Upgrade Guide
Lumix FZ1000→Lumix GH4
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Strong upgrade
The GH4 improves across 3 key areas at a reasonable price gap. Most FZ1000 owners will notice the difference.
What's new in the GH4
-
Weather sealingAdded — fully sealed body
-
StabilisationIBIS added — significant for handheld and video
-
Battery life~500 shots (CIPA) vs ~360 shots (CIPA)
Unchanged or similar
-
Resolution16MP (down from 20MP — optimised for low light)
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | FZ1000 | GH4 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +0.3 | ||
| Street | +1.1 | ||
| Travel | +1.2 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +0.9 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | +0.9 | ||
| Filmmaking | +0.8 | ||
| Documentary | +1.6 | ||
| Sports & Action | +1.4 | ||
| Landscape | +0.9 | ||
| Wildlife | +1.3 | ||
| Casual | +1.1 | ||
| Food | +0.8 | ||
| Macro | +2.2 | ||
| Architecture | +0.3 | ||
| Astrophotography | +1.9 |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | FZ1000 | GH4 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £237 used | £149 used | |
| Released | 2014 | 2014 | |
| Sensor | 20.1MP 1-inch MOS | 16.05MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS | |
| Resolution | 20MP | 16MP | ↓ |
| Video | 4K/25p, Full HD 50p | 4K/30p, C4K/24p (first consumer camera with 4K), 1080p/96fps | |
| Autofocus | Contrast AF with DFD; face/eye detection, 49-area | Contrast-detect DFD AF, face detection | |
| Stabilisation | Optical image stabilisation (lens-based) | None (no body IBIS) | |
| Burst Rate | 12fps (7fps with continuous AF) | 12fps (AFS), 7fps (AFC) | |
| Battery Life | ~360 shots (CIPA) | ~500 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 831g (with battery) | 560g (with battery and card) | ↑ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Yes | ↑ |
| Viewfinder | Electronic OLED, 0.39", 2.36M dots, 0.7x, eye sensor | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.67× magnification | |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating LCD, 921k dots | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | |
| Mount | Fixed Leica 16x zoom lens (25-400mm equivalent, f/2.8-4) | Micro Four Thirds | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD slot | Single SD UHS-I slot |
Compare side-by-side
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Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the GH4 against your specific genres — not just specs.
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