As a new S1 owner, I’d say this is a fair assessment of the camera. I shoot portraits and weddings and it’s working out great! I wouldn’t choose this system (as of yet) if I were tracking sports, etc. This does not mean C-AF is worthless. I tracked couples walking down the aisle of a dark church today with no issues. Of course, they aren’t zig zagging like crazy and speeding up and slowing down. I can tell you that the camera feels GREAT and the controls are placed just right. For battery life there are a variety of power saving modes and for long shooting like I do you will want to experiment with those.
I know one thing.That camera is built like a damn tank,like you can hit muggers with it,hammer some nails,and keep shooting pictures.I am just keeping an eye on it until I am ready for another camera.
It is so very important for any photographer to determine their priorities they will incur regarding their shooting habits and styles. That said in MY case continuous focus has never been an issue. Having been a professional wedding photographer years ago, and now sticking to Real Estate, Portraits and Landscapes I'm finding, after having already worked with the Nikon, Sony and Canon offerings, this S1 is literally made for me. Superior build, better EVF, more useful feature sets and ergonomics you simply fall in love with. I know there are so very many reviewers and potential owners that will push this camera aside due to it's DFD, but in some ways I'm finding it so darn fast and accurate for my style of shooting I can't imagine a Hybrid for what I do any further. As I say each shooter needs to evaluate their priorities, but if they primarily shoot relatively slow or still subjects this camera WILL capture your heart.
Really??? using a 24-105 f4 for weddings, real estate and landscapes??? It couldn't be much worse of a selection of a lens... At least go out and get an adapter and use some decent canon lenses that are suited for the tasks at hand!
@@mallred4347 I have no idea where you come up with these bombastic statements that are indeed absurd the lens does a fine job so far for all purposes needed so go by your Canon lenses in the enjoy
I love the S1 and all but honestly im falling DEEPLY in love with Canada's landscapes. The Calgary area where you guys always shoot and the places you go to. Absolutely breathtaking scenes.
After owning my S1 for a couple of weeks now, I can agree with almost everything said here. The continuous AF in my experience has been very reliable, I shoot a lot of cars and racing and it tracks them perfectly.
I wonder how the Sasquatch tracking is, pics of it NEVER come out clean. That would be the selling point for me. I mean really, how many dinosaurs will I come across ?
I have bought the S1, and it's a really nice camera to use. The ergonomics, EVF and fun factor is great. It also feels lighter than it looks, oddly as it is heavy. The autofocus is not as bad as people make out, it does miss things but the focus tracking does work if you set the camera up right and (a) get the camera to lock on at the start and (b) the subject is not too far away (e.g. about 40ft+). It does lose focus from about a meter out. I have put it through its paces to test it, using my children running, jumping and doing all sort of things to fool the system! Coming from a Canon 1DXii (and Sony A9), it's definitely not in the same league as either of these cameras. But, it's not as terrible as people are reporting. Bottom line is the AF is good enough for most normal applications, but it you shoot sport or wildlife, then avoid it (it's not marketed as this sort of camera anyway).
Janne Ranta. I am not the only one to think that, then. The Panasonic contrast detection was the reason I chose the Olympus EM1 and EM1 mark II over the Panasonic equivalent cameras. I also preferred the Olympus PRO series lenses.
I tried this camera at my local store. The ergonomics are great and the single shot autofocus was instantaneous even in the somewhat poorly lit store. People need to stop complaining about not being able to use tracking to photograph their kids running around. Instead they need to work on their technique and not rely 100% on automation. I photograph my 5 year old running in the park and around the house with my manual focus Leica M240 with a pretty high hit rate, even at f2. Not because I’m good, but because I practiced a lot and learned about focus traps, hyper focal distances and other terms unknown to modern enthusiasts.
To photograph our radio controlled model planes flying, we shoot 4K 60fps video and grab frames from the footage, most of which people cannot tell from actual still shots. If you want pics of fast moving subjects, in particular those with random trajectory changes, (kids, birds etc), just shoot video and grab frames. Works for me even on my Samsung Galaxy Note 9 or our iPhone 8. Best use manual focus with a decent depth of field to keep the shots in focus.
the problem with the lighter, more compact full frames is that the lenses are as big & heavy as they always have been, that makes them feel unbalanced IMHO. i couldn't be happier with my G9 - great controls, viewfinder, & balance
Sounds to me like the G9 is still Panasonics best overall stills camera if you don't need ultra low light performance or ultra shallow depth of field. Continous Autofocus is actually quite good on the G9. Stabilization and rolling shutter also performs better.
@@fellowcitizen I don't doubt the AF is adequate but I doubt better than the G9. The G9 is not perfect and misses focus sometimes too. S1 still has a few pros over the G9 other than the bigger sensor. Personally for me the G9 is better for the price, size and my uses. But certainly either camera is very good in different ways.
@@timberwolves100 They'd be great to pair together. I've specifically heard a few times now that the S1 AF system exceeds the G9, but it's early days so it may not be accurate, and probably doesn't differ much. The G9 was apparently noticeably better than the GH5. Logically, I'm baffled that anyone could consider the S1 to be anything less than brilliant, but politically, I recognise that there are a lot of fanboys and paid trolls muddying the waters.
@@fellowcitizen I'm definitely not one of those trolls and try to be fair. I know you weren't implying that. I've not used the S1 personally and can't give an honest comparison. Just going on numerous autofocus tests I've seen in YT videos, it seems a bit sluggish. But that can always vary depending on the situation.
@@timberwolves100 Definitely not implying that :) Yeah, I'm not bothered even if the G9 AF is better. In large part I'll be using Voigtlaender 35mm f/1.2 and Zeiss M 50mm f/2 manual lenses anyway. I realise that AF can be a big deal for some purposes, but I find I can get by with the X-Pro1 AF quite happily most of the time - even with the original XF35F1.4 So I'm satisfied that it'll be sufficient ;) The complaints are a bit like those one might hear about a Bronze-medallist failing to win Gold - it's got to be kept in proportion.
In fairness they're just getting in ahead of some mad scientist out there who's probably making a T-Rex right now... No-one would believe it without sharp photos...
@@bernhardtsen74 If the continuous AF in video is like my GH5 then it'll probably go off and focus elsewhere at some-point. Still hopefully any monster lizards will appear in Japan, as is traditional, so the Japanese will have all the kit handy and I can nip down the pub in safety while they try it out...
