Little, Improved: Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM5 review posted

Reporting in from 2019 - this is still the best tiny ILC on the market. Imagine a mark 2 version with IBIS, bigger EVF, and a reversible fully articulating screen... or no rear screen... I think that'd be amazing. This camera is still amazing though.

I have a GM5 and I purchased it for its size and portability and because it has a viewfinder, so I could carry and have available a good camera almost always. I already had a GH2 but this I find was not able to do this. The GM5 came with the 12-32mm lens and I purchased the 35-100mm lens at the same time, because I already had a number of Micro four-thirds lenses I normally carry the f1.7 20mm lens and the f8 9mm fish-eye lens as well. the amaziing thing is I can carry the camera and all these lenses, plus two spare batteries and and the flash that comes with GM5 in a number of lens pouches and the total weight is just under 1kg and it can all be fitted into a cylinder 11cm in diameter and 29cm long. I find the picture quality is possibly better then the GH2 and I have not found battery life an issue, I have never had to change battery more than once in a day and the batteries do charge very quickly, in under 3 hours. The only thing I miss on GH2 is the tilting rear screen. GM5 is 5*.

Thanks very much for your review, Allison. It has been very helpful to me.

I'm amazed that this should get the same rating as the Samsung NX200, which is streets ahead, though years earlier, with mag alloy construction, APS-C sensor, more MP, less noise, etc.

I can never understand these reviewers' predilection for M4/3 cameras, as I have one and they are a dead end, easily surpassed by similarly, or lower priced APS-C mirrorless cameras.

I would buy this camera in a minute if I could afford it. Not cheap in Canada.
F.

Nice set up with Pana15, Oly 25 and 45. perfect image Quality in a way nobody else can deliver in such a small package. Never used a flash for the last i guess 5 years. 1.7 lenses and there is not need for a flash. Also with the pana 14-140 it is a small superzoomer with much better image Qualitiy than FZ1000 or RX10 and much smaller. And you can use the fast primes.......
My normal day set up
Gm5 with 14-140
G7 with 100-300
GM1 with one the the primes
....or in any other combination in a small bag under 2 KG with 3 Bodys and 5 lenses...is there anything else i need??

For such tiny cameras, a built-in flash is best. As it is, it can't compete with the A6000. Only for owners of M43 lenses. I will wait for the GM7.

Another Panasonic flashless camera for the consumer market!

Here's another consideration. I hyper-extended my shoulder/upper arm area several years ago. Up until that time I used and loved Canon Cameras and Lenses. On my next trip to France I was in severe pain from carrying around the Canon with lens. I just couldn't do it. So, after much consideration, I switched to the Lumix line of cameras. I am now equipped with a GX7 and a GM5. What a nice way to still enjoy taking photos during travels while not aggravating an old physical injury. I think the Lumix G series of cameras offers a nice alternative to heavy DSLR cameras while still having the ability to use a full range of quality lenses.

Great little camera! Had it since the holidays. It can go places no other ILC can go.

I put the 15mm on it and throw it in a coat pocket if I'm not taking a "big" camera with me. Superb little performer. Surprisingly, the "kit zoom" is an *excellent* lens.

I want 1080/60p video recording with my GM-1, should be included in new FW.

Here's a thought for the reviewer's once in a lifetime vacation...bring a once in a lifetime camera setup. For all the rest, use the GM5 and its various jewel-like lens options. Absolute sensor performance doesn't mean that much to me anymore. Sensors have gotten so good relatively that if you can't cope with any of the modern sensors, you're doing it wrong. With a 5D2 and 1D3 handy to me, I want the biggest gap in size and handiness to those...I still take my GM1 everywhere and have produced more keepers with it than any other camera I've owned. My NEX flirtation was short lived...not small enough to be unobtrusive to go everywhere.

It is as if Panasonic marketing does things specifically to spite customers. I have, and love, the GM1.....When I can use it, which is any time there is no sunshine in the area. I was hoping for the GM5, or something similar, since purchase of the GM1. Now, Panasonic decides they are not going to sell this interchangable lens camera, body-only. I do not need, and will not pay for, another identical kit lens. At a bare minimum, they should offer a kit version with the newer 35-100 lens.

