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Panasonic S5 vs Leica X Vario Comparison

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Panasonic S5

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

Panasonic S5
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Leica X Vario

16 MP | APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) CMOS Sensor

Leica X Vario
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Panasonic S5 vs Leica X Vario Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Panasonic S5, which was introduced in August 2020 is a Pro Mirrorless camera with a 24.0MP Full frame sensor whereas Leica X Vario, which was introduced in June 2013 is a Large Sensor Compact camera with a 16.0MP APS-C sensor. As you can see, X Vario is 7 years older than S5. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Comparing an interchangeble lens camera to a fixed lens camera is a bit tricky but we will do our best to make this a fair comparison.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Panasonic S5 and Leica X Vario before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Panasonic S5 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2020-08-14
  • 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
  • 2360k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 7.0fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 714g. 133 x 97 x 82 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

Leica X Vario Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-06-11
  • 16MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 12500
  • 28-70 mm F3.5-6.4 Zoom Lens
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • 5.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 680g. 133 x 73 x 95 mm
  • Replaced Leica X2 Compare

Panasonic S5 was replaced by Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 Mark II. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 Mark II vs Panasonic S5
Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 Mark II vs Leica X Vario

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic S5 and Leica X Vario compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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**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 Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 over Leica X Vario
Video Record Limit
Unlimited vs Limited Record clips longer than 30 minutes
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
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
LCD Screen
Fully Articulated vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder
Electronic vs Electronic (Optional) Better framing and control
Sensor Resolution
24 MP vs 16 MP 50% more pixels
Max ISO
51.200 vs 12.500 309% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
225 vs 11 214 more focus points
LCD Resolution
1.840k dots vs 920k dots 100% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/8000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
7.0fps vs 5.0fps 2 fps faster
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Headphone Port
Yes vs No better video control
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Color Depth
25.1 vs 23.4 higher color depth
Dynamic Range
14.5 vs 12.7 higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO
2697 vs 1320 better High ISO performance
Sensor Pixel Area
35.30µm2 vs 23.13µm2 52% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution
3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080 Higher Resolution Video
Selfie & Vlogger LCD
Yes vs No Rotate LCD for taking Selfies
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
Bluetooth
Yes vs No Connect your camera to other devices via Blueetooth
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
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Digital video stabilization
Yes vs No Stabilizes your videos in-camera
UHS Card Support
UHS-II vs none Read/Write in High Speeds
USB Version
USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 GBit/sec) vs USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) Faster Data transfer from the camera
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 PRICE


Reasons to choose Leica X Vario over Panasonic Lumix DC-S5
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Battery Life
450 shots vs 440 shots 10 more frames with a single charge
Weight
680 g vs 714 g 34 g lighter
CHECK X Vario PRICE

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 and Leica X Vario
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 and Leica X Vario
Panasonic S5 vs Leica X Vario: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Panasonic S5 and Leica X Vario side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Panasonic S5 has external dimensions of 133 x 97 x 82 mm (5.24 x 3.82 x 3.23″) and weighs 714 g (1.57 lb) (including batteries). Leica X Vario has external dimensions of 133 x 73 x 95 mm (5.24 x 2.87 x 3.74″) and weighs 680 g (1.50 lb / 23.99 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic S5 and Leica X Vario. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Leica X Vario has a built-in lens but Panasonic S5 doesn't. Once you put a lens on S5, its thickness will increase significantly.

Panasonic S5 vs Leica X Vario Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Panasonic S5 and Leica X Vario Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic S5 and Leica X Vario.

Panasonic S5 vs Leica X Vario Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Panasonic S5 and Leica X Vario Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic S5 and Leica X Vario.
Panasonic S5 vs Leica X Vario Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Panasonic S5 and Leica X Vario Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Leica X Vario is 34g lighter than the Panasonic S5 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Again, this comparison may not be very useful in real life as we are comparing the weight of a camera with a built-in lens to the body-only weight of an interchangeable lens camera. Once you put a lens on S5, the total kit will weigh much higher.

Weather Sealing

With its weather sealed body, we believe that S5 has a big advantage over X Vario which doesn't provide any kind of environmental sealing.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Panasonic S5 and Leica X Vario's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.00".

