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Home → Reviews → Cameras and Lenses → Panasonic S1R Review

Panasonic S1R Review

By Spencer Cox 29 Comments
Last Updated On January 7, 2022

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Specifications Comparison

Let’s take a look at the specifications of the Panasonic S1R versus three of its top competitors: the Canon EOS R, Sony A7R IV, and Nikon Z7:

Camera FeaturePanasonic S1RCanon EOS RSony A7R IVNikon Z7
Mount Inner Diameter51.0 mm54.0 mm46.1 mm55.0 mm
Flange Distance19.0 mm20.0 mm18.0 mm16.0 mm
Sensor Resolution47.3 MP30.4 MP60.2 MP45.7 MP
High Resolution ModeYes, 186.9 MPNoYes, 240.8 MPNo
Sensor TypeCMOSCMOSBSI CMOSBSI CMOS
Sensor Size36.0 x 24.0mm36.0 x 24.0mm35.7 x 23.835.9 x 23.9mm
Low-Pass FilterNoYesNoNo
In-Body Image StabilizationYes, 5-axisNoYes, 5-axisYes, 5-axis
Sensor Pixel Size4.27 µ5.36 µ3.76 µ4.35 µ
Image Size8368 x 55846,720 x 4,4809504 x 63368256 x 5504
Image ProcessorVenus Engine (2019)DIGIC 8BIONZ XEXPEED 6
Max Buffer Capacity (14-bit RAW)40 images47 images68 images18 images
Native ISO SensitivityISO 100-25,600ISO 100-40,000ISO 100-32,000ISO 64-25,600
Boosted ISO SensitivityISO 50; ISO 51,200ISO 50; ISO 102,400ISO 50; ISO 102,400ISO 32; ISO 102,400
Dust Reduction / Sensor CleaningYesYesYesYes
ViewfinderElectronic / EVFElectronic / EVFElectronic / EVFElectronic / EVF
Viewfinder Resolution5.76 million dots3.69 million dots5.76 million dots3.69 million dots
Viewfinder Coverage100%100%100%100%
Viewfinder Magnification0.78x0.76x0.78x0.8x
Built-in FlashNoNoNoNo
Flash Sync Speed1/3201/2001/2501/200
Dual Card SlotsYesNoYesNo
Storage Media1x SD (UHS-II), 1x XQD1x SD (UHS-II)2x SD (UHS-II)1x XQD
Continuous Shooting Speed9 FPS (No AF); 6 FPS with AF8 FPS (no AF), 5 FPS with AF10 FPS9 FPS (12-bit RAW only), 8 FPS with 14-bit
Shutter Speed Range1/8000 to 60 seconds (mechanical); extends to 1/16,000 with electronic1/8000 to 30 sec1/8000 to 30 sec1/8000 to 30 sec
Shutter Durability400,000 cycles150,000 cycles500,000 cycles200,000 cycles
Electronic Front-Curtain ShutterYesYesYesYes
Autofocus SystemContrast DetectHybrid PDAFHybrid PDAFHybrid PDAF
Number of AF Points2255655567493
Focus Detection Range (standardized to an f/2 lens at ISO 100)-5 to +19 EV-4.5 to +19.5 EV-3 to +20 EV-4 to +19 EV
Focus PeakingYesYesYesYes
Illuminated ButtonsYesNoNoNo
Focus Bracketing / Focus StackingYesNoNoYes
Video Maximum Resolution5K @ 30 FPS (4K @ 60 FPS)4K @ 30 FPS4K @ 30 FPS4K @ 30 FPS
1080p Video Max Frame Rate180 FPS60 FPS120 FPS120 FPS
4K Video Crop Factor1.09x1.74x1.0x1.0x
HDMI Out / LOG4:2:2 8-bit HDMI Output / Yes4:2:2 10-bit HDMI Output / Yes4:2:2 8-bit HDMI Output / Yes4:2:2 10-bit HDMI Output / Yes
Headphone JackYesYesYesYes
Rear LCD Size and Type3.2″ Touchscreen3.2″ Touchscreen3.0″ Touchscreen3.2″ Touchscreen
Articulating LCDYes, dual direction tiltingYes, tilting and 360° flipYes, tiltingYes, tilting
Rear LCD Resolution2,100,000 dots2,100,000 dots1,440,000 dots2,100,000 dots
Top LCDYesYesNoYes
Wi-Fi FunctionalityBuilt-inBuilt-inBuilt-inBuilt-in
BluetoothYesYesYesYes
BatteryDMW-BLJ31LP-E6NNP-FZ100EN-EL15b
Battery Life360 (LCD); 340 (EVF)370 (LCD); 350 (EVF)670 (LCD); 530 (EVF)400 (LCD); 330 (EVF)
Weather Sealed BodyYesYesYesYes
USB VersionType-C 3.13.1Type-C 3.2Type-C 3.1
Weight (Camera Body + Battery and 1 Card)1016 g (2.24 lbs)660 g (1.46 lbs)665 g (1.47 lbs)675 g (1.49 lbs)
Dimensions (grip to monitor)148.9 x 110.0 x 86.0 mm135.8 x 98.3 x 67.7 mm128.9 mm x 96.4 mm x 67.3 mm134 x 100.5 x 67.5 mm
MSRP Price at Time of Article Publication$3700 (check current price)$1800 (check current price)$3500 (check current price)$2700 (check current price)

As you can see, the Panasonic S1R certainly holds its own against this tough competition.

