Canon R6 vs Panasonic S9

The Canon EOS R6 and the Panasonic Lumix DC-S9 are two enthusiast cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in July 2020 and May 2024. Both the R6 and the S9 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 20 megapixels, whereas the Panasonic provides 24 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon R6		Panasonic S9
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Canon RF mount lenses		Leica L mount lenses
20 MP – Full Frame sensor		24 MP – Full Frame sensor
4k/60p Video		6K/30p Video
ISO 100-102,400 (50 - 204,800)		ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 204,800)
Electronic viewfinder (3690k dots)		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 1620k dots		3.0" LCD – 1840k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
12 shutter flaps per second		30 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
360 shots per battery charge		470 shots per battery charge
138 x 98 x 88 mm, 680 g		126 x 74 x 47 mm, 486 g

Check R6 price at
amazon.com
Check S9 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS R6 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

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon R6 and the Panasonic S9. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The S9 can be obtained in four different colors (black, blue, red, green), while the R6 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 R6. Moreover, the S9 is markedly lighter (29 percent) than the R6. It is worth mentioning in this context that the R6 is splash and dust resistant, while the S9 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.

Concerning battery life, the R6 gets 360 shots out of its Canon LP-E6NH battery, while the S9 can take 470 images on a single charge of its Panasonic DMW-BLK22 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, 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. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon R6	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	680 g	360	Y	Jul 2020	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
2.		Panasonic S9	126 mm	74 mm	47 mm	486 g	470	n	May 2024	US$ 1 499	amazon.com
3.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
4.		Canon R	139 mm	98 mm	84 mm	660 g	370	Y	Sep 2018	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
5.		Canon R3	150 mm	143 mm	87 mm	1015 g	760	Y	Sep 2021	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
6.		Canon R5	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	738 g	320	Y	Jul 2020	US$ 3 899	amazon.com
7.		Canon R6 Mark II	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	670 g	450	Y	Nov 2022	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
8.		Canon R8	133 mm	86 mm	70 mm	461 g	220	n	Feb 2023	US$ 1 499	amazon.com
9.		Fujifilm X-S20	128 mm	85 mm	65 mm	491 g	750	n	May 2023	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
10.		Nikon Z6 II	134 mm	101 mm	70 mm	705 g	410	Y	Oct 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
11.		Nikon Z7 II	134 mm	101 mm	70 mm	705 g	420	Y	Oct 2020	US$ 2 999	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic GX9	124 mm	72 mm	47 mm	407 g	260	n	Feb 2018	US$ 849	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic S1	149 mm	110 mm	97 mm	1017 g	400	Y	Feb 2019	US$ 2 499	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic S1 II	134 mm	102 mm	92 mm	800 g	350	Y	May 2025	US$ 3 199	amazon.com
15.		Panasonic S5	133 mm	98 mm	82 mm	714 g	440	Y	Sep 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
16.		Panasonic S5 II	134 mm	102 mm	90 mm	740 g	370	Y	Jan 2023	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
17.		Sony A9 II	129 mm	96 mm	76 mm	678 g	690	Y	Oct 2019	US$ 4 499	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 listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The S9 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 40 percent) than the R6, 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 imaging sensor is a crucial determinant 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. 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 tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the S9 is 2 percent smaller. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the S9 offers a higher resolution of 24 megapixels, compared with 20 MP of the R6. 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 5.94μm versus 6.57μm for the R6). However, it should be noted that the S9 is much more recent (by 3 years and 10 months) than the R6, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently. 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 resolution advantage of the Panasonic S9 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the S9 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon R6 are 27.4 x 18.2 inches or 69.5 x 46.3 cm for good quality, 21.9 x 14.6 inches or 55.6 x 37.1 cm for very good quality, and 18.2 x 12.2 inches or 46.3 x 30.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS R6 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 102400, which can be extended to ISO 50-204800. 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 R6 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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 R6	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4k/60p	24.2	14.3	3394	90
2.		Panasonic S9	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.8	3297	96
3.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
4.		Canon R	Full Frame	30.1	6720	4480	4K/30p	24.5	13.5	2742	89
5.		Canon R3	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/60p	25.0	14.7	4086	96
6.		Canon R5	Full Frame	44.8	8192	5464	8K/30p	25.3	14.6	3042	95
7.		Canon R6 Mark II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	25.4	14.6	3154	96
8.		Canon R8	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.5	14.7	3295	93
9.		Fujifilm X-S20	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/60p	24.3	14.0	2315	86
10.		Nikon Z6 II	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/60p	25.0	14.4	3303	94
11.		Nikon Z7 II	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	4K/60p	26.3	14.7	2841	100
12.		Panasonic GX9	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.1	12.8	1163	74
13.		Panasonic S1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.2	14.5	3333	95
14.		Panasonic S1 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.8	3406	97
15.		Panasonic S5	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.1	14.5	2697	94
16.		Panasonic S5 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.6	3158	96
17.		Sony A9 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.0	3434	93
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. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the S9 provides a better video resolution than the R6. It can shoot movie footage at 6K/30p, while the Canon is limited to 4k/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the R6 has an electronic viewfinder (3690k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the S9 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon R6 and Panasonic S9 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar 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 R6	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
2.		Panasonic S9	none	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	30.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
4.		Canon R	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
5.		Canon R3	5760	Y	3.2 / 4150	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
6.		Canon R5	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
7.		Canon R6 Mark II	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
8.		Canon R8	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	n	n
9.		Fujifilm X-S20	2360	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Nikon Z6 II	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
11.		Nikon Z7 II	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
12.		Panasonic GX9	2760	n	3.0 / 1240	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Panasonic S1	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
14.		Panasonic S1 II	5760	n	3.2 / 1840	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
15.		Panasonic S5	2360	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	n	Y
16.		Panasonic S5 II	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
17.		Sony A9 II	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	20.0/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 R6 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 R6 and the S9 write their files to SDXC cards. The R6 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the S9 only has one slot. Both cameras support UHS-II cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 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 R6 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 R6	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
2.		Panasonic S9	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
4.		Canon R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon R3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon R5	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon R6 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
8.		Canon R8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
9.		Fujifilm X-S20	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
10.		Nikon Z6 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
11.		Nikon Z7 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		Panasonic GX9	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Panasonic S1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
14.		Panasonic S1 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
15.		Panasonic S5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
16.		Panasonic S5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
17.		Sony A9 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y

