The Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R II ($3,399.99, body only) debuts more than five years after the original Lumix S1R and comes with a host of upgrades, most notably a new 44MP BSI CMOS image sensor with onboard phase detection focus, internal ProRes video encoding, and a smaller, lighter build. The S1R II has a laundry list of imaging features, too, including a handheld 173MP capture mode and the ability to create your own LUT image filters. But a flawed approach to subject tracking, along with sometimes slow performance, prevents the S1R II from matching the high-water mark set by the Nikon Z 8, our Editors' Choice among high-resolution, full-frame mirrorless cameras. The Z 8 justifies its $4,000 retail price with excellent all-around performance highlighted by reliable autofocus and 8K N-Raw video capture.

Design: Smaller Than the S1R

I criticized the S1R as being overly large and heavy, a gripe that Panasonic addresses with the S1R II. Its body is more in line with what I expect from a mirrorless camera, measuring about 4.0 by 5.3 by 3.6 inches (HWD) and weighing 1.6 pounds, versus 4.3 by 5.9 by 3.8 inches and 2.2 pounds for the S1R. The Nikon Z 8 lands in between the two at 4.7 by 5.7 by 3.3 inches and 2 pounds.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The S1R II's exterior physical design is very similar to that of the entry-level S5 II and IIx cameras, and identical to the S1 II and S1 IIE. If you're stepping up from a lower-end model or use more than one camera body for your creative work, you'll appreciate the consistency. The S1R II's construction quality is in line with other cameras that cost this much. The camera is built around a magnesium alloy chassis and includes dust and splash protection, so it's suitable for use both in the studio and out in the field.

Panasonic goes with a 44MP BSI CMOS sensor for the S1R II, a chip that makes its debut here, and packs as many pixels as others in its class. The Nikon Z 7 II, Canon EOS R5 Mark II, and Nikon Z 8 all use 45MP sensors. For the most part, camera makers have settled here for high-resolution bodies as the pixel count provides enough room for photographers to crop and allows for 8K video. If you want more photo resolution, the 60MP Sony a7R V is a fantastic stills camera, but its sensor isn't ideal for video.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The S1R II works with L-mount lenses, a type that's supported by several manufacturers. The mount was developed by Leica and later adopted by Panasonic and Sigma when the three brands joined forces to create the L-Mount Alliance. Since forming in 2018, other brands have signed on, including DJI and Samyang. Panasonic only offers the S1R II body-only, so you'll need to pick and purchase a lens separately if you don't already have one.

Controls: A Solid Grip and Familiar Interface

As mentioned, the S1R II's body style is essentially identical to the S5 II, with some minor changes. If you're upgrading from the 24MP entry-level camera, you'll be pleased to find all of the buttons and dials are in the same places. If you're used to the original S1R, you'll encounter a slight adjustment period as a few buttons have moved around. Astrophotographers and event photographers who appreciate the original S1R's backlit buttons will be disappointed, as the S1R II drops the feature. If backlit controls are a priority, get the Nikon Z 8 instead, as it has them.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

I'm pretty happy with how Panasonic lays out the controls and how configurable the camera is. Most of the buttons are customizable, and the S1R II includes the buttons and dials you need to change settings in the moment. I especially like that it includes a dedicated dial to set the drive mode and a Lock switch to disable buttons to cut down on inadvertent changes to exposure. Both the Drive and Mode dials include push-button locks, too.

The body has a deep handgrip, so there's enough camera to hold onto when using a large lens. I tried the camera with a few different L-mount lenses from Sigma, including the mid-sized 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN Art II, the svelte 50mm F2 DG DN Contemporary prime, and the massive 300-600mm F4 DG OS Sports. The 300-600mm is an outlier that makes any camera feel miniature in comparison, but I am pretty happy with how the body balances with more reasonably sized lenses.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The front includes an unmarked function button (Fn2) near the grip, along with a red Record button. The top plate includes the drive dial at the left, with settings for single, continuous, multi-shot, interval, and self-timer capture, and a Stills/Movies/Slow-Motion mode switch nested underneath. The PASM mode dial is at its expected location on the right side, along with the On/Off button, front and rear command dials, and shutter release. The top plate also includes configurable buttons that set White Balance, ISO, and EV compensation by default.

On the rear, you'll find the Lock switch and Play button to the left of the viewfinder. The focus area selector, which is collared by the S/C/MF focus mode switch, is to the right, with the AF ON and focus point joystick control right next door; all three fall naturally under my right thumb when holding the camera. Down below there's the Q button (explained below), a hybrid command wheel/directional pad with a Menu/Set button at its center, and Back/Delete and Display buttons.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The Q button launches an on-screen menu for quick access to common settings. The 12-panel menu is configurable and does not obscure the view from the lens, so it's handy to use in the midst of image capture. The full menu takes a little more time to navigate. It has dozens of dense pages of settings, some obvious and others esoteric, laid out in five sections (Camera, Gear, Wrench, My Menu, Playback). The My Menu is completely customizable, so you can curate your own menu to taste.

