Lumix
Lumix S5 2020
Best for Professional video & hybrid shooting
£1699
list price · used from £498 at Wex Photo Video
Decision tools · Compare
Lumix S5 vs A1
Quick take: The A1 has the highest resolution at 50MP; the Lumix S5 is the most affordable.
16 specs side by side·15 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video and Clifton Cameras
How to read this page. Highlighted cells win that row on the spec alone. Genre scores are the engine's base scores (enthusiast, photo and video); Camera Match re-weights them for your level and priorities. Price buttons are affiliate links; the price you pay is the same.
Sony
A1 2021
Best for Professional sport, wildlife, portrait & hybrid shooting
£4199
new today at Wex Photo Video
Price buttons are affiliate links — GearFrame may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never affects a score. Learn more
Verdictwhich should you buy?
Lumix S5 — Professional Video & Hybrid Shooting: The S5 is an outstanding video camera that also takes excellent stills. 10-bit 4K/60p, dual native ISO and 6.5-stop IBIS in a weather-sealed body is a compelling package. The contrast-detect AF is its main weakness vs Sony and Canon — but for controlled shooting it doesn't hold it back.
A1 — Professional Sport, Wildlife, Portrait & Hybrid Shooting: 50MP, 30fps, 8K — the Sony A1 is the most complete professional camera ever made.
Who should buy what
Lumix S5 (2020)
is the right camera for you if…
- Videographers who need 10-bit colour science in a full-frame body
- Photographers who shoot video as a second discipline
- Studio photographers who want full-frame IBIS at a lower price
- L-mount system users building a versatile kit
A1 (2021)
is the right camera for you if…
- Professional photographers who need resolution and speed without compromise
- Sports and wildlife photographers demanding the absolute fastest Sony
- Studio and fashion photographers who also shoot sport or events
- A9 III or A7R V owners who want a single body that does everything
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | Lumix S5Lumix · 2020 | A1Sony · 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,699Best | £4,199 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP Full-Frame CMOS | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 50.1MPBest |
| Video | 4K/60p 10-bit V-Log/HLG, 5.9K anamorphic, 1080p/180p slow-motion | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Contrast AF (DFD Technology), face/eye detection | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points |
| Stabilisation | 6.5-stop IBIS (dual IBIS with Lumix S lenses) | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 7fps mechanical, 9fps electronic (AFS) | 30fps electronic with full AF/AEBest |
| Battery Life | ~470 shots (CIPA)Best | ~430 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 714g (with battery and card)Best | 737g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 132.6 × 97.1 × 81.9mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps |
| Screen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.84M dots | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Leica L-mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD UHS-II | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 1), full-size HDMI, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI |
Wins the row — price, resolution, burst, battery, weight and sealing are compared; text specs aren't ranked.
How they score by genreengine base scores out of 10
Genre
Lumix S5
A1
Portrait
6.9/10
8.2/10
Street
5.7/10
6.1/10
Travel
5.8/10
6.0/10
Wedding & Events
6.6/10
7.9/10
Vlogging & Video
5.4/10
—
Filmmaking
7.1/10
7.8/10
Documentary
6.7/10
7.6/10
Sports & Action
5.8/10
8.8/10
Landscape
6.9/10
7.6/10
Wildlife
6.1/10
8.7/10
Casual
4.5/10
4.8/10
Food
6.9/10
7.4/10
Macro
7.8/10
7.3/10
Architecture
7.0/10
7.9/10
Astrophotography
7.3/10
6.8/10
Scores come from the same engine as Camera Match: verified specifications weighted by what each genre needs, with documented adjustments. The product page and this table show the enthusiast base score. See how scores are calculated →
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