• 4/3 224.9mm2
  • 16.1 megapixels
  • ISO 160 - 12,800
  • 35mm 855.6mm2
  • 24.3 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 25,600

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Differences

Panasonic G5 advantages over Sony A7

  • Lens selection
    Excellent vs Good
    Better lens selection gives you more options
  • Less expensive
    $500 vs $819
    Save money for lenses or accessories
  • Touchscreen
    Touch vs No touch
    Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
  • Fast startup
    ~1.30 vs 2.1 sec
    Faster startup lets you catch the moment
  • More telephoto lens reach
    84 mm vs 70 mm
    Capture objects farther away with the kit lens
  • Internal flash
    Internal flash vs None
    Useful in a pinch for fill flash
  • Lighter weight
    575g vs 769g
    Lighter weight
  • Longer exposure
    60 vs 30 sec
    Long exposures for night shots
  • Faster JPEG shooting
    6.2 fps vs 5.0 fps
    Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)

Sony A7 advantages over Panasonic G5

  • Focus peaking
    Peaker vs Non-peaker
    Your camera will highlight what's in focus
  • Larger sensor
    35mm vs 4/3
    More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
  • Bigger pixels
    ~ 5.97 vs 3.75 microns
    Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
  • In-camera panoramas
    Yes vs No
    Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
    Wi-Fi vs None
    Share your photos wirelessly
  • NFC
    Yes vs No
    Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
  • On-sensor phase detect
    Yes vs No
    Usually improves live view and video AF performance
  • Thinner
    48 mm vs 70 mm
    Thinner
  • External Mic Jack
    Jack vs No jack
    Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
  • Higher max flash sync
    1/250 vs 1/160 sec
    Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
  • Shoots 24p video
    Yes vs No
    Gives your movies a big-screen feel
  • More pixels
    24.3 vs 16.1 megapixels
    Higher resolution photos
  • Headphone jack
    Yes vs No
    Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
  • Bigger JPEG buffer
    50 vs 18 shots
    Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
  • Faster shutter
    1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
    Shoot wide open in bright light
  • Higher extended ISO
    51200 vs 12800 ISO
    Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

  • Eye-level viewfinder
    Both provide
    You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
  • Tiltable Screen
    Both provide
    Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
  • HDMI out
    Both provide
    Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
  • Hot shoe
    Both provide
    Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
  • Bulb shutter
    Both provide
    Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
    Neither provide
    Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
  • Built-in Bluetooth
    Neither provide
    Always-on wireless connectivity
  • Built-in GPS
    Neither provide
    Geotag your photos
  • Top deck display
    Neither provide
    Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
  • Dual card slots
    Neither provide
    Gives you more storage flexibility
  • Slow-motion videos
    Neither provide
    Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

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Your purchases support this site

Buy the Panasonic G5

Review Excerpt

  • Small, compact body with excellent focusing and exposure capabilities; Newly enhanced touchpanel LCD screen makes image capture and review a joy; Excellent HD video recording quality.

  • Some controls difficult to access; Too easy to activate menus and options while shooting; Lack of a microphone-in jack limits video recording usefulness.

  • Incredibly small body for a fully-featured, full-frame camera; Very high resolution; Hybrid autofocus is reasonably fast and confident; Significantly better burst-shooting performance than A7R; Excellent image quality even at very high sensitivities; Faster x-sync than A7R; Accepts existing Alpha-mount and E-mount lenses, and can optionally crop to APS-C image circle.

  • Grass-is-greener syndrome when compared to its higher-res sibling; Moderate performance; Loud shutter (but electronic first-curtain helps); Mediocre battery life when using electronic viewfinder; Weak low-light autofocus considering its price; Limited selection of native Sony FE lenses.

The Competition

Compared to Sony A7R

Panasonic G5
Sony A7R
  • $500
  • 4/3
  • Lens selection
  • Less expensive
  • $1399
  • 35mm
  • Focus peaking
  • Larger sensor
Sony A7
Sony A7R
  • $748
  • 35mm
  • Less expensive
  • Bigger pixels
  • $1399
  • 35mm
  • Higher effective ISO
  • More pixels

Compared to Panasonic G2

Panasonic G5
Panasonic G2
  • $500
  • 4/3
  • Touchscreen
  • More dots on screen
  • $800
  • 4/3
  • Bigger pixels
  • Fast startup
Sony A7
Panasonic G2
  • $748
  • 35mm
  • Focus peaking
  • Larger sensor
  • $800
  • 4/3
  • Lens selection
  • Fast startup

Compared to Panasonic G6

Panasonic G5
Panasonic G6
  • $500
  • 4/3
  • $399
  • 4/3
  • Less expensive
  • Tilt-swivel screen
Sony A7
Panasonic G6
  • $748
  • 35mm
  • Larger sensor
  • Bigger pixels
  • $399
  • 4/3
  • Lens selection
  • Less expensive

Compared to Sony A7 II

Panasonic G5
Sony A7 II
  • $500
  • 4/3
  • Lens selection
  • Less expensive
  • $1148
  • 35mm
  • Focus peaking
  • Larger sensor
Sony A7
Sony A7 II
  • $748
  • 35mm
  • Less expensive
  • $1148
  • 35mm
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compared to Panasonic G7

Panasonic G5
Panasonic G7
  • $500
  • 4/3
  • $498
  • 4/3
  • Focus peaking
  • Tilt-swivel screen
Sony A7
Panasonic G7
  • $748
  • 35mm
  • Larger sensor
  • Bigger pixels
  • $498
  • 4/3
  • Lens selection
  • Less expensive
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