For years I’ve been hearing that if Panasonic would JUST add the phase detection AF they would be the king of hill in their class (and it will improve with firmware updates). Now it comes out and I’m seeing comments like, “If they would just add built-in filters” (or whatever)… Geez. Never satisfied. This is a fantastic camera, especially for the price!!!
watched a video that the person moan and said they want Lumix to have a separate animal AF detection in the next camera and have more options with the human Af.
I’m an S1R owner and strictly a photo shooter where I have no problem with the DFD focusing, but it is good to see they are sticking with their L-mount FF line.
one of the best s5m2 review video I've watched recently. I''ve watched, I think most of the s5m2 video which is spoken in English and Korean. great job and great effort man.
Since I already have an S5 and an S1, probably gonna wait until the X comes out in May. It might not pull many established users away from Canon and Sony, but for new users who aren't already committed to Sony or Canon, and are looking for a good hybrid camera, I feel I can recommend it.
also screw canon for preventing access to the R-mount for 3rd party lens and adaptors. when Lumix rolled out firmware 2.0 for the early full frame models, the WORKED WITH sigma to help with their EF adaptor. The two companies could hardly be more different in their attitudes towards their clients. Im a limix guy now. I started with Canon and have 3 L series lenses but I look forward to upgrading to the S5iiX and that juicy sigma MC-21 adaptor. Right now I have 2x G9s and apart from the autofocus, I love them to bits. Especially for the price.
Great video! This is the camera that will convince me to finally upgrade from my Canon DSLRs, not only because of features for the price, but because this tech will undoubtedly make it into the S1 series and GH series and I will need 2 bodies eventually. The L mount flexibility is far more attractive from a cost-effective perspective than Canon's closed RF mount, Nikon still has the tilt-only screen, and I'm just not a fan of the Sony smaller form factor. Thank you, Panasonic, for being the first manufacturer to check all the boxes for my ideal camera at this price point, I'm glad my patience has paid off!
IMHO, the new AF system would be good enough for me. Also just my opinion, almost ALL of the full-frame mirrorless cameras near this price-point have a couple caveats and/or limitations. One caveat that I think this camera may handle better than its pairs is overheating... my A7IV could not handle my video recording requirements.
I noticed at 6:52 that it is using the "face/eye" focus mode. Seems like it would be better to use the "human" focus mode. "face/eye" focus mode only looks for faces and eyes. So if a person turns their back to the camera it will completely lose them. While the "human" mode will focus on eyes first, then drop down to a face, then head, and finally the body. So if they turn their back to the camera it will continue to focus on their body.
True. Sony used to do this too back with the A7III and before. That's why I said it kind of feels like a generation behind. Now other cameras are a bit more intelligent and can recognize subjects and know that if you can't see an eye, go ahead and track the body. For whatever reason people think I was a bit more negative towards the AF system than I meant to be lol...it's not bad...it's way better than my GH6 and S1H which I have, but it isn't quite to the level of other cameras
@@learningcameras Thanks. Maybe misunderstanding my comment. Panasonic has three modes: "human", "face/eye", and "animal/human". From what I saw at 6:52 "face/eye" mode was chosen. That mode only looks for a face or eye. The preferred mode would be "human" in my opinion, and also what I see Panasonic is recommending. As the "human" mode will look for eye, face, head, torso, body. So if they turn their head to the background it will continue to track them, unlike in the "face/eye" mode that was used in that portion of the video.
@@learningcameras From everything I have read and seen, "human" mode will search for the eye. Now I don't have the camera, but when I watched Richard Wong's video "Who is the New King of Autofocus...". I can see it using "human" detection and finding the eye. In the second chapter of his video he spends over three minutes explaining the differences.
@@learningcameras That is NOT true. It will go to the eye when it gets close. I know it doesn't make much sense, to the point that I don't even know why they would include the face/eye mode.
Been looking at this one and thinking about the S5IIX seriously in May. I like that it’s easy to use all the old DSLR glass from the 5DMKIV with a simple adapter.
Good review and thank you for having a different opinion about the S52 AF. Not all the reviews can be so positive about the AF and is great to hear a different opinion from a photographer perspective since this is a hybrid camera. I’m a G9 and A7R4 photo shooter. Love both cameras but most of the time I end up with the Paniboy in my hand because of ergonomics and ease of use. I was waiting to see what both companies will do for my next camera and I think Panasonic did a great job with this camera and leaning more on Panasonic. Thanks again for your review.
6:42 Thank you for your thorough and honest take on the autofocus of this camera! This is exactly the information I've been looking for. 😁 The S5 autofocus was similar. Alright but not dependable. Biggest issue I had with it is if someone is wearing glasses it would focus on glasses frames or eyebrows, not actual eyes. And I'm seeing the same behavior from this camera in tests from other creators. It's amazing that Panasonic has finally given us PDAF but it's still the first generation and needs refinement.
@@unknowncaller4739 The idea of autofocus is not CAN you get it to perform well...it's how reliably it performs well. I never said it didn't perform well, I said reliability is below Canon/Sony. Fuji also has AF reliability issues. Yes, this is vastly better than before with continuous tracking...blows my GH6 away in that area, but there are quite a few times where you it takes a few tries to get it to actually lock a subject. If 1 person has great performance and the other doesn't, it probably means it can perform well but it doesn't always
Continuous AF is vastly better in this than the original S5...no more pulsing! It's actually usable in video. But it still feels contrast dependent on selecting subjects, tracking is not super reliable, and the intelligence for detecting glasses, eyes, animals is about half a gen behind Canon/Sony so maybe better than the A7III or Canon EOS R but not up to A7IV/R6II status
@@learningcameras Thank you soooooo much for the extra info! It's so helpful. 😁 I really love the quality and ergonomics of the S5 cameras, but I mainly do portraits and I'm looking for a consistent and reliable eye autofocus full frame camera. I think Sony or Canon are a better choice for me.
A7IV Sold… this camera is $2000, nothing comes close, all the short-comings listed are only in more expensive cameras. Really excited to build my L Mount lens collection and then get the next gen S1 or S1H.
Wish the X version was available now also. Frustrated by that. Preordered the S52 yesterday, that’s too long to wait for the X. The autofocus looks like it’s more than good enough at launch. I’m sure they’ll be able to tweak via firmware to calibrate it a little more. Good job Panasonic. Just wish the screen was the style of the Gh6. Excellent value here.
AF is definitely way better. It only stands out as a bit behind when doing direct comparisons to the latest camera. Otherwise pulsing is gone so continuous AF is actually usable! Tracking is a bit less reliable and acquiring AF is very contrast dependent but otherwise, but firmware updates should absolutely be able to improve that! Excellent value and the X features are insane for this price
@@learningcameras but many have said that it out performers example a7vi in situations when auto focusing... I think the over all image quality is amazing.. better than Sony's. And low light is better than a7siii (potatoe Joe video proved it) . So this is many ways better than even Sony a7siii and that camera cost in my country 4885e .. this 2289e... Beat that.. no you cant
@@ariruishalme4403 After a month with this camera, you can absolutely find a time where it outperforms an A7IV for autofocus but consistently it does not and it will have a higher miss rate. Fact is, I could make a video showing it better but I've shot so many things with this camera in the real world and it is way less consistent even thought it's a massive improvement. This should make sense though...Sony's been using Phase detection for 5+ years with TONS of experience from different cameras. Panasonic has 1...it would be suspect if it blew everyone away and reviews saying it does are likely not telling the entire truth. Can it perform amazingly well, YEP! Especially with simple things like walking towards a camera at 2mph with 1 face in the scene. Does it always, not at the level of Canon and Nikon, especially if you give it something tough like shooting sports, multiple subjects, birds in flight, cars at 60mph, weddings, and tracking small objects.
I think one thing to consider is that I keep hearing people say, "I wanted to use Panasonic, but the autofocus.." I think there's a large segment out there that prefer Panasonic cameras but just needed that last piece in order to make the system their home. I think the s5ii and x may be that piece for a lot of folks. I mean the AF isn't as good as Sony or Canon maybe but it's pretty damn close especially for what a LOT of people are wanting these days which is content creation tools. For a fair number of use cases, I think the AF seems good enough (granted, not having used it). I don't see this being the camera of a guy who goes out and bills the s5ii's MSRP shooting on a typical Thursday, but for the more budget-minded pro or enthusiast with an eye for value per dollar - this camera is going to be a standout.
Agreed! And yes, the autofocus is now good enough to keep Panasonic users...and maybe even x-panasonic users happy and I'm sure it will improve via firmware now that they have phase detection to work with. I'm super stoked for the S1 series because I really need 4k60 full frame for what I do minimum but imagine if they include that, improved Af, maybe the double tilt/flip screen from the GH6?S1H, ideally an updated sensor, and everything else from the S5IIX!!! My last sentence of this review is Canon & Sony better look out because if Panasonic gets it right, they are going to be a major force!
Gerald undone said the af was second only to Sony, but Northrup said it was a distant 3rd... Seems the af is more than serviceable but still up for debate as to how well it performs
@@nickguzman1734 I got mine now, compared to what I've used - a Canon DSLR and an Olympus em5mkii, it works much much better. For video, I mean it really depends what you're doing I guess. I've watched TH-camrs on a7siii's where focus drops for a moment but they consider it great but others might review an s5ii and it will drop focus twice and they'll say it's waaaay worse. Not to knock anyone but the only ones I've seen do some sort of standardized test is Gordon and The Hybrid Shooter. There's a lot of subjectivity to it too. For the content creator, the wedding videographer/photographer, for event stuff, etc. it's good enough for how you'd use it. The improvements (from what I've seen) in like the Sony's or Canon's might be better but not to that degree that one is usable in a situation and the other isn't. Maybe the only exception being like wildlife. If you absolutely can't have hunting or pulsing (like for a film lrt commercial), it doesn't matter what camera you're using - you need to use manual focus. To me, it's good enough that the other features still put it above the competition, let alone at the price point.
@@karikaru yes I think the most objective opinions are the ones to that compare the camera to the a7s3 as that's what will be in this camera's price point.
@@nickguzman1734 it's just less reliable. Gerald doesn't shoot in the field much so he rarely would see the struggle points. The more aggressively you use it the more you can tell that it feels more 1st/2nd gen compared to Sony and Canon who are on 4th gen systems. It's still great and a noticeable step up but there are a higher rate of situations it will struggle. I'm sure you can find a situation that it would even outperform Sony but in a variety of tests, it doesn't. But this should be expected....its Panasonics first phase system so if it blew away the competition that's been improving their phase systems for 5+ years, that would be suspect
It is their first attempt to DO this AF. I remember the times with g80 when ibis wasn't great and took some time they bade it just fine and than g9 is perfect. I am sure there is a lot they can do with AF on s5ii and it will be perfect!
Yep...and I agree. The fact that it is this good on a 1st attempt is amazing. That's why my conclusion was look out Sony and Canon because Panasonic is 1 giant step closer to being the camera to beat
I’m definitely waiting at the very least on the S52X, curious what the S1H refresh also brings. If we somehow get phase plus internal NDs/Raw or something else surprising that might make it worth it to go that route. Either way, patiently waiting with my current S5 to upgrade once we get a sense of the rest of the lineup.
Your intro is fantastic ! Great vidéo, great review. Did you have any AFC issues with the 50mm S Pro f1.4 in comparison with others lenses ? Thank you.
Thanks Ted! So I didn't have any specific AFC issues with the 50. It absolutely is much better than any other Panasonic camera and it will follow your subject without that pulsing you see with contrast systems. It isn't quite as sticky as I would like and sometimes has a lower hit rate with low contrast subjects but that's more of a camera algorithm thing which I'm hoping only gets better with updates
Dan, you have done an amazing job here, some others, whom, I won't name have used click bait titles, like Autofocus better than Sony! to describe the camera. Guys like you, Gerald Undone, Tony Warfield, Gordon Lang and others have been both honest and responsible in your coverage of the camera. I think this camera is a tremendous value, especially for video shooters because I agree, you simply can't beat it, especially the S5IIX in features per dollar. I think Panasonic will get the Autofocus right with firmware updates for sure. This camera will sell extremely well and if I were buying, I would wait for the S5IIX. Panasonic with this released has knocked on Blackmagic's door here!! I think that if they would have added CFexpress with the prices of 1tb cards being cheaper than CFexpress type A and built in ND Filters in maybe a slightly larger body for $400 to even $600 or heck even $800 more it would have been lights out to the competition, autofocus pending. I hope this forces, Canon, Nikon, Fuji and Sony to give us at least shutter angle, and maybe vector scopes, which they could do right now in firmware.
