Panasonic rocked the photograph trade when it introduced a partnership with Leica and Sigma to develop full-frame mirrorless cameras utilizing Leica’s current L-mount lens system. Panasonic promised to launch two cameras to kick issues off, and we have been ready patiently for particulars since they have been teased final September on the Photokina commerce present in Germany.
Today, the corporate introduced nearly every thing we need to know concerning the new system—technical particulars on the 2 inaugural our bodies, the S1 and S1R, together with info on the primary three lenses which can go on sale.
The Cameras
Panasonic is bringing two cameras to market to kick issues off. The two share quite a lot of know-how, together with completely equivalent physique designs. The large differentiating issue is the picture sensor. The S1 sports activities a 24MP sensor, whereas the S1R is designed for high-resolution seize with a 47.3MP sensor.
Both cameras sport 24-by-36mm picture sensors, the identical dimension as a 35mm movie body. This matches a latest pattern within the trade—smaller sensors nonetheless have their place available in the market, however increasingly lovers are becoming a member of professionals by investing in full-frame .
The cameras are constructed to endure, with mud and splash safety, a magnesium alloy body, a 400,000-cycle mechanical shutter, and a freezeproof design. Dual card slots—not discovered on competing fashions from Canon or Nikon—help high-speed XQD and UHS-II SD playing cards. The XQD slot will obtain CFexpress compatibility through a future firmware replace, growing its switch pace capabilities dramatically.
Both fashions characteristic in-body picture stabilization (IBIS). As with related methods from different digicam makers, any L-mount lens will get pleasure from the advantages of stabilization. If a lens has its personal optical stabilization system it can work together with IBIS. Internal stabilization is rated for as much as 5.5 stops of compensation, and might go as much as 6.0 stops when paired with a stabilized lens.
Mirrorless cameras use digital viewfinders, and the specs of the EVF included within the S1 and S1R may be very spectacular. Its magnification is not absolutely the largest we have seen, however at 0.78x it is aggressive with others, and the OLED panel has extra decision (5,760okay dots) than some other to this point.
The rear LCD is a 3.2-inch LCD with contact help, 2,100k-dot decision, and what Panasonic is asking a triaxial tilt design. It can face ahead or down, and tilt out to the facet. But, very like the LCD design discovered on the Fujifilm X-H1, it would not face all the way in which ahead.
Other bodily options of be aware embrace a spotlight selector joystick on the rear, a devoted dial to regulate the continual drive setting, and a monochrome info panel on the highest plate. There’s no in-body flash, however each cameras sync at as much as 1/320-second with exterior flashes.
Imaging and Video
The anticipated imaging and video options are included. Both cameras can seize images in JPG or Raw format, and document video at 4K—these are all fundamental expectations nowadays. Both fashions additionally help very excessive ISO seize—the S1 can crank as excessive as ISO 204800, and the S1R goes to ISO 51200. Both sensors begin at ISO 100 natively and work at ISO 50 in a low prolonged mode.
While Canon, Nikon, and Sony all use some type of part detection focus of their respective mirrorless methods, Panasonic doesn’t. It is sticking with the contrast-based Depth From Defocus (DFD) system present in its Micro Four Thirds collection. The system is often very quick to amass focus, however would not do pretty much as good a job at monitoring high-speed targets as part detection. Because of this the S1 and S1R sluggish from 9fps to a extra conservative 6fps when monitoring transferring targets in AF-C mode.
If you may skip taking pictures in Raw format, you may rattle off 6K (18MP) JPG photographs at 30fps or 4K (8MP) photographs at 60fps, though do not count on the digicam to maintain up with transferring targets at these speeds.
Both cameras help a multi-shot, high-resolution seize mode for nonetheless topics. It requires you to lock the digicam down on a tripod, but when you must get probably the most element out of a panorama shot it is value it. The S1 helps 96MP imaging and the S1R goes to 187MP, each in Raw format, when utilizing the High Resolution mode.
The S1 and S1R help HDR picture seize, a reasonably nascent know-how in client cameras. It leverages the HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma) HDR customary to seize 8K (7,680 by 4,320) images with the S1R or 6K pictures (5,888 by 3,312) photographs with the S1. Both codecs use the 16:9 facet ratio, as they’re supposed to be seen on 4K televisions which help the HLG customary.
The large video characteristic is 60fps (59.94p) seize at 4K decision. Both cameras help it, at 150Mbps with 4:2:0 8-bit LongGOP compression and LPCM audio. You can even roll at 100Mbps at 29.97p or 23.98p with AAC audio. You can even roll at 1080p, though you will lose help for 24fps speeds by doing so. Slow-motion is on the market at 1080p as nicely, at your selection of 120 or 180fps seize for 30fps playback.
The S1’s 24MP sensor does one factor the S1R’s 47MP chip cannot—document 4K footage at 10-bit high quality. It helps HEVC HLG seize at 29.97p or 23.98p with 72Mbps, 4:2:0 LongGOP compression. Additional video options, together with help for a flat V-Log profile, may be added to the S1 through a paid firmware replace.
The Lenses
The S1 and S1R can each make the most of the L-mount lenses already in the marketplace—Leica has a number of full-frame and APS-C lenses on sale already. But not everybody needs to pay Leica costs for glass.
Panasonic is launching the system with two zooms and one prime. The fundamental starter lens for many patrons is the Lumix S 24-105mm f/4 Macro O.I.S. It’s joined by the Lumix S Pro 70-200mm f/4 O.I.S. and Lumix S Pro 50mm f/1.4 be part of it.
Pricing and Availability
Panasonic plans on getting every thing into shops in early April. Pricing is a bit of larger than what we have seen from others, with body-only pricing for the S1 coming in at $2,499 and the S1R at $3,699.
The 24-105mm zoom prices $1,299.99, with the 70-200mm coming in at $1,699.99 and the 50mm f/1.4 at a sky-high $2,299.99.
There are reductions accessible in case you purchase a digicam and lens collectively. The S1 sells for $3,399 when bundled with the 24-105mm zoom, and the S1R package is priced at $4,599.
Finally, an add-on battery grip is on the market. It works with both digicam and prices $349.
Keep a watch out for extra protection once we’ve had an opportunity to make use of and check the brand new cameras and lenses.