Me too: Camera reviews is all I watch from Chris & Jordan. (And occasionally a lens review). But of course I watch camera reviews from other people as well. Maarten Heilbron for example. Come to think of it, he's Canadian too. Any significance, I wonder?
Gorgeous image quality, but it's a shame about the lack of phase detect AF. That's not really a deal breaker for me though, because, as a Pentax shooter, I'm used to sticking to single point AF and using some old-fashioned techniques to get a good hit rate on my shots. Also, my shooting style is fairly slow and steady, and I don't tend to run and gun, so I don't suppose I'd really care about the shortcomings of the DFD system too much. What really rules it out for me is the price tag, and lack of lenses, and I'm sure most people would feel the same. This is nothing that we didn't know before this camera was even released, but it's nice to see such great image quality, ergonomics and UI, so it's not completely D.O.A. and may work for some people (with fairly deep pockets).
I’m getting the S1R most likely. Both are lovely cameras though and I love the mount. It’s nice having the option of some nice Leica glass if I want to pay up for it.
Reasons to wait: 1. The lens choices will only get better. 2. You know there are firmware fixes coming. 3. You get to know the price of the video firmware upgrades BEFORE you buy the camera.
@@WildBikerBill + 4. Excessive rolling shutter 5. AF speed 6. AF tracking speed and accuracy 7. Low bit-rate video (150 or 72 for HLG) 8. 60P video has big crop Pros: The ibis is FANTASTIC, better than my Nikon z6 (and Sony)
One reason why I'm never switching to Sony is because of the colours, although they have improved the colour science a lot with what they said in the newer models, I just can't switch to them because they did not have the pedigree. For my uses, the S1 might be the camera for me because I like to shoot street scenes in low light which helps by having less megapixels when compared to the S1R and I would like to do some landscapes occasionally.
I'm curious how the S1 is for landscape and astrophotography (nightscapes). Everything I'm reading seems to point to this camera being great for astrophotos. I'm hoping the multishot can work well for landscape. Any thoughts? Feedback?
Hey guys.. it would be amazing if you could do a follow up review with the Panasonic S1 post the firmware update that brings in 6K internal, Prores RAW external and the other changes. A comparison of the updated S1 against the S1H and S5 with all the new goodies in place would be incredible
"Life finds a way...." Awesome. :-) I'm firmly in the Panasonic m43 camp. But if I was to go back to FF, one of these Panasonics would do it. Most likely, the S1R. Okay, so video AF isn't as good as the best. And still needs work. I have to say, I admire Panasonic for sticking to their guns. It would be easy to say "Let's just do PD and make everyone happy". Even with the 'inferior' AF, GH5 and GH5s still are the best selling Indie and small production video cameras. So good for them. Panasonic knocked it out of the park with these cameras. Keep up the good work DPR and Panasonic!
Have mine for a few days and do not regret it. I don't depend on continuous autofocus. The quality of the images is superb. And in spite of the weight, the ergonomics, the feel, the customization are amazing.
I had a good play with this camera at the NEC Photography show and fell in love with the feel and layout, it just felt perfect as soon as I picked it up but its just the continuous focus that let it down and I love to track subjects like a bride walking down the isle etc. The Sony A7iii slaughters it in this regard, shame as the S1 is a beautiful system.
@@sarfaraz.hosseini Apparently much of it can be resolved if you tell the camera which AF mode and responsiveness you want, not just point and shoot and expect it to know what your priorities are. This is the basic take-away from early users, AF problems are overblown and AF has lots of customization options. See th-cam.com/video/hI2nzCuHkms/w-d-xo.html
In my opinion, this is the best 35mm system for back country landscape photography and that is how Lumix should market it. Dual card slots are a must and the build quality/ weather sealing blows Sony away. No point in cluttering the sensor with PDAF points when you don't need AF. The viewfinder is incredible and the IS is great for fleeting moments like rainbows, landscapes with wildlife in the frame etc where there's no time for the tripod. This obviously isn't a sports/ wildlife camera, but cameras don't need to be everything to everyone. I've been using my S1 for about a month and it suits my needs far better than the Fuji X or Sony A series.
@@BJJandBS agreed, except for the single card slots. I have had a single card fail after a 5 day trip and that was pretty devastating. Granted, the Nikon Z is running XQDs but those fail too. For me, that's a dealbreaker. An extra pound in an 80 pound pack is negligeable if the purpose of the trip is photography.
Most people who love Panasonic, like me, love them for their handling, ergonomics, features and buttons. But at this moment in time, I'd rather have GH5 + battery grip, + Olympus Pro lenses with a manual focus clutch and f1.2.... Which I do. Thanks for the video gentlemen. Loved it.
I understand this camera has focus peaking and would like to know if it works well. By that I mean only comes on as various parts of a scene come into exact focus, not start coming on when it's miles out of focus, Leica M Monochrom gets it right, and Sony A7Rll does it very well. Focus peaking is brilliant to use with manual focus lenses, such setting up a tilt-shift lens.
Check out Gordon Laing's review. CRAZY comprehensive Wonderful review!! th-cam.com/video/YCH7k9q4NHE/w-d-xo.html That said, I certainly love how Chris and Jordan seem so VERY unbiased always...with just enough entertainment and comedy thrown in to make watching their reviews a treat they have helped me in camera buying decisions in the past.. Love these guys, also LOVE my S1. Chris is spot on here. I don't do video, so don't care about that part of this, or any other camera..Still enjoy Jordan's reviews however in case I ever decide to get more into video with my CAMERAS..
There are rumors floating around that the S1 has in-camera exposure ramping for time lapse nark to light, for example. Is it true there is an exposure ramping function?
It's a great camera. It did everything that we wanted canikon to do when seen specs of their mirrorless offerings. Sadly contrast based autofocus kinda killed it for me. :(
I don't need a full frame camera like air, what many folks are thinking they do, and if I need high pixel count / high dynamic range (what S1R offers), by that price tag, I'll rather jump a step and get GFX50R...
And pay 2000+ $ for any prime? I just did the jump from APS-C to FF recently, mostly for high ISO videos and better AF-C, and the difference is amazing for me. Plus on a FF, a F/2.8 zoom gives already a good shallow depth of field for portraits. No need to switch and own an expensive wide prime for amateur portraits.
