Panasonic just announced a new camera: Lumix S9. I’ve never touched or seen the Panasonic Lumix S9 in person. I’ve only seen reviews of it, such as the Chris Niccolls writeup on PetaPixel. I have a few quick thoughts that I want to share with you, before returning to the regularly scheduled programming.
Many years ago I used to own a Panasonic camera, but only briefly, because I didn’t care for it. It was one of their low-budget models, so maybe if I had something higher-end I would have liked it better. I’m sure I would think much differently about the S9; however, I don’t have much of a personal interest in the brand. If they ceased making cameras, I probably wouldn’t even notice. The S9 only crossed my radar because I might be the reason that it exists.
The Lumix S9 is specifically intended to appeal to those waiting for a Fujifilm X100VI, but are on a really long waitlist. There’s a vague retro rangefinder styling that might from a distance look similar to the Fujifilm X-E4. It has a 24mp full-frame sensor. More interestingly, it has LUTs, a LUT button, and a LUT app. Panasonic intended this camera for those who want straight-out-of-camera film-like results. We’ll get to that in just a moment.
There are some serious design issues that make the camera a compromise. I think they wanted it to be in a certain size and price point to appeal to potential Fujifilm customers, but they had to strip it down in order to do so. There’s no viewfinder—optical or electronic—which means you’ll have to compose everything on the LCD. That’s ok sometimes—Ricoh GR cameras are that way—but it’s definitely not ideal. There’s no grip—not even a small one—which is ok if the lens is small and lightweight, but not for most of the lenses available for the camera. You won’t find a joystick. Most severely, the S9 doesn’t have a mechanical shutter, so it isn’t a good option for artificial light or quickly moving objects. I don’t like the PASM mode dial, and wish it had retro controls.
Like I said, I have not seen or touched the S9 in person, but it seems like a full-frame version of the Fujifilm X-A5; however, it has IBIS, while the X-A5 doesn’t. Still, there are enough similarities that, in my opinion, the X-A5 is the model people should be focusing their comparisons towards, and not the X100VI. Between the X-A5 and the S9, the S9 wins, but you can buy the old Fujifilm for less than $500, while the S9 will cost you $1,500.
Now back to the LUTs, perhaps the defining feature of the Lumix S9. Those who edit videos are probably quite familiar with LUTs; however, it’s not nearly as well-known or well-understood in the still photography world (and it’s not the same as a film simulation, either). LUTs are presets that overlay (preferably flat) videos or images. Let’s say you captured a photograph using the Eterna film simulation with Highlight, Shadow, and Color all set to -4, then later added a filter to that JPEG to add in contrast and color—that’s what a LUT does. The S9 has the ability to store and apply LUTs to both videos and still photographs in-camera.
This isn’t a new feature for Panasonic, but what is new is that the LUTs can now be added to the camera wirelessly via an app (Fujifilm should do this with Recipes). There’s a library of LUTs available on the app, plus you can create your own. A button on the camera activates the on-camera LUT library. This is a bold move by Panasonic, one that takes direct aim at Fujifilm, and is intended to lure potential (or maybe even current) Fujifilm customers. They want a Recipe-like movement for their own brand.
There are a few reasons why, in my opinion, it won’t catch on. First, the S9 is too stripped down to be taken seriously. Sure, people will buy it, but it won’t be a trendy camera. Second, “LUT” is far less imaginative and romantic than “film simulation”—aside from that, Panasonic doesn’t have the vast experience manufacturing analog emulsions like Fujifilm does. Third, creating your own Film Simulation Recipe is far less complicated (but can still be complicated) than creating your own LUT. Fourth, there are more Recipes available for Fujifilm cameras than there are LUTs available for Panasonic.
With all of that said, I think it’s great that Panasonic is trying this out. More and more, photographers are relying on camera-made JPEGs, and are editing less and less. I think that’s wonderful! The stigma of “you must shoot RAW; only amateurs use JPEGs” is rightfully melting away. I think it’s only a matter of time before camera companies team up with RNI, Alien Skin, VSCO, etc., and offer film-like presets in-camera. Fujifilm has a film heritage that allowed them to build it from the ground up and achieve convincing results. They’re pioneers and leaders in all this, and now it’s catching on.
However—and I had a conversation with someone about this today—would film simulations be the big deal that they are today if not for Fuji X Weekly and Film Simulation Recipes? Would the Panasonic Lumix S9 exist without this community? Probably not. That’s an incredible honor! It goes to show that there’s something to all this—a rising tide that is affecting all of photography, and not just those with X-series models. It will definitely be interesting to see what happens in the next few years: with Fujifilm, Panansonic, and all the other brands who are sure to try their own take on film simulations and Recipes.
