Leica M9 vs Panasonic S5

Below is a detailed overview of the Leica M9 vs Panasonic S5, both Pro Mirrorless cameras by brands Leica and Panasonic. There exists a substantial gap among the sensor resolutions of the M9 (18MP) and S5 (24MP) but they come with the same exact sensor size (Full frame).

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The M9 was announced 12 years before the S5 and that is a fairly big difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Leica M9 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic S5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving in to a detailed comparison, below is a concise summary of how the M9 scores against the S5 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Leica M9 & Panasonic Lumix DC-S5. The whole galleries are available at Leica M9 Gallery & Panasonic S5 Gallery.

If you are going to lug around your camera frequently, you are going to need to take into account its weight and size. The Leica M9 features physical measurements of 139mm x 80mm x 37mm (5.5" x 3.1" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 585 grams (1.29 lbs) while the Panasonic S5 has specifications of 133mm x 97mm x 82mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 3.2") accompanied by a weight of 714 grams (1.57 lbs).

Look at the Leica M9 vs Panasonic S5 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you choose during that time. Here is the front view proportions comparison of the M9 against the S5.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the M9 and S5 is 79 and 60 respectively.

Normally, it is tough to picture the gap in sensor measurements purely by viewing technical specs. The photograph below may give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the M9 and S5.

As you can tell, both of these cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing albeit different megapixels. You can count on the Panasonic S5 to provide you with greater detail with its extra 6MP. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop pictures a little more aggressively. The older M9 will be behind in sensor innovation.