Panasonic gets me into mirrorless with the GF1. Packing a ton of dslr type features into a tiny camera Now makes a mirrorless camera needlessly bigger than most DSLRs.
They needed to make it big to pack the hardware. 10bit video and 4k60 produces some serious heat. The ibis isn’t helping either. I think the s1 isn’t for people who wants a small camera
I'm a big sandwich DSLRs just do the business in such a streamlined and efficient way, it feels like all the mirrorless cameras are trying too hard to achieve what manufacturers can already do for years
It is needful bigger. You need a grown up body for grown ups hands and to balance the larger FF lenses better. I have GH2 and GH5 and i find them always annoyingly too tiny…
@@howardhsiao7917 That's because mirrorless cameras can pack so much more into the same size, the s1 is the same size as the 5d mark4, but can record 4k60, 4k 10bit. While the 5d struggling to record 1.8x crop 4k video. For photos, mirrorless cameras are also catching up, and they have the distinct advatange of having liveview in their evf. So I would actually say manufacturers are doing better with mirrorless cameras.
A great and fair review with lots of useful insights and comparisons, mixed with a calm and friendly presentation and a couple of great laughs. It simply cannot be done better than this, guys. Thank you :-) P.S.: Would have loved to see some parts of the review filmed inside the little church, but I guess there are no macro lenses for the S1 yet?
Great review! One thing: No banding because of DFD? I thought banding is related to silent shutter use and rolling shutter. Anyway, how does the camera work banding-wise in stills? Thanks.
Banding is related to PDAF sensors, which actually sit on top of the image sensor and under unusual lighting conditions show up as stripes across the image. This isn't an issue with the Panasonic cameras because they use DFD, a contrast based focusing system reliant only on the image sensor.
One thing I don't like about my GH5 with BBF is you can't set the shutter button to do AE lock with AFC and only with AFS, is that the same here? BTW one reason why I still use my DSLR for birds is I can have two buttons configured for BBF, one with AF and tracking for a bird in a tree/on the ground and one with a completely different recipe in case it takes off, I didn't think that was possible here, although could you get close with the dial at front/bottom?
I've been running around with this camera for some weeks and I got to say it is HEAVY kit (I also carry the 200mm lens). Coming from a FUJI XT-2 I even had to buy a backpack for this camera. But, the stills image quality is amazing and the face detection works really well for filming interviews at least. I'm a bit disappointed in the onboarding process,, it is very hard to register as a new user and the WiFi/Bluetooth/USB connection to a MacBook Pro or an iPhone is a major headache.
Hey guys. Looking at returning to photography, my last was a D7000. I was curious to know if the auto focus on this, while not as good as the A7iii, is going to be better than the traditional D7000 purely through age?
Great video as always guys. I was wondering if you had any info on why the S1 focus peaking during video dims significantly as soon as the record button is pressed. I installed the v1.5 firmware in the vain hope that this glitch would be addressed. Alas, no. It still gets super dim even with sensitivity turned all the way up during recording. I read on a forum somewhere that other S1 users have had similar complaints and that, oddly, it isn't an issue on the S1H. What gives? I love my S1 but this is annoying. Do I have a faulty body? It's a real pain when trying to use vintage lenses and manually focus. Advice please!!!
Thanks for the detailed review! Pana did an awesome job on these new FF cameras but I´m still not convinced to jump ship on mirrorless full frame yet. I´m holding out to see what Canon is coming up with next (hopefully we see a pro R in the near future)
I had a hands on come and try the LUMIX s series camera with the local sales chaps in Adelaide Australia.. For 4 hours we tried most of the settings.. Lovely images and fun to use.. And it's heavy.. Darn Heavy hand was getting numb as the grip is too slim for my hand. Also the 70-200 lens is the pic for image quality for me anyway.
Thanks Chris for the review. Bought that camera 2 weeks ago and still not 100% sure if that was right choice. Shooting kids portrait sometimes in action and landscapes. Would S1R have better AF performance ? I found AF in S1 to struggle when shooting in contra lighting conditions (Light behind the object) and not great when kids are moving. Still have chance to swap :) Should I go with S1R or maybe Sony A7IIIR ? Only think is I would miss built and feel of Lumix S serious it's best I ever experienced but... photography is not about that :) thanks for your advice
I would love it, but the lens situation would need to be a lot further along to have attracted me. Went with a Z6 to transition with my Nikkors. Prefer Panasonic's features and UI, which I love in my G9. Also, Royal Tyrrell is one of the world's greatest dinosaur museums and research facilities. Don't be misled by Drumheller's quaint kitsch.
The A7III is a brilliant camera; the colour science is now adequate and I was seriously considering acquiring one, however, it is a budget FF with many short cuts. It cannot compete on durability, sealing, ergonomics, EVF, sunlight op, night op, stabilisation, video modes, versatile features, menu. The colour science of the newer Panasonics has improved, and I think it's fantastic, though I guess that's aesthetic preference. The image quality is probably close, but the in-body composite gives it a resolution advantage when needed, and the significantly better IBIS gives it an ISO advantage in many situations, too. I completely understand people who get the Sony for tracking+special AF, or because they have the lenses already, or if they just aren't "Optimisers" and just want to shoot with something good which is easy to find at a good price, and then go out and make history/art/fun. However, I feel like people are gaslighting when they say that there is any reasonable equivalence between the S-series and the A-series (I don't mean Dr Nicholls, I mean the commentariat in general). Unless some manufacturing defect emerges, the Panasonics are vastly better outside the above circumstances; and even for those favouring high-end AF, they'd have to favour that at the expense of everything else. I'm not trying to ruffle feathers, and everyone has their own perspective ("You Do You" tm), but as far as I'm concerned: these Panasonics are... a d r e a m c o m e t r u e. Yet, I say this as a Fuji photographer with an agile kit already; a Foveon precision kit already; and rangefinder film lenses already. I'm not fussed about size or whether I can get the lenses I need etc; I'm not looking for a single camera to serve every purpose. I'm looking for a full frame camera which will last a long time, and provide an extra set of FOVs for my ART + manual lenses.
" It cannot compete on durability, sealing, ergonomics, EVF, sunlight op, night op, stabilisation, video modes, versatile features, menu." Thats crying on a high level, who cares that you can get something better for more money when it is even very good?