I own a s1, s1h and s5 and i am very excited for this. That the x is coming in May is a bit of a bummer cuz i cant wait. The autofocus seems good enough for me and i guess future Firmware Updates will improve af aswell. Im very very excited for this. The only Thing that is missing is 4k60 full frame. I think the s1 Updates will get that. Im so stoked for Panasonic 🙏
He shot that 1 broll clip for me. That was my mistake saying thousand. I said it was an upgrade and solid, but I accidentally said thousand and didn't catch it in the edit which I finished at 430am which is probably why lol. There's no such thing as a viewfinder with x thousand dots but resolution is measured in thousands
I'm going to reluctantly jump on the mark II. Time is the factor: I have a doc shoot in March and the autofocus and open gate 6K is enough motivation. Hoping all of the IIx benefits will be available with that future paid upgrade in conjunction with my Ninja V. My real quandary is whether to sell my S5 or my S1 for the mark II. The S1, with fewer recording limits and the internal 6K, is feeling like a better B-camera now despite being older, but you just never know with Panasonic and firmware updates. Will the newer S5 be more improved by future upgrades than the S1?
Right now the S1 would be better to keep because of the frame rates. I see more of a chance the S1 would get new firmware updates than the S5 but who knows. I'm sure we'll see a new S1 in the next year if not sooner
Fellow Floridian and camera geek here 😂 great video, Dan! Appreciate the rundown. The footage from this camera looked great! I'm seriously considering the S5 II X to upgrade my current Fuji XT-4
Thanks!!! Absolutely, footage is amazing and the best you can get under 2k for sure. Fuji does have the XH2 if you already have some Fuji lenses but otherwise if you are a big video shooter, the S5II X has quite a few advantages
@@learningcameras I was debating about getting the XH2 but I have issues with the quality of their 120-240fps footage. It's noticeably worse than my XT-4's. Also, it appears the autofocus still has some hiccups. I've slowly become a mostly video shooter who does enjoy landscape and wildlife photography. Most of my content is outdoors and snowboarding so having solid video capabilities and auto-focusing is a must for me.
Dan! Stoked that I found ya.I never got your last name after we left that upstairs whisky bar! Im pretty sure that has got to be literally one of the smallest "bars" ever! Killer review
I'd probably lean towards Panasonic but I haven't given the X-H2S as much use as I'd like. The Fuji is great in theory...the specs are amazing... but in practice, a lot of their good lenses are older designs, there is never going to be a full frame option, and the autofocus is spotty as well.
Pardon my lack of knowledge here in case I use the wrong term, but what's the steadycam thing you're using in the shot at 15:01? Really considering buying this camera for video mainly. I've been an editor for a decade, so this seems like a good place to start to get my own stuff going, but I'll also need something like a gimball or a steadycam rig that is easy to use and not too expensive. Taking suggestions if you have any! Thanks a lot for the honest and insightful review.
It's a DJI RS3 gimbal. They are great and not crazy expensive. I would use them especially if you need to walk while filming because that's where a gimbal makes a massive difference
With the release of the Panasonic S5 Mark 2 and Panasonic S5 Mark 2 X and the future Panasonic S1 Mark 2. This put the Panasonic S5 Mark 1 as officially the full frame equivalent of the Panasonic G9, Panasonic GX85, Panasonic G95, Panasonic G85 and every Panasonic MFT camera only shooting 8 bit rolled into one. With 10 bit 4K 30 minute internal recording time limit like on the Panasonic G9.
Appreciate your candor with the AF. Many of the reviewers have been saying it is as good as Sony & Canon but purely on a common sense it seems that Panasonic first attempt at phase detect couldn't be that good. I understand it's a giant step forward from their other cameras. I heard they flew over 87 YT influencers out to Japan to "review" the camera. Don't get me wrong looks like a great camera.
You said it perfectly. If Panasonic blew away Sony and Canon on the first try with phase while the others spent years perfecting it, that would be suspect. It is absolutely a massive step up in performance from the Gh6 and S1H that I have so it should be seen as a positive step forward...but it's still about a generation behind the competition which should make sense...Panasonic introduced phase about 4+ years after the competition so even being less than a generation behind is impressive! And yes, I was out in Japan shooting along side those other youtubers and I will say, many of the things they were saying to me about the AF performance didn't seem to make it into the video in quite the same way. I was absolutely blown away that I seemed to have "different results" in my AF tests.
@@learningcameras I understand the pressure on content providers. Product releases get the majority of views and if you piss off a camera manufacture you won't receive their pre-release camera. I think many are inclined to omit negative issues.
I own a rigged out S1H which is too cumbersome for travel. So I’m gonna buy the S5ii in April for Peru for a week, then return it and purchase the S5iix for keeps. I really wish the S5iix released sooner! It will definitely make for an amazing B-Cam. 🙌🏽
Please tell me this is true 1080p 24/25/30fps FF (Full-Frame) use PDAF. 1080p 50/60fps FF use DFD (old contrast method). 1080p 50/60fps APS-C mode use PDAF. 1080p with any fps higher than use DFD.
Primarily a photographer, I am still using the 5D Mark III. Been thinking it's time to retire those and this is intriguing. I use Godox lights and my understanding this can use an Xpro-O controller. I also understand there is an adapter for EF lenses made by Sigma. Not sure I will find a reviewer with my use case as most are video-centric. Think I will hold out a bit longer, but would welcome some feedback.
Hi Dan, thanks for the great video, great job! Following your work for a while now. As many I am starting out and I am not sure if I should get the s5ii or the x version as I am yet missing knowledge about the advantages the X gives. Maybe you can help us out, trying to decide between the two? 1) RAW VIDEO HDMI OUTPUT - When do you really need this? Is this necessary when aiming to do social, wedding, short film and small commercials? 2) PRORES 422 / PRORES 422 HQ - They say long Gop is harder to edit than prores. I have zero experience with both coming from nikon. Firslty, whats the difference between 422 and 422 HQ? Also, if I understand correctly the s5 ii does not have prores as a codec today. However I have seen people say that you can record prores in 4k & 6k with an atomos ninja V or V+ with the s5ii and therefore don't need the X for PRORES if you use an external recorder. Is it really faster and is this correct or is long GOP enough? The X also allows all-intra recording, when is this needed? 3) USB SSD Recording - I heave heard people disliking the slow write speed of the s5 II sensor. Maybe you can give us example numbers on how big the 6k footage of a 60 min Interview would be and when SSD recording is truly needed? The other two differences (wireless steaming, usb tethering to smartphone) are clear to me, just adding them for others to see :) Thanks and keep going! 🎥
Thanks! That's awesome. So definitely the extra features are limited to when you need them but cost wise, $200 is not much for those features. RAW gives you a little extra ability to adjust white balance in post as well as a bit more dynamic range but is a big step up in workflow. Prores is absolutely easier to edit especially with older processors on your computer (and I mean like anything 2+ years old). However, PRORES needs massive amounts of storage so it isn't always the best choice. I rarely ever use prores personally. Yes, the Ninja V will record in PRORES so you could use that if you don't mind hooking up external recorders although those are way more expensive than the difference in price between the S5II and X. So USB SSD recording won't speed up the sensor write speed, but it's helpful with prores recording for example because you can buy a 2TB SSD for under $200 but a high speed 256GB SD card will cost you more than that so if you are recording massive files, using USB external SSD's is great. They also usually have faster transfer speeds than SD cards so that helps speed up backups. None of those are must have features though for social/weddings although some commercial shoots/short films might prefer you shoot PRORES if you are working with colorist or VFX artist. Hope that helps!
Solid review. Your work is fantastic so good to get your advice on the camera. At the 7:21 mark, you mention an annoying issue where the camera had to over-ride your set exposure to properly autofocus. Usually by lightening the scene for a moment so it looks like flashing in the viewfinder. Is there any way to prevent that or is that just part of the way their system works? I don't see that on my Lumix G9. Thanks!
Appreciate that! Means a lot. So all cameras do this to some degree, but usually you have to be massively underexposed or overexposed...like 3 stops while the Panasonic does it unless the EV registers exactly 0. The autofocus is on the sensor now so it sees what you see and the system seems to want the best light in order to AF properly. I'm sure this can be improved to some degree but it will be a generation or two before we see it mostly eliminated
@@learningcameras Thanks for the answer. So the camera does this by opening the aperture to the widest setting if you're stopped down? Changing the shutter speed momentarily shouldn't add to the camera's ability to focus.
@@glennasakawa9880 I saw another TH-camr mention it’s the camera giving you a suggestion for exposure if your too over/under expose. But after reading your comment that would make sense that the camera does this momentarily to gain focus in AF as well.
For point to point autofocus, it's not a massive difference but continuous tracking especially with video is where the GH6 starts to fall apart. The contrast only based system in the Gh6 can lead to pulsing and shifts to the background while the S5II will do a better job tracking in real time
Hey Dan, just wanted to know between S5 II and Canon R6 ii which one has better image quality in terms of shadow, dynamic range and color depth? Is the difference significant?
I haven't tested them directly with things like that...check out if DXO has any lab tests. My guess is the S5II would have slight advantages as I believe they are using a BSI Sony sensor. But honestly most of us are not maxing out the dynamic range of our sensors with our edits...in fact almost every lightroom preset I've seen people use immediately crushes the shadows and brings up the black points with reduces dynamic range by a massive amount.
@@learningcameras I looked up dpreview, dxo and photonstophoto. The former two ranks S5II sensor better while the last one ranks R6 ii sensor as better. Funnily enough, for some odd reason, Lumix would not confirm whether they are using a BSI sensor. In all fairness, botb are great and Lumix S5ii is a touch better by virtue of being newer. Thanks a lot for getting back on this.
Hi, just a quick question, Can this model take photos while filming? To be more specific, does the camera continue filming while taking photos or it stops with filming?
@@jaymills1720 So if you are shooting video especially, I prefer a constant aperture that way your exposure isn't changing every time you zoom so that's why I'd skip the 20-60. As far as the 24-105, it's a great lens but I usually would prefer the extra stop from having an F2.8 lens to the longer range of the F4. Also, having image stabilization in the lens isn't as big of a deal because Panasonic's IBIS is amazing
Thanks for taking the time to make us this video. Does this camera do well with locking focus on a person like at a wedding? Thank you and hope to hear back when you get a chance.
4K 60 FPS cropped. Canon will release a EOS R8 for $1,500 ($500 cheaper) that does 4K 60 FPS uncropped. You think it's a hardware or software limit on the lumix?
Not sure exactly. It's quite possible that they are using an older sensor (most likely the one from the Sony A7III) which is hardware limited or the processor is limited. But it could definitely be that they are saving 4k60 full frame for the S1 to give it an advantage
Great video features though! I’ve always viewed Panasonic as more of a video first camera company then a photo camera company. Sony for me is more hybrid than Canon or Panasonic, Fujifilm, etc.
Richard Wong just released an interesting video on AF. He said he learned that the S5II in fact has animal eye AF but the user interface currently doesn’t support the display of the focus points. So the AF might be more powerful that first assumed?!?
The hardware parts are there so the imperfections are just software and algorithms. In a year, the AF system could be completely different via firmware as long as the processor can support the speeds. Most of Sony's big AF upgrades happened with processor improvements.
Dan - Many thanks for your reply, appreciated. The AF results seem to be great for a newly released camera and any competitor advantages will become trivial after a few firmware upgrades. I’m holding off on making a decision to buy a new LUMIX camera until the replacement for the G9 is announced. In my case - not a pro - I bought a G9 a year or so ago as an experiment really, to complement my 5DIII. LUMIX owners seemed to be madly in love with their cameras (other than AF) especially for video. Much of that reputation obviously derived from the GH5 and the G9 is a GH5 ‘lite’. I have learned a huge amount about video by using the G9. My G9 cost the Australian equivalent of US$750 new at the time, The GH6 image quality is clearly superior to the GH5 /G9, based on what I have seen. Now that EF lenses can be used on the S5II using CAF in video, I’m now tempted by the full frame LUMIX options! If one already has a good FF stills camera and if one has a bundle of EF lenses, what would you recommend between the following assuming all have PDAF: a FF LUMIX (say S5II) a GH6 II (or G9 II/ G10) or a canon R6Ii? None of the features of any cameras a deal breakers; (eg I don’t need codecs with more than 300mbps or 4K 120fps so the the GH6 specs are overkill and the S5II specs are more fine - great even! I have a few MFT lenses and would need to buy into the S series.) Assume budget is not the determining factor. Do you have a favourite between these cameras?
