Panasonic S1 II review: A near-perfect creator's camera if money is no object
There is one issue though, and a surprising one for Panasonic: the price. The $3,200 S1 II is similar to Nikon's Z6 III, right down to the partially stacked sensor and internal RAW video. However, the latter is some $700 cheaper and can often be found on sale for even less. Since Panasonic often undercuts rivals, that puts the S1 II in the unusual position of being overpriced next to the competition. After testing it for the last month, I've found that whether it's worth it depends on your priorities.
The S1 II is Panasonic's best creator camera thanks to features like 6K RAW video and outstanding stabilization, but it's expensive compared to the competition. $3,200 at Amazon
The S1 II shares its excellent body design with the higher-resolution S1R II and the cheaper, non-stacked S1 IIe. It's considerably lighter than the original S1 at 1.76 pounds and much smaller as well, both of which make it less burdensome. It's also easy to hold thanks to the big ridged grip. However, it's more angular and has a harder rubber skin than Canon's rival EOS R6 II, so it's not quite as comfortable over long shooting sessions.
The excellent control layout makes the S1 II a breeze to use. It has all the buttons and dials you need and they're well located — particularly the joystick and control dials. There's a dedicated switch for photos, video and slow and quick (S&Q) modes, and each has separate adjustments so you won't mix them up. It also has a dedicated autofocus switch, two video record buttons (top and front), 10 other programmable buttons and a tally light.
I rarely needed to search for settings thanks to the logical color-coded tabs and easy-to-use quick menu, both accessible by touch or the joystick. Panasonic also made it simple to program buttons, dials and the quick menu to your personal preferences and it allows you to save them to a memory card as a backup.
The S1 II's electronic viewfinder is bright and sharp, matching the Z6 III with a resolution of 5.76 million dots and 0.78x magnification. The rear display not only swivels out but also tilts up and down for overhead or hip-level photography. In comparison, Nikon's Z6 III screen doesn't tilt, so it's not as versatile.
As with the S1R II, battery life isn't a strong point here, with only 360 shots on a charge or 320 when using the EVF. To be fair, that matches the Z6 III exactly (and Panasonic's non-stacked S1 II is only slightly better at 380 shots), but Canon's cheaper R6 II has more than twice the battery life at 760 shots.
In order to capture RAW video, the S1 II has a CFexpress Type B card slot along with a slower SDXC UHS-II slot. Like the S5 IIx and GH7 (and several Fujifilm models), it also supports high-bandwidth RAW video capture to an SSD via the USB-C port.
The S1 II comes with a full-sized HDMI port that supports Blackmagic and ProRes RAW capture. You also get mic and headphone ports, and you can capture 32-bit float audio via the optional XLR2 accessory to reduce the possibility of clipping. Finally, the S1 II has a carbon fiber curtain that comes down to protect the sensor like recent Canon and Sony models.
The S1 II can fire bursts at a pedestrian 10 fps in mechanical shutter mode, but supports a superb 70 RAW images per second with the electronic shutter. And if you're worried about skewed images, don't fret. Distortion is minimal in electronic mode thanks to the partially-stacked sensor that has a rapid readout speed of around 12 milliseconds. That's fast enough for sports or wildlife photography, unless the subject moves very rapidly.
Pre-burst capture, which starts when you half-press the shutter, is also available at the highest speeds. That lets you save up to 1.5 seconds of photos you might have otherwise missed once you fully press the shutter button. The buffer is a bit small, though, so you can only capture about three seconds (220 shots) at the 70 fps speed.
The hybrid phase-detect autofocus is the best of any Panasonic camera I've tested to date. However, it's not yet up to Sony and Canon's standards for speed and accuracy, and falls a bit short of Nikon's Z6 III. If you're shooting a fast-moving subject at the maximum burst rate of 70 fps, you may see more than a few out-of-focus photos.
The S1 II supports multiple AI modes — including animals, birds and vehicles — on top of human eye-tracking modes. I had mixed success with those as the camera had trouble locking onto the eyes of some birds and marine mammals I shot at the Vancouver Aquarium. However, it was better with more typical animal subjects like dogs, cats, horses and geese. Panasonic also introduced an AF mode called Urban Sports that improves tracking for breakdancing, skateboarding and parkour. I tested that mode with some skateboarders at the highest burst settings and saw a high percentage (90-plus) of in-focus shots.
One area where Panasonic tops its rivals is stabilization. That's been boosted to eight stops (slightly short of the R6 II's eight and a half stops), which allowed me to shoot at shutter speeds down to a half second and still get sharp shots. And as I'll explain shortly, the S1 II is peerless when it comes to video stabilization.
