Panasonic S5 IIX review: Power and value in one vlogging package

Earlier this yr, Panasonic launched the S5 II and S5 IIX full-frame cameras, lastly embracing phase-detect autofocus that places it on par with rivals. I’ve already examined the S5 II and located it to be one of many firm’s greatest cameras but for content material creators. Now, we’re taking a look at what I believe is the extra fascinating mannequin, the S5 IIX.

It has an similar design and shares lots of the similar options as its sibling, like the brand new autofocus system and extremely efficient in-body stabilization. Nevertheless, it provides a key perform: the power to file high-quality, easy-to-edit ProRes video internally onto SSDs through the USB-C port. With a little bit of rigging, you may file hours of 4K and even 6K video to a comparatively cheap drive.

What’s stunning is that the S5 IIX solely prices $200 greater than S5 II. ProRes RAW can also be included totally free, whereas it’s a $200 improve on the S5 II. To see if it’s price that, I shot photographs and movies in Paris, Brittany and elsewhere round France.

Physique and Dealing with

I’ve already regarded on the S5 II’s physique and controls, and the S5 IIX has an similar structure – nevertheless it’s price revisiting them briefly — notably within the context of video and content material creation.

One key distinction is the final look. The S5 IIX has a particular darkish design, with a black brand and refined grey graphics on the controls. The one sprint of coloration to be discovered is the pink file button. Fairly a variety of bystanders have oohed and aahed over the black-on-black look.

Just like the S5 II, the X mannequin is a pleasant dealing with digicam. The grip is giant and makes use of comparatively tactile supplies, and contains a ridge on the ring finger so it received’t slip out of your fingers. The controls are spot on, with the file button in an easy-to-find location on high. That stated, it might’ve been good to have one other one on the entrance just like the GH6. The menus are additionally among the many greatest amongst digicam corporations (and almost the identical because the GH6), with most settings straightforward to search out.

It weighs 714 grams, a bit greater than Sony’s A7 IV and the Canon EOS R6 II. An exterior SSD also can add 100 grams or extra, making it a bit heavy in the event you’re holding it out on the finish of your arm whereas vlogging.

The display totally articulates for self-shooting and has a pointy 1.84-million-dot show. It contains a 3.69-million dot digital viewfinder with decision that’s corresponding to rivals and simply sufficient to test focus when capturing on a shiny day. It has a full-sized HDMI port that’s key for a digicam with RAW video output, and USB-C for capturing inside video.

The S5 IIX additionally consists of twin UHS-II SD card slots, headphone and mic ports, plus the identical battery as the unique S5, GH6 and different fashions. You will get about 370 pictures on a cost by CIPA stands, fewer than most of its rivals. For video, you may shoot for about 45 minutes at 4K 60p, once more, a contact lower than rivals.

If you happen to’re planning to rig the S5 IIX to make use of SSDs, many people are utilizing the SmallRig universal holder with a hotshoe mount, although any clamping kind gadget will work (I’m utilizing a smartphone tripod mount from Joby). If it’s essential to use a shotgun microphone together with the SSD, it’s possible you’ll must mount it elsewhere on the digicam, although, or use a cage. As for SSDs, Panasonic lists fashions from Samsung and SanDisk suitable with the GH6 (which has the identical USB-C characteristic) and people ought to work for the S5 IIX as effectively. Different high-speed fashions ought to work as effectively.

Video

Sure, the S5 IIX is a hybrid digicam, however video is the principle attraction. With high-quality ProRes seize to an SSD, plus RAW video over the HDMI port, it gives numerous functionality for the value.

First, let’s have a look at seize through the USB-C port. It helps inside 10-bit ProRes seize to supported SSDs, which is a big profit to videographers. Media is comparatively low-cost, and there’s no must transcode and even switch footage – you may simply hook up an exterior drive to a PC or Mac and begin enhancing.

In ProRes USB-C mode, there’s an odd mixture of recording codecs. It captures 5.8K 17:9 30p footage in both ProRes HQ (1.6Gbps) or common ProRes (1.1Gbps), however not at 16:9. It could solely seize 17:9 C4K at 60p with a crop, or 30p supersampled video and not using a crop. However once more, not 16:9 Extremely HD. The 17:9 half isn’t an enormous deal as you may crop the perimeters, nevertheless it’s odd contemplating most vloggers shoot 16:9 UltraHD. Maybe that’s one thing Panasonic can tackle in a future replace.

Fortunately, you can seize 16:9 5.9K 25p footage and 4K 60p and 30p at 16:9 within the .MOV format. The latter helps All-I with information charges as much as 800Kbps when capturing to USB-C, which is almost nearly as good as ProRes quality-wise although a bit slower for enhancing.

On high of that, you may file 12-bit ProRes RAW or Blackmagic RAW information to Atomos or Blackmagic recorders through HDMI. It helps recording as much as 5.9K 30p at 16:9 and never 17:9, or the slightly odd 4.1K 4,128 x 2,176 17:9 format. Once more, not an enormous situation as you may crop the perimeters, but additionally a bit bizarre.

