Finally the camera we’ve all be waiting for. Or is it not? So lets see what Panasonic has to offer with their newly released S1R.
SPECIFICATION
Sensor : 47.3MP Full Frame CMOS
AF : 225-area DFD Contrast Detect AF
EVF : OLED, 5.76m dots, 100% coverage, 0.78x magnification
Memory : SD (UHS II) + XQD
Display : 3.2 inch tilting touchscreen
IBIS : 5 axis In Body Image Stabilisation
Size (Body) : 148.9 x 110.0 x 96.7 mm
Weight (w/ Battery and and XQD/SD) : 1kg
Leica M 50mm Summilux w/ Leica M to L adapter
Without wasting too much time lets move on to share my thoughts and feelings shooting with the S1R. In this 1st impression I’m gonna spare everyone from all the technical performance which is readily available all over the net and share what is important. My experience thus far shooting with the Panasonic S1R.
Panasonic S1R tilting Display
So how does it feel to shoot with the S1R? Well the first thing you’re gonna notice when you pick this bad boy up is its substantial weight. Body alone weighs 1kg. When paired with the amazing Lumix S Pro 50mm f/1.4, you’re all set to do some heavy lifting at the gym. So jokes aside. While this camera certainly weighs a tonne, its weight coupled with the awesome hand grip, this camera provides some really steady shot. This brings me the next point. The In Body Image Stabilisation (IBIS)
Flow of people at Jewel @ Changi Singapore - S1R, 50mm /f8 1.6s
Similar to other competitors, Panasonic boast 5 axis in body image stabilisation capable of +5.5EV. That is as far as the similarities goes. The IBIS in the Panasonic S1R is simply a league above all its competitors. With the S1R IBIS, I was able to create stable shots of up to 2.5s handheld as show in the picture below. Certainly something could not have achieved with the other brands out in the market. I guess the proof is in the pudding here.
Stream, Jewel @ Changi Singapore - S1R, 50mm /f16 2.5s
So in an era where Phase Detect Autofocus (PDAF) reins supreme, Panasonic refuses to comply with the market norm. Instead chooses to stick with Depth from Defocus (DFD) Contrast Detect Autofocus (CDAF) citing image quality as its key reason. As under certain certain (fairly extreme) lighting conditions PDAF can create banding and other artifacts in photo. So the drawback to using DFD CDAF is its speed. However Panasonic claims with its machine learning, it is able to achieve comparable focusing speed. So what do i think of it? Well the focusing speed is definitely not the fastest out there in the market. If you’re look for speed, Sony is your best bet. That is not to say that the DFD CDAF used in the S1R is unusable. In fact I was really pleased at how fast and accurate the focusing was when using the S Pro 50mm. It was quick just not lightning quick. However I do have to say when in continuous autofocus the breathing is rather noticeable. Can be rather irritating in video mode but that doesn’t really irk me as I’m more of a stills person.
Love in Motion - S1R, 50mm /f1.4 1/10s
And lastly, the image quality out of this camera is simply stunning to my eyes. Really accurate colour rendering and awesome low light performance at higher ISO. For a 47.6MP sensor, the amount of noise at higher ISO is really remarkable.
Thinking - S1R, 50mm f/1.4 1/125s
So to sum things up here is some of the things I love and hate about the camera.
Pros
- Image Quality
- IBIS
- Ergonomics
- Stunning clear EVF
Cons
- Weight
- High Price (compared to competitors)
Transport through time - S1R 50mm f/4 1/3s
So is it the camera we’ve all been waiting for? Definitely a yes for me. So if you have yet to get your hand dirty with it, it is about time you do to know what you’re missing out on. Will share a more in depth review of the camera at a later date once I’ve used the camera for a longer time. So stay tune for more. Thank you for your time and I hope you enjoyed.