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Panasonic S1R II Comparison Review

The Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R II is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera that was announced in May 2025 and is equipped with a full frame sensor. It offers a resolution of 44.2 megapixel.

camera

Is the Panasonic S1R II a good camera? The S1R II has a Camera Elo of 3167. This very strong rating puts it among the elite group of camera grand masters. The S1R II ranks among the top 10 percent of all mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (full frame cameras), the S1R II also ranks among the top 10 percent.

Headline Specifications
Panasonic S1R II
Mirrorless system camera
Leica L mount lenses
44.2 MP, Full Frame Sensor
8K/30p Video
ISO 80 - 51 200 (40 - 102 400)
Electronic viewfinder (5760k dots)
3.2 LCD, 1840k dots
Fully flexible touchscreen
9 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body
350 shots per battery charge
134 x 102 x 92 mm, 795 g

Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.

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Body comparison with a credit card

An illustration of the physical dimensions of the Panasonic S1R II vis-à-vis a credit card is provided in the side-by-side display below. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are presented. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Panasonic S1R II vs credit card front
S1R II versus credit card top view
S1R II and credit card rear side

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Panasonic S1R II alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

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Body Specifications
    Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Panasonic S1R II 134 mm 102 mm 92 mm 795 g 350 Y May 2025 EUR 3 599 amazon.com
2.
 
Canon R5 Mark II 138 mm 98 mm 88 mm 746 g 340 Y Jul 2024 EUR 4 799 amazon.com
3.
 
Fujifilm GFX 50S II 150 mm 104 mm 87 mm 900 g 440 Y Sep 2021 EUR 3 999 amazon.com
4.
 
Leica SL3 141 mm 108 mm 85 mm 854 g 320 Y Mar 2024 EUR 6 799 amazon.com
5.
 
Nikon Z7 II 134 mm 101 mm 70 mm 705 g 420 Y Oct 2020 EUR 3 399 amazon.com
6.
 
Nikon Z8 144 mm 119 mm 83 mm 910 g 340 Y May 2023 EUR 4 599 amazon.com
7.
 
Panasonic GH7 138 mm 100 mm 100 mm 805 g 380 Y Jun 2024 EUR 2 199 amazon.com
8.
 
Panasonic S1 II 134 mm 102 mm 92 mm 800 g 350 Y May 2025 EUR 3 499 amazon.com
9.
 
Panasonic S1R 149 mm 110 mm 97 mm 1016 g 380 Y Feb 2019 EUR 3 699ebay.com
10.
 
Panasonic S5 133 mm 98 mm 82 mm 714 g 440 Y Sep 2020 EUR 1 999 amazon.com
11.
 
Panasonic S5 II 134 mm 102 mm 90 mm 740 g 370 Y Jan 2023 EUR 2 199 amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Panasonic S1R II was launched in the US market at a price of $3,299. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

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Check S1R II price at
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Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

The Panasonic S1R II features a full frame sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Panasonic S1R II among the large-sensor cameras that aim for top notch image quality.

Panasonic S1R II sensor measures

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of alternative cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
    Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Panasonic S1R II Full Frame 44.2 8144 54248K/30p25.414.8340697
2.
 
Canon R5 Mark II Full Frame 44.8 8192 54648k/60p25.414.8333297
3.
 
Fujifilm GFX 50S II Medium Format 51.1 8256 61921080/30p25.914.83456100
4.
 
Leica SL3 Full Frame 60.3 9520 63368K/30p25.414.8329597
5.
 
Nikon Z7 II Full Frame 45.4 8256 55044K/60p26.314.72841100
6.
 
Nikon Z8 Full Frame 45.4 8256 55048K/30p26.314.2254898
7.
 
Panasonic GH7 Four Thirds 25.0 5776 43365.7K/60p23.413.6178478
8.
 
Panasonic S1 II Full Frame 24.0 6000 40006K/30p25.414.8340697
9.
 
Panasonic S1R Full Frame 46.7 8368 55844K/60p26.414.13525100
10.
 
Panasonic S5 Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/60p25.114.5269794
11.
 
