Panasonic has announced two additions to its full-frame Lumix S series cameras, introducing the Panasonic Lumix S5 II and Lumix S5 IIX, price tag starting at €2,199 / £1,999 / $1,999.
Dual successors to the Lumix S5, both new Panasonic cameras feature a new full-frame 24-megapixel CMOS sensor that supports Hybrid Phase Detection AF.
The new Phase Hybrid AF system combines phase detection with contrast detection AF with 779-area metering that enables the camera to detect subjects in difficult lighting conditions.
Both the Panasonic S5 II and S5 IIX also boast a new image processing engine. Combined with the newly designed sensor, this enables both cameras the power to shoot at up to 9fps with their mechanical shutter and 30fps with the electronic shutter – the latter for up to 300 frames.
Both the Panasonic S5 II and S5 IIX also feature Dual Native ISO with a top native value of ISO 51,200, which can be extended to ISO 204,800. Also on board is Panasonic’s 96-megapixel High Resolution Mode.
Both cameras also offer upgraded in-body image stabilisation (IBIS), which Panasonic says can compensate as much as 200% compared with the original Lumix S5.
Other features available in both cameras are AWB Lock and MF Assist (available in both video and stills mode) controls and a new Live Crop function that records video using the whole surface of the sensor, allowing you to crop 4K and Full HD images afterward.
The S5 II and S5 IIX also boast a new 8-way joystick, 3-inch touchscreen LCD and a 3,680K-dot OLED EVF. There are also full-size HDMI Type A and USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports and dual SD card slots.
Panasonic S5 II & S5 IIX Video Capability
Both the Panasonic S5 II and S5 IIX can record internal 4:2:0 10-bit 6K (3:2) video, as well as well as 5.9K footage at 30fps and 4:2:2 C4K and 4K video at up to 60fps. To enable recording at these resolutions, Panasonic has fit both cameras with a new heat management system that allows for unlimited recording times. Both cameras also support High Frame Rate recording at up to 120fps and Slow & Quick capture at up to 180fps.
Both cameras also offer 14+ stop V-Log/V-Gamut recording for greater dynamic range, and Panasonic has added professional features such as Waveform Monitor, Vector Some and Zebra Pattern.There is also a port for XLR microphones.
Where the cameras differ is that the Lumix S5 IIX can record 5.8K Apple ProRes footage to SSD via HDMI or USB. The S5 IIX will also output Apple ProRes Raw video via Atomos devices.
Panasonic has said that a future firmware update will give both cameras new functions, such as raw data output and a Live View Composite mode.
Panasonic S5 II & S5 IIX Price & Release Date
The Panasonic S5 IIX price tag will be €2,499 / £2,299 / $2,199, with a release date set for spring 2023. The Panasonic S5 II price tag will be €2,199 / £1,999 / $1,999, with a release date set for winter 2023.