As with different Panasonic fashions, you may seize “open gate” 6K 3:2 footage that makes use of each pixel on the sensor. That enables content material creators to simply output each horizontal and vertical codecs, but additionally to seize anamorphic video with supported lenses.

Lastly, you may file to common previous SD UHS-II playing cards. The place the S5 II is restricted to recording longGOP information that aren’t very straightforward to edit, the S5 IIX can do most codecs utilizing an All-I codec at as much as 600Mbps.

So how is the standard of all of the video? Principally wonderful, relying on the format. 4K 30p video is supersampled, so it’s extraordinarily sharp. Panasonic’s colours are correct, fairly pure and simpler to work with than Sony’s information, I discover. Pores and skin tones aren’t as flattering as Canon gives, although.

4K 60p video is cropped to an APS-C measurement which isn’t splendid, contemplating Canon’s like-priced R6 II has uncropped 4K 60p. Sharpness additionally drops a hair, because it’s pixel-for-pixel as a substitute of supersampled. 5.9K video can also be captured on a pixel for pixel foundation, however I like that format because it permits for lots of cropping choices.

In comparison with different mirrorless cameras with the identical decision, it has good low-light functionality. The Twin ISO system does an excellent job retaining noise down at ISOs as excessive as 12,800 and even 25,600.

Panasonic’s V-Log delivers additional dynamic vary, notably with ProRes. After all the most suitable choice, quality-wise, is V-Log RAW video. That allows you to edit video simply as you’ll with RAW photographs, with numerous room to recuperate highlights and shadow particulars. With these issues collectively, the S5 IIX delivers outcomes consistent with costly, skilled video cameras.

Professionals may also recognize the brand new hybrid phase-detect autofocus. It’s designed to remove the wobble inherent in Panasonic’s previous contrast-detect AF digicam, and it does that very successfully.

The S5 IIX gives steady AF modes together with topic monitoring, for each people and animals. It’s not fairly as much as Sony and Canon fashions just like the A7 IV and R6 II, as topic monitoring isn’t fairly as quick or dependable. Nevertheless, it’s nearly as good or higher than Nikon and Fujifilm’s newest fashions.

The S5 II has up to date in-body stabilization borrowed from the GH6, and it’s highly effective and spectacular – the most effective on any digicam available on the market for video. It could’t match a gimbal, in fact, however the digital mode smooths out steps a lot better than the S5, regardless of some side-to-side sway.

It additionally has a “Enhance IS” for handheld video with no motion, retaining pictures locked off just like the digicam’s on a tripod. One cool characteristic not seen on too many different cameras is full stabilization help for anamorphic lenses (most sorts) through a setting.

And at last, it helps excessive audio high quality both by means of the mic port or an XLR adapter that attaches to the hotshoe.

Images

If it’s essential to use the S5 IIX for images once in a while, it’s not unhealthy in any respect. You’ll be able to shoot at as much as 7 fps with the mechanical shutter or 30 fps in digital mode. The buffer is sort of spectacular, because it permits for 200 pictures in RAW earlier than throttling. Oddly although, a USB-C drive doesn’t enhance that quantity a lot in comparison with an SD card.

The autofocus can sustain as effectively, however as with video, it’s not fairly as quick or sensible because the AF on current Sony cameras. It’s notably noticeable when utilizing the AI topic modes — for instance, it may well lose a topic’s eyes in the event that they flip their heads. Monitoring can also be a bit extra restricted than Sony and Canon fashions. Nonetheless, for vlogging and most kinds of content material creation, it performs effectively.

The stabilization system is rock strong for photographs. And picture high quality is excellent, with dynamic vary corresponding to Sony and Nikon’s newest fashions. You additionally get pure wanting colours and pores and skin tones. It additionally shines in low mild conditions due to the stabilization, twin ISO system and comparatively giant pixels.

Wrap-up

After I reviewed the S5 II earlier this yr, I stated that its largest competitors could be the X model, and now I’m certain of that. Merely put, it is a $2,200 near-professional digicam with the picture high quality and many of the contains a content material creator wants.

The brand new autofocus is sweet however not fairly as much as the Sony A7 IV, and it lacks full-frame 4K 60p video just like the Canon R6 II. It’s much better for video than each of these fashions, although, due to the ProRes and different options nowhere to be present in both rival mannequin. And the AF is nearly as good or higher than you’ll discover on like-priced Nikon and Fujifilm fashions, with the main focus wobble of previous fashions a factor of the previous.

One factor which may offer you pause is the L-Mount lens alternative and worth. Nevertheless, Panasonic just lately lowered the costs on key lenses, together with this 24-70m f/2.8 mannequin. It now has 14 of its personal lenses, on high of 31 from Sigma. All informed, if I used to be in search of a brand new digicam system for round $2,000, I wouldn’t hesitate to seize the S5 IIX.