Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2
      63
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      Disclosure: We earn money from the affiliate links to products associated with content in this article.

      Overview

      In this comparison, we will evaluate the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2, highlighting the advantages of each over the other, discussing their pros and cons, shared strengths and weaknesses, and providing a rating based on their available features and specifications to assist you in choosing the one that best suits your needs.

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 was introduced in July 2009 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 was introduced in March 2011. Let us first list highlights of the models.

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 Highlights

      • 12 MP Micro Four Thirds CMOS Sensor
      • 100 - 1,600 Native ISO
      • 3.0" 460k dot Fully Articulated Screen
      • Electronic (LVF) Viewfinder
      • 3.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 1920 x 1080 Video Shooting
      • 30 min Video Recording Limit
      • Built-in Flash

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 Highlights

      • 16 MP Micro Four Thirds CMOS Sensor
      • 160 - 12,800 Native ISO
      • 23 Focus Points (23 Cross-type)
      • 3.0" 460k dot Fully Articulated Screen
      • 1,534k dot Electronic (LVF) Viewfinder
      • 3.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 1920 x 1080 Video Shooting
      • 30 min Video Recording Limit
      • Built-in Flash
      Table of Contents
      1. Overview
      2. Pros and Cons
      3. Advantage of Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1
      4. Advantage of Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2
      5. Common Strengths and Weaknesses
      6. Screen and Viewfinder
      7. Sensor
      8. Photography Features
      9. Connectivity, Battery and Storage
      10. Other Features
      11. Physical Parameters
      12. For Different Types of Photography
      13. Evaluations
      14. Specifications  

      Now that we've looked at the most essential specifications and gained a basic understanding of these cameras, we can delve into more details and see the differences between them.

      Pros and Cons

      In this section we present pros and cons of Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2.

      PROS

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2

      •   Video Capture
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Light - 385 g (0.85 lb / 13.58 oz)
      •   Video Capture
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Light - 442 g (0.97 lb / 15.59 oz)

      CONS

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2

      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 12 Megapixel
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   Low Bit Depth
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.0 fps
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 320 shots
      •   Small Sensor
      •   160 Lowest Native ISO
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Low Resolution Viewfinder - 1,534k dot
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.0 fps
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 330 shots


      And here are some specifications which fall into average criteria and are neither in PROs nor in CONs category:

      AVERAGE

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2

      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/160 sec
      •   DxO Overall Score - 64
      •   Sensor Resolution - 16 Megapixel
      •   12,800 Highest Native ISO
      •   23 Focus Points
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/160 sec
      •   DxO Overall Score - 60

      Advantage of Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1

      Panasonic GH1
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      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2.

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2
      Lower Native ISO 100 vs 160
      Higher DxO Low Light ISO 772 vs 655
      Higher DxO Color Depth 21.6 vs 21.2
      Higher DxO Dynamic Range 11.6 vs 11.3
      Higher DxO Overall Score 64 vs 60
      Lighter 385 g (0.85 lb / 13.58 oz) vs 442 g (0.97 lb / 15.59 oz)

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1.

      Panasonic GH5 II
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      Micro Four Thirds

      20.33 MP

      Panasonic GH5
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      Micro Four Thirds

      20.3 MP

      Panasonic GH5S
      Image cannot be found

      Micro Four Thirds

      10.28 MP

      Panasonic GH3
      Image cannot be found

      Micro Four Thirds

      16.05 MP

      Panasonic GH6
      Image cannot be found

      Micro Four Thirds

      25.2 MP

      Panasonic GH4
      Image cannot be found

      Micro Four Thirds

      16.05 MP

      Sigma sd Quattro
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      APS-C

      29 MP

      Leica S2
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      Medium format

      38 MP

      Canon 5DS
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      Full Frame

      50.6 MP

      Samsung GX-1L
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      APS-C

      6 MP

      Olympus OM-D E-M5
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      Micro Four Thirds

      16.1 MP

      Leica M Edition 60
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      Full Frame

      23.7 MP

      Advantage of Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2

      Panasonic GH2
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      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1.

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2
      Higher Sensor Resolution 12 Megapixel vs 16 Megapixel
      Higher Native ISO 1,600 vs 12,800
      Max Image Resolution 4000 x 3000 vs 4608 x 3456
      Tracking Autofocus vs
      Face Detection vs
      Touch Screen vs
      Speaker vs Mono
      Longer Battery Life 320 shots vs 330 shots

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2.

