Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 vs Sony a7S III — Which Is Better?

The Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 and the Sony a7S III are both mirrorless cameras, announced in February 2021 and July 2020 respectively. The Sony is marginally the smaller and lighter body at 129 x 97 x 81 mm and 699 g, against 133 x 97 x 82 mm and 714 g for the S5.

The S5 is the stronger choice for heavy cropping and large prints: its 24.2-megapixel sensor carries twice the pixel count of the a7S III's 12.1-megapixel sensor, leaving far more latitude to reframe a distant animal. At the eye, the a7S III pulls ahead with a 9,440,000-dot viewfinder that shows four times the detail of the S5's 2,360,000-dot panel, making focus easier to judge.

The a7S III reaches a native ISO ceiling of 102400, double the S5's 51200. For fast action the Sony has the quicker burst, 10 fps against 7 fps, catching more frames of a sprinter mid-stride, plus 759 autofocus points to the S5's 225. Both cameras share a 1/8000-second maximum shutter and in-body stabilisation. The mounts differ: Leica L on the S5, Sony FE on the a7S III, each with its own native lens range.

The a7S III is the better pick for slow motion. Its maximum video frame rate reaches 120 fps, twice the S5's 60 fps, giving fast action twice the slow-motion headroom in the edit. Both cameras share 4K as their maximum video resolution.

The S5 answers with a built-in interval timer for timelapse sequences, which the a7S III does not offer, covering day-to-night transitions without an external trigger. For hybrid shooters, the video choice is whether slow-motion headroom or in-camera timelapse matters more.

Both cameras offer a 3-inch flip-out touchscreen with live view for framing at waist level or overhead. The S5's screen resolves more dots, 1,840,000 against 1,440,000, a modest edge for checking focus.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth come on both for transfer and remote control, both accept external flash with no built-in flash, and both are weather sealed. Neither includes GPS, so geotagging a wildlife library needs a phone or separate accessory with either body.

The a7S III has the higher rated battery life, 600 shots against 440 on the S5. The two use different battery types, so a spare for one will not power the other.

Dual card slots and UHS-II SD support are shared, and both recharge over USB from a laptop or power bank. The a7S III also accepts CFexpress Type A, an additional fast card option for heavy video recording.