CameraDecision
  • CAMERAS
    • All Cameras
    • Cameras by Brand
      • Sony Cameras
      • Canon Cameras
      • Nikon Cameras
      • Pentax Cameras
      • Fujifilm Cameras
      • Olympus Cameras
      • OM-System Cameras
      • Panasonic Cameras
      • Leica Cameras
    • Cameras by Body Type
      • Mirrorless Cameras
      • DSLR Cameras
      • Compact Cameras
      • Bridge Cameras
      • Waterproof Cameras
    • Cameras by Lens Mount
      • Sony E Mount Cameras
      • Canon RF Mount Cameras
      • Nikon Z Mount Cameras
      • Micro Four Thirds Mount Cameras
      • Fujifilm X Mount Cameras
      • Leica L Mount Cameras
      • Nikon F Mount Cameras
      • Canon EF Mount Cameras
      • Canon EF M Mount Cameras
      • Canon EF S Mount Cameras
      • Pentax KAF Mount Cameras
      • Sony Alpha Mount Cameras
      • Fujifilm G Mount Cameras
      • Sigma SA Mount Cameras
      • Nikon 1 Mount Cameras
  • LENSES
    • All Lenses
    • Lenses by Mount
      • Sony E Mount Lenses
      • Canon RF Mount Lenses
      • Nikon Z Mount Lenses
      • Canon EF Mount Lenses
      • Canon EF M Mount Lenses
      • Canon EF S Mount Lenses
      • Nikon F Mount Lenses
      • Fujifilm X Mount Lenses
      • Micro Four Thirds Mount Lenses
      • Leica L Mount Lenses
      • Pentax KAF Mount Lenses
      • Fujifilm G Mount Lenses
      • Sigma SA Mount Lenses
      • Sony Alpha Mount Lenses
    • Teleconverters
    • Cinema Lenses
      • Sony E Mount Cine Lenses
      • Canon RF Mount Cine Lenses
      • Nikon Z Mount Cine Lenses
      • Canon EF Mount Cine Lenses
      • Nikon F Mount Cine Lenses
      • ARRI PL Mount Cine Lenses
      • Fujifilm X Mount Cine Lenses
      • Micro Four Thirds Mount Cine Lenses
      • Leica L Mount Cine Lenses
  • TOOLS
    • Cameras
      • Smart Find
      • 1-on-1 Comparison
    • Lenses
      • Smart Find
      • 1-on-1 Comparison
  • BLOG

Canon M5 vs Panasonic S5 Mark II Comparison

x
Camera to replace
Change

Canon M5

24 MP | APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) CMOS Sensor

Canon M5
CHECK PRICE
CHECK PRICE
Change

Panasonic S5 II

24 MP | Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm) CMOS Sensor

Panasonic S5 II
CHECK PRICE
CHECK PRICE
Canon M5 vs Panasonic S5 II Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing M5 and S5 Mark II, two Mirrorless cameras from Canon and Panasonic. Canon EOS M5 is a Advanced Mirrorless class camera and Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 Mark II is a Pro Mirrorless class camera.

Canon M5 was introduced to the market in September 2016 and Panasonic S5 II was launched in January 2023. As you can see, M5 is 7 years older than S5 Mark II. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of the Canon M5 and Panasonic S5 II before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Canon M5 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2016-09-15
  • 24MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • Canon EF-M Mount
  • 3.20" Tilting Screen
  • 2360k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 9.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 427g. 116 x 89 x 61 mm

Panasonic S5 II Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2023-01-04
  • 24MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 100 - 51200 ( expands to 50 - 204800)
  • Leica L Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Fully Articulated Screen
  • 3680k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 9.0fps (30.0fps Electronic) continuous shooting
  • 6K - 5952 x 3968 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 740g. 134 x 102 x 90 mm
  • Weather-sealed Body
  • Replaced Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 Compare

Let's read on in the following sections in order to better understand in detail how the Canon M5 and Panasonic S5 II compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


