Panasonic Lumix S5 Review: BETTER than Sony a7 III, but one MAJOR problem...
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- Опубліковано 19 чер 2024
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The Panasonic S5 (sdp.io/S5) is a $2,000 full-frame mirrorless camera with 24 megapixels, sensor stabilization, 4k/30 (and 4k/60 cropped) video, eye detect autofocus. Those specs almost exactly match the Sony a7 III (sdp.io/a73), which has been maybe the best-selling full-frame mirrorless camera since it was released in 2018.
Shockingly, the S5 is BETTER than the Sony a73! The rear screen is better, the viewfinder is better, the controls are quicker. Image quality, video quality, etc., are basically identical, but let's face it, none of that has really improved on any camera for several years. Where we're seeing improvments now is in autofocus and usability, where the S5 makes drastic improvements.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
0:00 Introduction
0:41 General/Travel Photography
1:08 Electronic Viewfinder (EVF)
1:21 Tilt vs flip screen
1:47 Shooting experience (controls)
2:18 Battery life
2:41 L-mount lenses
3:06 Panasonic S5 vs S1
3:28 Panasonic S5 vs Nikon Z5
3:42 Video capabilities
4:29 Video autofocus
6:15 Portraits
9:19 AMAZING original song
9:30 Summary - Наука та технологія
I was gonna make a snarky comment about the Panasonic but I lost focus.
Ayeeee
😄
That was the most tasteful joke and jab I've read in a while. Well played🤣
🤣🤣😭😭
Tony: "because ISO is fake." Nice one slipping that in there.
It’s actually quite ridiculous that he still keeps saying that.
Can you please explain that further?
@@Universal_Craftsman Iso invariance, basically new cameras with good dynamic range can be shot at base iso the boost the exposure in post to get the same image quality
@@jillianangell2570 But why should I do that, if I could shoot at auto ISO, if I shoot at ISO 100 at night I don't have a preview.
@@Universal_Craftsman It's so that you can underexpose to preserve more highlights in extremely contrasty situations.
Panasonic is literally just great autofocus away from having possibly the best cameras out there, makes no sense why they just won't do it? 🤷♂️🤦♂️
100% agree! Their camera body design and empowering controls make the user feel in charge, we just cannot rely on contrast autofocus. I would have got the S1 months ago if it had phase detection. PANASONIC, PLEASE TAKE NOTE!
@@adamjaynes1503 yeah the usability of my G9 is miles apart from the mess that A7III menus are. If only they fixed couple of the big lacking things that are missing like proper video autofocus .. the still side seems to be getting there. Allso the Leica TAX lenses do not help Panasonic. Make your own PRO Line without the Leica TAX. perhaps they cannot. Are their hands tied with some contracts with Leica. who knows.
Something to do with Sony not licensing their autofocus system on their sensor to panasonic so i hear.
Even if Sony didn't license out the specific tech, on-sensor phase-detect pixels aren't a new technology and they are all over the place on tons of sensors. It's literally just a partial blackout masking of the pixels. You can always write your own algorithms to handle it... most of the genius behind various systems' AF is in the software, not the mere existence of pixels. I don't see any reason why they couldn't solve it without having to license something.
@Daniel Hughes Assuming you are talking about the standard half-masked pixels for PDAF, then yes, this is true. Because you are basically cutting off half the photosite from absorbing light, you get a worse noise performance relative to that one subpixel. In the early era of mirrorless, this wasn't too bad because PDAF pixels only accounted for 1% of the photosites... but in this era with the AF that has to cover the entire sensor and perform well means AF regions themselves have to be pretty large, that's harder.
In theory, Canon's solution with Dual-pixel photosites where instead of masking should be better. You just have two smaller floating bodies in the same subpixel. Minimal impact on noise because you don't sacrifice light absorption on the photosite... but the biggest problem is manufacturing cost.
I suspect that Panasonic's DFD has a lot invested in it, so there may be a sunk cost consideration here. The main thing that means that all CDAF will hunt vs. PDAF is the fact that phase differences have signs (negative or positive), whereas contrast differences don't... The theoretical upper limit of CDAF is superior to that of PDAF, but PDAF can work in situations of low contrast as well... and of course, users find the hunting more undesirable, especially in video. A hybrid contrast+phase might well be really good in that it can give you the best of both worlds, but I am not aware of companies exploring this at any large scale.
The AF on video struggles. It's the 5th review of S5 I'm watching and I have a clear conclusion by now... The AF on video struggles.
I bet time is running out for Panasonic for beeing stubborn like they are. They could have the best featured cameras on the planet if they fixed the lacking AF performance, added more power efficient cpus and made more good non Leica tax lenses.
Brelliace Lack of ip for hybrid autofocus > stubborness. Pretty sure they hear us considering they’ve consistently gave us video features we ask for. Tis the way of business when you have you buy sensors from another company
Thanks for the video. This was a pretty fair and even-handed description of the S5's capabilities and limitations. One general question for anyone who might know: can focusing systems be improved with a firmware upgrade or is the S5 stuck with its current system? Thanks again, KB.
Did you ever find out the answer to this question?
