Swapping out my S5 for an S1

[fuji_phil_e]

Hello. As the title says, I am in the process of changing out the dinky S5 for the hand-spanning S1. This is a pragmatic decision based on the god awful EVF of the S5. It's minuscule, and has been a blocker from day one, despite the lovely form factor of the body. For the sort of stuff I'll be using the S1 for, I'm more than happy with the massive size: I'll be mounting either my Sigma 35mm f2 i-series lens to it and popping it in a shoulder bag or backpack, or else using vintage MF lenses on it with a few adapters I have. The resolution of the S1's EVF is going to be a massive help for focusing manually, plus also for reviewing images. Anything obvious to know about the S1 that differs to the S5? I didn't use composite view on the S5 so won't miss it, and rarely messed about with the high res mode, but might tinker more with it on the S1.

Take care.

Phil.

 

[georgehudetz]

I have both, and had intended to sell the S5 after acquiring the S1, but I ended up keeping it solely because of Live View Composite for capturing star trails, fireworks displays, and electrical storms. I'm not sure there are any other meaningful differences from a firmware perspective. At least, there wasn't for me.

I'm sure you will love the S1.

 

[mcantsin]

Anything obvious to know about the S1 that differs to the S5?

By default, the S1 doesn't have V-Log and 10bit Codecs. If you buy a used S1, make sure that it received the (paid) V-Log Upgrade, because it is no longer available from Panasonic.

 

[Lettermanian]

Hello. As the title says, I am in the process of changing out the dinky S5 for the hand-spanning S1. This is a pragmatic decision based on the god awful EVF of the S5. It's minuscule, and has been a blocker from day one, despite the lovely form factor of the body. For the sort of stuff I'll be using the S1 for, I'm more than happy with the massive size: I'll be mounting either my Sigma 35mm f2 i-series lens to it and popping it in a shoulder bag or backpack, or else using vintage MF lenses on it with a few adapters I have. The resolution of the S1's EVF is going to be a massive help for focusing manually, plus also for reviewing images. Anything obvious to know about the S1 that differs to the S5? I didn't use composite view on the S5 so won't miss it, and rarely messed about with the high res mode, but might tinker more with it on the S1.

Take care.

Phil.

As an owner of both the S1 and S5, I can attest to the significant differences between the two, especially in regards to their usefulness for stills photography. The S1 EVF and larger LCD are much better suited for still photography, especially when manually focusing. I also highly prefer the three-way tilt screen for vertical shooting, which I do quite a bit of (flower photography in particular). The top LCD is useful to see settings when shooting at chest height or lower angles, and even the button lights come in handy when shooting in the dark.

There's no doubt the camera is bigger and heavier, but I can still tote it around for a good amount of time in its shoulder bag without much issue. However, I do have to reconsider my kit, as the onset of arthritis in my hands is becoming a factor in the size and weight of my gear. Other than that though, the S1 is a very nice camera to shoot with.

--
"I much prefer to be behind the camera than in front of it."
- Me and every other introvert

 

[fuji_phil_e]

I have both, and had intended to sell the S5 after acquiring the S1, but I ended up keeping it solely because of Live View Composite for capturing star trails, fireworks displays, and electrical storms. I'm not sure there are any other meaningful differences from a firmware perspective. At least, there wasn't for me.

I'm sure you will love the S1.

Hi George, I never found myself using the composite view, but I bet it's like watching magic happening on the rear LCD. Thanks.

 

[fuji_phil_e]

Anything obvious to know about the S1 that differs to the S5?

By default, the S1 doesn't have V-Log and 10bit Codecs. If you buy a used S1, make sure that it received the (paid) V-Log Upgrade, because it is no longer available from Panasonic.

Hi, I wouldn't know video if it punched me in the chops! Genuinely no idea. I just like the idea that such a decent full frame sensor can be had for photography so cheaply.

 

[fuji_phil_e]

Hello. As the title says, I am in the process of changing out the dinky S5 for the hand-spanning S1. This is a pragmatic decision based on the god awful EVF of the S5. It's minuscule, and has been a blocker from day one, despite the lovely form factor of the body. For the sort of stuff I'll be using the S1 for, I'm more than happy with the massive size: I'll be mounting either my Sigma 35mm f2 i-series lens to it and popping it in a shoulder bag or backpack, or else using vintage MF lenses on it with a few adapters I have. The resolution of the S1's EVF is going to be a massive help for focusing manually, plus also for reviewing images. Anything obvious to know about the S1 that differs to the S5? I didn't use composite view on the S5 so won't miss it, and rarely messed about with the high res mode, but might tinker more with it on the S1.

