Panasonic S1R vs S1R II

The Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R and the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R II are two enthusiast cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in February 2019 and May 2025. Both the S1R and the S1R II are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a full frame sensor. The S1R has a resolution of 46.7 megapixels, whereas the S1R II provides 44.2 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Panasonic S1R		Panasonic S1R II
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Leica L mount lenses		Leica L mount lenses
46.7 MP – Full Frame sensor		44.2 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/60p Video		8K/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (50 - 51,200)		ISO 80-51,200 (40 - 102,400)
Electronic viewfinder (5760k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (5760k dots)
3.2" LCD – 2100k dots		3.2" LCD – 1840k dots
Fully flexible touchscreen		Fully flexible touchscreen
9 shutter flaps per second		9 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
380 shots per battery charge		350 shots per battery charge
149 x 110 x 97 mm, 1016 g		134 x 102 x 92 mm, 795 g

Check S1R offers at
ebay.com
Check S1R II price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R and the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R II? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Panasonic S1R and the Panasonic S1R II are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Panasonic S1R II is notably smaller (17 percent) than the Panasonic S1R. Moreover, the S1R II is markedly lighter (22 percent) than the S1R. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the S1R gets 380 shots out of its Panasonic DMW-BLJ31 battery, while the S1R II can take 350 images on a single charge of its Panasonic DMW-BLK22 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

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	149 mm	110 mm	97 mm	1016 g	380	Y	Feb 2019	EUR 3 699	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic S1R II	134 mm	102 mm	92 mm	795 g	350	Y	May 2025	EUR 3 599	amazon.com
3.		Canon R5	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	738 g	320	Y	Jul 2020	EUR 4 499	amazon.com
4.		Fujifilm GFX 50S II	150 mm	104 mm	87 mm	900 g	440	Y	Sep 2021	EUR 3 999	amazon.com
5.		Leica SL2	146 mm	107 mm	42 mm	953 g	370	Y	Nov 2019	EUR 5 999	amazon.com
6.		Leica SL2-S	146 mm	107 mm	83 mm	931 g	510	Y	Dec 2020	EUR 4 499	amazon.com
7.		Nikon Z7	134 mm	101 mm	67 mm	675 g	330	Y	Aug 2018	EUR 3 849	ebay.com
8.		Nikon Z7 II	134 mm	101 mm	70 mm	705 g	420	Y	Oct 2020	EUR 3 399	amazon.com
9.		Nikon Z8	144 mm	119 mm	83 mm	910 g	340	Y	May 2023	EUR 4 599	amazon.com
10.		Panasonic S1	149 mm	110 mm	97 mm	1017 g	400	Y	Feb 2019	EUR 2 499	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic S1 II	134 mm	102 mm	92 mm	800 g	350	Y	May 2025	EUR 3 499	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic S1H	151 mm	114 mm	110 mm	1052 g	400	Y	May 2019	EUR 3 999	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic S5	133 mm	98 mm	82 mm	714 g	440	Y	Sep 2020	EUR 1 999	amazon.com
14.		Sony A99 II	143 mm	104 mm	76 mm	849 g	490	Y	Sep 2016	EUR 3 599	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The S1R II was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 11 percent) than the S1R, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the S1R II is 1 percent smaller. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 46.7MP, the S1R offers a slightly higher resolution than the S1R II (44.2MP), but the S1R has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.30μm versus 4.40μm for the S1R II). Moreover, the S1R II is a much more recent model (by 6 years and 3 months) than the S1R, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The S1R II has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

Both cameras have the capacity to capture high quality composite images by combining multiple shots after shifting the sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

The Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 50-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R II are ISO 80 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 40-102400.

In terms of underlying technology, the S1R is build around a CMOS sensor, while the S1R II uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

