MrSMW

I have my S1RII’s set up with: [4.7K] 4736x3552 (4:3) 50.00p, 300Mbps (4:2:0 10-bit LongGOP) (H.265/HEVC, LPCM) Why APSC when it’s a full-frame camera? INTERNAL zoom Sigma 17-40mm f1.8 which with the crop factor for APSC and for standard EIS, makes it a 28-66mm FF equivalent lens and all factors considered, this body with this lens, is a sweet spot for me; cost, size, weight, ergos, file sizes, quality, workflow/bake in my LUT, 1:2.4 pano crop for my films and 9:16 for my socials… The image out of the S1RII is superior to that of my S9 side by side when I shot them 6k. Every frame on a timeline, I can see which is which immediately. For me it’s camera of the year, no question.

Indeed. Attention spans get ever shorter and if you don’t play the game, you are not in the game. Whether you like playing said game is irrelevant, - just a necessary evil. Being able to make 2 forms of content relatively easily from one source is the quickest (and cheapest) way to achieving this and why Lumix cameras especially excel, - multiple frame markers. I have mine set up for 1:2.4 + 9:16 with a 75% blackout and it’s 👍👍

I think there has been some decent kit launched this year, but nothing groundbreaking and indeed, some veritable bargains on the used market. My pick, for my needs, is still the S1RII (1 new at discounted price and 1 used) plus a used S5II and a new (discounted) S9. If I was making a case to myself for Nikon, it would be a Z8 + ZR set up. For Sony, A7RV + FX30’s…and they have the best glass options. Canon is far too expensive a flip for me and I find the glass for my needs too limiting but the new R6III looks the most interesting out of all the bodies. Which leaves Fuji. I think I could make a used GFX100 work plus a couple of XH2’s but I prefer other options more. Love the OM-1 but not going back there.l for various reasons. Cameras of the year for me are: 1: S1RII (best suits my needs) 2: ZR (wish it had a fully artic screen) 3: S1II (R model has more for me) 4: R6III (great spec, dull body, expensive system) 5: S1IIE (still thinking about getting one to replace my S9 which I love but isn’t quite robust enough to be my primary unit) Wishes for 2026 (other than World peace, various prominent political figures falling under a bus, personal lottery win etc) would be for a replacement for the S1H in an FX3/30/ZR body style with a fully articulated screen plus a longer focal length sibling to the Sigma 28-45mm f1.8, such as a 45-90mm f1.8 with internal zoom.

Iceman, is that you? You can be my wingman anytime.

I don’t know of anyone in my industry who does not shoot Sony. Except me, call sign Maverick.

I’ve never cared for either of them as ‘personalities’ and their market has pretty much always been the low-mid consumer so without being (too) snobby, not where I’d go for opinion anyway, but… The Fuji seems a fun little thing but probably overpriced and will end up being a lot less on the used market next year because it IS going to be an alternative to a phone and for most, the phone is going to win that one. As much as I like Sigma, that one is just a little too limited and compromised for me. Sorry Sigma, but I would rather have seen a 3rd gen FP. The FX2 I like and was a strong contender for me for hybrid use, but against the S1RII, simply lost out in a few key areas (but not lenses where it wins and wins comfortably). I think I’d still pick it over the new V though, despite that not being as terrible as some YouTube hype would have you believe. It’s a really solid piece of kit, but just perhaps not great appeal to more video-centric folk and a little over-priced.

I wonder how it compares with sales? I imagine Sony & Canon still top that but wonder how Nikon & Panasonic sales have done over the same period…

Interesting at the very least and signed up.

I had one for a while and whilst I didn’t much care for the video compared with my full-frame Lumix at the time (S1H), I did like the stills files, but most of all, the form factor; the weight, ergos, build and sheer ‘rightness in the hand’ of the thing. Also the lenses, both the fast primes and the zooms. If I was ever going to do 4/3rds, it would be the OM-1 without having to think about it.