@@movingpicturebox2317 Like I said, the A7III is fine if you need great AF and a decent, yet clearly inferior camera. Fair enough about tracking if it matters, but IQ and these other capabilities are what matter to me.
I agree. I've considered getting the A7III multiple time and play with it extensively. They took alot of compromises to get to its price point. It has the worst EVF (same as EOS RP), worst built quality, touch LCD, poor LCD screen vs any other system. It does have dual card slot, great AF, and good sensor.
Why hello @@BlissfulGardening15 - I've seen your remarks around a few of these reviews now! Yeah, before all these options appeared I could forgive the shortcuts, and was waiting for the price to fall steeply, yet now I couldn't justify an A7III while the S1 is best-in-class in all these areas. I'll still wait for a good deal, which I know could take a while with fewer outlets and a newer camera, but I'm very excited by this prospect and the L Mount Alliance in general. I think that the rivals are very threatened by the S series, and that accounts for the illogical dissent.
Fellow Citizen thanks. I think I've seen yours on forums as well =) Leaving Canon is a big deal for me since I have alot of EF lenses, lighting gears and shoot professionally. I want to make sure it's the right decision. I don't buy one lenses but multiple lenses, lighting and probably 2 camera bodies for weddings. I want to do a thorough research before switching to a new system. I don't mind spending money for better EVF, ergonomic, build quality, etc. Sony A9 don't even have that. It's serviceable. I had a chance to buy A7III with Tamron 28-70 2.8 for $2200 but decided not to. I hate using the camera bodies from EVF, ergonomic, poor LCD screen. I make money off photography so for a couple hundred more, I have a more enjoyable experience (EVF, LCD, IBIS, ergonomic, color, menu). No regret buying S1 over a Sony A7III.
Wow, really appreciate your video! Only your video lets me know Vlog color will be back! Because Vlog color is so good and convenient to color grade for me! Plus, how much is it? Same with Vlog in gh5?
Did he say it will not replace GH5 in the video department? Would GH5 be a better choice for video at this point late 2020? All suggestions much appreciated.
Discovered after purchase that The S1 does not output Trigger signal via HDMI, and also doesn't output timecode. Therefore the Camera can't trigger recording to an Atomos Ninja Unit which is a Big Flaw in my opinion... Maybe you could suggest this feature added in the Next Update... Cheers!
Great job on this, perfect overview as always. Jordan glossed over something I don't understand though I think he said there is no audio in 25 or 30p slow mo so it's not a problem to fix in post. What did he mean by rhat?
It's easy to re-time the 180fps recorded at 30P to 24P in editing software. Since no audio is captured in High Framerate mode, there's no drawback to conforming in post.
@@thatjordandrake Thanks JD, I edit a lot for my channel but it's not Advanced editing so some of those technicalities I've never delved into before. Good looking out
![Panasonic S1 Review - Full Frame Hybrid Beast [ Lumix S1 ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/2FAFVTmvyfg/mqdefault.jpg)
As a new S1 owner, I’d say this is a fair assessment of the camera. I shoot portraits and weddings and it’s working out great! I wouldn’t choose this system (as of yet) if I were tracking sports, etc. This does not mean C-AF is worthless. I tracked couples walking down the aisle of a dark church today with no issues. Of course, they aren’t zig zagging like crazy and speeding up and slowing down. I can tell you that the camera feels GREAT and the controls are placed just right. For battery life there are a variety of power saving modes and for long shooting like I do you will want to experiment with those.
I know one thing.That camera is built like a damn tank,like you can hit muggers with it,hammer some nails,and keep shooting pictures.I am just keeping an eye on it until I am ready for another camera.
Steve Vansak Panasonic offers firmware update program for S1 in end of 2020. They promise to improve AF working at the same level as S5 has!
Nowadays watching DPReview TV is like watching DigitalRev TV in the Kai Wong days, only a bit more chilled and analytical (so essentially....better)
Much better.
A bit less funny though 😄
I've been away too long, thought this was digitalrev. wow!
It is so very important for any photographer to determine their priorities they will incur regarding their shooting habits and styles. That said in MY case continuous focus has never been an issue. Having been a professional wedding photographer years ago, and now sticking to Real Estate, Portraits and Landscapes I'm finding, after having already worked with the Nikon, Sony and Canon offerings, this S1 is literally made for me. Superior build, better EVF, more useful feature sets and ergonomics you simply fall in love with. I know there are so very many reviewers and potential owners that will push this camera aside due to it's DFD, but in some ways I'm finding it so darn fast and accurate for my style of shooting I can't imagine a Hybrid for what I do any further. As I say each shooter needs to evaluate their priorities, but if they primarily shoot relatively slow or still subjects this camera WILL capture your heart.
Don't you need lenses?
@@mallred4347 the 24-105 is a delight and all I require right now
Freaking love mine. Would not trade it for anything else
Really??? using a 24-105 f4 for weddings, real estate and landscapes??? It couldn't be much worse of a selection of a lens... At least go out and get an adapter and use some decent canon lenses that are suited for the tasks at hand!
@@mallred4347 I have no idea where you come up with these bombastic statements that are indeed absurd the lens does a fine job so far for all purposes needed so go by your Canon lenses in the enjoy
I love the S1 and all but honestly im falling DEEPLY in love with Canada's landscapes. The Calgary area where you guys always shoot and the places you go to. Absolutely breathtaking scenes.
You obviously haven't seen the grand tour special in Mongolia
@@MichaelTapel Oh i have. And yes i agree their route to Mürün is WAAAAAAAY more beautiful than Calgary is.
After owning my S1 for a couple of weeks now, I can agree with almost everything said here. The continuous AF in my experience has been very reliable, I shoot a lot of cars and racing and it tracks them perfectly.
Well even if the AF isn't great, at least I can track a dinosaur if I find it.
I wonder how the Sasquatch tracking is, pics of it NEVER come out clean. That would be the selling point for me. I mean really, how many dinosaurs will I come across ?
