Canon V1 vs Panasonic GH6

The Canon PowerShot V1 and the Panasonic Lumix DC-GH6 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2025 and February 2022. The V1 is a fixed lens compact, while the GH6 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on an APS-C (V1) and a Four Thirds (GH6) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 22.1 megapixels, whereas the Panasonic provides 25 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon V1		Panasonic GH6
Fixed lens compact camera		Mirrorless system camera
16-50mm f/2.8-4.5		Micro Four Thirds lenses
22.1 MP – APS-C sensor		25 MP – Four Thirds sensor
4K/60p Video		5.7K/60p Video
ISO 100-32,000 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-25,600
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (3680k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1840k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Fully flexible touchscreen
30 shutter flaps per second		14 shutter flaps per second
no shake reduction		In-body stabilization
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
340 shots per battery charge		360 shots per battery charge
118 x 68 x 53 mm, 426 g		138 x 100 x 100 mm, 823 g

Check V1 price at
amazon.com
Check GH6 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot V1 and the Panasonic Lumix DC-GH6? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon V1 and the Panasonic GH6 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Panasonic GH6 is considerably larger (72 percent) than the Canon V1. It is noteworthy in this context that the GH6 is splash and dust-proof, while the V1 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the V1 has a lens built in, whereas the GH6 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the GH6 and their specifications in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the V1 gets 340 shots out of its Canon LP-E17 battery, while the GH6 can take 360 images on a single charge of its Panasonic DMW-BLK22 power pack. The power pack in the V1 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon V1	118 mm	68 mm	53 mm	426 g	340	n	Feb 2025	US$ 899	amazon.com
2.		Panasonic GH6	138 mm	100 mm	100 mm	823 g	360	Y	Feb 2022	US$ 2 199	amazon.com
3.		Canon G5 X	112 mm	76 mm	44 mm	353 g	210	n	Oct 2015	US$ 799	ebay.com
4.		Canon G5 X Mark II	111 mm	61 mm	46 mm	340 g	230	n	Jul 2019	US$ 899	ebay.com
5.		Canon M5	116 mm	89 mm	61 mm	427 g	295	n	Sep 2016	US$ 979	ebay.com
6.		Canon M6	112 mm	68 mm	45 mm	390 g	295	n	Feb 2017	US$ 779	ebay.com
7.		Canon M6 Mark II	120 mm	70 mm	49 mm	408 g	305	n	Aug 2019	US$ 849	ebay.com
8.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	US$ 779	ebay.com
9.		Canon M50 Mark II	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	387 g	305	n	Oct 2020	US$ 599	ebay.com
10.		Canon R10	123 mm	88 mm	83 mm	429 g	450	n	May 2022	US$ 979	amazon.com
11.		Canon R50 V	119 mm	74 mm	45 mm	370 g	390	n	Mar 2025	US$ 649	amazon.com
12.		Canon T8i	131 mm	103 mm	76 mm	515 g	800	n	Feb 2020	US$ 749	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic G9 II	134 mm	102 mm	90 mm	658 g	390	Y	Sep 2023	US$ 1 899	amazon.com
14.		Panasonic GH5	139 mm	98 mm	87 mm	725 g	410	Y	Jan 2017	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic GH5 II	139 mm	98 mm	87 mm	727 g	400	Y	May 2021	US$ 1 699	amazon.com
16.		Panasonic GH7	138 mm	100 mm	100 mm	805 g	380	Y	Jun 2024	US$ 2 199	amazon.com
17.		Panasonic S5 II	134 mm	102 mm	90 mm	740 g	370	Y	Jan 2023	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The V1 was launched at a lower price than the GH6, despite having a lens built in. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon V1 features an APS-C sensor and the Panasonic GH6 a Four Thirds sensor. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 2.0. The sensor in the V1 has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the GH6 offers a 4:3 aspect.

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the GH6 offers a higher resolution of 25 megapixels, compared with 22.1 MP of the V1. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.00μm versus 3.20μm for the V1). Moreover, it should be noted that the V1 is much more recent (by 2 years and 11 months) than the GH6, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the GH6 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The V1 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

Unlike the V1, the GH6 has the capacity to capture high quality composite images (100MP) by combining multiple shots after shifting its sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

