Panasonic S5 vs Sony NEX-7: Expert Hands-On Comparison for Serious Photographers

Choosing between two seemingly distinct mirrorless cameras like the Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 and Sony Alpha NEX-7 can puzzle many photographers. Both target enthusiasts but come from very different eras and design philosophies. I've put these cameras through their paces across a multitude of photography disciplines and real-world scenarios. Drawing from over 15 years of firsthand experience with digital cameras, this in-depth analysis cuts through spec sheets and marketing to give practical insights you can trust.

Let's dive deep into how these two cameras stack up in terms of core technology, handling, image quality, and suitability for various photographic needs - from landscapes to fast action, portraits to video creation. No fluff, just clear-eyed, experienced assessment.

Handling and Design: Mirrorless Meets Ergonomics with Personality

Before pixel peeping, the tactile experience often shapes our bond with a camera. The Panasonic S5 sports a classic SLR-style body, engineered for comfortable grip and control customization. Meanwhile, the Sony NEX-7’s rangefinder-style silhouette feels compact and nimble, echoing mirrorless’ early days.

While the S5 is heftier at 714g and bulkier (133x97x82mm), it exudes reassuring solidity and features a robust, fully articulating 3.0” touchscreen with 1840k dot resolution - excellent for framing from unconventional angles or vlogging. The NEX-7, lighter at 400g and notably slimmer (120x67x43mm), keeps a low profile for street and travel photography, but only offers a tilting 3.0” screen with a modest 921k resolution and no touch input.

The S5’s grip and button layout feel more “pro,” with plentiful physical dials and clearly labeled controls that won’t get in your way during rapid shooting sessions. The NEX-7 follows suit with a well-laid top deck, but less intuitive customization options. Check out the top view comparison below to get a sense of how control philosophies have evolved.

Ergonomically, if you prioritize sustained handheld use in demanding environments, the Panasonic S5 is the hands-down winner. Conversely, if compactness and portability top your checklist - think street photography or urban travel - the Sony NEX-7 remains compelling despite its age.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality: Full Frame vs APS-C - The Crucial Debate

At the heart of any camera lie its sensor and processor pairing. This is where the Panasonic S5 and Sony NEX-7 take distinctly different routes.

The Panasonic S5 boasts a full-frame 24.2MP CMOS sensor measuring 35.6x23.8mm, delivering an image area of approximately 847 mm². This larger real estate translates to superior light-gathering capacity and dynamic range. Without an anti-aliasing filter, it maximizes resolution and sharpness - a boon for landscape or portrait photographers seeking fine detail.

Meanwhile, the Sony NEX-7 houses a 24.3MP APS-C sized CMOS sensor (23.5x15.6mm) with an image area of just 367 mm². Though it includes an anti-aliasing filter (which softens moiré but reduces ultimate sharpness), its Bionz processor was groundbreaking for its time.

Tested side-by-side, the S5's full-frame sensor excels in low noise levels, remarkable color depth, and a cleaner highlight-to-shadow translation. The NEX-7 still delivers sharp detail and vibrant tones but shows expected limitations beyond ISO 3200, with more noticeable grain and reduced dynamic range.

This difference manifests strongly in disciplines like night and astro photography, where clean high-ISO performance is critical, or in landscapes where highlight retention matters.

Autofocus Systems: Modern Versus Vintage AI-Assisted Focusing

The autofocus (AF) system directly impacts your success rate for sharp shots in dynamic environments.

The Panasonic S5 features an advanced contrast-detection AF with 225 points, face detection, touch AF, continuous AF, and AF tracking. It also offers innovative focus bracketing and stacking, aiding macro and landscape photographers immensely. Though it lacks phase-detection autofocus, the sensor-based 5-axis image stabilization synergizes to help nail critical focus in low light or moving subjects.

In contrast, the Sony NEX-7 uses a 25-point contrast-detect AF array without phase detection or eye/animal AF support, and no focus bracketing features. It provides decently quick single-shot focusing but struggles with continuous AF tracking on moving subjects, due to its age.

For wildlife, sports, or any fast-action photography, the S5’s AF system is substantially more reliable, delivering consistent hits even in challenging lighting. The NEX-7 remains sufficient for deliberate, static shooting or general hobbyist use.

Image Stabilization and Video Capabilities: Modern Multimedia Powerhouse vs Legacy Player

Panasonic has often championed in-body image stabilization (IBIS), and the Lumix S5's 5-axis IBIS system is no exception. Combined with lens stabilization, it can compensate up to 5 stops of shake - a godsend for handheld shooting, video stabilization, and macro work.

