Geoff_L

Hey all !

I'm super happy, because Panasonic gave me a special gift with my 1day old S1 ! I don't know how, but it seems they had access to my camera gear history and found I was a Nikon D600 user. Thus, they thought I would be happy to dive again in a dusty adventure with a camera.

Whoa, look at that ! They couldn't make me happier ! Plus, they may have reinforced static electricity, because 5 or 6 rocket blower sessions + 50 automatic sensor cleanings did nothing. Great, I do mostly landscape photography, so that will be easy to handle ?

...

5 minutes ago, 1Ale82 said:

Merci! I am from Italy, on the other side of the border of Briançon. Here we have a similar "trade in" offer from Panasonic, but unfortunately the VLOG update is not free     

Oh I'm not living too far (near Chambéry) ! Yes I read that concerning the VLOG policy... I can't understand why, as it seems the offer is available in many countries. Maybe you could check if the offer works by buying it in France ?

2 minutes ago, 1Ale82 said:

I see you list the price in euro. Where did you find such good deal?

Panasonic rebates are presented here : http://blog-gh4-france.over-blog.com/2019/06/offres-sur-gh5-et-s1.html

It is officially a "trade in" (not sure if it is the correct expression...) Panasonic offer, but some shops translate this as direct rebates. For example, on the above blog (a French guy sponsored buy Panasonic), there is a code to use in a shop (the guy is a partner of the shop) to obtain 300€ for S1 + 24-105, plus a second code for a free battery !

There is a "Eng" button on the shop's website, but it doesn't work ahah. I you are in Europe, you can contact them by email to check if they offer international delivery.

16 minutes ago, andjo said:

Congrats!

I wonder if Panasonic officially lifted the fixed price now? I see several swedish/finnish shops offering deals with ~$300 off for the body. I like it!

https://www.scandinavianphoto.se/panasonic/dc-s1-kamerahus-1043032
https://www.rajalaproshop.se/panasonic-lumix-dc-s1

I think this definitely a more reasonable price. The vlog looks great and hoping to get my current gear sold so I can purchase as well ?

In France it is part of the Panasonic summer rebates, including GH5/s and S1/r if I am correct. We also have Canon, Nikon and Sony ones. Fuji, I believe, shortened the sales by stopping it before the official sales ending period they firstly announced.

You are right, it is a better price ahah ! I just checked the "competitors", and Eos R + 24-105 and A7iii + 24-105, with rebates/cashbacks, are roughly at the same price as what I paid for the S1 + 24-105 (3099€). Nikon Z6 + 24-70, with rebates and sales can be found for quite a lot less.  I got a free battery and free Vlog, Sony offers warranty extension and/or a free battery depending on stores, while Canon offers an adapter and sometimes stores double the cashback.

Maybe it is because of the difficult context for camera market, but nowadays we can find pretty good deals with patience !
 

36 minutes ago, PannySVHS said:

Hallo,

congratulations to your new and super cool camera! Here are my questions for you. Oh, man!:)

Does the camera provide 10bit HD with 100Mbit data rate after the update? Does VLOG work in 10bit HD?

cheers

 

OK I take note and will try ! I am gonna fill out the application form to receive as soon as possible the upgrade !

You, guys, are superheroes !! I use LIDAR data at work (mapping and analysis for biodiversity project, forestry, geology etc.), and I am amazed just to think about this stuff used for camera AF ahah.
I would be super glad to use that on my 2h new Panny S1 ?

OK, sorry, I couldn't resist anymore ...
 

300€ immediately off, 1 free battery (90€ worth), and the 200€ worth offered VLOG upgrade finished my efforts to resist...
OK, now I have to sell a lot of stuff ahah !

I just posted a link on the MC-21 topic, showing S1 + sigma 18-35. Short clip, but maybe useful for some :

9 hours ago, Thpriest said:

Cool. What's the image quality like? The same (albeit aps-c)? What about AF? I'm mainly interested in AF to find correct focus and then adjust manually.

Thanks!

Ah, just in time, a French shop just posted a video about MC-21 + S1 + 18-35 !! All shots are handheld and in lowlight.

At 34s (guys in red) they use face detection (focus change from one face to another at around 39/40s). They say they are really impressed with this combo.

A side note concerning the Iceland video, as it has been made by a French guy and is accompanied by a blog post. He recorded it with a beta version of the firmware, and he explains that the point of the video was to put the camera to its limits in terms of acquisition and post processing. That is why, I think, he pushed the colors.

http://blog-gh4-france.over-blog.com/2019/07/mise-a-jour-1.2-pour-le-panasonic-s1-af-vlog-et-422-10bits-interne.html

Oh, and  by the way, he also filmed one of the promo videos for the S1 :

Edit : not sure the video above was a promo one

26 minutes ago, TheRenaissanceMan said:

Any LOG comparisons to the A7III yet?

