The Panasonic S5 II (Amazon, B&H) and the Panasonic S5 IIX (Amazon, B&H) are very capable video camera, but if you have the following accessories it becomes even more powerful and useful.
1. The DMW-SFU2 Upgrade for the Panasonic S5 II.
This is only for the Panasonic S5 II. The S5 IIX does not require it.
By paying for the DMW-SFU2 (S5II) upgrade ($199)*, you get RAW data output. At the time of this writing the upgrade key hasn’t been released.
Here are instructions on how to enable it:
I find it really odd Panasonic continues to charge extra for these things. I really don’t see why you need to irritate your customers by asking them to spend extra and have a separate S5 IIX. Is there some laws or taxes that make this a necessity?
Anyway, if you’re serious about video, you will most likely want to opt for this upgrade.
2. Atomos Ninja V+
The Atomos Ninja V+ (Amazon, B&H) is a highly affordable monitor and external recorder.
Why would you need an external recorder? If you want RAW video from the Panasonic S5 II (Amazon, B&H) or the Panasonic S5 IIX (Amazon, B&H) you need to use a recorder.
In addition to this, you also get these useful extra bonuses:
- Extra exposure tools like waveform, false color, vectorscope, blue-only noise, etc.
- The ability to upload 3D LUTs, so you can record V-log and use a V-log to Rec. 709 LUT to monitor footage.
- Record to Prores or DNxHR format for a simpler editing experience. You get to choose multiple data rates depending on the kind of project you’re doing.
The Panasonic S5 II (Amazon, B&H) and the Panasonic S5 IIX (Amazon, B&H) has a Type A HDMI port, so you’ll need a Type A to A HDMI cable. You also need an HDMI 2.0 cable to record 4K 60 fps.
BlueRigger is a decent brand. If you want a coiled HDMI cable go for the Atomos AtomFlex. Make sure you look for “HDMI 2.0” or “4K High Speed”.
You can mount the Ninja V+ on the camera via simple ball mount. I prefer a Manfrotto 494 ball head. One end goes into the cold shoe mount on the top of the camera and the ball mount allows you to swivel the monitor in any direction. I’ve found you need a 180-degree movement so you get maximum flexibility.
3. Sony 64GB Tough Series UHS-II SDXC Cards
The Sony 64GB SF-G Tough Series UHS-II SDXC Memory Card (Amazon, B&H) has a few advantages over other cards:
- 299 MB/s write speeds – so is a great investment for other/future cameras as well.
- Sony Tough Series cards can withstand drops up to 16.4ft / 5m, immersion in up to 16.4ft / 5m of water for up to 72 hours, and are bend, dust, X-ray, magnet, and anti-static proof, and resistant to UV light and temperature extremes from -13 to 185°F.
- It has a one-piece molded construction that is ribless with no write protect switch, so there’s minimal chance of the enclosure getting broken.
- Should the card’s data become compromised, you can download File Rescue software for free to help recover deleted content.
What size cards should you get for video?
I don’t recommend a larger size card because it’s easy to fall into bad habits by recording till the card is full. You always risk data loss (happens rarely, but it can happen), and it also takes longer for the cards to be offloaded to a laptop or PC.
The final decision is up to you of course, but I’d rather have two 64 GB cards (Amazon, B&H) than one 128 GB card.
4. Panasonic DMW-XLR1 XLR Microphone Adapter
To get the best audio quality you need an audio adapter. For most situations the Panasonic DMW-XLR1 XLR adapter (Amazon, B&H) should be a great option.
It connects to the Panasonic S5 II (Amazon, B&H) and the Panasonic S5 IIX (Amazon, B&H) directly through the hot shoe and provides two XLR inputs.
You get better audio formats, namely 96 kHz and 24-bit. A cable clamp helps with cable management and a shoe mount on the top of the unit can support additional accessories. The coolest thing is it receives power directly from the camera.
5. Universal Cage
I’m not a fan of custom-designed cages, so I found an affordable cage that will last you a long time:
This is a no-name cage, but goes by the name of Camvate on Amazon and B&H.
A universal camera cage is a cage that can be fitted to any sort of DSLR or mirrorless camera. Some cameras are short, while others are tall. Some cameras like the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K are wide.
That’s it! I hope you found my suggestions useful.
If you know any additional important accessories specific to video, let me know in the comments below.
What are your views on V MOUNT BATTS. In regards to the GH-6?
I’ve used them with an adapter with the GH5. Prefer Gold mount myself, but either works.
I wish I had seen this b/4 I bought my TILTA cage, although they appear to be in the same price range. THANK you for your presentation.
You’re welcome!
As all ways, great to read
Thank you!