I would argue that, based on the specifications above, the prices for each camera are just about right. The Panasonic S1R and Sony A7R IV are almost neck-and-neck, trading punches here and there but remaining on about the same level. The Z7 is a step down, though not a huge one, and it still has some features (like ISO 64) that may win you over. And the Canon EOS R is clearly lower-specced than the others in this comparison.

However, I will note that the S1R is significantly heavier and larger than any of the competing cameras above. At a whopping 1016 grams (2.24 pounds), it’s more than 50% heavier than any of the others. This may or may not matter to you, but it’s worth pointing out, because it could be a dealbreaker for some.

What about image quality – specifically high ISO performance? I tested the S1R head to head against the Sony A7R IV and Nikon Z7. Here are the results.

Panasonic S1R vs Sony A7R IV High ISO

Let’s start with ISO 3200. Anything below that, and the differences are pretty much invisible. In all the images below, the S1R is on the left, while the A7R IV is on the right. Click to see larger and compare more directly.

ISO 3200:

Panasonic-S1R-ISO-3200Sony-A7R-IV-ISO-3200

ISO 6400:

Panasonic-S1R-ISO-6400Sony-A7R-IV-ISO-6400

ISO 12,800:

Panasonic-S1R-ISO-12800Sony-A7R-IV-ISO-12800

ISO 25,600:

Panasonic-S1R-ISO-25600Sony-A7R-IV-ISO-25600

ISO 51,200:

Panasonic-S1R-ISO-51200Sony-A7R-IV-ISO-51200

This is about the closest ISO comparison I’ve ever seen across brands. The two cameras perform almost identically. It’s not until ISO 51,200 that I notice any meaningful differences, and even then, there isn’t really a winner. The A7R IV has slightly larger noise patterns, but a bit less of it. Neither one comes out ahead.

Next, let’s see how the Panasonic compares to the Nikon Z7:

Panasonic S1R vs Nikon Z7 High ISO

Again, we’ll start at ISO 3200. The S1R is on the left, while the Nikon Z7 is on the right. Click to see larger.

ISO 3200:

Panasonic-S1R-ISO-3200Nikon-Z7-ISO-3200

ISO 6400:

Panasonic-S1R-ISO-6400Nikon-Z7-ISO-6400

ISO 12,800:

Panasonic-S1R-ISO-12800Nikon-Z7-ISO-12800

ISO 25,600:

Panasonic-S1R-ISO-25600Nikon-Z7-ISO-25600

ISO 51,200:

Panasonic-S1R-ISO-51200Nikon-Z7-ISO-51200

To me, these two cameras also look very similar. At ISO 3200 and 6400, I really don’t see any differences. By ISO 12,800, the Z7 appears to have slightly better performance, but it’s tough to tell. This trend continues at ISO 25,600. By ISO 51,200, I’d say the Z7 is about 1/3 to 1/2 stop ahead. These are very small differences, and both cameras are very nearly interchangeable throughout their ISO range.

Now let’s see how the Panasonic’s dynamic range stacks up to that of the Sony and Nikon cameras.

Panasonic S1R vs Sony A7R IV vs Nikon Z7 Dynamic Range

The following images are 100% crops taken from a five-stop underexposed image, recovered in Lightroom. All three cameras are at base ISO. That’s ISO 100 for the Panasonic and Sony, and ISO 64 for the Nikon. The order below is Panasonic S1R, Sony A7R IV, Nikon Z7:

Panasonic-S1R-Dynamic-Range
Panasonic S1R, Underexposed, ISO 100
Sony-A7R-IV-Dynamic-Range
Sony A7R IV, Underexposed, ISO 100
Nikon-Z7-Dynamic-Range
Nikon Z7, Underexposed, ISO 64

The winner here is the Nikon Z7 (take a look at the brown color swatch), which makes sense, given that it shoots at base ISO 64. Between the Sony and the Panasonic, I prefer the look of the Sony. Both have relatively similar amounts of noise (though I think the Sony A7R IV is a bit better) – but the Panasonic S1R has flatter shadows with less contrast overall. You can see this pretty clearly in the darker regions around the border of the image.

Still, even the S1R’s dynamic range is hardly bad. At the end of the day, all three cameras have excellent image quality, and you won’t be disappointed with any of them.

The next page of this review summarizes the S1R’s pros and cons, including our verdict on whether or not it is worth purchasing.

Table of Contents

  • Overview and Specifications
  • Build Quality and Handling
  • Focusing
  • Image Quality
  • Camera Comparisons
  • Summary and Conclusion
  • More Sample Photos
  • Reader Comments
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