One here, near the end of the video with the music player scene :

I think Richard Wong posted one too

I just dug the AF thing and, after watching videos, I can say it will be reeeeeeally sufficient for my needs. I understand V-loggers, wedding videographers etc. prefer to turn to Canon or Sony for that, but seriously, for occasional use of AF, and mostly MF for critical shots, I will be happy.

Richard Wong's videos were already posted, but this one gives good examples. In fact, not bad considering it was released before the new firmware update (tested by R.Wong) :

Kai's one gives examples too :

(No, I'm not resurrecting "digitalrev tv" ahah. I don't particularity love watching youtube reviewers, influencers etc. but those 2 videos give real world examples).

Ah, and the IBIS part of the Lock's video.... I can't believe how good it is ! Yes, the camera is big and heavy compared to competition, but whoa, what a result !

3 hours ago, webrunner5 said:

Yeah but they are going to Have to do something with AF a lot better than they are doing now. That is pretty unacceptable in this day and age.,

Yes, the camera got kicked on internet for it's lesser level AF compared to the competition. But, still, I am probably going to buy one, cause it almost ticks all other boxes for me. I was looking at everything else : canon eos R, nikon Z6 again, Sony a7iii, 5D iii raw, fuji xt3, bmpcc4k... The S1, for my use, could be the best balance. For that, I am ready to sacrifice a bit of af, as I do not shoot high speed sports stills or critical one man band videos, weddings or vlogs.

I played with a G9 a month ago and, whoa, what an experience. Only the joystick is poorly placed if you have little to average size hands. Otherwise, everything feels great, I felt like a happy carpenter with the right tools !

On 7/16/2019 at 10:27 PM, Lars Steenhoff said:

Sure, Its a great camera.

Plus points, footage looks very organic with vlog.

10 Bit is so nice for grading.

Dynamic range is awesome
Ibis is awesome

Autofocus Is good enough for stills for me

For filming I use mostly manual lenses.
And I love the 96 megapixel pixel shift mode, those shots are so clean, no noise.

 

There are a only few things I miss compared to my Canon 5d3 with raw.

1- On the canon I could crank up the sharpness to the max for in camera for monitoring only, and because it was raw the sharpening is not baked in the footage. I wish Panasonic will add this to firmware. ( Edge sharping for preview only )

2. I cannot zoom into the footage while recording, only before pressing record can I zoom in. Again firmware request

3. There is no record trigger for the Ninja. also firmware request

Besides those points I love the camera.

 

I'm in the Netherlands, they send it to me after I send in my invoice last week. very fast turnaround. ( and yes it was free, thank you Panasonic)

Thank you for your impressions

Reading that from someone who used ML raw is encouraging ! One last question : do you record on SD or XQD ? If sd, would you mind sharing which model ? I wonder too if pany will release an update for allowing compatibility with CFexpress (as Nikon promised), even if I believe there is not a lot of news on this front.

Ah, I just checked my drawers and found a complete kit of LEE gnd filters + filter holder to sell, plus a lens or two... that way I will have no more excuse to continue to resist buying a S1 ?

OFFTOPIC (sorry)

"Sony a7R IV: 60 MP DESTROYS Canon & Nikon!"

Those youtubers are really becoming utterly pathetic, and sound more and more like retail salespersons employed by Sony. Seriously, even better, look at the update :

"UPDATE: Further testing has revealed some issues. We're working with Sony but right now we recommend waiting for our full review before pre-ordering."

WTF is that ahaha ? The title made me sorry (even knowing that those two are Olympic champions of shitty clickbaits), but the update made me laugh so hard.

The good thing is we know where Sony's marketing department money goes : directly to completely flood Youtube with awful stuff like that ; the worst thing being we don't ask for this crap to appear in our "recommended content".

Ah, speaking of the latter ? :

Sorry for offtopic !

Edit : to correct my struggling English ?

6 minutes ago, Lars Steenhoff said:

Here's some S1 Vlog test footage I just shot on the ninja v, pro res hq,

Thank your Lars ! If it is not too much to ask, can you deliver you first impressions about the S1 ?

4 minutes ago, Andrew Reid said:

Hands up... Who exposes the main subject like this?

The directors of Game of Thrones season 8 ? ??

They also wrote an article : https://***URL not allowed***/panasonic-lumix-s1-v-log/

Here is what they say concerning dynamic range, near the conclusion :

Quote

Overall, the Panasonic S1 comes 3rd in our “best test results” so far (1st place – ARRI Alexa, 2nd place – URSA Mini Pro 4.6, 3rd place – Panasonic S1)”. 

2 minutes ago, sanveer said:

Actually I don't take Cinema5d's dynamic range tests very seriously, tbo. 

Hopefully someone who doesn't give the C300 15 stops (or more) or the GH5 10 stops, does a more balanced test. 

Ah you are right... Did they get into controversy at some point, forcing them to explain and justify their protocol ? I think I recall something like that...

