Panasonic S5 vs Olympus E-M1X Comparison

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Panasonic S5

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

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Olympus E-M1X

20 MP | Four Thirds (17.4 x 13 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Panasonic S5 vs Olympus E-M1X Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing S5 and E-M1X, two Pro Mirrorless cameras from Panasonic and Olympus. Panasonic S5 was introduced to market in August 2020 and Olympus E-M1X was launched in January 2019. There is 19 months difference between S5 and E-M1X so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger S5, especially in sensor tech.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Panasonic S5 and Olympus E-M1X 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" 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

Olympus E-M1X Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2019-01-24

20MP - Four Thirds CMOS Sensor

ISO 200 - 25600

Micro Four Thirds Mount

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3" Fully Articulated Screen

2360k dot Electronic viewfinder

60.0fps continuous shooting

4K (DCI) - 4096 x 2160 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

Built-in GPS

997g. 144 x 147 x 75 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic S5 and Olympus E-M1X compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 over Olympus OM-D E-M1X

Max Sensor Resolution	24 MP vs 20 MP	19% more pixels
Max ISO	51.200 vs 25.600	100% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points	225 vs 121	104 more focus points
LCD Screen Resolution	1.840k dots vs 1.037k dots	77% higher resolution screen
Weight	714 g vs 997 g	283 g lighter
Sensor Pixel Area	35.30µm² vs 11.22µm²	214% larger pixel area
6K Photo Mode	Yes vs No	Extract 18MP photos from Video footage
Post Focus Mode	Yes vs No	Change focus point after taking a shot

Reasons to choose Olympus OM-D E-M1X over Panasonic Lumix DC-S5

Live Composite Mode	Yes vs No	Excellent help for long-exposure photography
Viewfinder Magnification	0.83x vs 0.74x	Larger Viewfinder
Max Elect. Shutter	1/32000s vs 1/8000s	faster electronic shutter
Continuous Shooting	60.0fps vs 7.0fps	53 fps faster
Battery Life	870 shots vs 440 shots	430 more frames with a single charge
Max Video Resolution	4096 x 2160 vs 3840 x 2160	Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing Range	±5 EV vs ±3 EV	Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR
Flash Sync Port	Yes vs No	Connect off-camera flash
Built-in ND Filter	5.0-stops vs No	Use larger aperture under strong light
Max Video Bit rate	237mbps vs 200mbps	Higher bit rate for better video quality
Webcam Function	Yes vs No	Use your camera as a Webcam
Anti Flicker	Yes vs No	Reduced uneven color and exposure under flickering light

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 and Olympus OM-D E-M1X

Wireless Connection	Yes vs Yes	Better connectivity
Bluetooth Connection	Yes vs Yes	Connect to other devices via Bluetooth
Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift vs Sensor-shift	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Adjustable LCD Screen	Fully Articulated 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 20 MP	Bigger prints and more details
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
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
Pixel Shift High Resolution Mode	Yes (96 MP) vs Yes (80.0MP Tripod, 50MP Handheld)	Increased resolution with Pixel Shifting
4K Photo Mode	Yes vs Yes	Extract 8MP photos from 4K Video
Focus Bracketing	Yes vs Yes	Take multiple photos shifting focus point
Focus Stacking	Yes vs Yes	Stacks photos in-camera to maximize depth of field
Storage Slot	2 vs 2	Extra Storage Slot
Smartphone Remote	Yes vs Yes	Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Video Bit rates	200mbps vs 237mbps	High Video quality
UHS Card Support	UHS-II vs UHS-II	Read/Write in Ultra High Speeds

Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 and Olympus OM-D E-M1X

Built-in Flash	No vs No	Require external flash

Panasonic S5 vs Olympus E-M1X: 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 Olympus E-M1X 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). Olympus E-M1X has external dimensions of 144 x 147 x 75 mm (5.67 x 5.79 x 2.95″) and weighs 997 g (2.20 lb / 35.17 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic S5 and Olympus E-M1X. Panasonic S5 is 11mm narrower and 50mm shorter than Olympus E-M1X but it is also 7mm thicker.

