News-Panasonic Lumix S9 Officially Released: Is It Good Enough?

Panasonic Lumix S9 is one of the most talked about new cameras of 2024. This highly anticipated retro full-frame camera was officially released on May 23, 2024.

I believe that from various rumors to the official release, all reviewers; the media and even Panasonic officials have already given conclusions. Panasonic Lumix S9 is made for videos, especially Tiktok content creator and YouTube shorts content creator. If you are a photographer who takes pictures, then unfortunately the Panasonic Lumix S9 is not for you.

Specifications

After days of rumors and leaks, the real specifications of the Panasonic Lumix S9 have finally been confirmed.

• 24MP BSI CMOS sensor

• No mechanical shutter

• No hot shoe

• phase focus

• 4K 3:2 video specifications at 25 or 30p (4:2:0 10-bit)

• 6K video specifications 3:2 up to 30p 4:2:0 10 bits 

• DCI/UHD 4K up to 60p (with APS-C crop)

• Dedicated LUT button applies LUTs in real time (for both photos and videos)

• LumixLab mobile app

• Dual conversion gain sensor with explicit "dual native ISO" gain selection

• UHS-II card slot

• Full Articulating LCD screen

Photo

As mentioned in the previous article：NEWS: Panasonic’s New Camera Lumix S9 Will Be Released On May 22, Panasonic Lumix S9 does not have a mechanical shutter. This means two things: 1. Banding under artificial lights； 2. rolling shutters (jello effect). No hot shoe. This means you won't be able to use flash, and you won't be able to use flash sync.

These shortcomings doom Panasonic Lumix S9 from becoming a main camera for taking photos. In artificial light environments, such as indoor cafes, when shooting faster shutter speeds, banding is visible.

The sensor in the S9 doesn't scan very quickly, so the rolling shutter is also a shortcoming.  If you pan the camera to follow a subject, such as a running dog, any straight vertical lines in the background will appear as sloping diagonals.

In addition, in order to speed up the read out speed of the sensor, the photo is only 12-bit, which is more likely to cause color breakage after being compressed.

video

Speaking of video, the S9 has the ability to record at 6K without cropping, similar to the S5 II. 5.9K widescreen is also available, but both modes are capped at ten minutes.  Can record in 4K to 60p, subject to a 15-minute limit. The reason for these shortcomings is that the S9 does not and cannot add a cooling system.

Who should buy Lumix S9

Panasonic has given the obvious answer. Tiktok content creator, YouTube shorts content creator. These two groups of people are most suitable for the Lumix S9, especially if they don't like the shape or weight of the S5ii. For content creators, the luts app, which is deeply integrated with smartphones, can save them the time of importing videos to computers for editing. The LUTs customization function of Panasonic S9 can simplify the video processing process.

Is it good enough？

The Panasonic Lumix S9 has been released, and it's gorgeous. Despite high hopes, it didn't turn out to be a compact full-frame camera that pleased everyone. For now, if you are looking for a camera that can balance compactness, retro appearance, photo taking, and video capabilities, then Sony's A7C2 may be a better camera. If you want to look better, have a variety of video styles, and are a vlog or tiktok content creator. Then Panasonic lumix s9 is good enough. Whether the ibis or the dynamic range brought by the full-frame sensor, you can open a clear gap with competitors who create on smartphones.

some thoughts

Panasonic has released a number of impressive cameras over the past few years that have received rave reviews. The S5ii and S1H are both excellent cameras. In 2024, the S9, which is also a Lumix S series, may not satisfy most people. S9 is destined to be a “toy” suitable only for a small number of content creators. The 10-15 minute recording time limit prevents it from being a professional movie camera, and the lack of a mechanical shutter prevents it from being a professional photo camera.

I believe Panasonic's market research department concluded that demand from content creators or vloggers is sufficient to support sales of this particular model.

Still, I would love to see a more versatile compact retro full-frame camera actually appear on the market.