Thank you thank you thank you for this kind of AF test. You’re absolutely right about most AF tests. Really appreciated the real world application and variety in picture profiles & speed. Excellenté 👌🏾
Hoooray, finally someone who is not running around the tripod and sticking his head into the frame like crazy :) Thank you! I can see some DFD background pulsing/bluring in bushes, especially with the first setting. But definitely usable overall, if you know your camera for a while. What I miss most in all reviews is the real focus stability in some slightly longer freehand/gimbal headshots, or almost steady shots of talking people with some random background "noise" like trees in the wind, birds flying, some people passing by..., or when you follow someone who is slowly walking and talking, moving head while speaking, showing something to you, etc. These are the situations where you don´t want much pulsing or typical DFD microhunting. I think S5 is really great camera if you are more experienced and use your brain while shooting. But we all know it will be absolute no-brainer and market demolisher with Sony/Canon like focus.
Hey! Thanks for your kind words and I’m very happy you enjoyed the vid! Yeah I defo noticed a little bit of pulsing too, but not as CRAZY as people make it out to be. It’s definitely there but I’ve shown many non-camera people the footage and they’ve never picked up on it.... it’s because we’re looking out for it I guess. I’d love to do some more tests with it to show on my channel so maybe I could do some long form shots like that for you 🙌🏼 Yeah defo - if this camera did have phase detect then I guarantee this camera would be one of the best selling mirrorless cameras on the market!
I appreciate this honest assessment of the S5 af Josh. I'm actively looking to upgrade from my trusty G9 but with this S5 body + gh5ii and gh6 it's tough. The S5 just got added to my cart though. Can't beat those Panasonic colors. Salut!
Plus the ergonomics.. menu system... the l mount lens selection is growing too.. but u also have mounts for other systems. I'm adding to basket too :) from g9.
Loved the way you did the test in this video and it was real fun to watch (I love epic scenery!) - I am a GH5S and a Sigma FP user so now Im considering getting an S5 too. I've subscribed to you after watching this.
Hey man! Thank you! Tried to present the test in a different way from what I’ve seen before ! Ah nice one. The S5 is a considerable step up from the GH5(s) in terms of image quality as far as I’ve been told from users that have immigrated/incorporated the Full Frame Lumix cameras.... I think the nicest thing about it for you in particular would be the familiarity of it. Defo recommend this camera - let me know if you end up getting one! Thanks for the sub, too 🙌🏼
@@JoshCameron Hi Josh thanks for your response - I didnt see this till now! Yes I ended up getting a Lumix S1 to accompany the SIGMA FP and GH5S and am very pleased with it. I decided on that one because of the 6K features and the little digital readout on top. It was a close call deciding between the S5 nd S1 for me actually.
Thanks Jack! Really glad you found this helpful. Will be posting a lot more vids on the S5 so be sure to keep an eye out for them. Hope you enjoy your S5 !
Thank you! I want a camera that I can record with while hiking that has really good IBIS so I don’t have to mess with a gimbal. Panasonic wins there, but I was concerned about the autofocus. Seems like it’s not as bad as people say. 🙂(New subscriber - thanks again!)
Thanks for this video. I am somewhat torn between S5 and Sony a7iii. I want to ask you for an advice. I like s5 for its flip screen so that I can see the action when I’m in front of the camera. However I saw some reviews about the slow autofocus in ff mode. I make cooking videos indoor but without my face showing. It’s mostly my hands in motion with close up shots. Do you think s5 autofocus can handle my hand moving fast and smoothly? Will the human detect setting work on hands as well?
Unfortunately I don’t have any experience using sigma lenses with the S5, but from what I’ve seen it depends on what lens from sigma you’re using... some perform a lot better than others when paired with the Lumix AF system :)
From my TH-cam research, the S5 is undoubtedly the best bang for your buck camera, okay out the box but once you dial in your settings and custom modes it’s a BEAST
Thank you for this video, the time and the work. It shows what you said: an autofocus not 100% reliable compared with the sony system. But anyway - it works.
I think you could have done almost all of these shots in locked MF as there's no real front-to-back movement or distance-from-source change and that's where I find it just falls apart.
Yeah some of them could have been executed with MF, but then again a lot of shots could be done with MF... It was more so to show how the AF holds up when the subject is moving and the background is changing :) Thanks for the comment!
@@FantabMedia I use the Panasonic for the most part to be honest. I just prefer the ergonomics and set up of that system. But, I do use the Fuji every now and then for video since the XT3 also shoots very nice 10 bit 4K! To be honest, I prefer the colours on the Panasonic too for video, but yes - to answer your question in the most round about way possible, both do get used for video! hahahaha!
@@JoshCameron That's why I got the S1, I just loved the ergonomics (and functionality of the camera) and I'd still buy the same today to be honest. Really wish you could punch-in on the LCD/EVF when recording video though.
@@FantabMedia I was between the S1 and the S5 and ended up going with the latter based on the video features of the S1 at the time. I'm kinda bummed since the S1 is now basically becoming the same camera as the S1H in terms of video specs.... so maybe i'll pick up one of them at some point soon as well!
I was so sad giving up my a7ii, but realized eye tracking was holding back my photography, note, I have found the 20-60 kit lens to be a bit soft. The tracking works well. Sony does lock on wrong sometimes to.
