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Panasonic Lumix GM5 Camera Review

Read our full review of the new Panasonic Lumix GM5, the smallest Micro Four Thirds camera available with a built in electronic viewfinder.

Features
Handling
Performance
Verdict
Specification

Highres Panasonic Lumix G M5 3 1413541604
The Panasonic Lumix GM5 is the new compact Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera from Panasonic, and an update to the GM1, with the GM1 remaining on the market. The GM5 features a built in electronic viewfinder and flash hot-shoe and comes bundled with an attachable flash unit. It will be available from November priced at £699 with 12-32mm zoom lens. The GM5 will also be available with the Leica 15mm f/1.7 lens, at £949.

Panasonic Lumix GM5 Features

Highres Panasonic Lumix G M5 11 1413541655
According to Panasonic (GFK and Futuresource agree) the CSC market is in growth in relation to the DSLR market, which is said to be in decline, with particularly strong sales in the premium end of the market (£1000+, models such as the Panasonic Lumix GH4Fujifilm X-T1, and Olympus OM-D E-M1).

The GM5 is available in black or black and red, with the black and red model featuring a more leather-like texture on the body, while the black version has the appearance of leather, but not the feel of leather.

With the introduction of the Panasonic Lumix GM5, Panasonic is also making the Lumix G 35-100mm retractable zoom lens available. The lens is specifically designed for the compact GM series although will also work with all Micro Four Third cameras for those that want to travel as light as possible, and gives 70-200mm equivalent in 35mm terms, f/4-5.6 aperture, built in Mega OIS (Optical Image Stabilisation), with 1 asperical element, and 2 ED elements. The lens is compatible with 240fps AF making focus quick, and the lens has a metal finish and design. The lens will be available in black or silver priced at £319 from November.

Highres Panasonic Lumix G M5 1 1413541618
Built in Wi-Fi allows the camera to be controlled from a compatible Android or iOS smartphone or tablet, using the smartphone as a remote shutter. Alternatively images can be transferred to the smartphone, and it's also possible to setup automatic backup to PC via your home Wi-Fi router.

The camera features 22 digital effects, as well as time-lapse, stop motion animation, and clear retouch. Handheld HDR and Handheld night shot modes have been improved and there are a total of 23 scene modes. Colour filters are available with the black and white modes.

Key Features

  • 16 megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor (same as GM1)
  • 3inch touch-screen, 921k dot, IPS LCD for 50% brighter view
  • 1.166m dot EVF with eye-detection and eye-detection AF, 60fps, 0.92x/0.46x magnification
  • 5.8fps continuous shooting, 5fps continuous AF
  • 240fps AF drive for 0.06s AF performance with compatible lenses
  • Face / Eye detection focus
  • FullHD video at 50p / manual creative video mode
  • ISO100 to ISO25600 (extended)
  • Venus engine, Highlight/Shadown Adj, Improved dynamic range

Panasonic Lumix GM5 Handling

Highres Panasonic Lumix G M5 7 1413541639
The camera is impressively compact, and is a similar size to a serious compact camera, as well as being just slightly larger than the Panasonic Lumix GM1, yet featuring a built in electronic viewfinder (EVF). The top features the mode dial, on/off button, and manual focus switch which lets you switch between AF-S, AF-C, and MF. There is also a marking for the sensor plane. On the back you'll find the EVF with dioptre correction, the touch-screen, plus Fn1 (LVF), Fn2 (Wi-Fi), Playback, control wheel, video record, 4-way controller with central menu/set button, delete and display buttons. The four way controller gives quick access to ISO, focus area, WB and drive mode. There is also a small textured grip for your thumb, and the front of the camera is covered in a textured leather style coating. An additional, optional handgrip is available that gives additional grip at the front if required, and a black neck strap is provided in the box. 

