Starting in 2023 Panasonic announced the arrival of the Lumix S5II and Lumix S5IIx. This mirrorless camera with the latest full frame sensor brings updates to the sensor and autofocus sectors.
Features of the Panasonic Lumix S5II and Lumix S5IIx
The Panasonic Lumix S5II and Lumix S5IIx share a similar body design. The difference is that the Lumix S5II comes with a red accent on the dial above the body and the Lumix logo is white. Meanwhile, the Lumix S5IIx is all black in color.
According to Panasonic, these two new mirrorless cameras will be the first to carry phase-detect hybrid autofocus (PDAF) technology. So, autofocus performance will feel faster and more accurate in all lighting conditions. Better than the previous generation which used a contrast detection autofocus system. This means that the Lumix S5II and Lumix S5IIx are increasingly able to compete with their competitors, such as mirrorless cameras from Sony and Canon.
The Lumix S5II and Lumix S5IIx bring a new 24.2 megapixel full frame sensor. The sensor carries 315 contrast-detection autofocus points and 779 phase-detect autofocus points. The sensor also supports Dual Native ISO with ISO settings from 100 to 51200 (expandable from ISO 50 to 204800).
The performance of these two cameras is also supported by the L2 Engine processor which is claimed to be able to increase its performance to be twice as fast. Users can shoot non-stop at speeds of up to 30 FPS in AFS or AFC mode using an electronic shutter.
The stabilizer system was also updated. The Lumix S5II and Lumix S5IIx now feature an in-body Acitive IS stabilizer system. This new stabilizer system is specially designed for on-the-go video capture. Paired with certain compatible lenses, the stabilizer system is claimed to reduce the effects of hand shake by up to 200 percent. That way it will make these two cameras even more ideal for vlogging and there is no need to use an additional camera gimbal.
Then what about the videography capabilities? Both support video recording up to 6K resolution with 4:2:0 10-bit format. Supported by a user-improved cooling system, it is now possible to record 5.9K (16:9) and 4:2:2 10-bit C4K/4K video without time limit. The previous generation was limited to only 30 minutes.
The video mode is also supported by the HFR (High Frame Rate) feature for slow motion video recording up to 4K resolution, 14+ stops V-Log/V-Gamut, and REAL TIME LUT to add color grading directly on the camera which will be very useful to save editing time. . For professional needs in these two cameras, you can also find Waveform Monitor, Vector Scope and Zebra Pattern.
So what’s the difference between Lumix S5II and Lumix S5IIx? The difference is that the Lumix S5IIx can record RAW and All-intra video, and supports video recording in ProRes format to SSD via the USB-C port. The S5IIx also supports wired or wireless IP streaming and USB tethering.
Price and availability
With this difference, the Panasonic Lumix S5II can be sold cheaper at US $ 1999. Meanwhile, the price for the Panasonic Lumix S5IIx is US$2199. For availability on the market, the Lumix S5II in January 2023 and the Lumix S5IIx in May 2023.
