Andrew Reid

Surely Panasonic must be looking at giving us something in that style before much longer.

Rectangle, long...

Maybe a coffin to put their fucking brand in.

But if they do ever do another camera, that isn't an S5 with different sensor... Maybe it'll be the S1H II that gets the FX3 treatment, or it might even be an S9 II (seems a bit soon for the latter and for the former a bit fucking late though).

Panasonic are acting even more strange at the moment because they have no pro video camcorders any more. Why not? What happened to the Varicam line? EVA?

The GH7 could also have evolved with the times into a FX3 / ZR style body. Instead it STILL handles like a STILLS camera.

Come on Panasonic.

Wake up.

Open gate on a Canon stills cam? Never thought I'd see the day.

A lot to like here.

But also a lot I don't need. I am still majorly put off by RF mount.

I can put a 5 dollar lens on my GFX 100 and it looks like a Noctilux.

I can put a 3000 dollar lens on the Canon R6 III and it'll look sterile and boring, it'll weigh 6 tons and not look better than the 5 dollar lens on the GFX 100 so call me penny pinching but I am not very hyped about switching.

The Canon RF lens line up is a dud and even if they do now have a $450 lens to counter all the cheap F1.2 stuff from China on Amazon, it ain't enough and for me $450 is still quite a lot of money for a cheaply built boring modern lens.

A nice body to pick up second hand in 6 months for $2k for manual focus Canon FD glass though.

Nikon Zr hurts as it just seemed such an obvious move for Panasonic, they were well known for both the rangefinder-style form factor and the video features. There should have been a Panasonic Zr before a Nikon... The S9 was not it.

On the one hand photographers are crying out for rangefinder style small bodies, which Panasonic did so well in the Micro Four Thirds days. The GX80 and GX9 are so much in demand now that the used prices are constantly going up...they are 6-10 years old!

So what do they do... They go and launch one with no EVF and no mechanical shutter which is the surest way to piss off photographers imaginable.

And on the other hand video folk are really in love with the Sony FX3 for some reason and the smaller form factor, FX2 is very nice for example with the nod to the latter mentioned stills features missing from S9.

So Panasonic instead of doing an FX3 clone like Nikon and Canon... Go off on a complete tangent and do nothing. Not even an S1H Mark II.

Instead we have the overpriced S5 bodies otherwise known as S1 II and S1R II.

Great image quality and features but completely wrong marketing and design concepts.

Leica M Typ 240... 2012, this was before Panasonic got more involved with making Leica's stuff.

I'll give this a 10/10. The whole motherboard slides out really easily. I baked it in the oven to bring it back to life from completely dead. The solder needed a reflow apparently. 200 degrees C at 7 minutes did the trick. Custom chips all over the place. Utterly beautiful mechanically and in terms of the quality of connectors, cables, lots of metal parts and brilliantly designed internals.

Next up another older camera, Nikon D700.

Very impressive motherboard with separate analogue to digital converters.

Probably why the colour science still has the edge on the newer sensor designs with their inline on-chip A/D.

Nikon own branded chips.

By contrast in the newer Leica Q...

It's actually a Samsung.

And the lens relies on a LOT of digital correction, so it's certainly not in same league as a Leica M when it comes to the quality of parts or optics.

End result in terms of the images is very nice though.

We'll call it the Samsung Q.

Onto Fuji now and I have fixed an X-Pro3 and the old X-Pro1. The original had a lot of Fujifilm's own CPUs inside.

It's very well made but has a lot of traditionally soldered wires on the mainboard, old-school style. This continues with some of the newer models too.

X-Pro3 was an easy fix, a ribbon cable (FPC) had come loose where the sensor plugs into the mainboard. Some tape over the socket had shrunk in the heat and pulled it ajar.

Pictured above is the X-Pro1 circuitboard, it's more proprietary whereas X-Pro3 looks a bit more generic on the inside.

Here is an oven bake of a Panasonic LX15 mainboard...

The components can withstand very high-heat and usually cold solder joints are responsible for a wide range of issues.

Unfortunately in this case I made a mistake with the stop watch and the card slot fell off 🙂

Here is a sensor with hot mirror... the IR cut filter glows pink in this shot.

If you remove it you get an IR capable camera and can also shoot normally if you add the IR cut filter to the front of the lens instead.

