Leica SL3-S vs Panasonic S5

The Leica SL3-S and the Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 are two enthusiast cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in January 2025 and September 2020. Both the Leica SL3-S and the S5 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a full frame sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 24 megapixels.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Leica SL3-S		Panasonic S5
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Leica L mount lenses		Leica L mount lenses
24 MP – Full Frame sensor		24 MP – Full Frame sensor
6K/30p Video		4K/60p Video
ISO 100-50,000 (50 - 100,000)		ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 204,800)
Electronic viewfinder (5760k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.2" LCD – 2333k dots		3.0" LCD – 1840k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
30 shutter flaps per second		7 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
315 shots per battery charge		440 shots per battery charge
141 x 108 x 85 mm, 852 g		133 x 98 x 82 mm, 714 g

Check Leica SL3-S price at
amazon.com
Check S5 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Leica SL3-S and the Panasonic Lumix DC-S5? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Leica SL3-S and the Panasonic S5 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Panasonic S5 is notably smaller (14 percent) than the Leica SL3-S. Moreover, the S5 is markedly lighter (16 percent) than the Leica SL3-S. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the Leica SL3-S gets 315 shots out of its Leica BP-SCL6 battery, while the S5 can take 440 images on a single charge of its Panasonic DMW-BLK22 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Leica SL3-S	141 mm	108 mm	85 mm	852 g	315	Y	Jan 2025	US$ 5 299	amazon.com
2.		Panasonic S5	133 mm	98 mm	82 mm	714 g	440	Y	Sep 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
3.		Canon R1	158 mm	150 mm	87 mm	1115 g	1330	Y	Jul 2024	US$ 6 299	amazon.com
4.		Canon R3	150 mm	143 mm	87 mm	1015 g	760	Y	Sep 2021	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
5.		Fujifilm GFX 100S II	150 mm	104 mm	87 mm	883 g	530	Y	May 2024	US$ 4 999	amazon.com
6.		Leica SL2	146 mm	107 mm	42 mm	953 g	370	Y	Nov 2019	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
7.		Leica SL2-S	146 mm	107 mm	83 mm	931 g	510	Y	Dec 2020	US$ 4 899	amazon.com
8.		Leica SL3	141 mm	108 mm	85 mm	854 g	320	Y	Mar 2024	US$ 6 999	amazon.com
9.		Panasonic G9	137 mm	97 mm	92 mm	658 g	400	Y	Nov 2017	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic GH5	139 mm	98 mm	87 mm	725 g	410	Y	Jan 2017	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic GH5 II	139 mm	98 mm	87 mm	727 g	400	Y	May 2021	US$ 1 699	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic GH7	138 mm	100 mm	100 mm	805 g	380	Y	Jun 2024	US$ 2 199	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic S1	149 mm	110 mm	97 mm	1017 g	400	Y	Feb 2019	US$ 2 499	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic S1 II	134 mm	102 mm	92 mm	800 g	350	Y	May 2025	US$ 3 199	amazon.com
15.		Panasonic S5 II	134 mm	102 mm	90 mm	740 g	370	Y	Jan 2023	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
16.		Sony A9 III	136 mm	97 mm	83 mm	702 g	530	Y	Nov 2023	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The S5 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 62 percent) than the Leica SL3-S, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the S5 is 2 percent smaller. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Even though the Leica SL3-S has a slightly larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 24 megapixels. This implies that the Leica SL3-S has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 6.00μm versus 5.94μm for the S5), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. In addition, the Leica SL3-S is much more recent (by 4 years and 4 months) than the S5, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The Leica SL3-S has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

Both cameras have the capacity to capture high quality composite images by combining multiple shots after shifting the sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

