Panasonic Lumix S1 review - BEST pro mirrorless? 

An astonishing first in the camera industry! A brand new first generation camera that is truly deserving of praise. One that was created for serious photographers and made without compromise. A healthy dose of serious respect is well deserved for this beast! Can you believe it? Nothing to bitch or complain about. No unbelievable head scratching confusion as to why it does or does not have this or that. (Are you paying attention Canon?) While this may have been a long review for you Mr. Laing, you know it could have been far longer if you covered all it has to offer. Nonetheless, a great review as always. Cheers!

Four years after the facts, I want to thank you for making this video. Last November I came across it by chance. In my search for a full frame camera, I heard that Panasonic also had an offering. I watched this 40 minute video in one go. And when I was thinking about the S1 the next day, I knew exactly how to use the camera. Even though I had never seen an S1 live, let alone held it in my hands. I knew the buttons better then the Sony I had been working with the past 3 years. This is not only due to the fantastic ergonomics of the S1, but also to the very good instructional video. Very well done, and thank you! (An early fifty-something who as a result has now invested so much in L-mount that he may be "doomed" to stay in L-mount for life).

Thank you, Gordon, for this extensive review of the Panasonic S1. Here my own findings with this camera: I recently purchased the S1 and I am very impressed. I tested the body with a variety of Leica glass (24-90 f/2.8-4.0 SL, 23TL, 18TL) as some adapted Leica M glass through the Leica M adapter L as some Canon glass with the Novoflex adaptor. I even swapped the 24-105 Panasonic L to a Leica CL. My findings so far: Less heavy as the Leica SL with the "kit" lens. The high res viewfinder is even better than the SL viewfinder (regarding resolution) not by far. On both camera's when you are brave/confident enough you can manual focus large aperture lenses without even using the magnification features. I find Panasonic viewfinder a tat more blue than the EVF of the SL (OLED?). Adapting foreign lenses is a viable option but no AF with Canon EOS glass. The Novoflex transmits the focal length (even with zoom lenses) and you can change the f stop. When adapting Canon glass with the same adaptor on the SL sometimes AF works a couple of times than you had to switch to MF/AF so it worked again. My plan is to use Canon tilt shift glass (manual focus). Nikon AF-D (sadly not supported anymore by Nikon mirrorless offerings as the screwdriver motor draws to much power from the camera...) no need for me to purchase a Nikon mirrorless. The Leica M to L adapter does not transmit the M glass 6 bit code, the camera nicely asks you with focal length you are using so it can use this info for exif and the IBIS. Metering works fine even with foreign glass. Using L mount lenses: Leica TL mount glass works on the S1 with decreased resolution (ca 10Mp) as it does with the SL Leica (S)L mount glass works on the S1, even the lens stabilisation seems to work with the camera IBIS. AF speed is a tat faster as the SL (only tested AF-S), some occasional hunting can occur (as with the SL) Image output: The Panasonic S1 output is very nice in JPG as are the RAW files in Lightroom. LR classic/ACR has the inbuild camera profiles in the latest version. The raw files can be severely pushed before disintegrating. In low light the S1 is around one stop better than the Leica SL (from a non scientific standpoint) and you have IBIS. I have the impression I have less CA aberration with adapted glass on the Panasonic (further testing needed). In good light the SL still holds on very well. Regarding AF-C I rarely use it. I still focus my camera's as the Nikon F4. For fast moving stuff I still rely on a DSLR in my case a Nikon D4 in AF-C mode. To my knowledge Panasonic DFD af mode works in the AF-C mode as guessing algorithms are in place. Ergonomics: Although this is very personal... The back rotating switch on top of the camera can have a life on his own. Hence the reason why Panasonic implemented a lock switch! The camera is build to very sturdy standards. The button layout is very well thought out. I had a brief flirt with the G9 a couple of months ago and I liked the layout The tilting screen is a very welcome addition as it enables to take photographs at very low angles. It is even a more discreet option compared to the flippy screens. I am not a videographer so I have no need for a flippy screen and honestly vlogging with this camera unless you consider this part of your workout session... I think they are other offerings available. The menu system follows the Panasonic tradition with an extra layer. Although complex I find it fairly easy to find my way. This camera is complex and I will need several months of use before mastering/tweaking this camera to my needs. As Gordon pointed out this camera eats batteries so I highly recommend an extra one. Still need to fiddle with the in camera power saving options. Do I regret purchasing this camera. No, absolutely not So far it is one of the best mirrorless offerings I have tried out in FF format. What I am currently using: Olympus OM-D M1mkII (m43) Panasonic LX100 (m43) Leica M (FF) yes it is mirrorless as it has an optical viewfinder/rangefinder Leica CL (APS-C) Ricoh GRII Leica SL (FF) Nikon D4 (FF DSLR) Canon 5DMKiv (FF DSLR) I am not going to put a list of previously owned camera's but compared to several other camera's! These are of course my own opinions regarding this camera.