Comparison image of Panasonic S5 and Olympus E-M1X Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic S5 and Olympus E-M1X.

Comparison image of Panasonic S5 and Olympus E-M1X Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic S5 and Olympus E-M1X.

Top View Comparison image of Panasonic S5 and Olympus E-M1X Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic S5 is significantly lighter (283g ) than the Olympus E-M1X 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 Panasonic S5 has a Full frame sensor and Olympus E-M1X has a smaller Four Thirds sensor, Olympus E-M1X's lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will generally be lighter and smaller than the Panasonic S5 lenses.

Weight Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

E-M1X

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

E-M1X

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Both S5 and E-M1X have weather sealings in their body, making them resistant to water and dust.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Panasonic S5 and Olympus E-M1X's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

Both cameras feature Fully Articulating screens where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels. Fully articulating screens are also useful for taking Selfie shots and video.

Panasonic S5 vs Olympus E-M1X: 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, Olympus E-M1X has a 20.0MP Four Thirds (17.4 x 13 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Dual TruePic VIII processor.

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 E-M1X sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic S5 and Olympus E-M1X Cameras

As seen above, Panasonic S5 has a 3.7x Larger sensor area than Olympus E-M1X. 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.

Panasonic S5 vs Olympus E-M1X 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 Olympus E-M1X has an advantage over Panasonic S5 There are 108 lenses for Olympus E-M1X's Micro Four Thirds mount, on the other hand there are only 42 lenses for Panasonic S5's Leica L lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Both Panasonic S5 and Olympus E-M1X has Sensor based Image stabilization which means that all the lenses will be stabilized in these bodies. S5's built-in Image stabilization system is effective to compensate vibration up to 6.5-stops according to CIPA standards whereas E-M1X's IS system is rated upto 7.0-stops.

Lens Type	# of Panasonic S5 Lenses	# of Olympus E-M1X Lenses
Standard Zoom	6 (6 Full Frame)	15
Standard Prime	9 (8 Full Frame)	13
Wideangle Zoom	3 (3 Full Frame)	6
Wideangle Prime	11 (11 Full Frame)	29
Telephoto Zoom	5 (5 Full Frame)	18
Telephoto Prime	6 (6 Full Frame)	9
SuperZoom	n/a	8
Wideangle Fisheye Prime	n/a	5
Macro Prime	1 (1 Full Frame)	4
Perspective Control Prime	n/a	n/a
Telephoto Mirror Prime	n/a	1
TOTAL	42 (40 Full Frame)	108

Now let's compare some sample lenses from each mount with typical Focal ranges for Panasonic S5 and Olympus E-M1X to see how these lenses compares:

Fast Standard Zoom Lenses

Model		FF Equiv.	Weight	Weight w/ Cam	Length	Street Price
	Panasonic S Pro 24-70mm F2.8	24 - 70mm	935gr	1649gr	140mm	Amazon B&H Photo
	Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO	24 - 80mm	382gr	1379gr	84mm	Amazon B&H Photo

Fast Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses

Model		FF Equiv.	Weight	Weight w/ Cam	Length	Street Price
	Panasonic S Pro 70-200 F2.8 O.I.S.	70 - 200mm	1570gr	2284gr	209mm	Amazon B&H Photo
	Olympus ED 35-100mm f2.0	70 - 200mm	1650gr	2647gr	214mm	Amazon B&H Photo

Fast Normal Prime Equivalent Lenses

Model		FF Equiv.	Weight	Weight w/ Cam	Length	Street Price
	Panasonic S Pro 50mm F1.4	50mm	955gr	1669gr	130mm	Amazon B&H Photo
	Olympus M 25mm F1.8	50mm	136gr	1133gr	41mm	Amazon B&H Photo

