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The Lumix S5 tries to do both of these things, and at least one of them, size, it does very well. Panasonic camera has put some of its best technology in the Lumix S1 and Lumix S1H, much bigger than the Lumix GH5 and Panasonic Lumix G9. It’s nothing less than magic.
Professional photographers usually use larger full-frame sensors, which are less common in video. The benefit is that they can gather more light because their sensors have about 2.5 times the surface area of APS-C sensors in cameras like the Fujifilm X-T4, which is the APS-C King.
The Lumix S5 has large pixels of about 5.93 microns in size because it has a bigger surface area and a low resolution of only 24.2MP. More light-gathering power makes it easier to deal with noise when there isn’t much light, but it also gives the S5 an impressive dynamic range of about 14 stops.
This claim is true for the new Sony A7C, but it is not true for the S5 or any other full frame camera at this price point.In some ways, the Lumix S5 is what we’d want from a Lumix GH6, so where does the release of this new camera leave the popular GH-line? For any possible follow-up to the GH5, we will have to wait until Lumix announces the next step.
Panasonic Lumix S5 review: Design

One of the main things that people didn’t like about the original Panasonic Lumix S1 and S1R cameras was that they were very big and heavy. With the S5, Panasonic tried to solve this problem by putting all the important parts in a smaller and lighter body than one of its Micro Four Thirds models, the Lumix GH5.
This seems like the camera Panasonic should have used to start the S series. They could have kept the already popular shape but made the sensor inside bigger. At this point, it’s also important to talk about the 20-60mm lens, which comes with the S5 kit. This small and neat lens makes it a perfect match for the S5.
The problem is that other L Mount lenses, especially the ones made by Panasonic, aren’t always as small. Still, a new smaller camera could mean that lenses will also get smaller. Since the S5 is part of the L Mount alliance, you can also use it with lenses from Sigma lens and Leica, giving you more options. You can buy this camera from tis official website.
Panasonic Lumix S5 review: Features
At Photokina 2018, Panasonic, Leica, and Sigma told us about the L-Mount alliance. This group of companies share the same lens mount to make L-mount cameras and lenses. This gives consumers more options, since they can choose from a variety of cameras and lenses.
In fact, you can get Panasonic lenses, Leica lenses, and Sigma lenses, so you already have a pretty good selection. Panasonic’s newest full-frame mirrorless camera, the Lumix S5, has a 24mp sensor and is called a “full-frame mirrorless camera.” It’s one of the least expensive full-frame L-mount cameras, and it joins the 24mp Panasonic Lumix S1, the 47mp Lumix S1R, and the 24mp S1H.
The S1H is made for videographers. If you’re familiar with the Panasonic Lumix S1 line, you know that the cameras are quite big compared to many mirrorless cameras. The Panasonic Lumix S5 fixes this problem by being a much smaller camera that weighs 714g with battery and memory card and measures 132.6 x 97.1 x 81.9mm.
Panasonic Lumix S5 review: Image Quality

The S5 also has a high-resolution mode that uses sensor-shift stabilization to record a composite image with a resolution of up to 96 Megapixels in camera. This mode can only be used with a tripod, but Panasonic has increased the longest exposure time from 1 second to 8 seconds to make it more useful.
When taking a high-resolution picture, the S5 uses an electronic shutter to take eight shots quickly, then combines them in-camera into a single JPEG or RAW image. The whole process takes about eight seconds, but you’ll need to use the optional delay to keep from shaking the camera, since the standard self-timer won’t work.
Panasonic Lumix S5 review: Video Quality
We think the Panasonic Lumix S5 is the best full-frame hybrid camera for the money on the market. It not only takes great photos, but the video quality is just as good as that of Sony cameras that cost a lot more, like the FX3, A7SIII, and A7IV, which we own or have owned.
You’ll get professional results no matter what you’re shooting when you use the Panasonic Lumix S5 with the now-great L-Mount lens lineup. In this video, I’ll talk about why the Lumix S5 is so underrated and how we ended up with four of them. No kidding! No one paid for this review. All of my Panasonic S5 cameras were bought with money.
Panasonic Lumix S5 review: Performance

