IronFilm

Exactly!! These early first "reviews" all say that AF performance is very very close, with Sony only marginally ahead. (and with Sony being by far a bigger sponsor overall, you have to wonder how much unconscious bias might be going on....)
And we all know it often takes a lot of time to get the most out of an AF system, to know all its quirks and settings. Thousands of people have been spending hundreds of thousands of hours using and figuring out Sony AF over the last few years.
While the S5mk2 isn't even shipping yet.
Wouldn't shock me if after a year of people using the S5mk2, learning and understanding it, that perhaps Panasonic AF comes out on top as #1 now.
But anyway... why even care, we're arguing over the last 0.1% of AF performance? We're splitting hairs.
I think it is time to agree there are now more important things to consider about a camera than the AF!
Yup, Canon made a move for their short term benefit that will long term harm them. 
  
Bingo! When Panasonic's AF is beating what was just a few short years ago the "amazingly best AF" from Canon, then we know these AF debates can be over. 
Who cares who exactly has the number one spot in this exact moment in time, be it Sony/Canon/Nikon/Panasonic/whoever? It's like caring if the Nikon D4 or Canon 1D X has the better AF for photography?? That kind of debate between photographers ceased to be relevant to 99% of us! And now it looks like we're reaching that point in autofocus for videographers as well? 

If we are talking in general terms of Panasonic v Sony rather than being camera specific, while the new S5II is a step in the right direction, Panasonic are not even playing in the same ballpark as Sony for anyone more than a hobbyist. Sony are dominating the market and Panasonic really need to start producing some exceptional cameras both at the FX3/FX30 end and to rival the FX6 if they want to compete in the next few years. Most professionals are not going to jump ship from a system of bodies and lenses unless they are given a very good reason to. Panasonic need to produce an FX6 which is as good or better than Sony's but at a much lower price for people to even consider changing system. Same for FX3 and FX30 level cameras. 
For enthusiasts or people who do their own projects then it's less of an issue to swap systems but to people who spend a fair amount of money on equipment, throwing that all away for a 1-5% improvement when pixel peeping is not going to happen. Panasonic have waited too long to get up to speed and without a proper video camera like the Fx6 I can't see them growing too quickly in markets other than hobbyists.

There is plenty of need for an EVA replacement in a slightly smaller body. 
Firstly, it's going to be hard cramming all that in to a thin mirrorless body. Sure, you could do something like the Pocket6K Pro but if you are aiming for the next level up user, the professional, most do not like the form factor of DSLR's for video.
Panasonic needs a Sony FX6 level camera in their lineup. The FX6 is hugely popular for any work where an Alexa Mini is too expensive or not required. FX6's are everywhere and easily dominate the Pro market globally. Why wouldn't Panasonic want a slice of that pie? 
Do you know what most Camera Operators that shoot on FX6's also buy? FX30's and FX3's as B Cameras. 
You know what else these operators are starting to purchase? Genuine lenses for Autofocus. Lots of shooters doing sport content (which is a huge market) are now wanting AF as the new systems are very reliable. For the best performance, they are buying genuine lenses. So, with an FX6 purchase, you will likely get an FX3 or FX30 purchase AND two or three G Master lenses. 
Panasonic would be absolutely crazy to not chase that market.

I really like the Sony E 16-55mm f2.8 G lens.
 

Gents! I’m most likely preordering the S5II. The videos that compare to Sony seem like Panny is the go to! 

