Panasonic Lumix S1 II Review

The S1 II is Panasonic aiming squarely at video creators who still want a stills camera on the side. Its 24.1 megapixel partially stacked sensor reads out fast enough for 5.9K at 60p, open gate capture up to 6K, 4K at 120p and internal ProRes RAW, all with the waveforms, vectorscopes and shutter angle controls video people expect. Improved heat management allows unlimited recording, and the in body stabilization is rated at up to 8 stops.

As a video tool at 3199 dollars it is hard to beat. Open gate lets you frame once and crop for both wide and vertical delivery, the codec options are generous, and the build, screen and full size HDMI port are all professional grade. Crucially, Panasonic has finally fitted phase detection autofocus that keeps up, which is the thing that held earlier bodies back.

Twenty four megapixels is modest for landscape or studio stills, and the autofocus, while much improved, still trails Sony and Canon in the hardest tracking situations. This is a camera for hybrid shooters and small video teams who want cinema features without a cinema body. Photographers chasing detail should look at the higher resolution S1R II instead.