I have bought the S1, and it's a really nice camera to use. The ergonomics, EVF and fun factor is great. It also feels lighter than it looks, oddly as it is heavy. The autofocus is not as bad as people make out, it does miss things but the focus tracking does work if you set the camera up right and (a) get the camera to lock on at the start and (b) the subject is not too far away (e.g. about 40ft+). It does lose focus from about a meter out. I have put it through its paces to test it, using my children running, jumping and doing all sort of things to fool the system! Coming from a Canon 1DXii (and Sony A9), it's definitely not in the same league as either of these cameras. But, it's not as terrible as people are reporting. Bottom line is the AF is good enough for most normal applications, but it you shoot sport or wildlife, then avoid it (it's not marketed as this sort of camera anyway).
Hey Mark, thanks for the autofocus comment. Since you've had both the sony and the S1 how does the sensor dust compare on these two cameras?
Good that you dont skip over the autofocus shortcomings. Other videos I've seen either skip them completely or downplay them.
Janne Ranta. I am not the only one to think that, then. The Panasonic contrast detection was the reason I chose the Olympus EM1 and EM1 mark II over the Panasonic equivalent cameras. I also preferred the Olympus PRO series lenses.
instead of music, you should use Chris' singing in every video from now
This was Chris singing? I thought it was directly taken out from a music CD!
It'll never sell a million albums.
1:42 The origin of the iconic "Jordan Crying in Fetal Position" ....
been loving my S1 and I shoot music and live events. More of a single AF type of guy and it works super well for that.
I tried this camera at my local store. The ergonomics are great and the single shot autofocus was instantaneous even in the somewhat poorly lit store. People need to stop complaining about not being able to use tracking to photograph their kids running around. Instead they need to work on their technique and not rely 100% on automation. I photograph my 5 year old running in the park and around the house with my manual focus Leica M240 with a pretty high hit rate, even at f2. Not because I’m good, but because I practiced a lot and learned about focus traps, hyper focal distances and other terms unknown to modern enthusiasts.
To photograph our radio controlled model planes flying, we shoot 4K 60fps video and grab frames from the footage, most of which people cannot tell from actual still shots. If you want pics of fast moving subjects, in particular those with random trajectory changes, (kids, birds etc), just shoot video and grab frames. Works for me even on my Samsung Galaxy Note 9 or our iPhone 8. Best use manual focus with a decent depth of field to keep the shots in focus.
you guys are hands down my favorite reviewers :)
the problem with the lighter, more compact full frames is that the lenses are as big & heavy as they always have been, that makes them feel unbalanced IMHO. i couldn't be happier with my G9 - great controls, viewfinder, & balance
Pretty fair, guys! That's why I love what you do so much!!!
Yet another excellent review guys! Thank you for your hard work!
LITERALLY the best opening yet 😂😂
Sounds to me like the G9 is still Panasonics best overall stills camera if you don't need ultra low light performance or ultra shallow depth of field. Continous Autofocus is actually quite good on the G9. Stabilization and rolling shutter also performs better.
Several reports that the S1 exceeds the G9 AF. Although the acquisition in AF-S is not as fast due to the larger sensor (0.08s vs 0.04s I believe.)
@@fellowcitizen I don't doubt the AF is adequate but I doubt better than the G9. The G9 is not perfect and misses focus sometimes too. S1 still has a few pros over the G9 other than the bigger sensor. Personally for me the G9 is better for the price, size and my uses. But certainly either camera is very good in different ways.
@@timberwolves100 They'd be great to pair together. I've specifically heard a few times now that the S1 AF system exceeds the G9, but it's early days so it may not be accurate, and probably doesn't differ much. The G9 was apparently noticeably better than the GH5.
Logically, I'm baffled that anyone could consider the S1 to be anything less than brilliant, but politically, I recognise that there are a lot of fanboys and paid trolls muddying the waters.
@@fellowcitizen I'm definitely not one of those trolls and try to be fair. I know you weren't implying that. I've not used the S1 personally and can't give an honest comparison. Just going on numerous autofocus tests I've seen in YT videos, it seems a bit sluggish. But that can always vary depending on the situation.
@@timberwolves100 Definitely not implying that :)
Yeah, I'm not bothered even if the G9 AF is better. In large part I'll be using Voigtlaender 35mm f/1.2 and Zeiss M 50mm f/2 manual lenses anyway.
I realise that AF can be a big deal for some purposes, but I find I can get by with the X-Pro1 AF quite happily most of the time - even with the original XF35F1.4 So I'm satisfied that it'll be sufficient ;) The complaints are a bit like those one might hear about a Bronze-medallist failing to win Gold - it's got to be kept in proportion.
1940's: We'll have flying cars
2019: Dinosaur Auto Focus
Edit: lol Thanks everyone for the comments and likes
2040: mirrorless hollowed out for iso 100 film with manuel focus only!
2024: Panasonic S3 with phase defect AF
In fairness they're just getting in ahead of some mad scientist out there who's probably making a T-Rex right now... No-one would believe it without sharp photos...
@@JonInLondon then the real Jurassic Park documentary will be shot on the S1 camera! and we all said they would do it back in 2019!
@@bernhardtsen74 If the continuous AF in video is like my GH5 then it'll probably go off and focus elsewhere at some-point. Still hopefully any monster lizards will appear in Japan, as is traditional, so the Japanese will have all the kit handy and I can nip down the pub in safety while they try it out...
Like Chris said, I think the S1R makes a lot more sense for most use cases I could see this combination of features being desired.
I only watch camera reviews from Chris and Jordan
I'll occasionally watch other reviews if I need to make a buying decision, but I watch every Chris/Jordan video for pure entertainment.
Me too: Camera reviews is all I watch from Chris & Jordan.
(And occasionally a lens review).
But of course I watch camera reviews from other people as well. Maarten Heilbron for example. Come to think of it, he's Canadian too. Any significance, I wonder?
I love Jordan, he doesn’t smile, sugarcoat, or glad hand. He just gives it to you like it is straight up!
Gorgeous image quality, but it's a shame about the lack of phase detect AF. That's not really a deal breaker for me though, because, as a Pentax shooter, I'm used to sticking to single point AF and using some old-fashioned techniques to get a good hit rate on my shots. Also, my shooting style is fairly slow and steady, and I don't tend to run and gun, so I don't suppose I'd really care about the shortcomings of the DFD system too much.
What really rules it out for me is the price tag, and lack of lenses, and I'm sure most people would feel the same. This is nothing that we didn't know before this camera was even released, but it's nice to see such great image quality, ergonomics and UI, so it's not completely D.O.A. and may work for some people (with fairly deep pockets).