Thank you for this video. I have the G85 and I was looking for a reasonable upgrade that was not a Sony. I have three lenses from Panasonic and didn't want to start all over. This is a very impressive body. Great video.
Very timely, I have just been doing the same this morning with my newly acquired 24-105. The zooms seem to be better than the primes for tracking AF, possibly due to slower apertures? 50fps definitely better than 25fps and profiles better than log. I shoot Natural profile with -3 speed and -1 sensitivity. Works well pretty much anywhere except fast paced tracking towards or away from and more so if the backlighting is strong sun as full low sinshine.
That’s great to hear! I might give that a try you know... I think the af is reasonable in the situations where you might feel the need to use it (I.e quick B Roll/establishing shots or self filming). I don’t understand why every other video out there hasn’t displayed the AF in this way yet; it just makes more sense to show it being used in real scenarios! Hope you found this video helpful anyhow and thanks for watching!
@@JoshCameron I have watched 1 million S5 TH-cam videos Josh since I got the thing last Sep and in absence of any work (weddings) taking place. I have used it on 3 small commercial jobs however and the AF is just fine for that. My use is what I would call 'considered', as in the AF is a bonus, needed in a couple, but few occasions and I trust it for pretty much anything except outright consistent tracking. 99% of TH-cam videos on this subject are utter muppetry as you have noticed! Keep up the good work.
I completely agree with you here. The issue is that it’s mainly TH-cam/self filmers that are reviewing this camera and they’re not completely understanding how to use the AF in an efficient and controlled way. I’m glad you like my content anyhow and would really appreciate it if you could subscribe! Really helps me to grow and reach more like minded camera nerds! Thanks again :)
@@JoshCameron I already am subscribed and have been for a few weeks since I first found your channel. Most TH-cam channels are just about getting views, becoming 'famous' and then raking it in to live a millionaire lifestyle. But I'm going off on a tangent now. I do have a TH-cam channel. I think it has 2 subscribers and I suspect one of them is my Mum... Calm, measured, genuine channels are the only one's I subscribe to so as above, keep up the good work Josh. And never wear a baseball cap backwards or make video from the drivers seat of your car whilst sippin' on a coffee shop coffee ;)
Hi, Nice review and great work! Now we use 2 x Panasonic G9 for wedding film. Is Lumix S5 huge upgrade from G9? Worth the extra money ? Wich is the alternative and recomended lens for this mount? Maybe f2.8 or more ... Thanks!
Hi Marcel, thank you so much for the positive feedback! I'd say it is a massive upgrade, purely because of the sensor size and how clean the final image will look compared to M43. If you're looking for maximum shallow depth of field then yeah, aiming for 2.8 or lower would be wise. But to be honest, even at F4 you get a nice bit of subject separation! I use the 24-105 F4 exclusively at the moment and that works really well at 105mm! Let me know whether you decide to make the jump!
I agree this is a real-life test, I've been guilty of doing a simple test but being a runner I've also put the S5 through its paces pushing it hard on some of the videos on my channel. Thanks for doing this, where are you filming, on the South Coast?
Hey Josh. First off. Many thanks for these series of videos on the S5. Considering moving away from my Fuji XT3 to the S5, however, only interested in stills. Have you had any issues with AF for stills photography? Thanks again for taking the time to create these vids 👍🏻
Love it, I’m a long term gh5 and g7 user....saw your S5 test vid and....my S5 arrived today and is charging 😂. Everyone slags off the autofocus and performs ludicrous tests......I have no idea what they are filming but the S5 and GH5 autofocus is fine providing your sensible about it. Great vid mate....anyone wanna buy a g7 or GH5 😂 S5 is spectacular!
Haha YES! Enjoy your new camera buddy! I really hope you enjoy it and get good use from it - I love mine :D Haha glad you agree. For the most part, this is how people would be using their S5, so that's why I wanted to do this test to show the end user what to expect in these situations! Make sure to keep me posted on your experience with the S5 and welcome to the Full Frame club ;)
@@JoshCameron couldn’t agree more, I do a lot of weddings (did pre-COVID 🤯) never had a bride running back and forth at the camera 😂 in manual normally anyway, you then stack all the other features and price point.....I’ll have to keep you posted. Happy to have found your channel mate, so I’m gunna go trawling through now......keep it up 🤟
@@mythologycreativemedia7454 HAHAHA yes exactly! And if she did do that then she's had too much to drink ;D Awesome, really appreciate the support and hope to see you in the comment section of my upcoming vids, too :) Connect with me on instagram too - @josh.fmc - I'd love to see some of your work!
Did you use the focus confirmation as shown in the Luca Bono video? Someone else commented that the focus confirmation is a better alternative than shifting between auto focus modes on the A7III.
Personally, all of those settings seems solid. I've the S5 but I've never had the chance to go out into the field ant shoot some "moving" videos. I currently have my settings on speed 0 and sens 3. As I said I haven't gone out to the field to test what easc settings' each increment does yet so I came here to find out. I kinda like them both at zero (in your video) but what do you *personally* like? Thanks! PS: Very good video, you have a new subscriber!