Viewfinder and Display: A Large EVF and Dual-Hinge LCD

The viewfinder is one area where the S1R II improves upon the entry-level S5 II. Panasonic puts a higher pixel 5.8-million-dot OLED EVF with 0.78x magnification in the S1R II, giving it a sharper panel than in the Nikon Z 8 (3.7 million dots, 0.80x). I'll call the S1R II's viewfinder excellent, if shy of being best in class. The Sony a7R V beats it in size and pixel count (9.4 million dots, 0.90x), and the Canon EOS R5 Mark II is in the discussion because its EVF supports 10-bit color for a wide dynamic range view and eye-driven autofocus system.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The S1R II has a smartly designed dual-hinge mount for its 3-inch rear LCD, similar to what Sony puts in the a7R V. The screen swings out and tilts straight up and down, a plus for photographers and cinematographers who find it easier to compose scenes with a screen that's directly behind the lens. Thanks to a second hinge, the screen can also swing out to the side and twist around to face forward, up, or down, which is handy for monitoring video when using the camera on a gimbal or for scenes where you're self-recording and need to both present to the camera and monitor recording.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Power and Connectivity: CFe Memory Required for 4K ProRes Video

The S1R II makes a battery change from the original S1R, so upgrading photographers will have to toss out the old S1R DMW-BLJ31 power packs in favor of the more recent DMW-BLK22 battery. Battery changes between models are never comfortable for photographers, but it's a growing pain as Panasonic has made great efforts to streamline the BLK22 across its camera line. In addition to the S1R II, it powers the S1 II and IIE, the S5, the S5 II and IIx, the S9, and recent Micro Four Thirds mount models including the G9 II and GH7.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The BLK22 is rated for up to 350 exposures with the LCD or 300 with the power-hungry EVF using CIPA testing standards. The CIPA battery test is notoriously conservative, especially if you use any sort of burst capture, but it is a useful benchmark to compare one camera's longevity to another. The S1R II lines up with competitors, including the Nikon Z 8 (340 LCD/330 EVF) and the Canon EOS R5 Mark II (630 LCD/340 EVF), and is well behind what Sony gets from the a7R V (530 LCD/440 EVF).

I mostly did half-day photo outings with the S1R II during testing and never ran out of power, but came close enough where I recommend a spare battery ($89.99) for general use. It may not be by much, but the S1R II is at the back of the pack among similar competitors. Like others in its class, it works with an add-on battery grip. The BG-2 grip ($349.99) attaches to the bottom of the S1R II and adds a second set of controls for more comfortable use when holding the camera vertically for portraits, plus it holds a second battery, effectively doubling the lifespan. I didn't get a chance to try the BG-2 with the camera, but expect it to be a benefit for photogs who prefer a larger camera or work the wedding circuit and want to minimize downtime during the event. The BG-2 supports hot swapping, too, so videographers can keep recording while changing out the battery in the grip for a fresh one.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Most of S1R II's accessory ports are on its left side, covered by hinged rubber flaps. There you'll find USB-C, HDMI, and a pair of 3.5mm jacks for a microphone and headphones. A 2.5mm remote jack is on the right side. The S1R II does not include a built-in flash, but it works with external strobes and wireless flash systems via its hot shoe. There is no PC Sync/Timecode socket, so the S1R II does not fit into multiple camera setups as easily as the Lumix GH7. The hot shoe also supports balanced audio input using the optional DMW-XLR2 XLR Microphone Adapter ($499.99).

The S1R II has two memory card slots, one for professional CFexpress (Type B) cards and a second for more affordable UHS-II SDXC media. But despite its support for CFe, the S1R II doesn't seem to benefit from faster media for stills. In its fastest 40fps capture mode the S1R II rattles off 70 images in just under two seconds, but takes about 30 seconds to commit the full burst to memory regardless of card type, despite my Lexar CFe card having a much faster maximum write speed (3,300MBps) than the Sony Tough UHS-II SDXC card (299MBps) I used for the speed test. I also noticed a delay in loading images for playback and deleting photos, one that's just long enough to be annoying without crossing into problematic territory. That means that photographers won't benefit from (or have reason to spend more money on) CFe speeds with the S1R II. However, if you specialize in video and want to take advantage of the S1R II's 4K ProRes encoding, you'll need to go with CFe, as many of the S1R II's video features don't work with SDXC cards. 

