Well for those that PreOrder, that Lens is FREE. Plus how possible can a lens that Small be a disappointment. Only for those that can't properly use it.
@@natureredux1957 I can "properly us e it." However, it's ill-suited for doing anything I _want_ to do. Like make imagery employing shallow focus. Or maybe vlogging.
@@natureredux1957 Nikon's 26mm F/2.8 is a full 3 stops faster and offers all the normal lens features { AF, manual focus and ability to take filters } it is only 6mm longer than the Panasonic, free seems like a fair price they should have waited till the 18-40mm was ready it sounds like it could be a winner
Guess I missed this buried in all the other S9 reviews. Easily a Top 3 Review on the camera. Other videos mention that is has electronic shutter only but you actually explain what it is and it's possible downsides. The Pros and Cons along with comparisons is great. Best technical reviewer for sure. 👍
$200 for manual focus f/8 bodycap lens seems weird when there are plenty more affordable manual lenses with brighter and not fixed apertures (although not many are this compact or wide).
Hi Gordan, sorry that I'm not a regular viewer, I'm just here to continue my preaching for a GX9ii. All the features that come with the GX-series, with the addition of PDAf, would be the perfect camera to carry with you everywhere, just in case. Plus it would already have the wide variety of cheap m43 lenses.
I would love for there to be new M43 bodies, particularly an updated GM series. BUT it's important to know that the cost and viability of a new camera is hugely influenced by availability of sensors, and the sad fact is there are not many M43 sensors around any more. Believe it or not, a full-frame model might be cheaper, although obviously wouldn't have access to those M43 lenses we all know and love.
@@cameralabs You mentioned the lack of sensors on Emily's video (Micro Four Nerds), but there have been indications of broader usage of this class of sensor in other applications. And I was surprised to see that Logitech were using MFT in their Mevo Core product, which is possibly a notable development, given that Logitech is more of a general gadget maker than a big-hitter in photography or videography (unless we go back to the era covered by your other channel when digital imaging was a lot more fluid).
Last year I had hoped to buy a GX9 but it was discontinued. I had a number of m43 lenses but as a replacement model was rumoured to be unlikely I traded them for more Fuji lenses. I can't see this as appealing to any sectors of the market.
Lack of mechanical shutter really ruins the real potential for an obvious photo forward camera like this. Same reason I never picked up the zve1. And not even an internal flash either. What a weird offering
@@cyberadvent well technically it's not even for vloggers lol. What vlogger do you know that can live with a 10 minute recording limit? If anything it's for Tik Tok content creators specifically, and any other social media platform that has to do with very short form story telling etc, with a little photo taking on the side. So it's not even quite for youtubers either for that matter. Which again is what makes this offering so confusing, and most Tik Tok'ers wont even know what a full frame is, nevermind 10 bit 4.2.2. hahaha
Not a bad beach landscape from that f8 lens. Sharp enough for the size. I'm not sure what Lumix was thinking, but good to know its optically all right...
This camera is perfect for vloggers who want the best possible image quality, but don't mind giving up a viewfinder and some other features Sir..The clips in this video is amazing ...and beautiful place too
Great review and kudos for being so balanced in highlighting the advantages, along with the drawbacks, such as that disappointing lens. Nikon has a great 26mm 2.8 AF pancake lens for their Zf and Panasonic should have had something like that vs. their 26mm F8 MF. The 18-40 looks good, though.
For traditional photographers this is a tough sell without an EVF. But I use also a Ricoh GR3, so I could imagine to buy an S9, if the price is right. But prices have to come down significantly first.
This isn’t really a camera for photography IMO, especially with no mechanical shutter. This is more of a budget cinema camera. How low does the price need to be? It’s already priced amazingly well for a FF camera with best in class IBIS, 6K open gate and 4K 60p in 4:2:2 10 bit. You won’t find anything close for that price.
@@michaelbell75I have both Lumix S1 & S5M1 and rarely use Mechanical shutter .. my shutter for s1 around 200 clicks and s5 about 700 clicks during 2 years 😂😂.. and that only used when using a flash or shoot high speed objects… also for the EVF I rarely use it
It's beyond comprehension: a camera that cannot be a real camera due to lack of a mechanical shutter: Night photos with dark bars (irrecoverable) and distortions of moving subjects because the electronic shutter is mediocre! A video mode that overheats and limits sequences of max 15 minutes with unpredictable cuts! A crude copy of film simulations that has nothing to do with the Art of Fujifilm. Can we really make fun of consumers who are not experts and who will buy this Lumix S9 with their eyes closed? When will there be a version without diaphragm adjustment to align with smartphones? They should also remove the SD card connection and limit its use to the small internal memory like a ‘carbon pass’! No mic jack, obviously. We have pushed the limits of ridiculousness.
Panasonic is the weirdest company in the world it to make the Micro Four Thirds g9ii in a full frame body and a full frame camera in a Micro Four Thirds body.
@@cameralabs Yeap yeap they look good!! You need to shoot more of those!! Hope you enjoying your "new" Nikkor and LD. btw I went to Shinjuku on the last day and did some (window) camera shopping there too!
Happy lifetime Canon shooter here, have been on an R5 for a couple of years now. I’m really liking what Panasonic is doing with this S9. Makes me wonder if Canon will update their RP. I reckon they will if the S9 will do well in the market. Thanks Gordon as always for the deep dive, been loving your videos since the NZ days!
Thanks for your support over the years! I wish all manufacturers would offer some smaller cameras, even if they involve some compromises. Canon had some great little compacts, I wish there was more of a market for them.