Panasonic (or at least their partner: Sigma) need to play this same game. 
Bring out an absurdly cheap couple of lenses. 
Don't care what they are, just make them cheap and preferably more than one. 
Could be a 40mm f4 pancake for $199. 
Could be a 35mm to 105mm variable f-stop zoom for $250
Could be a 50mm f2 for $199
Could be a 35mm f2.8 for $299
Whatever, just make a couple of them asap! To draw people into their L Mount ecosystem.
As they have to play the same game the other companies are playing. Nikon/Canon/Sony/Fujifilm/Pentax all do this. (yes, even Pentax!)
Pentax 50mm f1.8 = $97
Pentax 35mm f/2.4 = $117
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 = $125
Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM Lens = $129
Nikon 50mm f/1.8D = $132
Nikon DX 35mm f/1.8G = $180
Pentax 40mm f/2.8 (it's an amazing pancake lens!!!) = $230
Nikon DX Macro Lens 40mm f/2.8G = $280
Nikon 28mm f/2.8D = $287
Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 = $149 
Canon EF-M 22mm f/2 = $179
Fujifilm 35mm f/2 = $199
Sony FE 50mm f/1.8 = $248
Sony E 16mm f/2.8 (pancake!) = $248
Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 = $249
Nikon Z 40mm f/2 = $277
Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 = $277
They need to do the same too for camera bodies, how else can they compete with the gateway drugs of: Nikon Z5, Canon EOS RP, Sony a7C / a7mk3 ?? Let alone the other gateway drugs they all have of APS-C cameras for dirt dirt cheap: Nikon Z30, Canon R10, Sony a6x00
Because as fantastically great as Panasonic MFT cameras are, they're unfortunately not a smooth pathway into the L Mount Ecosystem. 
Am glad to hear that Panasonic will keep around the S5mk1, as that's a smart move. 
Because as I'll say over and over again, Panasonic (and Sigma & Lecia) **NEED** a gateway drug (camera) into the L Mount system.
Sony does this by keeping around their older a7mk3 (and even a7mk2!!) at cheaper prices.
If Panasonic had the S5mk1 available for US$1.7K , then dropping down in the second half of this year to US$1.5K, then the S5 would do well at serving that critical niche point. (and just keep on dropping it down by another $100 each year, until five years from now it's being sold for US$1.1K brand new)

Panasonic (or at least their partner: Sigma) need to play this same game. 
Bring out an absurdly cheap couple of lenses. 
Don't care what they are, just make them cheap and preferably more than one. 
Could be a 40mm f4 pancake for $199. 
Could be a 35mm to 105mm variable f-stop zoom for $250
Could be a 50mm f2 for $199
Could be a 35mm f2.8 for $299
Whatever, just make a couple of them asap! To draw people into their L Mount ecosystem.
As they have to play the same game the other companies are playing. Nikon/Canon/Sony/Fujifilm/Pentax all do this. (yes, even Pentax!)
Pentax 50mm f1.8 = $97
Pentax 35mm f/2.4 = $117
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 = $125
Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM Lens = $129
Nikon 50mm f/1.8D = $132
Nikon DX 35mm f/1.8G = $180
Pentax 40mm f/2.8 (it's an amazing pancake lens!!!) = $230
Nikon DX Macro Lens 40mm f/2.8G = $280
Nikon 28mm f/2.8D = $287
Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 = $149 
Canon EF-M 22mm f/2 = $179
Fujifilm 35mm f/2 = $199
Sony FE 50mm f/1.8 = $248
Sony E 16mm f/2.8 (pancake!) = $248
Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 = $249
Nikon Z 40mm f/2 = $277
Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 = $277
They need to do the same too for camera bodies, how else can they compete with the gateway drugs of: Nikon Z5, Canon EOS RP, Sony a7C / a7mk3 ?? Let alone the other gateway drugs they all have of APS-C cameras for dirt dirt cheap: Nikon Z30, Canon R10, Sony a6x00
Because as fantastically great as Panasonic MFT cameras are, they're unfortunately not a smooth pathway into the L Mount Ecosystem. 
Am glad to hear that Panasonic will keep around the S5mk1, as that's a smart move. 
Because as I'll say over and over again, Panasonic (and Sigma & Lecia) **NEED** a gateway drug (camera) into the L Mount system.
Sony does this by keeping around their older a7mk3 (and even a7mk2!!) at cheaper prices.
If Panasonic had the S5mk1 available for US$1.7K , then dropping down in the second half of this year to US$1.5K, then the S5 would do well at serving that critical niche point. (and just keep on dropping it down by another $100 each year, until five years from now it's being sold for US$1.1K brand new)

Exactly!! These early first "reviews" all say that AF performance is very very close, with Sony only marginally ahead. (and with Sony being by far a bigger sponsor overall, you have to wonder how much unconscious bias might be going on....)
And we all know it often takes a lot of time to get the most out of an AF system, to know all its quirks and settings. Thousands of people have been spending hundreds of thousands of hours using and figuring out Sony AF over the last few years.
While the S5mk2 isn't even shipping yet.
Wouldn't shock me if after a year of people using the S5mk2, learning and understanding it, that perhaps Panasonic AF comes out on top as #1 now.
But anyway... why even care, we're arguing over the last 0.1% of AF performance? We're splitting hairs.
I think it is time to agree there are now more important things to consider about a camera than the AF!
Yup, Canon made a move for their short term benefit that will long term harm them. 
  