This is SO HELPFUL. You clearly explained several functions I've been utterly flummoxed by for months (4k / 6k photo modes) and cleared up some confusion about nebulous stats.

Awesome review, Gordon! You’re one of the best camera guys ever!

In-depth review of Panasonic's full-frame mirrorless, the Lumix S1! Check prices at B&H: bhpho.to/2MORySo Buy Gordon a coffee: www.paypal.me/cameralabs Gordon's In Camera book at Amazon: amzn.to/2n61PfI / Amazon uk: amzn.to/2mBqRVZ 1:39 - S1 vs G9, size and weight 2:23 - S1 in your hands, build quality 3:22 - the L-mount alliance and lenses 4:43 - sensor 5:19 - stabilisation, scope mode 7:04 - controls, buttons and dials 8:55 - night mode and backlit buttons 9:36 - customising buttons 9:52 - viewfinder 10:39 - screen 11:42 - touch features 12:22 - menu system 13:05 - ports and connectivity 14:12 - wireless, Wifi, Bluetooth 14:48 - card slots 15:34 - battery 16:18 - burst shooting 17:08 - autofocus modes 17:31 - object tracking and animal detection 19:13 - face tracking 19:45 - wakeboarding 20:11 - birds in flight 21:10 - manual focus / linear focusing 22:10 - image quality 23:07 - High Resolution Mode 25:12 - 6K / 4K Photo modes 29:32 - Hybrid Log Gamma / HLG Photo 30:05 - Lumix S1 vs Sony A7 III noise 30:59 - Lumix S1 vs Lumix S1R noise 31:42 - movie menus / brief overview 32:35 - verdict Filmed with the Sony A6400 and e 24mm: bhpho.to/2CqYrEs Voiceover audio recorded with the Rode NT-USB: bhpho.to/2m8pDAc

I haven't been excited about a new camera for years. As soon as the S1 and S1r were announced, I started checking availability and stashing away cash. I really hope to own the S1r, at some point.

The most sophisticated and full review on this camera I have seen in the internet. Thank you, Gordon!

Personally speaking, I would rather have the rear tilting screen, which keeps the camera view centered on the back of the camera. This camera is obviously not made for Vloggers as a major customer group. The EVF must be incredible with that much resolution. Interesting battery comments. This camera is really competing with the likes of Nikon's D5 and Canon 1DX and the battery capacities of those cameras. This camera must do almost everything better than those systems or there will be little system conversion which I would assume Panasonic is counting on for future sales. With the Leica connection, this is a very premium system cost wise and must reflect that. We are now in a VERY competitive environment in the Pro/Semi Pro marketplace. Every new system has benefits and since Panasonic is last to market, they must do everything better. I don't see enough here to justify moving over and I am not sure I would start with this system. Good review. Regards, from the desert.

That EVF is incredible. I played with a S1 and was impressed. Out of my price range like most. I have GH5, thinking of getting a GH5S, but I would be interested in seeing the GH6 in 2020.

Panasonic is pushing way harder than Canon and Nikon does

Best review ! All the details we need . Thank you for your effort

FINALLY! A review of this camera for the still photographer!

Gordon, you are the best camera reviewer. This is the most comprehensive review and very clear. The S1 looks amazing, Panasonic have done a great job for Pros.