Take care.

Phil.

As an owner of both the S1 and S5, I can attest to the significant differences between the two, especially in regards to their usefulness for stills photography. The S1 EVF and larger LCD are much better suited for still photography, especially when manually focusing. I also highly prefer the three-way tilt screen for vertical shooting, which I do quite a bit of (flower photography in particular). The top LCD is useful to see settings when shooting at chest height or lower angles, and even the button lights come in handy when shooting in the dark.

There's no doubt the camera is bigger and heavier, but I can still tote it around for a good amount of time in its shoulder bag without much issue. However, I do have to reconsider my kit, as the onset of arthritis in my hands is becoming a factor in the size and weight of my gear. Other than that though, the S1 is a very nice camera to shoot with.

 

[Lettermanian]

Hello. As the title says, I am in the process of changing out the dinky S5 for the hand-spanning S1. This is a pragmatic decision based on the god awful EVF of the S5. It's minuscule, and has been a blocker from day one, despite the lovely form factor of the body. For the sort of stuff I'll be using the S1 for, I'm more than happy with the massive size: I'll be mounting either my Sigma 35mm f2 i-series lens to it and popping it in a shoulder bag or backpack, or else using vintage MF lenses on it with a few adapters I have. The resolution of the S1's EVF is going to be a massive help for focusing manually, plus also for reviewing images. Anything obvious to know about the S1 that differs to the S5? I didn't use composite view on the S5 so won't miss it, and rarely messed about with the high res mode, but might tinker more with it on the S1.

Take care.

Phil.

As an owner of both the S1 and S5, I can attest to the significant differences between the two, especially in regards to their usefulness for stills photography. The S1 EVF and larger LCD are much better suited for still photography, especially when manually focusing. I also highly prefer the three-way tilt screen for vertical shooting, which I do quite a bit of (flower photography in particular). The top LCD is useful to see settings when shooting at chest height or lower angles, and even the button lights come in handy when shooting in the dark.

There's no doubt the camera is bigger and heavier, but I can still tote it around for a good amount of time in its shoulder bag without much issue. However, I do have to reconsider my kit, as the onset of arthritis in my hands is becoming a factor in the size and weight of my gear. Other than that though, the S1 is a very nice camera to shoot with.

That top LCD is something I enjoyed very much on my old Fujifilm X-H1. A really useful extra. I'm quite au fait with the 3-way movement of the LCD too, so that's a bonus. Glad to hear that (till recently) you've found the S1 no bother in terms of size/weight. I see a lot being made of it, but as I've said I have the Fujifilm X-T3 as a smaller option for those days that call for lighter weight. Thanks for chiming in - I appreciate it.

Looks like we've had a similar journey; if you look at my gear list, you'll see an X-T3 (my cam before I switched to Panny), and an X-H1 (2 of them in fact) in there In terms of ergos, the S1 fits my average-sized hand quite well, I really have no complaints. I have the Fn buttons all set up to my preference, and recently I purchased the TTArtisan 75mm f2, which has an aperture ring, so my Fuji senses are mostly satisfied. Before Panny the X-H1 was my favourite Fuji camera ergonomically, except for the darn Q button placement!

 

[Tom Caldwell]

Phil, I only have the S1. I quite like it and the size/weight is not an issue. I have other smaller camera kit for where physical size is an issue.

The LCD hinge is pretty good. (I m not a real fan of side hinge only screens but a hybrid is good enough).

The evf is good but I have managed quite well with much smaller, much criticised, other evf units for MF. I use focus peaking for finding general focus and dof representation and screen magnification for ultimate precision.

The big failing with the S1 is that despite its huge battery the battery seems always flat if you have not used the camera for a couple of weeks. In actual use a charged battery lasts quite well.

 

[Off The Mark]

I'll just sort of echo what everyone else says about the better EVF and LCD on the S1, which makes focusing my vintage Minolta MD, Nikon AI, and even Sony A-Mount lenses so much nicer than on the S5 (and even the S5 IIX)

And for photos, I do like the fact that the LCD screen stays inline with the lens, as opposed to moving off-axis from the lens.

IBIS is SLIGHTLY better on the S1 than the original S5.

On the other hand, some people seem to absolutely get TRIGGERED by the location of the on / off switch.

