A Closer Look at the LG G5 vs Panasonic MZ1500
The emergence of cutting-edge technologies, such as LG’s Primary Tandem RGB OLED or ‘four-stack’ OLED, has elevated the image quality of OLED TVs to new heights. One of the first televisions to feature this innovative panel technology is the LG G5, a flagship OLED for 2025. Our comprehensive review of the LG G5 awarded it a perfect five-star rating due to its robust feature-set, swift performance, and exceptional picture quality.
Having used a Panasonic MZ1500 OLED TV as our reference TV for some time (thanks to its bright panel, accurate colors, and natural image processing), I was curious about how this 2023 release’s OLED EX panel compares to the G5’s ‘four-stack’. In this article, we put the two TVs side-by-side to assess their performance when displaying the same movies.
Filmmaker Mode: A Close Contest?
Though the LG G5 boasts a significant brightness increase over the Panasonic MZ1500, with the G5 hitting 2,260 nits and the MZ1500 hitting 1,000 nits peak brightness respectively, both TVs exhibited similar pictures in Filmmaker Mode.
Watching 4K Blu-rays of Wicked and La La Land in Filmmaker Mode revealed that the MZ1500 demonstrated excellent color reproduction and accuracy with colors as visually striking as the G5, albeit with a boost in peak brightness on the G5 in some areas.
Bright Scenes and Colors
In Wicked, when Elphaba sings on a clifftop after running through a field of wheat, the LG G5’s peak and fullscreen brightness increase over the MZ1500 is evident. The sun, clouds, clifftop (also white) and the wheat itself all have a punchier, brighter look thanks to the G5’s brightness boost.
Handling High Contrast Scenes
Both TVs demonstrated their exceptional handling of high contrast, dark scenes, showcasing deep, accurate blacks and impressive shadow detail without losing texture or detail in even the darkest of scenes.
The Batman and Oppenheimer
In The Batman, any scene with bright lamps against dark skies or gloomy surroundings was displayed effectively with true-to-life accuracy on both sets. Similarly, both TVs displayed brilliant, bright whites and inky blacks while showcasing a full range of gray tones during black-and-white scenes from Oppenheimer.
Picture Modes: Where the G5 Shines
Switching to other picture modes on both screens was where the LG G5 truly excelled, with its brightness boost becoming particularly evident in Wicked and Oppenheimer. The increase in brightness allowed for more depth in colors and enhanced detail, making a noticeable difference in scenes with bright elements like sunlight or explosions.
Reflecting on Progress: OLED’s Evolution
Although I was initially surprised by the results of these two OLED powerhouses in Filmmaker Mode, it became clear that OLED technology has made significant strides, particularly in handling reflections. The LG G5’s improved handling of reflections was evident when compared to the Panasonic MZ1500.
People Also Ask
How does the LG G5’s four-stack OLED compare to other OLED TVs?
In this comparison, we focused on the Panasonic MZ1500 as a reference TV. While the G5 showed improvements in certain areas like brightness and reflections, it is essential to consider various factors when comparing different models.
Does the LG G5 have better color accuracy than the Panasonic MZ1500?
In our comparison, both TVs exhibited excellent color accuracy; however, the LG G5 demonstrated a boost in peak brightness in some areas.
How does the LG G5’s Filmmaker Mode perform compared to other modes?
In Filmmaker Mode, both TVs showed similar pictures, but when switching to other picture modes (such as Cinema/Movie), the LG G5 demonstrated a noticeable improvement in brightness and color depth.
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