I just bought one of these used, actually, and this review was part of the reason why. I'm upgrading from my trusty decade-old Canon 6D and I'm hoping that I've found the body and system that can last me another decade. The body and handling features you highlighted are really what ended up selling me on this camera. The large top LCD (can't live without it), the backlit buttons (I love astro stuff), the weatherproofing, the sheer build quality...and lord knows I'm getting an upgrade in specs too. Excited to have some semblance of dynamic range, in-body image stabilization, and, by Canon 6D standards, an autofocus system I can finally trust (no more focus-and-recompose, lol), among so many other features (USB-C charging! Dual card slots! On and on). The EVF being that great when going from OVF to EVF was a concern of mine will also be super nice. Thanks for the review Gordon, it was a great overview. Excited for what the next ten years brings for my kit.

Great review Gordon, as always. I have pre-ordered S1 and been using it extensively from day one, took it to multiple short trips, and found it very reliable and packed with useful features. Your findings and verdicts are all spot on. Thanks!

This video involved a ton of work. A throwaway sentence of yours Gordon, but oh-so-obvious. Excellent. Just what we all needed.

This is as good as any camera review I have ever seen. Great job! Panasonic may be looking for customers to ship over from other brands, but they may also end up cannibalizing their own M43 customers who want to convert to, or add, full frame capability. To that end, when you compare the S1 image quality to other cameras, it may interest quite a few people to see how it compares to the M43r flagships - the G9, the GH5, and the GH5S.

Absolutely stupendous review, Gordon! I love how you cover everything, and you keep the fault picking to a minimum and focus more on what the product is actually able to deliver. Many reviewers forget that not a single buyer out there is looking for a magic bullet camera or lens that can achieve aces on all aspects in comparison with other brands and makes, but rather on what the medium of photography is able to allow the device to accomplish from a capability stand point and photographers creativity with the tool. The way I rate a device is on what would be considered its "Bread & Butter", or Very Useable, or Usable, Or Not Usable. That way we focus more on making the most of what makes it shine, and ultimately make us shine as well, and leave the rest of the work to other better cameras or lenses for certain situations and conditions. Keep up the great work. Cheers

Usually I watch those reviews you do if cameras I can afford. Even though I couldn't ever dream of affording one of these things I have time to waste at the doctor's, so I'll watch it anyway. 40 minutes off Gordon's soothing voice? Sure!

The initial response to this camera was so strange. Yes, the a7iii is a value king (I own one!) and I know the Nikon system has made a huge leap in video quality with the Z6, but this really does seem like a thoroughly considered, pro-level full frame option from Panasonic with their excellent software and a promising new lens lineup to boot. And that EVF, my is it beautiful! Will be looking forward to see your analysis of AF in the movie part of your review, great video Gordon!

Awesome, fair review Gordon! I've purchased and been using a Lumix S1 for landscape photography for a few weeks. I am of the opinion that this is the best 35mm solution for landscape photographers right now, especially if they find themselves in less-than-ideal backcountry weather :) I'll put out a full review for landscape photography after a bit more time with it.

The Tellytubby was my favorite part of the review, thanks Gordon

Nice. Maybe in a couple of years. For now I'll enjoy my G9 as my preferred compact system camera and my Nikon Z6 with my F-mount lenses and single S-mount zoom. The pricing, especially for the glass on this new system is daunting, and it's fine to talk about a future lens system, but early adopters will have a good wait. The Z6 isn't bad on battery life, and I'm using the menus a lot more that I should in the future. That S1 battery is a beast (as is the camera), but I'll bet the shot count improves with more efficient use of the displays. Frankly the main appeal of the S1 is a more consistent interface compare to my G9. The no-grams-spared body and lens offerings really don't appeal. I do understand that Panasonic is establishing itself as a no-compromise professional camera...except that I know the limitations of DFD and think that falls short of being clearly "best" in FF mirrorless. I hope the system sells well and the line expands to include lenses and bodies I might rationally afford. It's interesting that I got my Panasonic MFT cameras because they borrowed from the UI of Nikon cameras. Now I'd like Nikon to return the favor and model features of Panasonic's UI.

L-MOUNT ALLIANCE!✊🏾

In 2024, Lumix S1 and S5 are the most underrated cameras on the fullframe camera market. I bought both, the S1 for 1100€ and the S5 for 800€. Now you have also a very good variety of lenses. My favourite kit for nature and landscape is the S1 with Sigma‘s 14-24, 24-70 and 105 macro. I use the S5 mostly as my all day camera with the 24 and 50mm 1.8 Lumix prime lenses. This is a very lightweight, but still a professional and weathersealed combo.

