Lumix S5vs Sony A9 III
Lumix
Lumix S5 (2020)
Starting from £1699 new
Best for Professional video & hybrid shooting
View Lumix S5
Sony
Sony A9 III (2023)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Sports & action professionals
View Sony A9 III
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Professional Video & Hybrid Shooting — Lumix S5 (2020): 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.
Sports & Action Professionals — Sony A9 III (2023): A paradigm-shifting camera — the global shutter eliminates every rolling shutter limitation that has constrained action photography for years.
Who should buy what
Lumix S5 (2020)
- 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
Sony A9 III (2023)
- Professional sports photographers who need zero blackout and 120fps burst
- Wildlife photographers who demand the most advanced Sony AF available
- Photojournalists who need flash sync at any shutter speed
- A9 II owners upgrading to the world's first full-frame global shutter
Quick take: The sony a9 iii has the highest resolution at 25mp; the lumix s5 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Lumix S5 (2020) | Sony A9 III (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,699 | £5,999 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP Full-Frame CMOS | 24.6MP full-frame Exmor RS CMOS (global shutter) |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 24.6MP |
| Video | 4K/60p 10-bit V-Log/HLG, 5.9K anamorphic, 1080p/180p slow-motion | 4K/120p, 4K/60p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Contrast AF (DFD Technology), face/eye detection | AI subject recognition AF, 759-point phase-detect |
| Stabilisation | 6.5-stop IBIS (dual IBIS with Lumix S lenses) | 8-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 7fps mechanical, 9fps electronic (AFS) | 120fps blackout-free electronic |
| Battery Life | ~470 shots (CIPA) | 530 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 714g (body, battery, card) | 703g body only |
| Dimensions | 132.6 × 97.1 × 81.9mm | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification | 0.64" Quad-XGA OLED EVF, 9.44M dots |
| Screen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.84M dots | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Leica L-mount | Sony FE (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 3.2, HDMI A, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3 |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Lumix S5 | Sony A9 III |
|---|---|---|
| Video | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Travel | ||
| Street | — | |
| Wildlife | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with Lumix S5
Camera family history