Panasonic Lumix S1II vs S1IIE: What are the actual differences?

Trying to work out the Panasonic Lumix S1II vs S1IIE differences? You're not alone!

Panasonic's lineup can be quite confusing, with very similarly named products having very similarly specced features (see also the S5II vs S5IIX), so it can be difficult to discern what's different between the Panasonic Lumix S1II vs S1IIE.

The variations are minor but important, for both stills specialists and video shooters. So here's a quick look at how the two models differ.

Panasonic Lumix S1II vs S1IIE: Commonalities

Firstly the physical dimensions are identical, with both cameras measuring 134.3 x 102.3 x 91.8 mm.

Likewise, the bodies have the same external components – sharing the same 5.76 million-dot electronic viewfinder and 1.84 million-dot articulating touchscreen.

In terms of durability, both cameras are weather-sealed and will operate in temperatures from 14°F to 104°F / 10°C to 40°C. The lifespan of their shutter mechanisms is rated at 400,000 actuations.

Both bodies have dual memory card slots, one SD and one CFexpress Type B, and supports 5.8K 30p / C4K 60p Apple ProRes RAW HQ / ProRes RAW internal recording to the latter.

Internally they share the same Venus Engine for image processing, along with the same Phase Hybrid autofocus system (with 779-point phase and 315-area contract detection) and new Urban Sports algorithm (for breakdancing, skateboarding and parkour).

The 5-axis image stabilization system is also mirrored across both cameras, with 8 stops of compensation at the center and 7 stops at the periphery (along with 7-stop center, 7-stop periphery Dual IS 2).

All other shooting and movie specs are the same in the S1II as they are in the S1IIE, from the 6K 30p open gate to the ability to purchase a key for Arri LogC3 – with the following important exceptions…

Panasonic Lumix S1II vs S1IIE: Differences

While the lion's share of specs between the Panasonic Lumix S1II vs S1IIE are the same, there are key differences in the price, sensor type, continuous shooting speeds, video resolution, battery life and weight. These are as follows:

Panasonic Lumix S1II vs S1IIE: Verdict

The Panasonic Lumix S1II, as the slightly more expensive camera, has higher horsepower in the form of its stacked sensor, producing more performance in terms of a faster burst rate for photos and higher frame rates for video.

While the Panasonic Lumix S1IIE is more affordable and less powerful, thanks to having a standard (non-stacked) sensor, it has slightly superior battery life and is ever so slightly lighter.

Essentially, if you want to be able to shoot stills at 70fps and you need 5.9K 60p, 4K 120p and FullHD 240p for video, go for the S1II.

But if you're happy shooting 30fps stills and 5.9K 30p, 4K 30p and FullHD 120p video, it's the S1IIE.

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