1 minute ago, sanveer said:

And curiously he claims the Vlog adds nothing more to the dynamic range  except perhaps malleability. 

yes ! I'm really no expert, but I would be surprised that Panasonic offer such an upgrade with no substantial benefits on dynamic range, while this particular point is advertised as a "plus" of the upgrade (I also try not be too naive with marketing though ? )

19 minutes ago, BTM_Pix said:

Judging by the discounts and cash back incentives on virtually all of the brands, I don't think any of them are having a particularly bumper time sales wise.

The problem for Nikon is that the L mount is building momentum through the upgrade of the S1, the announcement of the FP, the availability of the new Sigma lenses, the release of the S1H, the upcoming Sigma FF Foveon announcement and I suspect the new Leica SL isn't far off being announced now either.

None of that makes the Z6 a bad camera of course but Nikon need to wrestle some of that momentum back and a statement on when the upgrade is actually going to happen would be a start.

There's probably never been a better time NOT to buy a full frame camera though as within a few months Sony might be along with something that could blow everything out of the water, the Sigma FP might just be the full frame version of the original Pocket Cinema camera or the S1H might tick every box of being a full frame GH5s, or... if none of those things come to pass then the deflating prices of the S1 and Z6 etc will have no doubt continued anyway and they will become fantastic bargains, particularly used.

 

I always welcome your insights as a kid under the Christmas tree ? (not comparing you to Santa, promise !).

But :

19 minutes ago, BTM_Pix said:

There's probably never been a better time NOT to buy a full frame camera though as within a few months Sony might be along with something that could blow everything out of the water, the Sigma FP might just be the full frame version of the original Pocket Cinema camera or the S1H might tick every box of being a full frame GH5s, or... if none of those things come to pass then the deflating prices of the S1 and Z6 etc will have no doubt continued anyway and they will become fantastic bargains, particularly used.

 

Noooo, please, I will need for September/October a camera that can :

- be used as a landscape/documentary still machine

- film real-time northern lights

- survive rain/cold/snow

- offer killer IBIS to help with wildlife video recording and replace or get close to replace a Gorilla pod for "on the go" filming

- Record on easy to handle media as back-up on field will be an issue

- treat my blisters

- dry me when I am wet

-  heat me when I am cold (Sony, I see you !)

- ...

2 minutes ago, thebrothersthre3 said:

Its kind of looking like the S1 only shoots at 24fps for RAW tho, which is pretty crippling in comparison to the pocket. 

S1 ? You were meaning Z6 ?

3 minutes ago, Skip77 said:

PR for the S1 and Z6 doesn't do well for all Sony's fan base on You Tube.

Yes, I found the Gerald Undone not very impartial, despite the perceive technical quality of the video (some of his fans call him "teacher" !). It may just be me, but I felt he was emphasize a little more on the advantages of the A7III, or maybe on the things the S1 does less right, while not doing the same on the opposite way. I really have to watch it again, it may be my memory, but that's my feeling from my watching. For example, the IBIS, from all we can see for now, seems miles and miles ahead on the S1, and I believe he passes quite quickly on this... which is strange, because everybody is raging when IBIS is lacking on a camera, or not efficient. Anyway, Z6 + S1 are great horses to produce beautiful images and get the job done !

He seems to like the gradability, and he also tempers the "low bitrate" while insisting on the "gorgeous image". Still, it's too short, I want to see more ?

44 minutes ago, Skip77 said:

I'm waiting on the 12 bit RAW 4K update for the Z6 before I buy the Ninja V and this update will either keep my with Nikon or I will move to the P4K or S1.

Oh, I promise  you I am in the same boat ahah. Waiting for the Z6 raw update to maybe buy one again. But the S1 ticks a lot of boxes compared to Nikon, Sony and Canon equivalent, as I place IBIS and body sturdiness above, for example, AF (I see the Z6 as a smaller and lighter S1, with better AF but less impressive IBIS, so just a matter of priorities - in any case I favor it a lot compared to Canon and Sony offering). It even could make a good combo next year with the Sigma FP. But tomorrow announcement  from Sony could make a big difference ; even if their current offering does not interest me, I am really curious to hear about it. I also read 1 or 2 persons on forums or sonyalpharumors website praying for a A7SIII announcement tomorrow, as it could, according to them, force S1 prices to be lowered in order to  compete (not sure if it is in Panasonic habits to do so) !
 

44 minutes ago, Skip77 said:

Word is that the S1 is not selling very well either. Is this true as of July - ? 

Reminds me of what I saw with the GH5-S : few reviews, but a lot of raving ones (mostly from filmmakers if I remember), and a lot of complaints concerning the lack of IBIS (and AF). For the S1 : few reviews but owners seem to love it, especially with the current updates ; on the other hand, some complaints concerning AF being behind the competition...

Maybe the VLog upgrade will help them selling the camera (as the Z6 raw updates could be a good boost) !

Ah, couldn't import the clips in Resolve (latest 16 beta), then discovered 10 bits h264 is a Resolve studio capability... So back to premiere...
I may have to buy a bmpcc4k to obtain a licence key and be able to use S1 files ?