Nikon D3500 vs Panasonic S5

The Nikon D3500 and the Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in August 2018 and September 2020. The D3500 is a DSLR, while the S5 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on an APS-C (D3500) and a full frame (S5) sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 24 megapixels.

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

Headline Specifications

Nikon D3500		Panasonic S5
Digital single lens reflex		Mirrorless system camera
Nikon F mount lenses		Leica L mount lenses
24 MP, APS-C Sensor		24 MP, Full Frame Sensor
1080/60p Video		4K/60p Video
ISO 100-25,600		ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 204,800)
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0 LCD, 921k dots		3.0 LCD, 1840k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fully flexible touchscreen
5 shutter flaps per second		7 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
1550 shots per battery charge		440 shots per battery charge
124 x 97 x 70 mm, 365 g		133 x 98 x 82 mm, 714 g

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon D3500 and the Panasonic Lumix DC-S5? 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 Nikon D3500 and the Panasonic S5 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. 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 S5 is notably larger (8 percent) than the Nikon D3500. Moreover, the S5 is substantially heavier (96 percent) than the D3500. It is noteworthy in this context that the S5 is splash and dust-proof, while the D3500 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

The power pack in the S5 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. 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 (USD)	Street Price
	Nikon D3500	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	365 g	1550	n	Aug 2018	429
	Panasonic S5	133 mm	98 mm	82 mm	714 g	440	Y	Sep 2020	1,999
	Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	399
	Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	499
	Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	399
	Fujifilm X-T4	135 mm	93 mm	64 mm	607 g	500	Y	Feb 2020	1,699
	Fujifilm X-A5	117 mm	68 mm	40 mm	361 g	450	n	Jan 2018	399
	Nikon A1000	114 mm	72 mm	41 mm	330 g	250	n	Jan 2019	429
	Nikon D3400	124 mm	98 mm	76 mm	445 g	1200	n	Aug 2016	499
	Nikon D5500	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	420 g	820	n	Jan 2015	899
	Nikon D3300	124 mm	98 mm	76 mm	430 g	700	n	Jan 2014	499
	Panasonic S1	149 mm	110 mm	97 mm	1017 g	400	Y	Feb 2019	2,499
	Panasonic TZ95	112 mm	69 mm	42 mm	327 g	380	n	Feb 2019	449
	Panasonic S1H	151 mm	114 mm	110 mm	1052 g	400	Y	May 2019	3,999
	Panasonic G9	137 mm	97 mm	92 mm	658 g	400	Y	Nov 2017	1,699
	Panasonic GH5	139 mm	98 mm	87 mm	725 g	410	Y	Jan 2017	1,999
	Panasonic TZ90	112 mm	67 mm	41 mm	322 g	380	n	Apr 2017	449
Notes: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. 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 D3500 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 79 percent) than the S5, which puts it into a different market segment. 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.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors 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. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the 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 Nikon D3500 features an APS-C sensor and the Panasonic S5 a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the S5 is 131 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

In terms of underlying technology, both cameras are build around CMOS sensors.

Even though the S5 has a larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 24 megapixels. This implies that the S5 has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 5.94μm versus 3.91μm for the D3500), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. In addition, the S5 is much more recent (by 2 years) than the D3500, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

Unlike the D3500, the S5 has the capacity to capture high quality composite images (96MP) 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 Nikon D3500 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 are ISO 100 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-204800.

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 following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

	Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
	Nikon D3500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	..	..	..	..
	Panasonic S5	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	..	..	..	..
	Canon SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	..	..	..	..
	Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
	Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	..	..	..	..
	Fujifilm X-T4	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/60p	..	..	..	..
	Fujifilm X-A5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	..	..	..	..
	Nikon A1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	..	..	..	..
	Nikon D3400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.8	13.9	1192	86
	Nikon D5500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1438	84
	Nikon D3300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.3	12.8	1385	82
	Panasonic S1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.2	14.5	3333	95
	Panasonic TZ95	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	..	..	..	..
	Panasonic S1H	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	..	..	..	..
	Panasonic G9	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	..	..	..	..
	Panasonic GH5	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.9	13.0	807	77
	Panasonic TZ90	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	19.1	10.6	106	36

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the S5 provides a better video resolution than the D3500. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/60p, while the Nikon is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the S5 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), while the D3500 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinder in the S5 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the D3500 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the S5 has a higher magnification (0.74x vs 0.57x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon D3500, the Panasonic S5, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

	Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Size (inch)	LCD Resolution (000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Mech Shutter Speed	Shutter Flaps (1/sec)	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
	Nikon D3500	optical	n	3.0	921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0	Y	n
	Panasonic S5	2360	n	3.0	1840	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	7.0	n	Y
	Canon SX740	none	n	3.0	922	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0	Y	Y
	Canon M100	none	n	3.0	1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1	Y	n
	Canon SX730	none	n	3.0	922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9	Y	Y
	Fujifilm X-T4	3690	n	3.0	1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0	n	Y
	Fujifilm X-A5	none	n	3.0	1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0	Y	n
	Nikon A1000	1166	n	3.0	1036	tilting	Y	1/4000s	7.0	Y	Y
	Nikon D3400	optical	n	3.0	921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0	Y	n
	Nikon D5500	optical	n	3.2	1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0	Y	n
	Nikon D3300	optical	n	3.0	921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0	Y	n
	Panasonic S1	5760	Y	3.2	2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0	n	Y
	Panasonic TZ95	2330	n	3.0	1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0	Y	Y
	Panasonic S1H	5760	Y	3.2	2330	swivel	Y	1/8000s	9.0	n	Y
	Panasonic G9	3680	Y	3.0	1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	20.0	n	Y
	Panasonic GH5	3680	n	3.2	1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0	n	Y
	Panasonic TZ90	1166	n	3.0	1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0	Y	Y

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The D3500 has one, while the S5 does not. While the built-in flash of the D3500 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

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, the S5 is one of those camera that have an additional 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 Panasonic S5 has 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.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the D3500 and the S5 write their files to SDXC cards. The S5 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the D3500 only has one slot. The S5 supports UHS-II cards (on its first slot), while the D3500 can use UHS-I cards.

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 Nikon D3500 and Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 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 Microphone	Internal Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
	Nikon D3500	Y	mono	mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	Y
	Panasonic S5	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
	Canon SX740	-	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
	Canon M100	-	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
	Canon SX730	-	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
	Fujifilm X-T4	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
	Fujifilm X-A5	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
	Nikon A1000	-	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
	Nikon D3400	Y	mono	mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	Y
	Nikon D5500	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
	Nikon D3300	Y	mono	mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
	Panasonic S1	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
	Panasonic TZ95	-	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
	Panasonic S1H	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
	Panasonic G9	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	full	3.0	Y	-	Y
	Panasonic GH5	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
	Panasonic TZ90	-	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-

It is notable that the S5 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the D3500 does not provide wifi capability.

Both the D3500 and the S5 are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The D3500 replaced the earlier Nikon D3400, while the S5 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 Nikon and Panasonic websites.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Nikon D3500 better than the Panasonic S5 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon D3500:

• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 349g or 49 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (1550 versus 440) on a single battery charge.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (79 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2018).

Arguments in favor of the Panasonic Lumix DC-S5:

• High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
• Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced 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 video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/60p vs 1080/60p).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.74x vs 0.57x).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1840k vs 921k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a full-flex screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (7 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• 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.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More modern: Reflects 2 years of technical progress since the D3500 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the S5 is the clear winner of the contest (28 : 6 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. 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 Nikon D3500 and the Panasonic S5 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the D3500 or the S5. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, and photographyblog). 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.

Review Scores

	Camera Model	camera   labs	dp review	ephoto   zine	imaging resource	photography   blog	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
	Nikon D3500	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	429
	Panasonic S5	+ +	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	Sep 2020	1,999
	Canon SX740	+	..	4/5	..	4/5	Jul 2018	399
	Canon M100	+	..	4/5	..	3.5/5	Aug 2017	499
	Canon SX730	+	..	4/5	..	4/5	Apr 2017	399
	Fujifilm X-T4	+ +	..	5/5	..	5/5	Feb 2020	1,699
	Fujifilm X-A5	+	..	4/5	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2018	399
	Nikon A1000	+ +	..	3.5/5	..	3/5	Jan 2019	429
	Nikon D3400	+	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2016	499
	Nikon D5500	+	79/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	899
	Nikon D3300	+	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	499
	Panasonic S1	+ +	88/100	4.5/5	..	4/5	Feb 2019	2,499
	Panasonic TZ95	+ +	..	4.5/5	..	..	Feb 2019	449
	Panasonic S1H	..	90/100	..	..	..	May 2019	3,999
	Panasonic G9	+ +	85/100	5/5	5/5	5/5	Nov 2017	1,699
	Panasonic GH5	+ +	85/100	4.5/5	5/5	5/5	Jan 2017	1,999
	Panasonic TZ90	+ +	..	4/5	..	4/5	Apr 2017	449
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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Specifications: Nikon D3500 vs Panasonic S5

Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

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