@@cameralabs Cheers Gordon! I think Panasonic read the room well, looking at the Fuji X100V/VI. For most of “us”, the S9 makes little sense with the S5m2 as a much better proposition. But for the people buying iPhones, Galaxies and DJI Osmo Pockets - and families and travelers who want to immediately share photos and footage on socials - this is brilliant. The EOS M and RP never really filled that role, they were “the little ones” in the line-up where Canon wants to lead you to the R5, R6 and R7 and the expensive L RF lenses. I’ll be watching the S9 closely, and maybe even try it out!
Brilliant review thanks Gordon! 12:33 This is heresy but I use my hdmi on my ZV1 for super easy OTT webcam... Nice to see the S9 puts the hdmi on the other side from the monitor which ZV-E1 doesn't (but ZV-1 does!) 14:23 And is this the new Brighton arcade?! What happened to the jewelery shops and awkward background people!!
For a photography event all of the attendees use phone to take images of the event😂 this overpriced toy probably try to target x100v gimmicky audience but the image quality will also fail in most scenario unless pair with fast big lens.
I am coming back to shoutout for you! Don’t be worried of the drama as your contents from vintage camera tech and latest are always informative and helps in our decision making process. Keep dem coming!
@@cameralabs I have S5IIX but it's difficult to get accessories like flashes for Lumix in India. A camera without supporting ecosystem is too limiting.
@@Photo-N-Pursuit dont know about india scecifically. But the cheap china ones and 1st party should be available, shouldn't they? All those dont work with the S9 anyway:)
@@cameralabs Possibly - although the X100VI is more likely. If you're in the market for a small camera, APS-C at 40MP as opposed to FF at 26MP with little noise penalty isn't a disadvantage, and nor is a fixed lens because small camera = portability and who wants to carry extra lenses around? The X100 series viewfinder is just a bonus, too.
Thanks for the detailed review. How visible is the display outside? Does it match the latest iPhone? I think it's targeted at iPhone users so I'm curious if Panasonic have matched that specific experience - or better it :)
When I see a new camera I have to remind myself occasionally that for me it would be terrible but for whom it is intended it would be magnificent. I think this is one of those lessons. Depending on how they market it, and to whom, this could be a really nice option. It just has to land in the right hands.
Great comment. With every new camera there is a huge amount of people that this camera is not for. This does not make it a bad camera - it is just not for them. This offer is great for the X100 crowd that can't get a camera for the next 6 months and for the zv-e1 people that can save $500 by buying it.
@@noheadlights exactly right! And while it's easy to concentrate on the lack of EVF, mech shutter etc, the video quality and stabilisation are both excellent.
@@cameralabs The video quality and stabilization are both excellent in the S9. Kudos to Panasonic for squeezing the full frame sensor and battery in what appears to be the GX body. I’m a photographer so I value the EVF, mech shutter, and a tilting screen. Deal breakers for me. As suggested above, this body isn’t designed with my needs in mind. Fair enough. Like others have commented, I want an updated GX8. If Panasonic is abandoning M43, please make a full frame photography centric body. A S9 with an EVF, mech shutter and IBIS. Panasonic May no manufacturer this body. This is what I want though. Mask On Nurse Marty (Ret)
A lot of compromises vs something like the ZF, but then it does have a price tag to match. Don't think this one is for me particularly, but I do want Panasonic to succeed.
New sub! This is a master craftsman review. Absolutely the best I’ve seen about this camera. Interesting, fair and some new things no one else has mentioned. Wonderful work.
I am so glad you brought up the potential of adapting vintage lenses. IMO giving the opportunity for a relatively new photographer to go with a relatively affordable 50 mm f1.4 makes for lots of vintage photography flavor without the need of any of the advanced style filters, provides an extremely rewarding experience.
Thanks so much for this very objective review, Gordon. Your reviews are so incredibly helpful. I was initially quite put off by the lack of mechanical shutter for photo and recording time limits, but with a Sigma 20mm or a Lumix 18mm or that upcoming 18-40mm, this could be great for FPV vertical video I do for social media while still having some decent photo capabilities and also complement my S5II for what I do. To answer your question at the end, really what I want in a higher-end body from Lumix is their latest AF system and higher FPS burst rates... Basically a "Lumix" EOS R5.
I guess if they are aiming it at more casual content creators upgrading from a smartphone, its easy enough to understand the compromises on the feature set. That said, having no provision for a viewfinder is a deal breaker from my perspective. Even if they just provided a hot shoe and port to mount an accessory EVF (like Sigma did with the FP) that would have made the difference between me buying one of these and not, as I have a particular use case for mounting manual lenses and focusing these on an LCD in daylight is a complete faff. They could also coin some additional brass by providing the accessory EVF as an extra. Lets see what happens to the prices in used and how far they discount them once they have been around for a year or two.
I don't see a reason to recommend this camera to anyone. It has too many limitations for a new photographer or videographer to extend their skills to flash/studio photography, or to conduct extended interviews.. And that lens! I'd rather a G9 II. For a beginner, a reasonable phone or GoPro or TG-7 or similar, The last two can go underwater too.
LUT looks like an improved Photo Style on previous Pany cameras. I have a function button set to Photo Style on my GX9 already 😉 I have a flash and choice of shutter. I can add very small, yet AF lenses. Ok, I know FF has advantages and LUT does look like fun, but are these enough to make me spend that much on the S9?
Good point…You’d also have to get yourself some full frame L mount lenses, (which would be bigger and more expensive), as your micro 4/3 lenses from your GX9 won’t work, right? And you’d be giving up your EVF.
Very interesting! The size is small enough it could make a difference in some situations compared to a S5ii. Though, clearly with a lot of limitations. Panasonic is getting more and more appealing. I'd switch to a pair of S5ii bodies with L-mount lenses from my current Nikon Z gear if I could manage it.
The S9 is compromised as a vlogging camera and hamstrung as a street photography carry. Canon have had 24 and 40mm pancakes on their aps-c cameras for years, with 2.8 apertures. The GX80 is a better all rounder, with matching lenses. The lack of viewfinder also limits the S9's appeal.