No viewfinder. No manual controls. Costs almost as much as a used X-Pro3 (and more than an X-pro2). Hard pass.
Panasonic seems to have at least partially misunderstood the appeal of Fujifilm cameras to their users.
I think they’ve significantly misunderstood the appeal of Fujifilm cameras. Thanks for the feedback!
Full frame and cheaper than an X-Pro3? Real-time LUT(s)? L mount glass? A decent battery? Improved autofocus? 5 axis IBIS? Recipes on the fly from your phone? There are a lot of features in this camera that will appeal to many (all features that I wished I had in my X-Pros), and if I were Fuji I’d be getting worried about releases like this. I think it’s Fujifilm that has overestimated their own appeal and the Fujifilm cache will only carry them so far. Sooner or later a manufacturer is going to release a small, affordable, fun, full frame banger that really get it right and steals even more market share than the Zf has.
I don’t see the S9 as an appealing camera to attract X-Pro3 users. I could see an X-A5 user being drawn to it as an upgrade, but not an X-Pro3. They’re so different: apples/oranges and all.
I don’t think Fujifilm is concerned, or at least I wouldn’t be if I were Fujifilm—I certainly don’t speak on their behalf. I reached out to 10 random photographers (whom I’ve spoken to before), and asked their opinion on the Panasonic camera. Six of the responses were either that they weren’t aware that Panasonic was still making cameras or “who cares about Panasonic.” None of the 10 had any interest in trying the S9. So I don’t think there’s even the slightest worry.
One issue is that they chose to use the acronym “LUT” which is too similar to another word that starts with S. Add to that the camera’s name starting with S… and you get the S9LUT. You can see why that won’t catch on. They should have chosen a different name: preset, filter, film, anything other than LUT.
The Zf hasn’t affected Fujifilm’s sales, even a little. Fujifilm is more popular today than ever before and growing. The Zf has mostly sold to Nikon shooters. Yes, some Fujifilm photographers have added it to their collection, but it is a pretty divergent experience from Fujifilm. I haven’t heard any Fujifilm photographer tell me that they prefer Nikon’s retro implementation, only that they’ve done this or that to make it work for them. Fujifilm isn’t in the full-frame market, so the cameras occupy different market segments. In my opinion, the X-T5 is better than the Zf in most ways, but again, they’re not intended to directly compete against each other, so it doesn’t matter all that much.
The one thing that I think Fujifilm could take away from the S9 is the app. Being able to load looks directly to the camera wirelessly is an idea that they should totally steal.
There are a few odd decisions. No way to have headphones to monitor audio. I can understand no viewfinder if trying to keep it small, but no option for an external viewfinder (on a camera this small, it might actually make sense to go external!). Coldshoe so no XLR for the big videoheads.
I won’t hold against them the PASM dial–it’s not my favorite style, but it’s not the end of the world. But the fact that there’s only one real dial (the other is a thumb wheel that’s also the d-pad) is a big miss. Some L-Mount lenses have aperture rings (I’d strongly consider the Sigma 90/2.8 if it was available for Fuji), but many don’t, and it’s not like Canon where the lenses all have custom control rings. Any PASM camera needs at least two dials, or a dial and a rocker switch, to make manual mode something other than a nightmare.
But it has X-Pan. It has 65:24.
Yeah, I’d rather just get an S5, too.
LUTs aren’t worth the compromises. This, the Nikon z30, the Sony ZV-1f and ZV-1 mark2… lots of neat core concepts, but the execution is just so cheap that they don’t really do what they were trying to do. Too few controls. Too few physical outputs. Gains in one place matched with two steps back.
Contrast the X-T50. While it feels a tad pricey compared to the X-T5 considering there’s no WR and the specs are near identical, it’s still a very good camera without huge omissions. Even the most controversial aspect– the film sim dial–has a lot going for it as is, once folks get the hang of it, and all it would take is a single firmware update to shut all the reddit whiners up about it. When Fuji attempts to do something, they get it done. Unless it’s timely delivery of pre-orders, but better late and right than flawed on time.
It’s still shocking to me that the 40mp X-Trans cameras don’t have 65:24. To me that’s an obvious and easy thing for Fujifilm to implement. I hope that changes at some point in the future.
This LUT thing will be compatible with S5II and G9II – full featured panasonic bodies with real time LUT feature. (at least this is what i understood from official Lumix Lab video on their YT channel)
I have S5II and LUT feature is really being slept on..