It is probably foolish for me to rant here. My purpose is to make Panasonic aware of the fact that I- a loyal Panasonic customer- want a body-only option for this camera. How insane must I be to think that Panasonic would monitor a consumer based site like DPreview?

"Dated sensor"

Come on: this is electronics: it is 2015: if it is in stock it is out of date!

I will wait until they are £250 -should be end of the year

Actually I would suggest that the GM1 is more of an enthusiast camera than the GM5 which leans to a less enthusiast ease of use evf. "to make it easier". Enthusiast means offering a challenge to the user to make it work well. Point and shoot means "easy living" to get "acceptable" images but incapable of doing much more no matter how you try.

So if you look for easy living then you can use the GM1/5 as such, but a camera that bring out enthusism must always be an enthusiast camera. To see it otherwise is more a user problem than a problem with the camera itself

Give me a break. The LX100 scores 85% and the GM5 77%. According to DPR even the IQ of the 12MP sensor, zoom lens equipped LX seems to better the GM5 with the 45mm/1.8. I had the LX100 and returned after one week. Its IQ is noticeably and clearly inferior to the GM1/GM5 with any of the mft prime lenses. The "Leica Vario Summilux" (what a mouthful) glued to the LX100 is actually a pretty disappointing performer and especially fully open at its wide an long ends not good enough and easily bettered by most zooms of other compacts (e.g. RX100III). I picked up the GM5 last night and with either the 15mm, 25/1.8 or 45mm primes its so much more serious as a camera as compared to the DPR hyped LX100.

Thank you for the review Allison.. nicely done. I would add that its so short sighted of Panny not to include a tilty screen.. a small discreet camera like this would be used a lot in street shooting- cafes-tight crowded spaces ect.. its allmost a must here..

I love the camera but it is WAY too expensive (GM1 is still pricey too, even used). People should take a look at the Panasonic GF6 which doesn't have the 1/500s shutter limitation which I think could be a problem for fast motions. Too bad the GF7 also has the screwy shutter.

2012 m43 sensor is not more dated than a 2012 D800 sensor.
All made by Sony. Would ppl find this sensor "dated" if mounted on a recent camera ?
Not me.

Yeah! First camera in two months. Another silver award! Pop that champagne folks.
You'd have to be an artichoke not to get a silver award these days.
Lucky that you got the comment about the sensor being 'dated', that word is going out and will turn into 'special' in a few months...You have to decipher these reviews like an intercepted KGB document from the 70s.
Here is the way I read it:
It's expensive for a 3yo sensor and 3/4 sucks vs. new sonys APS-C that can be had for half the money, only redeeming quality it fits in my handbag which is a complete mess anyways.

Where is Sony A77 Mark II review guys? How many years will it take you?

Still no control over minimum shutter speed for auto-ISO in the A and P modes???

lol

Next people will ask DPR about the true meaning of "bad JPEGs".

With respect, and having enjoyed her review in a number of ways, I still think Allison needs to provide us with her criteria for labelling the GM5 sensor as "dated." Many here and elsewhere (eg the m4/3rds forum) have rushed to surmise what they think she means, but it is better to give her the chance to tell us herself. I hope she does that.

F.

I've had mine for about a month and it's been in my handbag or coat pocket ever since. Just love it. I slipped a tiny but sturdy manfrotto tripod into my handbag as well which is very useful to take pics in exhibitions, cafes or churches. Or to use the GM5 with a smartphone to take short videos of kids in a way they don't notice it too much.

Upcoming Metz 26 could be a compact match to the GM5 for those unhappy with the supplied flash.

Have hardly used the evf so far because the lcd is good enough for the current weather over here (grey or partly sunny).

Thought my 14-140 (version 2) lens would be unbalanced on such a small body but it's OK and will remain the main lens I use on mountain walks.

Wish Oly would come up with an e-pm3 with decent screen and wifi to hold the primes.