Related Blog Posts

Top 10 Lightest Full-Frame Mirrorless Cameras in 2023
The Most Rented Compact Cameras in 2022
DPReview to Close
Daily Deals: Sirui Anamorphic Lens, Apple MacBook Air and more
100-400mm Lens Size Comparison: Leica vs Sony vs Canon vs Nikon
Leica Vario-Elmar-SL 100-400mm f5-6.3 for L Mount Announced
Sirui 24mm f2.8 Super35 Anamorphic 1.33x Lens %50 Off
Best Selling Lenses in Micro Four Thirds, Fujifilm X and Canon EF Mounts in 2023


**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Canon EOS M5 over Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 Mark II
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
LCD Screen Size
3.2" vs 3 0.2 inches larger display
Weight
427 g vs 740 g 313 g lighter
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
CHECK M5 PRICE


Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 Mark II over Canon EOS M5
Video Record Limit
Unlimited vs Limited Record clips longer than 30 minutes
Live Composite Mode
Yes vs No Excellent help for long-exposure photography
In-built Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and slow shutter speeds
Max ISO
51.200 vs 25.600 100% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
779 vs 49 730 more focus points
LCD Resolution
1.840k dots vs 1.620k dots 13% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/8000s vs 1/4000s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
30.0fps vs 9.0fps 21 fps faster
Battery Life
370 shots vs 295 shots 75 more frames with a single charge
Headphone Port
Yes vs No better video control
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Viewfinder Resolution
3680k dot vs 2360k dot 55% higher resolution
Sensor Pixel Area
35.30µm2 vs 13.84µm2 155% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution
5952 x 3968 vs 1920 x 1080 Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing Range
±3 EV vs ±2 EV Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR
Full-size HDMI Port
Yes vs No Use standard HDMI cables without adapters
Pixel Shift High-Res Mode
Yes (96 MP) vs No Increased resolution with pixel shift
4K Photo Mode
Yes vs No Extract 8MP photos from 4K Video
6K Photo Mode
Yes vs No Extract 18MP photos from Video footage
Focus Bracketing
Yes vs No Take multiple photos shifting focus point
Focus Stacking
Yes vs No Stacks photos in-camera to maximize depth of field
Post Focus Mode
Yes vs No Change focus point after taking a shot
Storage Slot
2 vs 1 Extra storage slot
USB Version
USB 3.2 Gen 2 (5 GBit/sec) vs USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) Faster Data transfer from the camera
Animal Eye AF Tracking
Yes vs No Easily lock and track focus on animals
Webcam Function
Yes vs No Use your camera as a Webcam
Anti Flicker
Yes vs No Reduced uneven color and exposure under flickering light
Eye Tracking Focus
Yes vs No Autofocus system locks on the eye and tracks the subject
CHECK S5 Mark II PRICE

Common Strengths of Canon EOS M5 and Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 Mark II
Wireless Connection
Yes vs Yes Better connectivity
Bluetooth Connection
Yes vs Yes Connect to other devices via Bluetooth
Adjustable LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fully Articulated Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Touch Screen
Yes vs Yes Easy control of camera functions
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
Max Resolution
24 MP vs 24 MP Bigger prints and more details
LCD Screen Resolution
1.620k dots vs 1.840k dots High resolution screens
Microphone Port
Yes vs Yes High quality audio recording option
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs Yes creative shooting
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Selfie/Vlogger Friendly LCD
Yes vs Yes Rotate LCD for taking Selfies
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs Yes Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Digital video stabilization
Yes vs Yes Stabilizes your videos in-camera
UHS Card Support
UHS-I vs UHS-II Read/Write in High Speeds
Common Weaknesses of Canon EOS M5 and Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 Mark II
Canon M5 vs Panasonic S5 II: Physical Specs and Body Features Comparison

Size and weight are big decision factors when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, we are going to illustrate the Canon M5 and Panasonic S5 II side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Canon M5 has external dimensions of 116 x 89 x 61 mm (4.57 x 3.5 x 2.4″) and weighs 427 g (0.94 lb / 15.06 oz) (including batteries). Panasonic S5 II has external dimensions of 134 x 102 x 90 mm (5.29 x 4.03 x 3.55″) and weighs 740 g (1.63 lb / 26.10 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Canon M5 and the Panasonic S5 II. Canon M5 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 18mm narrower, 13mm shorter and 29mm thinner than Panasonic S5 II.

