The Lumix S1R compared with the G9 and GH5s - gallery and text

[drd1135]

The camera companies are struggling to turn a profit. They need a new "new thing" to pull folks in and, given the potential sales volume, they need it to have a high profit margin. Hence, FF mirrorless. Of course, it's really outside the price I'm comfortable with, especially with lenses.

 

[Lumix G Experience UK]

The camera companies are struggling to turn a profit. They need a new "new thing" to pull folks in and, given the potential sales volume, they need it to have a high profit margin. Hence, FF mirrorless.

I'm not sure that's an accurate reflection of what motivated the camera industry to produce FF mirrorless systems. Profit is of course a major driving factor for most businesses, but there is usually something else that goes along with it.

 

[drd1135]

I'm not sure that's an accurate reflection of what motivated the camera industry to produce FF mirrorless systems. Profit is of course a major driving factor for most businesses, but there is usually something else that goes along with it.

I'm sure.

 

[tkbslc]

I don't know, I see it as a natural progression. The GH line has crept up about as far as the market will accept for a 2x sensor. Moving to FF gives them somewhere to move where they can ask enough money for the performance they want to offer.

 

[inthecage]

I think camera companies are 2 steps ahead all the time. Create a big mirrorless with big lens so they can come back with a smaller one inch or m43 option again somewhere down the road. Sell us what they want us to have, create a new standard and in the process create a deficiency (size) they can answer for again in the future. Sounds absurd, but I can see this road being traveled. I'm not one who believes cell phones will meet the requirements of photography miniaturization that surely will happen down the line.

 

[Lumix G Experience UK]

But things really do get better all the time - better and/or more convenient. I'm not sure my G9 is better than my Speed Graphic but it is certainly much more convenient. I remember testing the EOS 1V and wondering where cameras could possibly go from there as it seemed to be about as good as we'd ever need. And then digital photography came along and we had to start again. It was hopeless for a while (which gives us journalists loads to write about) but gradually things have got bettter and better - and we passed the quality of the EOS 1V some time ago (all but the viewfinder anyway) in cameras that are easier to use and more affordable. It is all progress.

And for sure, camera companies are thinking well ahead of their customers. They have to.

 

[tkbslc]

I think camera companies are 2 steps ahead all the time. Create a big mirrorless with big lens so they can come back with a smaller one inch or m43 option again somewhere down the road. Sell us what they want us to have, create a new standard and in the process create a deficiency (size) they can answer for again in the future. Sounds absurd, but I can see this road being traveled. I'm not one who believes cell phones will meet the requirements of photography miniaturization that surely will happen down the line.

Sure, companies sit around asking how they can get us to spend money. That's why they exist! But give much of the blame back to the consumer. They say DSLR are too big, so mirrorless comes along. Then people complain that mirrorless needs big/fast glass to they can perform like a dSLR. Then they complain that you can't grip a big lens with a tiny soap bar camera. So they add grips. Now we demand stabilized 4K, huge viewfinders and pro-level action tracking - the cost and size and complexity of the cameras go up. Now we complain that it costs as much as FF! So Panasonic makes a FF camera. Now we are back at step 1 where we are going to complain that we want small and inexpensive again.

 

[inthecage]

I'm here because I want small with good quality. I never changed, I never left. Seems companies dance around me. They drive the market more so than respond to what people want. Nikon and Canon gave us mirrors nearly 10 years longer than they had to, and for that matter still do. There is a fine balance in company direction between providing customer needs and company profit. Sometimes leaving something out now means you add something else somewhere down the line and make even more money because of it. A small mirrorless camera is the long term future after Nikon and Canon sell us the big ones.

 

[Santa]

I am staying with m43, I have what I want, it does what I want it to do so why spend more money? I started reading this thread then realized I was not going to spend that much money on a new camera so I was just wasting my time reading this thread.

 

[jaapvanderkooij]

For a lot of photographers exposure compensation is a critical control that needs to be accessed shot to shot, so it needs to be somewhere it can be got to.

yes I know, I use it many times my self. What I would like is to switch the WB and exposure compensation buttons, as I can reach the WB button much easier.

 

[ijm5012]

What I don't understand is why more companies don't copy what Olympus has done, where pushing a button will allow you to adjust two different function, depending on if you use the front dial or the rear dial.

What would really be great would be if Panasonic would some something where if you press & release, the rear dial adjusts ISO and the front dial adjusts WB, and then if you press and hold the button in while turning a dial it adjusts exposure compensation.