Appreciate your thoughts on this one guys. The S5 looks a tidy package in some ways with decent photo/video features. There are some decent looking new lenses on the way soon too, I just need a super telephoto for wildlife though! I laughed when you were trying to set up the eye detection on the Sony-in the real world, by the time you find the menu item the model has gone home!
Perfect blend of technology, production value and intimacy/fun - loved your homage Chelsea and good-natured poke at Tony in the comment... plus real men like Tony enjoy a good-natured prod 😎
I admit that I love my current Panasonic bodies but I was really hoping for phase detection autofocus on this model. Thanks for the review.
SOLD! my Purchase Order for the S5 Kit is in.
I am taking a lot more video these days and the S5 is the perfect camera for this. Way beyond what one could have imagined even a few years ago.
Features, size, quality and value is just unbeatable.
I started taking photos 45 years ago when all SLR's were manual focus. So getting the S5 to focus will not be an issue. I think that people see that the autofocus is not perfect and fob the camera off as worthless. That's never the case and you may just have to work a little harder to find out how to get the focus when and how you want it. I am not into sports photography so no issue here.
Tony & Chelsea in their rush to get views pushed out this video without really learning to operate the camera. This was evident when Tony had to help Chelsea with the settings for the portrait shot.
There are other UA-cam videos on the S5 that demonstrate that the autofocus was not as bad as depicted here. It's very common to have "experts" on UA-cam reviewing gear without even reading the manual. So called "modern photographers" are too precious these days are not willing to work for their shots. People just want the equivalent of an instamatic these days and buy sophisticated DSLRs so they can call themselves a professional arteest.
OK now let's do the maths.
Th Panasonic S5 here in the land of OZ is selling RRP for $3,199.
For $500 more you will get the 20-60mm lens kit. The 20-60mm lens is selling individually for $1,099. Plus if purchased before the end of Sept you can redeem the Sigma 45mm lens valued at approx $900.
The S5 with the two lenses comes to $3,699 [US$2,692] and you are getting $2,000 worth of lenses. Therefore you are only really paying $1,699 [US$1,236] for the S5 body.
I was able to get another hundred dollars off the deal which makes it even sweeter.
Where in the world would find such amazing value for such a great kit?
In years to come when the S5 is an antique, you can always sell or pass on the body to someone else and keep the L glass.
People this purchase is a no brainer.
The Sigma 100-400 is available natively in the L-mount, so they do have >200mm reach, but only one option.
Sigma doesn't exist to Tony and Chelsea.
Leica has a 90-280 L mount lens but you have to have deep pockets. The Sigma has range extenders of 1.5X and 2X that gives added range.
I have the 100-400 it’s awesome.
There is a good deal on the Panasonic right now with a £200 cashback and a free 50mm f1.8 lens thrown in when you buy an S5 + 12-60 kit from one of the major UK retailers, but I don't _need_ a new camera right now, and even if it is a huge upgrade over my current FZ1000, I feel it might be worth waiting this one out. The GH6 has many amazing new features that eventually will trickle down into the S6(?) some day, so perhaps I'll hold off for that.
By the way, you mention lack of lenses, but surely it is L-mount. Doesn't that mean that all L-mount lenses will work great (though of course the APS-C ones would need to be cropped), not just the new Panasonic S series lenses specifically released now that they went full frame?
my experience is (backed up by many other reviewers) that S5 at crop outperforms A7 III every time. and in full it is head to head. not to mention A7 cannot output even 10 bit while s5 can externally output 12bit and 10 (4:2:2!) internaly. these are uncomparable machines. both top models but a7 clearly showing its age...
Just a thought: could the new "head detect" AF in the S5 be causing some of the problems seen in the video, particularly when Tony places the lens in front of his face and the camera stays focussed on Tony instead of switching to the lens. From some of the press material and written reviews, head detect is supposed to stay focused on the subject's head even if turned, facing away or partially obscured. If it is possible, turning it off might give different results.
Also it is possible, but not guaranteed, that some of the focussing issues may improve in future f/w releases. Although for something so critical you shouldn't be left up to hoping it might improve in the future.
Really - you two are calling someone corny ???
“ All I want is the perfect camera !!!”
Uhhh, yea! I can be and see corny at the same time. It’s a gift.
I sang that
With the kit lenses, will the Nikon Z30 or Lumix S5 have wider angle? Thank you!
Lumix will be noticeably wider with the 20-60 kit. If you get the 24-105 kit, it will be just as wide as the z30 with its kit lens.
Sunny weather mode on the a7III LCD is available, crazy bright, and quite nice.
And makes you think everything's overexposed
@@martinsuen3153 Use histogram/zebras/EV meter for exposure control... regardless of lcd brightness setting on ANY camera.
Certainly you're not claiming this Panny S5 gives accurate exposure with a brighter lcd setting... Are you?
@@ctphotographx Nah I'm just complaining about my A7iii's trash LCD, compared with my Z6's, which won't messed around with highlights while adjusting brightness.
@@martinsuen3153 "And makes you think everything's overexposed" a7iii and trash LCD, you are a trash photographer if screen brightness is a exposure control for you. Amateur haha
@@Dar1usz Everyone knows histogram/zebras/EV meter. But if you are comfortable with A7iii's LCD, that might just be what you deserved! Who knows if you're using a phone from 2008 or not, or even with eye issue. I will not judge, for sure.
