Canon EOS R5 C vs. Panasonic Lumix G85: The Definitive Hands-On Mirrorless Camera Showdown

Choosing the right mirrorless camera today means navigating a dizzying array of options from entry-level to professional-grade tools. In this head-to-head comparison, I’ll dissect two very different cameras that appeal to distinct segments of enthusiasts and professionals alike: the Canon EOS R5 C, a cutting-edge full-frame powerhouse launched in early 2022, and the Panasonic Lumix G85, an advanced Micro Four Thirds option that has remained popular since 2016 for its strong balance of features and affordability.

Having spent years testing and using both cameras extensively across various disciplines, I’m here to provide a deep dive into how these two models stack up - from image quality and autofocus to ergonomics and video capabilities. Whether you’re a professional filmmaker, a wildlife enthusiast, or a travel photographer seeking an all-rounder, this close analysis will help clarify which camera best fits your unique needs.

Size and Handling: Bulk vs. Portability in the Field

Starting off where it physically counts, the Canon R5 C and Panasonic G85 couldn't be more different in size and build. The Canon’s full-frame sensor and hybrid cine mirrorless design bring a larger and heavier body, designed for professional use that often demands robust handling and expansive control layouts. The G85, based on a smaller Micro Four Thirds sensor, is notably lighter and more compact - ideal for those prioritizing a lightweight setup for long shooting sessions or street photography.

I found the G85’s compactness a blessing during urban strolls and travel when I wanted to move discreetly and comfortably all day. In contrast, the Canon R5 C feels substantial in the hands, with an SLR-style grip that signals immediacy and command, great when balanced with pro-grade lenses. Despite the weight difference (770g vs. 505g), both cameras have fully articulated touchscreens and good weather sealing, but the R5 C’s build reflects Canon’s professional movie camera lineage with tough, sealing magnesium alloy construction.

Ergonomically, the R5 C’s larger physical dimensions allow for more dedicated buttons, dual card slots, and a robust top LCD screen presence, whereas the G85 keeps functions concise with fewer controls but still a fully articulated 3" rear touchscreen for intuitive operation, suited for those needing quick, tactile adjustments on the fly.

Top Control and Interface: More Buttons or Streamlined Simplicity?

The user interface and physical layout can make or break usability in the heat of the moment - a fact I reconfirmed after a week swapping between both cameras in the studio and the field.

The Canon R5 C sports an extensive, professional-oriented control scheme with a top LCD panel showing exposure data, ISO, and battery life - a feature often found on high-end DSLRs and cinema cameras. The R5 C supports comprehensive exposure modes including shutter and aperture priority as expected, but also adds cine-grade input options like a microphone and headphone jack for precise audio monitoring.

Meanwhile, the Panasonic G85 offers a simplified, intuitive layout typical of mid-tier mirrorless models. The absence of a top screen is compensated by a clear rear touchscreen and a responsive electronic viewfinder (EVF). The G85’s menu system and button placement prioritize accessibility over complexity, suiting photographers who prefer straightforward controls without steep learning curves.

Both cameras have touch-enabled focusing and live view capability, but Canon’s R5 C revs ahead with over 1,000 autofocus points and face/eye detection for humans and animals, designed for rapid tracking in dynamic environments.

Sensor and Image Quality: Full Frame vs. Micro Four Thirds

The heart of any camera is its sensor, and here is where the R5 C and G85 diverge fundamentally.

The Canon EOS R5 C houses a 45MP full-frame CMOS sensor with an optical low-pass filter (antialias filter), offering an 8192 x 5464 pixel maximum resolution. This large sensor area of 864 mm² captures abundant detail with superior dynamic range and low noise, especially useful in scenarios demanding fine tonal gradations - think landscapes at golden hour or studio portraits.

In contrast, the Panasonic G85’s 16MP Micro Four Thirds sensor measures 17.3 x 13 mm (224.9 mm²), producing max images of 4592 x 3448 pixels. While the smaller sensor restricts ultimate resolution and low-light performance compared to full-frame, the G85’s sensor benefits from the absence of an anti-aliasing filter, helping it capture sharpened details at the expense of a slight possibility of moiré patterns in intricate textures.

Practically, I observed the R5 C deliver a noticeably richer color depth (Canon’s renowned color science shines through) and better noise control above ISO 1600, extending to ISO 51200 natively. The G85, while respectable, shows elevated noise past ISO 3200 with a smoother roll-off in details, as expected for its sensor class.

For portraiture, the R5 C’s larger sensor facilitates shallower depth of field and creamier Bokeh, critical for convincing subject separation. Micro Four Thirds systems like the G85 require longer focal lengths or wider apertures to approximate this. However, for travel and casual shooting, the G85’s resolution is more than adequate.

Display and Viewfinder: Clarity and Flexibility for Compositional Precision

Framing your shot should never be left to guesswork, and both cameras offer fully articulated rear displays and electronic viewfinders, albeit with different specs.

The Canon’s 3.2-inch 2100k-dot touchscreen is bright and responsive, featuring high resolution that aids both focus confirmation and menu navigation. The electronic viewfinder is exceptional at 5760x3840 pixels with 100% coverage and 0.76x magnification, delivering a crisp, lag-free preview even in challenging outdoor light.

The Panasonic’s 3-inch LCD display has a somewhat lower 1040k-dot resolution, still touch-capable and fully articulating, extremely handy for vlogging or macro work at creative angles. Its EVF blinks in at 2360k dots with 0.74x magnification and equal 100% coverage - adequate, though less detailed than the Canon’s, especially noticeable when fine-tuning manual focus or framing wide apertures.

Altogether, the Canon’s viewfinder and rear screen combo favor high-precision users such as event photographers or cinematographers, while the G85 strikes a balance between functionality and portability that travel shooters and hobbyists will appreciate.

Autofocus and Shooting Performance: Tracking Speed Versus Versatility

Autofocus (AF) and burst shooting performance often define a camera’s practical utility in sports, wildlife, and action photography.

Canon equips the R5 C with an advanced Dual Pixel CMOS AF II system utilizing 1053 focus points and sophisticated Eye, Face, and Animal Eye AF. That translates into highly accurate, speedy focusing with dependable continuous autofocus tracking for moving subjects in both stills and video. This system covers a wide frame area and works superbly even at low contrast.

On the other side, the Panasonic G85 relies solely on contrast-detection autofocus with 49 focus points. This system is competent in well-lit, static scenarios but struggles with fast-moving subjects or low-contrast environments. While continuous AF and tracking are available, they lag behind Canon’s system in responsiveness and precision.

Burst shooting tops out at 12 fps for the Canon R5 C with its robust mechanical shutter - excellent for fast sports or wildlife shoots - compared to 9 fps on the Panasonic G85. For silent shots, the Panasonic provides an electronic shutter up to 1/16000s, useful in bright environments but prone to rolling shutter artifacts at high speeds.

Video Capabilities: Cinema-Grade Power Meets Accessibility

The Canon EOS R5 C merges Canon’s celebrated full-frame still capabilities with professional-grade cine camera features, making it a hybrid dream for shooters who move seamlessly between photos and high-resolution video.

The R5 C supports internal 8K RAW and 8K Super 35 recording at up to 30p, along with a wide array of codecs including XF-AVC and H.265, and external audio connectivity via microphone and headphone jacks. Its articulating screen, high-capacity CFexpress and SD UHS-II dual card slots, and in-body cooling system enable extended video recording with minimal thermal throttling.

Conversely, the Panasonic G85 records 4K UHD up to 30p with a 100 Mbps bitrate, using MP4 and AVCHD containers. Importantly, it includes 5-axis in-body image stabilization (IBIS), a boon for handheld video creators, which the R5 C surprisingly omits - the R5 C relies largely on lens-based stabilization. The Panasonic lacks a headphone jack, limiting audio monitoring options, and the HDMI output does not support 10-bit external recording.

For videographers working at the frontier of resolution and dynamic range, the Canon stands firmly atop. Yet for enthusiasts or vloggers valuing stabilization and straightforward 4K video, the Panasonic’s package remains compelling.

Specialized Disciplines: How They Stack Up Across Photography Genres

Knowing how each performs in specific photographic niches is crucial. Let’s survey the results.

Canon R5 C front Canon R5 C screen back Panasonic G85 front

• Portraiture: The Canon’s large sensor and excellent color rendering produce nuanced skin tones and luxurious bokeh. Eye and face AF tracking further enhance portraits in motion. The G85 delivers solid results but with less creamy background separation.

• Landscape: The R5 C’s 45MP sensor captures fine detail and wide dynamic range vital for landscape work. Weather sealing on both cameras allows outdoor shooting, but Canon’s sturdier build gives it an edge in challenging conditions.

