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
  • TOOLS
    • Cameras
      • Smart Find
      • 1-on-1 Comparison
    • Lenses
      • Smart Find
      • 1-on-1 Comparison
  • BLOG

Panasonic S5 vs Panasonic ZS8 Comparison

x
Camera to replace
Change

Panasonic S5

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

Panasonic S5
CHECK PRICE
CHECK PRICE
Change

Panasonic ZS8

14 MP | 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) CCD Sensor

Panasonic ZS8
CHECK PRICE
CHECK PRICE
Panasonic S5 vs Panasonic ZS8 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Panasonic cameras 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 Panasonic ZS8, which was introduced in July 2011 is a Small Sensor Superzoom camera with a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor. As you can see, ZS8 is 9 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 Panasonic ZS8 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

Panasonic ZS8 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2011-07-19
  • 14MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • 24-384 mm F3.3-5.9 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • 2.0fps continuous shooting
  • HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • 210g. 105 x 58 x 33 mm
  • Also known as Lumix DMC-TZ18
  • Replaced Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 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 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8 (Lumix DMC-TZ18)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic S5 and Panasonic ZS8 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


Related Blog Posts

OM System Teaser Hints an Exciting Announcement on February 8th
Readers Vote: Which is the Best Flagship Camera?
Daily Deals: I am just a Messenger Bag
New OM System 90mm f3.5 Macro Lens with 2X Magnification is Coming
Daily Deals: A Travel tripod, an affordable UHS-II card and more
Panasonic did it again!
Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G is here! Specs and Price
Cameras with Largest Viewfinders in 2022


**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 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8
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
LCD Screen
Fully Articulated vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder
Electronic vs None Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Sensor Resolution
24 MP vs 14 MP 71% more pixels
Max ISO
51.200 vs 6.400 700% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
225 vs 11 214 more focus points
LCD Resolution
1.840k dots vs 230k dots 700% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/8000s vs 1/4000s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
7.0fps vs 2.0fps 5 fps faster
Battery Life
440 shots vs 340 shots 100 more frames with a single charge
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
Sensor Pixel Area
35.30µm2 vs 1.98µm2 1682% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution
3840 x 2160 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
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
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 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8 over Panasonic Lumix DC-S5
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Internal Storage
70 MB vs None Extra built-in storage
Weight
210 g vs 714 g 504 g lighter
CHECK ZS8 PRICE

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8
Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift vs Optical Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8
Panasonic S5 vs Panasonic ZS8: 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 Panasonic ZS8 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). Panasonic ZS8 has external dimensions of 105 x 58 x 33 mm (4.13 x 2.28 x 1.3″) and weighs 210 g (0.46 lb / 7.41 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic S5 and Panasonic ZS8. Panasonic ZS8 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 28mm narrower, 39mm shorter and 49mm thinner than Panasonic S5. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Panasonic ZS8 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 Panasonic ZS8 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Panasonic S5 and Panasonic ZS8 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic S5 and Panasonic ZS8.

Panasonic S5 vs Panasonic ZS8 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Panasonic S5 and Panasonic ZS8 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic S5 and Panasonic ZS8.
Panasonic S5 vs Panasonic ZS8 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Panasonic S5 and Panasonic ZS8 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic ZS8 is significantly lighter (504g ) than the Panasonic S5 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

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 ZS8 which doesn't provide any kind of environmental sealing.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Panasonic S5 and Panasonic ZS8'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. Panasonic ZS8's LCD screen is a fixed type which provides almost no flexibility in shooting positions compared to S5.
Panasonic S5 vs Panasonic ZS8: 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, Panasonic ZS8 has a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Venus Engine FHD processor.

Panasonic S5's sensor provides 10MP more than Panasonic ZS8'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 ZS8 sensor size comparison.

Panasonic S5 vs Panasonic ZS8 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic S5 and Panasonic ZS8 Cameras


As seen above, Panasonic S5 has a 30.6x Larger sensor area than Panasonic ZS8. 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 Panasonic S5 and Panasonic ZS8 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic S5 and Panasonic ZS8 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

Panasonic ZS8 for Portrait Photography

POOR
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
Image Stabilization
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Panasonic S5 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Panasonic ZS8 for Street Photography

AVERAGE
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
Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Panasonic S5 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Panasonic ZS8 for Sports Photography

POOR
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
Image Stabilization
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
11 Focus Points
384 mm Tele Lens
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 2.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details

Panasonic S5 for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

Panasonic ZS8 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE
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
Compact Body
210g
16.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Panasonic S5 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic ZS8 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
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Panasonic S5 vs Panasonic ZS8: 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 Panasonic ZS8, 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 Panasonic ZS8 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
Panasonic ZS8
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #221 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #839 out of 1257 in all Cameras

Panasonic S5 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Panasonic ZS8 in all criteria except one: Portability. Panasonic ZS8 is significantly smaller than Panasonic S5. If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Panasonic ZS8. Otherwise, Panasonic S5 is the better camera overall.

Panasonic S5
Panasonic S5
CHECK PRICE

CHECK PRICE

Panasonic ZS8
Panasonic ZS8
CHECK PRICE

CHECK PRICE

Panasonic ZS8 vs Panasonic S5 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8
Brand Panasonic Panasonic
Announced 2020-08-14 2011-07-19
Body Type SLR-style mirrorless Compact
Sensor
Type CMOS CCD
Size Full frame 1/2.3-inch
Dimensions 35.6 x 23.8 mm 6.08 x 4.56 mm
Area 847.28mm2 27.72mm2
Megapixels 24 megapixels 14 megapixels
Max Resolution 6000 x 4000 4320 x 3240
Max Native Light sensitivity 51,200 ISO 6,400 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 24-384 mm (16×)
Max Aperture no lens F3.3-5.9
Macro Focus Range no lens 3cm
Screen
Type Fully Articulated Fixed type
Size 3.00" 3.00"
Resolution 1,840k dots 230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic None
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 1/4000s
Max Electronic Shutter 1/8000s n/a
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Sensor-shift Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range no built-in flash 5.00 m
Max Flash Sync 1/250s n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 7.0 fps 2.0 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 1280 x 720
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 210g
Dimensions 133 x 97 x 82mm 105 x 58 x 33mm
Battery Life 440 shots 340 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 94 not tested
DxO Color Depth 25.1 not tested
DxO Dynamic Range 14.5 not tested
DxO Low Light ISO 2697 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
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
Sony A7R V
61 MP | Full frame Sensor | Sony E Mount
OM System OM-5
20 MP | Four Thirds Sensor | Micro Four Thirds Mount
Sony ZV-1F
20 MP | 1″ Sensor | 20 mm
Copyright © 2023 by CameraDecision
Privacy About Contact Us SpeakerDecision

Report a Correction