Gordon this is the best-and best reasoned-camera review I’ve ever seen. I can’t imagine how many hours you have in this!

I think Panasonic will at some point have to release something similar to the Sony A9, for sports and wildlife. I think for first Gen Full-Frame these cameras seem good. Only slightly weak in continuous auto focus. I am a bit old school and hardly ever use auto focus. Perhaps if I shot Sony I would lol. I am really impressed at the user experience of Panasonic. Such as menus, EVF, button layout and LCD screen. Sensor quality has been really good even on the G9. Great reviews as always.

Great review. Love those focus stacking features.

amazing review. love how you actually do what you are talking about. the photostack will be amazing when taking pictures of my little munchkins.

Nice and thorough review as always Gordon - great job. It looks like a superb camera for pros, but for me the G9 is more alluring due to the lower price and weight (especially for the entire system).

Although this camera is not for me, I love they are raising the bar. I wonder what is going to be the next generation of Sony and Nikon cameras.

Thanks, completely understand. Appreciate your excellent content!!

Gordon what a GREAT WONDERFUL review!! I have this S1, and in my mind it blows away any Sony A7 FF body I have owned so far, in so many ways that are important for PHOTOGRAPHY, Thank you. I just LOVE the image quality out of this S1 and for me vs my prior Sonys, and even a Nikon D750 I had, I just WANT to use THIS Panasonic S1..Unlike the Sonys or Nikon. I guess that's subjective, but this S1 really connects with me. You did a super GREAT job explaining all the features and benefits here. This camera has been out about two weeks now and so far Dr Northrup and his bride, Jared Fro knows nada?, even the DP guys Chris and Jordan who I do enjoy very much, have not even mentioned anything about this great camera here in you-tube land. YET, soon as the Canon EOS R, and the Nikon Zeds came out these guys had reviews out in minutes. Meh! T. Northrup had already bad mouthed these new Pannys WAY back, without even having one in hand, or with final firmware. And mostly about the darn video capabilities vs contrast focus...does every photographer HAVE to be a video guy TOO..who cares!! I believe he said THEN to just SKIP these Panasonics.....NUTS! They so far have missed THIS Panasonic FF boat which are THE most exciting FF camera(s) to come out VS Sony, and even if they do finally do a review on this S1 or S1R, I can't see anyone's review being as in depth and neutral as your review here. WELL DONE, and Thanks...I owe you a coffee! :)

There’s a lot to like. It needs to be good. I won’t be swapping my Sony for it but there are a few features there I wouldn’t mind. It will interesting to see if the market is willing to invest in (essentially) a new system.

That is one awesome FF camera. Great comprehensive review. You really know your Lumix cameras.

Gordon if you had a fresh start what camera body would you start with? After being hands on with all of these body's I'd like to know. I'm currently starting fresh myself.

Finally someone is doing clever software things on real cameras like smartphones do in photos. It may take 10 years until Canon will do stuff like this, if they ever will. -.-

It's nice to have a bigger body that I can actually grasp properly..Thank you Panasonic !

It's definitely the best camera I've used. I came from Canon 5DIV, 6D and EOS R. Also played with Sony A7III, A7RIII and A9 but I didn't like it.

One of my favorite thing about the S1/S1R is the hefty size of the camera. It feels like a rugged tool without compromises. I'm wishing Sony and Nikon would take a hint with their mirrorless bodies.

Excellent review Gordon you've earned yourself a subscriber !

Lovely review as always, it's quite the camera. the flip out touch screen looks a joy and if I ever upgrade my Panasonic G3, this is the one thank you.

If this camera has proven anything to me, is that there's no such thing as a perfect camera. What other people see as damning faults, I am indifferent to; what others are indifferent to, I find stumbling blocks. Love the tilty screen. Love the weight. DFD? Aaaah! Why'd they use LCD over OLED? So many interesting compromises.

What a gorgeous review!

what an amazing review! thank you very much!

Judging from your comments, you'd really like the Pentax K-1 (II), apart from its heft (which I like very much). It has excellent ergonomics, fantastic build quality, and a back LCD screen with more degrees of freedom. I tried the S1(R) viewfinders and while they are better than Fuji's, they are still no match for an optical viewfinder even at the battery-hungry 120Hz setting. Panasonic came close to making a really good camera, but there are some weird decisions like enabling super quick adjustments to the viewfinder display size, but making it much slower to adjust viewfinder brightness. That's just backwards.

