The first rumored specs for the Panasonic Lumix S1H II have just dropped, and it looks like one of the brand’s best 4K cameras might be getting an upgrade to 8K video.
Panasonic’s Lumix S1H is one of our favorite video cameras and is one of the cheapest models that’s approved by Netflix for use in productions. But it sounds like the S1H II could be a significant step up, if the rumors are to be believed.
The specs picked up by L-Rumors indicate that the upcoming camera could capture 8K video at 24p. On top of that, the camera might be able to capture 6K at a max of 60p, 4K at 180p, and FHD at 300p – an improvement over the Lumix S1H that could only achieve 6K/24p and 4K/60p.
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There are a couple of details that make us a little sketchy about the leak as it currently stands though. Most notably, while the specs boast the Panasonic Lumix S1H II will be able to produce 8K/24p video, it will apparently come with a 24MP full frame sensor – the same as the original Panasonic Lumix S1H.
You need a 33MP sensor (at least) to pull off 8K recordings, which suggests that not all the rumored specs are going to be accurate.. That said, Panasonic has previously stated its interest in creating 8K consumer cameras, so a step up to that resolution certainly isn’t off the cards. We imagine this will be the first of many Lumix S1H II leaks too, as time goes on more specific details about the sensor should change.
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The rumored 8K video recording capabilities of the Panasonic Lumix S1H II might be the most standout feature, but the speculation gives us a fairly enticing picture of what videographers might be able expect;
For one, the Panasonic Lumix S1H II could come packaged with an upgraded version of DFD AF (depth-from-defocus autofocus) – Panasonic’s own brand of contrast-detect AF technology – as well keeping V-Log - a tool that gives videographers better control over the image appearance during the editing stage.
Perhaps more realistically, the rumors suggest that the Lumix S1H II’s 24MP sensor (if that is indeed what the camera comes with) will have at least 14 stops of dynamic range, and an IBIS (in-body image stabilization) system that’s good for 6.5 stops of compensation . These features will also apparently add a little extra bulk to the S1H’s body, though exactly how much isn’t yet clear.
Given the contradiction between the sensor resolution and supposed 8K video recording in these rumors, plus the fact that L-Rumors has branded them as a “rumor from an unknown source”, this speculation should certainly be taken with a hefty pinch of salt. But it certainly opens up an interesting discussion about what Panasonic might be able to pack into a sequel to the S1H, a video camera that arrived way back in August 2019.
