Canon 850D vs Panasonic S9

The Canon EOS 850D (called Canon T8i in some regions) and the Panasonic Lumix DC-S9 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in February 2020 and May 2024. The 850D is a DSLR, while the S9 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on an APS-C (850D) and a full frame (S9) 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

Canon 850D		Panasonic S9
Digital single lens reflex		Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF mount lenses		Leica L mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/24p Video		6K/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 204,800)
Optical viewfinder		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1840k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
7.5 shutter flaps per second		30 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
800 shots per battery charge		470 shots per battery charge
131 x 103 x 76 mm, 515 g		126 x 74 x 47 mm, 486 g

Check 850D offers at
ebay.com
Check S9 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 850D and the Panasonic Lumix DC-S9? 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 850D and the Panasonic S9 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.

The S9 can be obtained in four different colors (black, blue, red, green), while the 850D is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Panasonic S9 is considerably smaller (31 percent) than the Canon 850D. Moreover, the S9 is markedly lighter (6 percent) than the 850D. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the 850D nor the S9 are weather-sealed.

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.

Concerning battery life, the 850D gets 800 shots out of its Canon LP-E17 battery, while the S9 can take 470 images on a single charge of its Panasonic DMW-BLK22 power pack. The power pack in the S9 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	Street Price
1.		Canon 850D	131 mm	103 mm	76 mm	515 g	800	n	Feb 2020	US$ 749	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic S9	126 mm	74 mm	47 mm	486 g	470	n	May 2024	US$ 1 499	amazon.com
3.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	US$ 899	ebay.com
4.		Canon 200D	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	US$ 549	ebay.com
5.		Canon 250D	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	US$ 599	amazon.com
6.		Canon 750D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	US$ 749	ebay.com
7.		Canon 760D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	US$ 649	ebay.com
8.		Canon 800D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	532 g	600	n	Feb 2017	US$ 749	ebay.com
9.		Canon 2000D	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	US$ 449	amazon.com
10.		Canon G5 X Mark II	111 mm	61 mm	46 mm	340 g	230	n	Jul 2019	US$ 899	ebay.com
11.		Canon G7 X Mark III	105 mm	61 mm	41 mm	304 g	235	n	Jul 2019	US$ 749	amazon.com
12.		Canon R8	133 mm	86 mm	70 mm	461 g	220	n	Feb 2023	US$ 1 499	amazon.com
13.		Canon RP	133 mm	85 mm	70 mm	485 g	250	n	Feb 2019	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
14.		Fujifilm X-S20	128 mm	85 mm	65 mm	491 g	750	n	May 2023	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
15.		Panasonic GX9	124 mm	72 mm	47 mm	407 g	260	n	Feb 2018	US$ 849	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic S1	149 mm	110 mm	97 mm	1017 g	400	Y	Feb 2019	US$ 2 499	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

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 850D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 50 percent) than the S9, 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 size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 850D features an APS-C sensor and the Panasonic S9 a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the S9 is 155 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Even though the S9 has a larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 24 megapixels. This implies that the S9 has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 5.94μm versus 3.72μm for the 850D), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. In addition, the S9 is much more recent (by 4 years and 3 months) than the 850D, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the S9 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Canon EOS 850D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Panasonic Lumix DC-S9 are ISO 100 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-204800.

In terms of underlying technology, the 850D is build around a CMOS sensor, while the S9 uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar 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 850D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.5	1873	83
2.		Panasonic S9	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.8	3297	96
3.		Canon 77D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.3	971	78
4.		Canon 200D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
5.		Canon 250D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/25p	23.9	13.4	1791	82
6.		Canon 750D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
7.		Canon 760D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
8.		Canon 800D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.1	1586	80
9.		Canon 2000D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	11.9	1009	71
10.		Canon G5 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
11.		Canon G7 X Mark III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
12.		Canon R8	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.5	14.7	3295	93
13.		Canon RP	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.3	11.9	2977	85
14.		Fujifilm X-S20	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/60p	24.3	14.0	2315	86
15.		Panasonic GX9	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.1	12.8	1163	74
16.		Panasonic S1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.2	14.5	3333	95
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 are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the S9 provides a better video resolution than the 850D. It can shoot movie footage at 6K/30p, while the Canon is limited to 4K/24p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the 850D has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the S9 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon 850D and Panasonic S9 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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 850D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.5/s	Y	n
2.		Panasonic S9	none	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	30.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon 77D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon 200D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon 250D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 750D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 760D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon 800D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon 2000D	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon G5 X Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon G7 X Mark III	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
12.		Canon R8	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	n	n
13.		Canon RP	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
14.		Fujifilm X-S20	2360	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Panasonic GX9	2760	n	3.0 / 1240	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Panasonic S1	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0/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.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The 850D has one, while the S9 does not. While the built-in flash of the 850D 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 S9 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 Canon 850D and the Panasonic S9 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.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the 850D and the S9 write their files to SDXC cards. The S9 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the 850D can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

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 EOS 850D and Panasonic Lumix DC-S9 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 850D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Panasonic S9	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon 77D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon 200D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon 250D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon 750D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon 760D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon 800D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
9.		Canon 2000D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon G5 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
11.		Canon G7 X Mark III	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
12.		Canon R8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
13.		Canon RP	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
14.		Fujifilm X-S20	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
15.		Panasonic GX9	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
16.		Panasonic S1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
17.		Panasonic S5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y

The S9 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Panasonic. In contrast, the 850D has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the 850D from Canon. 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 there a clear favorite between the Canon 850D and the Panasonic S9? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 850D:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (800 versus 470) 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 (50 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2020).

Advantages of the Panasonic Lumix DC-S9:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• 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 (6K/30p vs 4K/24p).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1840k vs 1040k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (30 vs 7.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (126x74mm vs 131x103mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• 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).
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More modern: Reflects 4 years and 3 months of technical progress since the 850D launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the S9 is the clear winner of the contest (17 : 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 Canon 850D and the Panasonic S9 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 the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the 850D or the S9 perform in practice. 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 where reviews by experts come in. 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 850D	4/5	+	3/5	80/100	4/5	3.5/5	Feb 2020	US$ 749	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic S9	..	..	..	..	..	..	May 2024	US$ 1 499	amazon.com
3.		Canon 77D	4.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	US$ 899	ebay.com
4.		Canon 200D	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	US$ 549	ebay.com
5.		Canon 250D	4/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2019	US$ 599	amazon.com
6.		Canon 750D	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	US$ 749	ebay.com
7.		Canon 760D	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	US$ 649	ebay.com
8.		Canon 800D	4.5/5	..	3.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	US$ 749	ebay.com
9.		Canon 2000D	3/5	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 449	amazon.com
10.		Canon G5 X Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	..	4/5	Jul 2019	US$ 899	ebay.com
11.		Canon G7 X Mark III	..	+ +	4/5	81/100	4/5	..	Jul 2019	US$ 749	amazon.com
12.		Canon R8	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2023	US$ 1 499	amazon.com
13.		Canon RP	4/5	+	4/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
14.		Fujifilm X-S20	5/5	+ +	5/5	86/100	..	4.5/5	May 2023	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
15.		Panasonic GX9	4/5	+	4/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 849	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic S1	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	US$ 2 499	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.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, 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.

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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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