Panasonic S5 II Comparison Review
The Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 II is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera that was revealed to the public in January 2023 and is equipped with a full frame sensor. It offers a resolution of 24 megapixel.
Is the Panasonic S5 II a good camera? The S5 II has a Camera Elo of 3041. This very strong rating puts it among the elite group of camera grand masters. The S5 II ranks among the top 10 percent of all mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (full frame cameras), the S5 II ranks among the top 20 percent.
Panasonic S5 II |
---|
Mirrorless system camera |
Leica L mount lenses |
24 MP, Full Frame Sensor |
6K/30p Video |
ISO 100 - 51 200 (50 - 204 800) |
Electronic viewfinder (3680k dots) |
3.0 LCD, 1840k dots |
Swivel touchscreen |
9 shutter flaps per second |
In-body stabilization |
Weathersealed body |
370 shots per battery charge |
134 x 102 x 90 mm, 740 g |
Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.
Body comparison with a credit card
The physical dimensions of the Panasonic S5 II relative to a credit card are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Panasonic S5 II alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.
Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Panasonic S5 II | 134 mm | 102 mm | 90 mm | 740 g | 370 | Y | Jan 2023 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
2. | Nikon Z6 | 134 mm | 101 mm | 67 mm | 675 g | 310 | Y | Aug 2018 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
3. | Nikon Z6 II | 134 mm | 101 mm | 70 mm | 705 g | 410 | Y | Oct 2020 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
4. | Nikon Zf | 144 mm | 103 mm | 49 mm | 710 g | 380 | Y | Sep 2023 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
5. | Panasonic G9 | 137 mm | 97 mm | 92 mm | 658 g | 400 | Y | Nov 2017 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
6. | Panasonic G9 II | 134 mm | 102 mm | 90 mm | 658 g | 390 | Y | Sep 2023 | 1,899 | amazon.com | |
7. | Panasonic GH6 | 138 mm | 100 mm | 100 mm | 823 g | 360 | Y | Feb 2022 | 2,199 | amazon.com | |
8. | Panasonic S1 | 149 mm | 110 mm | 97 mm | 1017 g | 400 | Y | Feb 2019 | 2,499 | amazon.com | |
9. | Panasonic S1H | 151 mm | 114 mm | 110 mm | 1052 g | 400 | Y | May 2019 | 3,999 | amazon.com | |
10. | Panasonic S5 | 133 mm | 98 mm | 82 mm | 714 g | 440 | Y | Sep 2020 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
11. | Sony A7 III | 127 mm | 96 mm | 74 mm | 650 g | 610 | Y | Feb 2018 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Panasonic S5 II was launched in the US market at a price of $1,999. 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 with a 35mm slide
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. 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 are more costly to manufacture and tent to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.
The Panasonic S5 II features a full frame sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Panasonic S5 II among the large-sensor cameras that aim for top notch image quality.
Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for most cameras. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of alternatives.
Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Panasonic S5 II | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 6K/30p | 25.4 | 14.6 | 3158 | 96 | |
2. | Nikon Z6 | Full Frame | 24.3 | 6048 | 4024 | 4K/30p | 25.3 | 14.3 | 3299 | 95 | |
3. | Nikon Z6 II | Full Frame | 24.3 | 6048 | 4024 | 4K/60p | 25.0 | 14.4 | 3303 | 94 | |
4. | Nikon Zf | Full Frame | 24.3 | 6048 | 4024 | 4K/60p | 25.4 | 14.7 | 3243 | 96 | |
5. | Panasonic G9 | Four Thirds | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/60p | 23.1 | 12.8 | 1138 | 74 | |
6. | Panasonic G9 II | Four Thirds | 25.0 | 5776 | 4336 | 5.7K/60p | 23.4 | 13.5 | 1710 | 78 | |
7. | Panasonic GH6 | Four Thirds | 25.0 | 5776 | 4336 | 5.7K/60p | 23.4 | 13.4 | 1555 | 77 | |
8. | Panasonic S1 | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/60p | 25.2 | 14.5 | 3333 | 95 | |
9. | Panasonic S1H | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 6K/30p | 25.2 | 14.2 | 2805 | 94 | |
10. | Panasonic S5 | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/60p | 25.1 | 14.5 | 2697 | 94 | |
11. | Sony A7 III | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 25.0 | 14.7 | 3730 | 96 | |
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age. |
Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The S5 II indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the S5 II can use is 6K/30p.
Feature comparison
Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the S5 II has an electronic viewfinder with a resolution of 3680k dots. The viewfinder offers a field of view of 100% and a magnification of 0.78x. The tables below summarize some of the other core capabilities of the Panasonic S5 II in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.
