Panasonic has introduced the LUMIX S5, a new hybrid full-frame mirrorless camera with performances in photo and video serious photographers and videographers.
The Lumix S series introduced in early 2019 has been a bold move for Panasonic to ventures into the realm of the full-frame mirrorless segment with the consortium of Leica and Sigma to introduced the L-Mount Alliance to take on the other full framer big brothers. Fast forward to the present time, Panasonic has launched the all-new Lumix S5 – dubbed the full-frame mirrorless hybrid camera for both photo and video content makers with the size of the Lumix GH series.
Let’s have a quick glance of what the Lumix S5 has to offer:-
- 24.2-megapixel 35mm full-frame CMOS sensor
- Up to ISO 51200 with the adoption of the Dual Native ISO technology
- 4K 60p. 10-bit video
- IBIS with up to 6.5-stops
- 96-megapixel High-Resolution Mode
- New 2,200mAh battery
- Double SD Card slot
Image Quality
The LUMIX S5 contains a 24.2-megapixel 35mm full-frame CMOS sensor. It boasts a wide dynamic range and reproduces sharp images with exceptional clarity. Noise is minimized even when shot at maximum ISO 51200 high sensitivity. It is an ideal camera to use especially in low-light situations. Dual Native ISO gives film creators a greater variety of artistic choices as well as the ability to use less light on the set, saving time. The LUMIX S5’s Dual Native ISOs are 640 and 4000.
LUMIX S5 provides a High-Resolution mode that faithfully reproduces precise details to be saved as beautiful, highly realistic images not only RAW but also in JPEG. Eight consecutive images are automatically shot while shifting the sensor using the Body I.S. (Image Stabilizer) mechanism and synthesized into a 96-megapixel equivalent (12,000 x 8,000-pixel) image by the Venus Engine, which boasts high-speed signal processing. It can also be used in situations where moving subjects are included in the scene, by switching the sub-mode.
This camera integrates the Body I.S. for powerful handshake correction. Panasonic developed an algorithm that precisely calculates shake information acquired not only from a gyrosensor but also from the image sensor and accelerometer sensor. This enables more accurate shake detection and compensation, making it possible to use a 5-stop slower shutter speed. Combining the Body I.S. (5-axis) in the camera and the O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer, 2-axis) in the LUMIX S Series lens, the 5-axis Dual I.S. 2 the correction power is maximized to allow 6.5-stop slower shutter speed.
With the new Live View Composite function, the camera releases the shutter at designated intervals of exposure time and synthesises the parts with high luminosity to produce a single picture. While the total brightness of each consecutive image is accumulated in bulb shooting, only the target subject, the bright parts of an image, are detected and the user can synthesise them carefully while seeing it in live view. This is useful for capturing shots of fireworks or stars in the night sky where the background needs no gain-increase.
Video Performance
The LUMIX S5 is capable of 4K 60p/50p 4:2:0 10-bit, and 4K 30p/25p 4:2:2 10-bit internal recording up to 30 minutes. It is also capable of 4K 60p/50p 4:2:2 10-bit HDMI output. For 4K 30p/25p 4:2:0 8-bit internal recording, there is no time limit. It delivers 14+ stops of Dynamic Range, which are virtually the same as those of the Panasonic cinema cameras, to precisely reproduce everything from dark to bright areas.
This camera imports the renowned colourimetry of the VariCam lineup of cinema cameras. It contains V-Log/V-Gamut capture to deliver a high dynamic range and broad colours. V-Log renders a very flat image while maintaining all of the colour information within the image. This means that there is a greater level of play when the images are put through post-production processes. The CMOS sensor of the LUMIX S5 achieves a wide colour gamut known as V-Gamut, which is the S5’s optimum colour space and achieves a colour space that is wider than BT.2020. V-Log has log curve characteristics that are somewhat reminiscent of negative film and V-Gamut delivers a colour space even larger than film. 35 conversion LUTs for VariCam cinema cameras can be downloaded free of charge for use in the LUMIX S5. It is easy to match the colour tone with the footage recorded in V-Log of S1H/S1 and V-Log L of GH5/GH5S. Practical tools like a Waveform Monitor and V-Log View Assist are also available.