On the other hand, Panasonic S5 sports a Fully Articulated screen which you can change the angle and position of the screen almost freely, making it possible to shoot from waist or over the head levels, and especially very useful for shooting selfies and video. Leica X Vario's LCD screen is a fixed type which provides almost no flexibility in shooting positions compared to S5.
Panasonic S5 vs Leica X Vario: Sensor Comparison

Panasonic S5 has a 24.0MP Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Venus Engine processor. On the other hand, Leica X Vario has a 16.0MP APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Panasonic S5's sensor provides 8MP more than Leica X Vario's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Another difference between these two cameras is that Panasonic S5'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 S5 and X Vario sensor size comparison.

Panasonic S5 vs Leica X Vario Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic S5 and Leica X Vario Cameras


As seen above, Panasonic S5 has a 2.3x Larger sensor area than Leica X Vario. 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.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

Both Panasonic S5 and Leica X Vario sensors have been tested by DxoMark. DxoMark scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Of the two cameras that we are comparing, S5 has scored 94, 16 points higher than X Vario.

Model Overall Color Depth Dynamic Range Low-light ISO
Panasonic S5 94 25.1 bits 14.5 Evs 2697 ISO
Leica X Vario 78 23.4 bits 12.7 Evs 1320 ISO
What types of Photography are Panasonic S5 and Leica X Vario Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic S5 and Leica X Vario 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.

Panasonic S5 for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Leica X Vario for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
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
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
External Flash Shoe
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Optional External Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Panasonic S5 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Leica X Vario for Street Photography

GOOD
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
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Optional External Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Panasonic S5 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Leica X Vario for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 7.0fps
Anti Flicker feature
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
225 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Read the details
External Flash Shoe
11 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
70 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Panasonic S5 for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

Leica X Vario for Daily Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Anti Flicker feature
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
714g
Body Thickness 82mm
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Compact Body
680g
Body Thickness 95mm
2.5X Optical Zoom
Read the details

Panasonic S5 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Leica X Vario for Landscape Photography

POOR
Large Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Panasonic S5 vs Leica X Vario: 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 Panasonic S5 and Leica X Vario, 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 Panasonic S5 and Leica X Vario scores compare:

Panasonic S5
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #30 out of 109 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #32 out of 1257 in all Cameras
Leica X Vario
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #42 out of 62 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #400 out of 1257 in all Cameras

Panasonic S5 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Leica X Vario in all criteria except one: Portability. But the size difference between these cameras are negligible in real world so it is not a big disadvantage for Panasonic S5.

Panasonic S5
Panasonic S5
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Leica X Vario
Leica X Vario
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Leica X Vario vs Panasonic S5 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 Leica X Vario
Brand Panasonic Leica
Announced 2020-08-14 2013-06-11
Body Type SLR-style mirrorless Large sensor compact
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size Full frame APS-C
Dimensions 35.6 x 23.8 mm 23.6 x 15.8 mm
Area 847.28mm2 372.88mm2
Megapixels 24 megapixels 16 megapixels
Max Resolution 6000 x 4000 4928 x 3272
Max Native Light sensitivity 51,200 ISO 12,500 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 225 11
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Leica L fixed lens
Lens Focal Range no lens 28-70 mm (2.5×)
Max Aperture no lens F3.5-6.4
Screen
Type Fully Articulated Fixed type
Size 3.00" 3.00"
Resolution 1,840k dots 920k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Electronic (optional)
Viewfinder Resolution 2,360k dots no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage 100% n/a
Viewfinder Magnification 0.74x n/a
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/8000s 1/2000s
Max Electronic Shutter 1/8000s n/a
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Sensor-shift No
Built-in Flash
Max Flash Sync 1/250s n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 7.0 fps 5.0 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 3840 x 2160 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264, H.265 MPEG-4
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 714g 680g
Dimensions 133 x 97 x 82mm 133 x 73 x 95mm
Battery Life 440 shots 450 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 94 78
DxO Color Depth 25.1 23.4
DxO Dynamic Range 14.5 12.7
DxO Low Light ISO 2697 1320
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