The Canon PowerShot V1 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 32000, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Panasonic Lumix DC-GH6 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-25600.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon V1	APS-C	22.1	5750	3840	4K/60p	23.5	13.7	1911	79
2.		Panasonic GH6	Four Thirds	25.0	5776	4336	5.7K/60p	23.4	13.4	1555	77
3.		Canon G5 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	471	62
4.		Canon G5 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
5.		Canon M5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.4	1262	77
6.		Canon M6	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.6	1317	78
7.		Canon M6 Mark II	APS-C	32.3	6960	4640	4K/30p	24.0	13.5	1848	83
8.		Canon M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
9.		Canon M50 Mark II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.6	1939	83
10.		Canon R10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.1	13.8	2085	84
11.		Canon R50 V	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	24.1	14.1	2383	85
12.		Canon T8i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.5	1873	83
13.		Panasonic G9 II	Four Thirds	25.0	5776	4336	5.7K/60p	23.4	13.5	1710	78
14.		Panasonic GH5	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.9	13.0	807	77
15.		Panasonic GH5 II	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.7	13.1	1136	79
16.		Panasonic GH7	Four Thirds	25.0	5776	4336	5.7K/60p	23.4	13.6	1784	78
17.		Panasonic S5 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.6	3158	96
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the GH6 provides a better video resolution than the V1. It can shoot movie footage at 5.7K/60p, while the Canon is limited to 4K/60p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the GH6 has an electronic viewfinder (3680k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the V1 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon V1, the Panasonic GH6, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon V1	none	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	30.0/s	n	n
2.		Panasonic GH6	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon G5 X	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon G5 X Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon M5	2360	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon M6	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon M6 Mark II	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	14.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon M50	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon M50 Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon R10	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon R50 V	none	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	n	n
12.		Canon T8i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.5/s	Y	n
13.		Panasonic G9 II	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
14.		Panasonic GH5	3680	n	3.2 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
15.		Panasonic GH5 II	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
16.		Panasonic GH7	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
17.		Panasonic S5 II	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Canon V1 and the Panasonic GH6 both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The V1 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the GH6 uses CFexpress (type B) or SDXC cards. The GH6 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the V1 only has one slot.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon PowerShot V1 and Panasonic Lumix DC-GH6 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon V1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Panasonic GH6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon G5 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon G5 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon M5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Canon M6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Canon M6 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Canon M50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
9.		Canon M50 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
10.		Canon R10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Canon R50 V	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		Canon T8i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Panasonic G9 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
14.		Panasonic GH5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
15.		Panasonic GH5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
16.		Panasonic GH7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
17.		Panasonic S5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Panasonic GH6 (unlike the V1) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the V1 and the GH6 are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The GH6 replaced the earlier Panasonic GH5 II, while the V1 does not have a direct predecessor. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Canon and Panasonic websites.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Canon V1 better than the Panasonic GH6 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Canon PowerShot V1:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better image quality: Features a larger and more technologically advanced imaging sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (30 vs 14 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the GH6 requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (118x68mm vs 138x100mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the GH6).
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 11 months of technical progress since the GH6 launch.

Arguments in favor of the Panasonic Lumix DC-GH6:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (5.7K/60p vs 4K/60p).
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1840k vs 1040k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
• More solid recording: Has a full-sized HDMI port for a sturdy connection to an external recorder.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in February 2022).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the GH6 comes out slightly ahead of the V1 (14 : 13 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon V1 and the Panasonic GH6 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Travel-Zoom Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the V1 or the GH6 perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon V1	..	..	..	84/100	..	..	Feb 2025	US$ 899	amazon.com
2.		Panasonic GH6	5/5	+ +	5/5	87/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2022	US$ 2 199	amazon.com
3.		Canon G5 X	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	US$ 799	ebay.com
4.		Canon G5 X Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	..	4/5	Jul 2019	US$ 899	ebay.com
5.		Canon M5	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2016	US$ 979	ebay.com
6.		Canon M6	..	..	..	80/100	4/5	4/5	Feb 2017	US$ 779	ebay.com
7.		Canon M6 Mark II	..	+	4.5/5	85/100	4/5	4/5	Aug 2019	US$ 849	ebay.com
8.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 779	ebay.com
9.		Canon M50 Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	3.5/5	Oct 2020	US$ 599	ebay.com
10.		Canon R10	4/5	..	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2022	US$ 979	amazon.com
11.		Canon R50 V	..	..	..	84/100	..	..	Mar 2025	US$ 649	amazon.com
12.		Canon T8i	4.5/5	+	3/5	80/100	4/5	3.5/5	Feb 2020	US$ 749	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic G9 II	5/5	..	4.5/5	87/100	..	4.5/5	Sep 2023	US$ 1 899	amazon.com
14.		Panasonic GH5	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2017	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic GH5 II	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2021	US$ 1 699	amazon.com
16.		Panasonic GH7	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jun 2024	US$ 2 199	amazon.com
17.		Panasonic S5 II	4.5/5	+ +	5/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2023	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Check V1 price at
amazon.com
Check GH6 price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

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