Bingo! When Panasonic's AF is beating what was just a few short years ago the "amazingly best AF" from Canon, then we know these AF debates can be over. 
Who cares who exactly has the number one spot in this exact moment in time, be it Sony/Canon/Nikon/Panasonic/whoever? It's like caring if the Nikon D4 or Canon 1D X has the better AF for photography?? That kind of debate between photographers ceased to be relevant to 99% of us! And now it looks like we're reaching that point in autofocus for videographers as well? 

Yes, he's back! 😃

been aaaagggeeesssss since the last upload
 
oh wait, he had one from just two months ago that I missed (which was removed, then added):
 

Yes, he's back! 😃

been aaaagggeeesssss since the last upload
 
oh wait, he had one from just two months ago that I missed (which was removed, then added):
 

Exactly!! These early first "reviews" all say that AF performance is very very close, with Sony only marginally ahead. (and with Sony being by far a bigger sponsor overall, you have to wonder how much unconscious bias might be going on....)
And we all know it often takes a lot of time to get the most out of an AF system, to know all its quirks and settings. Thousands of people have been spending hundreds of thousands of hours using and figuring out Sony AF over the last few years.
While the S5mk2 isn't even shipping yet.
Wouldn't shock me if after a year of people using the S5mk2, learning and understanding it, that perhaps Panasonic AF comes out on top as #1 now.
But anyway... why even care, we're arguing over the last 0.1% of AF performance? We're splitting hairs.
I think it is time to agree there are now more important things to consider about a camera than the AF!
Yup, Canon made a move for their short term benefit that will long term harm them. 
  
Bingo! When Panasonic's AF is beating what was just a few short years ago the "amazingly best AF" from Canon, then we know these AF debates can be over. 
Who cares who exactly has the number one spot in this exact moment in time, be it Sony/Canon/Nikon/Panasonic/whoever? It's like caring if the Nikon D4 or Canon 1D X has the better AF for photography?? That kind of debate between photographers ceased to be relevant to 99% of us! And now it looks like we're reaching that point in autofocus for videographers as well? 

Yes. (if a person doesn't care about TC or working with other Sony shooters)

#1 wish: give us zero delay SDI output!! (they can go with DIN instead of BNC if they need to save space, no big deal, one of my old Atomos monitors already uses DIN instead of BNC)
  
Oh snap! We posted this at exactly the same time. 

Unfortunately the S5 IIX only does 1080 ProRes internal recordings. I hope they add 2K ProRes as well! Because that's a very common resolution with ProRes. And SD cards can handle 2K. (and the SD cards is why it doesn't have 4K ProRes, and records to an external USB drive instead)

The other big problem for Panasonic is there no upwards path to progress with the L Mount. 
Desperately there is an EVA2 with an L Mount that is needed! (so very sad that a EVA1 MFT never happened 😕 ) 

Seems the cinema camera division at Panasonic has been gutted, so I guess an EVA2 (of any sorts) won't be happening? 
If a future EVA1 sequel will never happen, and the LUMIX team have to step up to the plate, then perhaps a "Panasonic BS2H" is what is needed?? (an updated BS1H!)
Apparently the boss of the cinema division now works in the LUMIX division, and I'd say that is very very very good news indeed! Gives me hope for a future "Panasonic BS2H"
This BS2H could have dual SDI outputs (with zero delay, and independent), plus internal NDs, and that would make everyone very very happy. (plus of course keep everything good about the BS1H, and bring over all the goodness of the S5mk2)

Theoretically a person could have a custom V-log to S-log LUT in their S5mk2 camera and be able to smoothly shoot alongside Sony cameras as well? Hmmm
Could (kinda... half way) "fix" one of the other big negatives about the Panasonic cameras: "it is not Sony". 
As Sony is the dominant player in the pro market for anything low to mid budget (i.e. "not ARRI"). So very frequently you'll see a Sony Camera Op being requested, so that they smoothly integrate in with their existing workflow. 