Canon M5 vs Panasonic S5 II Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of the Canon M5 and the Panasonic S5 II Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of the Canon M5 and Panasonic S5 II.

Canon M5 vs Panasonic S5 II Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of the Canon M5 and the Panasonic S5 II Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Canon M5 and Panasonic S5 II.
Canon M5 vs Panasonic S5 II Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of the Canon M5 and the the Panasonic S5 II Size

Weight is another important factor, especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Canon M5 is significantly lighter (313g ) than the Panasonic S5 II 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 also have to take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since Panasonic S5 II has a Full frame sensor and Canon M5 has a smaller APS-C sensor, Canon M5's lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will generally be lighter and smaller than the Panasonic S5 II lenses.

Weight Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

M5
S5 Mark II
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

M5
S5 Mark II
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Thanks to the weather-sealed body of the S5 Mark II, you can use this camera with more confidence under conditions where there is risk of exposure to water and dust compared to the M5.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Canon M5's 3.20" LCD screen is slightly larger than Panasonic S5 II's 3 screen.



Canon M5 vs Panasonic S5 II: Sensor Comparison

Both Canon M5 and Panasonic S5 II have 24.0 MP resolution sensors but Canon M5's sensor is APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm ) and Panasonic S5 II's sensor is Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm ).

Since Panasonic S5 II's has a larger sensor area with the same resolution, this means that it also has a larger pixel area hence better light collecting capacity for a given aperture compared to Canon M5.

One other difference between these two cameras that is worth mentioning is that Panasonic S5 II's sensor doesn't have an 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 moiré occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the M5 and S5 Mark II sensor size comparison.

Canon M5 vs Panasonic S5 II Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon M5 and Panasonic S5 II Cameras


As seen above, Panasonic S5 II has a 2.5x Larger sensor area than Canon M5. 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.

Canon M5 vs Panasonic S5 II Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

The number of available lenses is a big deciding factor when choosing your interchangeable lens camera. When we look at the available lenses for these two cameras, we see that the Panasonic S5 II has an advantage over the Canon M5 There are 62 lenses for the Panasonic S5 II's Leica L mount, but on the other hand, there are only 29 lenses for the Canon M5's Canon EF-M lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Panasonic S5 II has a big advantage in this regard because it has a sensor based image stabilization which means that all the lenses mounted to this body will be stabilized. S5 Mark II's built-in Image stabilization system is effective for compensating vibration up to 6.5-stops according to CIPA standards.
On the other hand, Canon M5 doesn't have this feature so you have to buy a lens with optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 6 lenses for Canon EF-M mount with Optical Image Stabilization features.

Lens Type # of Canon M5 Lenses # of Panasonic S5 II Lenses
Standard Zoom 1 8 (7 Full Frame)
Standard Prime 5 14 (13 Full Frame)
Wideangle Zoom 2 5 (5 Full Frame)
Wideangle Prime 11 18 (17 Full Frame)
Telephoto Zoom 1 8 (8 Full Frame)
Telephoto Prime 6 7 (7 Full Frame)
SuperZoom 1 n/a
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 1 n/a
Macro Prime 1 2 (2 Full Frame)
Perspective Control Prime n/a n/a
Telephoto Mirror Prime n/a n/a
TOTAL 29 62 (59 Full Frame)

What types of Photography are Canon M5 and Panasonic S5 II Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Canon M5 and Panasonic S5 II 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.