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Panasonic has two distinct smartphone companion apps for S1R II. You'll want to use Lumix Lab (available for Android and iOS) to create and load custom Look Up Table (LUT) picture profiles, transfer photos to your phone, and perform firmware updates. Lumix Flow (on Android and iOS) lets you plug your smartphone into the camera via USB-C and use it as an external monitor and interface; if you think the S1R II's 3-inch screen is too small, grab Flow and connect your phablet.

Autofocus: Subject Tracking Interface Befuddles

The S1R II marks the debut of a newly designed tracking focus system from Panasonic, but I don't count that as a positive. The system engineers have taken a completely different approach to subject recognition and tracking versus others, and I'll admit, I'm baffled, befuddled, and bewildered by Panasonic's decisions here.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

It's important to first understand how subject recognition and tracking work with other camera systems (as well as with earlier Lumix models, including the S5 II). Most cameras will identify any recognizable object and, in tracking mode, follow it around as it moves through the frame. Subject recognition modes usually provide an assist, if a camera is able to identify a person's or animal's face and eyes, it will put the focus on them. But with the S5 II, Nikon Z 8, Canon EOS R5 Mark II, or Sony a7R V, focus tracking works even if the focus system doesn't understand what it's tracking.

The Lumix S1R II instead requires the proper subject for tracking when it's a human, animal, car, motorcycle or bike, train, or airplane. Each of these modes is discrete, so the S1R II will not follow an airplane flying through the sky if it is set to track cars or animals, for instance, and it won't follow a cat at play if set to human or motorcycle/bike mode. It takes a few button presses to change the subject detection setting, just enough to stand in your way when you're trying to get a shot.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

I asked Panasonic for a comment as to the logic behind the approach, but a representative did not respond to that question. That's unfortunate, as I can't manage to see the advantage of this particular approach to tracking, only the drawbacks. I've been using mirrorless cameras for years and have come to rely on continuous focus with subject tracking for everything, not just action. Heck, I even use tracking for my still life cemetery photography, as it's often more convenient to engage autofocus on a centered subject and recompose using tracking to keep the focus box on the object of interest. The S1R II's system can track simple objects like this, but only if you disable subject detection first. That's a big step in the wrong direction.

Aside from the quirky tracking implementation, the focus system works like any other mirrorless camera. The S1R II spreads its focus points across the entire surface of the sensor, so you can find focus pretty much anywhere. Sundry areas of interest are available, including a small pinpoint, flexible spots, larger focus zones, and full-frame coverage.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The focus response is snappy. In most instances, the camera finds a subject quickly, though you may have to go in and change some settings. I noticed that the Sigma 300-600mm F4 DG OS Sports was hesitant to drive to subjects when trying to catch images of songbirds in branches or at my shaded bird feeder, but my technical contact at Panasonic recommended I enable the "Quick AF" function and I saw marked improvement in initial focus acquisition.

Accuracy is another matter. I noticed more slight focus misses with the S1R II versus Canon, Nikon, or Sony's focus systems. I caught an osprey flying low at the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge, but was disappointed that the S1R II got more shots focused on its body than its eyes when I took a close look at the images. I've little doubt that an EOS R5 Mark II, Z 8, or a7R V would have done a better job keeping focus on the big bird's eye. The S1R II does a good job with focus accuracy for less demanding scenes. I had great results for pet portraits and everyday imaging, but its focus system falters for the disciplines that ask the most from it.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The S1R II supports 14-bit Raw with its mechanical shutter, with continuous focus up to 10fps, and can go to 40fps with its 12-bit electronic shutter for up to 70 Raw+JPG exposures in sequence. A precapture mode is available for the 40fps mode with your choice of 20, 40, or 60 exposures in the buffer. Even with my complaints, photographers upgrading from an S1R will enjoy faster focus that does a better job of keeping up with action. The old S1R uses a contrast-based system that's rudimentary in comparison and restricted to a slow 6fps focus drive.

Imaging: LUTs Let You Roll Your Own Color Profiles

While I certainly have reservations about the S1R II focus system, I can't find much (if anything) to gripe about when it comes to its image sensor and processing engine. The S1R II is the first mainstream mirrorless camera to use its 44MP BSI CMOS sensor, which I suspect is the same Sony Semiconductor silicon in DJI's Ronin 4D cinema camera. I didn't get a chance to try the Ronin 4D, but am nonetheless impressed by the dynamic range, colors, and clarity shown by the S1R II.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

As mentioned, the sensor records Raw format images with 12-bit (electronic shutter) or 14-bit (mechanical shutter) color depth. It has a very wide sensitivity range (ISO 80-51200) with the most Raw editing malleability (10-11 exposure stops per Photons to Photos) in the ISO 80-800 range. I see the first signs of luminance noise (grain) starting at ISO 800, and more noticeable grain starting around ISO 3200 range. Even so, you can get excellent detail from the camera up through ISO 12800, with rougher, but still quite usable results at the highest settings (ISO 25600-51200). Importantly, color fidelity is excellent at the highest settings, and there's no sign of the green color cast that some cameras show at extreme ISOs.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

