Sony RX1 vs Panasonic GM1

Sony RX1 advantages over Panasonic GM1

• Larger sensor
  35mm vs 4/3
  More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
• Bigger pixels
  ~ 5.97 vs 3.77 microns
  Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
• In-camera panoramas
  Yes vs No
  Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
• Better color depth

  Better color depth

  Color depth refers to the number of unique colors that a sensor can faithfully capture. Cameras with better color depth will demonstrate smoother transitions from one color to the next, and avoid "banding" in areas with subtle shading. (Blue skies are an example of where you might see color banding.)

  More color depth is generally better, but you'll struggle to notice a difference between two cameras with less than 1 bit of difference. Color depth above 22 bits is considered excellent.

  Want to learn more? Head over to our full glossary entry on color depth

  Color depth test data courtesy of DxO Mark.

  RX1 test data on DxO Mark GM1 test data on DxO Mark
  25.1 vs 22.3 bits
  Capture richer, more accurate colors
• Higher effective ISO

  Higher effective ISO

  Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

  Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

  You can learn more at our glossary entry.

  Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.

  RX1 test data on DxO Mark GM1 test data on DxO Mark
  2,534 vs 660 iso
  Take photos in low light with less noise
• More dynamic range

  More dynamic range

  Cameras with more dynamic range allow you to take photos with dramatic differences in highlight and shadow areas while retaining detail in both.

  Think of a brilliant sunset on a rocky beach: Bright sunset in the background, with dark rocks in the foreground. High dynamic range means more of the extremes will be faithfully reproduced.

  Dynamic range test data courtesy of DxO Mark.

  RX1 test data on DxO Mark GM1 test data on DxO Mark
  14.3 vs 11.7 evs
  Retain detail in highlight and shadows
• External Mic Jack
  Jack vs No jack
  Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
• Higher max flash sync
  1/4000 vs 1/50 sec
  Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
• Hot shoe
  Hot shoe vs None
  Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
• More pixels
  24.3 vs 16.0 megapixels
  Higher resolution photos
• Bulb shutter
  Bulb vs No bulb
  Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures
• Bigger JPEG buffer
  15 vs 10 shots
  Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
• Bigger RAW buffer
  15 vs 7 shots
  Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)