Congrats on your DPR anniversary
Thanks Joe!
...and the Oscar goes to 1:53
I’m getting the S1R most likely. Both are lovely cameras though and I love the mount. It’s nice having the option of some nice Leica glass if I want to pay up for it.
The s1 is still in the running for my next FF camera.
Reasons to wait:
1. The lens choices will only get better.
2. You know there are firmware fixes coming.
3. You get to know the price of the video firmware upgrades BEFORE you buy the camera.
@@WildBikerBill +
4. Excessive rolling shutter
5. AF speed
6. AF tracking speed and accuracy
7. Low bit-rate video (150 or 72 for HLG)
8. 60P video has big crop
Pros:
The ibis is FANTASTIC, better than my Nikon z6 (and Sony)
@@AllisonRoadWest The S1H takes care of the video side of things. Just bought one and it's a beast.
One reason why I'm never switching to Sony is because of the colours, although they have improved the colour science a lot with what they said in the newer models, I just can't switch to them because they did not have the pedigree. For my uses, the S1 might be the camera for me because I like to shoot street scenes in low light which helps by having less megapixels when compared to the S1R and I would like to do some landscapes occasionally.
Just grabbed an Panasonic S1 and I’m really enjoying it , also the intro was hilarious 😂
I'll stay with my G9!
You and Jordan are probably the top 10 looking in the whole town 😃😃😃
Glad to see Panasonic is making a bigger body.. bigger and more rugged camera for us guys with bigger hands !
Nice job! Sorry to hear about the AF.
Good grief that opening was absolutely amazing 😂😂😂😂!!!
I'm curious how the S1 is for landscape and astrophotography (nightscapes). Everything I'm reading seems to point to this camera being great for astrophotos. I'm hoping the multishot can work well for landscape. Any thoughts? Feedback?
I wish you guys did the video in HDR!
Hey guys.. it would be amazing if you could do a follow up review with the Panasonic S1 post the firmware update that brings in 6K internal, Prores RAW external and the other changes. A comparison of the updated S1 against the S1H and S5 with all the new goodies in place would be incredible
Thanks Guys, great review, as always.
"Life finds a way...." Awesome. :-)
I'm firmly in the Panasonic m43 camp. But if I was to go back to FF, one of these Panasonics would do it. Most likely, the S1R.
Okay, so video AF isn't as good as the best. And still needs work. I have to say, I admire Panasonic for sticking to their guns. It would be easy to say "Let's just do PD and make everyone happy". Even with the 'inferior' AF, GH5 and GH5s still are the best selling Indie and small production video cameras. So good for them.
Panasonic knocked it out of the park with these cameras. Keep up the good work DPR and Panasonic!
Have mine for a few days and do not regret it. I don't depend on continuous autofocus. The quality of the images is superb. And in spite of the weight, the ergonomics, the feel, the customization are amazing.
I had a good play with this camera at the NEC Photography show and fell in love with the feel and layout, it just felt perfect as soon as I picked it up but its just the continuous focus that let it down and I love to track subjects like a bride walking down the isle etc. The Sony A7iii slaughters it in this regard, shame as the S1 is a beautiful system.
Can much of this be resolved in software updates or is it hardwired into the hardware?
@@sarfaraz.hosseini Apparently much of it can be resolved if you tell the camera which AF mode and responsiveness you want, not just point and shoot and expect it to know what your priorities are. This is the basic take-away from early users, AF problems are overblown and AF has lots of customization options.
See th-cam.com/video/hI2nzCuHkms/w-d-xo.html
In my opinion, this is the best 35mm system for back country landscape photography and that is how Lumix should market it. Dual card slots are a must and the build quality/ weather sealing blows Sony away. No point in cluttering the sensor with PDAF points when you don't need AF. The viewfinder is incredible and the IS is great for fleeting moments like rainbows, landscapes with wildlife in the frame etc where there's no time for the tripod. This obviously isn't a sports/ wildlife camera, but cameras don't need to be everything to everyone. I've been using my S1 for about a month and it suits my needs far better than the Fuji X or Sony A series.
For landscape really any of them would do and weight becomes a bigger issue. I'm leaning towards the Z6 as landscapes is all I shoot.
@@BJJandBS agreed, except for the single card slots. I have had a single card fail after a 5 day trip and that was pretty devastating. Granted, the Nikon Z is running XQDs but those fail too. For me, that's a dealbreaker. An extra pound in an 80 pound pack is negligeable if the purpose of the trip is photography.
@@mzlphoto945 yes but for city and travel photography an extra pound is an issue. The chance of a card failing is super slim.
@@BJJandBS Yes, and for city/ travel Fuji X and Sony A are probably better picks :)
Wow!!! Jordan moves like a Gazelle when you're trying to shot him!!!! hahahaha. Great video guys.
1:56 Me when I realized that I need to earn at least USD 4,000 to have a budget to buy this camera but my coin bank has only USD 100....
Did anyone else wince at 3:06 when the lens dropped right onto that branch?
Most people who love Panasonic, like me, love them for their handling, ergonomics, features and buttons.
But at this moment in time, I'd rather have GH5 + battery grip, + Olympus Pro lenses with a manual focus clutch and f1.2.... Which I do.
Thanks for the video gentlemen. Loved it.
S1r review pls
great job guys. good looking pics and vid too. badlands landscape is something else.
I understand this camera has focus peaking and would like to know if it works well. By that I mean only comes on as various parts of a scene come into exact focus, not start coming on when it's miles out of focus, Leica M Monochrom gets it right, and Sony A7Rll does it very well. Focus peaking is brilliant to use with manual focus lenses, such setting up a tilt-shift lens.
The photo side looks great. I think I might wait for more lenses though or maybe the next video centric one. Great review as always.
I think it’s the best hybrid option for a full frame at the moment. Looking forward to seeing what Lenses are to come
I was wondering why nobody was making any review or talking about of Panasonic S1. Finally they made a full review.
Check out Gerald Undone, he has a very in-depth review out.
Level1techs has a discussion on the firmware.
Check out Gordon Laing's review. CRAZY comprehensive Wonderful review!! th-cam.com/video/YCH7k9q4NHE/w-d-xo.html
That said, I certainly love how Chris and Jordan seem so VERY unbiased always...with just enough entertainment and comedy thrown in to make watching their reviews a treat they have helped me in camera buying decisions in the past.. Love these guys, also LOVE my S1. Chris is spot on here. I don't do video, so don't care about that part of this, or any other camera..Still enjoy Jordan's reviews however in case I ever decide to get more into video with my CAMERAS..
