The Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 is a versatile, sleek, and durable camera that offers advanced feature sets for stills and video and precursor to the updated Panasonic Lumix S5 II. Key features include:
24.2MP full-frame CMOS sensor and Venus Engine
UHD 4K30p and UHD 4K60p video capture
Five-axis sensor-shift image stabilization
Accepts L-mount lenses
24.2MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor and Venus Engine. The Panasonic Lumix DC-S5’s 24.2MP CMOS sensor is supported by an updated Venus Engine for impressive image quality, a 60 fps continuous shooting rate when using 6K or 4K PHOTO modes, a 7 fps continuous shooting rate with AF-S, a 6 fps continuous shooting rate with AF-C, great low-light performance, and a 100-51,200 ISO range that’s expandable to 50-204,800. The sensor and processor combine to enhance color reproduction and suppress noise levels throughout the camera’s sensitivity range.
Please note, software v2.3 adds support for RAW video data output over HDMI! Supported RAW video formats can be found in the “External Video-Recording Modes” section under Specifications on this page.
L-Mount Alliance. This wide-diameter lens mount is a joint collaboration between Leica, Panasonic, and Sigma that’s focused on a line of premium cameras & lenses in a mirrorless format. At 51.6mm mount diameter and just 20mm flange distance, the L-mount is well-suited for fast-aperture full-frame optics with compact dimensions.
UHD 4K HDR Video Capture. The Lumix DC-S5 offers full-frame UHD 4K30p internal recording with 4:2:2 10-bit color, and UHD 4K60p recording using a 1.09x crop (via pixel binning) and 4:2:0 10-bit color. It’s also capable of Full HD 1080p capture at 60 fps, 4K capture at 30 fps, and anamorphic recording. It features clean HDMI output to an external recorder, a built-in stereo mic for quick audio capture, and 3.5mm mic and headphone jacks for advanced audio recording and monitoring needs. Please note that for 4K capture, you must use an SD memory card that’s UHS-I Class 3 or faster.
Post-Production Optimization. The S5 has a pair of gamma settings suited to capturing a wide dynamic range. This camera comes with V-Log pre-installed. It lets you capture a flat, neutral gamma curve that’s well-suited for grading. You can use the High Dynamic Range mode and Hybrid Log Gamma to record greater shadow and highlight details.
6K and 4K Photo. The DC-S5 gives you three still-shooting modes for recording continuous 3:2 or 4:3 8MP stills at a 60 or 30 fps shooting rate or 18MP stills at a 30 fps shooting rate. Burst mode lets you continuously record, Pre-Burst mode records images one second before and one second after you press the shutter button so you get 60 frames to choose from, while Burst (S/S) mode lets you select the frame you want from recorded video footage. This camera can also record stills in 65:24 and 2:1 panoramic formats.
Light-Speed Autofocus. This contrast-based autofocus system uses Panasonic’s Depth from Defocus technology to provide extremely fast speeds. Advanced AI technology assists in subject tracking of fast-moving subjects, while the same AI system is used when shooting portraits for face/eye detection. And if you’re shooting in low light, the DFD autofocus system works down to -6 EV. You also get full-time manual focusing with focus peaking and touch-to-focus operation for added precision.
Sensor-Shift Image Stabilization. This system uses five-axis sensor-shift stabilization for up to five stops of correction. Pair the camera with a Panasonic lens that features Dual IS 2 (a lens-based two-axis stabilization) to compensate for roughly 6.5 stops of camera shake, giving your hand-held shots utmost sharpness. Its High Resolution mode captures and compiles 8 separate exposures into a single 96MP RAW or JPEG file at 12000 × 8000 pixel resolution, but your subject must be static and the camera must be locked down on a tripod.
OLED EVF and Rear Touchscreen LCD. The high-resolution 2.36m-dot OLED EVF gives you a clear 0.74x magnification and a smooth 60 fps or 120 fps changeable refresh rate. You can use the 1.84m-dot 3.0-inch rear touchscreen LCD for image composition, review, playback, and menu navigation. Its free-tilting design lets you work from low and high angles, even when you’re shooting in vertical orientation.
Other Notable Features. The built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth provide wireless control and viewing options via the free Lumix Sync App. Images are recorded to SDHC/XC memory cards (remember, UHS-I Class 3 or faster for 4K video), and the rechargeable DMW-BLK22 battery is rated for approximately 440 shots per charge when using the rear monitor, 470 shots per charge when using the EVF, and 1500 shots per charge when Power Save LVF mode is on.