Josh - what lens did you use. Im interested in the S5 because the 20 60 kit is my Ideal working range. I only use single shot AF anyway but this video shows its possible to get some gentle tracking. - thanks - 👍
Hey Mark! I used the 24-105 F4 (it's actually the only L Mount lens I own!). Fantastic lens for the price and extremely versatile. It's definitely possible to get some tracking shots as long as the subject doesn't move to erratically. Thanks for watching!
Hi Josh, thanks for that great video. I have an S5 but have not used it much yet due to lockdown and winter! Did you reach a conclusion about the best settings in vlog? I have left it at the default so far.
Hi Andrew! Thanks for watching my video! Ah that’s a shame, it sucks when we have a shiny new camera but no way of using it! So far I’d say that the VLog AF performs very similarly to the other picture profiles, so therefore it’s a case of which setting works best for you. I tend to leave my camera on -1 speed and -3 sensitivity since what I use the AF for tends to involve less movement. +5 and +3 would be the best if there’s sudden changes happening, but you also get more pulsing in this setting since the AF is acting at its highest sensitivity. I hope this helps!
@@JoshCameron Thanks Josh, I liked and subscribed. I will try those settings when I get going again. I did try the camera with stills, impressive and lovely quality files
Absolutely nothing is worse than the Nikon D3100 AF I started with. The AF of the S5 is lightyears better. Plus, the S5's AF being usable in the real-world is a godsend for people like me that want a cinema camera. S5 offers stellar video codecs in a DSLR and a Full Frame sensor...so the S5 having useable AF at all AND great stabilization AND great codecs with Log....I think is a massive, massive win for run-and-gunners VS a cine cam...not even talking about price. I've been highly considering the Blackmagic Pocket 6K Pro, but the S5 can be found even cheaper, has better dynamic range, a full frame sensor, stabilization, AF, and while not gargantuan BRAW codecs it still has supremely professional codecs and LOG profiles compared to a budget DSLR. Happy I did the research before making a buying decision!
My daughter rides horses and I'd really like to start using a full frame camera for those events (video). Would the S5 be a bad idea? I really like the S5 for photos and videos of slow moving objects, but unsure how it would do for horses on a canter. I've studied several of your videos, repeatedly, and I'm still just not sure. I'm not a pro. Just a dad.
@@JoshCameron oh man. Oh man. I wish this comment would have come a week sooner. I went to go get the S5 kit and walked out of best buy with an a7 iv with an 85mm f1.8 and Tamron 28-70mm f2.8 $$$$$$. This could have been really helpful, but it's ok. I am going to sell one of my kidneys and donate blood weekly.
Hi, I really want to get this camera with the 24-105mm but am a bit worried about the autofocus. I know the GH6 is coming out soon. Do you recommend I wait for that one or buy the S5 now?
I shoot mostly product vlogs, so I want the camera to prioritize the talking head, but it should switch over to an object if one is held in front of the camera. Right now, it seems that the best way to do this consistently is by covering my face with the object first and then move it towards the camera. The thing is, I don't want it to block my face all the time. I want to be able to hold the object at a distance so that it is in focus while I'm blurred out talking in the background. Is there any way to achieve this on the S5 or am I doomed in this DFD hell?
@@JoshCameron Thanks Josh, that's exactly what I've been doing lately, shooting in AF+ mode with human AF OFF. It does lose focus if my head is not in the box, so I have to make sure it's there all the time. It's not perfect, but it works 90% of the time.
Interesting video! Thanks for the test. The results overall are a lot worse than I was expecting based on your optimistic presentation in the beginning. With the settings in the beginning it was pretty bad even, feeling like the subject was in focus only once in a while and a lot of pulsing. It got better with later settings.
I totally agree Josh. I've had the S5 pretty much since launch and I've been able to do everything I needed to do with the AF. Somebody quickly (and weirdly) moving closer and further away from the camera is NOT a good representation of how one would use AF in the real world. The most usual ways would be vlogging or talking to camera without moving much, in both of which the S5 (and a Lumix lens - not so much Sigma) does a very good job.
I appreciate your input but one thing which hardly people cover is wildlife shooting or panning shots. Not everyone only does videos, I'm just surprised none of the reviewers cover photography.
@@JoshCameron Thank you so much, since continuous AF is so critical in photography as well that's why I try to find it. In video if I'm behind the camera I can still rack the focus somewhat but in photography it's very tough without good continuous AF.
Hi Josh, great video. One question: what lens do you use indoors in your studio? It looks absolutely sharp and professional, and I don't see any breathing/pulsing/focus hunting. Thank you so much.
Hey! Thank you for the lovely words! The lens I use in my studio is the 24-105 using the Human detect AF-C. Speed is set to -1 and sensitivity is set to -3 :D
Hi Josh, thank you for doing these tests! Did you use any filter on the 24-105 or did you compensate just by the aperture? Also, what framerate and shutterspeed did you use (looks like a proper cine-angle was used), because from my experience (I own Gh4R, GH5, G9 and S5) Lumix DFD autofocus is more sensitive in some framerate/shutterspeed combinations (from my experience 50p-1/100 works a bit better than 25p-1/50 (especially on G9 and S5)
long answer - yes ! if you work with gh5 in weddings, you can work with s5 and the 20-60 or 24-105. just try, dont ask... the af is good but not super.. the true, you dont need a super af !