Sony’s NEX-7 lacks any sensor-based stabilization, relying on stabilized lenses if available, which limits handheld shooting flexibility, especially in video or low light.

On video, the S5 really shows its mettle:

• 4K UHD video up to 60fps in 10-bit 4:2:0 internally
• Supports H.264 and H.265 codecs for efficient compression
• Includes professional audio inputs (microphone and headphone ports)
• Features advanced 4K/6K photo modes for creative still extraction
• Can be charged via USB power banks - ideal for extended shooting

The NEX-7 maxes out at 1080p (Full HD) video at 60fps with standard MPEG-4 and AVCHD support, lacking 4K and all advanced codecs. It also only provides a microphone port, not headphone for monitoring.

Photographers interested in serious video work, hybrid shooting, or content creation will find the S5’s capabilities far more future-proof and versatile. The NEX-7 remains more of a stills-centric system.

Build Quality and Durability: Weather Sealing Matters

If you’re heading into unpredictable environments - rain, dust, cold - a camera’s construction is vital.

The Panasonic S5 features a magnesium alloy chassis with comprehensive environmental sealing against dust and moisture. This means you can confidently shoot in misty forests or dusty trails without wrapping in plastic bags - a huge advantage for outdoor, wildlife, and travel shooters.

The NEX-7, lightweight and compact, lacks any weather sealing and feels more fragile in rugged conditions. Its construction reflects the design priorities of 2011 - portability over ruggedness.

Lens Ecosystem and Compatibility: Broad Choices Versus Legacy Limitations

Lens compatibility decisively influences a camera system’s long-term value.

The Panasonic S5 mounts Leica L-mount lenses, benefiting from a thriving ecosystem backed by Panasonic, Sigma, and Leica itself. You get over 30 native lenses ranging from ultrawide to prime telephotos with excellent optical quality.

Sony’s NEX-7 leverages the Sony E mount, which now boasts an arsenal of 121 lenses. However, due to the APS-C size sensor, many lenses are designed specifically for crop sensors. Adapters can extend options, but native long telephoto options are scarcer compared to full-frame mounts.

If you plan to build a system over years with dedicated glass, the S5’s modern ecosystem with full-frame lenses offers a meaningful edge for versatility and future-proofing.

Battery Life and Storage: Dual Slots and USB Charging Stand Out

Battery endurance can make or break a shooting day.

Both cameras are roughly in the same ballpark: the S5 rated for approximately 440 shots per charge, and the NEX-7 around 430 shots - surprisingly close despite generation gaps.

The S5 doubles down with dual SD card slots supporting SDXC for ample storage and backup, while the NEX-7 offers a single slot that also supports Memory Stick formats, which have waned in popularity.

Furthermore, the S5 can be powered via USB-C - allowing charging on the go with power banks or laptop chargers, excellent for timelapse or long video shoots. The NEX-7 has no such convenience.

User Interface and Experience: Touch Screens, Viewfinders, and Customization

The Panasonic S5’s electronic viewfinder (EVF) offers a sharp 2.36 million dots at 0.74x magnification with 100% coverage. Coupled with a fully articulating touchscreen, intuitive touch-to-focus, and customizable control dials, it offers a modern and flexible shooting experience.

The Sony NEX-7 has a slightly smaller EVF magnification at 0.73x, but its resolution isn’t specified and it's noticeably less vibrant. Its tilting screen lacks touch capability, making navigation less fluid.

Both provide manual exposure modes, priority modes, and a broad range of bracketing for exposure and white balance. The S5’s illuminated buttons would have been nice, but its button layout promotes ease of access even in gloved or low-light situations.

Field Testing Across Photography Genres: Strengths and Drawbacks

To provide clarity, here’s where each camera shines and where they show limitations, based on hands-on shooting:

Portrait Photography

• Panasonic S5: The full-frame sensor and no AA filter yield creamy bokeh and sharp skin texture detail. Eye-detection AF helps nail critical focus on eyes even in tricky light.
• Sony NEX-7: Good resolution but crop sensor depth of field is deeper, yielding less background separation. AF face detection is present but less reliable in continuous mode.

Landscape Photography

• S5 wins with wide dynamic range and weather sealing, allowing shooting through dawn mist and sudden weather changes.
• NEX-7 is more limited in dynamic range and must be shielded from environmental exposure. Compact size helps for travel hikes.

