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Sony A7S vs Panasonic GH5S

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Sony A7S

12 MP | Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) CMOS Sensor

Sony A7S
$1,998.00
Change

Panasonic GH5S

10 MP | Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) CMOS Sensor

Panasonic GH5S
$2,397.99
4%
off
Sony A7S vs Panasonic GH5S Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Pro Mirrorless cameras. Sony A7S has a 12.0MP Full frame sensor whereas Panasonic GH5S has a 10.0MP Four Thirds sensor.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Sony A7S and Panasonic GH5S before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sony A7S Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2014-04-06
  • 12MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 409600
  • Sony E Mount
  • 3″ Tilting Screen
  • 2359k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 5 fps continuous shooting
  • 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • 120 fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 489g. 127 x 94 x 48 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

Panasonic GH5S Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2018-01-08
  • 10MP - Four Thirds CMOS Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 160 - 51200
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 3.2" Fully Articulated Screen
  • 3680k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 12.0 fps continuous shooting
  • 4096 x 2060 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 660g. 139 x 98 x 87 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

Sony A7S was replaced by Sony Alpha 7S II. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Alpha 7S II vs Sony Alpha A7S
Sony Alpha 7S II vs Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5S

Reasons to choose Sony Alpha A7S over Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5S
Max Sensor Resolution 12 MP vs 10 MP 19% more pixels
Max ISO 409.600 vs 51.200 700% higher Max ISO
Weight 489 g vs 660 g 171 g lighter
Sensor Pixel Area 71.24µm2 vs 22.14µm2 221% larger pixel area
Price $1,998 vs $2,398 $400 cheaper
NFC Connection Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5S over Sony Alpha A7S
Touch Screen Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Number of Focus Points 225 vs 25 200 more focus points
LCD Screen Size 3.2" vs 3″ 0.2 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution 1.620k dots vs 1.230k dots 31% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting 12.0fps vs 5.0fps 7 fps faster
Battery Life 440 shots vs 360 shots 80 more frames with a single charge
Viewfinder Resolution 3680k dot vs 2359k dot 55% higher resolution
Max Video Resolution 4096 x 2060 vs 3840 x 2160 Higher Resolution Video
Flash Sync Port Yes vs No Connect off-camera flash
Bluetooth Yes vs No Connect your camera to other devices via Blueetooth
Storage Slot 2 vs 1 Extra storage slot
Support for UHS Memory Cards UHS-II vs none Read/Write in Ultra High Speeds
Common Strengths of Sony Alpha A7S and Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5S
Wireless Connection Yes vs Yes Better connectivity
Articulating Screen Yes vs Yes Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Viewfinder Yes (Electronic) vs Yes (Electronic) Better framing and control
RAW Support Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
LCD Screen Size 3″ vs 3.2" Large display
LCD Screen Resolution 1.230k dots vs 1.620k dots Higher resolution screens
Microphone Port Yes vs Yes High quality audio recording option
Headphone Port Yes vs Yes better video control
Environmental Sealing Yes vs Yes shoot at tough conditions
AE Bracketing Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Dual-axis Electronic Level Yes vs Yes Level the camera easily in two axis
Smartphone Remote Control Yes vs Yes Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Common Weaknesses of Sony Alpha A7S and Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5S
Image Stabilization No vs No No Built-in stabilization
Built-in Flash No vs No Require external flash
Sony A7S vs Panasonic GH5S: Physical Specs Comparison

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sony A7S and Panasonic GH5S. Sony A7S is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 12mm narrower, 4mm shorter and 39mm thinner than Panasonic GH5S.

Sony A7S vs Panasonic GH5S Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Now lets look at the top view comparison of Sony A7S and Panasonic GH5S.
Sony A7S vs Panasonic GH5S Camera Size Comparison - Top View

Sony A7S vs Panasonic GH5S Detailed Size Comparison

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony A7S is significantly lighter (171g ) than the Panasonic GH5S which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since Sony A7S has a Full frame sensor and Panasonic GH5S has a smaller Four Thirds sensor, Panasonic GH5S's lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will generally be lighter and smaller than the Sony A7S lenses.

Weight Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

A7S
GH5S
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

A7S
GH5S
Min
Average
Max
Sony A7S vs Panasonic GH5S: Sensor Comparison

Sony A7S has a 12.0MP Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Bionz X processor. On the other hand, Panasonic GH5S has a 10.0MP Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Venus Engine 10 processor.