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. | Panasonic S5 II | 3680 | n | 3.0 / 1840 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 9.0/s | n | Y | |
2. | Nikon Z6 | 3690 | Y | 3.2 / 2100 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 12.0/s | n | Y | |
3. | Nikon Z6 II | 3690 | Y | 3.2 / 2100 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 14.0/s | n | Y | |
4. | Nikon Zf | 3690 | n | 3.2 / 2100 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 14.0/s | n | Y | |
5. | Panasonic G9 | 3680 | Y | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 20.0/s | n | Y | |
6. | Panasonic G9 II | 3680 | n | 3.0 / 1840 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
7. | Panasonic GH6 | 3680 | n | 3.0 / 1840 | full-flex | Y | 1/8000s | 14.0/s | n | Y | |
8. | Panasonic S1 | 5760 | Y | 3.2 / 2100 | full-flex | Y | 1/8000s | 9.0/s | n | Y | |
9. | Panasonic S1H | 5760 | Y | 3.2 / 2330 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 9.0/s | n | Y | |
10. | Panasonic S5 | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1840 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 7.0/s | n | Y | |
11. | Sony A7 III | 2359 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. |
The LCD screen on the Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 II is flexibly attached to the body. In particular, the LCD is hinged on the side and can be flipped out for odd-angle shots in both portrait and landscape orientation. Also, this fully articulated, swivel type of LCD attachment is often appreciated by videographers for its flexibility. Moreover, v-loggers like the design because the screen can be turned to be front-facing.
One feature that differentiates the S5 II from many older cameras is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The S5 II reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while cameras without IBIS have to rely on optical image stabilization in OIS-equipped lenses to achieve the same effect.
Connection 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 Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 II and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Mic / Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support |
NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Panasonic S5 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | full | 3.2 | Y | - | Y | |
2. | Nikon Z6 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.1 | Y | - | Y | |
3. | Nikon Z6 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.2 | Y | - | Y | |
4. | Nikon Zf | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.2 | Y | - | Y | |
5. | Panasonic G9 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | full | 3.0 | Y | - | Y | |
6. | Panasonic G9 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | full | 3.2 | Y | - | Y | |
7. | Panasonic GH6 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | full | 3.2 | Y | - | Y | |
8. | Panasonic S1 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | full | 3.1 | Y | - | Y | |
9. | Panasonic S1H | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | full | 3.1 | Y | - | Y | |
10. | Panasonic S5 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.2 | Y | - | Y | |
11. | Sony A7 III | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.1 | Y | Y | Y |
It is notable that the S5 II has a microphone port. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.
Further information on the features and operation of the S5 II can be found in the free online Panasonic S5 II Manual or on the Panasonic support site.
Expert reviews
While the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the handling experience and imaging performance when actually working with the S5 II. 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. This is where reviews by experts come in. The following table reports the overall rankings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]).
Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Panasonic S5 II | 4.5/5 | + + | 5/5 | 90/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jan 2023 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
2. | Nikon Z6 | 5/5 | .. | 5/5 | 89/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Aug 2018 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
3. | Nikon Z6 II | 4.5/5 | .. | 4/5 | 89/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Oct 2020 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
4. | Nikon Zf | 4.5/5 | .. | 4.5/5 | 90/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Sep 2023 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
5. | Panasonic G9 | .. | + + | 5/5 | 85/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Nov 2017 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
6. | Panasonic G9 II | 5/5 | .. | 4.5/5 | 87/100 | .. | 4.5/5 | Sep 2023 | 1,899 | amazon.com | |
7. | Panasonic GH6 | 5/5 | + + | 5/5 | 87/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2022 | 2,199 | amazon.com | |
8. | Panasonic S1 | 4.5/5 | + + | 4.5/5 | 88/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Feb 2019 | 2,499 | amazon.com | |
9. | Panasonic S1H | .. | .. | 4/5 | 90/100 | .. | .. | May 2019 | 3,999 | amazon.com | |
10. | Panasonic S5 | 4.5/5 | + + | 4.5/5 | 88/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2020 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
11. | Sony A7 III | .. | + + | 4.5/5 | 89/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2018 | 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. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.
Panasonic S5 II FAQ
Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the S5 II.
What is the technology behind the imaging sensor in the Panasonic S5 II?
The camera features a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor.
Which image processing chip is used in the Panasonic S5 II to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?
Panasonic equipped the S5 II with the Venus image processor.
What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Panasonic S5 II?
The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 51200, which can be extended to ISO 50-204800.
Does the Panasonic S5 II have a selfie-friendly screen?
Yes, the LCD-screen of the S5 II is flexible and can be turned to be front-facing for capturing selfies.
What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 II?
Panasonic mentions a shutter rating of 200 000 actuations for the S5 II. This number represents a Mean Time before Failure, that is an average value. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust the expected shutter life of the S5 II over, say, three years, one would have to take about 200 pictures each and every day.
How do I find the shutter count on my Panasonic S5 II?
