Panasonic S5 vs Sony RX100 IV

Its time to take a more detailed look at the Panasonic S5 and Sony RX100 IV, former is a Pro Mirrorless while the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by competitors Panasonic and Sony. The image resolution of the S5 (24MP) and the RX100 IV (20MP) is relatively similar but the S5 (Full frame) and RX100 IV (1") come with different sensor sizes.

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The S5 was revealed 5 years after the RX100 IV which is quite a sizable difference as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic S5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony RX100 IV being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before getting straight into a thorough comparison, below is a short highlight of how the S5 grades versus the RX100 IV in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV. The full galleries are available at Panasonic S5 Gallery & Sony RX100 IV Gallery.

For those who are planning to carry around your camera frequently, you'll need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Panasonic S5 features external dimensions of 133mm x 97mm x 82mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 3.2") and a weight of 714 grams (1.57 lbs) whilst the Sony RX100 IV has proportions of 102mm x 58mm x 41mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.6") with a weight of 298 grams (0.66 lbs).

Check the Panasonic S5 and Sony RX100 IV in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are employing during that time. Here is the front view over all size comparison of the S5 compared to the RX100 IV.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the S5 and RX100 IV is 60 and 89 respectively.

Typically, it can be difficult to imagine the gap between sensor sizes merely by reading specs. The pic underneath may provide you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the S5 and RX100 IV.

All in all, the two cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The S5 having a bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field simpler and the Panasonic S5 will offer more detail because of its extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop shots a little more aggressively. The newer S5 should have an advantage with regard to sensor technology.