I think this sensor is from my Lumix LX100 II or could be Sony RX100, I forget 🙂

Now onto Sony and their smaller cameras are too tightly packed.

FPC cables develop cracking over time as some of the metal is folded and bent too tightly to fit the smaller bodies.

This is an RX100 and it's very common to see these fail on the cable that connects the lens.

A relatively easy fix actually and replacement FPCs are $5 on Aliexpress.

But I don't rate Sony's quality as highly as Fuji or Panasonic so far.

Onto Canon and I have had a very bad experience so far with their modern cameras. The DSLRs were much better made (i.e. 5D Mark III which was easy to tear down and remove the OLPF back in the day!)

They use extremely fragile FPC connection sockets and the ribbon cables themselves are brittle and cheap. Sometimes a few bends and they tear. Doesn't make for a stress free repair that's for sure.

In contrast to Panasonic, with the lovely GX80 it's in a different league and take a bit of extra abuse by an amateur repairer.

I've done a lot more than what I have time to post today but probably will do a deeper look at stuff for YouTube or the blog.

I rate as follows the brands then...

1. Leica (the extra cost is noticeable on the inside)

2. Panasonic (they know how to sensibly build a camera and logically lay out stuff, and they don't scrimp on component quality)

3. Fujifilm (high repairability score and robust, sensible designs)

4. Nikon (high repairability but many of the newer cameras not up to high-standards they set during DSLR era)

5. Sony (they try to pack in too much)

6. Canon (really quite terrible, cheap cost cut components, and badly laid out)

Stay tuned for more. I do this just for fun, and really enjoy it. Plus now I have a oven baked Leica 240 to play with 🙂

I would HATE to lose Panasonic from cameras.

I have all my fingers crossed this is not the case.

It's a move away from "Pro" in the marketing of cameras.

Part of this is because they know Lumix has no chance vs Canon, Sony and Nikon with press agencies and in the professional sports market.

The autofocus situation never allowed them a toe in the door let alone a foot.

But I also think it hints at something deeper.

When Samsung withdrew from the camera market they also heavily cut back on pro marketing and support first.

Not that Samsung's own PR people were aware of it (even days after the NX1's cancellation they thought they were still in the camera market!)

They were fired shortly after.

I think it's the beginning of the end for Lumix.

12 hours ago, ND64 said:

Its equivalent of Nikon and Canon announce they are closing down their NPS and CPS service. Sport shooters, photo journalists, news agencies, would panic. But Panasonic has no dog in that fight, and probably just gave up. 

Big markets of sports, journalists, news agencies, they need fast troubleshooting, fast lane repair, and so on.

It does look like Panasonic has given up targeting these customers and will only be focusing on consumers, content creators and enthusiasts with future cameras.

So does that mean no more high-end or pro cameras?

(Could explain lack of S1H Mark II)

13 hours ago, John Matthews said:

Google "Lumix closing pro services on November 30, 2025." and click "I'm feeling lucky".

Otherwise, https://www.lumixpro.panasonic.com/uk/

Also, everyone with a Lumix pro account received an email... and it wasn't the first. Actually, more than a month old news.

I was just wondering what it could mean for Lumix and Panasonic.

LOL. Why not just say that in the first place then?

On 11/2/2025 at 7:36 PM, mtol said:

Still waiting for a better package than an S1H... Waiting pretty eagerly for Panasonic's next move but in the mean time I'm happy with an ~almost~ perfect camera.

I just want an S1H in exactly the same body but a bit lighter, with the updated real-time LUT and AF.

Done deal.

That Sigma APS-C zoom is lovely on the S9 in 4K60p

10 hours ago, John Matthews said:

I have a bad feeling about this, but does anyone actually use these services? What does this mean for Lumix?

Your post has way too little info for such a big claim.

Closing the services where? France?

How did you find out? on the phone? On Google? On instagram? On the back of some tea leaf?

You know the rules of the internet by now surely...

When you find an URL cut and paste the post into your post about the post.

Otherwise you keep people guessing what the fucking source is.