Given the intentions of the camera, does it really need full frame ? Take the old gm5 and just spruce it up would could have probably done the same or better !
No viewfinder made absolute sense on this cam to make it small and also appeal to the smart phone crowd. What didn't make sense was removing the shutter and hot shoe. Neither would have added substantial size or cost. But probably would have made it too good...
Great review. I'm solely a stills photographer, so none of the video options apply to me. What I wanted was a full-frame backup to my SL2 that was smaller, lighter and hells yes cheaper than another Leica. With the photo features offered - focus stacking, hand-held pixel-shift, etc - it seemed an easy choice. I'm still learning my way around it, but I'm very content so far. (2 months, no special trips yet).
I've been waiting forever for a lightweight full frame two lens kit to replace my Sony A7R2. That S9 would pair well with the 14-28mm and 28-200mm they just released. Shame about the low pixel count though; the 24mp sensor will probably stop me from purchasing it. The Sony A7CR is the right body but they don't have a 14mm zoom (that takes filters) or a decent superzoom. Nikon has the right lenses (14-30mm, 24-200mm) but no lightweight high resolution body. And Canon is dead to me.
@@kingsamvisuals I had to pick up a Tamron 28-200mm for a recent trip since Sony had nothing. It was surprising how often 28mm was just not quite wide enough. I do my best to put up with it since that's the only option. Nikon's leading that race with 24mm at the wide end. Plus Tamron doesn't make a 14mm zoom.
I want a lightweight rangefinder style Nikon or Panasonic version of the Sony A7CR. Minimum 33MP to about 45MP. Alright 60MP just for that Panasonic hybrid zoom! 4K 60P uncropped and Open Gate. With an electronic viewfinder. And just two lenses an as wide and light as possible autofocus F4 for holidays an ultrawide zoom. And one light F1.8 for indoor family shots in badly lit bars and restaurants, yet I want low ISO clear faces.
Thanks for your great review. Imo this body and its features is really great because of compactness. But beside the only available pancake lens which is crappy f8 only there aren’t any compact lenses to in total you cannot take the advantage of the camera body which makes it far behind the X100VI or ZV-E1. I would have considered it to get it before the ZV-E1 but i don’t want to bring a camera bag with me.
The body appears good for casual photography but the features are nice for video content creators except recording time. A missed opportunity for Panasonic.
Great review Gordon! Really detailed as well as well put. You made me add Panasonic hybrid zoom to my perfect camera: I want a lightweight rangefinder style Nikon or Panasonic version of the Sony A7CR. Minimum 33MP to about 45MP. Alright 60MP just for that Panasonic hybrid zoom! 4K 60P uncropped and Open Gate. With an electronic viewfinder. And just two lenses an as wide and light as possible autofocus F4 for holidays an ultrawide zoom. And one light F1.8 for indoor family shots in badly lit bars and restaurants, yet I want low ISO clear faces.
Sony has clear image zoom, but it works differently. The hybrid zoom extends the entire range, so you still get the full optical wide-end as well as the digital tele
Thanks Gordon. This camera aims at Content Creators (short video style content). People should not complain too much about the shortcomings. Sometimes I feel the #Lmount Alliance is slow at exploring the full potential of the 3 main members. Imagine a FF rangefinder GX8 style of body updated to today standards and demands (see Sony A7c II), . #Sigma has those contemporary primes with aperture ring that would fit nicely on a FF #lumix rangefinder. #panasonic made a lot of great camera bodies for photographers in the past. The G100 was a great M4/3 camera, but they did not include IBIS in it... The alliance should sit down a the table again and discuss who does what: Sport cameras, hybrid photo-video cameras,...
Weeeeell, you could pay $300 more and have all that with the S5 II. BUT I realise it's a larger camera. If you wanted the EVF squeezed in like the Sony A7c, it could be done, but it would be larger. It really depends what size and shape you want.
Basically Lumix GM1 but full frame? Will it kill APS-C market? Maybe later, Panasonic might make GM6 as a vlogging camera For the 26mm f/8 manual focus lens, is it what we call "body cap lens"? While both Canon and Nikon made f/2.8 auto-focusing full frame pancakes? Wait..... Not even being able to use any kind of flash? And surprise! No mechanical shutter! And it has real-time LUT as color presets for easier workflow, and we can download more LUTs No headphone jack? Same sensor as Lumix S5II, which means it has PDAF For open gate, it can also be used with anamorphic lens And... We can only shoot short clips since the recording limit is very low (10 minutes in open gate, 15 minutes in 4K) And it has hybrid zoom, just like in their camcorders, where they combined optical and digital zoom for extra reach "And we can't create detail out of thin air" maybe until generative AI becomes better?
The 16:9 crop that most cameras use is one of the main reasons why I never use video. Why on earth do cameras throw away those pixels? I always hated the 16:9 aspect ratio of monitors. When I grew of the ratio was 4:3. That was MUCH better. People are vertical creatures. So you need vertical space for them. Some movies even use 21:9 or wider. That means that even faces are cropped.
I’m gonna stick with my S5 II but looks like a fun camera. Gotta have a hotshoe, gotta have off camera flash…. honestly I wish they would’ve just have a fixed pancake zoom lens.
It seems like a nice, if half baked, little pocket full frame. The new pancake lens does seem as if it was designed strictly to achieve a visual style than as a practical tool. Until you see someone else trying to "pull a Fuji" you don't realize just how good FujiFIlm is at what they do. That being said, I'd consider grabbing one if I owned any L Mount lenses.
I honestly don't quite get this style of full frame camera. The bodies may be small, but the size difference to crop sensors is never that big in the bodies, it is the lenses that make crop sensors so compact. Here you get all the ergonomic and functionality compromises of a really small body, with either heavy compromises in the lens functionality, or having the same big full frame lenses, but nothing to balance and hold onto them. If I have to go to pretty dark lenses to get some of the size I would want I pretty much loose all image noise and depth of field advantages ans may as well go with a crop camera.
