The Panasonic S1 and S1R are going to be low light powerhouses.
One of the truly wonderful things with newer Mirrorless cameras and the ultra-competitive market that they have created is the frequency at which the cameras are now updated via new firmware. Both Sony and Fujifilm have proven to be leaders when it comes to adding new functionality to their cameras in a timely manner, but today it’s Panasonic’s turn to show everyone that they want to play ball too. The new Firmware update for both the Panasonic S1 and the S1R will increase Image Stabilization effectiveness by half a stop, and there are many more tweaks included too. Join us after the break for all the details.
The new firmware updates for the Panasonic S1 and the S1R will be available for download on July 9th from the Panasonic Download Page. You might want to bookmark that page if you use Panasonic Lumix cameras as many will be receiving some digital love. The big news, however, centers around the upgrade to the in-body image stabilization performance in the S1 and the S1R.
While the Full Frame Panasonic S1, and the S1R were certainly no slouches out of the box, the new firmware update will really make them low light monsters. At launch, both of the cameras had in-body image stabilization that enabled 5.5 stops, but with the new firmware update, this gets bumped up to an impressive six stops, which means that these two cameras outperform many others on the market in this category. The Dual IS 2 system will also receive a half stop increase in performance to as it jumps from 6 to 6.5 stops. That is an insane number of stops and will make these two cameras great for low light shooters.
Both the Panasonic S1 and the S1R will also be receiving some updates to the autofocus system too. This is something we’re sure will delight current users as the AF systems of both have some performance issues that need to be addressed. Both cameras will have new AF-ON: Near Shift and AF-ON: Far Shift functions added. AF-ON: Near Shift will focus better on subjects that are nearby while, AF-ON: Far Shift focuses better on subjects that are far away. The live view screen will also be easier to see during autofocusing thanks to the update.
If you use either of these cameras for video you’ll be pleased to hear that tracking performance while recording has also been improved. The Panasonic S1 and S1R will also see increased operational stability when using XQD cards thanks to the new update as well.
There updates for the GH5, GH5S, G9, G90, 91, G95, G80, G81, G85, and the GX9 all center around compatibility for the Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Summilux 10-25mm / F1.7 ASPH, and improved compatibility with the Panasonic Remote Shutter DMW-RS2. Be on the lookout for the new Panasonic firmware updates on Tuesday, July 9th.