Lumix S Series is the first offering in the full frame mirror-less camera segment by Panasonic in India
Comprising of Lumix S1 and S1R with 24 megapixel and 47.3 megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor respectively, Panasonic has announced the launch of its first full-frame mirror-less Lumix S series in the Indian market. This new S series, as per the company is based on the L-Mount standard.
The first full-frame mirror-less camera by Panasonic, S1 is priced at Rs 199,990 and with 24-105mm F4 lens at Rs 267,990. Panasonic has priced the S1R camera body at Rs 299,990 in the country. S1R with a 24-105 mm F4 lens costs Rs 367,990.
Manish Sharma, president and CEO, Panasonic India and South Asia, said, “Over the years, Panasonic has pioneered technologies and introduced cutting edge innovations across our offerings, and with the launch of the full-frame mirror-less camera – Lumix S Series, we have taken a leap forward in our imaging business. The imaging industry is a complex and demanding space, and we have brought in defining changes by listening to our users and continuous investment in R&D to bring in industry first technologies that redefines this space.”
Panasonic sees immense potential in in the full-frame segment in India
Sandeep Sehgal, business chief, Panasonic India said, “We are bullish about introducing consumers to cutting edge technologies through our diverse and future-proof range of products. The new Full-Frame Mirror-less Lumix S series, boasts intuitive control, a rugged design for heavy field use, durability, and expandability, suitable for professional photography and videography. We see immense potential in the full-frame segment in India and with this we will be able to offer an uncompromised imaging experience to our customers. The Lumix S Series showcases our commitment to India and we are extremely confident to achieve double digit market share in the next two years.”
Interestingly, full frame mirrorless cameras are usually seen as the first choice of professional photographers. Panasonic also retails G and GH series cameras in the country.
Gaurav Ghavri, product head, Digital Imaging, Panasonic India said, “With our legacy of breakthrough models in G and GH series and being the pioneers of mirror-less technology, the Full-frame series from Lumix is the most anticipated device in the imaging solutions space. Owing to the state-of-the-art features that our Lumix S1 and S1R brings, this is an ideal solution for professionals who are seeking an uncompromised quality. Our newly launched product can cater to the constantly rising demand for superior image quality in various business segments such as wedding, advertising, fashion, documentary making and the rapidly evolving digital mediums.”
Entry in still photography segment
Marking the entry in still photography segment with Lumix S1R, this Panasonic camera integrates a 47.3-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor (36 mm x 24 mm). This sensor, as per Panasonic, achieves a high S/N ratio by taking advantage of its high light-condensing efficiency despite the large number of pixels. Company’s official statement read, “The Lumix S1R features a High Resolution mode for the first time as a mirror-less full-frame camera to enable 187-megapixel ultra-high precision photo with a pixel shift technology shooting.”
It continued, “The Lumix S1 supports professional use in videography by taking advantage of the stunning expression performance that a full-frame camera can offer. S series, with a software upgrade key (to be sold separately) following soon in 2019.”
Other features of these cameras as explained by Panasonic read as mentioned below.
High-speed, high-precision AF system Lumix S1R/Lumix S1
Panasonic has achieved a high-speed AF with its advanced control technology over the major devices – lens, sensor and imaging engine. The lens and sensor communicate at a maximum 480 fps. Combining the Contrast AF with DFD technology, the Lumix S1R/S1 realizes an ultra-high-speed, high-precision AF of approximately 0.08 sec. The Lumix S1R/S1 also boasts high speed burst shooting at 9 fps (AFS) or 6 fps (AFC).
Panasonic is also bringing in artificial intelligence for photography and videography. When it comes to autofocus, there are 3 things to consider: where to focus, how far the subject is from the camera, and the accuracy of the focus. The last two points are covered by their DFD technology. On the other hand, “where to focus” is an area where Lumix S1R/S1 uses artificial intelligence to analyze images. Panasonic has used deep learning to study a large quantity of images of people and animals and loaded the resulting AI into Venus engine. As a result the camera can recognize and accurately focus on them even if they are facing away. Advanced AI technology can recognize not only the human body but animals and birds, while the high-performance tracking system helps keep the subject in focus at all times.
Operability from ingenuity for intuitive control Lumix S1R/Lumix S1
The LVF (Live View Finder) is the key factor for completing the ultra-high-speed response of the camera. The Lumix S1R/S1 has the largest level of Real View Finder which boasts the world’s highest 5,760k-dot resolution. The 0.78x magnification ratio can be switched to 0.7x or 0.74x according to the shooting situation. Adoption of a high-speed, high-precision OLED for the LVF achieves smooth display at 60 fps/120 fps (switchable)
L-Mount Interchangeable Lenses
Drawing on the vast expertise of the L-Mount Alliance with Leica Camera and Sigma, Panasonic has introduced three new interchangeable lenses specially focusing on professional use. The L-Mount will allow photographers to ‘mix and match’ any of the three manufacturers’ APS-C and full-frame cameras with any lens from each other’s product portfolios providing customers with a diverse and future-proof range of products. Together with Leica and Sigma, there will be 42 more lenses available for L mount series over the next 2 years.
