GEAR
PANASONIC LUMIX S1 II
However, battery life is moderate. You can expect more than two hours of continuous 4K/60p video or 370 stills per charge. The camera does come with a charger and can take on power via USB-C to keep things rolling. Autofocus evolution The S1 II uses a hybrid AF system that combines phase and contrast detection, offering coverage across 779 AF points. New Urban Sports detection mode identifies fast-moving subjects such as skateboarders or dancers too. Panasonic’s AI also tracks eyes, faces, skeletal motion, vehicles and animals. Real-world testing shows consistent improvements over earlier Lumix bodies, though it still doesn’t quite match Canon or Sony in certain cases, particularly fast action tracking. Subject tracking is less intuitive than on some rival cameras due to a slightly convoluted way of engaging tap-to-focus. Its tracking isn’t the best, especially in low light, but the firmware refinements could – and should – change this. Snappy operator Good speed for shooting still images in high frame rates – with no viewfinder blackout or lag and minimal rolling shutter skewing – are what makes a camera a true hybrid professionals can use for everything. Well, the rapid S1 II finally delivers. Although 24.1 megapixels might feel modest next to its 44.2-megapixel S1R II sibling or the 50+ rating of flagship Sony models, image quality is excellent and highly detailed, especially from
THE VERDICT
HOW IT RATES Features: 10
For filmmakers who also shoot stills or photographers working with video, the Panasonic Lumix S1 II delivers possibly the most compelling hybrid experience today. With performance specs rivalling more expensive cameras, flexible codec options, great image stabilisation, robust ergonomics and some unique features, it’s designed for multi-format creators who demand pro-level capability. Yes, Panasonic’s autofocus still needs fine-tuning, and there are lighter options on the market. But if video – particularly cinematic slow motion and high dynamic range capture – is your priority, the S1 II provides unmatched flexibility and value. Panasonic has understood what today’s creatives need and delivered.
Has the lot, including ProRes Raw internal, SSD recording and 6K Performance: 9 The stills and 4K footage excels, while fast frame rates are a bonus Handling: 9 Smaller than the old S1H, complex menus are obvious to navigate Value for money: 9 One of the most expensive Lumix cameras, but does so much PRO MOVIEMAKER OVERALL RATING: 9/10 By far the best Panasonic camera for video and stills use Pros: Built-in ProRes Raw, lots of quality codecs Cons: No fully stacked sensor or in-body eND filter
More information
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20fps or 30fps is relatively common on sports-focused rivals. Hopefully, a future firmware update will enable more options. As for needing higher-resolution images, the camera offers a multi-shot option where the sensor is shifted by one pixel as four images are taken. This can then be combined in camera for a 96-megapixel image. Obviously, this is good for subjects that don’t move because, if there is even a slight movement, then it will show up as a blur. There’s an option in camera to compensate for this, where if a blurry section is detected then the camera replaces that part of the image with one of the single, lower- resolution shots. This is clever stuff and a great feature. All this tech, massive customisation and huge video control comes at a cost, which is that the menus are massively deep. It’s all done very logically, but 11 pages of video resolution and frame rate choices is off-putting. Luckily, for this particular menu, Panasonic allows you to list and sort the specific features you’re looking for. Any interested buyers will need to set aside at least a whole day to go through every menu setting and figure out what they do. With totally different menus displayed for the stills setting and movie mode, it’s a steep learning curve, but worth it. You’ll be rewarded not only with mastery of the best hybrid stills-and-video camera that Panasonic has ever made, but one of the best cameras on the market – all at an attainable price for many.
Raw files. There are also options for 8-bit JPEGs and 10-bit HEIFs. In photography mode, the S1 II offers 10fps AFC burst shooting from its mechanical shutter, but a blistering 70fps blackout-free with pre-burst up to 1.5secs from its electronic shutter. However, that will fill the buffer in a matter of seconds so it’s of limited use in the real world for the majority of the time. Turn off the pre-burst unless you really need it, be sparing with the 70fps and you’re good to go. It seems odd that there’s no setting between 70fps and 10fps, especially as
HOUSE MUSIC Using V-Log is hard to beat when you’re looking for maximum dynamic range
“Panasonic’s artificial intelligence also tracks eyes, faces, skeletal motion, vehicles and animals”
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