Kit Lens
Lumix S 20-60mm f/3.5-5.6 — Panasonic's kit zoom, starting at 20 mm.
Panasonic S5 II Review
A 24.2 MP full-frame hybrid with 779-point phase-detect autofocus, 6K 30p Open Gate video, and 5-stop body stabilization (6.5 with Dual I.S. 2 lenses).
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Hybrid Excellence
The Verdict
A 24.2 MP full-frame hybrid with 779-point phase-detect autofocus. Owners say the autofocus is much improved, while wildlife shooters still want stronger tracking (see What owners report).
Video goes up to 6K 30p Open Gate (3:2) with 10-bit 4:2:2 internal recording, and Panasonic rates the body stabilization at 5 stops, 6.5 with Dual I.S. 2 lenses. Owners use it for both photo and video work and point to the price (see What owners report).
Check price at Amazon → (affiliate link)What We Like
- 779-point phase-detect AF; owners say it is much improved (see What owners report)
- Body stabilization rated at 5 stops, 6.5 with Dual I.S. 2 lenses
- 6K 30p Open Gate (3:2): 16:9 and 9:16 can be cropped from one clip
- Built-in cooling fan; Panasonic's only stated stop is 30 min in 6K/5.9K 30p/25p (Standard)
Trade-offs
- Slower sensor readout in full-frame mode than in APS-C crop (CineD)
- Wildlife shooters still want stronger AF tracking (see What owners report)
- Some owners find out-of-camera stills flat or dark (see What owners report)
- 740 g with battery and card; A7 IV 658 g, R6 II 670 g (maker figures)
| Imaging | |
|---|---|
| Sensor | 24.2MP Full-Frame CMOS |
| Processor | L2 Technology (New Engine) |
| Stabilization | 5-Axis IBIS, 5 stops (6.5 with Dual I.S. 2) |
| ISO Range | 100-51,200 (exp. 50-204,800) |
| Autofocus | |
| AF Points | 779 Phase-Detection Points |
| AF System | Phase Hybrid AF (Phase + Contrast) |
| Burst Speed | 30 fps (Electronic), 9 fps (Mechanical) |
| Video | |
| Max Resolution | 6K 30p Open Gate (3:2) / 4K 60p |
| Internal Rec | 10-bit 4:2:2 (LongGOP / All-Intra) |
| Profiles | V-Log, V-Gamut, HLG |
| Video Features | Real-time LUT, Waveform, Vector Scope |
| Build & Connectivity | |
| Viewfinder | 3.68M-dot OLED EVF (0.78x mag) |
| Screen | 3.0" Free-angle Touch (1.84M-dot) |
| Card Slots | Dual SD UHS-II |
| Ports | Full HDMI, USB-C (PD), Mic, Headphone |
| Weather Sealing | Dust and Splash Resistant |
| Weight | 740g (with battery and card) |
Maker-published figures, with source and date: Numbers & Sources below.
- Overall
- 8.4/10
- Image quality
- 8.3
- Autofocus
- 8.2
- Video
- 9.0
- Speed
- 8.5
- Handling and build
- 8.0
In-Depth Performance
Image Quality & Sensor Performance
The sensor is a 24.2-megapixel full-frame CMOS (6000 x 4000 pixels). Panasonic specifies a Dual Native ISO design: native ISO 100 and 640 in the standard modes, and native ISO 640 and 4000 in V-Log. For measured video dynamic range, see What independent testers measured; for photos other people took with it, see Sample photos.
Several owners like the colours, while some find the out-of-camera stills flat or dark. Owners also report good results in low light, including night-sky shots (see What owners report).
Phase-Detect Autofocus
The S5 II uses phase-detect autofocus with 779 AF points, with subject detection for humans (face/eye/body), animals, and vehicles.
Owners say the autofocus is much improved. Wildlife shooters still want stronger tracking, and one says they want to switch to Sony for it (see What owners report).
