Panasonic Lumix DC-S1

Panasonic Lumix DC-S1 Review: a heavyweight mirrorless

Launched in 2019, the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1 is an attempt to make two contradictory characteristics coexist: a full-frame sensor and a camera body that, as usual, in mirrorless cameras must be lightweight and portable. The experiment was successful only regarding the high-level technical features because it is very clear that for the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1 lightweight is no longer a priority factor, as it is clear this camera has been designed to enrich the photographer's experience, from other points of view: a battery with an autonomy of almost 400 photos in Live View (otherwise more than 1000) and an infinite series of physical commands.

In a nutshell, the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1 is an ambivalent camera because it can appeal to professionals as well as passionate photographers, who cannot give up on the temptation of top-quality videos. With the Lumix DC-S1, Panasonic has inaugurated its series of "heavyweight" mirrorless cameras: five axes stabilizer, 24Mp sensor, universal L-Mount also for Leica and Sigma. And a series of high-level technical features, which we will now analyze in detail.

Ergonomics and construction of the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1

Once grasped, the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1 immediately gives a feeling of excellent build quality and a considerable weight of about one kilogram, battery included. The body machine is tropicalized, with the usual sober design of Panasonic, an impressive tonnage for a camera withan incredible number of physical controls. The grip is quite prominent, the ergonomics are good, aside from the power button that is difficult to reach unless using both hands to support the Lumix DC-S1. The tiny AutoFocus button is easy to reach, much less its selector (static, manual, and continuous AF).

The top of the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1 shows on the left the PASM dial, on the right the mini display and three physical buttons for ISO, white balance, and compensation. There is also the AF joystick and a lock to block any unintentional change.

Sideways, on the left, are the USB-C and HDMI ports. On the right side, we find the double slot for SD and XQD cards. On the bottom plate of the Lumix S1, there is the pivot for the stand, the connector for the battery grip, and the battery itself.

On the rear side, we find the very high-quality electronic viewfinder (120Hz), a clear and natural-looking OLED. Much of the back of the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1 is occupied by the monitor, an articulated 3.2-inch touch screen (but without the side hinge) that performs well even in sunlight. Above the monitor, on the back too, is the button for video recordings, the Q switch, the Menu/Set button, the display selector, and the trash can.

The Panasonic Lumix DC- S1 at a glance

Sensor: 24Mp full-frame 35mm CMOS (35.6mm x 23.8mm), aspect ratio 3:2 
Processor: Venus Engine
Display: TFT LCD (3.2 inch), aspect ratio 3:2, 2.1 million points
Electronic Viewfinder: OLED 5,760,000 dots (0.78x magnification, 100% coverage)
Focus: Contrast AF system (225 focus points)
ISO range: 50-204800
Burst: with AutoFocus 6fps x 40 RAW, 50 JPEGs; without AutoFocus 9fps
Video Recordings: 4K (3840x2160p) 60fps
Battery: Li-Ion (Panasonic DMW-BLJ31, capacity 22.57 Wh)
Weight: 1.0 16 grams (with battery and cards)
Measurements in mm: 149 x110x97 mm

Panasonic Lumix DC-S1: photographic quality and performance

Up to ISO 6400, the digital noise is not a problem, while daring with ISO 8/16000 the noise is not so disturbing even in JPEG format. Going further, the rendering of details drops drastically, but for social media usage the quality remains excellent. On the dynamic range of the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1, nothing to say: the full format captures colors perfectly, even in highly contrasted or low light circumstances. The result: very high-quality images, both in RAW and JPEG, with rich and natural shades, with excellent results in skin colors that are surprisingly authentic. Without a shadow of a doubt, remaining on the 24Mp sensors, the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1 can be considered the best camera in low light situations.

The (very few) painful notes for Lumix S1 come while speaking of its AutoFocus, based on contrast detection. Unlike the competition, the Japanese manufacturer seems to have taken hold of this position, avoiding the phase-detection system, focusing on photographic quality... but the truth is that, in live actions, this system with 225 points struggles, often losing the tracing. No problem, however, regarding the tracking of the subject’s eyes and face: in the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1 it performs very well.

The AutoFocus of the Lumix DC-S1 offers a time block focus of 0.08 seconds and a burst of 9 fps in single AF mode or 6 fps in continuous AF. These are sufficient performances, but there is certainly something better on the market regarding this aspect, for example the Sony A7 III which manages 10 fps in continuous AF.

Parallel to the release of the S5 model in 2020, Panasonic has released firmware updates that have improved the AF system of this Lumix S1, equipped with an excellent five-axis stabilization system that somehow compensates for the indecisions of an AutoFocus which may not be the best for action photography, but which is very reliable in portraiture and landscapes, in which the Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 has very few rivals.

The video of the Lumix DC-S1

In 4K up to 30 fps, the video footage of the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1 is sharp and clear, with rich and detailed colors. As for the photos, the internal stabilizer intervenes to make the clips very fluid, even in freehand. In more eventful situations, digital stabilization also intervenes, to cushion the most extreme movements, somehow already mitigated by the considerable weight of the camera body that offers inputs for the external microphone and headphones.

Internally the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1 records in 4K up to 30 Fps (4:2:0 at 10 bit) but only at a bit rate of 72 Mbps. Going further, up to 60 Fps, you can internally capture 4K video at 8 bit 4:2:0. 1080p video can be recorded up to 180 Fps. The videos in external UltraHD are reproduced with detail 4:2:2 8-bit. Another advantage of this Lumix S1 is the absence of length limits for shooting, in all resolutions, excluding those at 1080p 180Fps.

Unfortunately, all 4K recordings over 30Fps are cut to APS-C size and, shooting at high speed, only automatic exposure is provided which shows some limitations in situations where the lighting changes often and/or unpredictably. On the other hand, the tracking of eyes and face works great, with some issues (but we have already talked about the photographs) when a subject is moving quickly.

Comparison Lumix DC-S1 vs. Canon EOS R6

The Panasonic Lumix S1 and the Canon EOS R6 are both full-frame cameras, with 24 MP sensor the first, and 20 MP the R6. On Amazon the Panasonic S1 is considerably more exepensive than the EOS R6. 

What are the main differences between the two?

In AF the Canon R6 wins with its 6072 points vs the 225 of the Lumix S1 and a burst of 12 Fps vs 9 Fps. In respect to the weight, the Lumix S1 loses the comparison, with its 1016 grams, as compared to the 680 of the Canon. So far, therefore, the Canon seems to lead in the comparison, while being less expensive.

So why prefer the Lumix S1 to the Canon model? In the first place for the higher resolution sensor, then the Lumix DC-S1 offers a larger display (3.2 inches vs. 3) and with a higher resolution (2.100k points vs. 1.620k points). Even the electronic viewfinder is superior compared to that of R6 which, moreover, lacks the secondary monitor. Finally, Panasonic offers a "special" mode that can be very useful: with the 4K Photo feature, you can extract 8Mp frames from 4K recorded videos.