Panasonic cameras had a big 2025 for full-frame and video camcorders, but Micro Four Thirds was left out in the cold

With not one, not two but three new cameras arriving in the Lumix S line, Panasonic has had a big year for full-frame. Its Lumix S1R flagship rocketed up the rankings as the new hybrid camera to beat, while the Lumix S1 II set new standards for shooting speeds, with its brother the Lumix S1 IIE providing a more affordable alternative.

However, 2025 was also a notable year for Panasonic in terms of what we didn’t see. It was a very quiet time for Micro Four Thirds, with no new cameras since the arrival of the minorly updated Lumix G97 in December last year, and no new lenses either. And anyone who was hoping for a new Lumix compact in the vein of the ZS99 / TZ99 would be disappointed, as all was quiet on that front too.

So, aside from the arrival of a few new camcorders, it was very much a year of eggs in one basket as far as Panasonic was concerned – but hey, they were good eggs. Let’s take a closer look back at everything that came out of the Panasonic Lumix labs this year.

January: High-end camcorders are back, baby

Panasonic wasted no time after the 2025 starting gun was fired, dropping not one, not two, but four new top-spec camcorders in January. The AG-CX20, HC-X2100, HC-X1600 and HC-X1200 were all 4K 60p beasts equipped with 24x zoom lenses and built-in 5-axis stabilisation systems.

The manufacturer also promised that more camcorders would be coming in the future (a promise that, spoilers, was kept), indicating that it was seeing a promising future in this market. And with even the most basic of the models starting at $1,299 / £1,099, it was clearly the pro end where Panasonic saw promise.

February: The new king hybrid flagship?

The world of full-frame mirrorless hybrid photo/video cameras is a fiercely competitive place – but Panasonic truly threw down a gauntlet in February with the unveiling of the Lumix S1R II. Bringing a top-line video resolution of 8K and a raft of video codec options, as well as a 44MP sensor with 40fps burst shooting, it aimed to provide everything that a hybrid shooter could conceivably need in a lightweight package – and at a starting price of $3,299 / £2,999, it significantly undercut comparable flagships from the likes of Canon and Sony.

Our reviews editor Gareth Bevan awarded the S1R II an impressive 4.5 stars in our review, describing it as, ‘a much-needed refresh of its flagship camera, putting it firmly back atop the tree in Panasonic’s mirrorless lineup as both the highest resolution model and with the best video specs.’

There was also another announcement from Panasonic in February, albeit with not quite the same fanfare. The Lumix Flow app was an interesting proposition, designed to help videographers manage their entire workflow, from storyboard to shot-list – and it could still be used even without a Panasonic camera. Though if it were used with a particular compatible camera – say, the S1R II – it could turn a smartphone into a monitor!

April: Promises kept

Well, they did say there would be more camcorders. In April, Panasonic added another powerful pro-spec camcorder to its blossoming line-up – the AG-CX370. A successor to the popular CX350, it arrived sporting a 12G SDI output enabling simultaneous 4K output over SDI and HDMI, adding more flexibility for shooting live events or multi-output setups.

The addition of a Genlock input also upgraded the camcorder’s capability for synced multi-camera setups, and audio was upgraded with four independently controllable input channels, including two XLRs and a stereo mini-jack.

May: A full-frame trio

As if the Lumix S series hadn’t already had enough love, in May we saw a brand new duo of full-frame cameras. The Panasonic Lumix S1 II was yet another photo/video hybrid mirrorless camera, this one with an emphasis firmly on speed. With a stacked sensor design enabling 70fps burst shooting, the Lumix S1 II also offered 6K open-gate (3:2) video, with its near-instant readout speeds effectively banning rolling shutter. Though with a starting price of $3,199 / £2,899, it sat above many of its rivals – something of a surprise, given Panasonic’s reputation for competitive pricing.

That was where the Lumix S1 IIE entered the picture. It was essentially the same deal as the Lumix S1, only without the partially stacked image sensor and with a lower price tag, starting at $2,498 / £2,399. Sure, it couldn’t achieve quite the same blistering speeds, but with 30fps burst and 6K video on tap, it was hardly what you’d call a slowpoke. Check out our full breakdown of the Lumix S1 II vs S1 IIE if you want the complete picture of the differences between the two.

Also arriving in May was a new lens for the full-frame line-up – the Lumix S 24-60mm f2.8. Half the weight of a standard 24-70mm f/2.8 workhorse lens, and available at a considerably lower price, this lens looked to be an excellent travel companion. This was borne out in our full review, with our lens expert Matthew Richards praising the 24-60mm f2.8 for its ‘high-end handling and impressive all-round performance.’

September: The new longest zoom

More treats arrived for Lumix S users in September, with the Lumix S 100-500mm f/5-7.1 O.I.S. being the longest, most powerful zoom lens yet for the L-mount. Providing excellent image quality all the way through its zoom range, the 100-500mm highly impressed Gareth in his full review. He singled out for particular praise its absolutely outstanding stabilization, delivering up to seven effective stops of compensation to make the long end of the focal range genuinely viable for handheld shooting – though he didn’t notice much difference from the much-trumpeted new Tight-Smooth zoom ring.

Also new in September – Panasonic teased a box camera that it described, in somewhat grandiose manner, as ‘the future of video production’. The Panasonic AK-UBX100 was a box-style 4K multipurpose camera that could also be used as a studio camera or a PTZ remote-controlled camera. Three separate camera-types in one! To date, this teaser is all the info we’ve had, so we’ll have to wait and see whether this new device lives up to its lofty promises.

And that was that for Panasonic’s 2025! (Well, there was the natty Titanium Gold version of the Lumix S9, but given that only 200 of them were made, that can hardly be considered a significant release). A big year for the full-frame Lumix S crowd, but nothing for Micro Four Thirds, and no new compacts. Will this pattern change in 2026? I'm betting there are a fair few MFT shooters who are hoping so!

Check out our guide to the best Panasonic cameras and the best camcorders