@@Democratiser So right now my favorite for hybrid (both photo and video) would be the R6II with the S5II closing in if the emphasis is more on video than photos. The GH6 would be a more pure bread video camera but it's not my favorite if you also want to shoot photos. I do think Panasonic will have an S1II before a GH6 II with phase detection. Ultimately I think full frame is a better investment for the future but if you already own MFT lenses and already have a decent photo camera, a GH6 with phase detection would be seriously tempting
So for photography is the S5ii better than the Sony a7iii? I currently have the a7iii but was thinking of upgrading to the a7iv but I’ve been waiting for the S1ii with the hopes of face and eye autofocus.
@@rubenramirez8241 The A7IV is very close. Panasonic wins in video formats and ability to shoot without overheating but Sony wins for more lens options and better autofocus so it just depends
It's getting close. I'd say Panasonic feels about half a generation behind right now with photo features but at a certain point even if they can't exceed Canon/Sony frame rates and AF ability, the Panasonic might be good enough in those areas that a few return. There are more complicated issues though...the native lens selection is OK, but not great for example. They just held on to contrast based detection for too long which hurt them and for whatever reason, frame rates are a bit slow.
@@learningcameras Thank for replying. I think the lens selection is one and no APS-C lenses and body for entering the S system at lower price point is another argument.
Hi Dan - I was considering swapping out my Canon R6 MK II and R3 plus lens for two of these - but I think you have talked me out of it - would love C LOG 2 on the Canons then they would be near perfect - thanks for an awesome review Cheers Hieth
Yeah, I wouldn't unless you were mostly shooting video. If you were, the Panasonic S5IIX would have a few advantages but autofocus isn't quite on par with the R6II just yet
Really nice film, thanks for putting it together. Can I just confirm that this model doesn't record pro res internally on the cards? If not, what codec does it record? Would love pro res for final cut, my editing platform. The GH6 does record so that could be the option for me. thanks again and keep up the great work!
Thanks! So the S5II X coming in April will record prores internally. It's only $200 more and has a few other updates like that so probably worth waiting for it
I've got an S1 and a few of the Sigma Art FF L mount lenses. This would be a great add to the collection, but I agree, Panny needs to round out the lineup with the next generation of S1 cameras (S1, S1R, S1H).
Great video Dan 👍 It's absolutely stunning camera from Panasonic!! But they should release both models at the same time... Can't wait to purchase Panasonic S5iix .
@@learningcamerasPanasonic always surprise customers,but often too late.. Another companies already cutting the cake, when Panasonic only getting ready for party.. ;) Thanks again Dan for great video!! Would be nice to see Canon R5c review on your Channel... Happy New year Dan!!! 💥🤝
I do have the camera but never made a full review on it...I was actually like half way done with it and so many other cameras came out that made me change my mind on half of what I said that I ended up just never finishing it haha
@@petercerrato8447 Mainly whether or not there's enough of an advantage to go APSC in a brand that has no full frame upgrade option. I'll hopefully end up making the full review next month...I really like the camera itself, it's just tough for me to recommend people buy it without any ability to ever get anything better than that without changing systems. For example, I know a ton of Sony shooters who started off with an A7III and their shooting/business improved, and now they just bought an A7RV for professional photography and I have another friend that ended up going cinema with the FX3 and is looking at an FX6...and all of their lenses will still work. The entire "system" matters with cameras so the lenses, upgrade options, and even help/support can make a big difference. Fuji definitely makes the best APSC cameras right now and the Canon R7 is the only other new APSC camera that's any good.
I boutht it now with kit lens. I am super satisfied with the AF. Maybe Sony does better in some specific scenarios. For me this one does absolutely amazing job.
Is the S52x able to record ProRes internally or only to external recorder or SSD? All the reviews are not super clear. Thought I read that it was 2k ProRes only to the internal cards.
Full resolution is external only I'm almost positive. It's limited by the SD cards which can't deliver the speeds needed for prores or raw. It needs to be CFexpress. All I will be internal but bitrates are more limited for the same reason
It would be interesting & maybe informative, if u get a chance to run the same autofocus type tests u did with this video on the Lumix S5IIX to see if any firmware updates, etc. will have set the autofocus bar higher. Glad to see that u make these camera manufactures do the two-step on top of hot coals. So many reviews seem more like ad promos vs real critiques. 😎😎
I definitely need to do an updated video. I was surprised just how many "promo" videos there were for this camera given I shot along side most of the other "reviewers" so I know what they loved and didn't love about the camera and how much didn't seem to make their final edits lol. Again, I'm incredibly impressed with the camera and it's a massive step forward for Panasonic, but there were certainly a few weaknesses and I'm willing to bet most of those "reviewers" who were not shooting with a Panasonic before, probably haven't picked up the camera since their review. But Panasonic has some uniquely amazing features and is moving in the right direction with these cameras so if they can keep finessing AF algorithms and work on their interface, they will be a major force in 2024
Talking about slow motion BTW... Lumix S5II and S5IIX don't have new Phase Detect AF in 1080p full frame 50,60,100 and 120 FPS but only old Contrast AF which is the biggest disappointment... So for some reason people who prefer to shoot 1080p FF in slow-mo from 50 to 120 fps they should do that with old glitchy Contrast base AF. Same for all of those who were hoping to upscale 1080p 50-120 fps to 4k - no PDAF. And taking into account it's a video-oriented hybrid camera, it looks like without a firmware update in the next several months almost perfect camera becomes garbage. I preordered S5IIX and now looking forward to the firmware update. Hope they will fix it by the time S5IIX ships. If not - will just move to another brand.
I have not tested birds in flight but I tested it on a stationary bird and a few pets and couldn't get it to focus well on the bird. I mean, Canon and Nikon didn't have bird specific AF until this last generation so it's not that it won't focus on birds, I was just saying it didn't have the AI aspects of current cameras which neither did the Sony A7III or Canon EOS R. By far the best Panasonic focus system, just feels like a camera gen behind the leading brands. Fuji has been struggling as well.
interesting about af in photo. I thought its just little bit of lag not so behind competition but your review shows diffrent story. Hope they would realese update
So the S5 II X is better competition since that gives you things like prores and raw. The Gh6 has a few hardware advantages, faster frame rates, less rolling shutter, and more lens options. The S5II has better autofocus and the full frame advantage
@@alexandergushchin5836 I use AF a ton so I'd lean towards the S5 mark II. Plus I pretty rarely use 4k120 am more likely to shoot photos and the S5 is a better photo camera
This camera is a no brainer right now for $1,700. It's $600 cheaper than the R6II's sale price of $2,300 and IMO, a better camera. Not to mention you can get several lenses for next to nothing when you bundle it with the camera. I picked up the 50 1.8 for $47, $400 off its usual price. So I paid $1,747 for the S5II and the 50 1.8 which is an absolute steal IMO. Thats only $177 more than the Canon R7 and RF 50 1.8 I was considering. Safe to say the S5II is the much better camera. Ive owned multiple cameras from all the brands but Im mostly a Canon shooter. So I guess Im one of those people Panasonic got to switch over from Canon.
Okay so you invited our commentary, so here goes. Lots of good things in your reviews, but I wish you would be more precise in talking about the AF---are you talking about photos (which I could care less about) or video? I ask because it seems to me the video AF is worlds better than ever. And let's not fool ourselves. I own an A74 and its AF is FAR from perfect. My A74 has done some really dumb things in AF for no reason. Plus, the Stabilization is a really crippling feature on the A74. I think Stab is equally important in the process of shooting. As far as the later model coming out in May, you're going to need a second camera for some shoots. The price makes that very possible. So, for me and many others it's not an either/or circumstance. It's not like buying 2 S1h cameras. It's affordable to own 2. Other reviewers seemed to have a much better experience with video AF than you. Like many people I don't need 100% AF, and what I'm seeing right now through all the reviews you have about 95% right now for video. So, I've very pleased Panasonic has done this. With all the other features none of the others provides this, right now, IMO, puts them on the top, they're a true video oriented hybrid. Yes, I know the photo capability is very good, but I don't even think it's worth talking about in comparison to the video---it's REALLY great.
Well said. I don't really know how you could do a 'review' of the S5 II without talking in detail about what really stands out compared to the competition: stabilisation. The new Boost IS function looks incredible, and there simply is no FF camera that can match that, at any price range.
Great points. So I honestly didn't expect what I said to come off as negative as it apparently did lol. I was out shooting along side most of those other reviewers and am a bit perplexed at how we seem to have gotten "different experiences" since we were literally talking about how the AF system was working when we shot and everyone seemed to be on the same page. Yes, the AF performance is vastly better than before. I never felt I could use continuous AF on my GH6 and S1H where as I do on the S5II. That said, it is still very contrast dependent still and that means there are certain objects it did not focus well on. It's also a bit less reliable so there were times it didn't want to get focus at all. Tracking is also missing some intelligence, the interface is a bit convoluted, and tracking performance is about 1 generation behind the latest from Canon and Sony. And most of those other reviewers seemed to agree with those points when we talked about it in Japan. That's not to say other cameras are perfect, I address their flaws in those reviews as well (Sony's A7RV AI autofocus is not very AI and Canon's R6II tracking is way too aggressive for example). My conclusion was that Canon & Sony better look out because "Panasonic is 1 massive step closer" to being the camera to beat! And as of today, it's my favorite sub $2k hybrid camera when video is a priority.
@@learningcameras Thank you for your comments about the Panasonic AF. For video I can't really agree that the Sony has better AF, particularly in all the most practical uses one will find for AF. Otherwise for circumstances like that I usually opt for MF, with all those great MF assist features Panasonic provides. But regarding AF, had the same experience with the Sony A7iv. At certain instances it simply would not grab focus. Maybe I need to learn how to use the AF feature better, but I could say the same for the S5ii . But for video on the Panasonic when that also happened I had the touch screen which worked flawlessly and instantaneously. And it's super easy to click into MF with the little thumb wheel. Plus, to be honest, as a videographer I got sick of shooting only in 16x9. I think we'll agree that for videography the A7iv just doesn't cut it. No 17x9, no anamorphic, no waveforms, mediocre stabilization (at best), no spot meter, etc. I actually switched to the S5 because of all those advantages, long before the S5ii came on the scene. The S5 was just so, so, so much more useful than Sony for video. Plus, the color science, especially skin tones, is not as good as Panasonic IMO. I saw all the reviews and I was really surprised at how many people began talking about how much they loved Panasonic image and color science after they got phase detect in the S5ii. I had thought that all along, and V-Log is so much easier to work with than the Sony log profiles, and all the other video profiles Panasonic offers just mops the floor with Sony. And what does Sony offer as an alternative to all these features? A marginally better dynamic range in Log and a bit snappier AF in certain modes. Am I a Panasonic fan boy. At this point YES. Why? Because Panasonic is actually offering a videocentric camera, that has video-centric features neither Canon nor Sony will put into their hybrid cameras. They reserve those for their cinema line. I guess Sony is refusing to do some canabilizing of their line, following the unwise choices of Canon. Canon--what a nightmare. Pay $4000.00 for a hybrid camera and you still can't get a readily acquired manual white balance. What an insult to video shooters. IMO Canon has nothing to offer the videographer. If I had a complaint about your review it would be it's very lean on video analysis, and so falls short appreciating all that Panasonic does for video shooters. Two guys that had a more balanced review were "The Hybrid Shooter" and "Gerald Undone." They seem to also have a more positive view of the new hybrid AF, and were more balanced when it came to photo/video analysis. They also noted that Panasonic is very dependable at making firmware improvements--something you don't see very much with Sony, who tends to abandon models as they make improvements for newer models. No Kaizen for Sony. So many points you missed that are very important for users to be aware of.
