Reviews roundup – Panasonic Lumix S1 : Should you buy it?
Here’s a roundup of all the Panasonic Lumix S1 reviews, ratings and impressions from the web. Discover its strengths and weaknesses here!
Released in March 2019, the Panasonic Lumix S1 features a 24MP full-frame CMOS sensor, a Depth from Defocus contrast-detect autofocus system, a 5-axis in-body ‘Dual IS’ stabilization system, a 5.76M-dot electronic viewfinder and a 2.1M-dot touchscreen LCD.
It can capture photos in JPG and RAW format, with a 6 fps burst in continuous autofocus mode and shoots 4K videos up to 60fps with a 1.5x crop. It disposes of both a XQD card slot and a SD card slot. Its battery can last up to 380, and can be recharged via USB. The Lumix S1 weighs 1021 g with the battery and both cards included.
So what do the critics think of the Panasonic Lumix S1?
Overall most reviews say that the Panasonic Lumix S1 has an amazing image quality, both in photo and video thanks to the 10-bit 4:2:2 V-Log 4K format. The in-body image stabilization is doing a great job, offering steady handheld shots. The full-frame sensor allows for a wide dynamic range, very effective in low light conditions.
The autofocus system is a bit slow and outdated though, compared to concurrent models. The battery life is a bit limited, though it is appreciable to be able to charge it on the go with a powerbank. The camera is quite bulky and heavy, making it a bit impractical to transport or use for a long period of time.
- Full frame sensor – 24. 2-Megapixel full-frame (35. 6mm x 23. 8mm) MOS sensor that provides a wide dynamic Range and excellent performance at high sensitivity (is 51200 Max sensitivity)
- Lumix S camera lens – easy-to-use 24-105mm standard focal macro zoom F4 l-mount for Lumix S Series full-frame l-mount digital Mirrorless cameras
- 4K HDR VIDEO - 4K 60p/50p, 4K 24/30P unlimited recording, 4K60P 29: 59 min limited recording. HDR Mode and Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG). V-Log with Internal 4: 2: 2 10-bit 4k30/24p (4K60p output only)...
Most reviews like…
- on-body controls
- great full-frame sensor
- image stabilization
- picture quality
- 4K video mode
- dual card format
Most reviews don’t like…
- price tag
- battery life
- available lens selection
- autofocus
- limited burst rate
- weight
For more infos about the positive and negatives sides of the Panasonic Lumix S1, check out the selection of reviews below:
Websites Reviews
Amateurphotographer.co.uk 4.5/5 – ‘It really is a very good camera indeed, and the more I used it, the more I came to appreciate its very real strengths. But if Panasonic wants to make serious inroads into the full-frame mirrorless market, I suspect it needs to make a smaller, lighter and simpler body that’s closer in concept to its main competitors.’
Camerajabber.com – ★★★★★ – ‘So while it wasn’t love at first sight with the S1, after shooting with it for a couple of weeks or so, I like it a lot. Its control layout is nicer than the Canon EOS R’s, it has a deep array of features and most importantly, its images and video are great.’
Cameralabs.com – ★★★★★ (Highly recommended)
Dpreview.com – 88% (Silver Award)
Digitalcameraworld.com – ★★★★½ ‘The Panasonic S1 is a solid, high-quality camera that delivers superb video and stills in many situations, it only lacks in credentials as a sports camera.’
Engadget.com – 87/100 ‘If you’re looking for a full-frame camera that does everything well, the Panasonic is a very capable option. Its low-light performance, image quality and video strengths could make it a particularly great documentary camera, for instance. If you can adapt to the autofocus issues, I’d highly recommend the Lumix S1.’
Ephotozine.com – ★★★★½ ‘The Panasonic Lumix S1 has excellent image quality, excellent video quality and options, as well as great handling, with a tough weather-sealed body. There’s a versatile tilting screen on the back and a high-resolution electronic viewfinder, which gives a large view of the scene. Yes, the camera’s large, but so are many other cameras, and for some people, this will be preferred. ‘
Pcmag.com – ★★★½ (Good) ‘The Panasonic Lumix DC-S1 delivers great image quality and includes a high-resolution mode not found in other 24MP models, but it can’t keep up when it comes to tracking speed.’
Photoreview.com.au – 9/10 (Editor’s Choice)
Trustedreviews.com – ★★★★★ – ‘A technical powerhouse with excellent image quality – but its size and price may be too demanding for some’
Techradar.com – ★★★★★ ‘With tried-and-tested goodness from Panasonic’s G series cameras alongside a stunning new viewfinder, excellent video and a sound full-frame sensor, the S1 does much to impress. A huge body, however, along with some awkward controls and an autofocus system that’s behind those on its peers, mean there’s room for improvement.’
Theverge.com – 8/10
Amazon users reviews
- Full frame sensor – 24. 2-Megapixel full-frame (35. 6mm x 23. 8mm) MOS sensor that provides a wide dynamic Range and excellent performance at high sensitivity (is 51200 Max sensitivity)
- Lumix S camera lens – easy-to-use 24-105mm standard focal macro zoom F4 l-mount for Lumix S Series full-frame l-mount digital Mirrorless cameras
- 4K HDR VIDEO - 4K 60p/50p, 4K 24/30P unlimited recording, 4K60P 29: 59 min limited recording. HDR Mode and Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG). V-Log with Internal 4: 2: 2 10-bit 4k30/24p (4K60p output only)...
1 thought on “Panasonic Lumix S1 reviews roundup: all the scores”