Panasonic GM5 Image Quality

The GM5 shares the same sensor and processor as its larger sibling, the GX7, and as such we would expect these to be virtually identical in image quality. Both cameras look quite good and sharp here at base ISO, bringing out the subtle details of our test target. Since the GM5 is substantially smaller and less expensive than the GX7, the similarity in image quality should make it a very appealing option of advanced photographers.

The X-M1, with an MSRP of $800, is the most affordable of the Fuji models to sport an APS-C-sized version of its highly acclaimed X-Trans sensor. In this comparisons, the Fuji produces sublime image quality in the first two crops, and brings out subtle details in our red fabric swatch while losing out in the pink fabric detail. The smaller-sensored GM5, while having just slightly less detail in some areas, takes a more even approach in handling all areas well.

In this face-off between two Micro Four Thirds competitors, the E-PL7 has more aggressive default sharpening than does the GM5, and it shows here with crisper overall detail, especially in the mosaic tiles. But as we've seen in other recent image comparison tables, this aggressive processing often yields mixed results as ISO rises.

The A6000 has an APS-C sensor with roughly 35% more surface area on which to gather available light than does the GM5. Here at base ISO, both camera display an excellent level of fine detail, though the increase in sheer resolution from the A6000 makes detail more apparent. We also give a slight nod to the A6000 for its better rendering of the mosaic and red fabric swatch.

As opposed to the A6000 with its larger sensor, the RX100 III has a sensor about half the size of the GM5, and yet sports roughly 4 more megapixels of resolution. With its back-lit technology it does a very good job here at base ISO, though the GM5 extracts cleaner fine detail from the mosaic. Both cameras are quite evenly matched when it comes to the red fabric, though the pink fabric goes to the GM5.

Once again, and as expected, these two siblings perform nearly identically in the image quality department. Both do a fairly good job for this ISO but show some noise processing artifacts in the bottle crop, lose some fine detail in the mosaic tiles and have a tough time resolving contrast and detail in our target red fabric swatch.

As predicted, this is where the larger sensor and X-Trans technology of the X-M1 pulls away from the GM5. The bottle crop from the X-M1 is amazing, and there is still some good detail in the mosaic tiles and the red fabric swatch. However, as it did at base ISO, the X-M1 curiously loses out on the detail in the pink fabric swatch, which is an odd twist on an otherwise solid performance.

The aggressive sharpening at default cameras settings allows the E-PL7 is extract more fine detail in these images, but with the price of some unwanted artifacts starting to show up -- such as the granulated noise in the bottle crop and the pink fabric swatch. The GM5's approach to default noise reduction is more even-handed, so it would be helpful to view the two compared in RAW format with manual sharpening applied.

Apart from the resolution disparity, both cameras do well with fine detail at this higher ISO. The GM5's bottle crop appears grainier than the A6000's, but fine detail in the mosaic crop on the other hand looks fairly even between the cameras. The fabric swatches displays the strongest difference. The GM5 looses a lot of detail in the red fabric, while retaining a fair amount in the pink fabric. The A6000 in contrast attempts to display more detail from the red, but the NR processing really introduces noticeable splotchiness in the pick fabric.

This is where the 1-inch-type sensor of the RX100 III starts to lose ground. It beats out most other non-ILC compacts currently on the market, but can't hold stride with the GM5's much larger sensor as ISO rises. However, with the red fabric, the RX100 III does display slightly more detail in the red fabric, though both cameras struggle to truly resolve the detailed leaf pattern.

And again, the same sensor and processor on these two cameras produce virtually identical results, both yielding significant noise reduction artifacts in the bottle crop and losing a lot of detail in the mosaic tiles and red fabric swatch.

Here the X-M1 doesn't out-pace the GM5 nearly as much as at ISO 1600, which is curious to note. There is more detail in the mosaic tile, but the other two crops yield fairly similar results between the two and, yet again, the X-M1 curiously loses outright on the pink fabric.

Splotchiness from default noise reduction starts to really take a toll here on the E-PL7 images, especially in the mosaic crop. We see more noise in the GM5's bottle crop, while the E-PL7 looks very clean. Both cameras, however, struggle with the fabric swatches, with the E-PL7 notably so with the pink fabric.

At ISO 3200, the A6000 has a bit less apparent noise in the bottle crop than does the GM5. It also produces a much softer rendering of the pink fabric swatch. The GM5 is certainly not perfect here by any means, but kudos to it for standing up so well against two good APS-C cameras at ISO 3200!

This ISO is tough terrain for a 1-inch sensor. It's not terrible like many traditional compact cameras are, but still better to keep it at ISO 1600 and below for sharper results.