@@avarmadillo I agree with what you're saying and absolutely, if you are shooting mostly video especially for things like anamorphic, documentary, or films, Panasonic equips their cameras with tools that Sony doesn't provide in their hybrid mirrorless cameras. I do think I test my cameras in real world situations way more than Gerald does...go to him if you want to see the full sensor potential and charted performance levels, but hit me up if you want to see how the camera performs after shooting a variety of actual content. I still work in the field shooting weddings, portraits, and automotive mostly but that gives me the opportunity to use cameras a bit more when I review them and in ways most people would use a $2000 camera. I'm a Panasonic fan too...I personally have the GH5/GH5II/GH6, and the S1H and used those as my primary cameras for years. It wasn't until the Sony A7SIII came out that I started using Panasonic less mostly because of AF and the ability full frame gave me of also shooting photos with the same systems. But I absolutely will not deny that what Panasonic gives in terms of video features is on another level. But the S5II was pitched as more of that hybrid camera for average photo/video content creators so I want to evaluate it like that. But more video centered cameras like the S1H would blow away Canon and Sony now that they have phase detection if Panasonic can also match resolution/frame rates of cameras like the Canon R5. Panasonic is just playing a little catchup in a few areas but if they do catch up, the other things that they do better than everyone else will make a massive difference. Sony's been stagnant other than with autofocus the past few years so there is room for Panasonic to throw in something amazing.
looks like I am sticking to Nikon for now. Maybe if they have a new s1h I would get tempted. I love the micro 4/3 and can't wait for some of that love to reach the gh7 hopefully next year
The S5ii is a great camera. At the Af is very very good as good as the Sony camera. When watching videos like these remember the creator has to find fault with the camera. For the price and what the S5ii does its outstanding
I agree the S5II is a great camera. But I review cameras...my job is literally to test it and find the strengths and weaknesses... If you love the strengths and don't mind the weaknesses, get it!! I don't have any skin in the game...I just want you to get the best camera for what you do. But as someone who has shot extensively with Sony, Canon, and Panasonic, I can tell you the S5II autofocus is less reliable. It's a massive improvement and might be good enough for you but it's not perfect. Of course this is Panasonics first camera with phase detection so that's to be expected. Sony and Canon have been at this for 5+ years so they have a pretty big head start. The fact that Panasonic is close is admirable
Ok so here is my 2 cents on this camera. This camera is an improvement. But that's it. It's not a game changer nor did it steal the show. why is it so hard for these companies to understand the basic fundamentals of marketing? If Panasonic wanted this camera to succeed in PDAF then that's what they should have done to compete with Canon and Sony. There is room for one more. Instead they went all out on video specs and forgot why they were trying to improve this camera in the first place. Hybrid,, IMO, simply means a product being able to do few things in one package.Not meaning that it can exceed in all areas. I just feel that if video centric buyers want a camera for video then they should just simply buy a cine camera. But as a DSLR mirrorless camera they should have focused more on PDAF without the flutter.
So I will say this is the first Panasonic camera with PDAF so the fact that it's this good is amazing. I think they did a great job improving it but Sony has been doing this for 5+ years so they have a massive head start
Am anxious for Panasonic-Lumix S1II full frame with high-tech video specs, 4K 60fps, high megapixel stacked sensor, etc. Let's have an April 1, 2023 Release--No that's April Fools, so we'll settle for April 2, 2023 release. 😎😎
Why do you break down the cheaper cameras on other more expensive pro cameras on burst rate or faster focus? It will never be enough, but I'd rather have a slower burst rate and slower focus and good build quality than a much more expensive camera that gets really hot and then fails me for half an hour! I come from a Nikon D200, and every camera is better and faster in this price range. And I believe that Canon in this price range is not that fast either! And yes I'm waiting for the S5 iiX, luckily I skipped the sony iii because it overheated otherwise I'd be stuck with expensive lenses again.
I'm not exactly sure what you mean by that. The Canon R8 which is $500 less has better autofocus if you think camera cost influences autofocus tech. But my job is to review cameras that means telling you the pros and cons to each camera. It's your job as the consumer to figure out if you can live within those things. The entire point to you watching a "review" is to know what the strengths and weaknesses are to each brand and each camera that way you are informed BEFORE you go spend $2,000+ on a new camera. If you shoot landscapes, macro, or with cinema lenses, autofocus is probably meaningless anyway and if you're OK getting a slightly less reliable system for better ergonomics, IBIS, less overheating, and video features, you get to decide that! I'm not trying to tell you not to buy the camera lol...in fact if you buy the camera and use the links in the description, I might actually make a few dollars haha so please, go do it! I actually like Panasonic cameras...I own quite a few. But I wouldn't be a good "reviewer" if at the end of it you didn't know how this camera compares to other cameras feature by feature. And you would be grossly missing the point if you think that because I maybe thought frame rates should have been faster, I'm telling you not to buy the camera.
@@learningcameras You're right, I didn't exactly mean you as a reviewer! But when I read other reviewers who also get their cameras for free, it's never good enough! I also realize that I can't buy a pro camera from the manufacturer under $2000 but have to pay at least $4000 for the body. And that there are also specific cameras for photos and for film! So it remains a choice and I'm more for filming, so that's why I'm not tearing this camera down. I couldn't explain to my wife why my new camera didn't record a folk dance or daughter's wedding in the summer because of a time limit or overheating! These moments are not repeatable, and a slower focus is better than no image. And how often can you get away with more depth of field for the entire image? My old film cameras didn't have automatic focus on people.
As much as i want to love this camera...it was a HUGE dissapointment hearing about huge crop in 60p.... Autofocus is all great and dendi, but it is not an innovation, they just caught up to aready basic standart technology, nothing special. Aslo as i understand 1080p is not oversampled, it is skipping or binning? Also i cant understand, and i mean REALLY cant understand 5iix model, all this features should have been in s5ii from the start, if i pay panasonic for 200$ upgrade, price will be the same, but i will not get streaming, ssd recording etc??? SO price for s5ii and s5iiX will be identical but with less features even after 200$ upgrade? Also i have to wait for may and couple more month for retail? P.S. in my country i can get a7siii brand new for 500$ more than panasonic s5 mark one.... and a7iV cost the same as panasonic s5 mark one.... to get first version for 2.000$ i must buy it only second hand... so i am torn apart and little if not largly dissapointed... do not know how to behave, as much as i want to buy s5ii, but i want X model features and i do not want to wait, also for 500$ more i can get a7siii with 4k 120 without so large crop and autofocus in 240 fps.... Damn, Panasonic, why!?....
A couple of thoughts: Full frame 60p in 4K is either pixel binned (like on R6 / R6 II) or is cropped (like on a7 IV) unless you are willing to go up to the $3,500 price bracket. It seems like the country you live in has some very strange pricing, since recently the original S5 was selling for the equivalent of something like US $1,400 with TWO free lenses. Many stills shooters DON'T want to pay the extra $200 for video features they won't be using. It might seem strange but lots of people use the S5 JUST for still photos. If you want 4K 60p and 120p in full frame, then by all means get the a7S III. But you won't get 6K or killer IBIS, or waveforms, or some of the other features that Panasonic has that Lumix doesn't.
It really is. Sony and Canon have been just increasing prices and leaving the old cameras on the market at the lower price so this gave Panasonic a major in since most $2000 full frame camera are several years old! The S5II is closer in price to the EOS R which is Canon's first full frame mirrorless and it was crippled to death than to the new R6 series lol
What? Every youtuber got flown to Japan and was sent a camera to review (not just me). They should all have put a disclaimer. Obviously I would be more honest not less than others if I said the AF system wasn't perfect and others raved about it. I'm willing to bet some of the others raving about the AF performance aren't using this as a primary camera in a few weeks and you should ask them why. I personally own 3 Panasonic cameras which I love but autofocus has never been a strength. This camera is by far the best but not quite there yet
@@learningcameras you flashed a disclaimer for about a second. Watch dpreview tv’s review on this camera to see how to do it in a way which makes it a lot more clearly. As far as the other reviewer people I regularly watch like Kai W., Gordon Laing and Dp review said the camera had some of the same weaknesses with autofocus. However they showed a lot of footage where the auto focus weakness let them down. They also went into detail about when and why it would happen. You can take or leave my comments, just sharing what seeing when I watch a review. I maybe wrong and maybe taking a 10 seconds or so for full disclosure and backing up weaknesses with footage is important only to me 🤷♂️. I admit my initially comment may have come off as a little harsh so I edited it accordingly.
@@Localtraveler2376 appreciate the follow up. Makes sense. The shoots we work with are for paid clients usually not just for TH-cam testing so we can't always have external monitors or to stop to demo the issue. The advantage is my comments are based on significant real world use compared to others, the downside is not everything is documented with broll or screen recordings. Honestly I was a bit surprised my thoughts of the AF system stood out since many of the other reviewers shared my same experiences when we were in Japan together
such a bad title... panasonic was always more than af , thats why people like me bought it without phase detect. a panasonic gives you more and better features than a sony or canon and now that af is great also i will never buy another brand
@@unknowncaller4739 Getting an all-expenses paid vacation to Japan to review the camera affects peoples' ability to review the camera fairly for their audiences. It doesn't with Dan. He's being honest.
@@YaYousef5 I have never owned one of these cameras I don’t have a dog in the race he said the auto focus is bad everyone else said it’s great that’s all I’m saying not sure what you’re defending here
For years I’ve been hearing that if Panasonic would JUST add the phase detection AF they would be the king of hill in their class (and it will improve with firmware updates). Now it comes out and I’m seeing comments like, “If they would just add built-in filters” (or whatever)… Geez. Never satisfied. This is a fantastic camera, especially for the price!!!
Gear heads are never happy man... under 2000 bucks with all these features and they still cry
watched a video that the person moan and said they want Lumix to have a separate animal AF detection in the next camera and have more options with the human Af.
I’m an S1R owner and strictly a photo shooter where I have no problem with the DFD focusing, but it is good to see they are sticking with their L-mount FF line.
How is the S1R in 2023 for photography ? I’ve been thinking to buy it
Ja pana af is great for photos. I never had problems. It video where it could be better but now this is fixed
Yeah Phase is only really important for video and sports/wildlife. Anything else contrast is more than fine
one of the best s5m2 review video I've watched recently. I''ve watched, I think most of the s5m2 video which is spoken in English and Korean. great job and great effort man.
Really appreciate that!
Since I already have an S5 and an S1, probably gonna wait until the X comes out in May. It might not pull many established users away from Canon and Sony, but for new users who aren't already committed to Sony or Canon, and are looking for a good hybrid camera, I feel I can recommend it.
Absolutely!
also screw canon for preventing access to the R-mount for 3rd party lens and adaptors.
when Lumix rolled out firmware 2.0 for the early full frame models, the WORKED WITH sigma to help with their EF adaptor. The two companies could hardly be more different in their attitudes towards their clients.
Im a limix guy now. I started with Canon and have 3 L series lenses but I look forward to upgrading to the S5iiX and that juicy sigma MC-21 adaptor. Right now I have 2x G9s and apart from the autofocus, I love them to bits. Especially for the price.
Great video! This is the camera that will convince me to finally upgrade from my Canon DSLRs, not only because of features for the price, but because this tech will undoubtedly make it into the S1 series and GH series and I will need 2 bodies eventually. The L mount flexibility is far more attractive from a cost-effective perspective than Canon's closed RF mount, Nikon still has the tilt-only screen, and I'm just not a fan of the Sony smaller form factor. Thank you, Panasonic, for being the first manufacturer to check all the boxes for my ideal camera at this price point, I'm glad my patience has paid off!
IMHO, the new AF system would be good enough for me. Also just my opinion, almost ALL of the full-frame mirrorless cameras near this price-point have a couple caveats and/or limitations. One caveat that I think this camera may handle better than its pairs is overheating... my A7IV could not handle my video recording requirements.
I noticed at 6:52 that it is using the "face/eye" focus mode. Seems like it would be better to use the "human" focus mode. "face/eye" focus mode only looks for faces and eyes. So if a person turns their back to the camera it will completely lose them. While the "human" mode will focus on eyes first, then drop down to a face, then head, and finally the body. So if they turn their back to the camera it will continue to focus on their body.
True. Sony used to do this too back with the A7III and before. That's why I said it kind of feels like a generation behind. Now other cameras are a bit more intelligent and can recognize subjects and know that if you can't see an eye, go ahead and track the body. For whatever reason people think I was a bit more negative towards the AF system than I meant to be lol...it's not bad...it's way better than my GH6 and S1H which I have, but it isn't quite to the level of other cameras
@@learningcameras Thanks. Maybe misunderstanding my comment. Panasonic has three modes: "human", "face/eye", and "animal/human". From what I saw at 6:52 "face/eye" mode was chosen. That mode only looks for a face or eye. The preferred mode would be "human" in my opinion, and also what I see Panasonic is recommending. As the "human" mode will look for eye, face, head, torso, body. So if they turn their head to the background it will continue to track them, unlike in the "face/eye" mode that was used in that portion of the video.
