Panasonic S5 User Experience

[Mark Romero 2]

22 minutes ago, MrSMW said:

Yes, speed ramping or anything and everything like that is a bit gimmicky for my tastes, but as I said previously, I posted not so much to hold this up as the finest piece of filmmaking, but rather at least a whole lot more effort than some of the other stuff out there, ie, using the tool rather than just holding it and babbling about it.

I watched something this morning (I am blaming being back in lockdown boredom) where the guy made so many errors it was clear he had no idea about videography never mind the actual camera. But I digress...

I knew it was .265 and expected it not to play in Premiere on my machine as I had to batch convert to prores with my previous XT3.

But not so, works with zero hiccups other than the occasional ones that are entirely Premiere having one of it’s fits.

No idea why that would be...but then I am the last person to ask technical questions of.

Yeah, the colors looked good and the DR and noise control were good.

Just when I speed ramping between drinking my first and second cup of coffee in the morning, I tend to get tilted.

[MrSMW]

1 hour ago, Mark Romero 2 said:

Yeah, the colors looked good and the DR and noise control were good.

Just when I speed ramping between drinking my first and second cup of coffee in the morning, I tend to get tilted.

I hear ya @Mark Romero 2 

I tried it once, but then had to take a cold shower and scrub myself with carbolic soap and have never confessed in public. Before today.

[mtol]

On 11/4/2020 at 11:53 AM, Thpriest said:

Really? Is it worse than the GH5 which I find to be fine?

Has anyone else got any experience of the peaking?

I've gotten used to the focus peaking on the S1 but I find it not as good as the GH5. Color options seem more limited and it doesn't feel as precise.

[Trankilstef]

I don't know if it's been posted but some images in this little video are very nice to my eyes. Very cheesy music and all but image quality wise it's actually quite good.

 

[MrSMW]

12 hours ago, Trankilstef said:

Very cheesy music

Shit, don't look at my most recent wedding video on-line 😂

[zerocool22]

12 hours ago, Trankilstef said:

I don't know if it's been posted but some images in this little video are very nice to my eyes. Very cheesy music and all but image quality wise it's actually quite good.

 

I dont like the high shutterspeed + looks oversharp to me + due to the lowlight a lot of the footage looks weird/mushy(maybe could be solved by crushing the shadows/blacks a bit more).

[Trankilstef]

1 hour ago, zerocool22 said:

I dont like the high shutterspeed + looks oversharp to me + due to the lowlight a lot of the footage looks weird/mushy(maybe could be solved by crushing the shadows/blacks a bit more).

yup the oversharpness bothers me a bit too. It is maybe due to the fact that it lacks an OLPF filter as the one in the S1H. I notice that difference between my S5 and my S1H, the S5 seems more like a traditional mirrorless or DSLR camera, quite the opposite for the S1H which seems more natural/filmic.

[Trankilstef]

2 hours ago, MrSMW said:

Shit, don't look at my most recent wedding video on-line 😂

Ok we'll put it like that : for a wedding that's okay ! 😅

[omega1978]

2 hours ago, MrSMW said:

Shit, don't look at my most recent wedding video on-line 😂

have you filmed your last wedding with the S5 ?

[Mark Romero 2]

2 hours ago, zerocool22 said:

I dont like the high shutterspeed + looks oversharp to me + due to the lowlight a lot of the footage looks weird/mushy(maybe could be solved by crushing the shadows/blacks a bit more).

Agreed. Although it is good to note that IF you need the blacks lifted so much, it won't be chock-a-block full of noise. 

23 minutes ago, Trankilstef said:

Ok we'll put it like that : for a wedding that's okay ! 😅

Agreed! For whatever this video was supposed to be (I know it was a commercial for Panasonic), it was kind of weird choice in music. 

30 minutes ago, Trankilstef said:

yup the oversharpness bothers me a bit too. It is maybe due to the fact that it lacks an OLPF filter as the one in the S1H. I notice that difference between my S5 and my S1H, the S5 seems more like a traditional mirrorless or DSLR camera, quite the opposite for the S1H which seems more natural/filmic.

As much as Panasonic lenses seem to be great for filming, they do seem like they need some sort of softening filter on them. Maybe it's the lack of the OLPF as you suggest but I just think they are a bit too sharp for my tastes. 

[Trankilstef]

6 minutes ago, Mark Romero 2 said:

Agreed. Although it is good to note that IF you need the blacks lifted so much, it won't be chock-a-block full of noise. 

Agreed! For whatever this video was supposed to be (I know it was a commercial for Panasonic), it was kind of weird choice in music. 

As much as Panasonic lenses seem to be great for filming, they do seem like they need some sort of softening filter on them. Maybe it's the lack of the OLPF as you suggest but I just think they are a bit too sharp for my tastes. 

