Panasonic Expands Full-Frame Mirrorless Lineup

2019.08.27

Only a few months ago, Panasonic debuted their first Full-Frame Mirrorless Digital Cameras. the S1R and S1 twins feature identical bodies yet a difference in sensor. The Panasonic S1R sports a 47 MP high-resolution sensor and the S1 a 24 MP one with greater sensitivity range. These new mirrorless are built with an L-mount as joint platform between Leica, Sigma and Panasonic. This allows Panasonic to immediately acquire compatible lenses to get a head-start against newcomers. Sill, Panasonic started by adding 3 of their own lenses to the system, joining 11 others from Leica and Sigma.

Just now, Panasonic added a third Full-Frame mirrorless to a fourth L-mount lens to their system. The new Panasonic Lumix S1H is designed to excel at videography while maintaining the professional DSLR-style of its siblings. This mirrorless sports a newly developed 24 megapixel sensor with faster readout and deeper dynamic-range. Not only does this promise better image-quality with over 14-stops of dynamic-range, it also allows 6K Video-Capture for the first time in a digital camera!

The S1H offers a unique 6K @ 24 MPS video mode with 3:2 aspect-ratio, essentially capturing full-resolution images at a whopping 24 FPS using an electronic-shutter. At the standard 16:9 aspect-ratio of 4K and HD video, it can record 5.9K video at 30 FPS. Scaling down to Cinema 4K or UltraHD, it can capture 60 FPS video with 10-bit output, exceeding current top-of-the-line 4K digital cameras. This camera is capable of 4:2:2 10-bit 4K 60p HDMI output . The Panasonic S1H is packed with advanced videography features such as V-Log recording, Time-Code Synchronization and even accommodates 4:3 anamorphic mode.

Photographically speaking, the Panasonic S1H is expected to deliver improvement over the 24 MP S1 thanks to its Dual Native ISO design that is made to reduce noise when shooting in low-light. Just like its siblings, this camera features a state-of-the-art 5-axis image-stabilization system built-in. This stabilization cooperates with stabilized lenses to maximize efficiency. The new sensor requires more cooling than previous ones and Panasonic has created a new heat-dissipation system for that. Impressively, they did so while making the S1H weatherproof, dustproof and freezeproof down to -10C.

One of the class-leading technology that Panasonic introduces when launching the S1R and S1 twins is the highest-resolution EVF on the market. This 5.7 megapixels unit delivers 60 FPS updates or 120 FPS at a lower-resolution for faster response. There is a new 1.8" high-resolution status LCD and the top-plate with a back-light for use at night.

Panasonic expects to ship the S1H in October for a suggested price of $4000 USD or $5400 CAD. Adorama and B&H Photo are already accepting pre-orders.

Along with the launch of the S1H, a new professional L-mount lens is announced. The Panasonic Lumix S PRO 24-70mm F/2.8 is designed to deliver top-notch image-quality with uncompromising performance. This bright constant-aperture zoom lens is highly versatile given its wide-angle to moderate focal-range.

A classic-range and wide maximum aperture make this one workhorse lens, complementing the lighter and longer F/4 zoom introduced originally in the lineup. This lens has been particularly optimized for video with a dual internal focusing system comprised of a linear and a stepping motor. This allows swift and accurate focusing. The optical design also eliminates focus-breathing is often a problem when using photographic lenses while shooting video.

The Panasonic S PRO 24-70mm F/2.8 is scheduled to ship in October for $2200 USD or $3000 CAD. Adorama and B&H Photo are already accepting pre-orders.

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