The reason why LUT won’t ever catch on like Recipes have for Fujifilm is marketing: it sounds too much like another word that begins with an S. Add to that Panasonic’s use of S in their naming system, and it is a disaster. I think the subconscious already picks up on it; all it takes is one influencer to say it out loud and that’s the end of it for Panasonic. How many people will want a S9LUT camera? 😮 🤣
You might be surprised 😀
I currently have 2 cameras – original X-T30 with 35 1.4 and Lumix S5II with a 28-70 2.8 zoom. They are both JPEG powerhouses for sure.
I think that the danger for Fujifilm is not in the camera, but in the app. If they make the app compatible with other full featured Panasonic cameras, and people start making LUTs in the app, that could be a big plus for Panasonic users.
I have seen very little of the app, but it looks like it will be very easy to make new LUTs and, of course, you can always use those made by other people. Sharing LUTs can be the winner horse for Panasonic here. It can’t be done as easily with Fujifilm cameras: look for a film simulation in an app, choose it and download it directly to the camera. That is a very smart movement by Panasonic.
And you can have more than 30 LUTs in the camera. And call them just pressing a button. Fujifilm should have done this years ago.
Fujifilm must learn something about all these things.
I don’t think there’s any danger for Fujifilm. Panasonic is a bit of a fringe player in the camera market. However, I do believe that Fujifilm can learn from Panasonic, being able to load and store Recipes in the X App would be huge.
Where Panasonic went wrong was in the use of the word LUT. It’s largely accepted and understood in the video world, but much less so in the still photography world. Unfortunately for Panasonic, trying to make a term trendy that sounds just like another word that begins with S will be be no easy task for them, especially when the camera is named with an S. They should have chosen a different word: preset, filter, overlay, film—anything would have been better than LUT. For Panasonic, they’ve only created an association between their camera and the other word. All it will take is one influencer to say it out loud and they’re done.
Hello Ritchie,
I’ve been reading your blog for about 5 years and think it’s wonderful. Thank you for the many beautiful recipes and everything else in your blog. Today I’m writing here for the first time. I’ve been using the Fuji This should happen directly in the camera if possible. And that’s how I came to your site.
I’ve been following what Panasonic is offering with Real Time Luts for some time now and I’m really impressed by the possibilities. Ultimately, the possibilities here are almost unlimited and the new app also appears to be very good. With Fuji and Nikon you always quickly reach your limits.
I wouldn’t get so hung up on the word LUT. It’s just a word and nothing more. But I would also like to have what lies behind it from Fuji and especially Nikon.
Many warm greetings from Munich from Roman.
Panasonic is a bit player, so I don’t think there’s anything for Fujifilm to “worry” about; however, I think they could borrow from the app idea, and work on incorporating something similar (Recipes, not LUTs) into the X-App. A good idea is a good idea, no matter where it comes from.
LUT is (for the most part) merely an overlay, so it’s not the same as Fujifilm’s film sims and Recipes, which are integrated into the processing of the RAW data. I cannot say if there is a real-world difference, but in theory the Fujifilm pictures should have more of an “authentic” feel while the LUT pictures should have more of a digitally processed feel. I haven’t used a Panasonic with LUTs to have first-hand experience, but that’s what it seems when you view the pictures, so I think there is some truth to it.
The acronym LUT, especially when combined with an S camera, is a huge marketing mistake. It’s like when Chevy tried to sell the Nova in Spanish-speaking countries. They ended up renaming the car in those countries once they figured out why they didn’t sell well. Once an influencer vocally makes that connection between LUT and the other word (and its only a matter of time before one does), it’s game-over for Panasonic and LUTs. They really should have chosen a different name (or not put an S in the name of their camera), and it’s not too late for them on future models. That’s my free advice to them, should they happen to read this comment.
Watch Tudor Mateescu’s take on it. He doesn’t mince words lol. https://youtu.be/7aFF9wmi1m8?si=zXvJDHSULiHj5RHM
🤣 🤣
Thanks for sharing!
I have and am a FUJI shooter since the X-Pro1 (which I also still have) but the 65:24 XPan ratio and the LUTs did have me looking at the S9 until I realised there was no Viewfinder. I know the 65:24 ratio is on the GFX (but I worry that larger camera body would put me off picking it up – still keep looking at it though as I love that ratio and would love to shoot it native).
From your review it reads like the LUT feature doesnt support importing just any lut or cube file from the millions on the internet, is that correct? is the LUT feature just for LUT presets created specifically from and for the camera?
