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Panasonic S5 vs Ricoh G900 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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Ricoh G900

20 MP | 1/2.3 BSI-CMOS Sensor

Ricoh G900
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Panasonic S5 vs Ricoh G900 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 Ricoh G900, which was introduced in February 2018 is a Waterproof camera with a 20.0MP 1/2.3 sensor. As you can see, G900 is 2 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 Ricoh G900 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

Ricoh G900 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2018-02-21
  • 20MP - 1/2.3 BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 125 - 6400
  • 28-140 mm F3.5-5.5 Zoom Lens
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • 247g. 118 x 66 x 33 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

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 Ricoh G900

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic S5 and Ricoh G900 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 Ricoh G900
Video Record Limit
Unlimited vs Limited Record clips longer than 30 minutes
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs Supports FlashAir SD cards 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
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
Sensor Resolution
24 MP vs 20 MP 19% more pixels
Max ISO
51.200 vs 6.400 700% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
225 vs 9 216 more focus points
LCD Resolution
1.840k dots vs 1.040k dots 76% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/8000s vs 1/4000s faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life
440 shots vs 340 shots 100 more frames with a single charge
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Headphone Port
Yes vs No better video control
Sensor Pixel Area
35.30µm2 vs 1.39µm2 2439% larger pixel area
AE Bracketing Range
±3 EV vs ±2 EV Wide Bracketing range is useful for 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
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 Ricoh G900 over Panasonic Lumix DC-S5
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Internal Storage
6.5GB vs None Extra built-in storage
Weight
247 g vs 714 g 467 g lighter
CHECK G900 PRICE

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 and Ricoh G900
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Max Resolution
24 MP vs 20 MP Bigger prints and more details
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
Digital video stabilization
Yes vs Yes Stabilizes your videos in-camera
Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 and Ricoh G900
Panasonic S5 vs Ricoh G900: 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 Ricoh G900 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). Ricoh G900 has external dimensions of 118 x 66 x 33 mm (4.65 x 2.6 x 1.3″) and weighs 247 g (0.54 lb / 8.71 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic S5 and Ricoh G900. Ricoh G900 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 15mm narrower, 31mm shorter and 49mm thinner than Panasonic S5. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Ricoh G900 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 Ricoh G900 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Panasonic S5 and Ricoh G900 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic S5 and Ricoh G900.

Panasonic S5 vs Ricoh G900 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Panasonic S5 and Ricoh G900 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic S5 and Ricoh G900.
Panasonic S5 vs Ricoh G900 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Panasonic S5 and Ricoh G900 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Ricoh G900 is significantly lighter (467g ) 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

LCD Screen Size and Features

Panasonic S5 and Ricoh G900'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. Ricoh G900's LCD screen is a fixed type which provides almost no flexibility in shooting positions compared to S5.
Panasonic S5 vs Ricoh G900: 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, Ricoh G900 has a 20.0MP 1/2.3 (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor .

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 G900 sensor size comparison.

Panasonic S5 vs Ricoh G900 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic S5 and Ricoh G900 Cameras


As seen above, Panasonic S5 has a 30.2x Larger sensor area than Ricoh G900. 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 Ricoh G900 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic S5 and Ricoh G900 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

Ricoh G900 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
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No Image Stabilization
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Panasonic S5 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Ricoh G900 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
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No Image Stabilization
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Panasonic S5 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Ricoh G900 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
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
140 mm Tele Lens
No Image Stabilization
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
9 Focus Points
Read the details

Panasonic S5 for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

Ricoh G900 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
247g
Environmental Sealings
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Panasonic S5 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Ricoh G900 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
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Environmental Sealings
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Exposure Mode
Read the details

Panasonic S5 vs Ricoh G900: 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 Ricoh G900, 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 Ricoh G900 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
Ricoh G900
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #66 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #540 out of 1257 in all Cameras

Panasonic S5 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Ricoh G900 in all criteria except one: Portability. Ricoh G900 is significantly smaller than Panasonic S5. If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Ricoh G900. Otherwise, Panasonic S5 is the better camera overall.

Panasonic S5
Panasonic S5
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Ricoh G900
Ricoh G900
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Ricoh G900 vs Panasonic S5 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 Ricoh G900
Brand Panasonic Ricoh
Announced 2020-08-14 2018-02-21
Body Type SLR-style mirrorless Compact
Sensor
Type CMOS BSI-CMOS
Size Full frame 1/2.3
Dimensions 35.6 x 23.8 mm 6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area 847.28mm2 28.07mm2
Megapixels 24 megapixels 20 megapixels
Max Resolution 6000 x 4000 5184 x 3888
Max Native Light sensitivity 51,200 ISO 6,400 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 204800 ISO -
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 125 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 9
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Leica L fixed lens
Lens Focal Range no lens 28-140 mm (5x)
Max Aperture no lens F3.5-5.5
Macro Focus Range no lens 1cm
Screen
Type Fully Articulated Fixed type
Size 3.00" 3.00"
Resolution 1,840k dots 1,040k 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 Digital only
Built-in Flash
Flash Range no built-in flash 5.50 m (with Auto ISO)
Max Flash Sync 1/250s n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 7.0 fps n/a
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 3840 x 2160
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264, H.265 MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Supports FlashAir SD cards
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 714g 247g
Dimensions 133 x 97 x 82mm 118 x 66 x 33mm
Battery Life 440 shots 340 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Built-in
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
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