It is notable that the R6 has a headphone jack, which is not present on the S9 This port makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process.

Both the R6 and the S9 are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. Neither of the two has a direct predecessor, so perhaps they will constitute the origins of new camera lines for Canon and Panasonic. 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 what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Canon R6 or the Panasonic S9 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Canon EOS R6:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in July 2020).

Reasons to prefer the Panasonic Lumix DC-S9:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 20MP), which boosts linear resolution by 10%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (6K/30p vs 4k/60p).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1840k vs 1620k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (30 vs 12 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (126x74mm vs 138x98mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 194g or 29 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (470 versus 360) out of a single battery charge.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (40 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 10 months of technical progress since the R6 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the S9 is the clear winner of the contest (10 : 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 R6 and the Panasonic S9 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing 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 says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the R6 and the S9 in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera 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 R6	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2020	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
2.		Panasonic S9	..	..	..	..	..	..	May 2024	US$ 1 499	amazon.com
3.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
4.		Canon R	4/5	o	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2018	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
5.		Canon R3	5/5	o	4.5/5	..	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2021	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
6.		Canon R5	4.5/5	+	4/5	91/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2020	US$ 3 899	amazon.com
7.		Canon R6 Mark II	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2022	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
8.		Canon R8	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2023	US$ 1 499	amazon.com
9.		Fujifilm X-S20	5/5	+ +	5/5	86/100	..	4.5/5	May 2023	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
10.		Nikon Z6 II	4.5/5	..	4/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
11.		Nikon Z7 II	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2020	US$ 2 999	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic GX9	4/5	+	4/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 849	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic S1	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	US$ 2 499	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic S1 II	..	..	..	..	..	..	May 2025	US$ 3 199	amazon.com
15.		Panasonic S5	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
16.		Panasonic S5 II	4.5/5	+ +	5/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2023	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
17.		Sony A9 II	..	..	5/5	90/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2019	US$ 4 499	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Check S9 price at
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Other camera comparisons

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