@@JustAaronJoshua it's also important to remember these are all different cameras for different people - for me, i'd sooner have an S5 II over the S9, but I'm not the target audience!
Agreed - I definitely think the fact that they managed to keep the amazing IBIS on this is amazing. A mini S5 II. This camera could sway people from Fuji to finally trying lumix!
Interesting camera. I’ve learned the hard way that young children and a dog mean that tripods and long exposure photography combined with cameras requiring two hands just don’t meet the mark. This could be what I’m after if it fits in a pocket and can be operated with one hand easily.
That lens exemplifies that you can't break the laws of physics - that small, something has to give, and that also defeats the purpose of FF. Its simply better to go for a mft with something like a 17mm 1.8. what you loose in sensor performance with more than gain in lens speed ( 4 f stops, which more than compensates the lower sensor performance ( 2 f stops}. Cant beat maths...
Vintage lenses are always a better look. I have the Nikon Zf and only use classic Zeiss lenses with it. They (these older Zeiss lenses) are small enough and they still give good image quality, plus they complement the Zf soo well.
My Panasonic Lumix S9 in-depth review: mini full-frame!
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00:00 - Lumix S9 introduction and rivals
01:54 - Lumix S9 design and grip
02:27 - Lumix S9 lenses and 26mm f8
06:25 - Lumix S9 controls
07:52 - Lumix S9 screen
08:36 - Lumix S9 LUTs
09:38 - Lumix S9 and LAB app
10:27 - Lumix S9 LUT download
12:07 - Lumix S9 ports, battery and card
13:34 - Lumix S9 battery life
13:44 - Lumix S9 sensor
14:09 - Lumix S9 IBIS stabilization
15:08 - Lumix S9 electronic shutter
15:50 - Lumix S9 skewing rolling shutter
16:49 - Lumix S9 movie quality
17:20 - Lumix S9 Open Gate explained
19:43 - Lumix S9 recording times and overheating
20:55 - Lumix S9 hybrid zoom for video and photo
24:24 - Lumix S9 verdict and sample images
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This is a great review Gordon, I enjoyed watching! Lots of great examples to look at too. It was lovely chatting with you!
Thanks Julia, and great to meet you too!
Panasonic's announcement managed to land camera and lens in both, the "Camera of the Year" and "Disappointment of the Year" awards.
Have to agree, spectacular misfire from Panasonic shame really it could have been good!
Well for those that PreOrder, that Lens is FREE. Plus how possible can a lens that Small be a disappointment. Only for those that can't properly use it.
@@natureredux1957 I can "properly us e it." However, it's ill-suited for doing anything I _want_ to do. Like make imagery employing shallow focus. Or maybe vlogging.
@@natureredux1957 Nikon's 26mm F/2.8 is a full 3 stops faster and offers all the normal lens features { AF, manual focus and ability to take filters } it is only 6mm longer than the Panasonic, free seems like a fair price they should have waited till the 18-40mm was ready it sounds like it could be a winner
Guess I missed this buried in all the other S9 reviews. Easily a Top 3 Review on the camera. Other videos mention that is has electronic shutter only but you actually explain what it is and it's possible downsides. The Pros and Cons along with comparisons is great. Best technical reviewer for sure. 👍
Thanks, I try to point out pros and cons of everything I review. Glad you found me!
The most comprehensive, detailed, no nonsense review.
Thanks!
Best review of the S9 so far. Great mix of creative and technical information. Thanks for a very good video. 👍
@@PCLANParty thankyou!
$200 for manual focus f/8 bodycap lens seems weird when there are plenty more affordable manual lenses with brighter and not fixed apertures (although not many are this compact or wide).
I am irrationally attracted to this stupid toy lens.
In some regions, its a freebie, so becomes a fun option to play with
Hi Gordan, sorry that I'm not a regular viewer, I'm just here to continue my preaching for a GX9ii. All the features that come with the GX-series, with the addition of PDAf, would be the perfect camera to carry with you everywhere, just in case. Plus it would already have the wide variety of cheap m43 lenses.
Also, if they want to get the vertical content crowd, m43 offers a great aspect ratio for open gate video
I would love for there to be new M43 bodies, particularly an updated GM series. BUT it's important to know that the cost and viability of a new camera is hugely influenced by availability of sensors, and the sad fact is there are not many M43 sensors around any more. Believe it or not, a full-frame model might be cheaper, although obviously wouldn't have access to those M43 lenses we all know and love.
I totally agree!
@@cameralabs You mentioned the lack of sensors on Emily's video (Micro Four Nerds), but there have been indications of broader usage of this class of sensor in other applications. And I was surprised to see that Logitech were using MFT in their Mevo Core product, which is possibly a notable development, given that Logitech is more of a general gadget maker than a big-hitter in photography or videography (unless we go back to the era covered by your other channel when digital imaging was a lot more fluid).
Last year I had hoped to buy a GX9 but it was discontinued. I had a number of m43 lenses but as a replacement model was rumoured to be unlikely I traded them for more Fuji lenses. I can't see this as appealing to any sectors of the market.
Seems like a fun camera!....but please Lumix, please release a PDAF camera with OLPF soon!
Lack of mechanical shutter really ruins the real potential for an obvious photo forward camera like this. Same reason I never picked up the zve1. And not even an internal flash either. What a weird offering
It makes sense since it's marketed for vloggers
@@cyberadvent well technically it's not even for vloggers lol. What vlogger do you know that can live with a 10 minute recording limit? If anything it's for Tik Tok content creators specifically, and any other social media platform that has to do with very short form story telling etc, with a little photo taking on the side. So it's not even quite for youtubers either for that matter. Which again is what makes this offering so confusing, and most Tik Tok'ers wont even know what a full frame is, nevermind 10 bit 4.2.2. hahaha
@@akyerit ooof guess I gave them more credit that they deserve
@@akyerit can't forget about the cold shoe lol.
