Panasonic announces LUMIX S5II and S5IIX
At CES 2023, Panasonic announced two hybrid full-frame mirrorless cameras, the LUMIX S5II and S5IIX. The LUMIX S5II and S5IIX are the first LUMIX mirrorless cameras to utilize Phase Detection Auto-Focus (PDAF) thanks to a newly developed 24.2-megapixel 35mm full-frame CMOS sensor and a new imaging engine.
The LUMIX S5II is $1,999.99 and will be available in January 2023. The LUMIX S5IIX is $2,199.99 and will be available in May 2023.
Developed under the L2 Technology alliance formed by LEICA and LUMIX last year, the new imaging engine provides high resolution, natural description, and approximately 2x higher-speed signal procession for high bit-rate video recording, the company said. To further the cameras’ PDAF capabilities and make them more dependable, Panasonic evolved the auto-focus system into Phase Hybrid Auto-Focus by increasing the AF points to 779 to significantly improve subject tracking. Once the S5II and S5IIX are locked on a subject, the auto-focus will continue to track the subject, even in adverse lighting conditions and when multiple objects are moving within the frame. Additionally, continuous AF during zooming, AF micro adjustments, and options to decrease the size of the AF area are available.
The LUMIX S5II and S5IIX have a image stabilization system for wide-ranging shooting conditions and situations. The Body I.S. (5-axis) in the LUMIX S5II and S5IIX i and the O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer, 2-axis) from the LUMIX S Series lens were combined to create the 5-axis Dual I.S. 2, maximizing the correction power to allow 6.5-stop slower shutter speed. The 5-axis Dual I.S. 2 works for both photo and video recording, including 4K. In addition, Active I.S. has been added for even more stable video recording. Active I.S. optimizes the horizontal, vertical, and rotational correction ratios by determining the status of camera shake. As a result, the performance of the image stabilizer can account for a larger amount of camera shake at approximately 200% compared to conventional image stabilization. This capability is highly beneficial in adverse situations, such as handheld filming or telephoto fixed-frame shots.
The new imaging engine provides the LUMIX S5II and S5IIX with high video performance comparable to the LUMIX S1H. They provide 4:2:0 10-bit 6K (3:2) / 5.9K (16:9), unlimited 4:2:2 10-bit C4K/4K recording capability. With a new heat-dispersion mechanism, there is no limit on recording time to avoid overheating. HFR (High Frame Rate) in C4K/4K (48p), FHD (120p), Slow & Quick motion in C4K/4K(1-60fps) / FHD(1-180fps) are also available. The LUMIX S5II and S5IIX contain 14+ stop V-Log/V-Gamut capture to deliver a high dynamic range and broad colors. Plus, a REAL TIME LUT function is provided to enable color grading on the compatible video and photo in camera by applying the LUT(.VLT/.cube) saved in the SD memory card. Users can perform intended color grading on the spot without postproduction and share images online through social networking sites. This function can be used for livestreaming.
Panasonic announces LUMIX S 14-28mm F4-5.6 MACRO Lens
Panasonic also announced a new cost-effective ultra-wide-angle zoom lens, the LUMIX S 14-28mm F4-5.6 MACRO based on the L-Mount system. The LUMIX S Series offers three budget-friendly lenses including the LUMIX S 14-28mm F4-5.6 MACRO (S-R1428), LUMIX S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6 (S-R2060) and LUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 MACRO O.I.S. (S-R70300) to cover 14mm ultra wide-angle to 300mm telephoto. All of these lenses achieve high optical performance and stunning mobility fit to LUMIX S5 series cameras for both photo and video.
The LUMIX S 14-28mm F4-5.6 MACRO is comprised of 14 lens elements in 10 groups including one aspherical ED (Extra-Low Dispersion) lens, one aspherical lens, three ED (Extra-Low Dispersion) lenses and one UHR (Ultra High Refractive Index) lens.
The LUMIX S 14-28mm F4-5.6 MACRO will be available at valued channel partners for $799.99 at the end of March.