CameraDecision
  • CAMERAS
  • LENSES
  • TOOLS
    • Smart Find
    • 1-on-1 Comparison
    • Size Comparison

Nikon D5600 vs Panasonic GX85

x
Camera to replace
Change

Nikon D5600

24 MP | APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) CMOS Sensor

Nikon D5600
$496.95

CHECK TODAY's PRICE
Change

Panasonic GX85

16 MP | Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) CMOS Sensor

Panasonic GX85
$597.99

CHECK TODAY's PRICE
Nikon D5600 vs Panasonic GX85 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Nikon D5600, which was introduced in November 2016 is a Entry-Level DSLR camera with a 24.0MP APS-C sensor whereas Panasonic GX85, which was introduced in April 2016 is a Semi-Pro Mirrorless camera with a 16.0MP Four Thirds sensor. There is only 7 months difference between D5600 and GX85 so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Despite some fundamental differences of these two body types, Mirrorless cameras are becoming serious alternatives to DSLR cameras thanks to their size/weight advantages and recent improvements in their focus speeds , which makes this comparison even more interesting.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Nikon D5600 and Panasonic GX85 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon D5600 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2016-11-10
  • 24MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • Nikon F Mount
  • 3.2" Fully Articulated Screen
  • Optical (pentamirror) viewfinder
  • 5.0 fps continuous shooting
  • 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 465g. 124 x 97 x 70 mm
  • Replaced Nikon D5500 Compare

Panasonic GX85 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2016-04-05
  • 16MP - Four Thirds CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 200 - 25600 ( expands to 100)
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • 2764k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 8.0 fps continuous shooting
  • 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 426g. 122 x 71 x 44 mm
  • Also known as Lumix DMC-GX80 / Lumix DMC-GX7 Mark II

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon D5600 and Panasonic GX85 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon D5600 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX85
Max Sensor Resolution 24 MP vs 16 MP 50% more pixels
LCD Screen Size 3.2" vs 3" 0.2 inches larger display
Battery Life 820 shots vs 290 shots 530 more frames with a single charge
Microphone Port Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Flash Coverage 12.0m vs 6.0m 6m longer range
Color Depth 24.1 vs 22.9 higher color depth
Dynamic Range 14.0 vs 12.6 higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO 1306 vs 662 better High ISO performance
Sensor Pixel Area 15.28µm2 vs 14.21µm2 7% larger pixel area
NFC Connection Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Bluetooth Yes vs No Connect your camera to other devices via Blueetooth
Support for UHS Memory Cards UHS-1 vs none Read/Write in Ultra High Speeds
Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX85 over Nikon D5600
Built-in Image Stabilization Sensor-shift vs None All the lenses are stabilized
Number of Focus Points 49 vs 39 10 more focus points
Viewfinder Coverage 100% vs 95% More accurate viewfinder
Continuous Shooting 8.0fps vs 5.0fps 3 fps faster
Weight 426 g vs 465 g 39 g lighter
Max Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080 Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing Range ±3 EV vs ±2 EV Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR
4K Photo Mode Yes vs No Extract 8MP photos from 4K Video
Focus Stacking Yes vs No Stacks photos in-camera to maximize depth of field
Post Focus Mode Yes vs No Change focus point after taking a shot
Common Strengths of Nikon D5600 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX85
Wireless Connection Yes vs Yes Better connectivity
Articulating Screen Yes vs Yes Flexible shooting positions
Built-in Flash Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
External Flash Shoe Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Touch Screen Yes vs Yes Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder Yes (Optical) vs Yes (Electronic) Better framing and control
RAW Support Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
LCD Screen Resolution 1.037k dots vs 1.040k dots Higher resolution screens
Timelapse Recording Yes vs Yes creative shooting
AE Bracketing Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Smartphone Remote Control Yes vs Yes Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Common Weaknesses of Nikon D5600 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX85
Environmental Sealing No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Nikon D5600 vs Panasonic GX85: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Nikon D5600 and Panasonic GX85 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon D5600 and Panasonic GX85. Panasonic GX85 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 2mm narrower, 26mm shorter and 26mm thinner than Nikon D5600.

Nikon D5600 vs Panasonic GX85 Camera Size Comparison - Front View


Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon D5600 and Panasonic GX85.

