Nikon Z6 II vs Panasonic Lumix S5: A Hands-On Comparison for Serious Photographers

Choosing a full-frame mirrorless camera in today’s dynamic market can feel like navigating a labyrinth. Two excellent contenders often on photographers’ radars are the Nikon Z6 II and the Panasonic Lumix S5. Both launched in 2020, these mirrorless workhorses aim at the enthusiast and semi-pro crowd, promising versatile imaging and video capabilities. Having spent countless hours testing both alongside my extensive camera library, I’m excited to share an in-depth, real-world comparison to help you decide which suits your creative journey best.

Let’s begin by sizing up their physical presence and ergonomics.

Getting a Feel: Size, Handling, and Controls

First impressions matter - especially when you’re holding a camera for hours on end. Nikon’s Z6 II sports a traditional SLR-style mirrorless design, weighing about 705 grams with dimensions at 134x101x70 mm. The Panasonic S5 is roughly the same weight, 714 grams, but slightly more compact at 133x97x82 mm due to its shorter height but a bit deeper body.

In practical use, the Nikon’s chunkier grip and more substantial frontal heft make it feel secure - I found it less prone to hand fatigue, especially when paired with larger Z-mount lenses. The Panasonic’s grip is comfortable but a bit narrower, which could be preferable for smaller hands or when traveling light.

The top control layout also shows distinct philosophies:

Nikon offers a clean, slightly more traditional interface with dedicated dials for ISO, exposure compensation, and mode selection - a boon for those who like tactile, quick access without fumbling through menus. The S5, by contrast, opts for a more minimalist top plate with a command dial and customizable function buttons, putting more emphasis on touchscreen and rear control usage.

Speaking of which, both cameras feature high-quality tilting LCD panels - but this is where their approaches diverge.

The Nikon uses a 3.2-inch tilting touchscreen with excellent resolution and a slightly stiffer hinge, while Panasonic’s 3-inch fully articulating touch display really shines for video shooters and vloggers who need flexible framing options - you can even flip the screen for selfie-style shooting, a handy feature absent on Nikon’s design.

The Heart of the Matter: Sensor and Image Quality

Both cameras pack full-frame sensors with a resolution hovering around 24-25 megapixels, optimal for a balance between detail and low-light performance. Nikon’s Z6 II features a 25 MP BSI-CMOS sensor measuring 35.9 x 23.9 mm (sensor area ~858 mm²), equipped with an anti-alias filter. Panasonic’s S5 houses a slightly smaller 24 MP CMOS sensor (35.6 x 23.8 mm, ~847 mm²) but crucially omits the anti-alias filter, which can translate to slightly sharper imagery at the risk of moiré in certain fine-texture scenarios.

In my testing with standardized charts and real scenes, both sensors deliver excellent dynamic ranges - easily capturing bright highlights and rich shadows, which is a must for landscape enthusiasts. Nikon has a small edge here, benefiting from its backside-illuminated design that boasts marginally better signal-to-noise at high ISO.

Portrait photographers will appreciate Nikon’s faithful skin tone rendering - subtle but pleasing without unnatural smoothing. Panasonic’s S5 introduces vibrant colors, which work wonderfully for lively environmental portraits but require careful tweaking in post to avoid oversaturation.

I conducted extensive ISO latitude tests in my controlled studio setup, and while both cameras can push up to ISO 51200 natively, the Z6 II maintained cleaner results with less chroma noise above ISO 12800. The S5’s noise is managed well but becomes a bit grainier beyond ISO 6400, which might concern sports or wildlife shooters in dim conditions.

Autofocus Showdown: Speed, Accuracy, and Tracking

Autofocus systems often make or break a camera’s suitability for action and wildlife photography. The Nikon Z6 II employs a hybrid autofocus combining 273 phase-detect points with contrast detection, featuring eye and animal-eye AF for pixel-perfect portraits even at wide apertures. Panasonic’s S5 relies solely on contrast-detect autofocus across 225 zones, lacking phase detection and animal-eye tracking but offering face detection and subject tracking.

In the field, Nikon’s autofocus consistently proved faster and more responsive, especially tracking birds in flight or unpredictable children during street shoots. Its continuous autofocus kept up better at 14 fps burst mode, capturing sharp frames in rapid succession. The Panasonic, while accurate for static subjects and casual street photography, lagged a bit in continuous tracking and achieved 7 fps - sufficient but less aggressive.

Panasonic’s contrast-based autofocus can sometimes “hunt” in low contrast situations, such as dim forests or flat lighting, whereas Nikon’s hybrid AF system gracefully locks focus with far less delay.

Crafting Images Across Genres: How They Perform in Practice

Portrait Photography

For portraits, skin tone rendition and bokeh quality were my primary criteria. Thanks to Nikon’s Z-mount lenses offering fast apertures and smooth creamy backgrounds, the Z6 II excels at isolating subjects. Its eye-detection autofocus was relentlessly reliable - catching subtle movements with ease, making it a joy for event photographers capturing fleeting expressions.

The Panasonic S5’s fully articulated screen facilitated unconventional selfie portraits and video interviews, a nice bonus for hybrid shooters. However, the autofocus’s lack of animal eye detection and less aggressive eye AF meant more manual focus intervention with pets or kids.

Landscape Photography

Landscape shooters demand high resolution, broad dynamic range, and robust weather sealing. Both cameras come with weather-resistant bodies, holding up well under light rain or dust exposure.

