Canon S120 vs Panasonic GM5

Panasonic GM5 advantages over Canon S120

• Larger sensor
  4/3 vs 1/1.7 inch
  More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
• Eye-level viewfinder
  Eye-level vs Rear display only
  You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
• Bigger pixels
  ~ 3.77 vs 1.90 microns
  Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
• In-camera panoramas
  Yes vs No
  Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
• Fast startup
  ~1.00 vs 1.5 sec
  Faster startup lets you catch the moment
• 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.

  GM5 test data on DxO Mark S120 test data on DxO Mark
  721 vs 246 iso
  Take photos in low light with less noise
• Shoots 24p video
  Yes vs No
  Gives your movies a big-screen feel
• Hot shoe
  Hot shoe vs None
  Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
• More pixels
  16.0 vs 12.1 megapixels
  Higher resolution photos
• Bulb shutter
  Bulb vs No bulb
  Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures
• Bigger JPEG buffer
  56 vs 5 shots
  Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
• Faster RAW shooting
  4.9 fps vs 1.9 fps
  Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
• Faster shutter
  1/16000 vs 1/2500 sec
  Shoot wide open in bright light
• Higher extended ISO
  25600 vs 12800 ISO
  Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility