Panasonic S5 vs Sony A390

Here, we will be reviewing the Panasonic S5 and Sony A390, former being a Pro Mirrorless while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Sony. There is a considerable difference between the sensor resolutions of the S5 (24MP) and A390 (14MP) and the S5 (Full frame) and A390 (APS-C) offer totally different sensor measurements.

Meta to Introduce 'AI-Generated' Labels for Media starting next month

The S5 was revealed 10 years later than the A390 and that is quite a large difference as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic S5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A390 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a quick summary of how the S5 matches up versus the A390 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A390. The full galleries are provided at Panasonic S5 Gallery & Sony A390 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to lug around your camera, you will need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Panasonic S5 has exterior measurements of 133mm x 97mm x 82mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 3.2") with a weight of 714 grams (1.57 lbs) whilst the Sony A390 has proportions of 128mm x 97mm x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") with a weight of 549 grams (1.21 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic S5 and Sony A390 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 at the time. Following is a front view scale comparison of the S5 versus the A390.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the S5 and A390 is 60 and 66 respectively.

Usually, it is very tough to visualise the difference between sensor measurements simply by reading a spec sheet. The photograph here might offer you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the S5 and A390.

Clearly, both the cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The S5 using its bigger sensor will make getting shallower DOF simpler and the Panasonic S5 will offer you extra detail because of its extra 10MP. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop pictures a good deal more aggressively. The fresher S5 will have a benefit in sensor tech.