Nikon edges forward slightly in image quality at base ISO, producing crisp, detailed RAW files that thrive when pushed in post-processing. Panasonic’s 6K photo mode (a unique feature) allows extracting super high-resolution stills from 6K video frames - a creative tool landscape photographers might find invaluable for quick compositions.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

Here, autofocus speed, burst rates, and tracking capabilities matter most. Nikon Z6 II’s 14 fps shooting and hybrid autofocus system deliver outstanding capture rates for birds or fast-moving athletes. Nikon’s animal eye AF also aids wildlife shooters shooting mammals or birds at long focal lengths.

Panasonic’s slower 7 fps burst and contrast-only AF mean it’s less ideal for serious sports or wildlife but remains quite capable for casual action and general photography.

Nikon Z6 II front Nikon Z6 II screen back Panasonic S5 front Panasonic S5 screen back

Street Photography

Street photographers often value discretion, portability, and responsiveness. Panasonic’s smaller profile and quieter operation provide a slight edge in subtlety during candid captures. The fully articulating screen also supports shooting from low or high angles without attracting attention.

Nikon’s robust build and slightly larger size offer more presence but may draw curious eyes. Its superior low-light autofocus guarantees faster grabs of fleeting moments in dim urban settings.

Macro and Close-Up

Though neither camera is marketed principally for macro work, both support focus stacking and bracketing. Nikon’s superior autofocus precision and larger array of native macro lenses grant it a modest advantage. Panasonic’s post-focus feature, letting you adjust focus points after shooting, is ingenious for creative macro applications without the need to reshoot repeatedly.

Night and Astro Photography

Both sensors shine at low light, but Nikon’s better high ISO performance and slightly less rolling shutter skew make it a preferable astro choice. The Z6 II’s longer shutter durations and bulb mode (up to 30 seconds) aid in star trail or long-exposure nightscapes.

Panasonic’s S5 supports 6K photo and can record 4K at 60p, appealing videographers who moonlight with astrophotography timelapses.

Video Capabilities: Hybrid Shooters, Rejoice

Both claim impressive video prowess, yet subtle but important differences exist.

The Nikon Z6 II records 4K UHD up to 30p (with full pixel readout and no crop), using H.264 compression and allowing microphone and headphone jacks for audio monitoring. It can slow down to 1080p in up to 120fps for smooth slow-motion sequences.

Panasonic S5 pushes the envelope with 4K UHD at 60p using the higher-efficiency H.265 codec, enabling richer color depth and smaller files. Its fully articulating screen and 4K 6K photo modes make it a favorite among budding filmmakers and YouTubers. Notable too is Panasonic’s USB-C charging support, handy for long shoots on the go.

Both cameras feature robust 5-axis sensor stabilization, but in real shooting, Nikon’s IS felt more consistent when paired with stabilized lenses, contributing to fluid handheld video.

Durability, Battery Life, and Connectivity

Weather sealing is present on both, shielding from rain and dust but neither is fully waterproof or freezeproof. Battery life tips marginally toward Panasonic’s 440 shots per charge, compared to Nikon’s 410 - ample but not marathon-level for all-day shooting, so extra batteries are a must for travel.

Storage differs notably: Nikon supports high-speed CFexpress Type B and XQD cards with dual slots - a boon for pro reliability and backup. Panasonic goes with two SD/SDHC/SDXC slots, a more economical choice for many users.

Both cameras feature built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for image transfer and remote control. Nikon has a slight advantage with more mature app support, but Panasonic’s wireless features are steadily improving.

Price-to-Performance: What You Get for Around $2,000

Both cameras hover around the $2,000 mark body-only, delivering professional-grade features at enthusiast-friendly prices. Nikon’s superior autofocus system, more robust lens ecosystem (15 native lenses and growing), and a slightly larger sensor area justify its higher entry for those prioritizing image quality and speed.

Panasonic, offering 31 native lenses with Leica L-mount alliance and exceptional video features, targets hybrid shooters who want strong video/photography synergy without breaking the bank.

Ultimately, your decision depends on prioritizing autofocus and still imaging finesse (Nikon Z6 II) versus video versatility and portability (Panasonic S5).

Summing It Up: Which One Should You Choose?

To wrap this extensive shootout up:

Nikon Z6 II is your camera if:

• You shoot a lot of wildlife and sports needing quick, reliable autofocus
• You prioritize still image quality, skin tones, and dynamic range
• You want robust pro-grade storage and lens options
• You shoot in demanding light conditions requiring high ISO performance

Panasonic Lumix S5 fits you better if:

• You’re a hybrid shooter balancing stills and video content creation
• You value a compact, fully articulating screen for vlogging or creative angles
• You want advanced video specs like 4K/60p and efficient H.265 encoding
• You prefer the Leica L lens ecosystem and in-camera 4K photo modes

In the end, both the Nikon Z6 II and Panasonic S5 are formidable full-frame mirrorless cameras delivering excellent value, depending on your specialized needs. Whether you lean toward Nikon’s autofocus prowess and imaging fidelity or Panasonic’s in-depth video functions and form factor, you’re investing in a camera that will serve at a professional level with years of creative fulfillment.

As always, I recommend hands-on testing if possible, considering ergonomics and personal shooting style. But armed with these insights, you can narrow your choice with confidence.

Happy shooting!

For more detailed sample galleries and technical test results, check the embedded images throughout this article.