At the time of publication, Adobe's Lightroom Classic, the software I use to process images for all of PCMag's camera reviews, has a bug that causes it to render 12-bit Raw photos from the S1R II as severely underexposed, which effectively limits how much you can adjust exposure using standard adjustment sliders. If you use Adobe software, stick with the mechanical shutter and 14-bit Raw for the time being. Panasonic bundles a three-month trial of Capture One Pro with the camera as an alternative and it processes both 12-bit and 14-bit S1R II images just fine.

If you use Raw capture, you can tone photos to taste, but Panasonic also provides tools for creators who want to get a stylized image right out of the camera. For one, the S1R II includes the typical set of JPG profiles (Black and White, Landscape, Portrait, Standard, Vivid), plus some built-in modes with more artistic flair (Cinelike D2, L.ClassicNeo, Leica Monochrome).

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

If that's not enough, you can create your own color profiles or download curated looks and load them onto the camera using the aforementioned Lumix Lab smartphone app. I grabbed a few LUTs from Panasonic's collection, including Ontario (a teal and orange look), Spring (which emphasizes greens), Kitaura (a stylized color profile), and Undyed Shine (a black and white option). I had a good time using these for photos, and re-processing some Raw images originally captured with other looks in-camera. I like how easy it is to load new LUTs, though I wish Panasonic's library was a little easier to navigate. There are no good search or filter options, so you may fumble around for a bit to find a LUT you like. All and all, I love what Panasonic is doing here, and wish more cameras supported community-created profiles.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Custom LUTs aren't the only thing setting the S1R II apart from the crowd. It also supports multi-shot sampling, a feature made possible by its 5-axis image stabilization system. In High Resolution mode, the camera snaps a sequence of images in rapid succession, slightly shifting its sensor for each exposure in order to capture more image data. You'll need a still life scene for the feature to make sense, but that's the only major restriction. The S1R II supports both handheld and tripod capture, and can stitch together pictures in camera, so you don't have to deal with desktop software (which is the case with other brands that have the feature). I'm impressed with the detail from this mode, which saves pictures at 177MP resolution, though I'll note that it takes about 20 seconds for the S1R II to combine the individual images into one file, so you'll have to wait a little while between exposures.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Video: An Extensive Toolkit Highlighted by ProRes Raw

Panasonic's cameras are among the favored tools for creators who concentrate more on video than stills. The S1R II only serves to reinforce that impression. Describing its video engine as robust even seems like an undersell, considering the camera supports up to 5.8K30 ProRes Raw HQ or ProRes 422 HQ recording, plus up to 8.1K30 or 5.9K60 with 10-bit color and H.265 compression. Open Gate recording, which uses the full 3:2 aspect ratio of the sensor, is an option at 6.4K at a 24fps or 30fps cadence, and is a good choice if you want to use the camera with an anamorphic lens like the Sirui Venus 50mm T2.9 1.6x. A forthcoming firmware update will add 8.1K and 7.2K Open Gate, UVC/UAC video streaming, and other sundry features.

The video engine uses the same color profiles for stills, and the Lumix Lab app has an assortment of LUTs made specifically for video, so you have a wide range of options for creative color out of camera. If you prefer to apply a grade using desktop software, you can set the camera to its flat V-Log profile and enjoy a neutral starting point for color correction. V-Log has two settings for dynamic range; in its standard mode it sacrifices some malleability in favor of a brisker (20ms at 8K) rolling shutter rate, while its DR Expansion preserves more information, and thus gives extra headroom for edits to exposure and color, but is more prone to motion distortion due to a slower scan rate (33ms).

The S1R II includes a built-in fan, so it's usable for long-form recording. It can live stream via the Lumix Lab app, and UVC/UAC support is coming eventually. It's a solid option for use in the studio as part of a YouTube show and makes sense as a field camera for social media, too. The 8.1K resolution makes it feasible to pull both vertical and widescreen frames from the same clip and still enjoy a sharp enough image to satisfy social media audiences.

There's simply not much left out of the S1R II for video, and if you are looking for a camera specifically for movies, it delivers the goods. Pro camera operators will appreciate its waveform monitors and V-Log recording, while creatives without as much tech savvy can enjoy stylized profiles using its in-camera LUT feature. Other cameras in this class are fully featured too, for instance, both the Canon EOS R5 Mark II and Nikon Z 8 use faster reading Stacked CMOS sensors for 8K60 capture, which gives them an edge for high-res slow-motion and action scenes, but neither offers 3:2 Open Gate like the S1R II.