Is good to see competition but for now anyway Im still Fuji all the way – the cameras are a joy to use which is a huge factor for me.
Well, I wouldn’t call this writeup a review.
From what I understand, the LUTs have to be created with their software or app, and are only compatible with their cameras.
I do think that Fujifilm should add the 64:24 aspect ratio to their 40mp X-series cameras. Would be easy to do, I think, and would make a lot of people happy.
How it currently happens with S5II and G9II models – you put LUT file on your SD card and create a custom picture style, you can apply LUT on top if it. How it will eventually look is up to tinkering with other JPEG settings, but the general trend is, that most of the LUT are made to be used with LOG and rec.709 for video work. rec.709 should be usable for photo.
You can find a few user made LUT’s for photos, there is one on reddit that is based on Kodak Gold 200 film – it was specifically made to be used on top of the JPEG picture style that allows to add film grain, L.NeoClassic. This is by far the closest thing to ready-to-use film sim i was able to find online. This new Lumix App Lab should make the process of making and transfering much easier.
Definitely the app will make it more accessible. It won’t catch on for photos, though, just like Nikon Picture Control hasn’t caught on or Canon Picture Profile—those are much more major players than Panasonic. A big part is marketing, and it will take a ton of marketing to sell the idea of camera-applied LUTs for still photography. Step one for Panasonic should either be to use a name other than LUT or to not name their cameras “S”; that’s going to be a hinderance, like when Chevy tried to sell the Nova is Spanish-speaking countries.
– No Hot shoe (It’s a cold shoe)
– No Mic Jack
– No Viewfinder
– No Mechanical Shutter and a slow readout (Rolling shutter will be a thing)
– 15 mins video (4K)
– No weather sealing
I’m not beta testing for Panasonic…
I think, aside from the LUT/App thing, this is the least interesting full-frame camera released by anyone in a very long time. 🤣
I pre-orderd, it has limitations my main worry is can i work from a screen during day time but… Fuji has dropped the ball on simulations and software. AF is sub par, the app is a joke even the new one slow and buggy and that is with an X-H2 and an iPhone 15 Pro simulations are paywalled behind newer bodies even when the sensors are the same from gen to gen. Love my X-H2 I do but Fuji is getting too greedy and too complacent.
The closest Fujifilm camera to the S9 is the X-A5, it’s like a full-frame yet stripped down version of that camera. The LUTs and App are intriguing (but it won’t catch on). Otherwise, the S9 is the least interesting full-frame camera to be released in a really long time.
I don’t use the new X-App because I was able to get the old Cam Remote app to work consistently and reliably for me on my iPhone. I do believe that Fujifilm could do better with their apps, and hopefully they will.
I disagree with a lot of your comment. I do hope that you find something someday that you are happy with, whatever it may be.
Not sure where you got from that I am not happy. Have been shooting Fuji since xe-1 have three Fuji bodies and 10 lenses. Specifically on my comment I said I love the x-h2. On your own admission you use a defunct app I am assuming because the new is just so bad. I need to use the new one because I want raw files transferred. AF is pants and you can t really disagree with the paywall for new simulations or you are in denial. Identifying issues with a camera system is a healthy thing to do, being an apologist for a brand is simply fanboyism
Your comments read as if you’re not happy. That’s just how they come across. Sorry if I misunderstood.
I have no issues with Fujifilm’s AF. It’s really super incredible, actually, but maybe not quite as super incredible as a couple other brands. It’s like complaining that the Mercedes or BMW you’re driving isn’t a Lamborghini or Bugatti.
I mean, photographers created incredible photographs with lesser autofocus (or no AF at all) for a very long time. I think a lot of times it’s much easier to blame the gear than to look inward, and work hard to improve. I see plenty of people complain—no matter the brand they’re using—and so they switch to a different brand, only to discover that wherever they go, there they are.
Kind of like how people who fly often forget how incredible flight is; people can often lose sight at how great we have it today as photographers, with amazingly wonderful camera gear that seemed impossible not terribly long ago. Then we see something else that’s slightly more amazingly wonderful, and wish our slightly less amazingly wonderful gear was more like that, instead of appreciating what we have, and how amazingly wonderful it actually is.
The X-E1 is pretty fantastic compared to the majority of the digital cameras that came before, and many film cameras, too, released over the previous 150-ish years. It can be used today to capture fantastic pictures, even though it’s not nearly as good as the X-H2.