The screen is clear, and the logically laid out Panasonic menus are easy to navigate using either the touch screen or the direction control pad on the rear. The screen is gapless which helps with being able to see the screen when used outdoors. The electronic viewfinder (EVF) features a good resolution of 1,166k dots, and eye-detection means it will automatically switch to the viewfinder when held up to your eye. 

Highres Panasonic Lumix G M5 8 1413541643
The 12-32mm ASPH. f/3.5-5.6 pancake zoom lens is collapsible like the Olympus 14-42mm kit lenses, and is the equivalent of 24mm wide angle to 64mm telephoto (giving a 2.66x optical zoom), with the closest focus distance for the lens being 20cm. Mega optical image stabilisation helps ensure sharp shots in low light. When compacted the lens is smaller than the Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 lens being shorter as well as having a smaller diameter.

Highres Panasonic Lumix G M5 Sony R X100 Ii 3 1413541770
Panasonic Lumix GM5 vs Sony Cyber-shot RX100 II 

The feel of the camera differs slightly depending on the colour option you go for, with the red and black camera featuring a more leather like finish, and the black camera featuring a slightly more standard camera finish. The silent shutter enables completely silent shooting (electronic shutter), and the mechanical shutter is very quiet, quieter than the Olympus OM-D E-M5 and other Panasonic Lumix G cameras.

Highres Panasonic G M1 Wi Fi App Screenshot 2014 10 20 14 15 02 1413811285 Highres Panasonic G M1 App Screenshot 2014 10 20 14 14 46 1413811283 Highres Panasonic G M1 App Screenshot 2014 10 20 14 15 10 1413811284
Remote view Playback view Geotagging, Photo collage etc

The built in Wi-Fi connectivity lets you remotely control the camera using the Panasonic Image App on a smartphone or tablet, and is available for iOS and Android devices. There are a large number of options and settings that can be accessed and changed, making the app extremely useful, there are also time-lapse options, and you can view and share images, as well as tag photos with GPS information. 

Highres Panasonic Lumix G M5 10 1413541651

Battery life - Battery life is rated at 210 shots using the LCD screen, or 220 shots using the EVF, according to Panasonic / CIPA test results, which is quite low therefore we would recommend a spare battery if you plan on shooting more, or using Wi-Fi a lot.

Speed - We took a number of shots to test the camera's responsiveness, from switch on to first photo, shot to shot, focusing speed etc. We take a number of shots and then use the average to ensure accurate and consistent tests, making it easy to compare with other cameras.

Shutter Response 0.05secs
Wide - Focus / Shutter Response 0.2secs
Full zoom - Focus / Shutter Response 0.2secs
Switch on Time to Taking a Photo 0.9secs
Shot to Shot without Flash 0.5secs
Shot to Shot with Flash 1.5secs
Continuous Shooting - JPEG
(shots before slow down)
5.4fps (37 shots)
9fps (9 shots, electronic shutter)
Continuous Shooting - Flash N/A
Continuous Shooting - RAW 5fps (7 shots)


The camera can shoot at 5.4fps with mechanical (electronic front curtain) shutter, or 9fps with electronic shutter at full resolution. Focus is very quick, as is the norm for Panasonic Micro Four Thirds cameras, and the focus can be set quickly using the touch screen. The camera features 23 focus points, so as long as the area you want to focus is within this area you can simply touch the screen and focus. Focus peaking and Zebra display is included and you can select the colour of the peaking outline.

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Panasonic Lumix GM5 Performance

The performance section is where we look at the image quality performance of the camera. Additional sample photos and product shots are available in the Equipment Database, where you can add your own review, photos and product ratings.

Panasonic Lumix GM5 Sample Photos

Sample Photos - Flash photos are free of red-eye and portraits have good skin tones, with the camera taking a photo with very good detail. Exposure is very reliable, with the camera performing well in a variety of shooting conditions. Using Micro Four Thirds lenses means there are a number of bright aperture lenses available.