@@johnvillalovos So the problem is that in "human" mode, it won't search for the eye so you have to pick between them
@@learningcameras From everything I have read and seen, "human" mode will search for the eye. Now I don't have the camera, but when I watched Richard Wong's video "Who is the New King of Autofocus...". I can see it using "human" detection and finding the eye. In the second chapter of his video he spends over three minutes explaining the differences.
@@learningcameras That is NOT true. It will go to the eye when it gets close. I know it doesn't make much sense, to the point that I don't even know why they would include the face/eye mode.
Been looking at this one and thinking about the S5IIX seriously in May. I like that it’s easy to use all the old DSLR glass from the 5DMKIV with a simple adapter.
Can you do a separate video on how to do this filming/editing style on the Hummer?
Good review and thank you for having a different opinion about the S52 AF. Not all the reviews can be so positive about the AF and is great to hear a different opinion from a photographer perspective since this is a hybrid camera. I’m a G9 and A7R4 photo shooter. Love both cameras but most of the time I end up with the Paniboy in my hand because of ergonomics and ease of use. I was waiting to see what both companies will do for my next camera and I think Panasonic did a great job with this camera and leaning more on Panasonic. Thanks again for your review.
Panasonics updates are gold
Always
Have new firmware fix the 1080p auto focus yet ? Because I plan to use it for live streaming
Great Content. Would you recommend the Sony fx3 or the canon r6 mark ii for Documentary/Vlog content?
Thanks! So if it's all video, the FX3 has a few advantages but if you are also shooting photos, definitely the R6 Mark II
Thanks for the video. I received mine today to replace the S5.
Awesome!!! Enjoy
I am a photo shooter only right now. I want to learn Video, so I am waiting for the S5IIX so that I can learn and grow with and great system.
6:42 Thank you for your thorough and honest take on the autofocus of this camera! This is exactly the information I've been looking for. 😁
The S5 autofocus was similar. Alright but not dependable. Biggest issue I had with it is if someone is wearing glasses it would focus on glasses frames or eyebrows, not actual eyes. And I'm seeing the same behavior from this camera in tests from other creators. It's amazing that Panasonic has finally given us PDAF but it's still the first generation and needs refinement.
Check out Richard Wongs test of the autofocus it’s very thorough.
@@unknowncaller4739 The idea of autofocus is not CAN you get it to perform well...it's how reliably it performs well. I never said it didn't perform well, I said reliability is below Canon/Sony. Fuji also has AF reliability issues. Yes, this is vastly better than before with continuous tracking...blows my GH6 away in that area, but there are quite a few times where you it takes a few tries to get it to actually lock a subject. If 1 person has great performance and the other doesn't, it probably means it can perform well but it doesn't always
Continuous AF is vastly better in this than the original S5...no more pulsing! It's actually usable in video. But it still feels contrast dependent on selecting subjects, tracking is not super reliable, and the intelligence for detecting glasses, eyes, animals is about half a gen behind Canon/Sony so maybe better than the A7III or Canon EOS R but not up to A7IV/R6II status
@@learningcameras Thank you soooooo much for the extra info! It's so helpful. 😁 I really love the quality and ergonomics of the S5 cameras, but I mainly do portraits and I'm looking for a consistent and reliable eye autofocus full frame camera. I think Sony or Canon are a better choice for me.
The problem is when you use SLOMO MODE 120fps…
A7IV Sold… this camera is $2000, nothing comes close, all the short-comings listed are only in more expensive cameras. Really excited to build my L Mount lens collection and then get the next gen S1 or S1H.
Wish the X version was available now also. Frustrated by that. Preordered the S52 yesterday, that’s too long to wait for the X. The autofocus looks like it’s more than good enough at launch. I’m sure they’ll be able to tweak via firmware to calibrate it a little more. Good job Panasonic. Just wish the screen was the style of the Gh6. Excellent value here.
AF is definitely way better. It only stands out as a bit behind when doing direct comparisons to the latest camera. Otherwise pulsing is gone so continuous AF is actually usable! Tracking is a bit less reliable and acquiring AF is very contrast dependent but otherwise, but firmware updates should absolutely be able to improve that! Excellent value and the X features are insane for this price
@@learningcameras but many have said that it out performers example a7vi in situations when auto focusing... I think the over all image quality is amazing.. better than Sony's. And low light is better than a7siii (potatoe Joe video proved it) .
So this is many ways better than even Sony a7siii and that camera cost in my country 4885e .. this 2289e... Beat that.. no you cant
@@ariruishalme4403 After a month with this camera, you can absolutely find a time where it outperforms an A7IV for autofocus but consistently it does not and it will have a higher miss rate. Fact is, I could make a video showing it better but I've shot so many things with this camera in the real world and it is way less consistent even thought it's a massive improvement. This should make sense though...Sony's been using Phase detection for 5+ years with TONS of experience from different cameras. Panasonic has 1...it would be suspect if it blew everyone away and reviews saying it does are likely not telling the entire truth. Can it perform amazingly well, YEP! Especially with simple things like walking towards a camera at 2mph with 1 face in the scene. Does it always, not at the level of Canon and Nikon, especially if you give it something tough like shooting sports, multiple subjects, birds in flight, cars at 60mph, weddings, and tracking small objects.
@@learningcameras thank you for the detailed answer. Yeah let's see if Panasonic can fix it better.
I think one thing to consider is that I keep hearing people say, "I wanted to use Panasonic, but the autofocus.." I think there's a large segment out there that prefer Panasonic cameras but just needed that last piece in order to make the system their home. I think the s5ii and x may be that piece for a lot of folks. I mean the AF isn't as good as Sony or Canon maybe but it's pretty damn close especially for what a LOT of people are wanting these days which is content creation tools. For a fair number of use cases, I think the AF seems good enough (granted, not having used it). I don't see this being the camera of a guy who goes out and bills the s5ii's MSRP shooting on a typical Thursday, but for the more budget-minded pro or enthusiast with an eye for value per dollar - this camera is going to be a standout.
Agreed! And yes, the autofocus is now good enough to keep Panasonic users...and maybe even x-panasonic users happy and I'm sure it will improve via firmware now that they have phase detection to work with. I'm super stoked for the S1 series because I really need 4k60 full frame for what I do minimum but imagine if they include that, improved Af, maybe the double tilt/flip screen from the GH6?S1H, ideally an updated sensor, and everything else from the S5IIX!!! My last sentence of this review is Canon & Sony better look out because if Panasonic gets it right, they are going to be a major force!
Gerald undone said the af was second only to Sony, but Northrup said it was a distant 3rd... Seems the af is more than serviceable but still up for debate as to how well it performs
@@nickguzman1734 I got mine now, compared to what I've used - a Canon DSLR and an Olympus em5mkii, it works much much better. For video, I mean it really depends what you're doing I guess. I've watched TH-camrs on a7siii's where focus drops for a moment but they consider it great but others might review an s5ii and it will drop focus twice and they'll say it's waaaay worse. Not to knock anyone but the only ones I've seen do some sort of standardized test is Gordon and The Hybrid Shooter. There's a lot of subjectivity to it too. For the content creator, the wedding videographer/photographer, for event stuff, etc. it's good enough for how you'd use it. The improvements (from what I've seen) in like the Sony's or Canon's might be better but not to that degree that one is usable in a situation and the other isn't. Maybe the only exception being like wildlife. If you absolutely can't have hunting or pulsing (like for a film lrt commercial), it doesn't matter what camera you're using - you need to use manual focus.
To me, it's good enough that the other features still put it above the competition, let alone at the price point.
@@karikaru yes I think the most objective opinions are the ones to that compare the camera to the a7s3 as that's what will be in this camera's price point.
@@nickguzman1734 it's just less reliable. Gerald doesn't shoot in the field much so he rarely would see the struggle points. The more aggressively you use it the more you can tell that it feels more 1st/2nd gen compared to Sony and Canon who are on 4th gen systems. It's still great and a noticeable step up but there are a higher rate of situations it will struggle. I'm sure you can find a situation that it would even outperform Sony but in a variety of tests, it doesn't. But this should be expected....its Panasonics first phase system so if it blew away the competition that's been improving their phase systems for 5+ years, that would be suspect
I expect firmware update for AF performance improvement at the end of this year, already. 😀
It is their first attempt to DO this AF. I remember the times with g80 when ibis wasn't great and took some time they bade it just fine and than g9 is perfect. I am sure there is a lot they can do with AF on s5ii and it will be perfect!
Yep...and I agree. The fact that it is this good on a 1st attempt is amazing. That's why my conclusion was look out Sony and Canon because Panasonic is 1 giant step closer to being the camera to beat
I’m definitely waiting at the very least on the S52X, curious what the S1H refresh also brings. If we somehow get phase plus internal NDs/Raw or something else surprising that might make it worth it to go that route. Either way, patiently waiting with my current S5 to upgrade once we get a sense of the rest of the lineup.
I am a Sony user and auto focus is a big thing for me. I would be more inclined to buy if the focus was more consistent.
Your intro is fantastic ! Great vidéo, great review. Did you have any AFC issues with the 50mm S Pro f1.4 in comparison with others lenses ? Thank you.
Thanks Ted! So I didn't have any specific AFC issues with the 50. It absolutely is much better than any other Panasonic camera and it will follow your subject without that pulsing you see with contrast systems. It isn't quite as sticky as I would like and sometimes has a lower hit rate with low contrast subjects but that's more of a camera algorithm thing which I'm hoping only gets better with updates
Dan, you have done an amazing job here, some others, whom, I won't name have used click bait titles, like Autofocus better than Sony! to describe the camera. Guys like you, Gerald Undone, Tony Warfield, Gordon Lang and others have been both honest and responsible in your coverage of the camera. I think this camera is a tremendous value, especially for video shooters because I agree, you simply can't beat it, especially the S5IIX in features per dollar. I think Panasonic will get the Autofocus right with firmware updates for sure. This camera will sell extremely well and if I were buying, I would wait for the S5IIX.
Panasonic with this released has knocked on Blackmagic's door here!! I think that if they would have added CFexpress with the prices of 1tb cards being cheaper than CFexpress type A and built in ND Filters in maybe a slightly larger body for $400 to even $600 or heck even $800 more it would have been lights out to the competition, autofocus pending. I hope this forces, Canon, Nikon, Fuji and Sony to give us at least shutter angle, and maybe vector scopes, which they could do right now in firmware.
Appreciate that Sid! Completely agree
I own a s1, s1h and s5 and i am very excited for this. That the x is coming in May is a bit of a bummer cuz i cant wait. The autofocus seems good enough for me and i guess future Firmware Updates will improve af aswell. Im very very excited for this. The only Thing that is missing is 4k60 full frame. I think the s1 Updates will get that. Im so stoked for Panasonic 🙏
Nice! Yeah, I think the S1 will be 4k60 FF for sure... It needs to be. Panasonic can absolutely start to pull market share with a few little tweaks
why did it say "Make Art Now" @1:36.
Viewfinder is 3.68 million dots @ 4:56 not 3,6 thousand
He shot that 1 broll clip for me. That was my mistake saying thousand. I said it was an upgrade and solid, but I accidentally said thousand and didn't catch it in the edit which I finished at 430am which is probably why lol. There's no such thing as a viewfinder with x thousand dots but resolution is measured in thousands
I'm going to reluctantly jump on the mark II. Time is the factor: I have a doc shoot in March and the autofocus and open gate 6K is enough motivation. Hoping all of the IIx benefits will be available with that future paid upgrade in conjunction with my Ninja V. My real quandary is whether to sell my S5 or my S1 for the mark II. The S1, with fewer recording limits and the internal 6K, is feeling like a better B-camera now despite being older, but you just never know with Panasonic and firmware updates. Will the newer S5 be more improved by future upgrades than the S1?
Right now the S1 would be better to keep because of the frame rates. I see more of a chance the S1 would get new firmware updates than the S5 but who knows. I'm sure we'll see a new S1 in the next year if not sooner
@@learningcameras Appreciate the feedback. That's where I'm leaning.
