Head-to-head · Best Full-Frame Mirrorless Cameras

Canon EOS R5 Mark II vs Panasonic Lumix S1R II

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Canon EOS R5 Mark II comes out ahead by a clear margin (4.8 vs 4.3). The gap is mostly about all-around professionals who want flagship 45MP stills and 8K RAW video in one body — read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Full-Frame Mirrorless Cameras

Canon EOS R5 Mark II

4.8

$3,999as of May 26

The Canon EOS R5 Mark II is the best all-around flagship in this list — TechRadar and PhotographyBlog both gave it a perfect 5/5, Tom's Guide 4.5/5. The stacked sensor, 30 fps burst, 8K 60p RAW, Eye Control AF, and improved thermal design fix every complaint about the original R5. The only reason not to pick it is if you're already invested in Nikon or Sony lenses; otherwise this is the top pick for most pros.

Strengths

— 45 MP stacked BSI CMOS sensor with readout speeds matching the Nikon Z8 — negligible rolling shutter
— 8K 60p RAW internal with improved thermal performance over the R5 — fixes the original's overheating reputation
— Pre-capture shooting stores up to 0.5s of frames before you press the shutter (huge for wildlife)

Watch-outs

— Priced aggressively at $4,299 — still a premium over the Nikon Z8's $3,996 street
— LP-E6P battery is not backward-compatible with older LP-E6N — forces battery replacement for R5 upgraders
— CFexpress required to unlock highest frame rates — CF cards and readers aren't cheap

$3,999 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Ranked #4 in Best Full-Frame Mirrorless Cameras

Panasonic Lumix S1R II

4.3

$4,499.95as of May 29

The Panasonic Lumix S1R II is the value flagship — PhotographyBlog 5/5 and TechRadar 4.5/5, though PCMag more reserved at 3.5/5 citing AF gap. If you want 44 MP, 8.1K ProRes RAW, and pro video features at ~$1,000 less than the Canon R5 II or Nikon Z8, this is the pick. The L-mount lens ecosystem and slightly trailing AF are the reasons to pay up for Nikon or Canon if budget allows.

Strengths

— 44 MP partially-stacked BSI sensor — surprisingly close to stacked performance at a lower price than the Nikon Z8 or Canon R5 II
— 8.1K/30p Apple ProRes RAW internal + V-Log for pro video colorists — video-first flagship among this list
— In-body stabilization rated to 8 stops; Dual IS 2 with compatible lenses hits ~9.5

Watch-outs

— L-mount lens ecosystem is smaller than Sony E, Canon RF, or Nikon Z — fewer native lens options, especially primes
— Battery life trails competitors at 350 shots CIPA
— PCMag's 3.5/5 score reflects softer consensus — some reviewers feel the AF still trails the big three even with phase detect

$4,499.95 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

Canon EOS R5 Mark II

Best all-rounder: highest editorial rating, with the strongest balance of 45MP stills, 8K RAW video, and AF. Pricier than the Z8.

Panasonic Lumix S1R II

44MP with class-leading video specs at the lowest entry of the high-res group; smaller lens ecosystem than Canon/Sony/Nikon.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Canon EOS R5 Mark II	Panasonic Lumix S1R II
Sensor	45MP Stacked BSI CMOS	44MP BSI CMOS
ISO	100–51200 (exp. 50–102400)	80–51200
Video	8K/30p RAW, 4K/120p	8K/30p, 5.8K/30p ProRes RAW
Stabilization	IBIS, up to 8.5 stops	IBIS, up to 8 stops
Weight	746 g	795 g
Storage	CFexpress Type B + SD UHS-II	CFexpress Type B + SD UHS-II

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