The Leica SL3-S has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 50000, which can be extended to ISO 50-100000. The corresponding ISO settings for the Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 are ISO 100 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-204800.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Leica SL3-S	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.8	3383	97
2.		Panasonic S5	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.1	14.5	2697	94
3.		Canon R1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/60p	25.4	14.8	3332	97
4.		Canon R3	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/60p	25.0	14.7	4086	96
5.		Fujifilm GFX 100S II	Medium Format	101.8	11648	8736	4K/30p	25.9	15.1	3720	101
6.		Leica SL2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/60p	25.3	14.3	2866	95
7.		Leica SL2-S	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.2	14.1	3504	95
8.		Leica SL3	Full Frame	60.3	9520	6336	8K/30p	25.4	14.8	3295	97
9.		Panasonic G9	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.1	12.8	1138	74
10.		Panasonic GH5	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.9	13.0	807	77
11.		Panasonic GH5 II	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.7	13.1	1136	79
12.		Panasonic GH7	Four Thirds	25.0	5776	4336	5.7K/60p	23.4	13.6	1784	78
13.		Panasonic S1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.2	14.5	3333	95
14.		Panasonic S1 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.8	3406	97
15.		Panasonic S5 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.6	3158	96
16.		Sony A9 III	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/120p	25.4	14.7	3243	96
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the Leica SL3-S provides a higher video resolution than the S5. It can shoot video footage at 6K/30p, while the Panasonic is limited to 4K/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the Leica SL3-S offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the S5 (5760k vs 2360k dots). The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Leica SL3-S and Panasonic S5 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Leica SL3-S	5760	Y	3.2 / 2333	tilting	Y	1/8000s	30.0/s	n	Y
2.		Panasonic S5	2360	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon R1	9440	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
4.		Canon R3	5760	Y	3.2 / 4150	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
5.		Fujifilm GFX 100S II	5760	Y	3.2 / 2360	full-flex	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	n	Y
6.		Leica SL2	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
7.		Leica SL2-S	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
8.		Leica SL3	5760	Y	3.2 / 2333	tilting	Y	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
9.		Panasonic G9	3680	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
10.		Panasonic GH5	3680	n	3.2 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
11.		Panasonic GH5 II	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
12.		Panasonic GH7	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
13.		Panasonic S1	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
14.		Panasonic S1 II	5760	n	3.2 / 1840	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
15.		Panasonic S5 II	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A9 III	9440	n	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/80000s	120.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the Leica SL3-S, but is missing on the S5 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Leica SL3-S and the Panasonic S5 both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The Leica SL3-S writes its imaging data to CFexpress (type B) or SDXC cards, while the S5 uses SDXC cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. Both the Leica SL3-S and the S5 support UHS-II cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s (the second slot of the S5 only offers slower UHS-I transfer rates, though).

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Leica SL3-S and Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Leica SL3-S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
2.		Panasonic S5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon R1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon R3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
5.		Fujifilm GFX 100S II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
6.		Leica SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
7.		Leica SL2-S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
8.		Leica SL3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
9.		Panasonic G9	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.0	Y	-	Y
10.		Panasonic GH5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
11.		Panasonic GH5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		Panasonic GH7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
13.		Panasonic S1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
14.		Panasonic S1 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
15.		Panasonic S5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
16.		Sony A9 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y

Both the Leica SL3-S and the S5 are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The Leica SL3-S replaced the earlier Leica SL2-S, while the S5 does not have a direct predecessor. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Leica and Panasonic websites.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Leica SL3-S and the Panasonic S5? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Leica SL3-S:

• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (6K/30p vs 4K/60p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (5760k vs 2360k dots).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.76x vs 0.74x).
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2333k vs 1840k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (30 vs 7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More solid recording: Has a full-sized HDMI port for a sturdy connection to an external recorder.
• More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale price.
• More modern: Reflects 4 years and 4 months of technical progress since the S5 launch.

Arguments in favor of the Panasonic Lumix DC-S5:

• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• More compact: Is smaller (133x98mm vs 141x108mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 138g or 16 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (440 versus 315) out of a single battery charge.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (62 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in September 2020).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the Leica SL3-S is the clear winner of the match-up (11 : 7 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Leica SL3-S and the Panasonic S5 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the Leica SL3-S or the S5. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Leica SL3-S	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jan 2025	US$ 5 299	amazon.com
2.		Panasonic S5	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
3.		Canon R1	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jul 2024	US$ 6 299	amazon.com
4.		Canon R3	5/5	o	4.5/5	..	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2021	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
5.		Fujifilm GFX 100S II	..	..	..	..	..	..	May 2024	US$ 4 999	amazon.com
6.		Leica SL2	4/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2019	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
7.		Leica SL2-S	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Dec 2020	US$ 4 899	amazon.com
8.		Leica SL3	..	..	4.5/5	..	..	4.5/5	Mar 2024	US$ 6 999	amazon.com
9.		Panasonic G9	..	+ +	5/5	85/100	5/5	5/5	Nov 2017	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic GH5	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2017	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic GH5 II	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2021	US$ 1 699	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic GH7	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jun 2024	US$ 2 199	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic S1	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	US$ 2 499	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic S1 II	..	..	..	..	..	..	May 2025	US$ 3 199	amazon.com
15.		Panasonic S5 II	4.5/5	+ +	5/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2023	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
16.		Sony A9 III	4.5/5	..	..	91/100	..	..	Nov 2023	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Check Leica SL3-S price at
amazon.com
Check S5 price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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Check Leica SL3-S price at
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