Fellow Floridian and camera geek here 😂 great video, Dan! Appreciate the rundown. The footage from this camera looked great! I'm seriously considering the S5 II X to upgrade my current Fuji XT-4
Thanks!!! Absolutely, footage is amazing and the best you can get under 2k for sure. Fuji does have the XH2 if you already have some Fuji lenses but otherwise if you are a big video shooter, the S5II X has quite a few advantages
@@learningcameras I was debating about getting the XH2 but I have issues with the quality of their 120-240fps footage. It's noticeably worse than my XT-4's. Also, it appears the autofocus still has some hiccups. I've slowly become a mostly video shooter who does enjoy landscape and wildlife photography. Most of my content is outdoors and snowboarding so having solid video capabilities and auto-focusing is a must for me.
Same here. Definitely leaving fuji for these cameras.
Dan! Stoked that I found ya.I never got your last name after we left that upstairs whisky bar! Im pretty sure that has got to be literally one of the smallest "bars" ever!
Killer review
Thanks man! Hahaha, that was definitely the smallest bar ever. Feel free to hit me up! Was awesome hanging out
Have to get a GH62 with this Af out ASAP
Definitely! Just finished a 1 year later video on the Gh6 that should go live in the next few days
@@learningcameras Its just so good except.....
which one you choose between Fujifilm X-H2S and Lumix S5II for Video ? then which one is better for Photo ?
I'd probably lean towards Panasonic but I haven't given the X-H2S as much use as I'd like. The Fuji is great in theory...the specs are amazing... but in practice, a lot of their good lenses are older designs, there is never going to be a full frame option, and the autofocus is spotty as well.
is it possible to load custom lut/color profile for still images i.e baked into the SOOC jpegs ?
Dan, I am 100% Canon shooter (R3, R7, R6II) but I always enjoy the quality of your videos regardless of the brand.
Appreciate that Jonathan! Means a lot
Pardon my lack of knowledge here in case I use the wrong term, but what's the steadycam thing you're using in the shot at 15:01? Really considering buying this camera for video mainly. I've been an editor for a decade, so this seems like a good place to start to get my own stuff going, but I'll also need something like a gimball or a steadycam rig that is easy to use and not too expensive. Taking suggestions if you have any! Thanks a lot for the honest and insightful review.
It's a DJI RS3 gimbal. They are great and not crazy expensive. I would use them especially if you need to walk while filming because that's where a gimbal makes a massive difference
With the release of the Panasonic S5 Mark 2 and Panasonic S5 Mark 2 X and the future Panasonic S1 Mark 2.
This put the Panasonic S5 Mark 1 as officially the full frame equivalent of the Panasonic G9, Panasonic GX85, Panasonic G95, Panasonic G85 and every Panasonic MFT camera only shooting 8 bit rolled into one. With 10 bit 4K 30 minute internal recording time limit like on the Panasonic G9.
Appreciate your candor with the AF. Many of the reviewers have been saying it is as good as Sony & Canon but purely on a common sense it seems that Panasonic first attempt at phase detect couldn't be that good. I understand it's a giant step forward from their other cameras. I heard they flew over 87 YT influencers out to Japan to "review" the camera. Don't get me wrong looks like a great camera.
You said it perfectly. If Panasonic blew away Sony and Canon on the first try with phase while the others spent years perfecting it, that would be suspect. It is absolutely a massive step up in performance from the Gh6 and S1H that I have so it should be seen as a positive step forward...but it's still about a generation behind the competition which should make sense...Panasonic introduced phase about 4+ years after the competition so even being less than a generation behind is impressive! And yes, I was out in Japan shooting along side those other youtubers and I will say, many of the things they were saying to me about the AF performance didn't seem to make it into the video in quite the same way. I was absolutely blown away that I seemed to have "different results" in my AF tests.
@@learningcameras I understand the pressure on content providers. Product releases get the majority of views and if you piss off a camera manufacture you won't receive their pre-release camera. I think many are inclined to omit negative issues.
I own a rigged out S1H which is too cumbersome for travel. So I’m gonna buy the S5ii in April for Peru for a week, then return it and purchase the S5iix for keeps. I really wish the S5iix released sooner! It will definitely make for an amazing B-Cam. 🙌🏽
Please tell me this is true 1080p 24/25/30fps FF (Full-Frame) use PDAF. 1080p 50/60fps FF use DFD (old contrast method). 1080p 50/60fps APS-C mode use PDAF. 1080p with any fps higher than use DFD.
Primarily a photographer, I am still using the 5D Mark III. Been thinking it's time to retire those and this is intriguing. I use Godox lights and my understanding this can use an Xpro-O controller. I also understand there is an adapter for EF lenses made by Sigma. Not sure I will find a reviewer with my use case as most are video-centric. Think I will hold out a bit longer, but would welcome some feedback.
You can find lots of EF lens tests done with the S5 II and it looks like people are having great results.
Hi Dan, thanks for the great video, great job! Following your work for a while now. As many I am starting out and I am not sure if I should get the s5ii or the x version as I am yet missing knowledge about the advantages the X gives. Maybe you can help us out, trying to decide between the two?
1) RAW VIDEO HDMI OUTPUT - When do you really need this? Is this necessary when aiming to do social, wedding, short film and small commercials?
2) PRORES 422 / PRORES 422 HQ - They say long Gop is harder to edit than prores. I have zero experience with both coming from nikon. Firslty, whats the difference between 422 and 422 HQ? Also, if I understand correctly the s5 ii does not have prores as a codec today. However I have seen people say that you can record prores in 4k & 6k with an atomos ninja V or V+ with the s5ii and therefore don't need the X for PRORES if you use an external recorder. Is it really faster and is this correct or is long GOP enough? The X also allows all-intra recording, when is this needed?
3) USB SSD Recording - I heave heard people disliking the slow write speed of the s5 II sensor. Maybe you can give us example numbers on how big the 6k footage of a 60 min Interview would be and when SSD recording is truly needed?
The other two differences (wireless steaming, usb tethering to smartphone) are clear to me, just adding them for others to see :)
Thanks and keep going! 🎥
Thanks! That's awesome. So definitely the extra features are limited to when you need them but cost wise, $200 is not much for those features. RAW gives you a little extra ability to adjust white balance in post as well as a bit more dynamic range but is a big step up in workflow. Prores is absolutely easier to edit especially with older processors on your computer (and I mean like anything 2+ years old). However, PRORES needs massive amounts of storage so it isn't always the best choice. I rarely ever use prores personally. Yes, the Ninja V will record in PRORES so you could use that if you don't mind hooking up external recorders although those are way more expensive than the difference in price between the S5II and X. So USB SSD recording won't speed up the sensor write speed, but it's helpful with prores recording for example because you can buy a 2TB SSD for under $200 but a high speed 256GB SD card will cost you more than that so if you are recording massive files, using USB external SSD's is great. They also usually have faster transfer speeds than SD cards so that helps speed up backups.
None of those are must have features though for social/weddings although some commercial shoots/short films might prefer you shoot PRORES if you are working with colorist or VFX artist. Hope that helps!
@@learningcameras helps a lot. Thanks 👍
Solid review. Your work is fantastic so good to get your advice on the camera. At the 7:21 mark, you mention an annoying issue where the camera had to over-ride your set exposure to properly autofocus. Usually by lightening the scene for a moment so it looks like flashing in the viewfinder. Is there any way to prevent that or is that just part of the way their system works? I don't see that on my Lumix G9. Thanks!
Appreciate that! Means a lot. So all cameras do this to some degree, but usually you have to be massively underexposed or overexposed...like 3 stops while the Panasonic does it unless the EV registers exactly 0. The autofocus is on the sensor now so it sees what you see and the system seems to want the best light in order to AF properly. I'm sure this can be improved to some degree but it will be a generation or two before we see it mostly eliminated
@@learningcameras Thanks for the answer. So the camera does this by opening the aperture to the widest setting if you're stopped down? Changing the shutter speed momentarily shouldn't add to the camera's ability to focus.
@@glennasakawa9880 I saw another TH-camr mention it’s the camera giving you a suggestion for exposure if your too over/under expose.
But after reading your comment that would make sense that the camera does this momentarily to gain focus in AF as well.
man! you're the man!
haha...thanks!
Already preordered the S5IIx, but have to wait mid June to get 😅
On The Panasonic GH6 how far behind in comparison is the autofocus compared to with the Panasonic S5 Mark 2.
For point to point autofocus, it's not a massive difference but continuous tracking especially with video is where the GH6 starts to fall apart. The contrast only based system in the Gh6 can lead to pulsing and shifts to the background while the S5II will do a better job tracking in real time
Hey Dan, just wanted to know between S5 II and Canon R6 ii which one has better image quality in terms of shadow, dynamic range and color depth? Is the difference significant?
I haven't tested them directly with things like that...check out if DXO has any lab tests. My guess is the S5II would have slight advantages as I believe they are using a BSI Sony sensor. But honestly most of us are not maxing out the dynamic range of our sensors with our edits...in fact almost every lightroom preset I've seen people use immediately crushes the shadows and brings up the black points with reduces dynamic range by a massive amount.
@@learningcameras I looked up dpreview, dxo and photonstophoto. The former two ranks S5II sensor better while the last one ranks R6 ii sensor as better. Funnily enough, for some odd reason, Lumix would not confirm whether they are using a BSI sensor. In all fairness, botb are great and Lumix S5ii is a touch better by virtue of being newer. Thanks a lot for getting back on this.
Hi, just a quick question, Can this model take photos while filming? To be more specific, does the camera continue filming while taking photos or it stops with filming?
Leaving Fuji for a new camera for hybrid SOOC image and color (prefer magenta look) would you recommend a7iv or this camera ?
If priority is video, the S5II has the A7IV beat in a few areas and is cheaper. But on the photo side the A7IV has a few advantages
@@learningcameras thanks buddy! video first here! what's an all-purpose lens recommendation for panny
@@jaymills1720 So Sigma L mount lenses are great quality and much cheaper... this 24-70 F2.8 is amazing for the price bhpho.to/3GoYL7N
@@learningcameras thanks Dan! You like that over 20-60 or 24-105?
@@jaymills1720 So if you are shooting video especially, I prefer a constant aperture that way your exposure isn't changing every time you zoom so that's why I'd skip the 20-60. As far as the 24-105, it's a great lens but I usually would prefer the extra stop from having an F2.8 lens to the longer range of the F4. Also, having image stabilization in the lens isn't as big of a deal because Panasonic's IBIS is amazing
If I grab this camera what lens would you recommend for B roll on small objects?
The 35mm F1.8 is great but it's cropped in 4k60 so a bit tight so I ended up using the 24mm more: bhpho.to/3QkV6N2
Thanks for taking the time to make us this video. Does this camera do well with locking focus on a person like at a wedding? Thank you and hope to hear back when you get a chance.
It's definitely the best we've seen from Panasonic. I do think it will struggle a bit more than Canon or Sony would but it's for sure usable now.
@@learningcameras thank you for the information. Very much appreciated.
Panasonic justifies the trust of its fans, which is progress, but the rest depends on us
Does have a built in ND filter?
Nope
Fantastic review.
Love it!!
4K 60 FPS cropped. Canon will release a EOS R8 for $1,500 ($500 cheaper) that does 4K 60 FPS uncropped. You think it's a hardware or software limit on the lumix?
Not sure exactly. It's quite possible that they are using an older sensor (most likely the one from the Sony A7III) which is hardware limited or the processor is limited. But it could definitely be that they are saving 4k60 full frame for the S1 to give it an advantage
Dan excellent review of the Panasonic S5 Mark 2.
Can the Panasonic S5 Mark 2 have unlimited recording time limit in both 8 bit and 10 bit 4K
Thanks! Yep, unlimited in 10bit 4k @24p and 30p
Great video features though! I’ve always viewed Panasonic as more of a video first camera company then a photo camera company. Sony for me is more hybrid than Canon or Panasonic, Fujifilm, etc.
This camera will.make Canon put C-log 2 in newer canon cameras
This!!!!
Richard Wong just released an interesting video on AF. He said he learned that the S5II in fact has animal eye AF but the user interface currently doesn’t support the display of the focus points. So the AF might be more powerful that first assumed?!?
The hardware parts are there so the imperfections are just software and algorithms. In a year, the AF system could be completely different via firmware as long as the processor can support the speeds. Most of Sony's big AF upgrades happened with processor improvements.
Dan - Many thanks for your reply, appreciated.
The AF results seem to be great for a newly released camera and any competitor advantages will become trivial after a few firmware upgrades.
I’m holding off on making a decision to buy a new LUMIX camera until the replacement for the G9 is announced.
In my case - not a pro - I bought a G9 a year or so ago as an experiment really, to complement my 5DIII. LUMIX owners seemed to be madly in love with their cameras (other than AF) especially for video.
