Panasonic’s Lumix S5 IIX might be the ultimate hybrid camera – but I can’t love it

Panasonic Lumix S5 IIX being held by DCW reviewer Jon Devo

(Image credit: Jon Devo)

I’ll admit it: Panasonic has never really been on my radar. Its reputation and the way it markets itself have just never connected with me, so I've never considered buying into the Lumix system. Which is a shame, really, because after spending some time with the Lumix S5 IIX, a camera I’d probably never have touched if a colleague hadn’t lent me one, I’ve found myself both impressed and conflicted.

On paper, it’s hard not to be impressed. The video specs alone make it one of the most powerful hybrid cameras at this price point. Internal V-log recording, 6K open gate capture at 30p, 5.9K ProRes RAW output via HDMI, and 4K at up to 120p. A feature list that feels almost absurd given the cost of the body.

Add in waveform monitoring, LUT support and the phase-detect autofocus that finally puts Lumix on level footing with Canon and Sony, and you start to see just how serious this camera is about video.

Then there’s the L-Mount Alliance, which suddenly opens up an entire world of lenses from Panasonic, Leica, Samyang, Viltrox and Sigma. That breadth of glass makes the system more flexible than most and it’s one of the strongest arguments for looking at Lumix seriously.

Panasonic Lumix S5 IIX product shot on a white background — (Image credit: Panasonic)

So is this the ultimate hybrid camera? In many ways, yes. It ticks the boxes, covers all the bases, and gives you a lot of camera for the money. And yet, I can’t help but feel like something is missing.

As much as I respect what it can do, the S5 IIX leaves me a little cold. It has precision, it has power, but it doesn’t have character; and for me, character is everything.

I don’t just want accuracy or technical perfection in my tools. I want quirks, unique characteristics and a certain quality that pulls me toward making pictures. Fujifilm has that with its Film Simulations. Hasselblad has it baked into color science. With the Lumix, I find myself struggling to feel anything beyond admiration of specs. It’s a camera I respect, but I’m not sure it’s one I could ever love.

That might be fine for many photographers and filmmakers. For anyone who wants a reliable workhorse that delivers top-tier results at an accessible price. But for me, the lack of character is a dealbreaker for the way I shoot. I want to reach for a camera because it excites me, not just because it performs.

The S5 IIX shows me that Panasonic is doing incredible things, and perhaps unfairly, I’d written it off before. But it also reminds me that sometimes the spec sheet isn’t enough.

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