Panasonic S1R Review

The Panasonic S1R, announced in February of 2019 alongside the Panasonic S1, is one of the newest full-frame mirrorless cameras on the market today. It’s a bit of a quirky camera, but its specifications are no joke: 47 megapixels, 9 FPS, 4K 60p video… and $3700, body only.

It wasn’t long ago that Sony was the undisputed king of the hill in the world of full-frame mirrorless. Leica had a small lineup of extremely expensive cameras, and rumors swirled that a few other companies (especially Nikon, Canon, and Panasonic) were working on mirrorless behind the scenes. That was it.

Today, barely a year later, no fewer than six companies have announced full-frame mirrorless cameras: Leica, Sony, Nikon, Canon, Panasonic, and Sigma (though the Sigma Fp has yet to ship, and it’s more of a video-oriented camera). The competition ballooned practically overnight.

Although Nikon and Canon have gotten much of the attention in the intervening year, Panasonic is doing its best to keep pace alongside them. Specifically, Panasonic joined the “L Mount Alliance,” teaming up with Leica and Sigma for a shared camera/lens/accessory ecosystem. The alliance is still getting its feet off the ground, but could be a formidable presence if the three companies play their cards right.

So far, there are three full-frame Panasonic S cameras (interestingly, more than Canon or Nikon at the moment): the S1, S1R, and S1H. In this article, I’ll focus on the S1R – the high megapixel option of the three – and explain its most important pros and cons.

But before going into all that, the “con” that will stand out above all to most photographers is price – $3700 body only for the S1R, and $4600 as a kit with the Panasonic 24-105mm f/4. Many of the other lenses for the L-mount are also quite expensive; you’re basically looking at Sigma lenses if you want a good price.

Here’s the full list of compatible lenses at the time of this article’s publication, from least to most expensive:

• Sigma 45mm f/2.8 C – $550
• Sigma 35mm f/1.4 A – $700
• Sigma 24mm f/1.4 A – $850
• Sigma 20mm f/1.4 A – $900
• Sigma 50mm f/1.4 A – $950
• Sigma 85mm f/1.4 A – $1200
• Panasonic 24-105mm f/4 – $1300 ($900 as a kit with S1 or S1R)
• Sigma 135mm f/1.8 A – $1400
• Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 A – $1400
• Sigma 35mm f/1.2 A – $1500
• Panasonic 70-200mm f/4 – $1700
• Panasonic 24-70mm f/2.8 – $2200 [Not yet shipping]
• Panasonic 50mm f/1.4 – $2300
• Leica 50mm f/2 – $4500 [Not yet shipping]
• Leica 35mm f/2 – $4600 [Not yet shipping]
• Leica 75mm f/2 – $4750
• Leica 24-90mm f/2.8-4 – $4950
• Leica 90mm f/2 – $5150
• Leica 50mm f/1.4 – $5300
• Leica 16-35 f/3.5-4.5 – $5500
• Leica 90-280mm f/2.8-4 – $6400

It’s certainly possible to create a good lens set from this list. Personally, I’d pick a wide-angle Sigma (probably the 14-24mm f/2.8), the Panasonic 24-105mm f/4 (or Sigma 45mm f/2.8), and the Panasonic 70-200mm f/4. That’s still an expensive system compared to many other mirrorless kits – heavy, too – but it’s not unreasonable.

That’s especially true if you get the standard Panasonic S1 rather than the S1R that this review covers. For a bare-bones kit, the S1 plus the Panasonic 24-105mm f/4 isn’t a bad choice at all, and that combo totals a fairly reasonable $3400. If you opt instead for the S1R that this review covers, plus the 24-105mm, the price jumps up to $4600.

But what are you getting for the money? Below is a list of the Panasonic S1R’s specifications, as well as comparisons to other mirrorless cameras available today.

1. Specifications and Features

That’s not a bad set of specs at all. Seven things stand out to me because they are not particularly common to see today:

1. High resolution sensor shift mode that outputs 187 megapixel photos
2. LCD screen that tilts both vertically and horizontally
3. Illuminated rear buttons
4. Dual card slots – one SD, one XQD
5. High resolution 5.76-million dot electronic viewfinder
6. 4K video at 60 FPS; 1080p video at 180 FPS
7. Heavy weight of 1016 g (2.24 lbs) despite being mirrorless

The first six points are all in the S1R’s favor. They’re features you’ll only find on high-end cameras today, and even then there’s not another camera with all these features.

The seventh point stands out in the other direction. Whereas most mirrorless cameras are known for their light weight, the S1R weighs 1016 g (2.24 lbs) – just as much as a typical DSLR. For comparison, the Nikon D850 weighs an almost identical 1005 grams (2.22 pounds).

While most photographers will consider this a negative, some DSLR shooters will prefer the familiar heft and substantial grip on the S1R. Personally, as a travel photographer, the added weight definitely was a negative in my book. But there’s no denying that the S1R is well-built, and the weight is part of that. It has a tank-like feel to it – something I wouldn’t say about any mirrorless camera from Nikon, Canon, or Sony at the moment.

Here’s a specifications comparison of the S1R versus the standard S1. I’ve highlighted all the relevant differences:

Clearly, the S1R is very similar to the regular Panasonic S1. That’s why – as I’ll say again in this review’s conclusion – I really don’t recommend spending the extra $1200 on the S1R over the S1. Even if you’re drooling over the 47 megapixel sensor, keep in mind that the standard Panasonic S1’s sensor-shift mode already gives you 96 megapixel images – way more than most people will ever need.

On the next page of this review, we’ll take a look at the Panasonic S1R’s controls, build quality, and handling.