I've been impressed with Panasonic's color science of late, finding that it matches Nikon in delivering some of the most color-accurate images of any system. By comparison, Canon's images skew warmer, and I feel that Sony models like the A7 IV lack some accuracy, particularly with blue-green colors.
The S1 II delivers pleasing JPEGs with a nice balance between sharpness and noise reduction, though the latter can get overly aggressive at high ISO levels. RAW images offer plenty of detail in light and dark areas of the image, letting you tweak and correct to a fine degree. Keep in mind that using the electronic shutter in burst modes reduces RAW bit depth from 14 to 12.
The downside of any stacked sensor is additional noise, and the S1 II is no exception. This is most apparent at higher ISO levels where the camera exhibits a bit more grain than Panasonic's S5, which has the same resolution but isn't stacked. That said, the S1 II has about the same low-light prowess as the Z6 III and beats most fully stacked cameras.
The S1 II is Panasonic's best creator camera thanks to features like 6K RAW video and outstanding stabilization, but it's expensive compared to the competition.
If the native 24MP resolution isn't enough, the S1 II offers a high-resolution mode that captures eight images with a slightly offset sensor position and composes them into a single 96-megapixel file (either RAW or JPEG). I was able to take sharp images in that mode without the use of a tripod thanks to the S1 II's excellent in-body stabilization system.
The S1 II doesn't shoot 8K RAW like the 44MP S1R II due to its lower resolution. However, it does support 5.8K 30 fps ProRes RAW, open gate full sensor video and super slow-mo (4K 120p) — all with far less rolling shutter distortion. Because of that, I think this is a better camera overall for creators.
Of course, the S1 II offers 10-bit video in both MP4 and Quicktime formats on top of RAW. Panasonic's V-Log is also on tap to boost dynamic range, and thanks to a recent firmware update, you can pay $200 to get ARRI LogC3 to match that company's pro digital cinema cameras.
With that same firmware update, the S1 II now supports 17 frame aspect ratios (up from 10), and enables simultaneous display of up to three frames at once (unlike the LogC3 update, these are free). That will let you shoot open gate, for instance, while seeing how the image will look in both vertical and horizontal aspect ratios.
Overall, video quality is outstanding with sharp oversampling, excellent color accuracy and decent dynamic range. The latter can be increased using Panasonic's dynamic range boost option, although that effectively doubles rolling shutter distortion. Without the setting enabled, skew from rolling shutter is only an issue with whip pans or very fast-moving subjects.
Video AF is solid, keeping subjects in focus as long as they don't move too quickly. Face, eye, animal, urban sports and vehicle detection work well, though you'll see a bit more accuracy and speed on Canon and Sony's latest models.
The S1 II offers better video stabilization than its rivals, though. Optical stabilization provides good results for handheld video, while electronic stabilization (EIS) provides gimbal-like smoothness at the cost of a significant crop. As with other recent Panasonic models, the S1 II also offers 'cropless' EIS that corrects corner distortion when using wide lenses, while also reducing rolling shutter.
Thanks to a built-in fan, overheating is rarely an issue with the S1 II. The only time I ever saw a problem was with 5.8K at 60 fps and 5.1K open gate recording, when the camera shut down after 50 minutes and 40 minutes respectively. That's still excellent for a small mirrorless camera. Those limits are eliminated, by the way, if you record to an SSD via the USB-C port.
Creators may wonder how the S1 II compares to Nikon's Z6 III. The latter offers more RAW options, with the choice of 5.8K Nikon RAW (N-RAW) at up to 60 fps rather than just 30 fps. Both offer similar video quality as they use the same sensor. The Z6 III has slightly better autofocus, but the S5 II has superior stabilization and handling. Finally, the S1 II has some nice pro features like timecode, waveform monitoring and pro audio. I'd say the S1 II is slightly better for video shooters, but the Z6 III is significantly cheaper.
Panasonic's S1 II is a powerful hybrid camera, and if it wasn't so expensive, it would be a no-brainer for creators. However, Nikon's Z6 III has nearly the same video capabilities, is a better camera for photography and costs at least $600 less, so I'm inclined to recommend that model for most users.
Another option at a lower price is Panasonic's new $2,500 S1 IIe, which was announced at the same time as the S1 II. It has the same body and mostly the same feature set, but uses the non-stacked sensor from the S5 II, so rolling shutter is more of an issue.
If you favor photography, the higher-resolution S1R II is a better option and costs just $100 more. However, if you're a video pro who needs features like time code, ARRI LogC3 and advanced monitoring or audio features, the S1 II is a solid choice. Those folks might want to wait for a sale though.

