Panasonic Lumix GM5 Review - The Panasonic Lumix GM5 may appear tiny, but it still manages to cram in an awful lot of imaging punch

Product Overview

Overall rating:

88%

Panasonic Lumix GM5

Features:85%
Design:90%
Performance:90%
Value:85%
Image Quality:90%

Pros:

  • Image quality is impressive; Excellent build quality; EVF is a welcome feature

Cons:

  • Small body means a low capacity battery; Controls can prove a touch fiddly

Product:

Panasonic Lumix GM5 Review

Manufacturer:

Price as reviewed:

£769.00 (with 12-32mm kit lens)
Panasonic has a long history of producing some of the most compact of compact system cameras on the market.

In fact, last year the manufacturer launched the smallest interchangeable lens camera on the market to feature a four-thirds sensor in the shape of the Panasonic Lumix GM1.

While the all-new Lumix GM5 isn’t a successor to the GM1, it certainly falls in to the same super-compact CSC category.

That being said, it boasts a range of advanced functionality its ultra-small sibling missed out on, including an electronic viewfinder, larger LCD screen and a hotshoe.

So is it now the best micro CSC on the market? Let’s take a closer look and find out.

Panasonic Lumix GM5 Review - front view

Panasonic Lumix GM5

Panasonic Lumix GM5 Review – Features

In terms of the core imaging functionality of the Panasonic GM5, it features the same sensor utilised in both the LX100 premium compact and its GM1 sibling. The 16MP sensor is of the four thirds variety and measures in at 17.3 x 13mm, making it bigger than the 1in sensor found in a wide range of premium compacts on the market at the moment.

This sensor delivers the same 1920 x 1080, 60i video capture performance in AVCHD format, whilst it also boasts a slightly extended ISO range of 100-25,600 in its extended mode.

Although the GM5 does share a lot of its characteristics with the GM1, there are several key differences which both mark it out and make it a touch larger than its sibling.

Panasonic Lumix GM5 Review - rear

Panasonic Lumix GM5 rear LCD and EVF

EVF and LCD adjustments

Arguably the most noteworthy of these new features is the GM5’s EVF. This features a resolution of 1166k dots and as such will prove hugely beneficial for shooting in bright lighting conditions.

There’s also been an interesting adjustment to the LCD screen found on the rear of the camera. As with the GM1 the screen is both 3in and touch sensitive, although it now features a 16:9 resolution and as a result a slightly lower 921k-dot resolution. Although this might not be ideal for stills, it will certainly prove welcome to those with an eye for video capture.

As you might expect for a brand new Panasonic CSC, the GM5 is equipped with Wi-fi functionality which allows for both the wireless control of the camera’s shooting operation and the wireless transfer of images to either a smartphone or tablet.

The GM5 is lacking the addition of NFC connectivity, however, and as such it’s a slightly more long-winded process than similar cameras to connect to the device.

The GM5 arrives with two different kit lens options – either a 15mm prime Leica lens or a Lumix G Vario 12-32mm complete with Mega OIS stabilisation, with the former costing several hundred pound more than the latter.

Completing a full specification is the addition of highlight/shadow and focus peaking – a feature which is inherited from the GH4 and that allows for a tone curve to be applied to specific areas of images.

  1. 1. Panasonic Lumix GM5 Review - Features
  2. 2. Panasonic Lumix GM5 Review - Design
  3. 3. Panasonic Lumix GM5 Review - Performance
  4. 4. Panasonic Lumix GM5 Review - Image Quality
  5. 5. Panasonic Lumix GM5 Review - Verdict
  6. 6. Panasonic Lumix GM5 Review - Specification
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