@@shtrudel-pu1cm I agree with you here. It's definitely useable and will work for you if you use it correctly. It just depends on what you're most comfortable with. For me, I'd only use MF on shoots where things can't be done twice (like weddings), just because I have more control that way. Even with my Sony cameras I wouldn't use the AF for weddings (or at least for the most important moments of the day), because I wouldn't want the camera to miss a beat in a situation where I could have used MF if I wasn't just being lazy. The AF on the S5 to me is far better than what people have made it out to be though - it's just for me, I wouldn't use AF when i'm being paid (unless I had full confidence that nothing was going to change in the frame!) At weddings you could easily get some someone stand up in your way, or walk off to the toilet during the ceremony etc, and I wouldn't want my camera to see their face and make them the point of focus!
@@germancreatives88 I would still say the Panasonic S5 is a better option than the XT4. I have the XT3 and I much prefer the Panasonic over it. I feel like it's a more pro camera than the XT4 and is far more versatile!
Nice video, but it really did not show any "hard" autofocus test. Its probably fine for tracking when there is very litle movement in distance. The issue with Panasonic is tracking of objects that come against you, like a cat, dog or any other sports activity. Maybe you should make a video of a marathon or football with a telephoto lens.
Hey Thomas, noted. I don't usually do anything that requires major fast tracking like sports etc, so for me this was as real world as it got to the sort of stuff I shoot. But I defo see where you're coming from and can defo something along these lines in the future!
Nope, photo AF is absolutely amazing. The custom AF settings shared in this video are purely for Video AF and do not affect the photo modes. The most reliable? That's a tricky question and one I couldn't possibly answer! But around 0/+1 for both seems to be the best blend for me
Your AF-test is NO test. Aperture too wide open to have a real impression. But the most important: The S5 5 is allways in the same distance. Please read the manuals here .-) how to do a real AF-test.
The aperture was set between F4 and F5.6 for this entire video so I definitely don’t think you’re right there. People tend to use their lenses below F5.6 for most of the video work they do. The S5 was not always at same distance. There were a few shots where the subject moved closer or further from me and my camera, but yes for the most part it was at the same distance. This video was made to show how it tracks a subject during their movements and the camera moving at the same time since not many people have tested the AF in this way. For the most part, I don’t have to track subject that start off way in the distance and come closer to the camera, so for me and my work, this test is more than valid. I appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment, but telling me to read the manual was very childish and unnecessary. Besides, I’m sure the manual doesn’t say “subjects must run to the camera and away from it to make a fair AF test on TH-cam” 😂 Have a nice day buddy 👍🏻
Thank you thank you thank you for this kind of AF test. You’re absolutely right about most AF tests. Really appreciated the real world application and variety in picture profiles & speed. Excellenté 👌🏾
Thank you very much for the kind words Shelby! Glad you found this useful!
Hoooray, finally someone who is not running around the tripod and sticking his head into the frame like crazy :) Thank you! I can see some DFD background pulsing/bluring in bushes, especially with the first setting. But definitely usable overall, if you know your camera for a while. What I miss most in all reviews is the real focus stability in some slightly longer freehand/gimbal headshots, or almost steady shots of talking people with some random background "noise" like trees in the wind, birds flying, some people passing by..., or when you follow someone who is slowly walking and talking, moving head while speaking, showing something to you, etc. These are the situations where you don´t want much pulsing or typical DFD microhunting. I think S5 is really great camera if you are more experienced and use your brain while shooting. But we all know it will be absolute no-brainer and market demolisher with Sony/Canon like focus.
Hey! Thanks for your kind words and I’m very happy you enjoyed the vid! Yeah I defo noticed a little bit of pulsing too, but not as CRAZY as people make it out to be. It’s definitely there but I’ve shown many non-camera people the footage and they’ve never picked up on it.... it’s because we’re looking out for it I guess.
I’d love to do some more tests with it to show on my channel so maybe I could do some long form shots like that for you 🙌🏼
Yeah defo - if this camera did have phase detect then I guarantee this camera would be one of the best selling mirrorless cameras on the market!
Try the sensitivity +3 and the speed -2 !
Thanks for the tip! Will try it out!
V-LOG?
I appreciate this honest assessment of the S5 af Josh. I'm actively looking to upgrade from my trusty G9 but with this S5 body + gh5ii and gh6 it's tough. The S5 just got added to my cart though. Can't beat those Panasonic colors. Salut!
Plus the ergonomics.. menu system... the l mount lens selection is growing too.. but u also have mounts for other systems. I'm adding to basket too :) from g9.
I'd get 2 cameras, GH5 II and the S5, now you all bases covered.
Loved the way you did the test in this video and it was real fun to watch (I love epic scenery!) - I am a GH5S and a Sigma FP user so now Im considering getting an S5 too. I've subscribed to you after watching this.
Hey man! Thank you! Tried to present the test in a different way from what I’ve seen before !
Ah nice one. The S5 is a considerable step up from the GH5(s) in terms of image quality as far as I’ve been told from users that have immigrated/incorporated the Full Frame Lumix cameras.... I think the nicest thing about it for you in particular would be the familiarity of it.