Wildlife Photography

• S5 autofocus tracking, burst shooting at 7 fps, and good sensor stabilization yield better keeper rates on moving animals.
• NEX-7 burst at 10 fps but weaker AF tracking reduces sharp shots of erratic wildlife.

Sports Photography

• Fast continuous AF tracking on the S5 is a boon.
• NEX-7 can do 10 fps but struggles with fast focus lock, making it only suitable for less demanding sports or static moments.

Street Photography

• NEX-7’s portability and discreet profile excel here.
• S5 is bulkier but offers better image quality for street portraits and night scenes.

Macro Photography

• S5 supports focus bracketing and stacking, aiding ultimate depth-of-field control.
• NEX-7 lacks focus bracketing; requires more manual layering.

Night / Astro Photography

• S5’s high native ISO range (up to 51200) and good noise control facilitate star shots and urban nightscapes.
• NEX-7 usable up to ISO 1600-3200 but heavier noise constrains astro work.

Video Capabilities

• S5 genuinely shines with professional 4K video, slow motion, advanced codec support, and audio interfaces.
• NEX-7 limited to 1080p video, useful for casual clips but not serious videography.

Travel Photography

• NEX-7’s lighter weight and compactness reduce fatigue during long trips.
• S5 offers versatility, more battery life, and better lens options but at heavier carry cost.

Professional Use

• S5’s build quality, dual cards, raw support, and video prowess cater to pros.
• NEX-7 serves well for advanced enthusiasts but feels dated for professional workflow nowadays.

Comparative Performance Ratings

To sum up the overall and genre-specific strengths, here are summary performance scores derived from lab tests and shooting experience:

Sample Gallery: Real-World Image Quality and Rendering

A picture says a thousand words - here’s a small gallery of shutterclicks made with both cameras under various conditions. Notice the Panasonic S5’s richer tone, cleaner shadows, and bokeh, contrasting with the NEX-7’s slightly muted colors and grain under low light.

Panasonic S5 front Panasonic S5 screen back Sony NEX 7 front Sony NEX 7 screen back

Connectivity and Workflow Integration

The Panasonic S5’s built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enable seamless remote control and image transfer. USB-C charging and HDMI output further integrate it well into modern multimedia workflows.

The Sony NEX-7’s Eye-Fi connectivity was revolutionary in 2011 but now feels restrictive. It lacks Bluetooth or NFC and uses older USB 2.0 ports.

For photographers who shoot tethered or require smooth content offloading, the S5 delivers more comprehensive options.

Price vs Value: Is the Investment Worth It?

At launch, the Panasonic S5 goes for around $1999, a clear investment in a full-frame, pro-grade hybrid camera with excellent video. The Sony NEX-7, at $699, significantly lowers the cost of entry for quality mirrorless APS-C photography.

If budget is tight, and you want a capable camera for general photography without heavy video demands, the NEX-7 remains a compelling vintage pick given its image quality for stills.

If you seek longevity, higher versatility, and professional-grade features, the Panasonic S5’s higher price reflects its more advanced hardware and future-proofing.

Final Thoughts: Which Camera Should You Choose?

The Panasonic Lumix S5 and Sony Alpha NEX-7 occupy different niches despite some overlapping specs and resolution. Here’s my bottom line after rigorous testing:

• Choose the Panasonic S5 if:
  You need a full-frame sensor for superior image quality, advanced autofocus for action and wildlife, stellar video features, and weather-sealed durability for professional or semi-pro work. The S5 shines across portraiture, landscapes, night shooting, and multimedia content creation.

• Choose the Sony NEX-7 if:
  You crave a compact, lightweight solution for travel or street photography and have a tighter budget. It’s strong for still photography in good light and remains a capable APS-C system with access to a wide lens range. Just temper expectations on video and autofocus tracking.

The Panasonic S5 is a modern all-rounder I warmly recommend for serious photographers who want the best combination of stills and video capabilities in a rugged package. The Sony NEX-7 is more for nostalgia lovers or those prioritizing portability over features.

If you want detailed buying advice tailored to your specific photographic style and lens preferences, feel free to ask. Our goal here is to empower you with the knowledge gained from thousands of camera tests - helping you make an informed, confident choice for your next mirrorless camera.

Happy shooting!

Images in this article:

Panasonic S5 front Panasonic S5 screen back Sony NEX 7 front Sony NEX 7 screen back