Open Gate Video & Recording
The S5 II records 6K 30p Open Gate video from the full sensor area (3:2 aspect ratio), so 16:9 horizontal and 9:16 vertical versions can be cropped from the same clip. In V-Log, CineD measured 12.3 stops of video dynamic range (Imatest, SNR = 2) and 7 stops of exposure latitude; see What independent testers measured.
Internal recording is 10-bit 4:2:2, and the body has a built-in cooling fan. Panasonic lists only one stop, after 30 minutes in 6K and 5.9K at 30p/25p with Thermal Management on Standard; in the other modes a new file is created at the file limit and recording continues. 4K tops out at 60p; Full HD runs to 120p for slow motion. CineD measured a slower rolling-shutter readout in full-frame mode than in APS-C crop mode; both figures are in What independent testers measured. In-camera Apple ProRes recording, to an external USB-C SSD, is an S5IIX feature.
Stabilization & Build
Panasonic rates the 5-axis body stabilization at 5 stops, and at 6.5 stops with Dual I.S. 2 when a lens with O.I.S. is attached. The S5 II also has Panasonic's Active I.S. mode.
The body is magnesium alloy and dust and splash resistant. It has a 3.68M-dot OLED EVF (0.78x) and a 3.0" free-angle touchscreen (1.84M-dot). Panasonic rates the battery at 370 shots (CIPA). It weighs 740 g with battery and card; the makers list 658 g for the Sony A7 IV and 670 g for the Canon R6 II. Opinions on size split among owners: some carry it all day, others reach for the smaller S9 instead (see What owners report).
Sample photos from other photographers
Photos that other people took with the Panasonic S5 II and published on Wikimedia Commons under free licences. We chose them; we did not take them. The settings under each photo come from the file's own metadata.
The numbers, and where they come from
Published by the maker
| Sensor size (maker's figure) | 35.6 x 23.8 mm |
|---|---|
| Effective pixels | 24.2 MP |
| Pixel dimensions (3:2) | 6,000 x 4,000 |
| Native ISO range | ISO 100–51,200 |
| Continuous shooting | 30 fps (electronic shutter, SH30 burst mode) |
| Buffer (RAW) | 200 frames (RAW in SH burst mode) |
| Battery (CIPA) | 370 shots |
| Weight with battery and card | 740 g |
| Viewfinder resolution | 3.68 million dots |
Maker figures checked on 26 Sept 2026 — maker's spec sheet. Continuous shooting, in the maker's words: Electronic shutter SH30: 30 frames/sec (AFS/AFC/MF). Number of recordable images, SH RAW / RAW+JPEG / JPEG: 200 images
Computed from those figures
| Pixel pitch | 5.93 µm |
|---|---|
| Sensor area | 847 mm² |
| Format factor | 1.01x |
| Light gathered vs 35mm | the same |
| Print at 300 dpi | 51 cm |
| Diffraction limit | f/8.8 |
Computed from the figures above. Pixel pitch = sensor width / pixel count across. Light gathered = log2 of the area ratio to 36 x 24 mm. Diffraction limit = the aperture at which the Airy disc diameter (2.44 x lambda x N, lambda = 550 nm) reaches two pixel pitches. Other calculators use other thresholds and so quote other numbers.
What independent testers measured
These figures were measured by the outlets named in the last column, not by us. Each one links to the test it comes from, and the conditions it was measured under are listed beside it.
| Measurement | Result | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rolling shutter (sensor readout time) | 22 ms | Full-frame mode | CineD, checked 23 Oct 2026 |
| Rolling shutter (sensor readout time) | 14.3 ms | APS-C crop mode | CineD, checked 23 Oct 2026 |
| Video dynamic range (Imatest, SNR = 2) | 12.3 stops | 5.9K open gate, V-Log, ISO 640 | CineD, checked 23 Oct 2026 |
| Exposure latitude | 7 stops | V-Log; banding becomes too strong at 8 stops | CineD, checked 23 Oct 2026 |
What owners report
We read 125 public posts and reviews on 23 Oct 2026: reddit.com/r/Lumix (85), bhphotovideo.com (40). Each point below came up from at least two different people; the wording is ours.