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Digital Trends
2 days ago
- Digital Trends
You Asked: Panasonic W95A vs OLED, HDMI Cables, and Soundbar Upgrades
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Desires: contrast, true color, detail, brightness, in that order. My worry with the OLED is that bright scene will just look dull, and that perhaps it is outdated tech. My worry with mini-LED is that I won't see that much improvement in picture quality. Thank you for all that you do to make our choices more clear. First of all, Chuck, you win the award for painting the best picture of your setup and goals. That helps a lot, especially since there's a lot to consider here. Without seeing the exact amount of light in the room, it's hard to nail down how bright you need to go. But you mention it's dimly lit, so I think the OLED should be fine. Not to mention, you listed contrast and true color as your top priorities—and that's where OLED is going to be a clear step above a Mini-LED TV. Throwing in my two cents: the only TV I've put eyes on myself in this scenario is the W95A, and I like it a lot. 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Tom's Guide
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I'm a TV expert who's picky about performance — these are the 5 TVs I'd buy for under $500 right now
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The Samsung Q7F is on deck for testing, so we can't speak to its performance metrics, but I've seen this TV in person and I'm confident that it's a reliable pick for folks shopping at or below $500. The Q7F doesn't feature local dimming (or Mini-LEDs, for that matter), so if you can justify the extra $50, I still recommend the Panasonic W95A and the TCL QM6K over it due to their superior display technology. Nevertheless, the Q7F is a quantum dot-enhanced Samsung TV, which should fit the needs of someone who's especially appreciative of the Samsung aesthetic. Remember: No Samsung TV supports Dolby Vision, so adjust your expectations accordingly. The Samsung Q7F isn't as flashy as some of the other TVs on this list, but if you're a fan of Samsung software and design, it'll meet your needs for under $500. Just keep in mind that this TV doesn't support Dolby Vision, the most popular enhanced HDR format. This is by far my favorite TV on this list. 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If you passed on the aforementioned, 55-inch TCL QM6K because you're looking for a 65-inch model, why not go for the step-down QM5K? Full disclosure: We haven't tested the QM5K yet, but given its place in TCL's 2025 TV lineup and some of its specs, I'm confident that this set is worth a look. Like the QM6K, the QM5K arrives with Google TV. It also features Mini-LED backlighting (though it probably doesn't wring as much out of this feature as the higher-end QM6K). Still, it's a 65-inch TV for under $500, so it's worth checking out. The QM5K arrives with built-in Google TV features for all of your streaming needs, plus Dolby Vision support. Its handiest feature is its Mini-LED backlighting. If the 55-inch QM6K is too small, the 65-inch QM5K is a good compromise for around the same price.


Fast Company
6 days ago
- Fast Company
Panasonic announces new CEO, a former Boeing executive
TECH Kenneth William Sain will be Panasonic's president and chief executive, effective April 2026. FILE – A businessman walks past a corporate logo of Japanese electronics maker Panasonic Corp. at Panasonic Center in Tokyo, Japan, Sept. 10, 2009. [Photo: Shizuo Kambayashi, File/AP Photo] BY Listen to this Article More info 0:00 / 2:13 Japanese electronics and technology company Panasonic has chosen a new chief executive after eking out a 1.2% rise in its first quarter profit. Kenneth William Sain, a former Boeing executive, will replace Yasuyuki Higuchi as Panasonic's president and chief executive in April 2026, the company said Wednesday. Sain joined Panasonic in 2019 as CEO of Panasonic Avionics. 'Ken is an exceptional leader with extensive global experience and a deep understanding of business and technology,' Higuchi said in a statement. Panasonic Holdings Corp.'s April-June profit totaled 71.46 billion yen ($483 million), up from 70.6 billion yen. Its quarterly sales declined 10.6% from last year to 1.9 trillion yen ($12.8 billion). The Osaka-based maker of home appliances, solar panels and batteries for Tesla vehicles kept its full year profit forecast unchanged at 310 billion yen ($2.1 billion), down 15% from the previous year. Panasonic said the impact from U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs was not yet fully factored in. The company said it will try to minimize the effect on its operating profit with cost cuts and other measures. Consumer electronics sales were strong in Japan, Panasonic said, while they were also healthy in China, supported by subsidies. On the positive side, it said demand for AI servers and air-conditioners was expected to grow. But concerns remain about slowing demand for electric vehicles because of U.S. tariffs and the ending of tax credits. Panasonic also said it's planning to get rolling later this year its new lithium-ion battery factory in Kansas, whose start has been delayed. Panasonic said in May that it was slashing its global workforce by 10,000 people, half in Japan and half overseas, to become 'lean.' The job cuts amount to about 4% of its workforce. Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: —Yuri Kageyama, AP Business Writer The early-rate deadline for Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies Awards is Friday, September 5, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today. Sign up for our weekly tech digest. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Privacy Policy Explore Topics CEO japan Panasonic