 

Panasonic Lumix GM5 Lens test images

Lens Performance - The compact 12-32mm f/3.5-5.6 lens performs well and is capable of recording high levels of detail, even into the corners of the image when shooting wide-angle or with zoom. There is a slight hint of vignetting in the corners, which can be corrected in camera by switching on shading compensation, and purple fringing and chromatic aberrations are very low with the camera automatically correcting for these problems. Barrel distortion is noticeable when shooting wide, however pincushion distortion appears low when shooting at the telephoto end of the lens. Macro performance of the kit lens is a weakness, with the closest focusing distance 20cm from the lens, and for any more serious macro photography a different lens is recommended. When shooting with the sun in the frame it is possible to see some lens flare, however this wasn't a huge issue the majority of the time.

Panasonic Lumix GM5 ISO test images

ISO Noise Performance - The ISO range goes from ISO200 to ISO25600, and the lowest ISO setting can be extended to ISO100. Noise is low at ISO100, ISO200, ISO400 and ISO800, with a slight increase in noise at ISO1600. At ISO3200 there is a slight, but noticeable loss in detail, however results are still good. Noise performance at ISO6400 is still good, although the effects of noise reduction are easy to see, with detail degraded further. At ISO12800 and above, the effects of the electronic shutter can be seen, with banding visible in the image, and due to noise levels these last two ISO setting may be best avoided.

 

Panasonic Lumix GM5 White-balance test images

White Balance Performance -  Auto White Balance (AWB) performs well under tungsten lighting although there is a slight yellow colour cast, with the tungsten preset delivering a more accurate result. AWB performs well under fluorescent lighting, which is a good job, as there are no dedicated fluorescent lighting preset modes available. 

Panasonic Lumix GM5 Digital filters

Digital Filters - The GM5 has a total of 22 Creative Effects, with a number of black and white modes such as rough mono, and silky mono, that give the option of applying a black and white filter, such as Green, Red, Blue etc, to give the same effect as shooting black and white film with a filter attached. The camera records both the JPEG and raw file so you can go back to the original image if you don't like the effect. The camera includes a sunshine mode which lets you position an additional light source in the image as well as alter the size. The camera has a number of features for expanding dynamic range recorded if needed, including iDynamic, as well as HDR that combines 3 shots at different exposures. 

Video - The camera records full HD video at 50p, 50i, 25p and 24p, with stereo sound and the highest ISO setting is ISO3200. Quality is good, and the built in optical image stabilisation does a good job steadying handheld videos.

Value For Money

The Panasonic Lumix GM5 is available for £699 with the 12-32mm lens, or £949 with the Leica 15mm f/1.7 lens, which makes it quite an investment, although a similar price to other cameras with a built in electronic viewfinder. Alternatives to consider include the following:

Panasonic Lumix LX100, EVF, flash hot-shoe, 1.33inch sensor, £699
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 III, EVF, pop-up flash, 1inch sensor, £695
Canon Powershot G7 X, no EVF, pop-up flash, 1inch sensor, £579

Mirrorless cameras:
Panasonic Lumix GM1, pop-up flash, no EVF, Micro Four Thirds sensor, £499 with lens
Olympus OM-D E-M10, with EVF, pop-up flash, Micro Four Thirds sensor, £659 with lens
Sony Alpha A5100, pop-up flash, no EVF, APS-C sensor, £549 with lens
Nikon 1 J4, pop-up flash, no EVF, 1inch sensor, £399 with lens
Pentax Q-S1, flash, hot-shoe, no EVF, 1/1.7inch sensor, £379 with lens

You'll also need to buy a memory card and a case or bag to keep your camera safe and protected - have a look at our complete guide to camera bags.