• Wildlife and Sports: Canon’s faster burst shooting and superior AF system make it much better suited for fast action and wildlife tracking. The G85 is less responsive but may suffice for casual subjects or slower-moving action.

• Street Photography: The G85’s compactness and relatively quiet operation are suited to candid shooting. The Canon, while more capable technically, is bulkier and more conspicuous.

• Macro Photography: Both cameras support focus bracketing and stacking. The G85’s IBIS and live view post-focus feature make it approachable for handheld macro, while the Canon provides higher resolution and finer detail capture.

• Night and Astro Photography: Canon’s higher native ISO and full-frame sensor excel in low light with less noise. The Lumix is usable to an extent but shows noise earlier.

• Travel: The G85’s smaller size, lighter weight, and IBIS make it easier to carry all day with varied lenses. The R5 C offers ultimate image quality at a weight and price premium.

• Professional Workflows: The Canon’s dual card slots, higher bitrates, raw video options, and extensive connectivity suit professional pipelines. Panasonic’s single SD card and limited video bitrates cater to hobbyists or advanced enthusiasts.

Reliability and Build Quality: Making it Through Rough Shoots

Both cameras feature weather sealing against dust and moisture, but neither claims full waterproofing or shockproof ruggedness. Canon’s R5 C has a more robust build quality consistent with pro-level reliability in varied environments. This was evident during intensive testing in humid, rainy conditions - a must for pros who can't afford downtime.

Panasonic’s G85, while well-made for its class, is better regarded as a sturdy enthusiast camera rather than a bulletproof workhorse.

Battery Life and Storage: Powering Through Your Workflow

Surprisingly, battery life between the two is similar, with the G85 rated for about 330 shots per charge versus approximately 320 for the Canon R5 C per CIPA standards. However, in real-world video shooting and continuous bursts, the Canon’s power draw is significantly higher, and I often carried spare batteries for full-day shoots.

Storage-wise, the Canon’s combination of dual CFexpress B and SD UHS-II slots offers fast write speeds and redundancy, critical for professional photo and video workloads. The Panasonic uses a single SD card slot compatible with SDHC/SDXC cards - simple but less flexible in high-demand scenarios.

Connectivity and Wireless Features: Modern Convenience

Wireless connectivity is built-in on both, but the Canon R5 C supports Bluetooth and WiFi for remote control and easy file transfer. Panasonic G85 offers WiFi only, without Bluetooth, which slightly limits seamless pairing with mobile devices.

Both cameras come with full HDMI outputs, USB ports (though Canon supports faster USB-C variants), and external flash hot shoes. Audio connections differ, with the Canon including both microphone and headphone jacks, whereas Panasonic only offers a mic input.

Price-to-Performance: What You Get for Your Money

At launch, the Canon R5 C commands a professional premium price of around $4500 body-only. It targets hybrid photographers and videographers demanding flagship specs with a willingness to invest substantially.

The Panasonic G85, priced under $900 body-only, appeals strongly to advanced hobbyists or budget-conscious professionals who desire solid image quality and 4K video without a heavy financial commitment.

This enormous price delta reflects model positioning, sensor size, build quality, and video capabilities rather than value defects. For many users, the G85 offers exceptional bang for buck; for those needing uncompromised power, the R5 C is a highly specialized tool.

Final Verdict: Who Should Pick Which?

The Canon EOS R5 C is a professional-grade, hybrid stills and cine camera designed for users who demand uncompromising image quality, advanced autofocus, and state-of-the-art 8K video recordings in a single body. Its larger size, weight, and price reflect its capability, making it ideal for:

• Professional photographers and cinematographers
• Wildlife and sports shooters needing speed and precision
• Portrait and landscape artists requiring ultimate resolution
• Hybrid shooters integrating high-end video into their workflow

Conversely, the Panasonic Lumix G85 remains a worthy choice for photographers and videographers who prioritize:

• Portability and comfort for travel or street settings
• Stabilization for handheld video and macro work
• A friendly price point with respectable 4K video
• Enthusiast-level functionality with room to grow

In essence, treat the Canon R5 C as a “tool for the job” - a technical marvel worthy of specialized workflows - while the Panasonic G85 is a versatile, accessible workhorse that punches well above its weight and price class.

I hope this detailed, hands-on comparison arms you with the information you need to make an informed investment in your photographic future. Feel free to reach out if you want to discuss how either camera performed in specific real-world scenarios like low light, high action, or video production workflows.

Until then, happy shooting with whichever trusty camera crosses your palm!