Panasonic Lumix S S5 II Black 2023
Panasonic
97 Overall Score
vs
Sony Alpha a6500 Black
Sony
52 Overall Score
What Buyers Say
Panasonic Lumix S S5 II Black 2023
92 out of 100 high confidence 51 reviews
The Panasonic Lumix S5II is overwhelmingly praised as a fantastic hybrid camera that finally brings phase-detect autofocus to the L-mount lineup. Users highlight its excellent video features, including a fan for unlimited recording, great stabilization, and beautiful color science, all at a very competitive price. A few long-term users report a shutter button issue, and some note the limited lens selection compared to Sony, but the vast majority consider it the best value full-frame camera under $2,000.
Pros
- Excellent phase-detect autofocus
- Great video quality and codecs
- Internal fan prevents overheating
- Outstanding image stabilization
- Beautiful color science
Cons
- Shutter button issue after extended use
- Limited lens selection compared to Sony
- APS-C crop in 4K 60p
- Rolling shutter at fast pans
- External monitor disables internal display info
Autofocus performance 12
Video quality 10
Overheating prevention 6
Image stabilization 5
Value for money 8
Shutter button reliability 2
Sony Alpha a6500 Black
No customer feedback yet
Scores
Beginner
Video
Wedding Events
Sports Wildlife
Youtube
Photography
Travel
Product Photography
Streaming
Vlogging
Specifications
| Panasonic Lumix S S5 II | Sony Alpha a6500 | |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor | ||
| Type | CMOS | CMOS |
| Size | full-frame | aps-c |
| Megapixels | 24.200000762939453 MP | 24.200000762939453 MP |
| ISO Range | 100★ | — |
| Processor | L2 | — |
| Autofocus | ||
| AF Points | ||
| AF Type | Photo, VideoContrast Detection, Phase Detection: 779 | — |
| Eye AF | ✓★ | — |
| Animal AF | ✓★ | — |
| Subject Detection | ✓★ | — |
| Shooting | ||
| Burst (Mechanical) | 30 fps★ | 11 fps |
| Burst (Electronic) | 30 fps★ | — |
| Max Shutter | 1/8000 | — |
| Electronic Shutter | ✓ | ✓ |
| Video | ||
| Max Resolution | 6K★ | 4K |
| 4K FPS | 60 fps★ | — |
| 1080p FPS | 100 fps★ | — |
| 10-bit | ✓★ | — |
| Log Profile | ✓ | ✓ |
| RAW Video | ✓★ | — |
| Codec | H.264/H.265/MOV/MP4/ProRes 4:2:2/4:2:0 8/10-Bit | — |
| Display & EVF | ||
| Screen Size | 3"★ | 3" |
| Touchscreen | ✓ | ✓ |
| Articulating | ✓★ | — |
| EVF Resolution | 3.7M dots★ | — |
| Build | ||
| Weather Sealed | ✓ | ✓ |
| Weight | 0.66 kg★ | — |
| Battery Life | 370 shots★ | — |
| Connectivity | ||
| Wi-Fi | ✓★ | — |
| Bluetooth | ✓★ | — |
| USB | USB-C★ | — |
| HDMI | HDMI Output | — |
| Hot Shoe | ✓ | ✓ |
Pros & Cons
Panasonic Lumix S S5 II Black 2023
- Strong display (99th percentile)99th %ile
- Strong af (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong build (96th percentile)96th %ile
- Strong connectivity (96th percentile)96th %ile
Sony Alpha a6500 Black
- Strong sensor (90th percentile)90th %ile
- Strong stabilization (88th percentile)88th %ile
- Strong af (85th percentile)85th %ile
- Strong build (83rd percentile)83rd %ile
- Below average social proof (27th percentile)
Verdict
Winner: Panasonic Lumix S S5 II
Scores 97 overall, wins 10 of 10 usage categories and 20 of 33 specs.