Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 II

The Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 II is a full-frame mirrorless camera released in 2023. It uses the Leica L mount, and its body measures 134 x 102 x 90 mm and weighs 740 grams. Framing is through an electronic viewfinder.

It also records video at up to 6K, which makes it a practical choice for photographers who want one camera for stills and footage.

Daily ownership involves a weather-sealed body, two SD card slots and a rechargeable Li-ion battery you can top up over USB.

A 24-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor anchors the stills side of the camera. That resolution leaves room to crop and still make large prints, while the ISO range runs from 100 to 51200 to cover bright daylight through dim interiors.

In-body stabilisation counters camera shake, letting you shoot handheld at slower shutter speeds than you otherwise could. It steadies your hands rather than a moving subject, so it helps most with static scenes, interiors and low-light work where a tripod is inconvenient.

Focusing uses 779 autofocus points, and bursts run at a maximum of 9 frames per second. That peak rate suits short action sequences, while the shutter reaches 1/8000 second for brief exposures in strong light.

Lenses attach via the Leica L mount, so the lenses available to you follow that system. Planning your first lenses alongside the body makes sense, since the mount shapes the kit you build over time.

The Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 II records video at up to 6K, its maximum recording resolution. That gives footage detail that survives cropping and reframing in the edit, and leaves resolution to spare if you finish at lower resolutions.

Frame-rate support includes 120fps, which allows slow-motion footage when clips play back at standard rates. That is a separate capability from 6K resolution, giving different options for detail and motion.

Clips record as MOV or MPEG-4 files. A built-in timelapse mode also gives you an in-camera option for interval sequences.

The screen is a 3-inch LCD with 2,360,000 dots. It responds to touch and flips out from the body, providing direct on-screen control and helping with low, high or awkward framing angles.

The body is weather sealed, which helps it cope with dust and damp outdoors. Sealing is not waterproofing, so it is still worth shielding the camera in heavy rain. There is no built-in flash, but an external flash is supported when you need added light.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are both present for wireless connection to other devices, and live view is available for composing on the screen. GPS is absent, so location data has to be added another way if you need it.

Two slots take SD, SDHC and SDXC cards. You can load two cards before a shoot and keep the same card family in both slots.

The rechargeable Li-ion battery carries a rating of 370 shots per charge. A charged spare is sensible for busy shooting days.

USB charging lets you top the battery up between shoots. A charged spare remains useful when continuous work leaves little time to stop.