Panasonic Lumix GM5 Verdict

The Panasonic Lumix GM5 is priced at £699 with 12-32mm kit lens, which makes it quite expensive for a mirrorless camera, and it's designed to compete with other premium compact cameras, such as the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 III, with 1inch sensor, although the GM5 benefits from a larger Micro Four Thirds sensor, and the option to change lenses. Like the GM1, the Panasonic Lumix GM5 offers all of the advantages of a compact system camera, including access to one of the largest ranges of lenses for mirrorless cameras, from Panasonic, Olympus and many others. The GM5 also gives a built in electronic viewfinder, and benefits from compact lenses designed specifically for the compact Panasonic Lumix GM series, including the new 35-100mm telephoto zoom lens.

Despite being one of the smallest Micro Four Thirds cameras available with built in EVF, and also being smaller than most other mirrorless cameras, the Panasonic Lumix GM5 doesn't compromise on image quality or features, and delivers advanced options in a camera small enough to fit in your pocket, even with the lens attached! The camera has a good 3 inch touch screen which makes it easy to use in combination with Panasonic's clear and logical menu system. Built in Wi-Fi makes sharing photos or using the camera remotely easy and fun. There are a few negatives, including the short battery life, and the kit lens doesn't offer as good macro performance as other kit lenses available, but for those that want excellent image quality, the ability to change lenses, and one of the smallest compact system cameras possible with a built in electronic viewfinder the Panasonic Lumix GM5 is our Editor's Choice!

The Panasonic Lumix GM5 is the smallest mirrorless camera available with a built in EVF and delivers excellent image quality.

View Full Product Details

Panasonic Lumix GM5 Camera Review
Botanic Gardens (Wide) | 1/320 sec | f/5.6 | 12.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
Panasonic Lumix GM5 Camera Review
Botanic Gardens 32mm | 1/250 sec | f/7.1 | 32.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
Panasonic Lumix GM5 Camera Review
Autumn Tree | 1/320 sec | f/5.6 | 12.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
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Flash Portrait | 1/50 sec | f/5.6 | 32.0 mm | ISO 250 | high res
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HDR | 1/320 sec | f/6.3 | 12.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
Panasonic Lumix GM5 Camera Review
Wide (12-32mm lens) | 1/320 sec | f/6.3 | 12.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
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Telephoto (12-32mm lens) | 1/320 sec | f/8.0 | 32.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
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35mm (35-100mm lens) | 1/400 sec | f/7.1 | 35.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
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100mm (35-100mm lens) | 1/500 sec | f/8.0 | 100.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
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Sun | 1/500 sec | f/8.0 | 12.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
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1/5 sec | f/6.3 | 32.0 mm | ISO 100 | high res
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1/10 sec | f/6.3 | 32.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
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1/20 sec | f/6.3 | 32.0 mm | ISO 400 | high res
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1/40 sec | f/6.3 | 32.0 mm | ISO 800 | high res
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1/80 sec | f/6.3 | 32.0 mm | ISO 1600 | high res
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1/160 sec | f/6.3 | 32.0 mm | ISO 3200 | high res
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1/320 sec | f/6.3 | 32.0 mm | ISO 6400 | high res
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1/640 sec | f/6.3 | 32.0 mm | ISO 12800 | high res
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1/1300 sec | f/6.3 | 32.0 mm | ISO 25600 | high res
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AWB Tungsten | 1/13 sec | f/6.3 | 21.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
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WB Tungsten | 1/13 sec | f/6.3 | 21.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
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AWB Fluorescent | 0.5 sec | f/6.3 | 21.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
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Star | 1/320 sec | f/6.3 | 12.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
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1 Point Colour | 1/320 sec | f/6.3 | 12.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
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Bleach Bypass | 1/320 sec | f/6.3 | 12.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
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Cross Process | 1/320 sec | f/5.6 | 12.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
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Dynamic Mono | 1/320 sec | f/6.3 | 12.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
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Expressive | 1/320 sec | f/5.6 | 12.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
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Fantasy | 1/320 sec | f/5.6 | 12.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
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High Dynamic | 1/400 sec | f/6.3 | 12.0 mm | ISO 800 | high res
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Hi Key | 1/320 sec | f/5.6 | 12.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
Panasonic Lumix GM5 Camera Review
Impressive Art | 1/400 sec | f/7.1 | 12.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
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Low Key | 1/320 sec | f/5.6 | 12.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
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Miniature | 1/320 sec | f/6.3 | 12.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
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Mono | 1/320 sec | f/6.3 | 12.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
Panasonic Lumix GM5 Camera Review
Old | 1/320 sec | f/5.6 | 12.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
Panasonic Lumix GM5 Camera Review
Retro | 1/320 sec | f/5.6 | 12.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
Panasonic Lumix GM5 Camera Review
Rough Mono | 1/320 sec | f/6.3 | 12.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
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Sepia | 1/320 sec | f/6.3 | 12.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
Panasonic Lumix GM5 Camera Review
Silky Mono | 1/320 sec | f/6.3 | 12.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
Panasonic Lumix GM5 Camera Review
Soft | 1/320 sec | f/5.6 | 12.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
Panasonic Lumix GM5 Camera Review
Sunshine | 1/800 sec | f/3.5 | 12.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
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Toy | 1/320 sec | f/6.3 | 12.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
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Toy Pop | 1/320 sec | f/5.6 | 12.0 mm | ISO 200 | high res
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Panasonic Lumix GM5 Specifications

