Lumix S1 II

Panasonic's most convincing, and expensive, all-rounder

- Gareth Bevan

The original Lumix S1 was launched in 2019 as Panasonic's do-it-all full-frame mirrorless, alongside more specialist siblings, the high-resolution S1R and the video-centric S1H.

Now Panasonic is revitalising its flagship S1 line, with the arrival of its second-generation Lumix S1R II and now the Lumix S1 II. The Lumix S1 II looks almost identical to its 47MP S1R II sibling, sharing the same durable magnesium alloy body, deep grip and control layout, but under the hood, it's a different beast. With specs including a newly developed 24.1MP full-frame partially stacked BSI CMOS sensor enabling 70fps bursts, 779-point Phase Hybrid AF with Al subject detection, 5.1K/6K video up to 60p and eight-stop in-body stabilisation, it is tailored for speed. Panasonic's camera strategy is all about hybrid performance. The Lumix S5 II and Lumix S5 IIX showed the benefits of combining strong stills and video capabilities in affordable bodies. Now, the Lumix S1 II arrives as a flagship hybrid that attempts to merge the best of the S1, S1R and S1H into one top-end camera — while still allowing those cameras to shine on their own merits. But with so many cameras in Panasonic's lineup, is the S1 II still the best of the best or just one of many?

Build and handling