Panasonic Lumix S5 IIX review: the video camera hiding in a stills body
Every video feature unlocked (internal ProRes, RAW output, USB-SSD recording) in a compact, affordable full-frame. Our score: 8.5 / 10 The handcuffs are off The S5 IIX is the S5 II with the video restrictions removed: 5.9K ProRes internal, RAW over HDMI, recording straight to a USB SSD, All-Intra codecs. It is a lot of filmmaking capability for the price. Autofocus finally arrived This generation added phase-detect autofocus, which was the single thing keeping Lumix off short-film and documentary shortlists. Now it belongs there. The good and the bad What works Internal ProRes and RAW output Record to a USB SSD Phase-detect AF at last Excellent value for the feature set What doesn’t Stealth-black body only, no top display Stills burst rate is average Native lens selection smaller than Sony’s Who it’s for Buy it if you shoot short films, docs or commercial video and want maximum capability per dollar. Skip it if you are primarily a stills shooter or need the deepest lens ecosystem. Alternatives worth a look Sony A7 IV, better hybrid balance, fewer video codecs. Panasonic Lumix S5 II, same camera, video limits, cheaper. The verdict: One of the best value hybrid cameras on the market, weighted hard toward video. Sources Panasonic Lumix