Defo recommend this camera - let me know if you end up getting one!
Thanks for the sub, too 🙌🏼
@@JoshCameron Hi Josh thanks for your response - I didnt see this till now! Yes I ended up getting a Lumix S1 to accompany the SIGMA FP and GH5S and am very pleased with it. I decided on that one because of the 6K features and the little digital readout on top. It was a close call deciding between the S5 nd S1 for me actually.
THANK YOU MAN best autofocus test ever. Yep this will be my camera for content.
Thanks Jack! Really glad you found this helpful. Will be posting a lot more vids on the S5 so be sure to keep an eye out for them.
Hope you enjoy your S5 !
@@JoshCameron dope! I’m subbed.
Thank you! I want a camera that I can record with while hiking that has really good IBIS so I don’t have to mess with a gimbal. Panasonic wins there, but I was concerned about the autofocus. Seems like it’s not as bad as people say. 🙂(New subscriber - thanks again!)
Thanks for this! Quick question. What was your focus set to? ie. spot or 1-Aera, 1-Aera+, human detect, etc. Thanks.
Exactly the test I was looking for. Great job, and thank you!
Glad this was helpful buddy!
This was absolutely amazing! Thank you!
I have learn something: the AF is not bad on the S5, if you know how to use it 🙂
Thanks for making this video
Cheers Sam!
I definately think you two are going to be great for the S5 💥
Thanks for this video. I am somewhat torn between S5 and Sony a7iii. I want to ask you for an advice.
I like s5 for its flip screen so that I can see the action when I’m in front of the camera. However I saw some reviews about the slow autofocus in ff mode.
I make cooking videos indoor but without my face showing. It’s mostly my hands in motion with close up shots.
Do you think s5 autofocus can handle my hand moving fast and smoothly? Will the human detect setting work on hands as well?
It is interesting to know what have you finally chosen and why?
Anyone ever test sigma lens on lumix s5? How about the afc? I have s5 and af setting +5 +3 i think its good enough and i use natural profile
Unfortunately I don’t have any experience using sigma lenses with the S5, but from what I’ve seen it depends on what lens from sigma you’re using... some perform a lot better than others when paired with the Lumix AF system :)
From my TH-cam research, the S5 is undoubtedly the best bang for your buck camera, okay out the box but once you dial in your settings and custom modes it’s a BEAST
Totally agree :)
Thank you for this video, the time and the work. It shows what you said: an autofocus not 100% reliable compared with the sony system. But anyway - it works.
Thank You Josh for this video.
Thanks for watching!
I think you could have done almost all of these shots in locked MF as there's no real front-to-back movement or distance-from-source change and that's where I find it just falls apart.
Yeah some of them could have been executed with MF, but then again a lot of shots could be done with MF... It was more so to show how the AF holds up when the subject is moving and the background is changing :) Thanks for the comment!
@@JoshCameron Do you use your Fuji gear for video too mate or just the Panasonic?
@@FantabMedia I use the Panasonic for the most part to be honest. I just prefer the ergonomics and set up of that system. But, I do use the Fuji every now and then for video since the XT3 also shoots very nice 10 bit 4K! To be honest, I prefer the colours on the Panasonic too for video, but yes - to answer your question in the most round about way possible, both do get used for video! hahahaha!
@@JoshCameron That's why I got the S1, I just loved the ergonomics (and functionality of the camera) and I'd still buy the same today to be honest. Really wish you could punch-in on the LCD/EVF when recording video though.
@@FantabMedia I was between the S1 and the S5 and ended up going with the latter based on the video features of the S1 at the time. I'm kinda bummed since the S1 is now basically becoming the same camera as the S1H in terms of video specs.... so maybe i'll pick up one of them at some point soon as well!
Your friend seems like a nice guy, even when he's slightly out of focus 🤗
I was so sad giving up my a7ii, but realized eye tracking was holding back my photography, note, I have found the 20-60 kit lens to be a bit soft. The tracking works well. Sony does lock on wrong sometimes to.
Thank you for this video. I have the G85 and I was looking for a reasonable upgrade that was not a Sony. I have three lenses from Panasonic and didn't want to start all over. This is a very impressive body. Great video.
Thanks for the kind words mate! Glad you enjoyed it!
Did you end up with the s5? I’m in the same boat, wanting to upgrade from G85
You wont be able to use mft lens with the s5.. its ff.
So what settings are the best?
Thanks for this man.
You're welcome!
Very timely, I have just been doing the same this morning with my newly acquired 24-105. The zooms seem to be better than the primes for tracking AF, possibly due to slower apertures? 50fps definitely better than 25fps and profiles better than log. I shoot Natural profile with -3 speed and -1 sensitivity. Works well pretty much anywhere except fast paced tracking towards or away from and more so if the backlighting is strong sun as full low sinshine.
That’s great to hear! I might give that a try you know... I think the af is reasonable in the situations where you might feel the need to use it (I.e quick B Roll/establishing shots or self filming).
I don’t understand why every other video out there hasn’t displayed the AF in this way yet; it just makes more sense to show it being used in real scenarios!
Hope you found this video helpful anyhow and thanks for watching!
