Panasonic S1R II vs S5

The Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R II and the Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 are two enthusiast cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in May 2025 and September 2020. Both the S1R II and the S5 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a full frame sensor. The S1R II has a resolution of 44.2 megapixels, whereas the S5 provides 24 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Panasonic S1R II		Panasonic S5
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Leica L mount lenses		Leica L mount lenses
44.2 MP – Full Frame sensor		24 MP – Full Frame sensor
8K/30p Video		4K/60p Video
ISO 80-51,200 (40 - 102,400)		ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 204,800)
Electronic viewfinder (5760k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.2" LCD – 1840k dots		3.0" LCD – 1840k dots
Fully flexible touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
9 shutter flaps per second		7 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
350 shots per battery charge		440 shots per battery charge
134 x 102 x 92 mm, 795 g		133 x 98 x 82 mm, 714 g

Check S1R II price at
amazon.com
Check S5 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R II 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

The physical size and weight of the Panasonic S1R II and the Panasonic S5 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size 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 somewhat smaller (5 percent) than the Panasonic S1R II. Moreover, the S5 is markedly lighter (10 percent) than the S1R 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 S1R II	134 mm	102 mm	92 mm	795 g	350	Y	May 2025	US$ 3 299	amazon.com
2.		Panasonic S5	133 mm	98 mm	82 mm	714 g	440	Y	Sep 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
3.		Canon R5	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	738 g	320	Y	Jul 2020	US$ 3 899	amazon.com
4.		Canon R5 Mark II	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	746 g	340	Y	Jul 2024	US$ 4 299	amazon.com
5.		Leica SL2	146 mm	107 mm	42 mm	953 g	370	Y	Nov 2019	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
6.		Leica SL3	141 mm	108 mm	85 mm	854 g	320	Y	Mar 2024	US$ 6 999	amazon.com
7.		Nikon Z6 II	134 mm	101 mm	70 mm	705 g	410	Y	Oct 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
8.		Nikon Z7 II	134 mm	101 mm	70 mm	705 g	420	Y	Oct 2020	US$ 2 999	amazon.com
9.		Nikon Z8	144 mm	119 mm	83 mm	910 g	340	Y	May 2023	US$ 3 999	amazon.com
10.		Panasonic GH5	139 mm	98 mm	87 mm	725 g	410	Y	Jan 2017	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic GH5 II	139 mm	98 mm	87 mm	727 g	400	Y	May 2021	US$ 1 699	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic S1 II	134 mm	102 mm	92 mm	800 g	350	Y	May 2025	US$ 3 199	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic S1R	149 mm	110 mm	97 mm	1016 g	380	Y	Feb 2019	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic S5 II	134 mm	102 mm	90 mm	740 g	370	Y	Jan 2023	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
15.		Sony A7 II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	599 g	350	Y	Nov 2014	US$ 1 999	ebay.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 obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The S5 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 39 percent) than the S1R II, 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. 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.

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

With 44.2MP, the S1R II offers a higher resolution than the S5 (24MP), but the S1R II has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.40μm versus 5.94μm for the S5). However, the S1R II is a much more recent model (by 4 years and 8 months) than the S5, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. 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.

The resolution advantage of the Panasonic S1R II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the S1R II for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 40.7 x 27.1 inches or 103.4 x 68.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 32.6 x 21.7 inches or 82.7 x 55.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 27.1 x 18.1 inches or 69 x 45.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Panasonic S5 are 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm for good quality, 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm for very good quality, and 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The S1R II has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

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-S1R II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 80 to ISO 51200, which can be extended to ISO 40-102400. 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.

