Creator’s Camera: The Ideal Choice When Budget Isn’t a Concern

After an extended wait of six years, Panasonic has finally unveiled the highly anticipated S1 II, and there’s an abundance of features to explore. True to Panasonic’s reputation, this camera is designed with creators in mind, supporting internal video recording of up to 5.8K ProRes RAW. Simultaneously, it stands out as Panasonic’s fastest full-frame photo camera to date, achieving remarkable burst speeds of 70 fps and significantly reducing rolling shutter distortion, thanks to its innovative partially stacked 24-megapixel sensor. Moreover, the introduction of an AI-powered hybrid phase-detect autofocus system marks a significant improvement, addressing previous issues with autofocus that were present in the original S1.

However, there is a notable concern regarding the pricing of the S1 II, which is unexpectedly high for Panasonic. Priced at $3,200, it positions itself similarly to Nikon’s Z6 III, which features a comparable partially stacked sensor and internal RAW video capabilities but is available at a much lower price point—often around $700 less. This unusual pricing strategy puts the S1 II in a challenging position, especially considering Panasonic’s history of competitive pricing against rivals. After testing the camera for a month, I found its value largely depends on what features are most important to the user.

Ergonomic Design and User Experience

The S1 II boasts an impressive body design reminiscent of the higher-resolution S1R II and the more affordable, non-stacked S1 IIe. Weighing in at a mere 1.76 pounds, it is significantly lighter than its predecessor, making it more portable for photographers on the go. The camera’s smaller size coupled with a large, ridged grip enhances comfort, although its angular design and firmer rubber skin may not provide the same level of comfort during extended shooting sessions when compared to Canon’s EOS R6 II.

One of the standout features of the S1 II is its intuitive control layout, which simplifies the user experience. It integrates all necessary buttons and dials in well-thought-out locations—most notably, the joystick and control dials. There is a dedicated switch for switching between photo, video, and slow and quick (S&Q) modes, each equipped with individual adjustments to prevent any mix-ups. Additionally, a dedicated autofocus switch, two video record buttons (located on the top and front), and a total of ten programmable buttons enhance functionality.

Thanks to the logical, color-coded tabs and user-friendly quick menu—accessible via touch or joystick—I rarely found myself searching for settings. Panasonic has made it easy to customize buttons, dials, and the quick menu according to personal preferences, and users can even save their settings to a memory card for easy backup.

The S1 II features a bright and sharp electronic viewfinder with a resolution of 5.76 million dots and a magnification of 0.78x, matching the Z6 III. The rear display is not only capable of swiveling out but also tilting up and down, providing versatility for overhead or hip-level photography. In contrast, the Nikon Z6 III lacks this tilting functionality, rendering it less adaptable.

As with the S1R II, battery life is a weak point with the S1 II, offering only 360 shots on a single charge or 320 shots when utilizing the electronic viewfinder. While this performance is on par with the Z6 III (the non-stacked S1 II performs slightly better at 380 shots), it falls significantly short compared to Canon’s more affordable R6 II, which boasts a remarkable battery life of 760 shots.

To enable RAW video capture, the S1 II includes a CFexpress Type B card slot alongside a slower SDXC UHS-II slot. Similar to the S5 IIx and GH7, as well as several models from Fujifilm, it also supports high-bandwidth RAW video capture to an SSD via the USB-C port.

The S1 II comes equipped with a full-sized HDMI port supporting Blackmagic and ProRes RAW capture. Additionally, it features microphone and headphone ports, and can capture 32-bit float audio with the optional XLR2 accessory to minimize clipping risks. Finally, the S1 II is designed with a carbon fiber curtain that protects the sensor, akin to recent models from Canon and Sony.

Exceptional Performance for Every Photographer

The S1 II can achieve burst shooting at a standard 10 fps in mechanical shutter mode, while excelling with a remarkable 70 RAW images per second using the electronic shutter. For those concerned about image distortion, there’s no need to worry, as the partially-stacked sensor boasts a rapid readout speed of approximately 12 milliseconds. This speed is adequate for capturing fast-paced sports or wildlife photography, unless the subject is moving at an exceptionally rapid pace.

Utilizing the pre-burst capture feature, which activates upon half-pressing the shutter, allows users to save up to 1.5 seconds of photos that might typically be missed when the shutter is fully pressed. However, the buffer capacity is somewhat limited, allowing only about three seconds (or 220 shots) at the maximum burst speed of 70 fps.

The hybrid phase-detect autofocus system in the S1 II is the most advanced I’ve encountered in any Panasonic camera to date. Nevertheless, it still falls short of the speed and accuracy standards set by Sony and Canon, and is slightly behind the Nikon Z6 III. When shooting fast-moving subjects at the peak burst rate of 70 fps, users may notice a higher incidence of out-of-focus shots.

The S1 II supports various AI modes, including tracking for animals, birds, and vehicles, in addition to human eye-tracking modes. I experienced mixed results with these features; the camera struggled to lock onto the eyes of certain birds and marine mammals at the Vancouver Aquarium. However, it performed admirably with common animal subjects like dogs, cats, horses, and geese. Panasonic also introduced a specialized AF mode called Urban Sports, specifically designed to enhance tracking for activities such as breakdancing, skateboarding, and parkour. Testing this mode with skateboarders at the highest burst settings yielded an impressive rate of over 90 percent in-focus shots.