That lag after you press the shutter would drive me bananas!
That's strange, I've used the S5 on a daily basis for 4 months now and I have never experienced that lag...
I havent noticed any lag either.
Looks like Panasonic released an A7III 2.5 years after Sony did - though focus still doesn't look as fast or as accurate. Those portrait photos of Chelsea were not sharp on the eye. BTW, nice B-roll. Some of the scenes filmed with R5 in the shade looked REALLY nice but the others with the bright sky were super blown (more than I've seen in similar cameras). Not criticizing, just my observations. Cheers.
@@joaocorreiamedia true and it has a few other minor advantages as well. I guess that's what 2.5 years gets you.
Bear in mind they're looking at JPEGs from the Panasonic, versus probably RAWs from the Sony. Once you factor that in, I think their conclusion that the sharpness is the same is probably right.
Have been a G85 user for 5 years seriously considering the S5 as an upgrade for it's video features and most importantly it's probably the best bargain for a full frame camera! The auto focus for me is not a big deal as I mostly use manual focus and what I love about Panasonic is the consistent firmware updates and how they continually support their older cameras even the G85 which is probably 6 or 7 years old now since it's first release! My G85 just keeps getting better even the auto focus with every new firmware update and I know the S5 will have that same support.
You looked like you had a lot of fun making this video. So great to watch! Thank you again!
I like how you compared it to the A7iii. Most reviews are comparing it to the A7Siii and R6 even though body alone on those are at least $1000 more than the S5 kit. Only gripe I have about Panasonic is that at least in my area, they have pretty much little to no local support/presence in the camera shops. Everything is on at least 1 week special order, and they don't provide demos of lenses and cameras to stores.
I love the new easy going style of your videos. About the camera, well, it looks like nicer to use than the a73 for the same results (better in video) so i guess it is just time for a a74 or sales will go to this. the 20-60 looks like the winner kit lens now that everyone has and loves the cell phone ultra wide...
I own your book!! Thanks!! I like it! I am glad to know the autofocus has improved, although Gerald Undone said otherwise. As a previous owner of Lumix cameras, I am very excited with this one. I am disappointed with having only UHS-I and other UHS-II, but not a big deal. I am glad you mentioned Panasonic is now in the game as a nice contender! Thanks for your review, highly appreciated!
Uh, Tony, we were in Stonington not Old Saybrook.
😂
Uh, Chelsea, we were using a Panasonic not a Pentax.
Just kidding I'm a total idiot who doesn't even know where he is.
Tony & Chelsea Northrup I love it! People who watched to the end know lol
@@TonyAndChelsea Seems like both Tony and Chelsea will be voting for Biden...
Because Birds of a, a, You know, the thing.
That's a great comparison video, like all the others. I'm so "committed" to Sony due to the lenses I own, that there isn't any way I would switch for years. Still, it's good to see a solid competitor out there, all that makes them make better products so in the end we all win.
4:55 very poor focusing, it took forever , not acceptable
Whoa. Terrible.
Yeah, that shot right there made me go, "OOF!".
exactly..it might be better if you shook the camera and held down the shutter..
I think he didn’t set it on eyes & head focus
I never cringed before on a focus test...til now @4:54
Review request: please review the recently updated Olympus cameras, maybe the EM5 III or EM1 III. Thanks
Good review, love your book and your other videos too! I'm a Lumix G9 user, I'll admit it, I sold my soul to Micro 4/3 years ago because they're so darn small and handy to tote around, but now I'm beginning to consider a FF system as I'm moving into professional portrait photography and "travel-ability" is not so high on that list. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the G9 body, and think it's the best laid out camera I've used. The S1 is somewhere between a brick and a tank, so the S5 is very appealing. I don't do much video and so the autofocus video issues probably aren't of as much concern to me. Still when you compare this to Sony, Nikon and Canon, the choices are hard because really, they're all extremely good systems. But for now I'm still happy with my 70-200mm (equivalent) f/1.8 zoom that fits in my pants pocket. Thanks, MFT!
What?? There is no 70-200mm equivalent f1.8 zoom in existence for mft.
@@ahojahojish Yeah, he meant to say 35 to 100 f 2.8. He applied the two times crop factor to the focal length but not the aperture - which was wrong in the first place. Still he has a point. My 12-60mm (24 - 120 FF) is maybe 4 inches tall, so I know of what he speaks.
Yeah I mistyped that, thanks to those who figured out what I meant. 35-100 f/2.8 zoom, or 70-200 f/2.8 equivalent (in light gathering) or f/5.6 equivalent (in depth of field).
Using MFT for now, I own the Panasonic 35-100mm F2.8 lens as well. So small & compact, yet such remarkable picture quality...... mesmerizing! 🤯
I would love to use the L-mount Panasonic. Lumix has way better features and is easier to use, but it is too expensive to buy into another full frame lens system. Doable for those who use just one or two lenses, but not when going a little deeper. I may well have gone L-mount a few years ago when Sony was the only ff mirrorless, but I had no choice but to go Sony. I clung to my Canon gear hoping they would get their act together, but the R5/R6/A7S III was the last straw for me. I have started selling off my Canon gear in order to fund completing my Sony glass. Cheaper than starting again with L-mount, and Sony AF plus the 12Mp sensor has forced me to commit, and the choice was Sony. However, for a crop body I am Panasonic all the way. (I started collecting MFT glass back when the GH1 came out. Lots of Lumix love here.