The only other thing I would say is that if you can swing it, for stills, the higher resolution of the S1R (original) could possibly be worth it, IF you can get a good deal on one. Same EVF, LCD, and battery. I guess the S1R doesn't do quite as well in low light as an S1 (or an S5).

But it looks like the S1R is almost twice as expensive as an S1, so there is that.

Anyway, I am sure you will enjoy the S1.

Also, if you wear glasses, you can slightly decrease the size of the image on the EVF so that you can see the whole image while your eye is slightly further from the eyepiece.

 

[John Vickers]

[...]
The big failing with the S1 is that despite its huge battery the battery seems always flat if you have not used the camera for a couple of weeks. In actual use a charged battery lasts quite well.

This is not a joke.

The problem is that even with the power switch in the "off" position, quite a lot of the electronics is still powered up. Presumably to allow near-instant startup.

My solution is to keep S1 and S1R bodies connected to a USB power supply when not in use.

Taking the battery out is not ideal, because it causes a small rechargeable battery inside the camera that powers the clock and Non-Volatile-RAM ("NVRAM") to discharge, and this battery has limited cycle life. The failure of these batteries is fairly well known to the Micro-Four-Thirds folk.

It's quite safe to keep the USB power connected: the internal charge circuitry will stop charging when the battery is full, and then likely check the battery voltage every few days to see if the battery can be safely topped up.

I guess the technically ideal solution would be to put a powered dummy battery in the camera when it's not in use.

There's a load of old posts about all this.

 

[fuji_phil_e]

Hello. As the title says, I am in the process of changing out the dinky S5 for the hand-spanning S1. This is a pragmatic decision based on the god awful EVF of the S5. It's minuscule, and has been a blocker from day one, despite the lovely form factor of the body. For the sort of stuff I'll be using the S1 for, I'm more than happy with the massive size: I'll be mounting either my Sigma 35mm f2 i-series lens to it and popping it in a shoulder bag or backpack, or else using vintage MF lenses on it with a few adapters I have. The resolution of the S1's EVF is going to be a massive help for focusing manually, plus also for reviewing images. Anything obvious to know about the S1 that differs to the S5? I didn't use composite view on the S5 so won't miss it, and rarely messed about with the high res mode, but might tinker more with it on the S1.

Take care.

Phil.

As an owner of both the S1 and S5, I can attest to the significant differences between the two, especially in regards to their usefulness for stills photography. The S1 EVF and larger LCD are much better suited for still photography, especially when manually focusing. I also highly prefer the three-way tilt screen for vertical shooting, which I do quite a bit of (flower photography in particular). The top LCD is useful to see settings when shooting at chest height or lower angles, and even the button lights come in handy when shooting in the dark.

There's no doubt the camera is bigger and heavier, but I can still tote it around for a good amount of time in its shoulder bag without much issue. However, I do have to reconsider my kit, as the onset of arthritis in my hands is becoming a factor in the size and weight of my gear. Other than that though, the S1 is a very nice camera to shoot with.

That top LCD is something I enjoyed very much on my old Fujifilm X-H1. A really useful extra. I'm quite au fait with the 3-way movement of the LCD too, so that's a bonus. Glad to hear that (till recently) you've found the S1 no bother in terms of size/weight. I see a lot being made of it, but as I've said I have the Fujifilm X-T3 as a smaller option for those days that call for lighter weight. Thanks for chiming in - I appreciate it.

Looks like we've had a similar journey; if you look at my gear list, you'll see an X-T3 (my cam before I switched to Panny), and an X-H1 (2 of them in fact) in there In terms of ergos, the S1 fits my average-sized hand quite well, I really have no complaints. I have the Fn buttons all set up to my preference, and recently I purchased the TTArtisan 75mm f2, which has an aperture ring, so my Fuji senses are mostly satisfied. Before Panny the X-H1 was my favourite Fuji camera ergonomically, except for the darn Q button placement!

Aye, the X-H1 is a great camera. I rebought it but ultimately plumped for the X-T3. Anyway, the camera arrived today. The EVF is a delight. The ergonomics are excellent. It feels premium through and through. And for used, it was in mint condition. Very impressed.

I was following the 75mm lens thread. Very interesting, what I read. Made me think long and hard about picking one up. Might yet do so.

E2A - I found the Q button annoying too, but a quick half press of the shutter release button sorted it. Became second nature.

 

[fuji_phil_e]

Phil, I only have the S1. I quite like it and the size/weight is not an issue. I have other smaller camera kit for where physical size is an issue.

The LCD hinge is pretty good. (I m not a real fan of side hinge only screens but a hybrid is good enough).