Much of that reputation obviously derived from the GH5 and the G9 is a GH5 ‘lite’. I have learned a huge amount about video by using the G9.
My G9 cost the Australian equivalent of US$750 new at the time,
The GH6 image quality is clearly superior to the GH5 /G9, based on what I have seen.
Now that EF lenses can be used on the S5II using CAF in video, I’m now tempted by the full frame LUMIX options!
If one already has a good FF stills camera and if one has a bundle of EF lenses, what would you recommend between the following assuming all have PDAF: a FF LUMIX (say S5II) a GH6 II (or G9 II/ G10) or a canon R6Ii?
None of the features of any cameras a deal breakers; (eg I don’t need codecs with more than 300mbps or 4K 120fps so the the GH6 specs are overkill and the S5II specs are more fine - great even! I have a few MFT lenses and would need to buy into the S series.) Assume budget is not the determining factor.
Do you have a favourite between these cameras?
@@Democratiser So right now my favorite for hybrid (both photo and video) would be the R6II with the S5II closing in if the emphasis is more on video than photos. The GH6 would be a more pure bread video camera but it's not my favorite if you also want to shoot photos. I do think Panasonic will have an S1II before a GH6 II with phase detection. Ultimately I think full frame is a better investment for the future but if you already own MFT lenses and already have a decent photo camera, a GH6 with phase detection would be seriously tempting
@@learningcameras Thanks Dan - that is sound advice. Appreciate you taking the time.
Looks incredible. Yeah for me the AF reliability is key.
So for photography is the S5ii better than the Sony a7iii? I currently have the a7iii but was thinking of upgrading to the a7iv but I’ve been waiting for the S1ii with the hopes of face and eye autofocus.
Yeah, the S5II is better than Sony's older cameras in almost every area
@@learningcameras thank you how about against the a7iv?
@@rubenramirez8241 The A7IV is very close. Panasonic wins in video formats and ability to shoot without overheating but Sony wins for more lens options and better autofocus so it just depends
Do you think that those who left Panasonic for Sony and Canon will come back? What are the issue you are getting with the AF?
It's getting close. I'd say Panasonic feels about half a generation behind right now with photo features but at a certain point even if they can't exceed Canon/Sony frame rates and AF ability, the Panasonic might be good enough in those areas that a few return. There are more complicated issues though...the native lens selection is OK, but not great for example. They just held on to contrast based detection for too long which hurt them and for whatever reason, frame rates are a bit slow.
@@learningcameras Thank for replying. I think the lens selection is one and no APS-C lenses and body for entering the S system at lower price point is another argument.
@@angeloplayforone I think Sigma has a native L Mount aps-c lens, but you are correct that there are no Panasonic brand aps-c lenses.
Hi Dan - I was considering swapping out my Canon R6 MK II and R3 plus lens for two of these - but I think you have talked me out of it - would love C LOG 2 on the Canons then they would be near perfect - thanks for an awesome review Cheers Hieth
Yeah, I wouldn't unless you were mostly shooting video. If you were, the Panasonic S5IIX would have a few advantages but autofocus isn't quite on par with the R6II just yet
@@learningcameras thanks Dan
Gh6 or s5ii which one would be good for beginner
Definitely go with the S5II! Way better choice for beginners. Check out the video description too for all the lenses I use and recommend
Really nice film, thanks for putting it together. Can I just confirm that this model doesn't record pro res internally on the cards? If not, what codec does it record? Would love pro res for final cut, my editing platform. The GH6 does record so that could be the option for me. thanks again and keep up the great work!
Thanks! So the S5II X coming in April will record prores internally. It's only $200 more and has a few other updates like that so probably worth waiting for it
I've got an S1 and a few of the Sigma Art FF L mount lenses. This would be a great add to the collection, but I agree, Panny needs to round out the lineup with the next generation of S1 cameras (S1, S1R, S1H).
Great video Dan 👍
It's absolutely stunning camera from Panasonic!!
But they should release both models at the same time...
Can't wait to purchase Panasonic S5iix .
Thanks!!! Agreed...I want to purchase the S5II X but 5 months is a LONG time haha
@@learningcamerasPanasonic always surprise customers,but often too late..
Another companies already cutting the cake, when Panasonic only getting ready for party.. ;)
Thanks again Dan for great video!!
Would be nice to see Canon R5c review on your Channel...
Happy New year Dan!!! 💥🤝
Where's the Fuji X-H2S review???
I do have the camera but never made a full review on it...I was actually like half way done with it and so many other cameras came out that made me change my mind on half of what I said that I ended up just never finishing it haha
@@learningcameras Change your mind how so?
@@petercerrato8447 Mainly whether or not there's enough of an advantage to go APSC in a brand that has no full frame upgrade option. I'll hopefully end up making the full review next month...I really like the camera itself, it's just tough for me to recommend people buy it without any ability to ever get anything better than that without changing systems. For example, I know a ton of Sony shooters who started off with an A7III and their shooting/business improved, and now they just bought an A7RV for professional photography and I have another friend that ended up going cinema with the FX3 and is looking at an FX6...and all of their lenses will still work. The entire "system" matters with cameras so the lenses, upgrade options, and even help/support can make a big difference. Fuji definitely makes the best APSC cameras right now and the Canon R7 is the only other new APSC camera that's any good.
I boutht it now with kit lens. I am super satisfied with the AF. Maybe Sony does better in some specific scenarios. For me this one does absolutely amazing job.
Is the S52x able to record ProRes internally or only to external recorder or SSD? All the reviews are not super clear. Thought I read that it was 2k ProRes only to the internal cards.
... good question. After going through as much available S5II literature, I still cannot get a definitive answer.
Full resolution is external only I'm almost positive. It's limited by the SD cards which can't deliver the speeds needed for prores or raw. It needs to be CFexpress. All I will be internal but bitrates are more limited for the same reason
It would be interesting & maybe informative, if u get a chance to run the same autofocus type tests u did with this video on the Lumix S5IIX to see if any firmware updates, etc. will have set the autofocus bar higher. Glad to see that u make these camera manufactures do the two-step on top of hot coals. So many reviews seem more like ad promos vs real critiques. 😎😎
I definitely need to do an updated video. I was surprised just how many "promo" videos there were for this camera given I shot along side most of the other "reviewers" so I know what they loved and didn't love about the camera and how much didn't seem to make their final edits lol. Again, I'm incredibly impressed with the camera and it's a massive step forward for Panasonic, but there were certainly a few weaknesses and I'm willing to bet most of those "reviewers" who were not shooting with a Panasonic before, probably haven't picked up the camera since their review. But Panasonic has some uniquely amazing features and is moving in the right direction with these cameras so if they can keep finessing AF algorithms and work on their interface, they will be a major force in 2024
Talking about slow motion BTW... Lumix S5II and S5IIX don't have new Phase Detect AF in 1080p full frame 50,60,100 and 120 FPS but only old Contrast AF which is the biggest disappointment... So for some reason people who prefer to shoot 1080p FF in slow-mo from 50 to 120 fps they should do that with old glitchy Contrast base AF. Same for all of those who were hoping to upscale 1080p 50-120 fps to 4k - no PDAF. And taking into account it's a video-oriented hybrid camera, it looks like without a firmware update in the next several months almost perfect camera becomes garbage. I preordered S5IIX and now looking forward to the firmware update. Hope they will fix it by the time S5IIX ships. If not - will just move to another brand.
Have you tested the camera to AF on birds? Or only assume that there are no subject detects specially for birds but only for animals?
I have not tested birds in flight but I tested it on a stationary bird and a few pets and couldn't get it to focus well on the bird. I mean, Canon and Nikon didn't have bird specific AF until this last generation so it's not that it won't focus on birds, I was just saying it didn't have the AI aspects of current cameras which neither did the Sony A7III or Canon EOS R. By far the best Panasonic focus system, just feels like a camera gen behind the leading brands. Fuji has been struggling as well.
@@learningcameras Thanks for you reply.
interesting about af in photo. I thought its just little bit of lag not so behind competition but your review shows diffrent story. Hope they would realese update
Which camera is better Lumix Gh6 or
Lumix s5 mark ii ?
So the S5 II X is better competition since that gives you things like prores and raw. The Gh6 has a few hardware advantages, faster frame rates, less rolling shutter, and more lens options. The S5II has better autofocus and the full frame advantage
@@learningcameras if you were choosing beetween Lumix Gh6 and Lumix S5 mark ii X, what would you chose?
@@alexandergushchin5836 I use AF a ton so I'd lean towards the S5 mark II. Plus I pretty rarely use 4k120 am more likely to shoot photos and the S5 is a better photo camera
This camera is a no brainer right now for $1,700. It's $600 cheaper than the R6II's sale price of $2,300 and IMO, a better camera. Not to mention you can get several lenses for next to nothing when you bundle it with the camera. I picked up the 50 1.8 for $47, $400 off its usual price. So I paid $1,747 for the S5II and the 50 1.8 which is an absolute steal IMO. Thats only $177 more than the Canon R7 and RF 50 1.8 I was considering. Safe to say the S5II is the much better camera. Ive owned multiple cameras from all the brands but Im mostly a Canon shooter. So I guess Im one of those people Panasonic got to switch over from Canon.
Seriously...the sales are crazy!!! I actually have 2 videos ready to go on the S5IIX I'll be posting this week. At these prices, it's an insane value
Okay so you invited our commentary, so here goes. Lots of good things in your reviews, but I wish you would be more precise in talking about the AF---are you talking about photos (which I could care less about) or video? I ask because it seems to me the video AF is worlds better than ever. And let's not fool ourselves. I own an A74 and its AF is FAR from perfect. My A74 has done some really dumb things in AF for no reason. Plus, the Stabilization is a really crippling feature on the A74. I think Stab is equally important in the process of shooting.
As far as the later model coming out in May, you're going to need a second camera for some shoots. The price makes that very possible. So, for me and many others it's not an either/or circumstance. It's not like buying 2 S1h cameras. It's affordable to own 2.
Other reviewers seemed to have a much better experience with video AF than you. Like many people I don't need 100% AF, and what I'm seeing right now through all the reviews you have about 95% right now for video.
So, I've very pleased Panasonic has done this. With all the other features none of the others provides this, right now, IMO, puts them on the top, they're a true video oriented hybrid. Yes, I know the photo capability is very good, but I don't even think it's worth talking about in comparison to the video---it's REALLY great.
Well said. I don't really know how you could do a 'review' of the S5 II without talking in detail about what really stands out compared to the competition: stabilisation. The new Boost IS function looks incredible, and there simply is no FF camera that can match that, at any price range.
Great points. So I honestly didn't expect what I said to come off as negative as it apparently did lol. I was out shooting along side most of those other reviewers and am a bit perplexed at how we seem to have gotten "different experiences" since we were literally talking about how the AF system was working when we shot and everyone seemed to be on the same page.
Yes, the AF performance is vastly better than before. I never felt I could use continuous AF on my GH6 and S1H where as I do on the S5II.
That said, it is still very contrast dependent still and that means there are certain objects it did not focus well on. It's also a bit less reliable so there were times it didn't want to get focus at all. Tracking is also missing some intelligence, the interface is a bit convoluted, and tracking performance is about 1 generation behind the latest from Canon and Sony. And most of those other reviewers seemed to agree with those points when we talked about it in Japan.
That's not to say other cameras are perfect, I address their flaws in those reviews as well (Sony's A7RV AI autofocus is not very AI and Canon's R6II tracking is way too aggressive for example).
My conclusion was that Canon & Sony better look out because "Panasonic is 1 massive step closer" to being the camera to beat! And as of today, it's my favorite sub $2k hybrid camera when video is a priority.
@@learningcameras Thank you for your comments about the Panasonic AF. For video I can't really agree that the Sony has better AF, particularly in all the most practical uses one will find for AF. Otherwise for circumstances like that I usually opt for MF, with all those great MF assist features Panasonic provides.
But regarding AF, had the same experience with the Sony A7iv. At certain instances it simply would not grab focus.
Maybe I need to learn how to use the AF feature better, but I could say the same for the S5ii .
But for video on the Panasonic when that also happened I had the touch screen which worked flawlessly and instantaneously. And it's super easy to click into MF with the little thumb wheel.
Plus, to be honest, as a videographer I got sick of shooting only in 16x9. I think we'll agree that for videography the A7iv just doesn't cut it. No 17x9, no anamorphic, no waveforms, mediocre stabilization (at best), no spot meter, etc.
