I bought an S1

[pdk42]

Well maybe I’m mad, but I bought a lightly used S1 for a bargain price! I’ve come to really appreciate the S1R body and the S5 sensor, so the path to take was obvious!

 

[Pete_W]

Well maybe I’m mad, but I bought a lightly used S1 for a bargain price! I’ve come to really appreciate the S1R body and the S5 sensor, so the path to take was obvious!

Hey, why not I say!

I would like to try one too but I feel sure that I would suffer too much indecision trying to decide which camera to take out with me!

 

[AlanC]

A matter of hours before Panasonic's presentation at CES, and you've just been to Japan...

What do you know, Paul?

 

[xaviergut]

Well maybe I’m mad, but I bought a lightly used S1 for a bargain price! I’ve come to really appreciate the S1R body and the S5 sensor, so the path to take was obvious!

Great purchase! I would like to know if the sensor of the Lumix S1 is the same as the sensor of the original Leica SL. On the cined.com podcast they said that the original Leica SL is becoming a cult camera among videographers and photographers because absolutely no noise reduction is applied to the images produced by that sensor. In the following models of the Leica SL (SL2 and SL3) noise reduction is applied even if that function is disabled.

The problem is that it still costs around €1,800 on the second-hand market...

 

[RBecker]

Hi Paul, I love the S1R body too, the handling is much better than with my S5. Seems like someone used my hand to design the S1R body…
Just the weight is horrible for longer use and the biggest problem. The smaller S5 fits not so well in my hand.

I also thought about an additional S1 body (maybe to convert for Astro). But then I decided for a S5II as additional body and so my S5 is in the shop to be converted. For me the AF of the S1R/S5 was ok, I know where I have problems and I can deal with it. But the AF of the S5II is really way better, could not believe that the difference is so big…

I still want to convert a camera for Infrared and the S1 could be a cheap option in the future. AF is not so important for landscapes, but the weight still is! An IR body is so,ethimg to carry as add-on, you never know if you will need it or not. So a big and heavy body is not the first solution.

 

[RBecker]

Great purchase! I would like to know if the sensor of the Lumix S1 is the same as the sensor of the original Leica SL. On the cined.com podcast they said that the original Leica SL is becoming a cult camera among videographers and photographers because absolutely no noise reduction is applied to the images produced by that sensor. In the following models of the Leica SL (SL2 and SL3) noise reduction is applied even if that function is disabled.

The problem is that it still costs around €1,800 on the second-hand market...

It is a Leica…

The cheapest price for a used S1 was 700€ in good condition. That is an amount of money where you can start to think about buying one just for testing…

 

[pdk42]

Great purchase! I would like to know if the sensor of the Lumix S1 is the same as the sensor of the original Leica SL. On the cined.com podcast they said that the original Leica SL is becoming a cult camera among videographers and photographers because absolutely no noise reduction is applied to the images produced by that sensor. In the following models of the Leica SL (SL2 and SL3) noise reduction is applied even if that function is disabled.

The problem is that it still costs around €1,800 on the second-hand market...

As far as I understand it, the sensor in the S1 is the same as in the SL2s. The SL sensor is basically the same as in the original Q.

 

[Quentinquirelino]

As far as I understand it, the sensor in the S1 is the same as in the SL2s. The SL sensor is basically the same as in the original Q.

Yes, the S1 sensor, as well as the S5, the S1H, the SL2-S and even the S5II are all custom IMX410 sony semiconductor sensors.

The OG SL sensor is probably the same as the OG Q and the M10 and it's not produced by Sony semiconductor.

 

[Quentinquirelino]

Well maybe I’m mad, but I bought a lightly used S1 for a bargain price! I’ve come to really appreciate the S1R body and the S5 sensor, so the path to take was obvious!

I can totally understand. While smaller body are better for carrying. Bigger Bodys tend to make more fun for actual photographing. Also the better view finder, the better display and the better display folding mechanism are huge benefits.

 

[pdk42]

A matter of hours before Panasonic's presentation at CES, and you've just been to Japan...

What do you know, Paul?

Ha, ha

If only I knew. But I have to say the wait for the S1 ii is really l o o o o o n g !

 

[RuleOfThirds]

Can you tell me more why ? 'm just curious to your motivatoin, not being judgemental or anything like htat, I know it is not for size and weight cause it's the same size and even heavier. Only conclusion I could think of is that you would like the ergonomics of the s1r, but the resolution of the s5

Anyway, congratulations !!

 

[pdk42]

Can you tell me more why ? 'm just curious to your motivatoin, not being judgemental or anything like htat, I know it is not for size and weight cause it's the same size and even heavier. Only conclusion I could think of is that you would like the ergonomics of the s1r, but the resolution of the s5

Anyway, congratulations !!

It's exactly as you say. The S1R is great, but the files don't hold up as well as those from the S5 when shooting at high ISO or if subject to a lot of heavy PP. Basically, the 24Mp sensor produces files that are cleaner and more maleable in post processing than those from the S1R. This post I did sums it up really:

LIttle ISO test EM1.3 vs S1R vs S5

I was curious to see how well these three cameras performed now that we have modern NR techniques to help with noise. So, I took shots (in raw) at increasingly high ISOs with each camera and then used LR's "Enhance" NR feature to clean each image up as best I could. The scene was a dimly-lit...

l-mount-forum.com

So, my motivation is simply to have an S1-style body with the 24Mp sensor. I wouldn't have done it though if the S1 wasn't so ridiculously cheap now.

BTW, the S1 and S1R are pretty much identical in weight.

 

[AlanC]

The S1R is great, but the files don't hold up as well as those from the S5 when shooting at high ISO or if subject to a lot of heavy PP. Basically, the 24Mp sensor produces files that are cleaner and more maleable in post processing than those from the S1R.

Higher resolutions, stacked sensors, global shutters, even PDAF; they all seem to take a toll on the image quality at higher ISOs. I do wonder if we've hit the peak with the current generation of 24MP cameras, and with the pre-PDAF Panasonic S-series in particular.

 

[Jonathan-Mac]

Higher resolutions, stacked sensors, global shutters, even PDAF; they all seem to take a toll on the image quality at higher ISOs. I do wonder if we've hit the peak with the current generation of 24MP cameras, and with the pre-PDAF Panasonic S-series in particular.

Unfortunately read-out speed and AF speed currently take priority over image quality in sensor design, because video takes priority over photography. For the vast majority of photography it's hard to foresee a future where dynamic range is not the most important factor.

As for the S1, any camera is a good buy if the price is right. A quick scan shows the market price here in Spain for used S1s is about €900. I was very tempted by the S1 when I joined the L-mount and I'm sure I would have loved the more solid build quality but the lower weight and price of the S5 swayed me and I'm happy with the decision, though I strongly believe that the S5 build quality could be improved without increasing it's weight. Most important would be better sealing on the dials.

 

[Travis Butler]

I can totally understand. While smaller body are better for carrying. Bigger Bodys tend to make more fun for actual photographing. Also the better view finder, the better display and the better display folding mechanism are huge benefits.

I have to admit, I can't emotionally grasp this view. At all.

The S5 is at the upper limit of what I find comfortable to hold, and even with it my hand can shake from the weight if I'm tired. And leaving aside the weight, the controls are spaced about as far apart as I can find comfortable; any further apart and I'd have to make very uncomfortable stretches or keep shifting my grip. (When I was looking at FF, I tried a Nikon Z5 in addition to the S5, and I loathed the ergonomics; despite being about the same size as the S5, the controls required some very uncomfortable stretches.)

The S1 is enough larger that I'd be wrestling with it, not shooting with it.

 

[GeorgeHudetz]

Well maybe I’m mad, but I bought a lightly used S1 for a bargain price! I’ve come to really appreciate the S1R body and the S5 sensor, so the path to take was obvious!

Congrats. This is exactly what I did last spring - and for the same reasons - and I have no regrets. It's so nice to have exactly the same button layout, and button customizations, between the two bodies. Although I don't recall if you still have an S1R.

Sadly, my "pristine" S1 developed an issue - the shutter button at half-press seems to send out bad signals and the camera becomes unpredictable. Of course it decided to develop this malady while I was in the middle of an astro shoot. Was pulling my hair out, in the dark, which was good because that way nobody could see me, LOL.

Since then I've disabled AF for the shutter button - it's now set to strictly fire the shutter, and I use BBF only. Works fine, but I'll probably send it in to be fixed.

Enjoy that body!

 

[cascadian]

I also debated S1 vs S5 when I joined up. I chose correctly with the smaller body, but the S1 features were tempting. At the time of my deal an S1 would have been ~ $120 cheaper.

I accept a lower-rez EVF as enabling more shots per charge, but flipout screens aren't my favorite. I would love to see the S1 dual tilt screen on a lighter frame + a fast readout 30-36Mpx sensor. As I approach age 68 the S5 could be my last body though, and I'd have very few regrets.

 

[Jonathan-Mac]

I can totally understand. While smaller body are better for carrying. Bigger bodies tend to make more fun for actual photographing.

This is precisely the case for me. I'd buy the grip for the S5 if it weren't so ridiculously expensive.

 

[pdk42]

Congrats. This is exactly what I did last spring - and for the same reasons - and I have no regrets. It's so nice to have exactly the same button layout, and button customizations, between the two bodies. Although I don't recall if you still have an S1R.

Yes, I still have the S1R.

Sadly, my "pristine" S1 developed an issue - the shutter button at half-press seems to send out bad signals and the camera becomes unpredictable. Of course it decided to develop this malady while I was in the middle of an astro shoot. Was pulling my hair out, in the dark, which was good because that way nobody could see me, LOL.

Since then I've disabled AF for the shutter button - it's now set to strictly fire the shutter, and I use BBF only. Works fine, but I'll probably send it in to be fixed.

Back button AF is my default set up so it wouldn't bother me if this happened to any of my cameras.

Enjoy that body!

I am!