Fast Wideangle Zoom Equivalent Lenses

Model		FF Equiv.	Weight	Weight w/ Cam	Length	Street Price
	Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 DG DN Art	14 - 24mm	795gr	1509gr	131mm	Amazon B&H Photo
	Olympus ED 7-14mm F2.8 PRO	14 - 28mm	534gr	1531gr	106mm	Amazon B&H Photo

24-105mm f4 Equivalent Lenses

Model		FF Equiv.	Weight	Weight w/ Cam	Length	Street Price
	Panasonic S 24-105mm F4 Macro OIS	24 - 105mm	680gr	1394gr	118mm	Amazon B&H Photo
	Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD	24 - 120mm	575gr	1572gr	99mm	Amazon B&H Photo

Super-Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses

Model		FF Equiv.	Weight	Weight w/ Cam	Length	Street Price
	Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS	100 - 400mm	1135gr	1849gr	197mm	Amazon B&H Photo
	Olympus 150-400mm F4.5 TC 1.25x IS	300mm	1850gr	2847gr	mm	Amazon B&H Photo

What types of Photography are Panasonic S5 and Olympus E-M1X Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic S5 and Olympus E-M1X 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

Olympus E-M1X for Portrait Photography

GOOD

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 Four Thirds (17.4 x 13 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Panasonic S5 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Olympus E-M1X for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

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 Four Thirds (17.4 x 13 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
Read the details

Panasonic S5 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Olympus E-M1X for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT

Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 7.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
225 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Read the details

Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 60.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
121 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 870 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Anti Flicker feature
Read the details

Panasonic S5 for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

Olympus E-M1X for Daily Photography

GOOD

Large Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
714g
Body Thickness 82mm
Read the details

Large Four Thirds (17.4 x 13 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Anti Flicker feature
Medium size Body
997g
Body Thickness 75mm
Read the details

Panasonic S5 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus E-M1X for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Large Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details

Large Four Thirds (17.4 x 13 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Built-in GPS
Read the details

Panasonic S5 vs Olympus E-M1X: 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 Olympus E-M1X, 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 Olympus E-M1X scores compare:

Panasonic S5

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #21 out of 90 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #24 out of 1229 in all Cameras

Olympus E-M1X

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #39 out of 90 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #62 out of 1229 in all Cameras

Panasonic S5 scores higher than the Olympus E-M1X thanks to its better general imaging quality, compact size and higher value for the money. On the other hand, Olympus E-M1X 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 Olympus E-M1X is a must-have for you. If not, choose the Panasonic S5.

Olympus E-M1X vs Panasonic S5 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Panasonic Lumix DC-S5	Olympus OM-D E-M1X
Brand	Panasonic	Olympus
Announced	2020-08-14	2019-01-24
Body Type	SLR-style mirrorless	SLR-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type	CMOS	CMOS
Size	Full frame	Four Thirds
Dimensions	35.6 x 23.8 mm	17.4 x 13 mm
Area	847.28mm²	226.20mm²
Megapixels	24 megapixels	20 megapixels
Max Resolution	6000 x 4000	5184 x 3888
Max Native Light sensitivity	51,200 ISO	25,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	204800 ISO	-
Min Native Light sensitivity	100 ISO	200 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity	50 ISO	64 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	121
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Leica L	Micro Four Thirds
Number of Available Lenses	42	108
Screen
Type	Fully Articulated	Fully Articulated
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	1,840k dots	1,037k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic	Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution	2,360k dots	2,360k dots
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.74x	0.83x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/8000s	1/8000s
Max Electronic Shutter	1/8000s	1/32000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift	Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Max Flash Sync	1/250s	n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	7.0 fps	60.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	3840 x 2160	4096 x 2160
Video Formats	MPEG-4, H.264, H.265	MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Built-In	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	714g	997g
Dimensions	133 x 97 x 82mm	144 x 147 x 75mm
Battery Life	440 shots	870 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	Built-in
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction