Canon S120 vs Panasonic GX8

Panasonic GX8 advantages over Canon S120

• Larger sensor
  4/3 vs 1/1.7 inch
  More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
• Tilt-swivel screen
  Tilt-swivel vs none
  Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
• Eye-level viewfinder
  Eye-level vs Rear display only
  You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
• Bigger pixels
  ~ 3.34 vs 1.90 microns
  Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
• Shoot 4K video
  4K (UHD) vs 1080p
  Make sure you have a fast computer
• In-camera panoramas
  Yes vs No
  Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
• NFC
  Yes vs No
  Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
• 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.

  GX8 test data on DxO Mark S120 test data on DxO Mark
  23.5 vs 21.3 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.

  GX8 test data on DxO Mark S120 test data on DxO Mark
  806 vs 246 iso
  Take photos in low light with less noise
• Longer stills battery life
  More info

  Longer stills battery life

  Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

  Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

  340 vs 230 shots
  Capture more photos
• External Mic Jack
  Jack vs No jack
  Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
• 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
  20.3 vs 12.1 megapixels
  Higher resolution photos
• Bulb shutter
  Bulb vs No bulb
  Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures
• Bigger JPEG buffer
  Unlimited vs 5 shots
  Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
• Faster RAW shooting
  7.9 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