Add the Sigma and Leica lenses. The Sigma lens set actually makes me want to buy into the system
It appears to be a much more robust reliable camera than much of the competition with strong video options, a growing lens range. Bang for buck it offers the greatest set of features. The AF is pretty great, maybe not for vlogging but as a filmmaker AF pretty much always goes off when filming subjects. I'd happily save the money from a bloated R5, grab this and upgrade the rest of my kit with what's left over. Smart budgeting is always at the forefront of my decision making.
Sony seems to be a standard for other cameras, even when they are two years older
Technology is moving so fast I would have thought this camera would have been much better
Thanks for the video
this camera is also a lot cheaper
The transition music sounds like a detective show from the 70s.
It was cool
Ah, but no screeching car tires around every corner.
Still can't get used to the 60fps of this channel. Great review though.
Thank you for this video.
That is how you do a short camera review.
You go out and take pictures with it and then show us, not only the result, but also the small quirks you find in using the cameras.
You didn't cover everything, but that is okay, as it's only a short review.
And you had fun doing it, it seemed - so please...
I still love my G9. If i am ever able to afford another camera, full frame, it will definitely be Panasonic. Love the screen and menu.
The G9 is a superb camera, I have to S5 now but in many ways wish I'd kept the G9.
@@clearlyconfused9194 ok long delay in replying... but why do you say this??
I can't believe the L mount has no wildlife lenses yet.
Mad English TV i don’t know if Sigma or Tamron don’t count as L mount alliance, but they both make super telephoto of to 600mm for l mount
Hi Mark, very surprised to see you here. I have been your subscriber for a long time. Considering to upgrade your camera?
Lei Wang Hi! 😃 Yes, I want to buy a new camera sometime in the future!
Incorrect. It has when this video was released there allready was 100-400 with teleconverters from Sigma.
@shadowofanubis66 L MOUNT ALLIAAAAANCE
I was wondering. I've had A7iii for a while now and I noticed one thing. AF-C works much better and faster than AF-S, even for a stationary objects. And that's one of the main reasons why I switched to back button autofocus (so that I would get AF-C focus speed and accuracy but with AF-S capability). I was wondering if anyone else noticed this?
Yes i agree (same on the A7R3 too)
I've noticed this on few E-Mount lenses
it is definitely so and I am in this region
This is a great comparison!! Can I ask what microphone, windscreen and such you had? I could see it was breezy, and yet the audio sounded PERFECT!!
Great Session as usual! Chelsea, you make this kind of comparison entertaining!
The colours and Menus and usability of the Panasonic are two steps further. If they improve the Autofocus again with the firmware updates and have some 300/500mm lenses they should be a real contender. BTW if you do stylisch Portraits, either with the Sigma or the Panasonic Fast glass or even the Leica one. you see some marvellous separation of the sharp parts from the unsharp parts. Its like someone has naturally popped the sharp object 3 dimensional out of the photo. A real classic effect. Same picture with a sony GM Master is at least as sharp but does not have this 3 dimensional natural effect and looks flat compared to the Lumix picture. The 50mm Panasonic, the 85mm 1.4 Sigma or the 2.0 90mm Leica show this effect best.
2:55 - I thought the longest L-mount currently is the Sigma (who is a part of the L-mount alliance) Contemporary 100-400mm? plus the 1.4x + 2x extender would add additional reach.
Good point- but I think Tony was intending to refer to Panasonic lens, not aftermarket- but that was my takeaway
@@BiggMo I guess, but Tony has never let facts get in way of story.
Rick Koloian 😂
Designing a mount together doesn't make sigma 'aftermarket', I think this is just an oversight on Tony's part
@@BiggMo Sigma is part of the mount alliance, so it isn't any after market party
The only thing holding me back from buying is the micro HDMI port. Do you know if you can use the usb-c for a monitor with a usb-c to full HDMI cord?
Question do you think we should wait for the price to come down during say Black Friday? Or do you believe the price will be stable for a while?
I've been researching the Lumix S5, the Sony a7 iii, and the Canon EOS R for the past month, attempting to determine the best all-purpose camera from those choices. At this point, it's still a challenging decision, and I need to continue the research. However, I think this video helped me narrow my options between the S5 and the EOS R. Thank you for this!
A7iii is far better of EOS R
Go for sony a7iii I have hand tested the 3 cameras you mentioned. Sony kills
If you plan on doing any professional video, having owned all 3 I would recommend the S5. 4k 60fps, 10bit 422 internally and 5.9k raw via external recorder. Not to mention as Chelsea pointed out the lcd on a7iii is very difficult to see in day light. I had this experience at a commercial shoot years ago and ultimately sold it because of it. If your only concern is photography then the a7iii or Eos R will work just fine.
That video autofocus 😂😂😂
Try it at 60fps.
Should be called "autofailfocus"
@@DrummingTmate you shouldn't need to shoot at a higher fps to make it work. That's a lame idea. Yes let me try to film my short film in all 60fps, because that looks the same as 24 or 30 🙄
@@RiceCubeTech I agree with you, but for review purposes a lot of people who shoot video like 60p best so they should know the camera will focus for them.
