Panasonic Lumix S5II Review: A worthy upgrade

Panasonic Lumix S5II Review: The Panasonic Lumix S5 made a name for itself when it debuted in 2020. Now, the Japanese company is back with an even better iteration. However, the company is not replacing Lumix S5 and has come with a more premium alternative Lumix S5II. The company has tried to make several changes but has it truly delivered one of the best cameras available in the market today? We spent a couple of weeks with the camera, capturing both photos and videos in diverse conditions, and here's what we have to share.

Panasonic Lumix S5II Review: Design

In terms of design, the Lumix S5II looks similar to its predecessor. The button layout, materials, and colours on the camera's body remain unchanged. But it is slightly larger in all dimensions and approximately 26 grams heavier. But you will have to put them side by side in order to notice the difference. The most apparent change is the S5II badge adorning the front of the camera.

Most of the significant changes in the Lumix S5II are performance-focused and lie inside the camera, except for the addition of a new 8-direction joystick. This is a good addition for those who frequently use the electronic viewfinder (EVF). 

Panasonic Lumix S5II Review: Connectivity and displays

In terms of connectivity, functionality remains largely unchanged. However, Lumix S5II has replaced the micro HDMI with a full-sized HDMI port, which will be highly appreciated by users who utilise external monitors.

Additionally, the USB-C port has now been upgraded to USB 3.2 and has separate 3.5mm headphone and microphone sockets. The placement of the 3.5mm jacks and USB-C has been done wisely. 

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On the other side, there are dual SD card slots. The Lumix S5II comes with a new and enhanced OLED electronic viewfinder (EVF). However, the flip-out LCD appears to be identical to its predecessor. The screen remains highly responsive and easy to view in various lighting conditions.  

Panasonic Lumix S5II Review: Photo

The Lumix S5II delivered impressive results when it comes to capturing images. The images boast sharpness, rich details, and lifelike colours. The RAW files exhibit excellent resilience to colour grading, and even the JPEGs hold up quite well.

Using the S5II for shooting is a delightful experience; the new autofocus system is speedy and dependable and subject tracking works well. 

The upgraded image stabilisation system performs excellently for photography as well. Low-light performance is equally good. One standout feature of the S5II is its ability to shoot at up to 30fps bursts using the electronic shutter.  

Panasonic Lumix S5II Review: Video

For video shooting, the autofocus on the Panasonic Lumix S5II is superb. It excels particularly well in tracking people and faces. The video image stabilisation on the S5II is one of the best you can find on any mirrorless camera.  

Panasonic Lumix S5II Review: Verdict

The Panasonic Lumix S5II addresses all the concerns that were there in Lumix S5. Burst shooting has significantly improved and boasts very good image stabilisation and comes with the convenience of a full-size HDMI port. The LUMIX S5II body is available at Rs 1.94 lakh and seems a worthy upgrade.