They're sharp indeed. I have 3 native lenses : the 24-70 f2.8, the 20-60 and the Sigma 45mm f1.8. They are really sharp but not too sharp. The sigmas are known to be very sharp and that's why he used in this video. I shot a little piece of documentary 2 weeks ago with the S1h + 24-70 f2.8 and it's not that sharp, I mean detailed but the image is pleasing.

[Mark Romero 2]

4 minutes ago, Trankilstef said:

They're sharp indeed. I have 3 native lenses : the 24-70 f2.8, the 20-60 and the Sigma 45mm f1.8. They are really sharp but not too sharp. The sigmas are known to be very sharp and that's why he used in this video. I shot a little piece of documentary 2 weeks ago with the S1h + 24-70 f2.8 and it's not that sharp, I mean detailed but the image is pleasing.

Good to know about the 24-70 f/2.8.

Of course it is all subjective. I only own the Panasonic 24-105 f/4 (and a Canon EF 16-35 f/4 L on the MC-21) and I think I like the rendering from the Canon a bit better than that of the Panasonic 24-105 f/4 for video.

For stills though probably the other way around.

[MrSMW]

1 hour ago, omega1978 said:

have you filmed your last wedding with the S5 ?

Nah, my only wedding this year was 29th July and the other 24 either got cancelled or moved to 2021.

Shot 3 mini promo type commercial jobs though and I personally thought the results were excellent. As did the clients but I’m speaking subjectively.

Excellent compared to my previous workhorse of XT3 which I was not unhappy with (but needed ‘more’ in various departments hence the move to Panny).

And also excellent in that I was still learning the camera and playing with settings on each job.

Plus a final excellent in that I was ‘only’ using the 20-60mm kit lens and all 3 jobs were low light so I can already imagine what the f1.8 primes are going to be like. As in perfect.

Still waiting on my Sigma 45mm f2.8 though it’s on it’s way (and have preordered the 85mm f1.8) plus waiting delivery for the Smallrig L bracket to give the body an extra 1/2 inch or so of depth. Oh and the Freewell 2-5 VND.

I still think it’s the pick of the bunch, at least for my needs vs; XT4, R6, Z6ii and A7Siii. But as I keep saying, the ONLY real test will be my first wedding of the year in April next year because nothing is like the real thing, - it just cannot be replicated.

[omega1978]

14 minutes ago, MrSMW said:

Nah, my only wedding this year was 29th July and the other 24 either got cancelled or moved to 2021.

Shot 3 mini promo type commercial jobs though and I personally thought the results were excellent. As did the clients but I’m speaking subjectively.

Excellent compared to my previous workhorse of XT3 which I was not unhappy with (but needed ‘more’ in various departments hence the move to Panny).

And also excellent in that I was still learning the camera and playing with settings on each job.

Plus a final excellent in that I was ‘only’ using the 20-60mm kit lens and all 3 jobs were low light so I can already imagine what the f1.8 primes are going to be like. As in perfect.

Still waiting on my Sigma 45mm f2.8 though it’s on it’s way (and have preordered the 85mm f1.8) plus waiting delivery for the Smallrig L bracket to give the body an extra 1/2 inch or so of depth. Oh and the Freewell 2-5 VND.

I still think it’s the pick of the bunch, at least for my needs vs; XT4, R6, Z6ii and A7Siii. But as I keep saying, the ONLY real test will be my first wedding of the year in April next year because nothing is like the real thing, - it just cannot be replicated.

I am sorry for this, i have made 5 of 21 this year, all others postponed to 2021( o maybe not ;( )

I am happy with the S1, MC 21 and Canon 16-35 2.8, 35 1.4, 85 1.2 and the 24-105 for gimbal, maybe in future a native 50 1.8

[SteveV4D]

33 minutes ago, MrSMW said:

 

I still think it’s the pick of the bunch, at least for my needs vs; XT4, R6, Z6ii and A7Siii. But as I keep saying, the ONLY real test will be my first wedding of the year in April next year because nothing is like the real thing, - it just cannot be replicated.

Similar situation to you.  I'd give the R6 a miss, CineD tests show awful rolling shutter and DR.  Z6II no 10bit internal.  A7sIII limited as a hybrid due to 12mp.  If I'd go for a hybrid, I'm now tempted by the S1, given the recent upgrade.  Good price.  AF not so good, but hey, I'm a longstanding Panasonic user, so I'm use to its quirks.

Unless something better comes along and I'm in no rush.  Spending has been suspended until work properly resumes.  There will be new cameras next year I'm sure and maybe my perfect hybrid will be one of them. 😉

[MrSMW]

18 minutes ago, SteveV4D said:

If I'd go for a hybrid, I'm now tempted by the S1, given the recent upgrade.

It had been on my ‘list’ since it came out and the S1H but for me, the S1 was and still is, a bit bigger than I’d like and the S1H more spec than I need and compared with the S5...well I can get 2x S5’s for the same money, which is good because I need 3 in total!