You mean lack of 🤣
I find that flash lag happens only with Godox/Flashpoint O type triggers (regardless of settings). If you use a trigger for a different camera that's not sending coms to the camera the shutter lag disappears (but you lose TTL of course). I've talked to both Godox and Panasonic about this and they both blame the other! Perhaps you could give them a bit of a nudge for me.....
4:40 autofocus can be made more snappy : video>focus>AF custom settings>Set>crank both values to 5
Thanks for this review. I am undecided about which mirror-less camera to buy and I was eager to see this new Lumix because of the range of L mount lenses. But the AF demo was a killer for me. Off my list!
as usual with Panasonic : amazing camera, amazing video, great lens and The most horrible autofocus. I really don't understand them, why they don't see their autofocus make people run away to other brands?
Well I feel like they still focus on filmmakers and not youtubers. And mean people who are trying to shoot movies, short films and stuff like that. You wouldn’t use autofocus there. But That’s just my opinion
@@MalachiSan yep, you are correct....and their focus peaking is tremendous....the AF in the APSC mode looks terrific (good enough for gimbals), and for full frame...just manually focus with focus peaking...or I"m sure if you put it on manual, the tap to focus probably works great to get that initial focus.
Because they don’t know how to PDAF
It's almost like despite the horrific AF, the video features and quality surpasses other brands at the price?
@@thatsreallyamoon yep, I think theyre trying to compete with the Xt4 and a7iii, heck with their prores raw coming in...they can compete with the bmpcc4k and 6k even
Panasonic has great strength in video stabilization that alone is gonna turn around alot of videographers easily. And it outputs 10 bit, which is only available on A7sIII alone now. That has an edge to Sony if you only shoot video, but the focus here made it not standing that much out.
It is rather a very similar system to Sony except that one point being stabilization. As you will basically have the same kind of lens ecosystem where sigma will be the value lens packing great quality at lower tier price compared to the official S line premiums, just like sigma vs G master for sony. But if you go for Panasonic those are pretty much what you're gonna be stuck with at the moment. If that is the case many will lose out as Sony has huge advantages from those Zeiss lenses. As I sat in home looking back through all my archives of images and touch them up again, I actually dug out a ton of images done with Zeiss lens that I overlooked which turned out to be easily top of my portfolio material after editing. The sony GMs are just as sharp and contrast almost to those zeiss lens but it lacks that final touch of color rendering and has a more cooler tint compared to the zeiss which suggests they're not as balanced color wise. The only regret is at the moment there is nothing beyond 135mm for zeiss for sony e mount. But other than those are the special strength of Sony's lens as those are about as sharp as sigma or even GM, offers a unique and likable rendering of images and colors, and is much lighter and portable than the Sigma/GM. And they don't lose out in value as well as those are not hugely costing and flows in second hand market constantly. Great for switching. I started out with mostly GM lenses as I knew the importance of lens in a system more than the body. But given another chance, I probably save those costs and just start out with the zeiss primes.
This is a very useful comparison of these two cameras. The only thing is you need to work on your audio. It was really mixed up. I heard lavalier, shotgun, and voiceover, all mixed in odd ways and at different volumes. Why did I notice? Because even though I have more than a dozen shows on Amazon Prime, I still suffer from bad audio capture - especially when I'm filming outdoors.
LOL that AF is so PATHETIC!!!! I will keep my Two year old Sony A7III!!!!!
Chris...it would be better to run to the subject and DRAW it,rather than use the Panasonic AF.Just use your cellphone instead...In fact,let me get me a SVHS camcorder and push pause,digitize it,and use that..
@Epic Rhino Films this was NOT an A7SIII!! Just a plain old A7III. New Sony A7SIII is way better than the A7III was. It just shows how far Sony is ahead of Panasonic's AF.
@Epic Rhino Films those who already have something they will always love it and usually will be a bit subjective to anything else. I only want to say that autofocus is not everything when people choosign a camera - ergonomics, menu, video resolution and codec formats, price for lenses, firmware updates, RAW output, high res mode, battery life, overheating, etc should be considered as well )
Epic Rhino Films Its a bit hard to compare the NX series considering they are like the equiv to a smartphone camera lmao
Chris Barr Jeez calm down. Dude was expressing the same point. People like you make us Sony users look bad 😂
as a long time user of panasonic lumix cameras (besides other brands) I can say that Panasonic is easily building some of the finest peaces of tec out there. The design, build quality, UI Experience is much better than on Sony (Canon) Cameras for example...but with their DFD technology they always hit theirself an arrow to the knee. It's like they just don't want to crush their competitors....
Hi Chelsea and Tony! I’ve had the Lumix S5 for almost a year now and still struggling! I want to go back to Canon but can’t afford to so I will just have to persevere. Question: I need a lens with a longer reach (I only have the 24-70) and planned on buying the Panasonic 70-200. However I see there is also a Panasonic 70-300. Can you recommend it for me? It’s a bit less expensive! (So tempted to throw in the towel and get a Canon R or R6!) Happy New Year 2022!
Great review. Love your guys videos. Maybe needs a little more detail on the video - 10 bit ? HDR ? , etc.
