How does the Panasonic S5 IIX (Amazon, B&H) stack up to the Netflix-approved Panasonic S1H (Amazon, B&H) and Panasonic BS1H (Amazon, B&H)? Let’s find out with this fun comparison.
What kind of filmmaker needs autofocus?
The Panasonic S5 IIX (Amazon, B&H) has vastly improved phase hybrid autofocus with 779 AF points.
The Panasonic S1H (Amazon, B&H) and the Panasonic BS1H (Amazon, B&H) have 225 area AF points. The autofocus on both these cameras are poor and unreliable compared to the competition. In this respect the S5 IIX is miles ahead.
Do you really really need good video autofocus? Then the decision is clear-cut.
Who are these cameras aimed at?
The Panasonic S1H (Amazon, B&H) and the Panasonic BS1H (Amazon, B&H) are both Netflix approved cameras. The S5 IIX is not targeted at the same user, though one could surely make films of similar quality.
Quick menu
- Comparison of sensors and video features
- Exposure, focus and ergonomics
- The costs of media and batteries
- Which is cheapest to own?
- Verdict. Who wins?
Comparison of sensors and video features
Here’s how the camera sensors compare for video:
| Camera | Resolution | Maximum FPS | Video ISO Range |
| Panasonic S5 IIX | 5952 × 3968 | 30 fps | 640-5000, 4000-51,200 |
| Panasonic S1H | 5952 × 3968 | 24 fps | 640-5000, 4000-51,200 |
| Panasonic BS1H | 5952 × 3968 | 24 fps | 640-5000, 4000-51,200 |
What about 4K frame rates?
| Camera | Max fps at 4K* | Dynamic Range | Max fps at 1080p |
| Panasonic S5 IIX | 60 fps | 14+ stops | 180 fps |
| Panasonic S1H | 60 fps | 14+ stops | 180 fps |
| Panasonic BS1H | 60 fps | 14+ stops | 180 fps |
*In APS-C/Super35mm mode. You don’t get 60p in full frame mode, unfortunately.
Next, the codecs and color information:
| Camera | RAW and Code in 4K and Higher | Color Information* |
| Panasonic is S5 IIX | Prores RAW | H.264/H.265 ALL-I | RAW | 10:bit 4:2:2 |
| Panasonic S1H | Prores RAW | H.264/H.265 ALL-I | RAW | 10:bit 4:2:2 |
| Panasonic BS1H | Prores RAW | H.264/H.265 ALL-I | RAW | 10:bit 4:2:2 |
For all three cameras, you need the Atomos Ninja V+ for RAW.
I’ll need to get my hands on the S5 IIX if possible to test for rolling shutter differences. The fan on the S1H was loud when I tested it, though people have reported the firmware updates have tried to mitigate it to a certain extent. We’ll need to see if the fan on the Panasonic S5 IIX (Amazon, B&H) has been redesigned and is quieter.
Focus and exposure aids, and ergonomics
The BS1H stands out being a camera with no LCD or EVF:
| Camera | Exposure |
| Panasonic S5 IIX | Waveform, Vectorscope, Zebras, Histogram, Meter |
| Panasonic S1H | Waveform, Vectorscope, Zebras, Histogram, Meter |
| Panasonic BS1H | (No EVF, no LCD) |
As far as size and weight are concerned:
| Camera | Ergonomics | Weight (with battery & card) |
| Panasonic S5 IIX | It has a fan, 8 directional joystick. | 740 g |
| Panasonic S1H | It has a fan and it is audible, grip is painful, not the most pleasurable to hold. | 1164 g |
| Panasonic BS1H | Box-style cinema camera, no EVF, no LCD, SDI output, Ethernet | 585 g |
All three cameras have Type A HDMI ports. The Bs1H has an SDI port and Ethernet.
The Panasonic S5 IIX (Amazon, B&H) has a 3.2 Gen2 USB-C connector while the other two have 3.1 Gen1.