But not yet...with 6 months still to my season starts, absolutely zero need for me to spend on anything I don’t need.

Arguably, I don’t ‘need’ the 85mm any time soon but actually yes I do as I both want to be up to speed when wedding season does restart and I do have at least 3 commercial projects that have been suspended due to Lockdown 2.

I can do all my commercial projects with a single body and none of them are critical if my single S5 turned into a ball of flame. But it’s not a Canon so I’m not expecting it to do so.

The R6 was only a third or fourth place contender for me, various niggles...

The Z6ii it was the lack of 10bit. I don’t shoot log and not so much wiggle room with 8 if I cock it up or scenario is tricky lighting.

The Sony just a bit pricey for my needs. 3x bodies, even with Sigma primes would still have doubled my total spend for basically ‘the same thing’ and for my hybrid needs, that 12mp was on my mind.

XT4 is so close for me and it’s really only lenses that made me move from Fuji.

The bottom line is the S5 simply ticks more of my boxes than anything else out there and has less drawbacks. In fact really only has one small Q and that’s how that AF is going to play at a real wedding, heat of the moment. Pretty sure it will be fine though.

[TomTheDP]

2 hours ago, MrSMW said:

The bottom line is the S5 simply ticks more of my boxes than anything else out there and has less drawbacks. In fact really only has one small Q and that’s how that AF is going to play at a real wedding, heat of the moment. Pretty sure it will be fine though.

Plus I think the S5 really has the nicest image on the block atm 

[SteveV4D]

If I was building a number of cameras from Panasonic fullframe alone, I would have a S1H, S1 and S5...  each offering their own advantages.

However I am looking at one hybrid to balance the Pockets I own, which because of RAW and my preference for BM colour, work the best for the image I am going for.   

I am looking to add maybe the C70 or Komodo or if BM offer something similar, plus a fullframe hybrid next year.  Unless Canon can deliver a decent spec reliable hybrid camera 🤣🤣, my money is more on the S1.  The 6K upgrade would be very useful in some occasions and I prefer bigger cameras to smaller ones.   Plus full-size HDMI is important for any streaming or connection to playback screens which I have sometimes been required to do.

[MrSMW]

11 hours ago, TomTheDP said:

Plus I think the S5 really has the nicest image on the block atm

Same here.

Not that I have any rival brands products kicking around for side by side comparison.

Even adding all of the S1 options into the mix, there is far less material out there compared with Sony, Canon and Fuji offerings as these other brands are far more popular.

In the case of Fuji, I think their sales are only slightly higher than Panny, but the cult is much stronger!

I think this will continue with the S5 because it just won’t sell as it might if it had PDAF.

And while there is some utter garbage material out there on the ‘net, the full frame Panasonic generally looks nicest to me.

I can’t remember who it was, but saw a side by side recently with the new Sony and the Panny (S1H) looked better in every scenario including tricky and low-light scenarios.

Ultimately though, it doesn’t matter what anyone else is doing or even thinks but how you feel about it and how it works for you and as I said above, I was very happy with what I was getting out of the XT3, but the S5 edges it in every single area except;

XT3 AF is faster and will be even more so after it’s recent firmware upgrade.

I still prefer the XT3 tilt screen over the out the side job everything now seems to come with. Except the Nikon’s.

Err, struggling now... the EVF is lower res? Not that I have really noticed...

XT3 is smaller and lighter...but by the time I had built it out to work for me with; battery grip, Fringer adapter, non-native lenses, it was over 1.5kg / approx 3.5lbs...but for me, it was less about the weight and more the size. In comparison, none of my FF sensor S5’s will be much over 1kg at 2.5lbs max. And physically much smaller.

It’s these f1.8’s primes IMO that are going to really bring this system to life, especially if APSC crop mode is set up to one of the function buttons because then at the flick of a switch, you have effectively a dual focal length lens. Triple if you set pixel/pixel and with 4K 24mp, plenty to play with.

I have not tested it yet because I haven’t got the lens yet, but that 85mm is going to be both my 85 and my ‘135’ which solves my need for a lens longer than 100mm, but in this instance is a single lens (no lens changes!) that weighs 355g!

The frustration right now however is too much time for talking and restrictions against doing ☹️

[TomTheDP]

1 hour ago, MrSMW said:

 

It’s these f1.8’s primes IMO that are going to really bring this system to life, especially if APSC crop mode is set up to one of the function buttons because then at the flick of a switch, you have effectively a dual focal length lens. Triple if you set pixel/pixel and with 4K 24mp, plenty to play with.

Yeah the APSC mode is magic to have for anything run and gun. 

I'd be keeping my Fuji if it wasn't for the record limits. I prefer it for photography most of the time. For video I prefer the Panasonic though. The Emotive color luts really bring the Pana to life. I am even considering getting a GH5 again as a C camera for interviews. Hard to beat Panasonic's just general reliability and usability.