Great comparison video! I'm not really considering buying either of these cameras, but it's always fun to see how cameras stand against each other. By the way, the colors rendered by the Panny look noticeably oversaturated compared to those from the Sony. Personally, I like picture with a lot of color...but I'm not sure if this this much is nice.
Nice funny video, very good review. I believe that the Panasonic is almost there with the Sony in many aspects, but the lack of tracking is damaging. Also Sony should come with a A7. IV using the technology from the A7S III. (new viewfinder, new cards etc). For new people, then, entering the Sony ecosystem seems far a better idea to me.
Brother Sony cameras are going from heating problem plx observe it
Do you live in old saybrook? I was thinking about getting a Panasonic gh5s (I will do more video than photography), but am waiting until the GH6 is released, so I can see if the GH6 is much better for the price. Any idea when the GH6 will be released, and what the price and specs on it will be?
I really enjoy your videos on photography. I own the Nikon D 800 and 3 lenses all 2.8 (heady) and a Sony 7 R with a zoom lens . Nikon too heavy and Sony is time to update . With so many options and with many many many more in 2021, what does one do? I am intrigued with the LUMIX S5, and S1R .....what should I do?
Haha they said better 🤣
Let me watch this
Eh, maybe.
I’ll have to check it out hands on
Wow, the screen difference is night and day, thanks for that. I've always felt Sony's screens really aren't very good, which is strange because they're tech/engineering is top notch otherwise.
Its by design.. they make such features of the camera lacking so they have stuff to be upgraded on the next model.
@@brelliace6425 Probably true, Sony upgrades so frequently and they often iterate on hardware. But I've owned several Sony camera, the RX1, RX100, and RX100 V and used the a7 series - they've consistently had poor LCDs compared to other brands, mainly in terms of contrast and brightness.
got it :-) replaced my old gx85 15mm f1.7 after several years which has eventually died on me. So far iam happy with my s5 - took me 1 1/2 years to purchase a new camera xDD.
From the moment I´ve seen the s5 for the first time i thought yeah that´s it - as said few days ago (think last thursday) I went to the dealer - picked it up - felt right & purchased it straight away
Love your videos. Looking forward to seeing how the Lumix S5 compares to the NIkon Z. I am buying the Lumix (not the Canon R6 is I had previously thought). Will you be doing a You Tube user manual?They have been so useful for my Canons in the past! Please...
I would be a 100% panasonic guy if they had pdaf
Panasonic has great "color science" and they aren't far off from Canon on back screen and menus. At 60fps the video focus works. 30fps is bad and 24fps unusable. I haven't seen the autofocus at 120fps like the S1H can do, that might be the fastest of any camera.
@@DrummingTmate the a7s III has AF in 4k120
@@johnkevin7992 The A7S3 is a video only camera. I need Canon to uncripple the R5 - which records audio in 4k 120 but Canon won't let you have it - or wait on the A7R5. This Pansonic doesn't have the megapixels I need for stills. I don't have $8,000 for camera bodies.
Drumming Tee GH5 changed it so it focused during the idle time. Wonder why they don’t do it on their full frame cameras. Regressions on newer cameras is lazy and bad for reputation.
And a million other buyers.
panasonic says this is the STATE OF THE ART AUTOFOCUS :D
state of the art my ass xD
the autofocus is pretty horrible :D
Hi, I am considering in getting this camera, would you still recommend this for a beginner who, for the moment, wants to do family pictures and videos and night time city photography (christmas lights ). My concern is that in the video review that the AF was not working "great" but the use case was up close vlogging. Just want to know if I use this to lets say video a family event, would it still be a good option?
OK, you two kids are having way too much fun !!! I own the A7 III and the A9, and have been very happy with the results. I am way too old to make changes in bodies and glass, but I think any camera will do what you want it to, if you just take the time to learn the camera. I know that you have a lot of cameras you are testing, and that is fine. Just enjoy taking photographs more and thinking about hardware less. I have no issues with whichever works best for you (and yes I bought your book, and it is a great read. I have been taking photographs for nearly 54 years), but I read everything, because there is always something new to learn from other photographers out there, and if you are not learning, you are stagnant....and I am too old to remain stagnant.....at this stage in my life, that could happen without my help !! Cheers.
"...I wanna see if it's keeping me acceptably in focus..."
Nope... 🤣
What time does Chelsea start drinking?
8 AM.
You mean what time does she ...stop? lol (kidding Chels) :-)
Lovely, has been seeing you guys doing review videos for so many years,since i was noob in photography, was 2013?anyway Keep it up!
Have you ever thought about just going outside and doing your ADR out there? Just to streamline the process, I normally like to record ADR in the same type of environment as the footage just so that I can match the audio more closely instead of having to do all the extra post editing to the audio.
Panasonic's classic autofocus!!
Chelsea is multi-talented; not only a model and a photographer but a rapper too!
and dancer!
