GEAR
PANASONIC LUMIX S5 II
THE VERDICT Panasonic’s Lumix S5 was a smash hit on launch, offering great spec and a small form factor at a competitive price. The new version is a much better all-round camera and still undercuts its full-frame rivals. There’s no super-fancy stuff like internal Raw or ProRes, 4K/120p or 4:2:2 All-Intra 800Mbps codecs. But the majority of professionals don’t have a massive need for this. Great-looking footage, no overheating and an effective AF system are far more important for a workhorse camera, and the Panasonic S5 II offers this and more. “The new Panasonic Lumix S5 II is a much better all-round camera and still undercuts its full-frame rivals”
LITTLE AND LARGE The flagship S1H dwarfs the S5 II, but the new camera aces it in many ways
be misleading to look at the actual quality of the footage in case it’s upgraded before a public launch. But in this case, the Panasonic S5 II produces such amazing-quality files that we’re happy to praise it highly. The 6K footage is highly detailed of course, but we’re more interested in the C4K and 4K the majority of working filmmakers will use. And in both 4:2:2 or 4:2:0, footage is just excellent. The colours are beautifully rendered with lots of detail, loads of dynamic range and a certain look that you only get from Panasonic cameras. Even in standard gamma settings, it is organic and not too ‘digital’. And for a more filmic look, the flatter V-Log setting increases dynamic range and is easy to grade to just how you want it. The sweet spot of resolution seems to be around 24 megapixels, since this gives low noise yet is still detailed enough for great 6K footage – with the 4K superb, too. Control of rolling shutter is good, but you don’t want to go for superfast whip pans all the time. As
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panasonic.co.uk
HOW IT RATES
Features: 9 It’s packed with all the tools most serious filmmaking professionals want Performance: 9 Autofocus is now very usable – and the footage is simply excellent Handling: 9 The S5 is small, lightweight and easy to use, with excellent menus Value for money: 10 In a world of escalating inflation, it’s a wonder a camera this good is only two grand OVERALL RATING: 9/10 It takes the popular S5 and moves it on significantly Pros: Phase detection AF, great footage Cons: No 240fps HD or 4K/120p for slow motion
there’s no 4K/120p and the 4K/60p is either cropped or has no audio, it’s not the best camera for sports shooters. And there’s no 240fps even in HD. For everyone else, which is the majority of filmmakers, the Panasonic Lumix S5 II provides stunning performance and spec at a very attractive price. And finally, it has phase detection AF to make it a far more capable all-round camera.
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