Manufacturer
Panasonic
Image Sensor
Pixels
16Mp (Megapixels)
Pixels (W)
4592
Pixels (H)
3448
Sensor Type
Live MOS Sensor
Sensor Size
Micro / Four Thirds
Sensor Size (width)
17.3mm
Sensor Size (height)
13mm
Aspect Ratio
4:3
3:2
16:9
1:1
LCD Monitor
LCD Monitor
3in
Screen resolution
1036k dots
Touch Screen
Yes
Focusing
Focusing modes
Autofocus
Manual
Spot
Face Detection
AF Tracking
Multi
Centre
Touch AF
Exposure Control
Shutter speeds shortest
1/16000sec
Shutter speeds longest
60sec
Bulb mode
Yes
Exp modes
Program
Aperture-Priority
Shutter-Priority
Manual
Scene modes
Program Variable
Metering
Centre-weighted - Average
Multi Pattern
Spot
ISO sensitivity
100 - 25600
White balance
Auto
Manual
Outdoors/Daylight
Cloudy
Incandescent
Flash
Exposure Comp
+/-5
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Resolution
No Data
Magnification
No Data
Shooting Options
Continuous shooting
5fps
Video
Movie mode
Yes
Video Resolution
1920x1080 FullHD
Video FPS
60p, 50p, 30p, 25p, 24p
Stereo Sound
Yes
Optical Zoom with Video
Yes
Other Features
Image Stabilisation
No
Interface
HDMI
Yes
USB
USB 2
Wi-Fi
Yes
Storage
Card Type
SD
SDHC
SDXC
File Type
RAW
JPG
RAW + JPG
Power Source
Battery Type
Lithium-Ion
Battery Life (CIPA rating)
210shots
Box Contents
Box Contents
DMC-GM5K Kit/Flash, Flash Storage Bag, Hot Shoe Cover, Battery Pack, Battery Charger, USB Connection Cable, Shoulder Strap, DVD-ROM, AC Cable*, Lens Cap/* Depends on the country or region.
Dimensions
Weight
204g
Width
98.5mm
Height
54.9mm
Depth
30.4mm

Panasonic Lumix GM5 Verdict

Features
Handling
Performance
Value for money
Verdict
Pros
  • Built in EVF
  • Very good noise performance
  • Fast focus and shutter response
  • Good touch screen
  • Excellent image quality
  • Excellent remote control Wi-Fi app
  • Extremely small Micro Four Thirds camera body
  • Small lenses available
  • Quiet mechanical shutter / silent electronic shutter
  • 5.8fps / 10fps continuous shooting
  • Dual axis electronic level
Cons
  • Macro performance of 12-32mm lens is disappointing
  • Short battery life