      Panasonic GH5 II
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      Micro Four Thirds

      20.33 MP

      Panasonic GH6
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      Micro Four Thirds

      25.2 MP

      Panasonic GH3
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      Micro Four Thirds

      16.05 MP

      Panasonic GH5
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      Micro Four Thirds

      20.3 MP

      Panasonic GH5S
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      Micro Four Thirds

      10.28 MP

      Panasonic GH4
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      Micro Four Thirds

      16.05 MP

      OM System OM-1
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      Micro Four Thirds

      20.4 MP

      Nikon D850
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      Full Frame

      45.7 MP

      Canon 5DS
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      Full Frame

      50.6 MP

      Leica M Edition 60
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      Full Frame

      23.7 MP

      Sony a7R II
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      Full Frame

      42.4 MP

      Samsung GX-20
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      APS-C

      15.1 MP

      Common Strengths and Weaknesses

      We already listed pros and cons of each model. However, you may also find useful to look at their common strengths and weaknesses shown side-by-side.

      STRENGTHS Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2
        Video Capture
        Live View Autofocus
        Screen TypeFully ArticulatedFully Articulated
        Built-in Flash
        HDMI Output Mini Type C
        Light385 g (0.85 lb / 13.58 oz)442 g (0.97 lb / 15.59 oz)
      WEAKNESSES Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2
        Small SensorMicro Four ThirdsMicro Four Thirds
        Timelapse Recording
        No Image Stabilization
        Low Resolution Screen460k dot460k dot
        Low Max Continuous Shooting3.0 fps3.0 fps
        Low Video Resolution1920 x 10801920 x 1080
        Low Video Recording Limit30 min30 min
        No Headphone Output
        No Built-in GPS
        No Built-In Wi-Fi
        No Built-In Bluetooth
        No Environmental Sealing
        Short Battery Life320 shots330 shots

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Screen

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 have 3.0" Fully Articulated screens with 460k dot resolution. Fully articulated screen makes cameras selfie and vlogger friendly and generally very useful for video shooting. Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 also features touchscreen which has advantages such as easy menu navigation, intuitive controls, quick setting adjustment

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      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 with Fully Articulated screen


      Viewfinder

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 has a built-in Electronic (LVF) viewfinderPanasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 has a built-in Electronic (LVF) viewfinder with 1,534k dot resolution. They both have 100% coverage.

      Sensor

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 features a 12 megapixel Micro Four Thirds CMOS sensor with dimensions of 17.3 x 13 mm and a total area of 224.9 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 1,600 and expands to 100 - 3,200 in boosted mode. Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 features a 16 megapixel Micro Four Thirds CMOS sensor with dimensions of 17.3 x 13 mm and a total area of 169 mm2. Its native ISO range is 160 - 12,800.


      Here is a sensor size comparison chart where you can see how different sensors compare with each other:

      Sensor size chart
      Sensor Dimensions Area Aspect Ratio Crop Factor
      Image cannot be displayedMedium Format44 x 33 mm1452 mm24:30.79x
      Image cannot be displayedFull Frame36 x 24 mm864 mm23:21x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-H27 x 18 mm486 mm23:21.3x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-C23.6 x 15.6 mm368.2 mm23:21.5x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-C (Canon)22.3 x 14.9 mm332.3 mm23:21.6x
      Image cannot be displayedMicro Four Thirds17.4 x 13 mm226.2 mm24:32x
      Image cannot be displayed1-inch13.2 x 8.8 mm116.2 mm23:22.7x
      Image cannot be displayed1/1.7-inch7.44 x 5.58 mm41.5 mm24:34.7x
      Image cannot be displayed1/2.3-inch6.17 x 4.55 mm28.1 mm24:35.6x

      Photography Features

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 is equipped with Venus Engine HD processor and can take pictures up to 4000 x 3000 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 4000 x 3000, 4128 x 2752, 4352 x 2448, 3072 x 1728, 2992 x 2992, 2928 x 1952, 2816 x 2112, 2112 x 2112, 2064 x 1376, 2048 x 1536, 1920 x 1080, 1504 x 1504 with 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 aspect ratios. Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 is equipped with Venus Engine FHD processor and can take pictures up to 4608 x 3456 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 4752 x 3168, 4976 x 2800, 3520 x 1980, 3456 x 3456, 3360 x 2240, 3264 x 2448, 2448 x 2448, 2400 x 1600, 2336 x 1752, 1920 x 1280, 1920 x 1080, 1920 x 1440, 1744 x 1744, 1792 x 1792 with 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 aspect ratios.