Nikon D5600 vs Panasonic GX85 Camera Size Comparison - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon D5600 and Panasonic GX85.
Nikon D5600 vs Panasonic GX85 Camera Size Comparison - Top View

Nikon D5600 vs Panasonic GX85 Detailed Size Comparison

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic GX85 is 39g lighter than the Nikon D5600 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since Nikon D5600 has an APS-C sized sensor and Panasonic GX85 has a smaller Four Thirds sensor, Panasonic GX85's lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will generally be lighter and smaller than the Nikon D5600 lenses.

Weight Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

D5600
GX85
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

D5600
GX85
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon D5600 nor Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX85 (Lumix DMC-GX80 / Lumix DMC-GX7 Mark II) provides any type of weather sealing in their body, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top DSLR Cameras with Weather Sealing
Top Mirrorless Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon D5600's 3.2" LCD screen is slightly larger than Panasonic GX85's 3" screen.

Nikon D5600 vs Panasonic GX85: Sensor Comparison

Nikon D5600 has a 24.0MP APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Expeed 4 processor. On the other hand, Panasonic GX85 has a 16.0MP Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Venus Engine processor.

Nikon D5600's sensor provides 8MP more than Panasonic GX85's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Another difference between these two cameras is that Nikon D5600's sensor lacks anti-alias (Low-Pass) filter. Removing anti-alias filter increases the sharpness and level of detail but at the same time, it increases the chance of moire occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the D5600 and GX85 sensor size comparison.

Nikon D5600 vs Panasonic GX85 Sensor Size Comparison


As seen above, Nikon D5600 has a 1.6x Larger sensor area than Panasonic GX85. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

Both Nikon D5600 and Panasonic GX85 sensors have been tested by DxoMark. DxoMark scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Of the two cameras that we are comparing, D5600 has scored 84, 13 points higher than GX85.

What types of Photography are Nikon D5600 and Panasonic GX85 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon D5600 and Panasonic GX85 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Nikon D5600 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic GX85 for Portrait Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon D5600 for Street Photography

GOOD

Panasonic GX85 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
Read the details

Nikon D5600 for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT

Panasonic GX85 for Sports Photography

GOOD
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
9 Cross Type Focus sensors
39 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 820 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Fast Continuous Shooting: 8.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
49 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 290 shots
Read the details

Nikon D5600 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic GX85 for Daily Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Large Body
465g
Body Thickness 70mm
Read the details
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
426g
Body Thickness 44mm
Read the details

Nikon D5600 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic GX85 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Live-view
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details


Panasonic GX85 vs Nikon D5600 Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. When we look at the available lenses for these two cameras, we see that Nikon D5600 has an advantage over Panasonic GX85. There are 304 lenses for Nikon D5600's Nikon F mount, on the other hand there are only 101 lenses for Panasonic GX85's Micro Four Thirds lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Panasonic GX85 has a big advantage in this regard because it has a sensor based image stabilization which means that all the lenses mounted to this body will be stabilized. On the other hand, Nikon D5600 doesn't have this feature so you have to buy a lens with optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 101 lenses for Nikon F mount with Optical Image Stabilization features.

Lens Type # of Nikon D5600 Lenses # of Panasonic GX85 Lenses
Standard Zoom 33 14
Standard Prime 20 12
Wideangle Zoom 33 5
Wideangle Prime 47 27
Telephoto Zoom 53 17
Telephoto Prime 43 8
SuperZoom 30 8
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 8 5
Macro Prime 25 4
Perspective Control Prime 11 n/a
Telephoto Mirror Prime 1 1
TOTAL 304 101
Nikon D5600 vs Panasonic GX85: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Nikon D5600 and Panasonic GX85, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Nikon D5600 and Panasonic GX85 scores compare:

Nikon D5600
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #5 out of 77 in Compact SLR cameras
Ranked #83 out of 1190 in all Cameras
Panasonic GX85
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #8 out of 124 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #80 out of 1190 in all Cameras

Panasonic GX85 has a higher Overall Score than the Nikon D5600. It also has more features, more compact body and offers higher value for the money. But there is one area that GX85 trails behind the D5600: Imaging
If image quality is the most important aspect in a camera, choose the Nikon D5600. If not, we recommend the Panasonic GX85.