@@duvalpenny100 ya right?? Dont even get me started on that cold shoe hahaha
F8 and no auto focus? So right out of the gate you need to buy a "real" lens. Kind of a Panasonic fanboy camera.
Lumix S9 vs ZV-E1 vs Nikon ZF. That would be an awesome comparison!
Not a bad beach landscape from that f8 lens. Sharp enough for the size. I'm not sure what Lumix was thinking, but good to know its optically all right...
So they issue this camera with a pancake lens without autofocus? Panasonic has lost it!
That lens has to be a very late April fools?
It has to be for those who want the toy camera look
This camera is perfect for vloggers who want the best possible image quality, but don't mind giving up a viewfinder and some other features Sir..The clips in this video is amazing ...and beautiful place too
Thanks a lot for such very well structured review. Quite a lot of engaging information.
Great review and kudos for being so balanced in highlighting the advantages, along with the drawbacks, such as that disappointing lens. Nikon has a great 26mm 2.8 AF pancake lens for their Zf and Panasonic should have had something like that vs. their 26mm F8 MF. The 18-40 looks good, though.
the most detailed review out there! Pleasure to watch
Thanks!
No smaller than the A7Cii or X-T50, no flash, low res, pity!
For traditional photographers this is a tough sell without an EVF. But I use also a Ricoh GR3, so I could imagine to buy an S9, if the price is right. But prices have to come down significantly first.
This isn’t really a camera for photography IMO, especially with no mechanical shutter. This is more of a budget cinema camera. How low does the price need to be? It’s already priced amazingly well for a FF camera with best in class IBIS, 6K open gate and 4K 60p in 4:2:2 10 bit. You won’t find anything close for that price.
At least the GR has a shutter, a fabulous leaf shutter at that
@@CianMcsweeney crop sensor, fixed lens, only 3 axis IBIS, no 4K video etc….not even close
@@michaelbell75 yet it's a far better photographry camera than the s9, because as you said, the s9 is a budget video camera
@@michaelbell75I have both Lumix S1 & S5M1 and rarely use Mechanical shutter .. my shutter for s1 around 200 clicks and s5 about 700 clicks during 2 years 😂😂.. and that only used when using a flash or shoot high speed objects… also for the EVF I rarely use it
18 months this thing will be £500.
In your dream
Asa ka boy
500 not, but will fall probably to $999
panasonic had the chance to beat x100 but decided to be the inferior version of Sony's Z
It's beyond comprehension: a camera that cannot be a real camera due to lack of a mechanical shutter: Night photos with dark bars (irrecoverable) and distortions of moving subjects because the electronic shutter is mediocre! A video mode that overheats and limits sequences of max 15 minutes with unpredictable cuts! A crude copy of film simulations that has nothing to do with the Art of Fujifilm. Can we really make fun of consumers who are not experts and who will buy this Lumix S9 with their eyes closed? When will there be a version without diaphragm adjustment to align with smartphones? They should also remove the SD card connection and limit its use to the small internal memory like a ‘carbon pass’! No mic jack, obviously. We have pushed the limits of ridiculousness.
Good review. The S9 is interesting, but I'll pass. I'm sticking to Panasonic M43 for now.
Panasonic is the weirdest company in the world it to make the Micro Four Thirds g9ii in a full frame body and a full frame camera in a Micro Four Thirds body.
Very true!
Ha i found where you mentioned me! Thanks for that! and great in-depth review as usual. I'm amazed how you managed to get so much done so quickly!
Hah, thanks! Did you like my panoramic photos? Yours look so good!
@@cameralabs Yeap yeap they look good!! You need to shoot more of those!! Hope you enjoying your "new" Nikkor and LD.
btw I went to Shinjuku on the last day and did some (window) camera shopping there too!
Wonder if I'll ever be able to afford one of these, I should be so lutty...
Thanks for the great and detailed review as always, Gordon. Keep doing what you do!
The upcoming Leica D-Lux 8 may be a better fit for this space and requirements.
Top review! It showed me that I want this camera for all the wrong reasons. The s52 will have to do.
Happy lifetime Canon shooter here, have been on an R5 for a couple of years now. I’m really liking what Panasonic is doing with this S9. Makes me wonder if Canon will update their RP. I reckon they will if the S9 will do well in the market. Thanks Gordon as always for the deep dive, been loving your videos since the NZ days!
Thanks for your support over the years! I wish all manufacturers would offer some smaller cameras, even if they involve some compromises. Canon had some great little compacts, I wish there was more of a market for them.
@@cameralabs Cheers Gordon! I think Panasonic read the room well, looking at the Fuji X100V/VI. For most of “us”, the S9 makes little sense with the S5m2 as a much better proposition. But for the people buying iPhones, Galaxies and DJI Osmo Pockets - and families and travelers who want to immediately share photos and footage on socials - this is brilliant. The EOS M and RP never really filled that role, they were “the little ones” in the line-up where Canon wants to lead you to the R5, R6 and R7 and the expensive L RF lenses. I’ll be watching the S9 closely, and maybe even try it out!
In a year when this is around 900 dollars it'll be fun to play around with
Looks like canon and nikon need to catch up, maybe a Nikon Zs full frame with a rangefinder body.
The internal post processing looks very intresting.
Was hoping for a GX8 replacement with FF sensor they missed this buyer for sure
Yes, I think a lot of us wanted a GX successor, or for me, maybe a GM.
I want new GM1.
Me too!
Brilliant review thanks Gordon!
12:33 This is heresy but I use my hdmi on my ZV1 for super easy OTT webcam... Nice to see the S9 puts the hdmi on the other side from the monitor which ZV-E1 doesn't (but ZV-1 does!)
