Upgrade Guide
Lumix GM5→Lumix FZ72
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Worthwhile
Clear improvements over the GM5. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.
What's new in the FZ72
-
Burst rate9fps (5fps with continuous AF) vs 5.8fps (5fps with continuous AF)
-
Battery life~400 shots (CIPA) vs ~210 shots (CIPA)
Unchanged or similar
-
ResolutionSimilar (16MP)
-
StabilisationIBIS not present in new body
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 | GM5 | FZ72 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | -1.1 | ||
| Street | -2.9 | ||
| Travel | -1.9 | ||
| Wedding & Events | -0.8 | ||
| Documentary | -0.5 | ||
| Sports & Action | -0.3 | ||
| Landscape | -0.8 | ||
| Wildlife | -0.1 | ||
| Casual | -1.9 | ||
| Food | -1.6 | ||
| Macro | -1.8 | ||
| Architecture | -0.7 | ||
| Astrophotography | -1.9 |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | GM5 | FZ72 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £627 used | £51 used | |
| Released | 2014 | 2013 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 16MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS | 16.1MP 1/2.3-inch MOS | |
| Resolution | 16MP | 16MP | ↑ |
| Video | Full HD 1080p/60 | Full HD 1080i/50 | |
| Autofocus | Contrast AF; face/eye detection, 23-area, touch AF | Contrast AF; face detection, AF tracking | |
| Stabilisation | No IBIS (lens-based O.I.S.) | Optical image stabilisation (lens-based) | |
| Burst Rate | 5.8fps (5fps with continuous AF) | 9fps (5fps with continuous AF) | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~210 shots (CIPA) | ~400 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 211g (with battery) | 606g (with battery) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Not weather sealed | |
| Viewfinder | Electronic, 1.17M dots (field-sequential) | Electronic, 0.2", 202k dots | |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed 16:9 touchscreen | 3.0" fixed LCD, 460k dots | |
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Fixed 60x zoom lens (20-1200mm equivalent) | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD slot | Single SD slot |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See GM5 and FZ72 next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
Get a personalised upgrade score
Run the upgrade checker →
Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the FZ72 against your specific genres — not just specs.
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Camera family history