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Panasonic S5 VS Nikon Z5

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UrAveragePhotographer

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Hey everyone,

I have a dilemma, I know you all might think that the S5 is an overall winner but there is a counterargument the Nikon Z series does have plenty of appealing lenses and more on the way. I am relying on you guys to help point out which way I should go.

Thanks,

L
 
I would say it's very close to a wash except in considering what you've used before.

If you're used to m4/3 then the S5 is going to be a welcome and immediately usable system. You will be able to pick it up and be familiar with the menus and functionality right away.

But, the Nikon was always a top contender for me and now the lens offerings are similar.

I also like the L-Mount Lens standard in that it welcomes everyone to participate. You can get the Sigma Lenses rather than the Panasonics and save money. I think L-Mount will last and have a great variety of lenses in the coming months and years.

I chose the S5 because of the similarity to what I used and the lenses I wanted were available at a price I was willing to pay.

I think my last word is to look at the lenses to make sure what you need is there and then realize you're not going to make a bad decision with either of these two systems.
 
UrAveragePhotographer said:
Hey everyone,

I have a dilemma, I know you all might think that the S5 is an overall winner but there is a counterargument the Nikon Z series does have plenty of appealing lenses and more on the way. I am relying on you guys to help point out which way I should go.

Thanks,

L
Click to expand...
Don't know about the Z5 but the S5 is very easy to focus with old manual lenses. You can save money if you can manual focus
 
A few more things. S5 has touch pad AF thru viewfinder Z5 doesn't, S5 has High Resolution Mode Z5 doesnt. S5 has swivel screen Z5 is tilt only. S5 has 6K photo and Post Focus features Z5 doesnt. S5 can attach a vertical Grip Z5 can (battery pack only). What glass does Z5 have that Panasonic doesnt. Only one I can think of is a travel zoom like 24-200, 28-200, But I'm sure sigma will release one. I use 24-105 which is amazing. I also have a 20-60 which I though would be so so but it turns out to be fantastic. If you get S5 get it with this lens.
 
UrAveragePhotographer said:
Hey everyone,

I have a dilemma, I know you all might think that the S5 is an overall winner but there is a counterargument the Nikon Z series does have plenty of appealing lenses and more on the way. I am relying on you guys to help point out which way I should go.

Thanks,

L
Click to expand...
I would add to the above posts: If you can see them in a local store (my Best Buy actually had both the S5 and the Z5 on display) pick them up and see how they feel in hand. See which one has the best UI for YOU. Look at the EVFs, and the LCDs and pick the one that you are most comfortable with.

If you are used to using Nikons, the UI will probably be more familiar; if you have used M43, the Panasonic UI will be.

Look at both lines and see which has the lenses that you will be using. If you have legacy Nikon glass (AF), then the adapter they have works well with it, and it would be a way to ease into FF mirrorless without dumping big $ into lenses initially. If not, then just look at the lenses that are available for each and on the road map for each, and pick the system that will give you what you want for lenses.

For me, I tried both in the store, and liked how the S5 sat in hand better than the Z5. I also have been using Panasonic M43 bodies for years, so the UI of the S5 was immediately familiar and easy to use. Then, for my purposes, the specs of two of their lenses had absolute advantages over all of the competition; I like lenses that can focus close, even non-macro ones. The 20-60mm and the 70-300mm both have VERY close focus ability, and those are the two lenses I would be using the most. None of the competitor's similar lenses can do that, so right there, that was the final deal maker/breaker for me.

YMMV, of course.

I am actually extremely happy with the S5. It is just a really enjoyable (for me) camera to use, and its IQ is terrific.

Lots of people feel the same way about the Z5, though :) .

Try them out and pick the one you are most comfortable with.

-J
 
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Just a few other thoughts on the S5 vs Z5:

I can't really say anything about the Nikon Z5:

But for video recording, I think you would find the S5 to be a better camera.

Internal 10-bit recording

internal log recording

RAW video at 5.9K resolution to an external recorder

Waveforms / vectorscope

Two levels of Zebras

Excellent IBIS

Native panasonic lenses (though expensive) tend to be well-tuned for video shooting. For example, the new f/1.8 prime lenses will have the same filter size (to make using ND filters easier), same barrel dimensions (to make using follow focus easier), and same center of gravity (to make it easier to switch the lenses on a gimbal without having to rebalance).

Plus Panasonic lenses are parfocal and have minimal focus breathing.
 
UrAveragePhotographer said:
Thanks so much! What lens would you use if you were to replace the Nikon 14-30 though?
Click to expand...
L-mount has three autofocus ultrawide zooms: Sigma 14-24/2.8. Leica 16-35/3.5-4.5 and Panasonic 16-35/4. It also has several fixed lenses under 20mm focal length, most of them are manual focus lenses.
 
The Z5 is amazing value, yet the overall lens system is far more expensive and limited.

In some markets, the S1 is similarly priced to the S5, and it’s a higher grade.

The L-family is also more versatile given that one could potentially mix in Foveon cameras or Leica APS-C etc.
 
Strangefinder said:
The Z5 is amazing value, yet the overall lens system is far more expensive and limited.

In some markets, the S1 is similarly priced to the S5, and it’s a higher grade.

