Rumors The latest from L-Rumors: S9ii, S5iii, S1Hii

[DMhalamaha]

When I first saw the images and specifications of the Panasonic Lumix S1RII, I was honestly disappointed that the body design followed so closely to the smaller Panasonic Lumix S5II style.
I truly appreciate that Panasonic is moving toward more compact systems and expanding the L-Mount ecosystem with a wider variety of lenses and cameras. That’s important. But I also believe there should still be a clear separation between entry-level, compact, and flagship bodies — not only in performance, but also in ergonomics and professional usability.
I miss the top LCD display — a feature still present on many cameras in this class from Sony, Canon, Nikon, and Fujifilm. For me, it’s not just nostalgia; it’s part of a fast and intuitive workflow.
I’m not against compact bodies at all. In fact, I’d love to see the lineup evolve in every direction: compact cameras like a future S9 with an EVF, entry-level full-frame cameras, and true professional flagships in the spirit of the S1 series.
But functionality should remain functionality. Personally, smaller control dials and simplified ergonomics reduce comfort and slow down the shooting experience.
I really hope that a future S1H II — especially as a video-focused flagship — will at least move closer to this kind of design philosophy, something I personally feel is missing from both the S1RII and the rumored S1 II.

 

[Travis Butler]

But functionality should remain functionality. Personally, smaller control dials and simplified ergonomics reduce comfort and slow down the shooting experience.

I couldn’t disagree more! For me, the S5 is about as big as I can comfortably shoot with; anything larger requires uncomfortable stretches to reach the controls. So I was very glad to see their professional line move to a size that handles well for me.

For me, functionality is a combination of ‘what it can do’ and ‘how well can it do it.’ I get very annoyed when people equate functionality with ‘large size’; because for me ‘large size’ is the opposite of functional.