Panasonic Lumix DC-S1H

Panasonic Lumix DC-S1H Review: Netflix guaranteed

Launched on the market in 2019, the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1H is one of those machines that should be called a video camera, even before the more common term "camera". While not missing anything in terms of photographic performance - excellent and second to very few competitors - the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1H has its strength in the video performance, constituting an exception (and excellence) in the field of full-frame mirrorless cameras intended for so-called prosumers.

Aside from several uniquenesses that we will see in detail, the Lumix S1H can also boast an exceptional guarantee, an honor that has been attributed to it by Netflix with the Primary Camera certification. What does it mean? It means that the American giant is in a position to accept, among its internal productions, even the contents shot with this video camera. A "potential" recognition that, however, gives the idea of the qualitative (and professional) aspects of this Panasonic Lumix DC-S1H, atypical for a mirrorless because it completely doesn’t care about “weight issues”. Yes, because the first uniqueness of the S1H is its weight of over 1 kg.

To an enthusiast accustomed to the lightweights of “mirrorless” machines, the Lumix S1H may seem bulky and heavy, but it must be remembered that this camera was not designed to make beginners happy, nor those arriving from smartphones without other experiences. And then, when evaluated from a professional perspective, things change or rather get inverted: the Pansonic Lumix DC-S1H is, on the contrary, one of the leanest and lightest machines, with specifications equivalent to much higher-end products.

A heavy body, excellent ergonomics, lots of controls

Weight and measurements before any comment: 1164 grams (151x114x110 mm). If the S1 seemed heavy, this Lumix DC-S1H has gone further, due to the presence of a fan for heat dissipation, which makes this machine a unique example among mirrorless cameras, which generally overheat after half an hour of recording.

With this weight, the handle cannot be disappointing. And indeed, the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1H's grip is pretty prominent, almost like that of professional SLRs. And then the ergonomic aspects are truly remarkable, starting with the most important button for a video camera, that of the recording, easily reachable by the fingers next to the lens, in the front position (where there are two customizable buttons). The AutoFocus selector has also been made more friendly than that of the S1.

What is immediately evident is that the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1H offers an impressive number of physical controls. On the upper face, there is the shooting mode dial and the ISO, compensation, white balance buttons. We also find two more dials to control the menus. Remaining on the top plate, we find an excellent monochrome display, a 1.8-inch backlit LCD, and (obviously) the View Finder, an OLED electronic viewfinder (5.76 million pixels) of very high quality.

Aesthetically, the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1H does not differ from the S1, so much robustness but nothing particularly attractive, also because the appearence of the camera body has been made even more powerful by the thickness due to the fan and the 3.2-inch display that can be folded - an LCD touch with double rotation - which was embedded in an unattractive plastic copper that features the rear of the machine. 

On the rear side of the S1H, there is the direct button to the menu, the bin, the video/photo player, a joystick, the AF selector, and the “Lock” to block any involuntary actions. On the right side, there is the dual-slot for SD cards (UHS-II), on the left one the HDMI and USB-C ports, the remote control, headphones plug, and microphone. The lower plate has the battery compartment, the hole for the tripod, and the attack of the battery grip.

The Panasonic Lumix DC- S1H at a glance

Sensor: 24Mp full-frame 35mm CMOS (35.6mm x 23.8mm), aspect ratio 3:2
Processor: Venus Engine
Reardisplay: Swivel (8cm), aspect ratio 3:2, 2.33 million dots
Electronic Viewfinder: OLED 5,760,000 dots (0.78x magnification, 100% coverage)
Focus: Contrast AF system (225 focus points)
ISO sensitivity: ISO 100 to 51,200 (50 extended ISO 204,800)
Video Recordings: 6K/24p 10 bits (3:2)/C4K/4K 60p/50p 10-bit
Memory: SD, SDHC, SDXC (UHS-II)
Battery: Battery 23 Wh (400 images - 380 with electronic viewfinder)
Interface: 1x USB 3.1 Type- C, 1x HDMI, 2x 3.5mm jack (in/out), Wi-Fi dual-band 5GHz, Bluetooth 4.2
Weight: 1.164 grams (1.052 gr without battery and cards)
Measurements in mm: 149x110x97 mm

Panasonic Lumix DC-S1H: photographic performance

As mentioned, with the Lumix S1H the photographs are certainly not a fallback, with a 24.2Mp Full Frame sensor that allows negligible digital noise up to ISO 6400 and up to16000 without the collapse of details. The dynamic range, and here the full format can be seen, is excellent as it can be appreciated especially in the nuances of complexions, very natural and rich in details. In contrast, the AF is not convincing in moving scenes, but it is remarkable for more static scenes such as portraits - excellent tracking the face and eyes - landscapes and street photography.

The 9-fps burst in single AF mode and 6-fps continuous AF is not exactly the best, especially when compared to the continuous shooting of the Sony A7 III, but fortunately, the gaps in the AutoFocus system are somehow compensated by the five-axis stabilizer that works perfectly.

The Panasonic Lumix DC-S1H also has the time-lapse ready function with software that quickly merges the shots of a selected time range, producing a video with the desired frame rate. A function that is perhaps not very creative but which, by automatically adjusting ISO and shutter speed as the light changes, is very useful for time-lapses that pass from day to night and vice versa.

The video performance of the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1H

The formats in which you can shoot with the Lumix S1H are infinite, among them the anamorphic stands out, which never appeared on devices of this range. The maximum resolution is 6K at 24p (10 bit) in the 3:2 format. For a 16:9 you must go down to 5.9K 30/25/24 to get up to UltraHD 30p 10 bit or FHD with different frame rates. Among the various functions, we also remember the slow-motion at 120 frames per second. In the face of stunning video performance, the battery of the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1H instead stands at average market values, with about two hours of autonomy for all the modes in which you decide to shoot. Among the "specialties" of this S1H we remember the Super 35mm mode in 4K at 60Fps (up to 200M bps/10 bit) with a crop of 1.6, not present in the Sony A7 III, but very useful for shooting the extra materials of the b-roll.

To make the most of the sensor without the crop, the resolution is 4K 30Fps. The 6K is not yet a widespread standard among prosumers, but it can come in handy if you have to do with professional studios who can crop recordings to get videos in 4K or 2K, without loss of color.

The Lumix S1H also has the dual native ISO that is activated in the transition from light to dark, dramatically reducing digital noise. Another peculiarity of this Lumix is the presence of the V-LOG and the V-GAMUT, for a dizzying dynamic range, well +14 STOP. Thanks to these technical specifications the videos released by the Panasonic SH1 have rich detailed colors and exceptional depth. Besides, the internal stabilization on five axes allows excellent free-hand shooting, and among the few defects that can be found we point out the rolling shutter, the effect that peeks out only in the highest resolutions.

Panasonic Lumix DC-S1H: conclusions

The Lumix S1H is placed in the high-end consumer range, with video performances that cancel any comparison with normal full-frame mirrorless cameras that are proposed (also) as video cameras. The only ones not to appreciate so many virtues could be your arms and your back since with the optics the Panasonic Lumic DC-S1H can easily exceed the kilo and a half of weight.

Apart from this practical issue, it cannot be denied that with the Lumix S1H, Panasonic has "overtaken" the celebrated Sony A7 III, which in this review has been repeatedly brought up. With the S1H, Panasonic has certified a fact: for high-end mirrorless cameras, the Lumix are the only ones capable of competing with Sony. But the saga doesn’t end here, because with the S1R… other video features can outperform the competition. And the singular (and appreciable) thing is that the Lumix S1 series never overshadows the photographic sector, it’s always of a high level.