What’s Changed? The Panasonic Lumix S5 II includes several noteworthy updates to its predecessor, the most substantial of which is the inclusion of on-sensor phase-detection autofocus—a first for a Panasonic camera. There’s also an improved subject-recognition autofocus system, an updated in-body image-stabilization system, a new processing engine, a built-in cooling fan that lets you shoot video for extended periods of time, and a host of upgraded video capabilities.

Updated Sensor and Processing Engine. As previously mentioned, the S5 II’s updated 24.2MP CMOS sensor features on-sensor phase detection for the first time on a Panasonic camera. A new processing engine, developed in partnership with Leica, works in tandem with the sensor to enable full-resolution shooting at up to 9 fps with the mechanical shutter and up to 30 fps with the electronic shutter. You also get great low-light performance, a 100-51,200 ISO range that’s expandable to 50-204,800, and enhanced color reproduction and suppressed noise levels throughout the camera’s sensitivity range. This camera can also record stills in 65:24 and 2:1 panoramic formats, 1:1 square format, and 16:9 format.

L-Mount Alliance. This camera’s wide-diameter lens mount is a joint collaboration between Leica, Panasonic, and Sigma that’s focused on a line of premium cameras & lenses in a mirrorless format. At 51.6mm mount diameter and just 20mm flange distance, the L-mount is well-suited for fast-aperture full-frame optics with compact dimensions.

6K30p, DCI 4K, and UHD 4K Video. The Lumix S5 II offers full-frame, open-gate 6K30p video capture with 4:2:0 10-bit color for up to half an hour, and unlimited video capture in DCI and UHD 4K60p 4:2:2 10-bit mode. You also get 120p capture for high-res slow-motion video. The 6K30p option uses the entire sensor to produce a 3:2 aspect ratio file that you can re-crop to any other aspect ratio you need, including 9:16, 1:1, 16:9, and 2.2:1. It features clean HDMI output to an external recorder, a built-in stereo mic for quick audio capture, and 3.5mm mic and headphone jacks for advanced audio recording and monitoring needs. Please note that for 6K and 4K capture, you must use an SD memory card that’s UHS-I Class 3 or faster.

Post-Production Optimization. The S5 II comes with V-Log pre-installed. This gamma lets you capture a flat, neutral gamma curve and an equivalent 14+ stops of dynamic range, giving you precise control for color grading in post and seamless editing with VariCam footage. Dual Native ISO uses two dedicated circuits per pixel to keep noise low and sensitivity high, facilitating shooting in a wide range of lighting conditions.

Phase Hybrid Autofocus System. The S5 II and S5 IIX are the first Lumix mirrorless cameras to incorporate an on-sensor Phase Hybrid autofocus system, which uses 779 phase-detection points to facilitate fast and highly accurate performance, even in backlit or low-light shooting situations. Three distinct subject-based tracking modes help to ensure maximum accuracy. Human + Animal Tracking mode will track any of the subjects you’ve trained it to recognize and will prioritize animals; Human mode tracks humans by detecting and prioritizing eyes, then faces, then heads, and then bodies; and Face/Eye detection only focuses on eyes and faces in the frame.

Dual I.S. 2 Image Stabilization. This system uses five-axis sensor-shift stabilization to compensate for roughly 6.5 stops of camera shake, giving your hand-held shots utmost sharpness. A newly developed Active I.S. system improves stabilization when you’re shooting video while you walk.

OLED EVF and Rear Touchscreen LCD. The high-resolution 3.68m-dot OLED EVF gives you a clear 0.78x magnification and a smooth 60 fps or 120 fps changeable refresh rate. You can use the 1.84m-dot 3.0-inch rear touchscreen LCD for menu navigation and image composition, review, and playback. The LCD’s free-tilting design lets you work from low and high angles, even when you’re shooting in vertical orientation.

Other Notable Features. The built-in cooling fan keeps the camera’s internal temperature low during extended shoots. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity provide wireless control and viewing options via the free Lumix Sync App for Android and iOS. This camera has two UHS-II compatible SDHC/XC memory-card slots (remember, UHS-I Class 3 or faster for 4K video), and the rechargeable DMW-BLK22 battery is rated for approximately 370 shots per charge when using the rear monitor or the EVF.

Looking for a More Video-Focused Option? If you need a more video-centric version of this camera, check out the Panasonic Lumix S5 IIX, which offers RAW video output, video recording to SSD over USB, ALL-Intra compression modes, internal ProRes capture, and wired and wireless IP streaming on top of all of the standard S5 II’s features.

This camera does NOT include a separate battery charger, it charges the battery in-camera with the supplied USB C cable and power adapter. If you'd like to rent a separate battery charger, please check it out here.

Q & A