Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Panasonic - Lumix S5 II | Sony - α9 III |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 740 g | 703 g |
| AF points | 779 | 759 |
| Max video | 6K | 4K120 |
Between the Lumix S5 II and α9 III, the Lumix S5 II comes out ahead in af points / max video, while the α9 III wins on weight. Overall, the Lumix S5 II scores 74.4 and the α9 III scores 71.7 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (74.4 vs 71.7). The decision is not about overall quality — both clear the bar — it is about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
Pick the Lumix S5 II if you care most about af points / max video. The biggest gaps in its favor are af points, max video. The single most decisive one: AF points — 2.64% more. 779 vs 759.
Pick the α9 III if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. Its strongest claims are weight. The single most decisive one: Weight — 37.00 g less. 703 vs 740.
Both ship with comparable sensor size, megapixels, in-body stabilization, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity says both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Which should you buy: Panasonic - Lumix S5 II or Sony - α9 III?
Panasonic - Lumix S5 II leads the current Mars Score by 2.7 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare max video, weight against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Panasonic - Lumix S5 II if…
Panasonic - Lumix S5 II has the measurable edge on af points, max video.
Choose Sony - α9 III if…
Sony - α9 III has the measurable edge on weight g.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Panasonic - Lumix S5 II wins
- ▲AF points — 2.64% more. 779 vs 759.
- ▲Max video: 6K (vs 4K120).
Why Sony - α9 III wins
- ▲Weight — 37.00 g less. 703 vs 740.
Spec comparison
Sensor
| Spec | Panasonic - Lumix S5 II | Sony - α9 III |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor sizeⓘ | Full Frame | Full Frame |
| Megapixels | 24 MP | 24 MP |
| Max ISO | 51200 | 51200 |
Video
| Spec | Panasonic - Lumix S5 II | Sony - α9 III |
|---|---|---|
| Max video | 6Klead | 4K120 |
| RAW video | false | truelead |
| Log profileⓘ | true | true |
Autofocus
| Spec | Panasonic - Lumix S5 II | Sony - α9 III |
|---|---|---|
| AF pointsⓘ | 779lead | 759 |
| Eye AFⓘ | true | true |
| In-body stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Body & Controls
| Spec | Panasonic - Lumix S5 II | Sony - α9 III |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 740 g | 703 glead |
| Weather sealedⓘ | true | true |
| Dual card slotsⓘ | true | true |