Panasonic S5 II Full Frame 24.0 6000 40006K/30p25.414.6315896
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The S1R II indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the S1R II can use is 8K/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the S1R II has an electronic viewfinder with a resolution of 5760k dots. The viewfinder offers a field of view of 100% and a magnification of 0.78x. The tables below summarize some of the other core capabilities of the Panasonic S1R II in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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Core Features
    Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Panasonic S1R II5760 n3.2 / 1840 full-flex Y 1/8000s 9.0/s n Y
2.
 
Canon R5 Mark II5760 Y3.2 / 2100 swivel Y 1/8000s 12.0/s n Y
3.
 
Fujifilm GFX 50S II3690 Y3.2 / 2360 full-flex Y 1/4000s 3.0/s n Y
4.
 
Leica SL35760 Y3.2 / 2333 tilting Y 1/8000s 5.0/s n Y
5.
 
Nikon Z7 II3690 Y3.2 / 2100 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
6.
 
Nikon Z83690 Y3.2 / 2089 full-flex Y 1/32000s 30.0/s n Y
7.
 
Panasonic GH73680 n3.0 / 1840 full-flex Y 1/8000s 14.0/s n Y
8.
 
Panasonic S1 II5760 n3.2 / 1840 full-flex Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
9.
 
Panasonic S1R5760 Y3.2 / 2100 full-flex Y 1/8000s 9.0/s n Y
10.
 
Panasonic S52360 n3.0 / 1840 swivel Y 1/8000s 7.0/s n Y
11.
 
Panasonic S5 II3680 n3.0 / 1840 swivel Y 1/8000s 9.0/s n Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The LCD screen on the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R II is flexibly attached to the body. In particular, the LCD is multi-hinged and can be tilted both vertically and horizontally to enable odd-angle shots in landscape and portrait orientation. The LCD thereby offers a lot of flexibility to adjust and use the rear screen in a diverse set of situations.

articulated screen
Flexible screen on the S1R II

One feature that differentiates the S1R II from many older cameras is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The S1R II reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while cameras without IBIS have to rely on optical image stabilization in OIS-equipped lenses to achieve the same effect.

Connection comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R II and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
    Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Panasonic S1R IIYstereo / monoYYfull3.2Y-Y
2.
 
Canon R5 Mark IIYmono / monoYYfull3.2Y-Y
3.
 
Fujifilm GFX 50S IIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.2Y--
4.
 
Leica SL3Ystereo / monoYYfull3.1Y-Y
5.
 
Nikon Z7 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.2Y-Y
6.
 
Nikon Z8Ystereo / monoYYfull3.2Y-Y
7.
 
Panasonic GH7Ystereo / monoYYfull3.2Y-Y
8.
 
Panasonic S1 IIYstereo / monoYYfull3.2Y-Y
9.
 
Panasonic S1RYstereo / monoYYfull3.1Y-Y
10.
 
Panasonic S5Ystereo / monoYYmicro3.2Y-Y
11.
 
Panasonic S5 IIYstereo / monoYYfull3.2Y-Y

It is notable that the S1R II has a microphone port. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Expert reviews

While the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the handling experience and imaging performance when actually working with the S1R II. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable. This is where reviews by experts come in. The following table reports the overall rankings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]).

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Review Scores
     Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Panasonic S1R II............ May 2025 EUR 3 599 amazon.com
2.
 
Canon R5 Mark II......93/100.... Jul 2024 EUR 4 799 amazon.com
3.
 
Fujifilm GFX 50S II5/5..5/587/100..5/5 Sep 2021 EUR 3 999 amazon.com
4.
 
Leica SL3....4.5/5....4.5/5 Mar 2024 EUR 6 799 amazon.com
5.
 
Nikon Z7 II4.5/5..4.5/5..4.5/54.5/5 Oct 2020 EUR 3 399 amazon.com
6.
 
Nikon Z85/5..5/594/1005/54.5/5 May 2023 EUR 4 599 amazon.com
7.
 
Panasonic GH7............ Jun 2024 EUR 2 199 amazon.com
8.
 
Panasonic S1 II............ May 2025 EUR 3 499 amazon.com
9.
 
Panasonic S1R4.5/5..4.6/589/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2019 EUR 3 699ebay.com
10.
 
Panasonic S54.5/5+ +4.5/588/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2020 EUR 1 999 amazon.com
11.
 