@@JoshCameron I have watched 1 million S5 TH-cam videos Josh since I got the thing last Sep and in absence of any work (weddings) taking place. I have used it on 3 small commercial jobs however and the AF is just fine for that. My use is what I would call 'considered', as in the AF is a bonus, needed in a couple, but few occasions and I trust it for pretty much anything except outright consistent tracking. 99% of TH-cam videos on this subject are utter muppetry as you have noticed! Keep up the good work.
I completely agree with you here. The issue is that it’s mainly TH-cam/self filmers that are reviewing this camera and they’re not completely understanding how to use the AF in an efficient and controlled way. I’m glad you like my content anyhow and would really appreciate it if you could subscribe! Really helps me to grow and reach more like minded camera nerds! Thanks again :)
@@JoshCameron I already am subscribed and have been for a few weeks since I first found your channel. Most TH-cam channels are just about getting views, becoming 'famous' and then raking it in to live a millionaire lifestyle. But I'm going off on a tangent now. I do have a TH-cam channel. I think it has 2 subscribers and I suspect one of them is my Mum... Calm, measured, genuine channels are the only one's I subscribe to so as above, keep up the good work Josh. And never wear a baseball cap backwards or make video from the drivers seat of your car whilst sippin' on a coffee shop coffee ;)
Is the background pulsing (which is quite apparent in the video) not an issue when you do corporate shoots?
Thank you for this great test . subscribed .
Thank you for supporting the channel!
Great video Josh! I’m thinking about upgrading my two GH5s to the S5. This helped a lot.
Do it! ;D Thanks for the kind words :)
Great test Josh, bout time someone did an AF test like this 👌🏻👌🏻
Dang right it was - nice profile pic btw, you must be a really good creator ;)
@@JoshCameron hahaha not quite 😂😂😂
Hi,
Nice review and great work!
Now we use 2 x Panasonic G9 for wedding film.
Is Lumix S5 huge upgrade from G9? Worth the extra money ?
Wich is the alternative and recomended lens for this mount? Maybe f2.8 or more ...
Thanks!
Hi Marcel, thank you so much for the positive feedback! I'd say it is a massive upgrade, purely because of the sensor size and how clean the final image will look compared to M43.
If you're looking for maximum shallow depth of field then yeah, aiming for 2.8 or lower would be wise. But to be honest, even at F4 you get a nice bit of subject separation! I use the 24-105 F4 exclusively at the moment and that works really well at 105mm!
Let me know whether you decide to make the jump!
I agree this is a real-life test, I've been guilty of doing a simple test but being a runner I've also put the S5 through its paces pushing it hard on some of the videos on my channel. Thanks for doing this, where are you filming, on the South Coast?
Hey Josh. First off. Many thanks for these series of videos on the S5. Considering moving away from my Fuji XT3 to the S5, however, only interested in stills. Have you had any issues with AF for stills photography? Thanks again for taking the time to create these vids 👍🏻
Hey! Thanks for the kind words - I've never had any issues with the AF for photos so you'll be absolutely fine!
@@JoshCameron Thank you so much for getting back to me - really appreciate it! Have a great rest of the weekend Josh
Excellent content!!
Should I go with Sony A7C or Lumix S5??
S5 all day
Love it, I’m a long term gh5 and g7 user....saw your S5 test vid and....my S5 arrived today and is charging 😂. Everyone slags off the autofocus and performs ludicrous tests......I have no idea what they are filming but the S5 and GH5 autofocus is fine providing your sensible about it. Great vid mate....anyone wanna buy a g7 or GH5 😂 S5 is spectacular!
Haha YES! Enjoy your new camera buddy! I really hope you enjoy it and get good use from it - I love mine :D Haha glad you agree. For the most part, this is how people would be using their S5, so that's why I wanted to do this test to show the end user what to expect in these situations! Make sure to keep me posted on your experience with the S5 and welcome to the Full Frame club ;)
@@JoshCameron couldn’t agree more, I do a lot of weddings (did pre-COVID 🤯) never had a bride running back and forth at the camera 😂 in manual normally anyway, you then stack all the other features and price point.....I’ll have to keep you posted. Happy to have found your channel mate, so I’m gunna go trawling through now......keep it up 🤟
@@mythologycreativemedia7454 HAHAHA yes exactly! And if she did do that then she's had too much to drink ;D Awesome, really appreciate the support and hope to see you in the comment section of my upcoming vids, too :) Connect with me on instagram too - @josh.fmc - I'd love to see some of your work!
Great review. Is Lumix S5 support for editing raw photo in Lightroom? Thank you
Thank you! Yes it is - you can edit those files in Lightroom :)
@@JoshCameron Thank you 🙏
Awesome Video Josh
Hey Mate! Thank you! Cheers for watching!
Did you use the focus confirmation as shown in the Luca Bono video? Someone else commented that the focus confirmation is a better alternative than shifting between auto focus modes on the A7III.
Personally, all of those settings seems solid. I've the S5 but I've never had the chance to go out into the field ant shoot some "moving" videos. I currently have my settings on speed 0 and sens 3. As I said I haven't gone out to the field to test what easc settings' each increment does yet so I came here to find out. I kinda like them both at zero (in your video) but what do you *personally* like? Thanks!
PS: Very good video, you have a new subscriber!
Hey Sinan! Thanks for the sub!
