 | 599 | ebay.com | |
13. | Panasonic GF3 | 3/5 | 82/100 | .. | 71/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Jun 2011 | 549 | ebay.com | |
14. | Panasonic GF5 | 3/5 | .. | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Apr 2012 | 499 | ebay.com | |
15. | Panasonic GF6 | .. | + + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Apr 2013 | 499 | ebay.com | |
16. | Panasonic GF7 | 4/5 | + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jan 2015 | 499 | ebay.com | |
17. | Panasonic GX1 | 3/5 | + | .. | 77/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Nov 2011 | 699 | ebay.com | |
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. |
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. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, 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.
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.
- Canon 1Ds vs Olympus E-M1
- Canon 4000D vs Olympus E-M1
- Canon D60 vs Panasonic GX850
- Canon G1 X vs Panasonic GX850
- Canon S120 vs Panasonic GX850
- Canon SX420 vs Olympus E-M1
- Canon SX420 vs Panasonic GX850
- Canon T4i vs Olympus E-M1
- Canon T6i vs Panasonic GX850
- Leica D-LUX Typ 109 vs Panasonic GX850
- Olympus E-M1 vs Olympus E-P3
- Olympus E-M1 vs Sony A9
Specifications: Panasonic GX850 vs Olympus E-M1
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 Model | Panasonic GX850 | Olympus E-M1 |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Mirrorless system camera | Mirrorless system camera |
Camera Lens | Micro Four Thirds lenses | Micro Four Thirds lenses |
Launch Date | January 2017 | September 2013 |
Launch Price | USD 549 | USD 1,399 |
Sensor Specs | Panasonic GX850 | Olympus E-M1 |
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 | 15.9 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 4592 x 3448 pixels | 4608 x 3456 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 3.77 μm | 3.76 μm |
Pixel Density | 7.04 MP/cm2 | 7.08 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | no AA filter | no AA filter |
Movie Capability | 4K/30p Video | 1080/30p Video |
ISO Setting | 200 - 25,600 ISO | 200 - 25,600 ISO |
ISO Boost | 100 - 25,600 ISO | 100 - 25,600 ISO |
Image Processor | Venus | TruePIC VII |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 73 | 73 |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 23.2 | 23.0 |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 13.3 | 12.7 |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 586 | 757 |
Screen Specs | Panasonic GX850 | Olympus E-M1 |
Viewfinder Type | no viewfinder | Electronic viewfinder |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.74x | |
Viewfinder Resolution | 2360k dots | |
LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
Rear LCD Size | 3.0inch | 3.0inch |
LCD Resolution | 1040k dots | 1037k dots |
LCD Attachment | Tilting screen | Tilting screen |
Touch Input | Touchscreen | Touchscreen |
Shooting Specs | Panasonic GX850 | Olympus E-M1 |
Focus System | Contrast-detect AF | On-Sensor Phase-detect |
Manual Focusing Aid | Focus Peaking | Focus Peaking |
Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) | 1/500s | 1/8000s |
Continuous Shooting | 10 shutter flaps/s | 10 shutter flaps/s |
Electronic Shutter | up to 1/16000s | YES |
Time-Lapse Photography | Intervalometer built-in | Intervalometer built-in |
Image Stabilization | Lens stabilization only | In-body stabilization |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | no On-Board Flash |
Storage Medium | SDXC cards | SDXC cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | Single card slot |
UHS card support | UHS-I | UHS-I |
Connectivity Specs | Panasonic GX850 | Olympus E-M1 |
External Flash | no Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
Studio Flash | no PC Sync | PC Sync socket |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
HDMI Port | micro HDMI | micro HDMI |
Microphone Port | no MIC socket | External MIC port |
Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | Wifi built-in |
Body Specs | Panasonic GX850 | Olympus E-M1 |
Environmental Sealing | not weather sealed | Weathersealed body |
Battery Type | Panasonic DMW-BLH7 | Olympus BLN-1 |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 210 shots per charge | 350 shots per charge |
Body Dimensions |
107 x 65 x 33 mm (4.2 x 2.6 x 1.3 in) |
130 x 94 x 63 mm (5.1 x 3.7 x 2.5 in) |
Camera Weight | 269 g (9.5 oz) | 497 g (17.5 oz) |
Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.