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	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/60p	26.4	14.1	3525	100
2.		Panasonic S1R II	Full Frame	44.2	8144	5424	8K/30p	25.4	14.8	3406	97
3.		Canon R5	Full Frame	44.8	8192	5464	8K/30p	25.3	14.6	3042	95
4.		Fujifilm GFX 50S II	Medium Format	51.1	8256	6192	1080/30p	25.9	14.8	3456	100
5.		Leica SL2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/60p	25.3	14.3	2866	95
6.		Leica SL2-S	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.2	14.1	3504	95
7.		Nikon Z7	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	4K/30p	26.3	14.6	2668	99
8.		Nikon Z7 II	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	4K/60p	26.3	14.7	2841	100
9.		Nikon Z8	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	8K/30p	26.3	14.2	2548	98
10.		Panasonic S1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.2	14.5	3333	95
11.		Panasonic S1 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.8	3406	97
12.		Panasonic S1H	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.2	14.2	2805	94
13.		Panasonic S5	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.1	14.5	2697	94
14.		Sony A99 II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	25.4	13.4	2317	92
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. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the S1R II provides a better video resolution than the S1R. It can shoot movie footage at 8K/30p, while the S1R is limited to 4K/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The S1R and the S1R II are similar in the sense that both feature an electronic viewfinder, which is helpful when framing images in bright sunlight. Moreover, their viewfinders offer an identical resolution of 5760k dots. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Panasonic S1R and Panasonic S1R II along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
2.		Panasonic S1R II	5760	n	3.2 / 1840	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon R5	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
4.		Fujifilm GFX 50S II	3690	Y	3.2 / 2360	full-flex	Y	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	Y
5.		Leica SL2	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
6.		Leica SL2-S	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
7.		Nikon Z7	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
8.		Nikon Z7 II	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
9.		Nikon Z8	3690	Y	3.2 / 2089	full-flex	Y	1/32000s	30.0/s	n	Y
10.		Panasonic S1	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
11.		Panasonic S1 II	5760	n	3.2 / 1840	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
12.		Panasonic S1H	5760	Y	3.2 / 2330	swivel	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
13.		Panasonic S5	2360	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A99 II	2400	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the S1R, but is missing on the S1R II is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Panasonic S1R and the Panasonic S1R II both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The S1R writes its imaging data to SDXC or XQD cards, while the S1R II uses CFexpress (type B) or SDXC cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. Both cameras support UHS-II cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s.

Connectivity 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 and Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R II and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
2.		Panasonic S1R II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon R5	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
4.		Fujifilm GFX 50S II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	-
5.		Leica SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
6.		Leica SL2-S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
7.		Nikon Z7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
8.		Nikon Z7 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
9.		Nikon Z8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
10.		Panasonic S1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
11.		Panasonic S1 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		Panasonic S1H	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
13.		Panasonic S5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
14.		Sony A99 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y

Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers.

The S1R II is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Panasonic. In contrast, the S1R has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the S1R was succeeded by the Panasonic S1R II. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Panasonic website.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Panasonic S1R or the Panasonic S1R II – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R:

• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2100k vs 1840k dots).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2019).

Arguments in favor of the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R II:

• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (8K/30p vs 4K/60p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• More compact: Is smaller (134x102mm vs 149x110mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 221g or 22 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 3.1).
• More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (11 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 6 years and 3 months of technical progress since the S1R launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the S1R II is the clear winner of the contest (8 : 3 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Panasonic S1R and the Panasonic S1R II place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, 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 shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the S1R or the S1R II. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The following table reports the overall ratings 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]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Panasonic S1R	4.5/5	..	4.6/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2019	EUR 3 699	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic S1R II	..	..	..	..	..	..	May 2025	EUR 3 599	amazon.com
3.		Canon R5	4.5/5	+	4/5	91/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2020	EUR 4 499	amazon.com
4.		Fujifilm GFX 50S II	5/5	..	5/5	87/100	..	5/5	Sep 2021	EUR 3 999	amazon.com
5.		Leica SL2	4/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2019	EUR 5 999	amazon.com
6.		Leica SL2-S	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Dec 2020	EUR 4 499	amazon.com
7.		Nikon Z7	5/5	+	4.8/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2018	EUR 3 849	ebay.com
8.		Nikon Z7 II	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2020	EUR 3 399	amazon.com
9.		Nikon Z8	5/5	..	5/5	94/100	5/5	4.5/5	May 2023	EUR 4 599	amazon.com
10.		Panasonic S1	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	EUR 2 499	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic S1 II	..	..	..	..	..	..	May 2025	EUR 3 499	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic S1H	..	..	4/5	90/100	..	..	May 2019	EUR 3 999	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic S5	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2020	EUR 1 999	amazon.com
14.		Sony A99 II	..	..	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	EUR 3 599	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Check S1R offers at
ebay.com
Check S1R II price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

~

Check S1R offers at
ebay.com
Check S1R II price at
amazon.com

Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.