Even though the Panasonic S5 IIX (Amazon, B&H) has a heat dispersion fan system for longer duration recording, the camera will still overheat in modes above 4K. Modes above 4K also have a recording limit of 30 minutes, while in 4K there is no recording limit. This means two things:
- More power draw due to the fan.
- More weight due to the fan.
Overall, it seems Panasonic have managed to keep the weight down from the S1H.
Image Stabilization
The Panasonic S5 IIX and the Panasonic S1H has 5-axis Image Stabilization. The Panasonic BS1H does not have a built-in stabilization and must rely on lenses for O.I.S.
Batteries and media cards
Here’s a look at the media
| Camera | Dual card slots | Price per GB for 128 GB* |
| Panasonic S5 IIX | Yes, SDHC/SDXC, UHS-I/UHS-II | $1.17/GB |
| Panasonic S1H | Yes, SDHC/SDXC, UHS-I/UHS-II | $1.17/GB |
| Panasonic BS1H | Yes, SDHC/SDXC, UHS-I/UHS-II | $1.17/GB |
*UHS-II Sandisk Extreme Pro card
Data rates in 4K:
| Camera | Data rate in 10-bit 4:2:2 4K 24p | Data rate in 4K 60p | Recording Limit |
| Panasonic S5 IIX | 400 Mbps | 400 Mbps / 800 Mbps* (10-bit-4:2:2) | Unlimited |
| Panasonic S1H | 400 Mbps | 200 Mbps (10-bit-4:2:0) | 6 hours |
| Panasonic BS1H | 400 Mbps | 200 Mbps (10-bit-4:2:0) | 6 hours |
*In APS-C mode.
What about battery life? The Panasonic DMWBLJ31 Li-Ion battery for the S1H is discontinued and this is an ominous sign. For a fair comparison though, I have used Watson batteries instead of stock Panasonic batteries:
| Camera | Battery life in 4K | Cost one one battery | Cost of 6 hours of operation |
| Panasonic S5 IIX | 45 minutes | $25 | $200 |
| Panasonic S1H | 65 minutes | $35 | $194 |
| Panasonic BS1H* | 115 minutes | $179 | $560 |
*I’ve used Panasonic batteries here because there’s no Watson equivalent on the B&H site.
The Panasonic S5 IIX (Amazon, B&H) is similar to the S1H while the Bs1H is in a different class altogether. You might be able to get cheaper batteries from different brands and the difference could be smaller. I’ve used the cheapest compatible battery on B&H.
Which is cheaper to own?
Let’s just add up the costs:
| Camera | Panasonic S5 IIX | Panasonic S1H | Panasonic BS1H |
| Camera body | $2,197 | $3,697 | $2,497 |
| Media and Accessories | Tie | Tie | Tie |
| Batteries | $200 | $194 | $560 |
| Feelworld 5.7″ monitor | $0 | $0 | $129 |
| Total | $2,397 | $3,891 | $3,186 |
Recap
First, a recap:
| Feature | Winner |
| Sensor and ISO | S5 IIX |
| Video features | S5 IIX |
| DR and Color | TBD |
| Rolling Shutter | TBD |
| Exposure Aids | Tie |
| Media | Tie |
| Ergonomics | Tie |
| Ports and Monitoring | Tie |
| Audio | Tie |
| Autofocus | S5 IIX |
| Battery life | Tie |
Before we take our final decision, we’ll let the cameras tell us what they offer that the others don’t:
| Camera | USP | Major Cons |
| Panasonic S5 IIX | Upto 30p in 5.9K, Much better AF, lighter | None |
| Panasonic S1H | Netflix approved | Price, discontinued battery, weight |
| Panasonic BS1H | Drone camera, SDI port | No LCD or EVF, large and more expensive battery |
My Verdict
It’s pretty clear, isn’t it?
The Panasonic S5 IIX (Amazon, B&H) wins. The only thing that remains to be seen is if it achieves Netflix certification. There is no reason it shouldn’t.
What do you think?