The big question is, who is the more delusional; the current POTUS or Jake Paul, because both clearly exist in the most extraordinary fantasy land that only exists in their own, what passes for, minds. But what do I know 🤷‍♂️

Same thing happened with Hitler. In the earlier years, because they wanted a piece of that action for themselves and a seat at the table. In later years, because the alternative was death. The latter may not be the case here, - instead you just lose your invitation to the big feast, but the former is almost certain. And I kind of get it, but then living in a dog eat dog world is nothing new. What is the answer? There isn’t one other than live your own life as best you can because we live in an increasingly weary and apathetic society and attempting to ‘do the right thing’ based on principle, usually leads to self-destruction. My mother is a crusader. Unfortunately she has forgotten her history lesson and fighting every tiny and often inconsequential battle has lead to her poor mental and physical health. I don’t say turn a blind eye, but rather don’t get into a fight you have zero chance of winning. Anyway, so the announcement I received a few days ago from Netflix was a bit premature then huh?!

Well in the newer cameras (S1II and S1RII) it opens up certain data heavy codecs that are not available in SD but I think with the S1R, it was more a case of having a more robust (and cheaper!) card option? I had mine set up writing to both for peace of mind insurance but beyond that, no other needs.

CF Express type B works in the S1R

Liked the results mine produced on the stills side and the 5k was special. The only thing that annoyed me really was the different ergos to the S1H, especially the position of the on/off switch, but a great bit of kit and exceptional value used as is the S1H!

I do. Or at least I suspect I do and that is an FX3ii is coming and that WILL have all the ‘missing’ video stuff that is not in the new A7V. The FX2 is a bit of a Frankencamera (I quite like the concept but not quite the execution) possibly to use up a lot of old sensor stock but 🤷‍♂️ The new A7V is not meant to be a video-centric camera but a stills orientated hybrid, same as the IV was. If they had allowed 6k and left the gate open etc with it, other than the body type, what incentive would there be for any new FX3ii…which I think is certainly coming because although they have had some criticism lately, this is Sony and something they do perhaps more than any other company, is churn out cameras. Very good silent shutter mode on this new A7V for wedding shooters! Not enough to tempt me personally but it’s a really solid stills/hybrid unit at the new price point for such things.

Only if it was medium format. I’ll get my coat.

Only works if people buy the stuff at these prices…which they mostly will so 🤷‍♂️

For hybrid work, I’ll keep my S1RII thanks. Next choice would be used Z8. For pure stills photography a used A7RV. For purely video work, S1II. Or maybe ZR for the form factor and screen plus ability to adapt E Mount glass, but not the RED raw codec which is overkill for my needs. That would be my personal 4-5 choices based on not just the bodies, but lens availability.

Photo and video. So many so-called reviews are really just biased opinion pieces that are all about getting views, sponsorship and ad money, rather than authentic unbiased guides, but that is just how it is. I think anything around that pixel count will deliver similar results whether it be Nikon, Canon, Sony or Lumix and never tried a 100mp medium format Fuji or Hassie and it would be quite interesting to shoot one or the other back to back. On-line, unless told or pixel peeped to a high magnitude, I doubt anyone could tell and for me personally, there is a sweet spot of professional pride in my craft as it were and for stills that is FF and for video FF or APSC and possibly even 4/3…

Yes, my OCD would not be able to cope with that. I don't like even having 2 different cameras within the same brand, never mind other brands... I can just about get my head around having and mixing in drone footage, but that is because the alternative is not realistic and as a fan of minimalism (well, as minimalist as I can be without compromising any major element), I'm all in on one system now.