There are rumors floating around that the S1 has in-camera exposure ramping for time lapse nark to light, for example. Is it true there is an exposure ramping function?
Really upset that we didn't come see you guys when we were in Calgary... Great video as always!
It's a great camera. It did everything that we wanted canikon to do when seen specs of their mirrorless offerings. Sadly contrast based autofocus kinda killed it for me. :(
What do you shoot?
@@TheDarkhorse228 events, weddings, concerts.
Crap! Chris! Why do you have to make me spit my coffee all over my ipad! Damn...lol @1:47
outside your GH5 - which mirrorless would be the best for video, vloggs etc...
Thanks, guys! I will buy this camera.
I love my S1 but auto exposure only in high-speed mode is a PITA. Hope they fix it in the future firmware update.
Such a great camera review, thanks!
Great review, still waiting for the Sigma MC 21 to use all my Canon lenses.👍🏻👋🏻
No idea how but... Panasonic really has to kidnap some AF- C engineers from Sony
Or from fuji
I don't need a full frame camera like air, what many folks are thinking they do, and if I need high pixel count / high dynamic range (what S1R offers), by that price tag, I'll rather jump a step and get GFX50R...
Cool.
And pay 2000+ $ for any prime? I just did the jump from APS-C to FF recently, mostly for high ISO videos and better AF-C, and the difference is amazing for me. Plus on a FF, a F/2.8 zoom gives already a good shallow depth of field for portraits. No need to switch and own an expensive wide prime for amateur portraits.
@@Vilmir It depends strongly on what you are shooting. Aside of that, I'm 1) a prime lenses guy and 2) a manual focus bi*** :-)
Life finds a way 😂😂 This is so funny..... Thanks for the video
I’m curious if the S1 has shutter angle and synchro scan like on the gh5/gh5s?
Timothy Gordon it doesn’t
Got a chance to handle it for 15 minutes. AND its ergonomics is AMAZING!
Panasonic gets me into mirrorless with the GF1. Packing a ton of dslr type features into a tiny camera
Now makes a mirrorless camera needlessly bigger than most DSLRs.
Michael Jandavs spot on
They needed to make it big to pack the hardware. 10bit video and 4k60 produces some serious heat. The ibis isn’t helping either. I think the s1 isn’t for people who wants a small camera
I'm a big sandwich DSLRs just do the business in such a streamlined and efficient way, it feels like all the mirrorless cameras are trying too hard to achieve what manufacturers can already do for years
It is needful bigger. You need a grown up body for grown ups hands and to balance the larger FF lenses better.
I have GH2 and GH5 and i find them always annoyingly too tiny…
@@howardhsiao7917 That's because mirrorless cameras can pack so much more into the same size, the s1 is the same size as the 5d mark4, but can record 4k60, 4k 10bit. While the 5d struggling to record 1.8x crop 4k video. For photos, mirrorless cameras are also catching up, and they have the distinct advatange of having liveview in their evf. So I would actually say manufacturers are doing better with mirrorless cameras.
The opening of this video was cheesy perfection
All I want is perfect stabilization and auto-focus. Why don't you do it??
I love Canadians for speaking English properly. Thank you.
A great and fair review with lots of useful insights and comparisons, mixed with a calm and friendly presentation and a couple of great laughs. It simply cannot be done better than this, guys. Thank you :-)
P.S.:
Would have loved to see some parts of the review filmed inside the little church, but I guess there are no macro lenses for the S1 yet?
Great review! One thing: No banding because of DFD? I thought banding is related to silent shutter use and rolling shutter. Anyway, how does the camera work banding-wise in stills? Thanks.
Banding is related to PDAF sensors, which actually sit on top of the image sensor and under unusual lighting conditions show up as stripes across the image. This isn't an issue with the Panasonic cameras because they use DFD, a contrast based focusing system reliant only on the image sensor.
@@WildBikerBill Cool, thanks.
If you are about to head tot he beach with the fam and you could bring this camera, Nikon Z6 or A7 III, which would you bring?
Did you cut this in Premiere CC 2019? Did you notice the white borders in some shots?
I have an S1 but have not explored all It’s features yet. Can someone explain to me how to use the multi shot mode and what it’s good for
I’m new to photography but been using a cellphone have the money for a premium camera what should I get leaning toward this camera more
One thing I don't like about my GH5 with BBF is you can't set the shutter button to do AE lock with AFC and only with AFS, is that the same here?
BTW one reason why I still use my DSLR for birds is I can have two buttons configured for BBF, one with AF and tracking for a bird in a tree/on the ground and one with a completely different recipe in case it takes off, I didn't think that was possible here, although could you get close with the dial at front/bottom?
It's great to have another full frame mirrorless camera in the food fight. The next version of each of these cameras should be even better.
I've been running around with this camera for some weeks and I got to say it is HEAVY kit (I also carry the 200mm lens). Coming from a FUJI XT-2 I even had to buy a backpack for this camera. But, the stills image quality is amazing and the face detection works really well for filming interviews at least. I'm a bit disappointed in the onboarding process,, it is very hard to register as a new user and the WiFi/Bluetooth/USB connection to a MacBook Pro or an iPhone is a major headache.
Hey guys. Looking at returning to photography, my last was a D7000. I was curious to know if the auto focus on this, while not as good as the A7iii, is going to be better than the traditional D7000 purely through age?
Great video as always guys. I was wondering if you had any info on why the S1 focus peaking during video dims significantly as soon as the record button is pressed. I installed the v1.5 firmware in the vain hope that this glitch would be addressed. Alas, no. It still gets super dim even with sensitivity turned all the way up during recording. I read on a forum somewhere that other S1 users have had similar complaints and that, oddly, it isn't an issue on the S1H. What gives? I love my S1 but this is annoying. Do I have a faulty body? It's a real pain when trying to use vintage lenses and manually focus. Advice please!!!
How to shoot in hlg for video please? Which settings to go into?