One area where Panasonic excels beyond its competitors is in stabilization technology. The S1 II boasts an impressive eight stops of stabilization—just shy of the R6 II’s eight and a half stops—allowing for sharp shots even at shutter speeds as low as half a second. As I will elaborate further, the S1 II is unrivaled when it comes to video stabilization quality.

Unmatched Image Quality for Professionals

I have been consistently impressed with Panasonic’s color science recently, finding it to be on par with Nikon in producing some of the most color-accurate images available. In contrast, Canon’s images tend to lean warmer, while I believe that Sony models like the A7 IV occasionally lack precision, especially with blue-green tones.

The S1 II produces delightful JPEG images that strike a pleasing balance between sharpness and noise reduction, although the noise reduction can be overly aggressive at elevated ISO levels. In terms of RAW images, the S1 II captures an impressive amount of detail in both lighter and darker areas, allowing for significant post-processing corrections. It’s important to note that using the electronic shutter in burst modes reduces the RAW bit depth from 14 to 12.

A potential drawback of any stacked sensor, including the S1 II, is the tendency to produce additional noise, particularly at higher ISO settings. This is evident as the camera exhibits slightly more grain compared to Panasonic’s S5, which shares the same resolution but does not utilize a stacked sensor. Nevertheless, the S1 II retains comparable low-light performance to the Z6 III and outperforms most fully stacked cameras.

If the native 24MP resolution is not sufficient for your needs, the S1 II also includes a high-resolution mode that captures eight images with a slightly offset sensor position, merging them into a single 96-megapixel file (available in both RAW and JPEG formats). I successfully captured sharp images in this mode without the need for a tripod, thanks to the S1 II’s exceptional in-body stabilization capabilities.

Advanced Video Features for Creators

While the S1 II does not support 8K RAW recording like the S1R II, which features a higher resolution, it does offer impressive 5.8K 30 fps ProRes RAW capabilities, along with open gate full sensor video and super slow-motion recording at 4K 120p. This configuration significantly minimizes rolling shutter distortion, making it a more suitable choice for creators.

Additionally, the S1 II provides 10-bit video recording in both MP4 and Quicktime formats, alongside RAW options. Panasonic’s V-Log feature enhances dynamic range, and following a recent firmware update, users can obtain ARRI LogC3 for an additional fee of $200, allowing compatibility with ARRI’s professional digital cinema cameras.

With the same firmware update, the S1 II now accommodates 17 frame aspect ratios (increased from 10), and enables simultaneous display of up to three frames at once. This flexibility allows users to shoot in open gate while previewing how the image will appear in both vertical and horizontal formats.

Overall, the video quality is exceptional, featuring sharp oversampling, excellent color accuracy, and decent dynamic range. This dynamic range can be augmented using Panasonic’s dynamic range boost function, although it does lead to increased rolling shutter distortion. Without this setting enabled, rolling shutter skew is primarily an issue during whip pans or with very fast-moving subjects.

The video autofocus system is robust, maintaining focus on subjects unless they move at very high speeds. Detection modes for faces, eyes, animals, urban sports, and vehicles perform admirably, although users may find slightly better accuracy and speed with the latest models from Canon and Sony.

The S1 II delivers superior video stabilization compared to its competitors. The optical stabilization system yields commendable results for handheld video, while electronic stabilization (EIS) offers smoothness akin to that of a gimbal, albeit with a notable crop. Like other recent Panasonic models, the S1 II features “cropless” EIS that corrects corner distortion when using wide lenses, effectively mitigating rolling shutter effects.

Thanks to a built-in fan, overheating is rarely a concern with the S1 II. The only instances of overheating occurred during 5.8K at 60 fps and 5.1K open gate recording, where the camera automatically shut down after 50 minutes and 40 minutes, respectively. This performance is commendable for a compact mirrorless camera. Furthermore, these limits are eliminated if recording to an SSD via the USB-C port.

Creators may be curious about how the S1 II stacks up against Nikon’s Z6 III. The Z6 III offers a wider range of RAW options, including the ability to record 5.8K Nikon RAW (N-RAW) at up to 60 fps, compared to the S1 II’s 30 fps limit. Both cameras deliver similar video quality due to sharing the same sensor. The Z6 III slightly outperforms the S1 II in autofocus speed and accuracy, while the S5 II has superior stabilization and handling. Ultimately, I find the S1 II to be a better option for video shooters, although the Z6 III is significantly more affordable.

Final Thoughts on the Panasonic S1 II

The Panasonic S1 II stands as a formidable hybrid camera, and had it not been for its steep price, it would undoubtedly be a top recommendation for creators. However, the Nikon Z6 III offers nearly identical video capabilities, excels in photography, and is priced at least $600 less, making it a more prudent choice for many users.

For those seeking a more budget-friendly alternative, Panasonic has introduced the $2,500 S1 IIe, which was announced concurrently with the S1 II. While it shares a similar body and most features, it utilizes the non-stacked sensor from the S5 II, resulting in more pronounced rolling shutter issues.

If your primary focus is photography, the higher-resolution S1R II is a superior option, priced only 0 more. However, for video professionals in need of advanced features such as timecode, ARRI LogC3 compatibility, and enhanced monitoring or audio capabilities, the S1 II remains a solid option, albeit one that is worth considering for a potential price drop.