Nikon D5600
Nikon D5600
$496.95

Panasonic GX85
Panasonic GX85
$597.99

Panasonic GX85 vs Nikon D5600 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon D5600 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX85
Brand Nikon Panasonic
Announced 2016-11-10 2016-04-05
Body Type Compact SLR Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size APS-C Four Thirds
Dimensions 23.5 x 15.6 mm 17.3 x 13 mm
Area 366.60mm2 224.90mm2
Megapixels 24 megapixels 16 megapixels
Max Resolution 6000 x 4000 4592 x 3448
Max Native Light sensitivity 25,600 ISO 25,600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 200 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity - 100 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 39 49
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Nikon F Micro Four Thirds
Number of Available Lenses 304 101
Screen
Type Fully Articulated Tilting
Size 3.2" 3"
Resolution 1,037k dots 1,040k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Optical (pentamirror) Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution no electronic viewfinder 2,764k dots
Viewfinder Coverage 95% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.55 n/a
Photography Features
Max Shutter Speed 1/4000s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization No Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 12.00 m (at ISO 100) 6.00 m (at ISO 200)
Max Flash Sync 1/200s n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 5.0 fps 8.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 3840 x 2160
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264 MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 465g 426g
Dimensions 124 x 97 x 70mm 122 x 71 x 44mm
Battery Life 820 shots 290 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS Optional None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 84 71
DxO Color Depth 24.1 22.9
DxO Dynamic Range 14.0 12.6
DxO Low Light ISO 1306 662
Report a correction Report a correction
LATEST HOLIDAY DEALS!

Best Black Friday Deals of 2019
Nikon D750 FF for $996 only!
Sony Alpha a6000 with16-50mm $448
Sony A7 Mark III for $1528 + tax with Amazon Prime Card!

  • See all Active Deals here


  • Most Popular Cameras
    Nikon Z7
    Nikon Z7
    46 MP | Full frame BSI-CMOS | Nikon Z Mount
    Sony A6000
    Sony A6000
    24 MP | APS-C CMOS | Sony E Mount
    Fujifilm X-T3
    Fujifilm X-T3
    26 MP | APS-C BSI-CMOS | Fujifilm X Mount
    Sony A7 III
    Sony A7 III
    24 MP | Full frame BSI-CMOS | Sony E Mount
    Canon R
    Canon R
    30 MP | Full frame CMOS | Canon RF Mount
    Sony A6400
    Sony A6400
    24 MP | APS-C CMOS | Sony E Mount
    Nikon D5600
    Nikon D5600
    24 MP | APS-C CMOS | Nikon F Mount
    Nikon D850
    Nikon D850
    46 MP | Full frame BSI-CMOS | Nikon F Mount
    Nikon D3500
    Nikon D3500
    24 MP | APS-C CMOS | Nikon F Mount
    Nikon D750
    Nikon D750
    24 MP | Full frame CMOS | Nikon F Mount
    Top Rated DSLR Cameras
    Top DSLR Cameras Under $500
    Top DSLR Cameras Under $750
    Top DSLR Cameras Under $1000
    Top DSLR Cameras Under $1500
    Top Rated Mirrorless Cameras
    Top Mirrorless Cameras Under $500
    Top Mirrorless Cameras Under $750
    Top Mirrorless Cameras Under $1000
    Top Mirrorless Cameras Under $1500
    <
    Latest Cameras
    Leica SL2
    Leica SL2
    47 MP | Full frame CMOS | Leica L Mount
    Fujifilm X-Pro3
    Fujifilm X-Pro3
    26 MP | APS-C BSI-CMOS | Fujifilm X Mount
    Olympus E-M5 III
    Olympus E-M5 III
    20 MP | Four Thirds CMOS | Micro Four Thirds Mount
    Nikon Z50
    Nikon Z50
    21 MP | APS-C BSI-CMOS | Nikon Z Mount
    Sony A9 II
    Sony A9 II
    24 MP | Full frame BSI-CMOS | Sony E Mount
    Canon M200
    Canon M200
    24 MP | APS-C CMOS | Canon EF-M Mount
    Fujifilm X-A7
    Fujifilm X-A7
    24 MP | APS-C CMOS | Fujifilm X Mount
    Panasonic S1H
    Panasonic S1H
    24 MP | Full frame CMOS | Leica L Mount
    Canon M6 MII
    Canon M6 MII
    33 MP | APS-C CMOS | Canon EF-M Mount
    Canon 90D
    Canon 90D
    33 MP | APS-C CMOS | Canon EF/EF-S Mount

    Copyright © 2019 by CameraDecision
    About Feedback Privacy Cameras

    Report a Correction