With Slow & Quick mode, impressive video slow and quick motion in 4K (1-60fps, 30x quick to 2.5x slow) or in FHD (1-180fps, 60x quick to 7.5x slow) is available. It is possible to use AF to capture the subject in sharp focus in this mode, too. It can also be accessed directly using the mode dial.
The HDR (High Dynamic Range) video recording in 4K is also available, which reproduces both the bright parts and dark parts of an image, making it look just like human eyes see it. The camera records video with a designated gamma curve compatible with ITU-R BT.2100, and the user can now choose Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG) in Photo Style. The HLG Photo mode provides a wider dynamic range to reproduce light and shadow with more natural contrast. The HLG Photos can also be produced as an HSP file with compressed high-brightness signals in its full resolution (5,888 x 3,312, in 16:9) in addition to JPEG/RAW files. The user can playback these vibrant images on the latest Panasonic HLG-compliant 4KTV via HDMI cable connection or other HLG-compliant devices. For more continuous burst shooting, 6K PHOTO makes it possible to capture unmissable moments at 30 fps by extracting the frame with the best timing out of a 6K burst file (in 4:3 or 3:2 aspect ratio) to save as an approximately 18-megapixel equivalent high-resolution photo.
High-precision AF
The LUMIX S5 boasts high-speed, high-precision AF in both photo shooting and video recording. Combining the Contrast AF with DFD (Depth From Defocus) technology, it focuses on the target in approximately 0.08 sec. As a camera that excels in low-light shooting, the LUMIX S5 boasts -6EV luminance detection performance with Low Light AF thanks to the higher sensitivity and optimized tuning of the sensor. Allowing a maximum 480 fps communication speed between the sensor and the lens
It also incorporates an advanced deep learning technology that detects specific subjects – humans and fast-moving animals, including Canidae, Felidae and birds. Notably for humans, in addition to the eye, face, body the head is also separately recognized by real-time detection technology to provide even more precise focusing. The camera keeps tracking the subject person even if he/she moves quickly, turns his/her back to the camera, tilts his/her head or moves far away from the camera. On the other hand, improvements to the DFD technology has enhanced AFC, which also enables users to keep tracking small or fast-moving subjects to capture them in crisp focus whenever you release the shutter.
Rich Features
To withstand heavy field use, the LUMIX S5 is built on a magnesium alloy full die-cast body and is splash/dust-resistant. With an optimum layout of heat dispersion components, heat is effectively transferred outside which results in stable, continuous video recording for a long time. It has a large EVF with a high magnification ratio of approx. 0.74x. with 2,360K-dot high resolution.
A 3.0-inch free-angle LCD in 1,840K-dot high resolution provides touch control. Composition during recording in various popular aspect ratios such as 16:9, 4:3, 1:1, 4:5, 5:4 and 9:16 can be checked with the Frame Marker function. The LUMIX S5 has a dual SD Memory Card slot – one slot complies with UHS-I and the other with the high-speed, high-capacity UHS-II.
The camera’s battery can be recharged either via AC or USB according to the user’s convenience. Compatibility with Bluetooth 4.2 enables constant connection with a smartphone/tablet with minimum power consumption. The settings of a LUMIX S5 camera can also be copied and transmitted wirelessly to other S5 cameras when using multiple S5 cameras. It uses Wi-Fi 5-GHz and 2.4-GHz for secure and stable connection on location for smooth remote control and high-speed data transfer.
At writing time, the availability date for Malaysia market is in early October 2020 and the retail price is not confirmed, we expect it to be around RM9,000 for the body. Visit Panasonic Malaysia website for more information.
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