14:23 And is this the new Brighton arcade?! What happened to the jewelery shops and awkward background people!!
Thanks! Yes, hdmi is always an option
For a photography event all of the attendees use phone to take images of the event😂 this overpriced toy probably try to target x100v gimmicky audience but the image quality will also fail in most scenario unless pair with fast big lens.
I am coming back to shoutout for you! Don’t be worried of the drama as your contents from vintage camera tech and latest are always informative and helps in our decision making process. Keep dem coming!
Thanks, will do!
I don't see the S9 taking many sales from other cameras, somehow. There are too many flaws.
Maybe it will push people towards the S5 II...
@@cameralabs I have S5IIX but it's difficult to get accessories like flashes for Lumix in India. A camera without supporting ecosystem is too limiting.
@@Photo-N-Pursuit dont know about india scecifically. But the cheap china ones and 1st party should be available, shouldn't they? All those dont work with the S9 anyway:)
@@cameralabs Possibly - although the X100VI is more likely. If you're in the market for a small camera, APS-C at 40MP as opposed to FF at 26MP with little noise penalty isn't a disadvantage, and nor is a fixed lens because small camera = portability and who wants to carry extra lenses around? The X100 series viewfinder is just a bonus, too.
@@ACD54 yes, I like the X100 as it gives you a bright prime lens and a viewfinder in that size, two things missing on the S9 + 26,
Thanks for the detailed review. How visible is the display outside? Does it match the latest iPhone? I think it's targeted at iPhone users so I'm curious if Panasonic have matched that specific experience - or better it :)
If you mostly shoot during the sunny hours then I would prefer to buy 5Sii… but if that is occasionally only then there is a solution..
When I see a new camera I have to remind myself occasionally that for me it would be terrible but for whom it is intended it would be magnificent. I think this is one of those lessons. Depending on how they market it, and to whom, this could be a really nice option. It just has to land in the right hands.
Very wisely said. It's not for me, but might be perfect for others!
Great comment. With every new camera there is a huge amount of people that this camera is not for. This does not make it a bad camera - it is just not for them.
This offer is great for the X100 crowd that can't get a camera for the next 6 months and for the zv-e1 people that can save $500 by buying it.
@@noheadlights exactly right! And while it's easy to concentrate on the lack of EVF, mech shutter etc, the video quality and stabilisation are both excellent.
@@cameralabs The video quality and stabilization are both excellent in the S9. Kudos to Panasonic for squeezing the full frame sensor and battery in what appears to be the GX body.
I’m a photographer so I value the EVF, mech shutter, and a tilting screen. Deal breakers for me. As suggested above, this body isn’t designed with my needs in mind. Fair enough. Like others have commented, I want an updated GX8. If Panasonic is abandoning M43, please make a full frame photography centric body. A S9 with an EVF, mech shutter and IBIS. Panasonic May no manufacturer this body. This is what I want though.
Mask On Nurse Marty (Ret)
F8 manual lens is terrible for every one 😂 but yes the camera is hit or miss
I assume that the full-frame 4K is oversampled from the 6K sensor. Correct? If so, the 4K from the S9 will be superior to the 1:1 4K from the Sony E1.
A lot of compromises vs something like the ZF, but then it does have a price tag to match. Don't think this one is for me particularly, but I do want Panasonic to succeed.
Dear Panasonic, we don't want this, we want a MFT GX9ii.......
What if you discovered an m43 sensor worked out similar in price to full frame due to volume and availability?
@@cameralabs I would wait 3 years till I could afford it, I only have a G9 now.
New sub! This is a master craftsman review. Absolutely the best I’ve seen about this camera. Interesting, fair and some new things no one else has mentioned. Wonderful work.
Thankyou! I always try and cover the pros and cons in all my reviews, as well as trying to find some things others may have missed or not demo'd!
Awesome in-depth review Gordon. 🔥 Was great to meet you at the event!
Thankyou, you too!
Very similar to Clear Image Zoom feature on ZVE1
I am so glad you brought up the potential of adapting vintage lenses. IMO giving the opportunity for a relatively new photographer to go with a relatively affordable 50 mm f1.4 makes for lots of vintage photography flavor without the need of any of the advanced style filters, provides an extremely rewarding experience.
Thanks! I'll be reviewing that 45 2.8 and the Nikkor 50 1.8 AIs on my vintage Dino Bytes channel soon!
I love ALL the colors and the body size…good job Panasonic!
Thanks so much for this very objective review, Gordon. Your reviews are so incredibly helpful. I was initially quite put off by the lack of mechanical shutter for photo and recording time limits, but with a Sigma 20mm or a Lumix 18mm or that upcoming 18-40mm, this could be great for FPV vertical video I do for social media while still having some decent photo capabilities and also complement my S5II for what I do. To answer your question at the end, really what I want in a higher-end body from Lumix is their latest AF system and higher FPS burst rates... Basically a "Lumix" EOS R5.
You're very welcome! Yes, for a flagship lumix, I'd also want an amazing evf!
I guess if they are aiming it at more casual content creators upgrading from a smartphone, its easy enough to understand the compromises on the feature set. That said, having no provision for a viewfinder is a deal breaker from my perspective. Even if they just provided a hot shoe and port to mount an accessory EVF (like Sigma did with the FP) that would have made the difference between me buying one of these and not, as I have a particular use case for mounting manual lenses and focusing these on an LCD in daylight is a complete faff. They could also coin some additional brass by providing the accessory EVF as an extra. Lets see what happens to the prices in used and how far they discount them once they have been around for a year or two.
PDAF in 1080p is huge!!!! It is my biggest gripe with my S5II
since its the same sensor and even with limited cooling, it should be possible on the S5II(x).