Canon M5 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic S5 II for Portrait Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Canon M5 for Street Photography

GOOD

Panasonic S5 II for Street Photography

EXCELLENT
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
Read the details

Canon M5 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Panasonic S5 II for Sports Photography

GOOD
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 9.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
49 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
No Image Stabilization
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 295 shots
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 9.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
779 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Anti Flicker feature
Read the details

Canon M5 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Panasonic S5 II for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
427g
Body Thickness 61mm
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Anti Flicker feature
Medium size Body
740g
Body Thickness 90mm
Read the details

Canon M5 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic S5 II for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Live-view
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details

Canon M5 vs Panasonic S5 II: 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 Canon M5 and Panasonic S5 II, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 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 Canon M5 and Panasonic S5 II scores compare:

Canon M5
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #73 out of 111 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #129 out of 1260 in all Cameras
Panasonic S5 II
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #20 out of 111 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #21 out of 1260 in all Cameras

Panasonic S5 II is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Canon M5 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Canon M5. Otherwise, Panasonic S5 II is the better camera overall.

Canon M5
Canon M5
CHECK PRICE

CHECK PRICE

Panasonic S5 II
Panasonic S5 II
CHECK PRICE

CHECK PRICE

Panasonic S5 II vs Canon M5 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Canon EOS M5 Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 Mark II
Brand Canon Panasonic
Announced 2016-09-15 2023-01-04
Body Type SLR-style mirrorless SLR-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size APS-C Full frame
Dimensions 22.3 x 14.9 mm 35.6 x 23.8 mm
Area 332.27mm2 847.28mm2
Megapixels 24 megapixels 24 megapixels
Max Resolution 6000 x 4000 6000 x 4000
Max Native Light sensitivity 25,600 ISO 51,200 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity - 204800 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 100 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity - 50 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 49 779
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Canon EF-M Leica L
Number of Available Lenses 29 62
Screen
Type Tilting Fully Articulated
Size 3.20" 3.00"
Resolution 1,620k dots 1,840k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution 2,360k dots 3,680k dots
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification n/a 0.78x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/8000s
Max Electronic Shutter n/a 1/8000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization No Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 5.00 m (at ISO 100) no built-in flash
Max Flash Sync 1/200s 1/250s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 9.0 fps 9.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 5952 x 3968
Video Formats MP4, H.264, AAC MPEG-4, H.264, H.265
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 427g 740g
Dimensions 116 x 89 x 61mm 134 x 102 x 90mm
Battery Life 295 shots 370 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 77 not tested
DxO Color Depth 23.4 not tested
DxO Dynamic Range 12.4 not tested
DxO Low Light ISO 1262 not tested
Report a correction Report a correction


FOLLOW US


Most Popular Cameras
Sony A7 IV
33 MP | Full frame Sensor | Sony E Mount
Sony A7R IV
61 MP | Full frame Sensor | Sony E Mount
Canon R3
24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Canon RF Mount
Canon M50 II
24 MP | APS-C Sensor | Canon EF-M Mount
Nikon Z9
46 MP | Full frame Sensor | Nikon Z Mount
Fujifilm X-T30 II
26 MP | APS-C Sensor | Fujifilm X Mount
Fujifilm GFX 100
102 MP | Medium format Sensor | Fujifilm G Mount
Nikon Z5
24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Nikon Z Mount
Latest Cameras
Sony ZV-E1
12 MP | Full frame Sensor | Sony E Mount
Canon R50
24 MP | APS-C Sensor | Canon RF Mount
Canon R8
24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Canon RF Mount
Panasonic S5 II X
24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Leica L Mount
Panasonic S5 II
24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Leica L Mount
Pentax KF
24 MP | APS-C Sensor | Pentax KAF2 Mount
Fujifilm X-T5
40 MP | APS-C Sensor | Fujifilm X Mount
Canon R6 II
24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Canon RF Mount
Copyright © 2023 by CameraDecision
Privacy About Contact Us SpeakerDecision

Report a Correction