A pioneer in the hybrid segment, Panasonic is now attacking the market for full-format devices with the Lumix S1 and shows the firm will not to make any concessions.
Panasonic arrives in force in the microcosm of 24×36 sensors with the Lumix S1. Behind the marketing promises, a supercharged technical sheet for photo and video performances that are there. The set is very convincing thanks to excellent ergonomics and significant customization. Panasonic achieves a near-flawless performance, at the cost of a size and a weight that distance the brand from the original philosophy of compactness of the segment of hybrid cameras.
Points forts
- Good grip.
- All-weather finish.
- Many customization options.
- Excellent management of electronic noise.
- Dual sensor and optical stabilization.
- 96 MP mode for the packshot.
- Efficient human/face/eye recognition.
- Responsive autofocus in bright light.
- The best electronic viewfinder of the moment.
- Wired or wireless remote control.
- Touchscreen and adjustable LCD screen.
- UHD 60p video mode.
- 6x slow motion FHD video mode.
- Dual SD/XQD storage space.
Weak points
- Significant size and weight.
- No proxy in video to facilitate UHD editing.
- V-Log as a paid option.
- Only 6 fps burst with autofocus tracking.
- Hesitant autofocus in very low light.
- Improved fluidity of the viewfinder in low light.
- Expensive lenses (for now).
- Electronic shutter only at 1/8000 s.
- Limited screen orientation.
- Improvable menu interface.
- It lacks the stabilization clutch on one axis.
NB: The reported price drop is calculated by comparing the lowest price of the day with the average of the lowest prices charged by all merchants for the product last month, with security rules to exclude prices from shops whose the VAT policy is not clear (known as “grey” shops, typically in the case of imports from China).
An alternative
While the competition offers full-format hybrids with more limited technical data sheets, Panasonic unveils an expert Lumix S5 that is difficult to fault. If the size of the device is improved compared to the Lumix S1 and S1R, it still remains on the side of the relatively imposing boxes. The Lumix S5 takes advantage of excellent ergonomics and a very complete photo/video mode, while offering good image quality. What position it as a must in the 24×36 hybrid market.