I actually switched to the S5 because of all those advantages, long before the S5ii came on the scene.
The S5 was just so, so, so much more useful than Sony for video. Plus, the color science, especially skin tones, is not as good as Panasonic IMO. I saw all the reviews and I was really surprised at how many people began talking about how much they loved Panasonic image and color science after they got phase detect in the S5ii. I had thought that all along, and V-Log is so much easier to work with than the Sony log profiles, and all the other video profiles Panasonic offers just mops the floor with Sony.
And what does Sony offer as an alternative to all these features? A marginally better dynamic range in Log and a bit snappier AF in certain modes.
Am I a Panasonic fan boy. At this point YES. Why? Because Panasonic is actually offering a videocentric camera, that has video-centric features neither Canon nor Sony will put into their hybrid cameras. They reserve those for their cinema line. I guess Sony is refusing to do some canabilizing of their line, following the unwise choices of Canon. Canon--what a nightmare. Pay $4000.00 for a hybrid camera and you still can't get a readily acquired manual white balance. What an insult to video shooters. IMO Canon has nothing to offer the videographer.
If I had a complaint about your review it would be it's very lean on video analysis, and so falls short appreciating all that Panasonic does for video shooters. Two guys that had a more balanced review were "The Hybrid Shooter" and "Gerald Undone." They seem to also have a more positive view of the new hybrid AF, and were more balanced when it came to photo/video analysis. They also noted that Panasonic is very dependable at making firmware improvements--something you don't see very much with Sony, who tends to abandon models as they make improvements for newer models. No Kaizen for Sony.
So many points you missed that are very important for users to be aware of.
@@avarmadillo I agree with what you're saying and absolutely, if you are shooting mostly video especially for things like anamorphic, documentary, or films, Panasonic equips their cameras with tools that Sony doesn't provide in their hybrid mirrorless cameras. I do think I test my cameras in real world situations way more than Gerald does...go to him if you want to see the full sensor potential and charted performance levels, but hit me up if you want to see how the camera performs after shooting a variety of actual content. I still work in the field shooting weddings, portraits, and automotive mostly but that gives me the opportunity to use cameras a bit more when I review them and in ways most people would use a $2000 camera.
I'm a Panasonic fan too...I personally have the GH5/GH5II/GH6, and the S1H and used those as my primary cameras for years. It wasn't until the Sony A7SIII came out that I started using Panasonic less mostly because of AF and the ability full frame gave me of also shooting photos with the same systems. But I absolutely will not deny that what Panasonic gives in terms of video features is on another level. But the S5II was pitched as more of that hybrid camera for average photo/video content creators so I want to evaluate it like that. But more video centered cameras like the S1H would blow away Canon and Sony now that they have phase detection if Panasonic can also match resolution/frame rates of cameras like the Canon R5. Panasonic is just playing a little catchup in a few areas but if they do catch up, the other things that they do better than everyone else will make a massive difference. Sony's been stagnant other than with autofocus the past few years so there is room for Panasonic to throw in something amazing.
looks like I am sticking to Nikon for now. Maybe if they have a new s1h I would get tempted. I love the micro 4/3 and can't wait for some of that love to reach the gh7 hopefully next year
The S5ii is a great camera. At the Af is very very good as good as the Sony camera. When watching videos like these remember the creator has to find fault with the camera. For the price and what the S5ii does its outstanding
I agree the S5II is a great camera. But I review cameras...my job is literally to test it and find the strengths and weaknesses... If you love the strengths and don't mind the weaknesses, get it!! I don't have any skin in the game...I just want you to get the best camera for what you do. But as someone who has shot extensively with Sony, Canon, and Panasonic, I can tell you the S5II autofocus is less reliable. It's a massive improvement and might be good enough for you but it's not perfect. Of course this is Panasonics first camera with phase detection so that's to be expected. Sony and Canon have been at this for 5+ years so they have a pretty big head start. The fact that Panasonic is close is admirable
AI autofocus on r6 ii is terrible lol so not really a feature worth comparing
That Timelapse though 😍
Hahaha. Appreciate the help shooting!
@@learningcameras always!
Ok so here is my 2 cents on this camera. This camera is an improvement. But that's it. It's not a game changer nor did it steal the show. why is it so hard for these companies to understand the basic fundamentals of marketing? If Panasonic wanted this camera to succeed in PDAF then that's what they should have done to compete with Canon and Sony. There is room for one more. Instead they went all out on video specs and forgot why they were trying to improve this camera in the first place. Hybrid,, IMO, simply means a product being able to do few things in one package.Not meaning that it can exceed in all areas. I just feel that if video centric buyers want a camera for video then they should just simply buy a cine camera. But as a DSLR mirrorless camera they should have focused more on PDAF without the flutter.
So I will say this is the first Panasonic camera with PDAF so the fact that it's this good is amazing. I think they did a great job improving it but Sony has been doing this for 5+ years so they have a massive head start
Am anxious for Panasonic-Lumix S1II full frame with high-tech video specs, 4K 60fps, high megapixel stacked sensor, etc. Let's have an April 1, 2023 Release--No that's April Fools, so we'll settle for April 2, 2023 release. 😎😎
Why do you break down the cheaper cameras on other more expensive pro cameras on burst rate or faster focus?
It will never be enough, but I'd rather have a slower burst rate and slower focus and good build quality than a much more expensive camera that gets really hot and then fails me for half an hour!
I come from a Nikon D200, and every camera is better and faster in this price range.
And I believe that Canon in this price range is not that fast either!
And yes I'm waiting for the S5 iiX, luckily I skipped the sony iii because it overheated otherwise I'd be stuck with expensive lenses again.
I'm not exactly sure what you mean by that. The Canon R8 which is $500 less has better autofocus if you think camera cost influences autofocus tech. But my job is to review cameras that means telling you the pros and cons to each camera. It's your job as the consumer to figure out if you can live within those things. The entire point to you watching a "review" is to know what the strengths and weaknesses are to each brand and each camera that way you are informed BEFORE you go spend $2,000+ on a new camera. If you shoot landscapes, macro, or with cinema lenses, autofocus is probably meaningless anyway and if you're OK getting a slightly less reliable system for better ergonomics, IBIS, less overheating, and video features, you get to decide that! I'm not trying to tell you not to buy the camera lol...in fact if you buy the camera and use the links in the description, I might actually make a few dollars haha so please, go do it! I actually like Panasonic cameras...I own quite a few. But I wouldn't be a good "reviewer" if at the end of it you didn't know how this camera compares to other cameras feature by feature. And you would be grossly missing the point if you think that because I maybe thought frame rates should have been faster, I'm telling you not to buy the camera.
@@learningcameras You're right, I didn't exactly mean you as a reviewer!
But when I read other reviewers who also get their cameras for free, it's never good enough!
I also realize that I can't buy a pro camera from the manufacturer under $2000 but have to pay at least $4000 for the body.
And that there are also specific cameras for photos and for film!
So it remains a choice and I'm more for filming, so that's why I'm not tearing this camera down.
I couldn't explain to my wife why my new camera didn't record a folk dance or daughter's wedding in the summer because of a time limit or overheating!
These moments are not repeatable, and a slower focus is better than no image.
And how often can you get away with more depth of field for the entire image?
My old film cameras didn't have automatic focus on people.
Slow.... hopefully got firmware update. It has an intercooler!
May the 4th Be with me for Apple Pro Res, thanks
As much as i want to love this camera...it was a HUGE dissapointment hearing about huge crop in 60p.... Autofocus is all great and dendi, but it is not an innovation, they just caught up to aready basic standart technology, nothing special. Aslo as i understand 1080p is not oversampled, it is skipping or binning? Also i cant understand, and i mean REALLY cant understand 5iix model, all this features should have been in s5ii from the start, if i pay panasonic for 200$ upgrade, price will be the same, but i will not get streaming, ssd recording etc??? SO price for s5ii and s5iiX will be identical but with less features even after 200$ upgrade? Also i have to wait for may and couple more month for retail? P.S. in my country i can get a7siii brand new for 500$ more than panasonic s5 mark one.... and a7iV cost the same as panasonic s5 mark one.... to get first version for 2.000$ i must buy it only second hand... so i am torn apart and little if not largly dissapointed... do not know how to behave, as much as i want to buy s5ii, but i want X model features and i do not want to wait, also for 500$ more i can get a7siii with 4k 120 without so large crop and autofocus in 240 fps.... Damn, Panasonic, why!?....
A couple of thoughts: Full frame 60p in 4K is either pixel binned (like on R6 / R6 II) or is cropped (like on a7 IV) unless you are willing to go up to the $3,500 price bracket. It seems like the country you live in has some very strange pricing, since recently the original S5 was selling for the equivalent of something like US $1,400 with TWO free lenses. Many stills shooters DON'T want to pay the extra $200 for video features they won't be using. It might seem strange but lots of people use the S5 JUST for still photos. If you want 4K 60p and 120p in full frame, then by all means get the a7S III. But you won't get 6K or killer IBIS, or waveforms, or some of the other features that Panasonic has that Lumix doesn't.
@@marin_real_estate_photography panny boy s5 mii is on the grey market... but it costs ECACTLY as a7siii... ufff (some sell 100$ less)
This seems like the best full frame camera in that $2000 area
It really is. Sony and Canon have been just increasing prices and leaving the old cameras on the market at the lower price so this gave Panasonic a major in since most $2000 full frame camera are several years old! The S5II is closer in price to the EOS R which is Canon's first full frame mirrorless and it was crippled to death than to the new R6 series lol
I had been asking WTF is there an X why wouldn't it all be in the base model. Now I have the answer...... Licensees.
Dan, great review. I like your review of Panasonic cameras.
Appreciate it!
Thanks for the review. Does this camera also work like a webcam from the USB-C without additional software?
They said it does! Haven't personally tested it though
Maybe next time read your disclaimer instead of flashing on the screen for half a second.
What? Every youtuber got flown to Japan and was sent a camera to review (not just me). They should all have put a disclaimer. Obviously I would be more honest not less than others if I said the AF system wasn't perfect and others raved about it. I'm willing to bet some of the others raving about the AF performance aren't using this as a primary camera in a few weeks and you should ask them why. I personally own 3 Panasonic cameras which I love but autofocus has never been a strength. This camera is by far the best but not quite there yet
@@learningcameras you flashed a disclaimer for about a second. Watch dpreview tv’s review on this camera to see how to do it in a way which makes it a lot more clearly. As far as the other reviewer people I regularly watch like Kai W., Gordon Laing and Dp review said the camera had some of the same weaknesses with autofocus. However they showed a lot of footage where the auto focus weakness let them down. They also went into detail about when and why it would happen. You can take or leave my comments, just sharing what seeing when I watch a review. I maybe wrong and maybe taking a 10 seconds or so for full disclosure and backing up weaknesses with footage is important only to me 🤷♂️. I admit my initially comment may have come off as a little harsh so I edited it accordingly.
@@Localtraveler2376 appreciate the follow up. Makes sense. The shoots we work with are for paid clients usually not just for TH-cam testing so we can't always have external monitors or to stop to demo the issue. The advantage is my comments are based on significant real world use compared to others, the downside is not everything is documented with broll or screen recordings. Honestly I was a bit surprised my thoughts of the AF system stood out since many of the other reviewers shared my same experiences when we were in Japan together
such a bad title... panasonic was always more than af , thats why people like me bought it without phase detect. a panasonic gives you more and better features than a sony or canon and now that af is great also i will never buy another brand
Worst review of this I’ve seen
Why?
@@learningcameras because every other review is saying the opposite of your findings and they did much better testing it seems.
@@learningcameras Yeah Dan difference of opinion is now banned haven't you heard? I own S1H and S1R.. Thanks for the review.
@@unknowncaller4739 Getting an all-expenses paid vacation to Japan to review the camera affects peoples' ability to review the camera fairly for their audiences. It doesn't with Dan. He's being honest.
@@YaYousef5 I have never owned one of these cameras I don’t have a dog in the race he said the auto focus is bad everyone else said it’s great that’s all I’m saying not sure what you’re defending here
And now the GH6 is trash! Thank you Panasonic. Wow how quickly y’all turn the page!
Hahaha...have a 1 year later video on the GH6 coming out next week! At least until the S5II X comes out, the GH6 has a few advantages
It is never the tool that decides. It's the hands-and the heart-of the one who wields it.
That's why I shoot a ton of video and put together those sequences to show the amazing content you can put together with this camera