Sony Alpha a7S III Black 2020
Sony
59 Overall Score
vs
Panasonic Lumix S S5 II Black 2023
Panasonic
97 Overall Score
What Buyers Say
Sony Alpha a7S III Black 2020
No customer feedback yet
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
Scores
Beginner
Video
Wedding Events
Sports Wildlife
Youtube
Photography
Travel
Product Photography
Streaming
Vlogging
Specifications
| Sony Alpha a7S III | Panasonic Lumix S S5 II | |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor | ||
| Type | BSI-CMOS | CMOS |
| Size | full-frame | full-frame |
| Megapixels | 12.100000381469727 MP | 24.200000762939453 MP★ |
| ISO Range | 40★ | 100 |
| Processor | BIONZ XR | L2 |
| Autofocus | ||
| AF Points | ||
| AF Type | — | Photo, VideoContrast Detection, Phase Detection: 779 |
| Eye AF | ✓ | ✓ |
| Animal AF | — | ✓★ |
| Subject Detection | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shooting | ||
| Burst (Mechanical) | 10 fps | 30 fps★ |
| Burst (Electronic) | — | 30 fps★ |
| Max Shutter | — | 1/8000 |
| Electronic Shutter | — | ✓★ |
| Video | ||
| Max Resolution | 4K | 6K★ |
| 4K FPS | 120 fps★ | 60 fps |
| 1080p FPS | — | 100 fps★ |
| 10-bit | ✓ | ✓ |
| Log Profile | ✓ | ✓ |
| RAW Video | ✓ | ✓ |
| Codec | HLG, S-Log2/S-Log3 | 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 | 9.4M dots★ | 3.7M dots |
| Build | ||
| Weather Sealed | — | ✓★ |
| Weight | 1.48 kg | 0.66 kg★ |
| Battery Life | — | 370 shots★ |
| Connectivity | ||
| Wi-Fi | — | ✓★ |
| Bluetooth | — | ✓★ |
| USB | USB-C | USB-C |
| HDMI | full-size HDMI | HDMI Output |
| Hot Shoe | — | ✓★ |
Pros & Cons
Sony Alpha a7S III Black 2020
- Strong evf (99th percentile)99th %ile
- Strong af (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
- Strong stabilization (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
- Strong video (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
- Below average sensor (7th percentile)7th %ile
- Below average social proof (28th percentile)
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
Pricing
Sony Alpha a7S III Black 20200.021score per dollar
vs
Panasonic Lumix S S5 II Black 20230.060score per dollar
Panasonic Lumix S S5 II Black 2023 offers 2.9x better value for money
Verdict
Winner: Panasonic Lumix S S5 II
Scores 97 overall, wins 10 of 10 usage categories and 14 of 33 specs.