It would allow them to consolidate the three top buttons down to a single button, while maintaining all of the same functionality but giving users and additional two customizable buttons. I get that it's nice to have a single, labeled button for each function, but it's extremely inefficient IMO. I really do love the way Olympus has two functions tied to each button depending on which dial you use. Very efficient, and enables the user to access a lot more settings without needing to "menu dive"

 

[ijm5012]

You guys realize you can assign EC to the rear command dial for all modes but 'M', or the control dial, right?

Yes, which makes a dedicated EC dial pretty much useless for everything but shooting in M mode.

It’s a button that would be better left open as a customizable button, where Panasonic would let the user decide its function. However, they’ve instead decided to hard-code it to be EC only, something that any non-M mode shooter doesn’t really need.

I don’t really get the logic behind it if I’m being honest.

 

[Robstar1963]

Not doing it for me !
Was intrigued when this was first announced but it’s too big and bulky and with the large lenses it will have it would be an ungainly system for me
Happy with the size of my G9 but wouldn’t want something this big
Rob

 

[Ulfric M Douglas]

I'm sure the size of that thing has been debated with Panasonic's partners, part of the larger deal.
They are not permitted to make it as small as an A7 ... yet.

 

[bbarnett51]

Random thoughts

1. There is no perfect camera
2. Of course I want it. I want every damn camera that comes out.
3. Top of the line quality and features is still much cheaper in M43 land
4. The EM1ii is seriously packed with features. If Sony made a full frame replica the internet would explode.
5. I shot with a d850 and 500 f4 and tele. The quality is insane but the files were ridiculously huge, I hate shooting on a tripod, and the setup cost $15k. Made me love my EM1ii even more.

 

[ToxicTabasco]

This camera is made for a specific type of photographer who shoots videos. I highly doubt Panasonic is trying to target the masses with this one. They have no intent competing with hard core fans of other brands or to try and get into the low budget FF market.

This is more a stab at the wealthy ones who have Leica lenses and Leica cameras and the Leica money. And perhaps the first camera to produce 6 or 8k with internal recording. The GH4 was a huge game changer for all hybird video shooters and converted a lot of DSLR shooters to the Panasonic brand, and changed the way industry did 4K video. GH5 came and also maintained that position in the world of 4K video. Could this be the new video game changer?

Ah what the heck, I have no clue what this camera is about. It will likely be another topic to evoke discussion about which FF camera is the best.

 

[Mike Wingate]

I am thinking that the new Panasonic FF models will be great value. Full of features, great sensors and electronics and cheaper than the Leica models.

 

[Lumix G Experience UK]

This camera is made for a specific type of photographer who shoots videos.

There will actually be two models - this S1R and a S1. The S1R is aimed at stills shooters and has a 47MP sensor. The S1 uses 24MP will be more of hybrid in the style of the GH5- good for stills and very good for video. As always with Panasonic, both will be able to record high end video, but I guess the S1 will offer more videocentric features - like the video orientated display modes, shutter speeds in degrees etc.

 

[Kharan]

What I don't understand is why more companies don't copy what Olympus has done, where pushing a button will allow you to adjust two different function, depending on if you use the front dial or the rear dial.

What would really be great would be if Panasonic would some something where if you press & release, the rear dial adjusts ISO and the front dial adjusts WB, and then if you press and hold the button in while turning a dial it adjusts exposure compensation.

It would allow them to consolidate the three top buttons down to a single button, while maintaining all of the same functionality but giving users and additional two customizable buttons. I get that it's nice to have a single, labeled button for each function, but it's extremely inefficient IMO. I really do love the way Olympus has two functions tied to each button depending on which dial you use. Very efficient, and enables the user to access a lot more settings without needing to "menu dive"

But they do - on both the G9 and G85 you can switch the functionality of the dials on the fly with a single button press.
I do understand that you would like to assign different functions to the WB and ISO buttons, but then again, the G9 has close to nine million customizable controls, so I'm personally not that worried
Also, exposure compensation on Lumix cameras is the best I've ever seen - the front wheel controls flash compensation, the rear wheel camera compensation, and the 4-way controller engages bracketing. Absolutely brilliant!

 

[bbarnett51]

I don’t think many people understand the difference between a pro and a hobbyist. $4k for a piece of equipment that runs your business is dirt cheap. People love to complain about the cost of this high end gear but that gear is not designed for them.
Compare any other business and look at the capital requirements to run it. It sure as hell going to cost more than a camera system. In most instances at least.
That’s why most ppl shoot em10s, g85s, a7iii, Fujifil APSC, d500s and not a9s, G5’s, d850s, fujifil medium format. And now the sr1