The L-family is also more versatile given that one could potentially mix in Foveon cameras or Leica APS-C etc.
Click to expand...
 
i can't talk much for this topic, but, based on lens choices (native), they both (z mount and l mount) still limited. for some it is a really a big deal, but not for me, because mainly i adapting lens...

the number one thing that really appealing of z5 (z mount in general), is the mount flange. virtually it can mount every lenses... but, i can't justify myself to buy it, because for photography, i only use my spare money and i have quite many hobbies (photography at the bottom)

for s5, it might become very useful my work, because yeah, it is clearly better than gh5 that i've always using for years... but it needs unanimous vote to do a big move, and more likely it will be s1h than s5, hehehehe...

--
my street photography
 
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one of the attractions of the Z was the 24-200 lens. Also the 50 was dangerously sharp.

The S5 is a better camera. (&should be at +70% price!)

But really, as w/ most cameras nowadays, you can hardly go wrong (-;
 
I think the s5 is a better camera, but... Check lenses, that's were panasonic suffers the must. Look at what it has and if it fits your needs.

Also please be aware that sigma lenses come in many versions, if you want to use aurofocus look at dg dn versions and even so don't expect great autofocus for sigma lenses, you will get quite horrible pulsing with them, with the pana natives is almost non existent. If pana has the lenses you need I would go pana if not don't waste your time waiting, pana releases lenses extremely slow.

Now if you want to go manual then pana is a great option.

--
https://ailukewitsch.wordpress.com
https://www.ilukewitsch.com
https://www.instagram.com/ailukewitsch/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/malabito/
 
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I’ll give you my honest opinion.
I gave up wedding photography after 15 years two years ago (but I’m now re-launching) and consequently sold all my gear when I did this.
Since then I’ve been dabbling with different cameras, I only own one currently… a Ricoh GRIII. I did buy a Fujifilm GFX 50R used but sold it a month ago.
However, in April on a whim I bought a Nikon Z5, there was a brilliant deal on here in the UK and I got it with the 24-70 f4. It felt wonderful to use, very well built and had great ergonomics. But as the light dropped the AF was beyond awful. Also the EVF turned into complete mush as the light dropped. I have in my life only ever used single point focus, I had no time for any other way in the midst of a wedding. Let’s just say the GFX was so much faster than the Z5, at around 60th f4 3200 iso the Nikon barely if ever locked on to anything and if it did honestly it could take around 3/4 seconds, the GFX was like a Ferrari compared (the single point AF of the GFX is pretty good though, contrary to popular opinion). I shot them side by side for an hour or so and in a nutshell the Nikon’s AF was as useful as a chocolate teapot.
I was actually flabbergasted at how bad it was.
I sent it back and it has put me off buying into the Nikon Z system ever again, even though I’ve heard the Z6/7ii’s are decent.
I would not recommend the Z5 and although I don’t have an S5 I’m sure its AF performance will be night and day superior.
 
jalywol said:
UrAveragePhotographer said:
Hey everyone,

I have a dilemma, I know you all might think that the S5 is an overall winner but there is a counterargument the Nikon Z series does have plenty of appealing lenses and more on the way. I am relying on you guys to help point out which way I should go.

Thanks,

L
Click to expand...
I would add to the above posts: If you can see them in a local store (my Best Buy actually had both the S5 and the Z5 on display) pick them up and see how they feel in hand. See which one has the best UI for YOU. Look at the EVFs, and the LCDs and pick the one that you are most comfortable with.

If you are used to using Nikons, the UI will probably be more familiar; if you have used M43, the Panasonic UI will be.

Look at both lines and see which has the lenses that you will be using. If you have legacy Nikon glass (AF), then the adapter they have works well with it, and it would be a way to ease into FF mirrorless without dumping big $ into lenses initially. If not, then just look at the lenses that are available for each and on the road map for each, and pick the system that will give you what you want for lenses.

For me, I tried both in the store, and liked how the S5 sat in hand better than the Z5. I also have been using Panasonic M43 bodies for years, so the UI of the S5 was immediately familiar and easy to use. Then, for my purposes, the specs of two of their lenses had absolute advantages over all of the competition; I like lenses that can focus close, even non-macro ones. The 20-60mm and the 70-300mm both have VERY close focus ability, and those are the two lenses I would be using the most. None of the competitor's similar lenses can do that, so right there, that was the final deal maker/breaker for me.

YMMV, of course.

I am actually extremely happy with the S5. It is just a really enjoyable (for me) camera to use, and its IQ is terrific.

Lots of people feel the same way about the Z5, though :) .

Try them out and pick the one you are most comfortable with.

-J
Click to expand...
One little issue that you highlight Janet is that Nikon ML bodies will probably allow better adapting of legacy Nikon F lenses. These will not be that useful on L-Mount bodies.

Sigma lenses in EF mount will adapt reasonably well to L-Mount and some Canon EF mount lenses also work well - but S-AF only (which is enough for many). There are some other restrictions as well.

I believe there is at least one electronic adapter EF-Z but I have no knowledge of how well it works.

Therefore the class of photographer with a good collection of dslr AF capability lenses might consider how useful their lenses might be on a new-chosen purchase of either Z or L mount camera body.

Of course this forum thrives on brand new L-mount lenses and they are certainly excellent for purpose. However not everyone who is looking for a new FF ML body in one of the new mount systems is in a tearing hurry to replace all their familiar existing lenses which can often be quite a considerable expense if they are already heavily invested in dslr gear.

New lenses are exciting, adapting existing lenses … less so.
 
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