If you're starting from scratch, I can't think of any reason why I'd go for the a7mk4 over the S5mk2
(maybe there is some weird hyper niche reason "why", like maybe there has never been a underwater deep diving case made the S5 and exists instead for the a7mk4?? But I doubt that reason exists)
  
The FX3/FX30 have a better UI for video shooting with, it's purpose built around that. And has the edge in image quality too. Plus has TC, that the a7 & a7S series cameras lack. 

If you're starting from scratch, I can't think of any reason why I'd go for the a7mk4 over the S5mk2
(maybe there is some weird hyper niche reason "why", like maybe there has never been a underwater deep diving case made the S5 and exists instead for the a7mk4?? But I doubt that reason exists)
  
The FX3/FX30 have a better UI for video shooting with, it's purpose built around that. And has the edge in image quality too. Plus has TC, that the a7 & a7S series cameras lack. 

Theoretically a person could have a custom V-log to S-log LUT in their S5mk2 camera and be able to smoothly shoot alongside Sony cameras as well? Hmmm
Could (kinda... half way) "fix" one of the other big negatives about the Panasonic cameras: "it is not Sony". 
As Sony is the dominant player in the pro market for anything low to mid budget (i.e. "not ARRI"). So very frequently you'll see a Sony Camera Op being requested, so that they smoothly integrate in with their existing workflow. 

Just like you pick the appropriate FoV to tell the story that needs to be told for that shot, you also need to pick the appropriate DoF that matches what the film needs. 
Once you've got that equal for both, then compared to the FX30 any FF camera is going to be at a one stop disadvantage (all else being equal). 
The other alternative is ignore the resulting DoF difference between the two cameras, make the 1st AC hate you, make the Art and Location Departments' work go to waste, and let the actors be lost in the bland blurred space they're in. 
Moral of the story is: you can't only look at a FF cameras' strengths while totally ignoring their handicaps. 
To make it fair comparison when discussing the noise performance that has to be taken into account. 
If you don't need to work with other people (i.e. Sony shooters!), and don't need TC (I work with that on basically every shoot! Very very very rare I don't), then it sounds like the S5mk2 is the perfect camera to shoot with for you!

Welllllll..... you kinda sort of ish get half of that for less with the Panasonic S5mk2! 😉

Good. Back to "Panasonic and what they have up their sleeve." ... not M43 vs. FF. Thank you!

Ok. Can you cover 16mm-ish to 600mm (FF equiv.) in under 1kg with ANY single FF mount kit? How about 2kg? 3kg? That's what I'm saying. There are lenses in M43 with simply with no equivalency in FF in terms of weight. When you do find a lens, you won't find the other lens you need in the same mount.

I really don't get the reason why people who have FF cameras are so disturbed by the mere existence of M43. Can't we let M43 be M43 and FF be FF- it's all good. If you like the image format and size, great! Why does one have to be inferior? They both do things that the other cannot do. I think there's the inconvenience. It would seem that people want simplified answers- bigger sensor, more megapixels, high bit rate, etc. I'm not saying those thing don't matter, but there are other things too. Cameras have ergonomics, exposure tools, ports, EVF's, image fidelity, etc. None of that is "Full-Frame" or "xx megapixels" or "intra-frame compression". So many cameras produce great images these days, even good enough for Hollywood. After, it becomes the best tool for the job and needs.

You're comparing lenses that don't exist to ones that do. A f2.8 is a f2.8 regardless of whether the lens is M43, APS-C or Full Frame. You can add all the qualifiers you want, it doesn't change the fact that the full frame equivalent to most M43 lenses are substantially heavier AND more expensive. Let me know when you find a 24-70 with a constant f2.8 that is even remotely close to the 12-35 f2.8 in weight. Ditto the 35-100, or the 100-300mm f/4-5.6. 
It's easy to get shallow DOF with M43 except when shooting ultrawide unless the lens has a close focusing distance. It is insane that people discredit an entire system in part because it isn't easy to get enough toneh.