Personally I tend to use Speed -1 and Sensitivity -3. Those settings seem to work best for what I shoot :D
Can AF be trusted for BTS ?? Music videos / Films
I’ll be making a vid about this very soon!
@@JoshCameron Ok Thanks for the reply ...
Josh - what lens did you use. Im interested in the S5 because the 20 60 kit is my Ideal working range.
I only use single shot AF anyway but this video shows its possible to get some gentle tracking. - thanks - 👍
Hey Mark! I used the 24-105 F4 (it's actually the only L Mount lens I own!).
Fantastic lens for the price and extremely versatile. It's definitely possible to get some tracking shots as long as the subject doesn't move to erratically.
Thanks for watching!
Can you do a real world scenario and you are solo trying to get AF?
Hi Josh, thanks for that great video. I have an S5 but have not used it much yet due to lockdown and winter! Did you reach a conclusion about the best settings in vlog? I have left it at the default so far.
Hi Andrew! Thanks for watching my video! Ah that’s a shame, it sucks when we have a shiny new camera but no way of using it!
So far I’d say that the VLog AF performs very similarly to the other picture profiles, so therefore it’s a case of which setting works best for you. I tend to leave my camera on -1 speed and -3 sensitivity since what I use the AF for tends to involve less movement.
+5 and +3 would be the best if there’s sudden changes happening, but you also get more pulsing in this setting since the AF is acting at its highest sensitivity. I hope this helps!
@@JoshCameron Thanks Josh, I liked and subscribed. I will try those settings when I get going again. I did try the camera with stills, impressive and lovely quality files
Absolutely nothing is worse than the Nikon D3100 AF I started with. The AF of the S5 is lightyears better. Plus, the S5's AF being usable in the real-world is a godsend for people like me that want a cinema camera. S5 offers stellar video codecs in a DSLR and a Full Frame sensor...so the S5 having useable AF at all AND great stabilization AND great codecs with Log....I think is a massive, massive win for run-and-gunners VS a cine cam...not even talking about price.
I've been highly considering the Blackmagic Pocket 6K Pro, but the S5 can be found even cheaper, has better dynamic range, a full frame sensor, stabilization, AF, and while not gargantuan BRAW codecs it still has supremely professional codecs and LOG profiles compared to a budget DSLR. Happy I did the research before making a buying decision!
Nice music
Thanks Marco! Epidemic Sound coming in handy haha!
My daughter rides horses and I'd really like to start using a full frame camera for those events (video). Would the S5 be a bad idea? I really like the S5 for photos and videos of slow moving objects, but unsure how it would do for horses on a canter. I've studied several of your videos, repeatedly, and I'm still just not sure. I'm not a pro. Just a dad.
I think it would be just fine. My parents have horses and I've photographed them loads of times riding with the S5 :)
@@JoshCameron oh man. Oh man. I wish this comment would have come a week sooner. I went to go get the S5 kit and walked out of best buy with an a7 iv with an 85mm f1.8 and Tamron 28-70mm f2.8 $$$$$$. This could have been really helpful, but it's ok. I am going to sell one of my kidneys and donate blood weekly.
Hi, I really want to get this camera with the 24-105mm but am a bit worried about the autofocus. I know the GH6 is coming out soon. Do you recommend I wait for that one or buy the S5 now?
I shoot mostly product vlogs, so I want the camera to prioritize the talking head, but it should switch over to an object if one is held in front of the camera.
Right now, it seems that the best way to do this consistently is by covering my face with the object first and then move it towards the camera.
The thing is, I don't want it to block my face all the time. I want to be able to hold the object at a distance so that it is in focus while I'm blurred out talking in the background.
Is there any way to achieve this on the S5 or am I doomed in this DFD hell?
I believe if you disabled the human AF and used near shift AF then you should be able to achieve this!
@@JoshCameron Thanks Josh, that's exactly what I've been doing lately, shooting in AF+ mode with human AF OFF. It does lose focus if my head is not in the box, so I have to make sure it's there all the time. It's not perfect, but it works 90% of the time.
Interesting video! Thanks for the test. The results overall are a lot worse than I was expecting based on your optimistic presentation in the beginning.
With the settings in the beginning it was pretty bad even, feeling like the subject was in focus only once in a while and a lot of pulsing. It got better with later settings.
I totally agree Josh. I've had the S5 pretty much since launch and I've been able to do everything I needed to do with the AF.
Somebody quickly (and weirdly) moving closer and further away from the camera is NOT a good representation of how one would use AF in the real world.
The most usual ways would be vlogging or talking to camera without moving much, in both of which the S5 (and a Lumix lens - not so much Sigma) does a very good job.
I appreciate your input but one thing which hardly people cover is wildlife shooting or panning shots. Not everyone only does videos, I'm just surprised none of the reviewers cover photography.
I'll try to make an effort with wildlife shooting in my future vids !
@@JoshCameron Thank you so much, since continuous AF is so critical in photography as well that's why I try to find it. In video if I'm behind the camera I can still rack the focus somewhat but in photography it's very tough without good continuous AF.
Pure beginner here doing video.. on the S5 which AF mode do you use and how do you set it up before you start?
