48 6 July 2019 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113
Testbench IN THE FIELD
that isn’t cumbersome or tiring.
For me, one of the biggestadvantages of a mirrorless camera is
setting the EVF to constant preview,
meaning the exposure set is constantly
shown in the viewfinder (and rear
screen). I can see the results I’m getting
in tricky lighting without the need of
multiple spot metering or having to
waste time chimping results. I also
found shooting with manual focus
lenses a breeze. I bought several
Novoflex body adapters from
Speedgraphic for my Leica M and R
lenses. The focus peaking and option to
magnify user-selected points using the
joystick means focusing using the EVF
is swift and accurate, even when using
unforgiving lenses like the Leica M
50mm Noctilux, wide open at f/0.95.
Of course, the other way to compose
an image is to use the rear LCD. This
was something I rarely did before, but
I found myself using the S1R’s rear
screen more and more, especially when
shooting from a tripod. Just like the EVF
it’s crystal clear and accurate and
the touch ability speeds up using the
camera in a multitude of ways. I also
found the ruggedly engineered triaxial
tilt screen quick to use in the real world.
When I started initial tests on the S1
prototype, I was somewhat worried at
having only one battery, so I always
carried two external power banks as
the camera helpfully allows in-camera
charging using its USB-C port. My
worries soon evaporated as I realised
Colleagues more scientific than I am
compared it to the likes of the Zeiss
Otus and Sony Planar T*, concluding
that technically it outshines them both.
I’m very much a lens snob, but in 30
years of professional photography,
will go as far as saying this is the best
50mm lens I have used.
I’m thrilled that Panasonic has also
launched an essential service to help
back up the S1R, called Lumix Pro.
Getting back up and working again if
there are any issues with equipment is
crucial and the international network of
professional-grade support is essential
and is a service open to all owners.Some considerations
The S1R, with its high-res 47.3MP
CMOS sensor, which itself almost feels
miniature when compared to the simply
astonishing photographs the camera
produces in its high-resolution mode
of 187MP (343.2MB compared to its
standard 69.6MB), needs some special
care in use and planning.I was shooting around 900 frames and
still had power left. The S1R is a little
more power hungry, but in real-world
assignment shooting, I get around 700
frames, even with the camera’s sleep
set to 10 minutes and not switching the
camera off, with plenty of power left.
Only on the very busiest of days have I
found the need to change batteries.
I’ve been shooting extensively with the
Lumix S 24-105mm F4 Macro OIS ‘kit
lens’ for five months. While not a
Leica-certified lens like the Lumix S Pro
50mm F1.4 or the Lumix S Pro
70-200mm F4 OIS, it’s superbly
capable and very versatile. The S Pro
70-200mm also doesn’t disappoint,
with sharp with beautiful rendering and
fast and smooth in use. However for me,
the S Pro 50mm F1.4 is the real star. I
love prime lenses and the 50mm and
35mm are my favoured focal lengths.
Over dinner at the S-series launch,
Yosuke Yamane-san, director of
Panasonic’s Imaging Network Business
Division, told me that the brief to the
engineers was simply to ‘make the best
50mm lens you can’. As soon as I took
my first shot, it was abundantly clear
that the designers had succeeded in
making a reference lens. It’s a lens that
lets me shoot with technical perfection,
yet also with artistic expression. While
I was initially put off by its size and
weight, after that first shot, I realised
how special the lens was in its no-
compromise reach for perfection
and completely fell for its charms.Panasonic’s Lumix S
24-105mm F4 Macro
OIS lens has a minimum
focusing distance of 30cm
Panasonic Lumix S 24-105mm F4
Macro OIS, 1/125sec at f/4.5, ISO 1250‘When I started initial tests on the S1 prototype, I
was somewhat worried at having only one battery’