Even though the S5 isn’t the fastest camera in its class, it responds pretty well overall. Its burst rate with continuous autofocus is only 5 fps, which is not fast enough for fast action. With single AF, you can get up to 7 fps. And in 6K Photo Mode, you can take a series of 18-megapixel photos at 30 fps.
In 4K Photo Mode, you can take a series of 8-megapixel photos at 60 fps. But 5 fps is best because it has full resolution and continuous autofocus. At 5 fps, you can catch movement that isn’t too fast, so don’t dismiss this camera just because its burst mode isn’t as fast as others. Its five-axis in-body image stabilization (IBIS) is very good and can compensate for about 5 stops.
When used with an OIS lens, you can get correction of up to 6.5 stops. Both ratings are slightly lower than those of the S1 and S1H, rated at 6 stops IBIS (and 7 stops with an OIS lens), so you’ll have a lot of room to work with when shooting at slower shutter speeds.
The same options for stabilizing photos also work well for stabilizing videos. But you also have electronic IS (with a small cut) and Boost IS, which are two more IS tools. The second one works best when you are shooting from one fixed point of view.
Panasonic Lumix S5 review: Battery Life
The S5 is rated to take 440 pictures with the rear screen and 470 pictures with the EVF. You can also turn on a mode that saves power and gives you 1,500 pictures. In real life, you should be able to use the S5 for a full day with moderate use, especially if you do things like turn it off between shots to save power. If you want to shoot a lot of 4K clips in one day, you might want to buy a second battery. The S5 can also be charged through USB, so you could also use a high-capacity power bank to charge it on the go.
Panasonic Lumix S5 review: Price
The Lumix S5 has large pixels of about 5.93 microns in size because it has a bigger surface area and a low resolution of only 24.2MP. More light-gathering power makes it easier to deal with noise when there isn’t much light, but it also gives the S5 an impressive dynamic range of about 14 stops.
This claim is true for the new Sony A7C, but it is not true for the S5 or any other full frame camera at this price point. You’ll need to spend another $1,000 or more on the Sony A7S III for a real step up in low-light shooting and general video specs.
In some ways, the Lumix S5 is what we’d want from a Lumix GH6, so where does the release of this new camera leave the popular GH-line? For any possible follow-up to the GH5, we will have to wait until Lumix announces the next step. But with this price and a full-frame sensor, the Lumix S5 doesn’t leave much room for competition.
Panasonic Lumix S5 review: Final Words
Cameras need to do more than just take great pictures, and the Panasonic Lumix S5 goes far beyond what you would expect from a sub-$2,000 camera because it has so many advanced features and is so good at video. With its specs for both photos and videos, the S5 is exactly what a hybrid camera should be.
At the same time, fans who want to improve their skills, especially those who are new to video, have room to grow. It’s also one of the best cameras for vloggers because it has a lot of video options, an LCD that can move in all directions, and the ability to take vertical videos.
The S5 can’t keep up with fast action like the Sony a7 III’s 10 fps or the Nikon Z 6II’s 14 fps, and it can’t autofocus as well as the Canon EOS R6, but at 5 fps, it can track some sports and other moderately fast activities. And its video features are better than those of its competitors.
FAQs
Is the Lumix S5 worth buying?
We think the Panasonic Lumix S5 is the best full-frame hybrid camera for the money on the market. It not only takes great photos, but the video quality is just as good as that of Sony cameras that cost a lot more, like the FX3, A7SIII, and A7IV, which we own or have owned.
Is the Panasonic S5 professional?
To summarise, the Panasonic Lumix S5 II is a high-performance and adaptable camera that is well suited for the needs of professional photographers and videographers. Because of its high-quality picture sensor, sophisticated autofocus system, and 5-axis image stabilisation system, it is an excellent option for taking spectacular stills and moving photographs.
Is the S5 a good camera?
The video credentials of Panasonic have been well-known for a long time, and the S5 is one of the best mirrorless cameras available to consumers who wish to capture an even mix of static and moving photos in their photography. It does not quite offer the entire range of video abilities that the S1H does, but for such a much smaller camera, it is extremely astounding.
Is Panasonic S5 mirrorless?
The Panasonic S5 is a 24 megapixel full-frame mirrorless camera that is based around the same sensor as the Panasonic S1, but it comes in a chassis that is more compact and costs less. In point of fact, although having a full-frame sensor, the S5 is smaller in every dimension in comparison to its brother or sister camera that uses the Micro Four Thirds format, the GH5.
Panasonic Lumix S5 Ratings