I use AFC and have the AF Mode set to Human Detect AF for this video :) The sensitivity settings change as the video goes :D
@@JoshCameron thx, just done a 2 mins video shooting like that on the S5.. just put it on my you tube channel
what about in photo mode? is it possible to shoot sports? are at least some portraits ?
The AF for photo is a different kettle of fish completely. It's very reliable and more than adequate for those applications :)
Hi Josh, great video. One question: what lens do you use indoors in your studio? It looks absolutely sharp and professional, and I don't see any breathing/pulsing/focus hunting. Thank you so much.
Hey! Thank you for the lovely words! The lens I use in my studio is the 24-105 using the Human detect AF-C. Speed is set to -1 and sensitivity is set to -3 :D
Hi Josh, thank you for doing these tests!
Did you use any filter on the 24-105 or did you compensate just by the aperture? Also, what framerate and shutterspeed did you use (looks like a proper cine-angle was used), because from my experience (I own Gh4R, GH5, G9 and S5) Lumix DFD autofocus is more sensitive in some framerate/shutterspeed combinations (from my experience 50p-1/100 works a bit better than 25p-1/50 (especially on G9 and S5)
Instead of cranking the aperture, I normally use a VND filter - like these ones: th-cam.com/video/pssCHl2uKCY/w-d-xo.html
Can I trust the s5 autofocus for wedding videos?
Short answer - no :D
Thanks. The codec is good but AF no.. Maybe I go for xt4 buy budget only 2k..
long answer - yes ! if you work with gh5 in weddings, you can work with s5 and the 20-60 or 24-105. just try, dont ask... the af is good but not super.. the true, you dont need a super af !
@@shtrudel-pu1cm I agree with you here. It's definitely useable and will work for you if you use it correctly. It just depends on what you're most comfortable with. For me, I'd only use MF on shoots where things can't be done twice (like weddings), just because I have more control that way. Even with my Sony cameras I wouldn't use the AF for weddings (or at least for the most important moments of the day), because I wouldn't want the camera to miss a beat in a situation where I could have used MF if I wasn't just being lazy.
The AF on the S5 to me is far better than what people have made it out to be though - it's just for me, I wouldn't use AF when i'm being paid (unless I had full confidence that nothing was going to change in the frame!) At weddings you could easily get some someone stand up in your way, or walk off to the toilet during the ceremony etc, and I wouldn't want my camera to see their face and make them the point of focus!
@@germancreatives88 I would still say the Panasonic S5 is a better option than the XT4. I have the XT3 and I much prefer the Panasonic over it. I feel like it's a more pro camera than the XT4 and is far more versatile!
Nice video, but it really did not show any "hard" autofocus test. Its probably fine for tracking when there is very litle movement in distance. The issue with Panasonic is tracking of objects that come against you, like a cat, dog or any other sports activity. Maybe you should make a video of a marathon or football with a telephoto lens.
Hey Thomas, noted. I don't usually do anything that requires major fast tracking like sports etc, so for me this was as real world as it got to the sort of stuff I shoot.
But I defo see where you're coming from and can defo something along these lines in the future!
Does this af performance affect on photo shooting in afc mode? Which setting is the most reliable?
Nope, photo AF is absolutely amazing. The custom AF settings shared in this video are purely for Video AF and do not affect the photo modes. The most reliable? That's a tricky question and one I couldn't possibly answer! But around 0/+1 for both seems to be the best blend for me
I will bet Panasonic will introduce TOF in the next series of hybrid cameras.
Let's see what happens....
20-60 lens ?
No I was using the 24-105 F4 :)
I'm going to sell my a7 rIII and buy the s5 + 70-200 f4.
Fantastic! Sounds like a plan 🤪 do you shoot mainly photo or video?
@@JoshCameron photos and some videos
"I like the imperfection" - wtf... :D
Boss
AF test at good light is pointless. All cameras have usable focusing at day. Try it at night. My Lumix S5 with 20-60 is unusable with AF at night.
I rarely shoot at night so for me that would be an unrealistic test!
Am I the only one who thought the af was horrible? It missed a lot. Face out of focus a Ton. I would not buy this if AF is a factor.
This is such a mild test it's ridiculous
Resistance is futile. Not long before you sell your soul to the other side ;)
Your AF-test is NO test. Aperture too wide open to have a real impression. But the most important: The S5 5 is allways in the same distance. Please read the manuals here .-) how to do a real AF-test.
The aperture was set between F4 and F5.6 for this entire video so I definitely don’t think you’re right there. People tend to use their lenses below F5.6 for most of the video work they do. The S5 was not always at same distance. There were a few shots where the subject moved closer or further from me and my camera, but yes for the most part it was at the same distance. This video was made to show how it tracks a subject during their movements and the camera moving at the same time since not many people have tested the AF in this way. For the most part, I don’t have to track subject that start off way in the distance and come closer to the camera, so for me and my work, this test is more than valid.
I appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment, but telling me to read the manual was very childish and unnecessary. Besides, I’m sure the manual doesn’t say “subjects must run to the camera and away from it to make a fair AF test on TH-cam” 😂
Have a nice day buddy 👍🏻
@@JoshCameron People love to troll 🙄
Great video Josh. 🙏🏾
Hahaha thanks Kyle! 🙌🏼