Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R

Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R Review: the very high-definition camera

First model of the Panasonic S line, the Lumix DC-S1R is a Full Frame mirrorless that challenges competition from Sony, Nikon, and Canon in this market segment, with a stratospheric sensor of 47.3 MP. The Lumix G line (Micro Four Thirds) and standard MQT will parallelly continue to this S line, an atypical mirrorless to debut with this Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R, with over 1Kg of weight for the camera body only.

Launched in 2019, the S1R has opened the “weighty” mirrorless trend from Panasonic, strengthened by the alliance with Leica and Sigma for L-Mount, the attack for optics common to the three manufacturers.

In front of a mirrorless camera of over a kilogram like the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R, reflex purists have taken tasty revenge, since "mirrorless" cameras have always boasted of being “featherweight” and space-saving, so that in recent years they have partly overshadowed the primacy of digital SLRs. And in fact, the Lumix S1R is neither light nor of small dimensions, but the list of its pluses far exceeds that of its minuses, and with the following review we will understand why.

Ergonomics and camera body of the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R

1016 grams, without cards and battery, certainly not pocket size: 149x110x96.7 mm. The mighty Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R comes with the usual sturdy construction, the typical Lumix design more pragmatic than fascinating, and excellent ergonomics that exploits the wide spaces of a tropicalized camera body full of physical controls. In other words, nothing short of an SLR like the Nikon D850.

Viewed from the front, the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R highlights a prominent and secure grip, while from the top, on the left, is the program dial, which includes customizable options. Just below the PASM ring,in a concentric position, another wheel for the type of shot: single, multiple, self-timer, time-lapse, and 6k (6K/4K Burst for ultra-fast sequences by pressing the shutter button). To the right of the viewfinder there is the secondary display - accompanied by the backlight button - and near the handle, the classic group of commands: shutter button and, in order, white balance, ISO, and exposure.

On the back of the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R the 2.1MP touch display stands out; unfortunately, it’s non-rotatable by 360°, but 90° upwards and 45° vertically and downward. Much better is the excellent 5.75 million dot OLED viewfinder with very realistic and smooth views. Remaining on the backplate of the Lumix S1R, the buttons are innumerable; among others we remember the Lock (to avoid inadvertent settings), the focus selector, the joystick to scroll through images or movies, the dial with the directional pad.

The right side of the Lumix S1R has the double slot for XQD/SD cards (on which you can also store personal settings) while the left plate is more crowded: microphone and headphone plug, USB type C, standard HDMI, input controls remote , and Flash Sync.

The Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R at a glance

Sensor: CMOS 47.3Mp 3:2 (35 mm, Full-Frame 36x24 mm) 
Display: 3.2 " Touch LCD (1024x680 pixels), triaxial tilt, field of view approx. 100% 
Electronic Viewfinder: LVF OLED 5,760,000 points (0,78x magnification, 100% coverage) 
Focus: contrast AF system (225 focus points) 
Optical Image Stabilizer: 5-axis 
ISO sensitivity:from 50 to 51,200 ISO (native 100-25,600) 
Continuous Shooting: with AutoFocus 6 Fps x 40 RAW, 50 JPEG; no AutoFocus 9 Fps 
Video Recordings : 4K (3840x2160p) 60 Fps 
Memory: SD, SDHC, SDXC (UHS-II) 
Battery: Li-Ion (Panasonic DMW-BLJ31) capabilities 22:57 Wh 
INTERFACE and: USB 3.1 Type C HDMI Type C, Mic-in, Headphones, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, remote control 
Weight: 1.016 grams (without battery and SD cards)
Measurements: 149x110x96.7 mm

Performance of the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R

The Panasonic Lumix S1R has in the 47.3Mp CMOS sensor its maximum attractiveness, at the center of a system of aspherical microlenses that capture the light coming from the sides. If you add a native ISO range of 100-25,600, you can immediately understand what kind of camera you have in your hands.

Unfortunately, the AF system is not aligned with so much technical generosity; in particular when you want to track a subject - unless it is well lit - it tends to shift the focus on the background. By making a few attempts, acting on the touch screen, in the end, the system captures the subjects, but thisbasic "laziness" is a problem that needs solving. On the Face/Eye detection, however, no criticality detected: the AF system of the Lumix S1R easily detects up to three subjects on the scene. As you can now guess then... the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R is a perfect camera for portraiture, landscapes, and street photography, but a little less competitive for action photography, given the "hunting" problem of its Autofocus system that occurs in front of scenes with fast and/or sudden movements.

The continuous shooting of the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R is fully in the average range where the camera is placed: 6Fps (AFC) and 9Fps (AFS). The buffer does not have lightning-fast times, but the good news is that the S1R resumes shooting even before the previous write is completed. In mode 4K and 6K Photo, finally, you may obtain bursts from 30 or 60 Fps (to 8MP) or 30 Fps (18MP).

The missteps of the AF system are somehow compensated by the excellent internal five-axis stabilization system, which collaborates with the lens stabilizer, to achieve surprising results: 5 stops with the 50mm (6 with the 24-105mm) and, with a floating sensor, and a continuous shooting of 187Mp!

Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R Review: photo and video quality

With a 14-stop dynamic range, maintaining at 100 ISO, the shutter and the post-production have a huge recovery margin. In this case, the only flaw - but given the other technical parameters, these are trifles - is the integrated lack of ISOs below 100, for a dynamic range that is just below the rival Sony A7R III.

With a sensor of over 47Mp, the details are excellent, and this means that images can be cropped without problems, avoiding the risk of losing quality. The digital noise is not an issue up to ISO 6400, a value beyond which we will witness a progressive loss of detail, especially since some sensors do not like the high ISO values, but regarding the chromatic value, the Lumix DC-S1R is even preferable to its rival Sony, due to less warm but certainly more realistic colors, especially for the nuances of the skin, which is very natural.

For video performance, the Panasonic Lumix S1R is somewhat the counterpart to the big sister S1H because, while the former is more devoted to photography, the latter is (basically) a video camera. This does not mean that the video performances are qualitatively negligible. Compared to the other cameras of the S line, however, the Lumix S1R has a limit in duration - 15 minutes recordings - and stops at 8-bit 4:2:0, without being able to turn in 4:2:2 to 10-bit internally.

Having said that, the 4K videos of the Lumix S1R are of excellent quality, with faithful colors and excellent details, but if you need a camera perfectly balanced between photographic and video performances, the Lumix S1 is the right answer.

Thanks to the double stabilization of the DUAL IS system,the clips of the Lumix S1R are perfectly stable even in freehand, but for more lively situations, the best thing is to use a robust gimbal, since with the lense this S1R could easily reach 2 Kg in weight.

Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R: final thoughts

After so much technical talk, one question remains: can we call the Lumix S1R a professional camera? On the camera body, it cannot be argued: the S1R has nothing to envy to the pro models; as far as its technical data is concerned... it’s close to it, but we are not there yet.

If we want to label it at all costs, the Lumix S1R is a (semi) professional machine with numerous top features and some penalizing gaps, first and foremost the considerable weight and size and an AutoFocus system that trudges in motion photography. But compared to the more traditional full-frame mirrorless cameras - Sony and later Canon and Nikon - it looks good.

Ergonomics, stabilization, and usability - taking the astronomical sensor for granted - are its main reasons for pride, with features on par with glorious SLRs like the Nikon D850 or the Canon 5D MK4. It’s a pity for its battery life, which stands at around 350 shots. With this performance, unfortunately, the Panasonic S1R aligns with the classic mirrorlesses and with the problem that has always afflicted them.