Comments

User_Removed
21 44.5k
Sep 15, 2014 1:35pm
No in-body image stabilisation? That makes it a loss less attractive to those of us with M4/3 Olympus lenses.
joshwa
joshwa
13 927
Oct 21, 2014 9:59am
Hi Oluv, I've tried with a 16GB (Sony 94MB/s) and a 64GB (Kingston 90MB/s) card and it doesn't seem to be as slow as your video with the GM1, when shooting RAW and JPEG.
Metalhead
Metalhead
16 1.9k
Sep 15, 2014 1:38pm
I was just thinking the same... I'd read that in-body IS was a possibility on the GM5, but my sights are still set for the GX7 or E-M10 as the prices slowly nudge downwards.
oluv
9
Oct 21, 2014 10:09am
hey joshwa, thanks for your response. i think the biggest problem with the GM1 was the very first shot after power on. when this one was entirely written, all other shots were pretty quick, without any big delay. but sometimes i just turn on the camera and take several shots to get the best one, to finally find myself with the camera blocked. this is very frustrating with the GM1. i especially bought a class10 card to avoid this, but it didn't help at all. maybe it was better with smaller cards like 4gb, the smallest cards i tried were 32gb. i will definitely try the GM5, as it looks pretty tempting. a pity they don't offer a silver version here.
dannyr
dannyr
14 49
Sep 16, 2014 9:03am
I was really hoping for Image stabilisation as well. Really can’t see why they struggle to do this, it just means another Panasonic camera I won’t be buying.
Les_Cornwell
Les_Cornwell
19 53
Oct 21, 2014 10:11am
How was the sensor - free from any marks/dust? I had to return two GM1s due to dirt on the sensor and there were many reports of others with the same problem. Would be nice to think Panasonic had resoled the problem with the GM5.
ChrisV
ChrisV
17 2.3k
Sep 16, 2014 4:28pm
I don't get why anyone is seriously expecting IBIS - that in the GX7 is a complete anomaly in terms of Panny MFT - the GH4 doesn't even have it. Panasonic's approach has always been lens based. I don't personally see it as a deal breaker unless you have lots of unstabilised long lenses, where IS really is useful. The point of this camera is that it is ultra-small whilst adding in an evf and hotshoe. I have both Olympus and Panasonic cameras and whilst there are things I love about the EM1, there are other things I prefer in Panasonic cameras, like the interface and general ergonomics. Not that the EM1 is bad on that latter front, just that the Panasonic GH3 is better and battery life is not the major pain in the arse the Olympus represents [I can easily flatten the two in the EM1 in one day - I now carry two spares]. Speaking for myself I find this camera a more enticing proposition than the PENs it may be up against. YMMV, but I like a larger/better built unit for the daily workhorse stuff that has everything to hand. The GM series is a secondary carry around for me and in that respect this camera is just about perfect - it could have other features, but then it would be bigger...
joshwa
joshwa
13 927
Oct 21, 2014 10:15am
Hi Les, the sensor looks clean to me, as you can see in the pictures above (click to enlarge), although unfortunately we do not have the camera(s) for a long period of time.
Les_Cornwell
Les_Cornwell
19 53
Sep 17, 2014 5:34pm
Very nice indeed. I tried the GM1 but returned it due to (dust?) marks on the sensor - there were quite a few reports of problems with dirty sensors on the GM1. Glad I deed return it though, only thing i didn't like with the GM1 was no EVF. Hotshoe is fine & seesm the dinky flash is included too 🙂
lemmy
lemmy
16 2.9k
Oct 21, 2014 10:16am
Quote:can please anyone test, if the GM5 still suffers from the "1st shot bug"? Just tested mine after watching your video, shooting RAW+JPG (High quality). Directly after switching on saving is more or less instantaneous for 3 to 4 frames, then it stops to write the buffer to card for 5 seconds or so. After that it will shoot away for maybe 10 to 15 frames before slowing up. I can't reproduce your problem. This is with an oldish Transcend SD card but I wouldn't expect it to be any different with a faster card. RAW+JPG(HQ) is the hardest writing task of all and the camera just bombs along shooting RAW only. Dannyr, JPG output of both Olympus and Panasonic cameras can be finely and easily adjusted to your own preferences and most Panasonic lenses have anti-shake built in.