Praised repeatedly
- Owners use it for both photo and video work and point to the price. [1][2][3]
- Several owners like the colours. [1][2]
- Owners report good results in low light, including night-sky shots. [1][2]
- Owners say the autofocus is much improved. [1][2][3]
Complained about repeatedly
- Wildlife shooters still want stronger autofocus tracking; one says they want to switch to Sony for it. [1][2]
- Some owners find the out-of-camera stills flat or dark. [1][2][3]
- Opinions on size split: some carry it all day, others reach for the smaller S9 instead. [1][2][3]
These are public posts. We do not check whether the people who wrote them bought or used this camera.
How this score is put together
8.4 out of 10
- Image quality Weight 25% 8.3
24.2MP full frame
- Autofocus Weight 20% 8.2
779-point phase detect, first PDAF in the S line
- Video Weight 20% 9.0
6K30 open gate, 10-bit internal
- Speed Weight 15% 8.5
30 fps electronic
- Handling and build Weight 20% 8.0
5-stop body IBIS (6.5 with a stabilised lens), twin SD, active cooling
Scored against full-frame interchangeable-lens cameras. The overall figure is the weighted mean of the rows above — it is computed, not set by hand.
How It Compares
| Spec | Panasonic S5 II | Sony A7 IV | Canon R6 II |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sensor | 24.2MP FF | 33MP FF | 24MP FF |
| Video | 6K30 | 4K60 | 4K60 |
| AF Points | 779 points PDAF | 759 points | 1053 zones |
| Burst | 30 fps | 10 fps | 40 fps |
| IBIS | 5 stops | 5.5 stops | 8 stops |
| Buy | Check price at Amazon (affiliate link) | Check price at Amazon (affiliate link) | Check price at Amazon (affiliate link) |
Lens options
Prime
Lumix S 50mm f/1.8 — Panasonic's f/1.8 standard prime.
Standard Zoom
Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art (L-Mount) — a third-party f/2.8 standard zoom for L-mount.
Affiliate Disclosure
No manufacturers paid for this review. We earn a commission if you use our links, which keeps this site ad-free.
Frequently Asked Questions
The S5 II adds phase-detect autofocus with 779 points; the original S5 used contrast-detect AF. It also adds a cooling fan and Active I.S.; Panasonic rates its body stabilisation at 5 stops, 6.5 with Dual I.S. 2 lenses. Owners say the autofocus is much improved (see What owners report).
Panasonic, Sigma and Leica make L-mount lenses, and TTArtisan and Viltrox offer L-mount lenses as well.
Per Panasonic's spec sheets, the S5IIX adds recording to an external USB-C SSD, including Apple ProRes, and RAW output over HDMI to an Atomos or Blackmagic recorder. The S5 II gets HDMI RAW output only with firmware 2.0 and the paid DMW-SFU2 upgrade key, and both list a waveform monitor.
Panasonic lists ISO 100-51,200 (expandable to 50-204,800) and dual native ISO 640 and 4000 in V-Log. Owners report good results in low light, including night-sky shots (see What owners report).
It records 6K internally (Panasonic's only listed stop is 30 minutes at 6K/5.9K 30p/25p with Thermal Management on Standard), with 10-bit 4:2:2 internal recording and V-Log. It has no built-in ND filters and no XLR inputs; XLR needs the DMW-XLR1 adapter. An external HDMI recorder such as the Atomos Ninja V can record ProRes.
Related Reviews
Recommended Accessories
Essential gear to maximize your Panasonic Lumix S5 II experience:
Memory Card
ProGrade Digital SDXC UHS-II V90 256 GB
UHS-II card for either SD slot; Panasonic asks for UHS Speed Class 3 or faster for the 200 Mbps 6K and 4K60 modes.
Battery
Panasonic DMW-BLK22
The battery this camera takes.
Lens
Panasonic S 24-105mm f/4 OIS
Panasonic's f/4 standard zoom with optical image stabilisation.
Cage
SmallRig S5 II Cage
A cage with mounting points for monitors and microphones.
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