The Panasonic Lumix S5 and S9 have dropped to their lowest ever price – and even the newer S5 II is a steep $400 off

(Image credit: Adam Duckworth)

The Panasonic S5 is a full-frame mirrorless camera at an affordable price that’s just as good for video as it is stills – and the camera just dropped to an even more tantalizing price. The Panasonic S5 is temporarily $550 off at several retailers, making it the lowest price yet for US shoppers. Discounts across Panasonic cameras and lenses also push the compact S9 mirrorless back down to its lowest ever price and knock $400 off the newer S5 II. The deals are scheduled to expire at midnight EST on July 19.

Panasonic’s mirrorless cameras are known for being just as robust in video features as they are in stills, and steep discounts on both Panasonic bodies and lenses make it a very tempting time to start building out a kit full of Panasonic gear.

When I first tried the Panasonic S5, I was impressed by the camera’s comfortable grip, solid image quality, and long list of video features at a reasonable price point. The S5 has now been outdone by the S5 II, but the introduction of the camera’s big brother pushes the original camera’s price to an even more budget-friendly level. That makes the S5 a tempting choice for budget shoppers and beginners looking for a mirrorless camera with a large sensor but without a large price tag.

While the S5 is an excellent budget buy, photographers looking for faster autofocus performance, customizable in-camera color, and 6K video should look at the Panasonic S5 II instead. For another $300, the S5 II offers much faster autofocus performance with hybrid autofocus technology instead of contrast-detection. But one of my favorite features on the S5 II is the camera’s colors. The S5 II has some lovely color profiles built in and also includes the option for creators to load custom LUTs for color-grading in camera for both photos and stills.

The Panasonic S5 II would be my choice among the brand’s current full-frame mirrorless line-up because it has beautiful colors in-camera and faster autofocus compared to the original S5. That may not be worth the $300 price difference for some budget shoppers, but if you want great colors with minimal editing or if you shoot fast-moving subjects, the S5 II is the better buy. If you need a kit lens, add $300 to the price. Multiple retailers offer the discount, but B&H has it bundled with one of my favorite messenger bags at no added cost.

Read the full Panasonic Lumix S5 II review

While the Panasonic S5 series is my favorite among the brand’s full-frame options for its balance between features, price, and an ergonomic design, photographers needing something tiny yet powerful may want to consider the Panasonic Lumix S9. The S9 is designed for travel, as well as a simple usability for beginners and influencers. It’s an impressively small camera body considering the full-frame sensor packed inside.

The Panasonic S9 is back down to its lowest price with a $200 discount at several retailers. The S9 is an excellent option for creatives prioritizing a small design and beginners looking for a capable camera that’s easy to learn. The S9, however, lacks the large grip and viewfinder of the S5 series. Newbies can pick up the camera with a kit lens, case, and memory card for about $1,500, while those with a stash of L-Mount lenses already – or the desire to customize the kit with one of the best L-Mount lenses – can pick up the S9 body-only for about $1,300.

Read the full Panasonic Lumix S9 review

Creatives building out a kit can also find a handful of L-Mount lenses on sale, including $100 off DCW’s favorite Macro lens, the Panasonic Lumix S 100mm f/2.8 Macro. The five-star Lumix S 14-28mm f/4-5.6 Macro is also $100 off, and the four-star versatile Lumix S 24-105mm f/4 Macro OIS is $200 off.

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