joshwa
joshwa
13 927
Oct 20, 2014 3:56pm
Full Review now live
lemmy
lemmy
16 2.9k
Oct 21, 2014 10:19am
Sorry, my previous post refers top my GM1, of course, just noticed the ambiguity with the quote.
Chris_L
Chris_L
10 5.5k
Oct 20, 2014 7:26pm
Quote:The electronic viewfinder (EVF) features a good resolution of 1,166k dots, and eye-detection means it will automatically switch to the viewfinder when held up to your eye. What was it like to use?
oluv
9
Oct 21, 2014 10:22am
@lemmy: how big was your tested card? although 5 seconds is not as extreme as my example with up to 15 seconds, even 5 seconds can become crucial if you are trying to take portraits etc. my workaround was to directly take some shot after power on, then all other shots shouldn't cause problems.
Paul Morgan
Paul Morgan
22 19.9k
Oct 21, 2014 2:12pm
The Auto WB for tungsten looks horrible, there is a huge difference between this and the LX100 results. Last modified by Paul Morgan on 21 Oct 2014 2:15AM
lemmy
lemmy
16 2.9k
Oct 21, 2014 12:01pm
Quote:@lemmy: how big was your tested card? It was 8Gb. I've just tried with the 32Gb 90mbps card from my GH4 but the results are exactly the same, so it would appear that (in my case, at least) that the card isn't a factor.
joshwa
joshwa
13 927
Oct 21, 2014 9:17am
Quote:What was it like to use? The EVF updates very quickly, and the display is stable, but smaller compared to the Olympus OM-D E-M5 for example. Resolution is good, and the view is clear, but it is definitely small when compared to other cameras. Last modified by joshwa on 21 Oct 2014 9:18AM
JohnHoppy
15 5
Oct 21, 2014 2:45pm
So many moans about lack of IS. Whatever did some poor souls do before IS arrived, I wonder. Oh but many don't know the good old days of film. IS can be tricky in small cameras as Lemmy points out. Guys, just adapt! You want everything on a plate? I won't buy a GM5 as I get great stuff out of the GM1, which I use as much as the EM1, and the VF is not a deal-breaker. EM1 has the critical edge but when you get so much out of an ultra-portable like the GM1, you need little else - it goes everywhere with me, unlike my SLRs of old. Panasonic are still on the right track and the lenses make m4/3 a blast. Get one of these beauties, enjoy photography and don't always look for the soft option when there's so much fun to be had.
lemmy
lemmy
16 2.9k
Oct 21, 2014 9:18am
Quote:I was really hoping for Image stabilisation as well. Really can’t see why they struggle to do this, it just means another Panasonic camera I won’t be buying. They struggle to do it for a simple reason. High quality video shooting generates heat in the sensor, Dissipating that heat requires a heat sink, the more heat the bigger the sync. IBIS like the E-MD1's requires a lightweight sensor so that it can react fast to camera movement - but an effective heat sink adds weight to the sensor. Therefore you can have effective IBIS or high qualty video but not both. The problem is compounded in a tiny camera like the GM5 where the body has little room for heat dissipation anyway. The GX7 compromises by having fairly rudimentary IBIS so the sensor need not be ultra-light and it's in a larger body, of course. If 4K video and 5 way IBIS could be done, would both Olympus and Panasonic not be doing it? Each maker has chosen its best compromise for its market, Olympus, rudimentary video (though good enough for many) and superb stabilization, Panasonic high quality video with in lens stabilization, practically as effective as IBIS but adding to the complexity of the lens. I can't see Panasonic changing their policy since for the younger generation of photographers movie comes as naturally as stills and they want their camera to cater for that. I can't see Olympus changing theirs since historically they were stills camera specialists and they still are. Actually we are spoiled for choice of MFT cameras, from pocket sized to 4k monsters and everything in between. If you don't like Panasonic, buy Olympus and vice-versa but makers can't please everyone.
