Panasonic S5 vs Panasonic FH1

On this page, we will be reviewing the Panasonic S5 versus Panasonic FH1, one is a Pro Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact and they are both manufactured by Panasonic. There is a big difference among the image resolutions of the S5 (24MP) and FH1 (12MP) and the S5 (Full frame) and FH1 (1/2.3") have totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The S5 was released 10 years after the FH1 which is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic S5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FH1 being a Compact camera.

Before getting into a detailed comparison, here is a concise summary of how the S5 matches up versus the FH1 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH1. The complete galleries are viewable at Panasonic S5 Gallery and Panasonic FH1 Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry around your camera often, you're going to have to take into account its weight and proportions. The Panasonic S5 has outer dimensions of 133mm x 97mm x 82mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 3.2") and a weight of 714 grams (1.57 lbs) while the Panasonic FH1 has measurements of 98mm x 55mm x 23mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") with a weight of 163 grams (0.36 lbs).

See the Panasonic S5 versus Panasonic FH1 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have chosen during that time. Below is a front view dimensions comparison of the S5 versus the FH1.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the S5 and FH1 is 60 and 95 respectively.

Generally, it is tough to envision the difference in sensor sizes just by looking through specifications. The picture below may provide you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the S5 and FH1.

To sum up, both of the cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The S5 because of its bigger sensor will make getting shallow depth of field easier and the Panasonic S5 will render greater detail as a result of its extra 12 Megapixels. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop pictures more aggressively. The younger S5 is going to have an advantage when it comes to sensor tech.