Panasonic embeds the number of shutter actuations in hidden menus. You can check the number of shots that your S5 II has taken up to now by carefully following the steps described on the Panasonic S5 II shutter count page.
Is completely silent shooting possible with the Panasonic S5 II?
The camera has an electronic shutter option, so that it is indeed feasible to capture images without any shutter noise.
Do I need to purchase an external camera trigger to shoot time-lapse sequences with the Panasonic S5 II?
No, the Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 II has an intervalometer built-in, so that low frequency shooting (for example, flower blooming, sunset, moon rise) can be undertaken without the need to purchase a separate external intervalometer and related software.
Is it difficult to use manual focus lenses with the Panasonic S5 II?
The S5 II offers focus peaking as a manual focus aid. This feature works by placing a colored highlight on in-focus zones within the image.
Does the Panasonic S5 II feature an autofocus assist light?
Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.
What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Panasonic S5 II for flash photography?
The S5 II's flash sync speed is 1/250 sec.
Does the Panasonic S5 II support the Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus interface for SD cards?
Yes, the camera can indeed use UHS-II cards, which provide for data transfer speed of up to 312 MB/s, in both of its card slots.
Which battery does the Panasonic S5 II use?
The camera gets its power from the Panasonic DMW-BLK22 (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.
Is there a vertical grip available for the Panasonic S5 II?
Yes, Panasonic offers the DMW-BGS5 as an optional accessory to facilitate shooting in portrait orientation and to provide additional battery power.
Where can I find the best deals for the Panasonic S5 II?
Grey imports from Asia, as found on ebay, are often very attractively priced. However, these cameras come without a warranty from Panasonic.
Camera to camera comparisons
In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities with other camera models, just use the search menu below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.
- Canon 7D II vs Panasonic S5 II
- Canon 7D vs Panasonic S5 II
- Canon G7 X vs Panasonic S5 II
- Fujifilm GFX 100 II vs Panasonic S5 II
- Fujifilm GFX 50R vs Panasonic S5 II
- Leica CL vs Panasonic S5 II
- Nikon D6 vs Panasonic S5 II
- Nikon Z6 II vs Panasonic S5 II
- Nikon Z6 vs Panasonic S5 II
- Panasonic LX100 vs Panasonic S5 II
- Panasonic S5 II vs Sony A7C
- Panasonic S5 II vs Sony RX1R
Camera Model | Panasonic S5 II | |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Mirrorless system camera | |
Camera Lens | Leica L mount lenses | |
Launch Date | January 2023 | |
Launch Price | USD 1 999 | |
Sensor Specs | ||
Sensor Technology | CMOS | |
Sensor Format | Full Frame Sensor | |
Sensor Size | 35.6 x 23.8 mm | |
Sensor Area | 847 mm2 | |
Sensor Diagonal | 42.8 mm | |
Crop Factor | 1.0x | |
Sensor Resolution | 24 Megapixels | |
Image Resolution | 6 000 x 4 000 pixels | |
Pixel Pitch | 5.94 μm | |
Pixel Density | 2.83 MP/cm2 | |
Moiré control | no AA filter | |
Movie Capability | 6K/30p Video | |
ISO Setting | 100 - 51 200 ISO | |
ISO Boost | 50 - 204 800 ISO | |
Image Processor | Venus | |
Screen Specs | ||
Viewfinder Type | Electronic viewfinder | |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.78x | |
Viewfinder Resolution | 3680k dots | |
Top-Level Screen | no Top Display | |
LCD Framing | Live View | |
LCD Size | 3.0 inch | |
LCD Resolution | 1840k dots | |
LCD Attachment | Swivel screen | |
V-logging Friendliness | Front-flip possible | |
Touch Input | Touchscreen | |
Shooting Specs | ||
Focus System | On-Sensor Phase-detect | |
Manual Focusing Aid | Focus Peaking | |
Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/8000s | |
Continuous Shooting | 9 shutter flaps/s | |
Shutter Life Expectancy | 200 000 actuations | |
Silent Shooting | Electronic Shutter | |
Time Lapse Photography | Intervalometer Built-in | |
Image Stabilization | In-body stabilization | |
Fill Flash | no On-Board Flash | |
Storage Medium | SDXC cards | |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Dual card slots | |
UHS card support | Dual UHS-II | |
Connectivity Specs | ||
External Flash | Hotshoe | |
USB Connector | USB 3.2 | |
HDMI Port | full HDMI | |
Microphone Port | External MIC port | |
Headphone Socket | Headphone port | |
Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | |
Bluetooth Support | Bluetooth built-in | |
Body Specs | ||
Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | |
Battery Type | Panasonic DMW-BLK22 power pack | |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 370 shots per charge | |
In-Camera Charging | USB charging | |
Body Dimensions |
134 x 102 x 90 mm (5.3 x 4.0 x 3.5 in) |
|
Camera Weight | 740 g (26.1 oz) |
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