On 10/30/2025 at 6:58 PM, fuzzynormal said:

Regarding Andrew's original post, unfortunately for many of the camera companies, not just Panasonic, I'm a consumer that feels pretty comfortable being behind the curve in exchange for bargains.  Meaning, I only buy older used cameras.  Just bought another GH5 for $350, for instance, to help my wife do YT content creation. Not only is that cheap, but it's still better than anything else I could buy brand new for under $400.  Are there enough people like me?  Combine like-minded-folks and typically obtuse Japanese attitudes about the global market and the magic 8-ball sez "Outlook Not So Good"

Same with me, I haven't felt the need to buy a new camera for years and years now. And by new I mean paying more money for no reason. I still class a used Z6 III as a new camera, it's just a smarter way to go about buying one (for example an open box mint condition with warranty just cheaper).

But the urge is lacking... What is it that any of the new cameras are doing to justify such high pricing?

Fair enough if you're working as a professional and haven't upgraded your autofocus for 7 years... Splash out.

2 hours ago, ArashM said:

IMHO the image out of the GH5S still looks amazing when exposed properly 

Same sensor as Blackmagic Pocket 4K

But it's a much more feature packed and better built camera, with an excellent stills photography pedigree as well.

GH5 for $350 is pretty good but I've seen GH6 for under $750, that's possibly an even better deal.

GH7 is too new to see a big fall on the used market unless you get lucky, but you can get the similar spec G9 II for a pretty nice $1400-ish.

Keep an eye out for GH5S too, it's an underrated bargain now

That's a terrible result from the Alexa 🙂

Some test results...

SlashCam have the S1R II 8K at 22ms, but I think open gate brings that closer to 30ms?

Sony a1 is at 15ms for 8K, no crop.

The 4K/120p is also much better / cleaner on the a1:

S1R II

https://www.slashcam.de/artikel/Test/Panasonic-LUMIX-S1R-II-Sensor-Bildqualitaet---Debayering--Rolling-Shutter-und-Dynamik--Rolling-Shutter---Panaso.html#RollingShutterPanason

This is important because 4K/120p is usually what sets apart your £3k new camera from a £1k used S1H.

Granted there's a few new features that have come through since.

But if you don't need the speed, the a1, S1R II, Z8 and so on seem a bit pointless to me?

There's so many cheaper options if 60p or even 30p is your only need.

a7 IV, S1H, Fuji X-H2, and so on.

23 hours ago, MrSMW said:

I don't know about the Sony A1 but against the Z8, the S1RII might be?

What follows is not my opinion.

Just a bunch of facts.

23 hours ago, MrSMW said:

I do think the S1RII is the best of the line. It's more capable than the S5II/X for video and offers quite. bit more than the S1II for stills, so for hybrid users like me, is a bit of a gem.

8k 30p @ 300mpbs video with stellar IBIS, especially if the E stab is switched on with a quality that for every test I have seen, just looks better than the S1II.

Sony a1 is £2800 used now.

Let's suppose Sony a1 is same price at point of acquisition as a new S1R II - ok you may have to get a used Sony with a few marks and 10k shots on it, but such is the nature of the used market these days you'll easily find an offer with 1-2 year warranty like a new cam.

For 8K it is 422 10bit 500Mbit H265. The equivalent to H.264 at 1000Mbit.

300Mbit is a bit low for 8K and the much slower sensor in the S1R II means rolling shutter is problematic in the 8K and open gate modes.

But that's an ok trade-off if the price is lower.

But it is £2999 at WEX. So for sure the a1 is a direct competitor.

E-mount is more adaptable. I can even autofocus my manual focus lenses on it.

There's fewer native lenses for L, and fewer adapters.

E-mount is all-round superior because it's been around longer and has a larger installed user-base.

I like L-mount, but it just doesn't give you as wide a choice in glass.

And we must take into account the size, design and build quality of the body, where subjective opinion matters a lot - but there's no denying the S5 II body which houses the more powerful panasonic tech is a mid-range £1300 consumer-grade construction and feels like one, whereas the a1 is firmly in the professional bracket, along with the a9 series.

And AF on the Sony still way ahead.

23 hours ago, MrSMW said:

Or 7.2k 30p open gate as I have been shooting most of this year, but pretty sure I am going to 8.1k 30p next year using the 2.39:1 crop markers (ie, the flexibility in post to do anything within a 17:9 output but see and shoot in pano mode).

Open gate is definitely a plus for the Panasonic.

As people who own multiple cameras though, my choice would be to bring out the trusty S1H for a grand when open gate or anamorphic is needed.