@@noheadlights hopefully it comes via Firmware
I am waiting for a 35mm f16 fixfocus pancake. That will be great.
I don't see a reason to recommend this camera to anyone. It has too many limitations for a new photographer or videographer to extend their skills to flash/studio photography, or to conduct extended interviews.. And that lens!
I'd rather a G9 II. For a beginner, a reasonable phone or GoPro or TG-7 or similar, The last two can go underwater too.
How on Earth did Panasonic think that this could compete with the Sony ZV-E1 or the ZV-E10 ?
LUT looks like an improved Photo Style on previous Pany cameras. I have a function button set to Photo Style on my GX9 already 😉 I have a flash and choice of shutter. I can add very small, yet AF lenses.
Ok, I know FF has advantages and LUT does look like fun, but are these enough to make me spend that much on the S9?
Good point…You’d also have to get yourself some full frame L mount lenses, (which would be bigger and more expensive), as your micro 4/3 lenses from your GX9 won’t work, right? And you’d be giving up your EVF.
Very interesting! The size is small enough it could make a difference in some situations compared to a S5ii. Though, clearly with a lot of limitations. Panasonic is getting more and more appealing. I'd switch to a pair of S5ii bodies with L-mount lenses from my current Nikon Z gear if I could manage it.
The S9 is compromised as a vlogging camera and hamstrung as a street photography carry. Canon have had 24 and 40mm pancakes on their aps-c cameras for years, with 2.8 apertures. The GX80 is a better all rounder, with matching lenses. The lack of viewfinder also limits the S9's appeal.
Lack of a viewfinder is only limiting old folks (like me ;) ) that are used to it. The target market never used anything but a phone screen.
@@noheadlights I agree the S9 was conceived for a global creator market that has no video or photography experience beyond smart phones.
Given the intentions of the camera, does it really need full frame ? Take the old gm5 and just spruce it up would could have probably done the same or better !
I agree, but sensor availability is a factor
It should be priced lower around £999 because too many limitations…. The lens launched with it is a joke lol
Garbage... Just get GH5S for less... Or LX100-2
No viewfinder no buy. 🤔
no viewfinder is better
I know what you mean, it's a deal-breaker for me BUT it's not designed for me!
@@cameralabs ….or me. 🤔🤣👍
No viewfinder made absolute sense on this cam to make it small and also appeal to the smart phone crowd. What didn't make sense was removing the shutter and hot shoe. Neither would have added substantial size or cost. But probably would have made it too good...
200USD for a f8 lens without AF 😱
Great review. I'm solely a stills photographer, so none of the video options apply to me. What I wanted was a full-frame backup to my SL2 that was smaller, lighter and hells yes cheaper than another Leica. With the photo features offered - focus stacking, hand-held pixel-shift, etc - it seemed an easy choice. I'm still learning my way around it, but I'm very content so far. (2 months, no special trips yet).
Yes, this one is definitely growing on me, but it really needs the right lens to shine for me. Still wish it had a viewfinder though!
I've been waiting forever for a lightweight full frame two lens kit to replace my Sony A7R2. That S9 would pair well with the 14-28mm and 28-200mm they just released. Shame about the low pixel count though; the 24mp sensor will probably stop me from purchasing it.
The Sony A7CR is the right body but they don't have a 14mm zoom (that takes filters) or a decent superzoom. Nikon has the right lenses (14-30mm, 24-200mm) but no lightweight high resolution body. And Canon is dead to me.
Tamron…
@@kingsamvisuals I had to pick up a Tamron 28-200mm for a recent trip since Sony had nothing. It was surprising how often 28mm was just not quite wide enough. I do my best to put up with it since that's the only option. Nikon's leading that race with 24mm at the wide end. Plus Tamron doesn't make a 14mm zoom.
I want a lightweight rangefinder style Nikon or Panasonic version of the Sony A7CR. Minimum 33MP to about 45MP. Alright 60MP just for that Panasonic hybrid zoom! 4K 60P uncropped and Open Gate. With an electronic viewfinder. And just two lenses an as wide and light as possible autofocus F4 for holidays an ultrawide zoom. And one light F1.8 for indoor family shots in badly lit bars and restaurants, yet I want low ISO clear faces.
Who buy a S9 instead a sigma fp?
Thanks for your great review. Imo this body and its features is really great because of compactness. But beside the only available pancake lens which is crappy f8 only there aren’t any compact lenses to in total you cannot take the advantage of the camera body which makes it far behind the X100VI or ZV-E1. I would have considered it to get it before the ZV-E1 but i don’t want to bring a camera bag with me.
I agree, hopefully small lenses will come...
thanks for the info. Does the S9 allow shutter speed changes by angle like the S5?
I'm not 100% sure, but I believe so as the menus look lifted from the s5ii
The body appears good for casual photography but the features are nice for video content creators except recording time. A missed opportunity for Panasonic.
Why not a successor to GM1? With global shutter, no recording limit, weather sealed, PDAF, 4K would suffice. 🤦
Yeah, i'd like that
I got the OG E-5 and SHG glass because of you in the day. It's been a long time and you're always doing great work!
Glad to help!
the upcoming 18-40mm combined with that hybrid zoom?
i might just buy that... maybe
That new lens does look promising...
Great review Gordon! Really detailed as well as well put. You made me add Panasonic hybrid zoom to my perfect camera: I want a lightweight rangefinder style Nikon or Panasonic version of the Sony A7CR. Minimum 33MP to about 45MP. Alright 60MP just for that Panasonic hybrid zoom! 4K 60P uncropped and Open Gate. With an electronic viewfinder. And just two lenses an as wide and light as possible autofocus F4 for holidays an ultrawide zoom. And one light F1.8 for indoor family shots in badly lit bars and restaurants, yet I want low ISO clear faces.
Is the hybrid zoom feature also available on the Sony ZV-E1 ? I just found it to be a really cool feature not mentioned by other reviewers.