That is the sum of it. Enthusiast weighing up A vs B vs C vs what they already have, yes, even 500 is a BIG difference. Business user however, turning over 50k+ PA, it's still 500, but 1% of gross turnover and 50k is a very small business. And that is based on 1 year so if you can use something for 3+ years on say a 100k turnover, it's a difference of near zero consequence. 3k camera on 3 years at 100k = 1%. The difference being if it's a tool that makes you money and if that tool can also save you time, or improve your output in some way such as maybe it's more flexible such as open gate, or any other factor that works for you, then it becomes an asset. A depreciating asset (as all this stuff is), but the cost is not that big a consideration. Maybe but maybe not because it would need to have 'more' really (as you suggested), so it would have been wrong to badge it IMO as an S2H, even though, based on current evidence at least, it may very well be the replacement for the S1H that we have got. I always thought they would go a 2 model route and said so on this forum, but I thought they were going to make the S1RII (should have been badged S2R) and an S2H, the S2R with the Leica SL3/Sony A7RV sensor and then the more video-centric S2H. Instead we got what we got and for me, the pick of them is the S2R S1RII, and though it's a good body, would rather have seen something more innovative such as the ZR style body with 4" screen but articulating like that of the S2R S1RII. If...and it's a massive if, they do come out with a replacement for the S1H, I think if they go for this body style with that kind of rear screen, it would be a monster hit for Lumix.

🤷‍♂️ but as with the OG S1R and it’s 47mp sensor (Tower Jazz was the speculation at the time?), that was unique to the brand, the 44mp S1RII sensor is Panasonic’s own apparently and totally unique as far as I am aware? IMO, it has that mojo that the S1R had in that there is something unquantifiably special about it. I think most reviews/reviewers go mainly off the spec sheet and very very few have proper Panasonic full-frame history/experience but those that actually go and shoot the thing properly, know. I’ve shot 8 weddings spread over 24 days, stills and video with it now and can see immediately when I drop the files on a timeline, how much better they are than those of the S5II/S9. And this is no “because I have one” fanboy hallucination, because I have near zero brand loyalty and if I think something else will do a better job, I owe no company or brand anything. Plus have no YouTube channel, have ever received a free piece of kit or anything, so simply user feedback opinion. Define ‘better’. It’s one of those things that is not any single thing but the sum of several smaller things… As above somewhere or perhaps the other Lumix thread, ‘less muddy’, not that the material coming out of the S5II/S9 is muddy, but using words, it’s the best I can do. I’d throw up some sample footage myself for download except I only shoot log with the baked in Phantom conversion LUT for workflow purposes but the comparison with S5II/S9 is the same because that is what I have done with those cameras since I had them. The pricing was a bit too high straight out of the gate, but I picked mine up for £2700 which was acceptable compared with any kind of brand swap which I looked at which would have been anything from 5-10k based on my needs. So did I remain ‘brand loyal’ purely on cost then? Nope; cost + familiarity/continuity + capability, but starting afresh today, I’d go Nikon with adapter E Mount glass.

And when he also did a test of standard Vlog vs Arri log, the standard Vlog looked a lot better to me. Someone else and I forget who now (but it was someone UK) also did a side by side between the S1II and S1RII and all though he made a case that the S1II was better, about 90% of the comments including myself, disagreed. I was playing with building a new custom non-log profile based on a download from LUMIX Lab, but heavy rain has stopped play 😒 Agree as it stays on and there is less risk of touching the glass and getting fingerprints on it or having to put it somewhere safe every time. I also had mine flip down rather than up as it looked less crap. I might go back to it now I back to primarily shooting one video designated unit as I could make a VND work better with that, but as above, was working on a non-log profile with an ISO of just 80 which in most scenarios, would remove any need for ND. But ground to a halt thanks to the crap UK weather...

Something else I forgot to say was the difference between the S5II/S9 video and the S1RII is how clean/nicer the latter is. Working with all 3 on the same timeline, especially with lower light stuff, it’s very clear which is which because the S5II/S9 footage whilst not muddy, seems muddy when compared with that coming from the S1RII. This is partly why I have moved the S9 into a very limited secondary role where along with the S5II, they will be responsible for pretty much just 3 scenarios resulting in 3 pieces of footage, albeit in the case of the S5II, that means full length wedding ceremony and full length speeches. Anyone using these cameras together will probably confirm the same difference.