I don't get the autofocus remark. Single point autofocus of GM1/GM5 is decisively better than A5100/A6000, especially under low light. And despite using a purely contrast detect system, continuous autofocus is very very useable. It's most certainly not "more point-and-shoot-like than the competition". Quite the opposite, it's one of the strenghts of the camera.

I'm really happy with my GM5. For years I've longed for a pocketable camera with EVF and with a small tele lens. Panasonic did it, and did a fantastic job at it.

This is not a camera for people who want an item of lust like the OM-D or X-T1. This camera is a tool to add to your toolbox. Together with the pancakes and collapsible zooms, it makes for a perfect companion to a full frame system. It gets the job done.

Allison, very informative and well written review. :)

I think almost every comment below this one could be ignored.

Carl

First camera review in almost a month and a half! And a seven pages long.
Congratulations, DPR!

That's a shame DPR didn't show a comparison of the EVF size compared to other models (Sony RX100 III, Panasonic LX100 and some other MFT bodies).
It's difficult to gauge how small it is compared to a "regular" MFT body (E-M10, GX7, etc.).

<grammar alert>

Little, Improved

That is ambiguous grammar.

Is that supposed to mean the camera has hardly been improved over the previous version (as in little improvement) or is a small camera that has had improvements made to it?

"Small, improved" is less ambiguous if you are going to adopt a spartan headline and use a comma instead of a "but" or an "and".

</grammar alert>

I don't really understand the GM5 vs. RX100 III comparison based on pocketability, I had/have both. When I owned the RX100 II yes, I could put it in my jeans pocket, but it was very heavy tight and uncomfortable. Some of my jackets have bigger pockets, but than now I can put my GM5 w. kit in it that too. So? Call it pocketable? C’mon! What kind of clothing you guys generally wearing? “Sony fit?”:-)))
I have a nice set, the GM5 with 14-140mm (28-280mm) lens on it, in a small “case logic” bag. Great versatile combo, only 476g (1.05lb)! It’s no other kits comes close to that, comparing/including size, weight, IQ or versatility!

"but its 16MP sensor struggles to compete with high-res APS-C chips"

DPR bias: there is no similar remark in the Canon 7D2 review.

Funny to see all these notorious m4/3 haters still hating. :)
There argumentation is the most funny part. Thank you dpr for posting this review. Ans in the comments we can read that m4/3 is alive and kicking because it fears the people who use other systems.

This series of tiny cameras are actually the only m4/3 bodies I consider reasonable.

If I'm suppose to use something smaller than APS-C - it must at least come in a compact-sized setup. Shame that overall it's heavier than RX100, and hardly fits the jeans pocket, but still it's probably the best thing that m4/3 has to offer.

I find it amusing people get hung up with the "dated sensor" comment. Sometimes you have to call a spade a spade.

Even ignoring the competition with bigger sensors, m43 sensors have remained largely the same since 2011-2012, since the jump to 16MP. With only marginal improvements through better image processing and those improvements are still hotly debated in forums here. I don't think it would be responsible for DPR to hide this tidbit about the sensor in the overall review.

This is the same situation as to when 43 DSLRs and early m43 cameras were stuck with the dated 12MP sensor for many years. All my 43 cameras are from that era, they take fine photos, you just have to be aware of their limitations compared to more recent cameras with the latest sensor tech.

Jusy my two pennyworth but i think it is a mistake by Panasonic to not provide a built in flash.
Ok add-ons are more powerful etc but who are these cameras aimed at?

The LX100 - no flash and now the GM5?
Basic photo punters do not want to carry a separate flash around with them to a friends house or out in their other pocket. Just want to take a quick snap oh hang on everyone I need to find and then attach the flash - hey where did everyone go?
A built in flash is one of the functions that make cameras like the E-M10 and the NEX I mean A6000 lines popular.
A built in flash is dam useful. If there is no room on top anymore why not squeeze one on the front like the days of old - software or the camera can remove red-eye.

Personally I would not choose a camera without one, I know that counts for zip but it is a feature that I look for. Currently have D610, X-E2, NEX-6 and E-M10.

Gonna start a bring back the built in flash campaign haha.