Panasonic S1 II vs S5 II

The Panasonic Lumix DC-S1 II and the Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 II are two enthusiast cameras that were announced, respectively, in May 2025 and January 2023. Both the S1 II and the S5 II are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a full frame 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

Panasonic S1 II		Panasonic S5 II
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Leica L mount lenses		Leica L mount lenses
24 MP – Full Frame sensor		24 MP – Full Frame sensor
6K/30p Video		6K/30p Video
ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 204,800)		ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 204,800)
Electronic viewfinder (5760k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (3680k dots)
3.2" LCD – 1840k dots		3.0" LCD – 1840k dots
Fully flexible touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
10 shutter flaps per second		9 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
350 shots per battery charge		370 shots per battery charge
134 x 102 x 92 mm, 800 g		134 x 102 x 90 mm, 740 g

Check S1 II price at
amazon.com
Check S5 II price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1 II and the Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 II? 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 Panasonic S1 II and the Panasonic S5 II 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 size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

In this particular case, the Panasonic S1 II and the Panasonic S5 II have exactly the same width and height, and, thus, have identically-sized bodies. However, the S5 II is markedly lighter (8 percent) than the S1 II. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

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 battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. 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.		Panasonic S1 II	134 mm	102 mm	92 mm	800 g	350	Y	May 2025	EUR 3 499	amazon.com
2.		Panasonic S5 II	134 mm	102 mm	90 mm	740 g	370	Y	Jan 2023	EUR 2 199	amazon.com
3.		Leica SL2-S	146 mm	107 mm	83 mm	931 g	510	Y	Dec 2020	EUR 4 499	amazon.com
4.		Leica SL3-S	141 mm	108 mm	85 mm	852 g	315	Y	Jan 2025	EUR 5 199	amazon.com
5.		Panasonic G9 II	134 mm	102 mm	90 mm	658 g	390	Y	Sep 2023	EUR 1 899	amazon.com
6.		Panasonic GH5	139 mm	98 mm	87 mm	725 g	410	Y	Jan 2017	EUR 1 999	ebay.com
7.		Panasonic GH5 II	139 mm	98 mm	87 mm	727 g	400	Y	May 2021	EUR 1 699	amazon.com
8.		Panasonic GH6	138 mm	100 mm	100 mm	823 g	360	Y	Feb 2022	EUR 2 199	amazon.com
9.		Panasonic GH7	138 mm	100 mm	100 mm	805 g	380	Y	Jun 2024	EUR 2 199	amazon.com
10.		Panasonic S1	149 mm	110 mm	97 mm	1017 g	400	Y	Feb 2019	EUR 2 499	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic S1R II	134 mm	102 mm	92 mm	795 g	350	Y	May 2025	EUR 3 599	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic S5	133 mm	98 mm	82 mm	714 g	440	Y	Sep 2020	EUR 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 listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The S5 II was launched at a markedly lower price (by 38 percent) than the S1 II, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units 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.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the S5 II is 1 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.

Even though the S1 II has a slightly larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 24 megapixels. This implies that the S1 II has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 5.97μm versus 5.94μm for the S5 II), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. In addition, the S1 II is much more recent (by 2 years and 4 months) than the S5 II, 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.

Both cameras have the capacity to capture high quality composite images by combining multiple shots after shifting the sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

The Panasonic Lumix DC-S1 II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 51200, which can be extended to ISO 50-204800. The Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 II offers exactly the same ISO settings.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with BSI-CMOS (Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. 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 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 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.		Panasonic S1 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.8	3406	97
2.		Panasonic S5 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.6	3158	96
3.		Leica SL2-S	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.2	14.1	3504	95
4.		Leica SL3-S	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.8	3383	97
5.		Panasonic G9 II	Four Thirds	25.0	5776	4336	5.7K/60p	23.4	13.5	1710	78
6.		Panasonic GH5	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.9	13.0	807	77
7.		Panasonic GH5 II	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.7	13.1	1136	79
8.		Panasonic GH6	Four Thirds	25.0	5776	4336	5.7K/60p	23.4	13.4	1555	77
9.		Panasonic GH7	Four Thirds	25.0	5776	4336	5.7K/60p	23.4	13.6	1784	78
10.		Panasonic S1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.2	14.5	3333	95
11.		Panasonic S1R II	Full Frame	44.2	8144	5424	8K/30p	25.4	14.8	3406	97
12.		Panasonic S5	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.1	14.5	2697	94
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 have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (6K/30p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the S1 II offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the S5 II (5760k vs 3680k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Panasonic S1 II and Panasonic S5 II 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.		Panasonic S1 II	5760	n	3.2 / 1840	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
2.		Panasonic S5 II	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
3.		Leica SL2-S	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
4.		Leica SL3-S	5760	Y	3.2 / 2333	tilting	Y	1/8000s	30.0/s	n	Y
5.		Panasonic G9 II	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
6.		Panasonic GH5	3680	n	3.2 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
7.		Panasonic GH5 II	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
8.		Panasonic GH6	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
9.		Panasonic GH7	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
10.		Panasonic S1	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
11.		Panasonic S1R II	5760	n	3.2 / 1840	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
12.		Panasonic S5	2360	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/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 Panasonic S1 II and the Panasonic S5 II 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.

The S1 II writes its imaging data to CFexpress (type B) or SDXC cards, while the S5 II uses SDXC cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. Moreover, both cameras support UHS-II cards (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 Panasonic Lumix DC-S1 II and Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 II 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.		Panasonic S1 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
2.		Panasonic S5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Leica SL2-S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
4.		Leica SL3-S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
5.		Panasonic G9 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
6.		Panasonic GH5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
7.		Panasonic GH5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
8.		Panasonic GH6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
9.		Panasonic GH7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
10.		Panasonic S1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
11.		Panasonic S1R II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		Panasonic S5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Panasonic S1 II (unlike the S5 II) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the S1 II and the S5 II are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The S5 II replaced the earlier Panasonic S5, while the S1 II followed on from the Panasonic S1. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Panasonic website.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Panasonic S1 II better than the Panasonic S5 II or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1 II:

• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (5760k vs 3680k dots).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 4 months of technical progress since the S5 II launch.

Reasons to prefer the Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 II:

• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (38 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in January 2023).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the S1 II emerges as the winner of the contest (4 : 2 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports 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 Panasonic S1 II and the Panasonic S5 II 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 specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the S1 II and the S5 II in practical situations. 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.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. 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.		Panasonic S1 II	..	..	..	..	..	..	May 2025	EUR 3 499	amazon.com
2.		Panasonic S5 II	4.5/5	+ +	5/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2023	EUR 2 199	amazon.com
3.		Leica SL2-S	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Dec 2020	EUR 4 499	amazon.com
4.		Leica SL3-S	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jan 2025	EUR 5 199	amazon.com
5.		Panasonic G9 II	5/5	..	4.5/5	87/100	..	4.5/5	Sep 2023	EUR 1 899	amazon.com
6.		Panasonic GH5	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2017	EUR 1 999	ebay.com
7.		Panasonic GH5 II	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2021	EUR 1 699	amazon.com
8.		Panasonic GH6	5/5	+ +	5/5	87/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2022	EUR 2 199	amazon.com
9.		Panasonic GH7	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jun 2024	EUR 2 199	amazon.com
10.		Panasonic S1	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	EUR 2 499	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic S1R II	..	..	..	..	..	..	May 2025	EUR 3 599	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic S5	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2020	EUR 1 999	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. 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.

Check S1 II price at
amazon.com
Check S5 II price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. 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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Check S1 II price at
amazon.com
Check S5 II price at
amazon.com

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