Thanks for the detailed review! Pana did an awesome job on these new FF cameras but I´m still not convinced to jump ship on mirrorless full frame yet. I´m holding out to see what Canon is coming up with next (hopefully we see a pro R in the near future)
I had a hands on come and try the LUMIX s series camera with the local sales chaps in Adelaide Australia.. For 4 hours we tried most of the settings.. Lovely images and fun to use.. And it's heavy.. Darn Heavy hand was getting numb as the grip is too slim for my hand. Also the 70-200 lens is the pic for image quality for me anyway.
Thanks Chris for the review. Bought that camera 2 weeks ago and still not 100% sure if that was right choice. Shooting kids portrait sometimes in action and landscapes. Would S1R have better AF performance ? I found AF in S1 to struggle when shooting in contra lighting conditions (Light behind the object) and not great when kids are moving. Still have chance to swap :) Should I go with S1R or maybe Sony A7IIIR ? Only think is I would miss built and feel of Lumix S serious it's best I ever experienced but... photography is not about that :) thanks for your advice
Great video work, Jordan.
Thanks Jon!
I would love it, but the lens situation would need to be a lot further along to have attracted me. Went with a Z6 to transition with my Nikkors. Prefer Panasonic's features and UI, which I love in my G9. Also, Royal Tyrrell is one of the world's greatest dinosaur museums and research facilities. Don't be misled by Drumheller's quaint kitsch.
The A7III is a brilliant camera; the colour science is now adequate and I was seriously considering acquiring one, however, it is a budget FF with many short cuts. It cannot compete on durability, sealing, ergonomics, EVF, sunlight op, night op, stabilisation, video modes, versatile features, menu. The colour science of the newer Panasonics has improved, and I think it's fantastic, though I guess that's aesthetic preference. The image quality is probably close, but the in-body composite gives it a resolution advantage when needed, and the significantly better IBIS gives it an ISO advantage in many situations, too.
I completely understand people who get the Sony for tracking+special AF, or because they have the lenses already, or if they just aren't "Optimisers" and just want to shoot with something good which is easy to find at a good price, and then go out and make history/art/fun.
However, I feel like people are gaslighting when they say that there is any reasonable equivalence between the S-series and the A-series (I don't mean Dr Nicholls, I mean the commentariat in general). Unless some manufacturing defect emerges, the Panasonics are vastly better outside the above circumstances; and even for those favouring high-end AF, they'd have to favour that at the expense of everything else.
I'm not trying to ruffle feathers, and everyone has their own perspective ("You Do You" tm), but as far as I'm concerned: these Panasonics are... a d r e a m c o m e t r u e.
Yet, I say this as a Fuji photographer with an agile kit already; a Foveon precision kit already; and rangefinder film lenses already. I'm not fussed about size or whether I can get the lenses I need etc; I'm not looking for a single camera to serve every purpose. I'm looking for a full frame camera which will last a long time, and provide an extra set of FOVs for my ART + manual lenses.
" It cannot compete on durability, sealing, ergonomics, EVF, sunlight op, night op, stabilisation, video modes, versatile features, menu." Thats crying on a high level, who cares that you can get something better for more money when it is even very good?
@@movingpicturebox2317 Like I said, the A7III is fine if you need great AF and a decent, yet clearly inferior camera.
Fair enough about tracking if it matters, but IQ and these other capabilities are what matter to me.
I agree. I've considered getting the A7III multiple time and play with it extensively. They took alot of compromises to get to its price point. It has the worst EVF (same as EOS RP), worst built quality, touch LCD, poor LCD screen vs any other system. It does have dual card slot, great AF, and good sensor.
Why hello @@BlissfulGardening15 - I've seen your remarks around a few of these reviews now! Yeah, before all these options appeared I could forgive the shortcuts, and was waiting for the price to fall steeply, yet now I couldn't justify an A7III while the S1 is best-in-class in all these areas.
I'll still wait for a good deal, which I know could take a while with fewer outlets and a newer camera, but I'm very excited by this prospect and the L Mount Alliance in general.
I think that the rivals are very threatened by the S series, and that accounts for the illogical dissent.
Fellow Citizen thanks. I think I've seen yours on forums as well =)
Leaving Canon is a big deal for me since I have alot of EF lenses, lighting gears and shoot professionally. I want to make sure it's the right decision. I don't buy one lenses but multiple lenses, lighting and probably 2 camera bodies for weddings. I want to do a thorough research before switching to a new system. I don't mind spending money for better EVF, ergonomic, build quality, etc. Sony A9 don't even have that. It's serviceable.
I had a chance to buy A7III with Tamron 28-70 2.8 for $2200 but decided not to. I hate using the camera bodies from EVF, ergonomic, poor LCD screen. I make money off photography so for a couple hundred more, I have a more enjoyable experience (EVF, LCD, IBIS, ergonomic, color, menu). No regret buying S1 over a Sony A7III.
Sweet camera. May look into it later when it gets cheaper. Seems decent. The XLR input compatibility is handy.
Mat Demaz you’ll be waiting several yrs for price reduction on this bad boy
Wow, really appreciate your video! Only your video lets me know Vlog color will be back! Because Vlog color is so good and convenient to color grade for me! Plus, how much is it? Same with Vlog in gh5?
You think it would focus faster if say i used a fixed focus point on center to shoot a car panning in continues af?
Did he say it will not replace GH5 in the video department? Would GH5 be a better choice for video at this point late 2020? All suggestions much appreciated.
Thanks guys !
This review nails it- yea I can't say anything about autofocus on my S1 as I only have adapted manual focus lenses for now.
That intro was amazing! thanks for the laughts!
Discovered after purchase that The S1 does not
output Trigger signal via HDMI, and also doesn't output timecode. Therefore the Camera can't trigger recording to an Atomos Ninja Unit which is a Big Flaw in my opinion... Maybe you could suggest this feature added in the Next Update... Cheers!
Any 1 year after reviews for this one with the firmware update?
Great job on this, perfect overview as always. Jordan glossed over something I don't understand though I think he said there is no audio in 25 or 30p slow mo so it's not a problem to fix in post. What did he mean by rhat?
It's easy to re-time the 180fps recorded at 30P to 24P in editing software. Since no audio is captured in High Framerate mode, there's no drawback to conforming in post.
@@thatjordandrake Thanks JD, I edit a lot for my channel but it's not Advanced editing so some of those technicalities I've never delved into before. Good looking out
Great review! Thanks
Greatest intro ever!