Panasonic S5 II4.5/5+ +5/590/1004.5/55/5 Jan 2023 EUR 2 199 amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Check S1R II price at
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Panasonic S1R II FAQ

Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the S1R II.

What technology is the imaging sensor in the Panasonic S1R II based on?

The camera is build around a BSI-CMOS (Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor.

Which image processing chip is used in the Panasonic S1R II to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?

Panasonic equipped the S1R II with the Venus image processor.

What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Panasonic S1R II?

The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 80 to ISO 51200, which can be extended to ISO 40-102400.

Does the Panasonic S1R II have a selfie-friendly screen?

Yes, the LCD-screen of the S1R II is flexible and can be turned to be front-facing for capturing selfies.

What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R II?

Panasonic mentions a shutter rating of 400 000 actuations for the S1R II. This number represents a Mean Time before Failure, that is an average value. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust the expected shutter life of the S1R II over, say, three years, one would have to take about 400 pictures each and every day.

Is completely silent shooting possible with the Panasonic S1R II?

The camera has an electronic shutter option, so that it is indeed feasible to capture images without any shutter noise.

Do I need to purchase an external camera trigger to shoot time-lapse sequences with the Panasonic S1R II?

No, the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R II has an intervalometer built-in, so that low frequency shooting (for example, flower blooming, sunset, moon rise) can be undertaken without the need to purchase a separate external intervalometer and related software.

Is it difficult to use manual focus lenses with the Panasonic S1R II?

The S1R II offers focus peaking as a manual focus aid. This feature works by placing a colored highlight on in-focus zones within the image.

Does the Panasonic S1R II feature an autofocus assist light?

Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.

What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Panasonic S1R II for flash photography?

The S1R II's flash sync speed is 1/250 sec.

Does the Panasonic S1R II support the Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus interface for SD cards?

Yes, the camera can indeed use UHS-II cards (data transfer speed of up to 312 MB/s).

Which battery does the Panasonic S1R II use?

The camera gets its power from the Panasonic DMW-BLK22 (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.

Is there a vertical grip available for the Panasonic S1R II?

Yes, Panasonic offers the DMW-BG2 as an optional accessory to facilitate shooting in portrait orientation and to provide additional battery power.

Camera to camera comparisons

In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities with other camera models, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. An an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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    Specifications Summary
    Camera Model Panasonic S1R II
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Leica L mount lenses
    Launch Date May 2025
    Launch Price USD 3 299
    Sensor Specs
    Sensor Technology BSI-CMOS
    Sensor Format Full Frame Sensor
    Sensor Size 35.8 x 23.9 mm
    Sensor Area 856 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 43 mm
    Crop Factor 1.0x
    Sensor Resolution 44.2 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 8 144 x 5 424 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 4.40 μm
    Pixel Density 5.16 MP/cm2
    Moiré control no AA filter
    Movie Capability 8K/30p Video
    ISO Setting 80 - 51 200 ISO
    ISO Boost 40 - 102 400 ISO
    Image Processor Venus
    Screen Specs
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.78x
    Viewfinder Resolution 5760k dots
    Top-Level Screen no Top Display
    LCD Framing Live View
    LCD Size 3.2 inch
    LCD Resolution 1840k dots
    LCD Attachment Fully flexible screen
    V-logging Friendliness Front-flip possible
    Touch Input Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs
    Focus System On-Sensor Phase-detect
    Manual Focusing AidFocus Peaking
    Maximum Shutter Speed 1/8000s
    Continuous Shooting 9 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy400 000 actuations
    Silent ShootingElectronic Shutter
    Time Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer Built-in
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium CFexB or SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Dual card slots
    UHS card support UHS-II
    Connectivity Specs
    External Flash Hotshoe
    Studio Flash PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 3.2
    HDMI Port full HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port
    Headphone Socket Headphone port
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in
    Bluetooth Support Bluetooth built-in
    Body Specs
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Panasonic DMW-BLK22 power pack
    Battery Life (CIPA)350 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging USB charging
    Body Dimensions 134 x 102 x 92 mm
    (5.3 x 4.0 x 3.6 in)
    Camera Weight 795 g (28.0 oz)

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