In terms of underlying technology, the S1R II is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the S5 uses a 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.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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 comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Panasonic S1R II	Full Frame	44.2	8144	5424	8K/30p	25.4	14.8	3406	97
2.		Panasonic S5	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.1	14.5	2697	94
3.		Canon R5	Full Frame	44.8	8192	5464	8K/30p	25.3	14.6	3042	95
4.		Canon R5 Mark II	Full Frame	44.8	8192	5464	8k/60p	25.4	14.8	3332	97
5.		Leica SL2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/60p	25.3	14.3	2866	95
6.		Leica SL3	Full Frame	60.3	9520	6336	8K/30p	25.4	14.8	3295	97
7.		Nikon Z6 II	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/60p	25.0	14.4	3303	94
8.		Nikon Z7 II	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	4K/60p	26.3	14.7	2841	100
9.		Nikon Z8	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	8K/30p	26.3	14.2	2548	98
10.		Panasonic GH5	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.9	13.0	807	77
11.		Panasonic GH5 II	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.7	13.1	1136	79
12.		Panasonic S1 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.8	3406	97
13.		Panasonic S1R	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/60p	26.4	14.1	3525	100
14.		Panasonic S5 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.6	3158	96
15.		Sony A7 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.9	13.6	2449	90
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the S1R II provides a higher video resolution than the S5. It can shoot video footage at 8K/30p, while the S5 is limited to 4K/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the S1R II offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the S5 (5760k vs 2360k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Panasonic S1R II and Panasonic S5 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 S1R II	5760	n	3.2 / 1840	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
2.		Panasonic S5	2360	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon R5	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
4.		Canon R5 Mark II	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
5.		Leica SL2	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
6.		Leica SL3	5760	Y	3.2 / 2333	tilting	Y	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
7.		Nikon Z6 II	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
8.		Nikon Z7 II	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
9.		Nikon Z8	3690	Y	3.2 / 2089	full-flex	Y	1/32000s	30.0/s	n	Y
10.		Panasonic GH5	3680	n	3.2 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
11.		Panasonic GH5 II	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
12.		Panasonic S1 II	5760	n	3.2 / 1840	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
13.		Panasonic S1R	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
14.		Panasonic S5 II	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A7 II	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/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 S1R II and the Panasonic S5 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 S1R II writes its imaging data to CFexpress (type B) or SDXC cards, while the S5 uses SDXC cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. Both the S1R II and the S5 support UHS-II cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s (the second slot of the S5 only offers slower UHS-I transfer rates, though).

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-S1R II 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 Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Panasonic S1R II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
2.		Panasonic S5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon R5	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon R5 Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
5.		Leica SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
6.		Leica SL3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
7.		Nikon Z6 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
8.		Nikon Z7 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
9.		Nikon Z8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
10.		Panasonic GH5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
11.		Panasonic GH5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		Panasonic S1 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
13.		Panasonic S1R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
14.		Panasonic S5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
15.		Sony A7 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Panasonic S1R II (unlike the S5) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the S1R II and the S5 are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The S1R II replaced the earlier Panasonic S1R, 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 Panasonic website.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Panasonic S1R II or the Panasonic S5 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R II:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (44.2 vs 24MP) with a 36% higher linear resolution.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (8K/30p vs 4K/60p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (5760k vs 2360k dots).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.78x vs 0.74x).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (9 vs 7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More solid recording: Has a full-sized HDMI port for a sturdy connection to an external recorder.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More modern: Reflects 4 years and 8 months of technical progress since the S5 launch.

Reasons to prefer the Panasonic Lumix DC-S5:

• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (440 versus 350) out of a single battery charge.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (39 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in September 2020).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the S1R II is the clear winner of the match-up (10 : 3 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 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 Panasonic S1R II and the Panasonic S5 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 remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the S1R II or the S5 perform in practice. 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 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.		Panasonic S1R II	..	..	..	..	..	..	May 2025	US$ 3 299	amazon.com
2.		Panasonic S5	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
3.		Canon R5	4.5/5	+	4/5	91/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2020	US$ 3 899	amazon.com
4.		Canon R5 Mark II	..	..	..	93/100	..	..	Jul 2024	US$ 4 299	amazon.com
5.		Leica SL2	4/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2019	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
6.		Leica SL3	..	..	4.5/5	..	..	4.5/5	Mar 2024	US$ 6 999	amazon.com
7.		Nikon Z6 II	4.5/5	..	4/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
8.		Nikon Z7 II	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2020	US$ 2 999	amazon.com
9.		Nikon Z8	5/5	..	5/5	94/100	5/5	4.5/5	May 2023	US$ 3 999	amazon.com
10.		Panasonic GH5	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2017	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic GH5 II	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2021	US$ 1 699	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic S1 II	..	..	..	..	..	..	May 2025	US$ 3 199	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic S1R	4.5/5	..	4.6/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2019	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic S5 II	4.5/5	+ +	5/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2023	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
15.		Sony A7 II	5/5	+	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2014	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated 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, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Check S1R II price at
amazon.com
Check S5 price at
amazon.com

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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