Panasonic has shared some new details about its forthcoming Lumix S1 and S1R full-frame cameras at CES 2019, including an official March 2019 release date.
Both cameras were announced back in September 2018 without any real specs, other than that they’ll be using the existing ‘L Mount’ from Leica and will be able to shoot 4K video at 60fps, a first for full-frame mirrorless cameras.
But now we know a little more about how they’ll shape us next to rivals like the Nikon Z series and Canon EOS R.
Related: Best mirrorless cameras
Both cameras will have a High Resolution Mode similar to the one seen in the Panasonic Lumix G9, which lets them capture eight consecutive images and combine them into one image with much greater resolution than their 24-megapixel (S1) and 47-megapixel (SR1) sensors allow.
We don’t yet know what the resolution of these High Resolution Mode files will be, but the 20.3-megapixel Lumix G9 can produce 80-megapixel JPEG or RAW files using this technique, so 100-megapixel images are certainly possible. If you like the idea of printing poster-sized photos, it could be for you.
The other new detail that Panasonic shared is that both the S1 and S1R will have a High Dynamic Range (HDR) mode, which will preserve shadow details and help you show off your photos on 4K HDR TVs.
We don’t have long to wait for both cameras either, with Panasonic announcing that the S1 and S1R will be available to buy from the end of March 2019. There’s no official pricing yet, but based on their rivals the S1 is likely to cost between £1,500-£2,000 (body only), with the more pro-focused S1R likely to be around the £3,000 mark.
While Panasonic is a little late to the full-frame mirrorless camera party, it sounds like both cameras will have enough unique features to carve out their own niche next to the likes of Sony, Nikon and Canon. Like the Panasonic GH5 and GH5S, their 4K modes will be particularly appealing to videographers, while in-body image stabilisation and dual memory card slots are bonuses that you can’t find on the likes of the Canon EOS R.
What do you think, are you excited about the Panasonic S1 and S1R or are they too similar to their rivals? Let us know on Twitter @TrustedReviews.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