lemmy
lemmy
16 2.9k
Oct 21, 2014 3:00pm
Quote:EM1 has the critical edge but when you get so much out of an ultra-portable like the GM1, With the GM5 having the same focusing performance and image quality as the E-M1 and GH4 I find it slightly disturbing to realize that the GM5 could be possibly the only camera I'd need for what I do. The big cameras have swiveling or tilting screens and bigger EVFs but I have a feeling that a pair of GM5s with 12-32 on one and the new tiny 35-100 on the other might be more useful in terms of real photography by being always with you.
dannyr
dannyr
14 49
Oct 21, 2014 9:37am
I have always been stuck in the middle between Olympus and Panasonic, I Prefer the Panasonic interface and camera designs, but cant live without antishake and I prefer the punchy colours from Olympus.......guess I'll have to buy Kodak 🙂
JohnHoppy
15 5
Oct 21, 2014 7:50pm
Quote: I have a feeling that a pair of GM5s with 12-32 on one and the new tiny 35-100 on the other might be more useful in terms of real photography by being always with you. Couldn't argue. Though if I were limited to only one camera permanently, my choice would have to be EM1. It's the complete camera, and its EVF is exemplary, where from what I hear the EM5 has some way to go. Isn't it great we have so much choice to take great pics at half the cost of 'serious' SLRs?
oluv
9
Oct 21, 2014 9:47am
can please anyone test, if the GM5 still suffers from the "1st shot bug"? this is what put me off with the GM1, when shooting RAW+JPEG, the camera got blocked after only 5 shots, if not enough time was left to save the 1st shot. i tried to demonstrate this here: http://youtu.be/wwLDBUFVJuc it would be great if the GM5 didn't suffer from the same problem, so an upgrade would really be sensible.
lemmy
lemmy
16 2.9k
Oct 21, 2014 10:22pm
We are particularly lucky having two makers with such a different ethos, Olympus with their constant improvement of more traditional ideas and Panasonic with their constant innovation. Last modified by lemmy on 21 Oct 2014 10:23PM
HiTorque
9 1
Oct 22, 2014 4:54am
I had GM1 for a month during our last holidays in Europe this summer - around 3,000 shots. The good part - videos were brilliant, so I hope GM5 will inherit this. Not so good observation - ergonomics, the control wheel gone on GM5. This was bad design of GM1. The second issue - fixed touch screen, this made GM1 almost unusable in bright sunny days and often I was shooting just hoping for the best. So GM5 has EVF and it hopefully will help. Another issue - I had to shoot all in Raw, I just could not adjust JPEG engine to my optimum taste, but everyone is different so it might not be applicable to you. As the result I had to manually adjust 3,000 images in Panasonic software, which again was of very good quality and good features. Now the worst part is OIS in the lenses. I got a lot of bad images where stock 12-32mm mega-OIS lenses didn't provide good stabilisation. The fix- you need to buy short prime like 20mm f1.7 and/or Panasonic Power OIS lenses that I tested and it was a game changer. The bad part - they are more expensive. So after I got home I sold GM1 w/out lenses and bought PEN E-P5 body (with 5 axis stabilisation). Now I can use good quality Panasonic lenses that I think has a winning edge over Oly lenses. I can adjust JPEG engine to match my Raw, but I shoot in Raw sometimes. The touch screen is movable - big plus. The price - E-P5 is bigger and much heavier than GM1 but image quality is better. Would I buy GM5? I guess I would only w/out lenses on ebay in a year or two AND only because I have Power-OIS 45-175mm.