Thank you for this video! I recently got this camera but I need to get a proper len for a telephoto. I'm very scared with prices, lumix doesn't seem to have a lot of lenses in the market . I want to get a 70-200mm for this camera but I feel I will need to invest around 2k, while for sony-a7iii or nikon z6 (although they are older) i can probably get an second hand telephoto for less money or maybe it is just a matter of time until lumix or leica release new lenses? What are your thoughts on this? Thank you
Already got the books, the Panasonic looks very good for 2k that's a steal honestly and at least it has touch screen functionality, a flippy screen and a simplified menu system. The AF needs work but it's decent. Those are the things that spoiled me with canon and why I find it hard leaving the canon 📷 system for another. I don't handle frustration very well. 😂
Tony you can't let Chelsea out sing you. Lol Chelsea is great. I enjoyed this video, it was good for my mental health. 🙌♥️
The Pentax thing in the end, Chelsea been watching Jared to much..........
"Is it better than the Sony" - comedy gold.
What do you mean?
IT actually is, not mention is that A7III has a AA filter which literally makes IQ worse. S5 doesnt. Sony is dethroned. Also with the S5 it has actual weather sealing. With Sony I get worried if it starts raining 100 miles away lol
@@overhang88 ok
How about available lenses?
@@buleulek5153 I mean asking that question makes me wonder if they know what they are talking about. The Panasonic cameras don't have working autofocus for video - it is totally unreliable and to compare them with the best selling full frame camera in the world is like comparing a Black and White TV with Colour and saying "its a very sharp picture on the Black and White TV"
@@ourtvchannel Apart from that black and white tv turns out to actually be a HDR tv that out performs the colour TV at everything apart from AF.
For a hybrid user ,doing both photography and videography which one is a better option, the Fujifilm x-s10 or the Lumix s5?
Hey Chelsea, what's the camera strap for the sony?
I’m stealing that breath out technique. Yoink
Really enjoyed the Music!!! Thanks for reminding me how bad the sony MENU is ;) ;)
I found it very difficult to find TTL Flash for Panasonic S5. Do I have to specifically look for words "Compatible with Panasonic TTL", or can I buy a TTL flash for Canon/Sony and it will work for Panasonic S5? Thanks for your replies!
When Chelsea talked about battery life 2:27 she showed a chart of battery capacity, not battery life. The battery capacity of the Sony is slightly higher than the Panasonic. Battery life depends on a combination of battery capacity, and how much power the camera uses.
Just a little sad that it “might” be better than the 2.5 year old a7iii. The forthcoming a7iv is likely to be pretty embarrassing for it.
Its not "might" if you look at the actual specs, the s5 trumps the a7iii in all areas than continuous autofocus in video and tracking fast moving subjects.
It beats the a7iii is performance, user experience, video where they failed to mention the huge difference in video output. The song yes can output 4k30, but that's only 8bit 4.2.0 if I'm not mistaken at up to 100mbps. The Panasonic offers 4k30 at 10bit 4.2.2, giving an unbelievable advantage in comparison where you will be able to actually colour grade without the image falling apart.
It also offers cinema 4k DCI, ProRes raw through HDMI, anamorphic, etc.
In terms of photography they're basically the same, which is not that surprising eeing as no one has really innovated the photography area in quite some time.
The Panasonic is definitely better than the a7iii. However time will tell with the a7iv as I suspect that will be pretty darn good.
Jock Turner Dude that camera lacking phase AF means you cant even fly it on a gimbal, it’s useless.
@@VforVallee To you. Not all of us need or use gimbals regularly.
There are also work arounds if you are skilled enough, using a gimbal with a follow focus unit. Autofocus can be as much as a friend as it is a crutch.
Besides with the S5s 6 1/2 stops of stabilisation. You don't really need a gimbal as it is... Having owned a GH5 for the past few years I have found the images I get from a glide cam to look better anyway.
This is also excluding the fact that that's one single use case that you are claiming makes the entire camera useless. Perhaps its useless to you. To many of use who don't rely on autofocus when using video and often manual focus. Its not a big deal. What is a big deal is the a7iiis horrible video codec, 8bit video that falls apart with just the slightest touch when trying to colour grade, although it is subjective, I'm not a big fan of Sony's colours. They're too cool, or I guess surgical, although not a huge issues shooting raw photos, but with the 8bit video it ain't great.
Also the general user experience, menus, functionality, lack of customisation, too much time spent in menus. The back screen is both low resolution and horribly dark and hard to view outside. Its prone to over heating. Has only a flip screen, not a fully articulated screen, which can be an issue when using your treasured gimbal.
Despite these flaws, and reasons I personally haven't liked the a7iii, it is still a freaking awesome camera and I can see why it's so popular. Just at this point the Panasonic is objectively better, excluding continuous autofocus.
Jock Turner “Lack of customization” “8bit color codec falls apart after the slightest touch” “Can’t see the screen” Dude you’ve never used this camera, trust me none of those things are true, not even in the slightest. I love that 8 bit is this thing Panasonic users parrot when comparing the two but then they go and upload their stuff online which, guess what, compressed everything down to 8bit 😂. That bit in this video where she can’t see the screen it’s too dim, I think her brain is too dim, you literally just turn on sunny mode and if you can’t see it outdoors you’re blind. The menus are so easy to use it’s mind blowing people coming from other systems get lost in them, oh wait, nvm they’re lost cause they’re coming from another system! And no, as good as the ibis is in that thing it would never compare to a gimbal! You serious!? And no follow focus systems are absolutely not a solution to having terrible AF, these mirrorless cameras use focus by wire lenses which render a follow focus system useless, because focus pulling is not repeatable using these lenses, not to mention how ridiculously cumbersome that is to use (having used one on many shoots with Cine Lenses believe me I know). Bottom line, if you’re worried about 10bit vs 8bit and codec quality and using a dedicated focus pulling system with cine lenses, I feel like you should straight up just buy a cine camera, because the step up from 8bit to 10bit and 4:2:0 to 4:2:2 are so minute and once you hit upload to UA-cam none of it matters anyways, so you must be shooting for broadcasting or television I would assume, which again, these prosumer mirrorless bodies aren’t for that. I need a camera I can operate by myself. Run and gun style. This is why AF is so important. But like you said it’s all subjective.