When it comes to other more common scenarios like autofocus shooting, higher frame rates, 4K/120p, low rolling shutter and a wider choice of lenses, most people would be served better by the a1 than the s1r II or s1H.

23 hours ago, MrSMW said:

From a stills perspective, I think my old A7RV had a slight edge, but I had my editing of those files absolutely nailed down to my taste and it's taken a little longer to dial in the S1RII and again, probably going to start using the in camera Jpeg 65x24 crop mode whilst retaining the full 3x2 raw file in case I wish to use it.

The a7rv sensor is fantastic.

Same sensor in the Sigma Fp-L... which is why I kept hold of it, despite it being an odd duck.

23 hours ago, MrSMW said:

I think Andrew, you'd come around to the S1RII in time, especially as the prices come down.

I don't think I will 🙂

It's a great camera but just doesn't light my fire enough.

The Sony a1 is nearly 5 years old and has a better spec, a better lens mount, is smaller and better built.

The GFX 100 is king for manual focus vintage glass... the large sensor is just glorious, and the design - although it's a bit of a chonk - is just such a pleasure to work with.

I'd rather have the Sony a1 and GFX 100 at the core of my camera world, and everything else I add to that is either a bargain or a niche use.

For example I love my X-Pro3 for a small street photography camera, and the Ricoh GR OG.

Definitely considering adding an S1H to the bag again though, as it's entered bargain territory and is one of the very few modern mirrorless cameras still to have that oh-so-rare AA filter.

The S1H's image is better than the S5 II and the differences to the S1 II or S1R II are probably pretty tiny. 6K is enough for me.

23 hours ago, MrSMW said:

Would I trade it for a Z8?

Easily...but only as a sideways move as there are pros and cons to each...

S1RII to Z8 for stills? Probably...

Z8 is the best spec on paper for the price in today's world.

23 hours ago, MrSMW said:

I loved my S1H and I do see my S1RII(s) as a mash up of the S1R and S1H but more capable than either, in a pretty decent body.

You mean in a worse body 😉

On 10/22/2025 at 11:57 AM, sandro said:

How did topic turn out to be? Seems like this is best camera in the market right now?

I am considering going back to an OG S1H, just think the new cameras have lost that true flagship feeling, and the price isn't low enough to justify the trade-offs. Still no S1H Mark II but other than it being faster, and probably worse in low light with a more oversharpened image, I can't see what it will bring to the table and will probably be four or five and a half grand!

The S1R Mark II / S1 Mark II, whilst better than an S5 or S9, are not a good alternative to a Sony a1 or Nikon Z8.

And Fuji GFX 100 still has the best look of everything.

It makes full frame look like a toy!

X-T50 is the new X-T30 whereas this is a side-step.

I reckon the X-T50 is worth the extra to be honest.

Or get the original X-T30 which used is around 600 euro.

The GFX 100 RF has a great sensor but it's a bit pointless to have a sensor size advantage only to shoot at F4 max.

The sensor size advantage = better low light, a more shallow depth of field, more character from the lens - all of that F4 works against.

And the sensor size of the 100 RF comes with a big premium. So you're paying quite a lot extra for no advantage.

Much better to have a full frame + F2 combo unless you really need 100 megapixel - but then who wants such a large sensor only to crop down to Micro Four Thirds framing?

My beloved GFX 100 is at its best when you can ignore all the slow Fuji lenses and put a Minolta MD 50mm F1.4 on there.

It's time

https://www.eoshd.com/news/why-its-time-for-fujifilm-to-go-full-frame/

And a full frame X100 without the RX1 III or Leica Q price tags would be fabulous thank you.

Actually... The boom in raw codecs is being driven by clients

That's my hunch.

They want the best possible quality master files to do whatever they do with them.

And lack the understanding that H.265 is more than fine, or that LOG should *shock horror* be graded!

On 10/3/2025 at 12:15 PM, Davide DB said:

I would prefer H.265 or similar files that are lightweight and pleasant to work with. I have seen files from the FX3/FX6 that were spectacular and graded like butter in the Color page.

I prefer H.265 as well, over the pseudo raw formats.

Cinema DNG is still the best quality RAW in terms of the film look and unprocessed sensor readout.

So is NRAW really REDCODE or is REDCODE really NRAW, I am confused now.