Sony has clear image zoom, but it works differently. The hybrid zoom extends the entire range, so you still get the full optical wide-end as well as the digital tele
Thanks Gordon.
This camera aims at Content Creators (short video style content). People should not complain too much about the shortcomings.
Sometimes I feel the #Lmount Alliance is slow at exploring the full potential of the 3 main members.
Imagine a FF rangefinder GX8 style of body updated to today standards and demands (see Sony A7c II), . #Sigma has those contemporary primes with aperture ring that would fit nicely on a FF #lumix rangefinder. #panasonic made a lot of great camera bodies for photographers in the past. The G100 was a great M4/3 camera, but they did not include IBIS in it...
The alliance should sit down a the table again and discuss who does what: Sport cameras, hybrid photo-video cameras,...
I would readily pay $1000 more for this camera with an EVF, a hotshoe, and a mechanical shutter.
Weeeeell, you could pay $300 more and have all that with the S5 II. BUT I realise it's a larger camera. If you wanted the EVF squeezed in like the Sony A7c, it could be done, but it would be larger. It really depends what size and shape you want.
Basically Lumix GM1 but full frame?
Will it kill APS-C market?
Maybe later, Panasonic might make GM6 as a vlogging camera
For the 26mm f/8 manual focus lens, is it what we call "body cap lens"? While both Canon and Nikon made f/2.8 auto-focusing full frame pancakes?
Wait..... Not even being able to use any kind of flash?
And surprise! No mechanical shutter!
And it has real-time LUT as color presets for easier workflow, and we can download more LUTs
No headphone jack?
Same sensor as Lumix S5II, which means it has PDAF
For open gate, it can also be used with anamorphic lens
And... We can only shoot short clips since the recording limit is very low (10 minutes in open gate, 15 minutes in 4K)
And it has hybrid zoom, just like in their camcorders, where they combined optical and digital zoom for extra reach
"And we can't create detail out of thin air" maybe until generative AI becomes better?
Imagine that Panasonic had a full year to put everything it's missing from the zve1, but said nah... I'm gonna make an inferior product. Why?
The 16:9 crop that most cameras use is one of the main reasons why I never use video. Why on earth do cameras throw away those pixels? I always hated the 16:9 aspect ratio of monitors. When I grew of the ratio was 4:3. That was MUCH better. People are vertical creatures. So you need vertical space for them. Some movies even use 21:9 or wider. That means that even faces are cropped.
I’m gonna stick with my S5 II but looks like a fun camera. Gotta have a hotshoe, gotta have off camera flash…. honestly I wish they would’ve just have a fixed pancake zoom lens.
It seems like a nice, if half baked, little pocket full frame. The new pancake lens does seem as if it was designed strictly to achieve a visual style than as a practical tool. Until you see someone else trying to "pull a Fuji" you don't realize just how good FujiFIlm is at what they do.
That being said, I'd consider grabbing one if I owned any L Mount lenses.
This is just a Sigma FP alternative, very disappointing. They don't get what street photographers want. Nikon gets it, with the ZF.
I honestly don't quite get this style of full frame camera. The bodies may be small, but the size difference to crop sensors is never that big in the bodies, it is the lenses that make crop sensors so compact. Here you get all the ergonomic and functionality compromises of a really small body, with either heavy compromises in the lens functionality, or having the same big full frame lenses, but nothing to balance and hold onto them. If I have to go to pretty dark lenses to get some of the size I would want I pretty much loose all image noise and depth of field advantages ans may as well go with a crop camera.
Does the hybrid zoom work with other optical zoom lenses that are not Panasonic? Like the Sigma zoom lenses? Very thorough and a good watch thank you!
I’m actually disappointed they removed the mechanical shutter. This makes little sense when a second hand S5 ii can be found for less than £1500
The ZV E1 doesn't have one either.
You’re right it doesn’t but that’s still around £2100 brand new with just the body.
@@JustAaronJoshua it's also important to remember these are all different cameras for different people - for me, i'd sooner have an S5 II over the S9, but I'm not the target audience!
Agreed - I definitely think the fact that they managed to keep the amazing IBIS on this is amazing. A mini S5 II. This camera could sway people from Fuji to finally trying lumix!
Interesting camera. I’ve learned the hard way that young children and a dog mean that tripods and long exposure photography combined with cameras requiring two hands just don’t meet the mark.
This could be what I’m after if it fits in a pocket and can be operated with one hand easily.
That lens looked pretty nice. Too bad it didn’t get a lot of thought. I’d get the 50mm f1.8.
I hope they'll bring the extra LUT features to the S5ii. It's a bit clunky to use right now, but it's great.
I’ve had the S5ii and it was amazing. Electronic shutters and no evf are no go for me.
I prefer the HDMI port.
Anyone else think the pics on this thing are way nicer than on the x100vi?
Depends on the lens and the ISO!
Does other cameras offer something similar to the MP4lite mode?
Hardly anyone else even offers Open Gate, let alone a smaller version.
What a flop this is.
That lens exemplifies that you can't break the laws of physics - that small, something has to give, and that also defeats the purpose of FF. Its simply better to go for a mft with something like a 17mm 1.8. what you loose in sensor performance with more than gain in lens speed ( 4 f stops, which more than compensates the lower sensor performance ( 2 f stops}. Cant beat maths...
There are countless full frame f/2.8 pancakes, and a few of them offer autofocus.
Vintage lenses are always a better look.
I have the Nikon Zf and only use classic Zeiss lenses with it. They (these older Zeiss lenses) are small enough and they still give good image quality, plus they complement the Zf soo well.
Nikon have a 26 f2.8 with same size,
(And the s5 slowly waddles out of his box back into his shelf..)
not impressed
Eh... seems like a rushed answer to what Fuji is doing