@@VforVallee @VforVallee I'm glad that is what you need it for and how you use it. Not an attack on your preference of camera, mate. You like and value the features that the a7iii provides. As I mentioned in my previous comment it is a bloody good camera.
However for my needs and preferences it's not my preferred device.
I have indeed used an a7iii, having shot a music video where on production we used my gh5, an a7iii and an Arri Amira. Of the 3 cameras, of course the amira was the best experience, however extremely heavy and a few shots it was not viable. When comparing colour science, the overall look of the image in comparison to the Amira the gh5 was by far the best. With a more robust codec, better colours.
When shooting with it, the owner of the a7iii was our camera operator for the day even admitted that he would consider moving to the Lumix because it was much easier, quicker and smarter to operate. All important functions were quick to select on the go, the screen was way better and over all camera options were better.
I also go shooting photos regularly with a friend who uses an a7iii and often find it hard to view his images on his display outside, when compared to my gh5 which I can see easily.
We all have use cases and needs. The Panasonic have always filled my needs to the T. I don't need autofocus, I have always been trained to manual focus and know how to work around it. You prefer solid autofocus and quality video output. I prefer robust codecs and a camera that isn't prone to overheating, with great stabilisation and generally a camera the is prepared almost every situation I put it in.
At the end of the day. My first statement still stands. Objectively, the s5 is better than the a7iii, other than auto focus.
Whether or not that means the camera is useful for your needs or not is irrelevant. The camera doesn't fit into your needs and workflow the way the a7iii does. That's great, it's a killer camera and very well deserves its acclaim.
But you are trying to tell me that a camera that fills my needs and gets me inspired to shoot and create is useless. Frankly you don't really have any say in that, because it's not useless...
Also, I just had a look at you channel because I thought you looked familiar. I have watched a few videos in the past, and I must say, you make great content :) stay safe
Hopefully Panasonic support this camera with plenty of firmware updates - the GH5/G9 have MUCH better continuous AF performance now vs their initial release firmware. I wish they’d switch to PDAF though (or some sort of hybrid solution even)
Chelsea----are you saying the S5 can use the GH5 batteries??? I'm confused about your statement.
Nice review, i wonder if one can use a powerbank to power the camera.
Does the usb exports data?
Whatis the best adapter for canon lenses, a sigma?
The AF in video seems straight up unusable.
I think even GH5 might be better.
Something weird was going on here. Even my tiny old GX80 has way better tracking.
@@thedondeluxe6941 Yes I think so.
In dpreviews vid it looks a lot better.
Could be lighting, my g9 has very usable c-af even with an olympus lens
The video autofocus is now the death of Panasonic. Even though "pros" don't need it, most people will appreciate having it. Great video, thanks. :)
He made it especially hard for the autofocus because his head was only 1/3 in the frame when he came closer. Still bad autofocus I agree, but as soon as his eyes are not in the upper 1/5 of the screen the camera got the focus right pretty fast. I would lose to see that shot with a better framing. That shot was harsh on the AF
My guess is there are more prosumers (who appreciate good video AF) vs pros who prefer manual focusing.
I became a photographer watching you guys. I went from a guy having a camera to a (pretty good) wedding photographer and videographer. Keep doing the awesome work guys! If you're ever in Guyana, let me know!!
I'm looking for a stand alone 4K camera. What do you recommend in that category? I used to have a Sony AX100 which I liked at lot, but I'm looking for something more technologically advanced than that now. I have a nice 48" 4K television and would like to see something shot in 4k with current 4k cameras.
I dont use AF so sounds like im gonna get into lumix...
the depth of field of the bokeh of the Panasonic is incredible ... it's like a blur from near to infinity. Panasonic should fine-tune its video autofocus technology.
Depth of field literally has nothing to do with a particular camera body......it's all just sensor size, focal length of the lens, distance to your subject, and f-stop
great comparison ! may i suggest that you mention the camera firmware versions in the video subscription, since Panasonic improved their gh5 autofocus in the firmware.. so there might be a chance for the s5 :)
Thx this video. I have also S5 but what is maximum lens weight for S5 ? Actually, the real question is: Does a heavy lens damage the body?
im sure Chelsea is going to switch to this system too.
Love the content guys. Way more free flowing and less try hard then a lot of “tech” camera reviewers. Lol
*I'd LOVE to get the Panasonic S1 but....I'm rocking the G85 and the G7 as I'm still a beginner, but at least I know what to expect when I EVENTUALLY get one.*
Sounds like you like the Panasonic, how do you rate their lens range?