The evf is good but I have managed quite well with much smaller, much criticised, other evf units for MF. I use focus peaking for finding general focus and dof representation and screen magnification for ultimate precision.

The big failing with the S1 is that despite its huge battery the battery seems always flat if you have not used the camera for a couple of weeks. In actual use a charged battery lasts quite well.

 

[fuji_phil_e]

I'll just sort of echo what everyone else says about the better EVF and LCD on the S1, which makes focusing my vintage Minolta MD, Nikon AI, and even Sony A-Mount lenses so much nicer than on the S5 (and even the S5 IIX)

And for photos, I do like the fact that the LCD screen stays inline with the lens, as opposed to moving off-axis from the lens.

IBIS is SLIGHTLY better on the S1 than the original S5.

On the other hand, some people seem to absolutely get TRIGGERED by the location of the on / off switch.

The only other thing I would say is that if you can swing it, for stills, the higher resolution of the S1R (original) could possibly be worth it, IF you can get a good deal on one. Same EVF, LCD, and battery. I guess the S1R doesn't do quite as well in low light as an S1 (or an S5).

But it looks like the S1R is almost twice as expensive as an S1, so there is that.

Anyway, I am sure you will enjoy the S1.

Also, if you wear glasses, you can slightly decrease the size of the image on the EVF so that you can see the whole image while your eye is slightly further from the eyepiece.

 

[fuji_phil_e]

[...]

The big failing with the S1 is that despite its huge battery the battery seems always flat if you have not used the camera for a couple of weeks. In actual use a charged battery lasts quite well.

This is not a joke.

The problem is that even with the power switch in the "off" position, quite a lot of the electronics is still powered up. Presumably to allow near-instant startup.

My solution is to keep S1 and S1R bodies connected to a USB power supply when not in use.

Taking the battery out is not ideal, because it causes a small rechargeable battery inside the camera that powers the clock and Non-Volatile-RAM ("NVRAM") to discharge, and this battery has limited cycle life. The failure of these batteries is fairly well known to the Micro-Four-Thirds folk.

It's quite safe to keep the USB power connected: the internal charge circuitry will stop charging when the battery is full, and then likely check the battery voltage every few days to see if the battery can be safely topped up.

I guess the technically ideal solution would be to put a powered dummy battery in the camera when it's not in use.

There's a load of old posts about all this.

Thanks, John. Useful info. I appreciate it.

 

[Off The Mark]

[...]

The big failing with the S1 is that despite its huge battery the battery seems always flat if you have not used the camera for a couple of weeks. In actual use a charged battery lasts quite well.

This is not a joke.

The problem is that even with the power switch in the "off" position, quite a lot of the electronics is still powered up. Presumably to allow near-instant startup.

My solution is to keep S1 and S1R bodies connected to a USB power supply when not in use.

Taking the battery out is not ideal, because it causes a small rechargeable battery inside the camera that powers the clock and Non-Volatile-RAM ("NVRAM") to discharge, and this battery has limited cycle life. The failure of these batteries is fairly well known to the Micro-Four-Thirds folk.

It's quite safe to keep the USB power connected: the internal charge circuitry will stop charging when the battery is full, and then likely check the battery voltage every few days to see if the battery can be safely topped up.

I guess the technically ideal solution would be to put a powered dummy battery in the camera when it's not in use.

There's a load of old posts about all this.

Thanks for this insight. Did not realize that about the internal battery.

Any idea if the S5, either the original or the newer cameras suffer from this?

 

[John Vickers]

[...]

Thanks for this insight. Did not realize that about the internal battery.

Any idea if the S5, either the original or the newer cameras suffer from this?

Have a look at this: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4721217

 

[mike earussi]

My S1 is power hungry and drains the battery very fast even when just using it to brose the menu so I would recommend extra batteries (I have three).

I choose it over the S1R because I don't print larger than 24x36 and due to it's smaller pixel count it has a virtually unlimited buffer compared to the S1R.

https://www.optyczne.pl/428.3-Test_aparatu-Panasonic_Lumix_S1_Użytkowanie_i_ergonomia.html

https://www.optyczne.pl/422.3-Test_aparatu-Panasonic_Lumix_S1R_Użytkowanie_i_ergonomia.html

I have mine set up so jpegs go to the SD card and raws and video to the CFxpress.

Also the HR mode does more than just increase resolution (slightly but not enough to show up in a print) I use it primarily because it increases color saturation. You might want to try it and see if you notice any improvements.