Panasonic has introduced the Lumix S1RII, an upgraded version of the 2019 Lumix S1R, featuring a new 44.3MP back-side illuminated CMOS sensor, a smaller body, improved autofocus, and enhanced video recording capabilities. While its resolution is slightly lower than its predecessor’s 47.3MP sensor, the newer model makes up for it with advanced video features, including up to 8K at 30 frames per second and the ability to capture 5.8K Apple ProRes RAW HQ or ProRes RAW internally without requiring an external recorder.
The S1RII introduces a faster hybrid autofocus system, combining phase-detect AF with the contrast AF found in the original S1R. This results in better eye and face detection, along with improved AI-powered tracking accuracy, making it more effective for capturing moving human subjects. The camera can also automatically recognise and focus on various subjects, including animals, cars, motorcycles, bicycles, trains, and airplanes.
For still photography, the S1RII offers high-speed shooting, capturing full-resolution 12-bit RAW images at up to 40 frames per second using its electronic shutter. When using its mechanical shutter in “High Speed Plus” mode, it can achieve up to 10 frames per second (or nine when shooting 14-bit RAW images). Additionally, photographers looking for higher resolution can use the camera’s handheld high-resolution mode, which shifts the sensor half a pixel to capture multiple exposures and merge them into a 177-megapixel image.
The in-body image stabilisation system has been upgraded, now offering up to eight stops of shake reduction, or seven stops when paired with a telephoto lens that features optical stabilisation. For video recording, Panasonic claims the camera provides cropless electronic image stabilisation with distortion correction, helping to reduce peripheral distortion while preserving the original angle of view.
The Lumix S1RII is equipped with a 5.76-million-dot OLED viewfinder and a three-inch, 1.84-million-dot articulated touchscreen LCD that flips out and tilts up and down—useful for videographers. The screen is slightly smaller than the one on the original S1R, but the camera itself is also more compact and lighter, weighing 1.75 pounds compared to its predecessor’s 2.24 pounds.
For storage, it includes dual SD UHS-II and CFexpress Type B card slots. It also supports external SSD recording via its 10Gbps USB-C port, and a full-sized HDMI port is available for connecting to external displays.
The Panasonic Lumix S1RII is expected to launch in select regions by late March at a price of US$3,300 (~RM14,566) for the body only. While Lumix Malaysia has teased the camera on its Facebook page, there is no confirmation yet on local pricing or availability.
(Source: Panasonic Lumix official website, via Engadget)
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