Interesting comment on the backscreen and to realize y vloggers r a minority group, good job!. We learn from you, you learn from us 😉. Tnx for the review, well done

This camera is a BEAST!!!

Love your long reviews. I wanted to give you 5 thumbs up but it is not possible. thank you very much.

I'm looking for a camera to start doing fashion photography I been looking at the EOS R and the S1, the S1 has everything but I have a gut feeling I should invest in canon glass even though the EOS R isn't up to scratch. What's your thoughts much appreciated, also I can get a steal ofa price for the S1 £1300. Thanks

Great review Gordon as always.

I´m waiting for more sample vídeos . thanks for your great work .

Great in depth review sir .

Quite an interesting camera, and a thorough, informative video

Best camera I have ever used. That is coming from a longtime Nikon/Sony user.

Thx for the in depth review Gordon :) I LUV PANASONIC! Saying that I'm never buying this camera! Too BIG, Too HEAVY, Too EXPENSIVE and with this sensor, doesn't even offer 6 or 8K video! I would move up into Medium Format if I was looking to spend this amount of money!! Even SONY, which I am not a fan, A7lll is looking good if I was buying FF this year. Hopefully Panasonic won't abandoned their MFT line and customers for this expensive Tank!

Very thorough, detailed review of the S1, Gordon... thank you! As a landscape and product photographer currently using the Fuji X-System, I'm strongly considering going FF because I print large posters, and though my X-T3 with some very sharp Fujinon XF lenses does give good results at 24" x 36", I believe that I could get even better (sharper/more detailed) prints with a FF System. My big conundrum, is deciding between the S1 with the 24-105 f/4 Macro, OR the Nikon Z7 System...although after your video, I now think the S1 (with the High Resolution Mode) would serve me well, and having several more features than the Z7, including the superb Lumix/Sigma/Leica lens options! Thanks again!

Very nice to see Panny doing this really well. Won't get me out of my m43 heaven and hoping some of its features will find their way in the G9 mark II (especially the EVF) but also the better HiRes mode (correcting ofr movement to some degree).

29:47 - How did you swap between non HLG photo and HLG photo and keep the birds at the exact same place? Did ju just use a mask to simulate the effect?

Excellent Review

thanks again Gordon for a thorough review and always good to see brighton and it's seagulls. I do love what panasonic are doing with their full frame mirrorless lineup - much more mature than nikon or canon's releases. I do hope the choice to stick the DFD won't hurt them with CAF - in single shot it's great on my g9! Fingers crossed the mirrorless market remains competitive

I want to ask, Is the Panasonic Lumix S1 camera can record using the remote focus Heden?

Hi Gordon, thank you for excellent review as always. Currently I am deciding between Panasonic G9 and S1. Do you think that it is better choice to pay more for s1 at this time? I am not Pro and will be using camera mainly for walk arounds, travel and some family events. Don’t have any lenses at this time so I will be buying fresh system. Previously I had Sony A7iii, but didn’t like the colors/output that much. I will mostly do small prints time to time and will be using 2k dell monitor for photography with full adobe coverage

Gordon, your review are seriously thorough - a benchmark for sure. I love all these smart unique features, but I think a lot of people really want raw image files. Also, I am curious to see how reliable the focusing is in more challenging scenarios (such as shallower depth of field and quicker moving subjects).

Great review thank you.

does this support the XLR 1 adapter? Any experience tethering to Lightroom?

Thank you for the review. Looks like and awesome camera.

Gordon is the bulb mode programmable on this camera like on some Canon ones? Can I set up the time in bulb mode - e.g I want the shutter to stay open for 2 min can I program it to shut itself after that time?

Would be great to get a short updated review now that several firmware updates have been released.

So it seems like the photo C-AF for moving objects is better than Canon (bc of speed) and Nikon (accuracy) mirrorless? Is this right or something was lost in translation? Side comment: the sony video AF was pretty terrible in this video, almost never the right spot was in focus, very distracting. No pumping though.

thank you Gordon

I absolutely LOVE my S1.....as a video camera. I got this almost entirely as a compact 10bit camcorder. I desperately waiting on the VLog upgrade as it can't come fast enough. I have to say though, I can't see Panny stealing many Canon, Nikon and Sony photographers. I just dont see phase detect photographers leaving their AF in large numbers in favor of contrast detect AF. On the video side?....this camera has no equal today!!!