Another difference between these two cameras is that Panasonic GH5S's sensor lacks anti-alias (Low-Pass) filter. Removing anti-alias filter increases the sharpness and level of detail but at the same time, it increases the chance of moire occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the A7S and GH5S sensor size comparison.

Sony A7S vs Panasonic GH5S Sensor Size Comparison


As seen above, Sony A7S has a 3.8x Larger sensor area than Panasonic GH5S. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

What types of Photography are Sony A7S and Panasonic GH5S Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Sony A7S and Panasonic GH5S for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Sony A7S for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Panasonic GH5S for Portrait Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Sony A7S for Street Photography

GOOD

Panasonic GH5S for Street Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Sony A7S for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT

Panasonic GH5S for Sports Photography

GOOD
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
25 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 12.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
225 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Sony A7S for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

Panasonic GH5S for Daily Photography

AVERAGE
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
489g
Body Thickness 48mm
Read the details
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
660g
Body Thickness 87mm
Read the details

Sony A7S for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic GH5S for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Read the details
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
Read the details


Panasonic GH5S vs Sony A7S Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. When we look at the available lenses for these two cameras, we see that Panasonic GH5S has an advantage over Sony A7S There are 92 lenses for Panasonic GH5S's Micro Four Thirds mount, on the other hand there are only 83 lenses for Sony A7S's Sony E lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. None of these bodies have sensor based image stabilization so you have to buy lenses with Optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 23 lenses for Sony E mount and 22 lenses for Micro Four Thirds mount with IS.

Lens Type # of Sony A7S Lenses # of Panasonic GH5S Lenses
Standard Zoom 9 (7 Full Frame) 14
Standard Prime 13 (5 Full Frame) 11
Wideangle Zoom 4 (3 Full Frame) 4
Wideangle Prime 27 (14 Full Frame) 23
Telephoto Zoom 6 (5 Full Frame) 16
Telephoto Prime 10 (7 Full Frame) 8
SuperZoom 8 (1 Full Frame) 6
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 1 (0 Full Frame) 5
Macro Prime 4 (3 Full Frame) 4
Perspective Control Prime 1 (1 Full Frame) n/a
Telephoto Mirror Prime n/a 1
TOTAL 83 (46 Full Frame) 92
Sony A7S vs Panasonic GH5S: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Sony A7S and Panasonic GH5S, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Sony A7S and Panasonic GH5S scores compare:

Sony A7S
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #11 out of 49 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #33 out of 1131 in all Cameras
Panasonic GH5S
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #28 out of 49 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #99 out of 1131 in all Cameras

Sony A7S scores higher than the Panasonic GH5S thanks to its better general imaging quality, compact size and higher value for the money. On the other hand, Panasonic GH5S has some extra features which may become a game changer if you have some specific requirements.
We recommend you to read our detailed Pro's and Con's section and see if any Pro of Panasonic GH5S is a must-have for you. If not, choose the Sony A7S.

Sony A7S
Sony A7S
$1,998.00

Panasonic GH5S
Panasonic GH5S
$2,397.99
4%
off

Panasonic GH5S vs Sony A7S Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Sony Alpha A7S Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5S
Brand Sony Panasonic
Announced 2014-04-06 2018-01-08
Body Type SLR-style mirrorless SLR-style mirrorless
Price $1,998.00 $2,397.99
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size Full frame Four Thirds
Dimensions 35.8 x 23.9 mm 17.3 x 13 mm
Area 855.62mm2 224.90mm2
Megapixels 12 megapixels 10 megapixels
Max Resolution 4240 x 2832 3680 x 2760
Max Native Light sensitivity 409,600 ISO 51,200 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity - 204800 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 160 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity - 80 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 25 225
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Sony E Micro Four Thirds
Number of Available Lenses 83 92
Screen
Type Tilting Fully Articulated
Size 3″ 3.2"
Resolution 1,230k dots 1,620k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution 2,359k dots 3,680k dots
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.71 0.76
Photography Features
Max Shutter Speed 1/8000s 1/8000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization No No
Built-in Flash
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 5.0 fps 12.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 4096 x 2060
Video Formats MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC MPEG-4, H.264, H.265
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 489g 660g
Dimensions 127 x 94 x 48mm 139 x 98 x 87mm
Battery Life 360 shots 440 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording With Downloadable App
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 87 not tested
DxO Color Depth 23.9 not tested
DxO Dynamic Range 13.2 not tested
DxO Low Light ISO 3702 not tested
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