By Patrick Onuoha
Panasonics has announced the new LUMIX S5, a new hybrid full-frame mirrorless camera that achieves excellent performance in photo/video and stunning mobility for serious photographers and videographers.
The new LUMIX S5 comes bundled with an assortment of attributes just right for vlogging into a remarkably compact and lightweight body. It contains a 24.2-megapixel 35mm full-frame CMOS sensor boasting a wide dynamic range and high sensitivity performance made possible by sufficient light condensation.
The LUMIX S5 contains a 24.2-megapixel 35mm full-frame CMOS sensor (35.6 mm x 23.8mm) and boasts a wide dynamic range, reproducing sharp images. LUMIX S5 is ideal for low light and makes low noise even when shot at maximum ISO 51200 high sensitivity. With an algorithm developed by Panasonic, LUMIX S5’s Body I.S. (Image Stabilizer) precisely calculates shake information acquired not only from a gyro sensor but also from the image sensor and accelerometer sensor providing powerful handshake correction. This enables more accurate shake detection and compensation, making it possible to use a 5-stop slower shutter speed.
The latest addition to the LUMIX 4K camera lineup, LUMIX S5 is also capable of 4K 60p/50p 4:2:0 10-bit, and 4K 30p/25p 4:2:2 10-bit internal recording up to 30 minutes and 4K 60p/50p 4:2:2 10-bit HDMI output. While there is no time limit for 4K 30p/25p 4:2:0 8-bit internal recording.It will comply with RAW video output to ATOMOS NINJA V over HDMI as well as C4K video recording with the future firmware update (which will be detailed in Chapter 6).
Dynamic range measures the luminance range that a digital camera can capture. The LUMIX S5 delivers 14+ stops of Dynamic Range, which are virtually the same as those of the Panasonic cinema cameras, to precisely reproduce everything from dark to bright areas. It contains V-Log/V-Gamut capture to deliver a high dynamic range and broad colours.
The camera boasts high-speed, high-precision AF in both photo shooting and video recording. Combining the Contrast AF with DFD (Depth From Defocus) technology, it focuses on the target in approximately 0.08 sec. The LUMIX S5 has -6EV luminance detection performance with Low Light AF thanks to the higher sensitivity and optimised tuning of the sensor. The LUMIX S5 also incorporates an advanced deep learning technology that detects specific subjects – humans and fast-moving animals, including Canidae, Felidae and birds. Notably for humans, in addition to the eye, face, body the head is also separately recognised by real-time detection technology to provide even more precise focusing.
Combining the Body I.S. (5-axis) in the camera and the O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer, 2-axis) in the LUMIX S Series lens, the 5-axis Dual I.S.2 compensates for blurring even powerfully, allowing the use of a 6.5-stop slower shutter speed. The splash/dust-resistant rugged design provides professional photographers with high reliability.
The LUMIX S5 produces outstanding mobility and excels in basic performance and expandability. With an optimum layout of heat dispersion components, heat is effectively transferred outside, which results in stable, continuous video recording for a long time.
It has a large LVF (Live View Finder) with a high magnification ratio of approx. 0.74x. High-precision, high-speed OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) display features 2,360K-dot high resolution. A 3.0-inch free-angle LCD in 3:2 aspect with 1,840K-dot high resolution provides touch control. Composition during recording in various popular aspect ratios such as 16:9, 4:3, 1:1, 4:5, 5:4 and 9:16 can be checked with the Frame Marker function.