GEAR PANASONIC LUMIX S1 II
READY TO RUN AND GUN
Panasonic wins over hybrid creators with its new stacked sensor tech and colour science from a legendary camera giant WORDS ADAM DUCKWORTH
F or a company that was the first to identify that mirrorless cameras could make perfect video-and-stills hybrid devices, it’s taken Panasonic a painfully long time to get to the very top of the flagship full-frame class. Although its Micro Four Thirds cameras have long ruled the quarter-size sensor class when it comes to moviemaking spec, the full-frame range has always just lagged a little behind rivals such as Sony or Canon. The Lumix series was relatively late in going full-frame. Although the first- generation efforts had some spectacular wins, they also had idiosyncrasies that left them just a little short, such as old-school contrast detection AF that simply wasn’t as fast and reliable as on-sensor phase detection or conventional, non-stacked sensors. While Sony, Nikon, Canon, Fujifilm and OM System all jumped on the stacked sensor bandwagon, Panasonic hesitated. So high-frame-rate stills shooting wasn’t blackout-free and rolling shutter artefacts could be an issue. But now, all that has changed: Panasonic’s new Lumix S1 II is its best and boldest hybrid camera yet – it’s designed for filmmakers who also value serious stills image quality. It’s armed with a 24.1-megapixel partially stacked full-frame CMOS sensor, advanced Venus Engine XT processor, phase detection AF and a simply dazzling video spec, which includes internal ProRes Raw, open gate 6K/30p, 4K in 120p, dual native ISO, 15-stop dynamic range, best-in-class IBIS and some clever tricks using an SSD, as well as adding Arri LogC3 colour. The S1 II isn’t just an
upgrade, it’s representing Panasonic’s new hybrid manifesto. At the heart of the S1 II is its partially stacked, back-side illuminated sensor – a first for Panasonic. But not a first in class, as Nikon’s Z 6II recently launched with its own 24.1-megapixel, partially stacked full- frame CMOS sensor, which has won massive acclaim. It’s almost like both brands bought their sensor tech from the same supplier… Stack to the future The partially stacked sensor isn’t quite as quick or, crucially, as expensive as a fully stacked version, but it does offer blackout- free stills with ridiculously high frame rates. Readout speeds are dramatically improved and the camera is about 2.5 times faster than the Lumix S5 II. This massively reduces rolling shutter and enables 70fps stills using the electronic shutter and 4K/120p video, although there is a 1.24x crop. Even Sony, the inventor of the stacked sensor, has a crop in 4K/120p on its flagship A1 range, which is roughly double the cost of the new Lumix. Panasonic has also introduced the new Dynamic Range (DR) Boost option, which can push usable V Log dynamic range to 15 stops, albeit at the cost of a slower readout and visibly more rolling shutter. Filmmakers can choose DR Boost On for latitude in static or slow-moving scenes and Off for action with tighter readout times. However, DR Boost doesn’t work for high frame rates and does raise the ISO to 1000, so you’ll need some ND in most cases. The Lumix has a dual native ISO sensor which really comes into play when Boost is on. Essentially, it reads the sensor twice, once from the high gain circuit and once from the low, then combines them into high dynamic range footage. This is what slows down the readout. But if you’re armed with this information, you can make an informed decision as to what’s best for your project. The two native ISO settings change according to which codec and gamma is used, and they really work, with the lower setting bringing greater detail and colour while the higher setting reduces noise. With the camera packing 24.1 megapixels, this is a great
“Panasonic’s new Lumix is its best and boldest hybrid camera yet – it’s designed for filmmakers who also value serious stills image quality”
BEST SHOTS EVER The stills quality of the latest Lumix is very impressive, capturing images packed with detail
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