      Lens Mount

      Cameras have Micro Four Thirds lens mount. Due to their Micro Four Thirds sensor their crop factor (also called lens multiplier) is equal to 2x. This means that a 35mm equivalent focal length of the mounted lens will be equal to its actual focal length times 2.


      No Image Stabilization

      The cameras do not have image stabilization. On Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 it means that you need lenses with optical image stabilization for vibration reduction. As for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 nothing can be done. On Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 it means that you need lenses with optical image stabilization for vibration reduction. As for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 nothing can be done.

      Connectivity, Battery and Storage

      USB Inputs and HDMI Outputs

      Both models have USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) inputs for data transfer. Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 has an HDMI and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 has a Mini Type C HDMI connector for video signal output.


      External Storage Slots

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 has a single SD/SDHC card slot. Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 has a single SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-I) card slot.

      Other Features

      Shutter

      Shutter speed can go up to 1/4000 sec on Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1, and up to 1/4000 sec on Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2. Cameras can shoot continuously up to 3.0 fps.


      Flash

      Cameras have built-in flash with maximum range of 10.50 m on Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 and 15.60 m on Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2. They also accept external flash which can be connected via Hot Shoe to Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 and via Hot-shoe: TTL Auto with FL220 / FL360 / FL500 (Optional) to Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/160 sec on both cameras.

      Physical Parameters

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 body has dimensions of 124 x 90 x 45 mm (4.88 x 3.54 x 1.77") and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 body has dimensions of 124 x 90 x 76 mm (4.88 x 3.54 x 2.99"). Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 weighs 385 g (0.85 lb / 13.58 oz) and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 weighs 442 g (0.97 lb / 15.59 oz).

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2

      124 mm

      90 mm

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      124 mm

      90 mm

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      90 mm

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      90 mm

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      45 mm

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      76 mm

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      Size comparisons of Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 for Different Types of Photography

      We give scores to the cameras for six types of photography based on their features and specifications. Let us see how suitable they are for each type of photography.

      Landscape Photography

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2

      AVERAGE
      65
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      GOOD
      70
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing

      Sports Photography

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2

      AVERAGE
      56
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.0 fps
      •   Short Battery Life - 320 shots
      AVERAGE
      67
      •   12,800 Highest Native ISO
      •   23 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Low Resolution Viewfinder - 1,534k dot
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.0 fps
      •   Short Battery Life - 330 shots

      Wildlife Photography

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2

      AVERAGE
      55
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.0 fps
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 320 shots
      AVERAGE
      60
      •   12,800 Highest Native ISO
      •   23 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Low Resolution Viewfinder - 1,534k dot
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.0 fps
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 330 shots

      Portrait Photography

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2

      GOOD
      70
      •   Small Sensor
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/160 sec
      GOOD
      76
      •   Small Sensor
      •   23 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/160 sec

      Street Photography

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2

      GOOD
      84
      •   Small Sensor
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 385 g (0.85 lb / 13.58 oz)
      GOOD
      83
      •   Small Sensor
      •   23 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 442 g (0.97 lb / 15.59 oz)

      Travel Photography

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2

      GOOD
      82
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 385 g (0.85 lb / 13.58 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 320 shots
      GOOD
      82
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 442 g (0.97 lb / 15.59 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 330 shots

      Evaluations

      We evaluate Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 and give both of them the score of 63 out of 100. We also give separate scores for 7 different categories according to the available features and specifications some of which are listed below. These evaluations are relative and may change each time a new camera is added to the database.


      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2

      OVERALL
      63
      OVERALL
      63

      Sensor

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2

      AVERAGE
      64
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 12 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   DxO Overall Score - 64
      AVERAGE
      65
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Sensor Resolution - 16 Megapixel
      •   160 Lowest Native ISO
      •   12,800 Highest Native ISO
      •   DxO Overall Score - 60

      Photo

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2

      AVERAGE
      57
      •   Low Bit Depth
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/160 sec
      AVERAGE
      55
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/160 sec

      Video

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2

      BAD
      16
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      BAD
      16
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit

      Focusing

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2

      AVERAGE
      67
      •   No Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      AVERAGE
      66
      •   23 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2

      GOOD
      81
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      GOOD
      84
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Low Resolution Viewfinder - 1,534k dot

      Connectivity

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2

      GOOD
      78
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      GOOD
      78
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth

      Battery, Storage and Physical

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2

      POOR
      41
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 385 g (0.85 lb / 13.58 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 320 shots
      POOR
      41
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 442 g (0.97 lb / 15.59 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 330 shots


      For a full specification list please go to the specifications page:

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