Once again Gordon, an excellent review. However, even if I could afford it (which I can't) I don't feel inspired to get one. I am extremely happy with my G80/85. It does just about everything I need in a camera and lots of other things that I will probably never use.

Nice review, looks like a good camera. I like the fact that they did not include a flippy screen, better for stills and general use, to me anyway.

Great review! Looking forward to the video features review. I have a question for you. Are you able to set the SS/Gain Operation to Angle/ISO?

best camera body for milc that I ever touched. Feels like a dslr. I got nikon lenses so I got the z6, but nikon needs a pro body like this.

Great review! Very well done. This seems to be ALMOST perfect. Was very surprised at how noisy the shutter is. Sounds as loud as a mirror clapping about. This could be a dealbreaker on this camera.

Can you not angle the screen to the left?

Why did they kill the swiveling screen? :( That is one of my favorite features on any camera.

Wow ! this seems like a really well thought out pro camera body . Thank you for the review Gordon. has anyone tried using canon lenses with an adapter on this body ?

Exhaustive and informative review. Thanks for your efforts. Does the information on the screen flip when you use the portrait orientation?

People crap on its autofocus for simply not being phase-detection embeded. But Panasonic once again worked their way around the problem. Don't forget that it was Panasonic who invented this entire genre of cameras. They aren't nessesary the best, but they won't be bad in any regard, espiecially when it comes to intergrating a whole adcanced camera system.

Gorden, I have taken 30 000 pictures in Lofoten last year with the fuji X-T100 only jpegs and because its over sharp in camera and creates strange shapes when zooming in a lot I keep sharpness on minus one and I wish I could set it to minus 1.5 cos its still annoying. Sony a5100 is lovely all the way in and M100 too. This is making me wonder if I should buy an S1 and forget about fuji. How do you deal with the oversharpeing? I love the XF10 so much but I keep it on minus 2. I ask because I know you shoot jpegs and you seam to like Panasonic a lot. The LX100 is the only Panasonic I have. Maybe X-T3 is better? I only have the X-T1 and its kind of mushy compared to X-T100. Is the S1 one of the best for landscapes only jpegs?

And these days , this camera can do 5K 10 bit internally and 4:22 10 bit 4K 60P Externally! all this with a 47mp too.

Add canon adapter and flip touch screen and sensor shutter protector on s2 and it be great!

Hi Gordon, the A7RIV or the S1R? Which one would you choose for photography? The lumix colors are also nice out of the box...

Is it built and weather sealed like a Pentax K--1ii. doubtful...can it be washed in a sink or dropped in a river and still work?

Superb video

When the rear LCD's brightness is set to the brightest setting, does it automatically dim?

Gordon,what USB cable are you using with the Atomos?

Super review...👍👍

Gordon What’s a good adapter to use this lens on S1? www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/647011-USA/Canon_3554B002_EF_100mm_f_2_8L_Macro.html

Looks like a nice camera... huge though I think ide fall right out of my wheelchair holding that thing 😆

An excellent review/overview of this fine camera. It really does seem to be the most 'pro' spec of the recent batch of mirrorless full frame cameras (that's you Canon and Nikon..) and as you point out, needs to be considered as such on size, weight and importantly, price. When a fuller Lumix and Sigma lens range is available, I think the Lumix S is going to be a formidable system, uniquely crossing over into two other manufacturers future cameras and lenses. And let's not forget, Lumix must surely have plans for other full frame L-mount cameras... I'm looking forward to a rangefinder style body, and maybe a 'compact' full frame body too??! Meanwhile, my G9 is keeping me happy.

Love this camera. Maybe when I get some money for proper glass I can upgrade from Rx10

I see they took the Night Mode from the Pentax K-1ii playbook

Excellent comprehensive review. One question. There has been some reporting the S1 includes an exposure ramping function for us time lapse, light to dark, shooters. Is this rumor true? Thanks.

Thanks you...!!!!

Sir, I need help.I am wedding photographer in India I am looking for a new camera. It has two cameras in front of me Lumix S1 and SONY 7MIII Which of these is the best camera for the weddingphotography? Please help me.