Regarding the X-App, my only complaint with it, and the reason why I don’t use it, is that it’s not compatible with older cameras. I have many Fuji cameras of various generations, and only the newest can connect to the X-App. The “old” Cam Remote app can connect to them all, so that’s why I use it over the new app. Both apps work well; unfortunately, the old app isn’t intuitive, and you have to know how to use it in order for it to work well. It took me a long time to figure it out (it shouldn’t be so hard to figure out), but now that I know how to use it, I have no issues with it.
I’m definitely a fanboy, but I’ve certainly been vocal about things that I identify as issues. I just think that what some people call issues are actually not issues with the gear. The gear is very rarely the real problem, but it sure is easier to blame the gear.
As someone who loves my XE4, this is an incredibly appealing concept as I recently.moved over to L mount for a full frame option. If they added an evf, dials and machical shutter it would be my dream camera. Hoping to see them iterate and improve it.
I think the S9 is definitely missing those things (and more). Unfortunately, that’s going to increase the size/weight and price. I suppose there are always inherently going to be compromises of some sort.
I don’t think you can adapt L-mount to Fuji X… so I believe you can’t use those on the X-E4… would be nice if you could, though.
The Lumix s5 ii has the evf. There are manual dials just not in the Fuji styling. That’s misreported here.
We’re talking about the S9 here, not the S5 II. A couple people mentioned the S5 II off hand (only that it is compatible with LUTs, and not much else), but I didn’t find any talk of its EVF or styling, so I’m not sure what you are talking about. Also, the S5 II dials are PASM (like the X-H2, X-S20) and not retro like the X-T5, X-T50, X-E4, X-T30 II, X100VI, which have the exposure-triangle controls… that is what nearly everyone means then they say “manual controls” on a Fuji website, it’s pretty universally understood within the community….
This “review” reads like a person commenting on the flaws of her ex-boyfriends new girlfriend. While the s9 has a few drawbacks, I left the Fuji system for it. I stopped using a view finder when I switched to digital in 2004. So that aspect is of no interest to me. I know die hards swear by it but I find little use to that throw back. As for electronic shutter, when I got my first Fuji 3 years ago, I turned off mechanical shutter in favor of the silent electric shutter. People are all of a sudden talking about something they never cared about before – electronic shutter. They tell me “you’ll never be able to take shots of fast moving objects like kids…” as I note my crisp shots of my kids jumping and playing over the years. The only time electronic shutter let me down was when I was taking shots from inside a moving car. The relative speed of a nearby vertical object (sign post) would sometimes distort. But how often do I shoot from a moving car? It was never an issue enough to make me go back to mechanical shutter.
LUT vs film sim…. You’re attempting to split hairs here…. LUT is the original film sim, having been used in the movie industry well before Fuji film sims. I stopped shooting film sims on Fuji because a) you have to get the latest body to unlock new base film sims b) I wasn’t getting what I wanted and always ended up color grading in post. With luts in camera I no longer have that problem. You can download dozens of luts off the app, create your own in davinci, premier, Photoshop or color.io and transfer to camera. You can also layer luts to achieve very unique creations. I can mimic any film sim I was shooting and create visions film sim can not do.
You said there is no manual dials. That’s false. You can of course change iso, shutter speed and f stop. It’s just not the classic body styling of Fuji.
I don’t shoot with flash, so the lack of flash didn’t bug me. But I understand that was a strange decision to lose the hot shoe.
The s9 has a wonderful xpan crop, as something you won’t get at this price point. Sure a 5k camera has it but the crop is here on a $1500 camera. Sony has an xpan view but it doesn’t actually crop, so weird. Lumix is the only option for xpan shots in this price range.
Fuji is a great system and I love the 35mm f1.4 lens, but honestly the full frame sensor quality on Lumix (and other brands) is amazing. I just can’t go back. I gave my Fuji and lenses to my son.
The Lumix s9 did for me what Fuji originally did, brought the joy of photography back.
I think the drawbacks you easily dismiss are pretty significant.
EVF — I have a few non-EVF camera, and I can get by with them, but for me I use the EVF 95%+ of the time, and much prefer that. For me personally (I cannot speak for others, although I think I inadvertently speak for most on this), the EVF is better.
Electronic Shutter — This has two major drawbacks: rolling shutter and fluorescent/LED banding. There’s no recovering an image that experiences these effects, something I know from personal experience. For this reason, I use mechanical shutter whenever possible. There are a few odd cameras that don’t have a mechanical shutter; I would never buy one myself.
LUT vs film simulation — they both have pluses and minuses (they are not the same thing, but different approaches to achieve similar end goals). I don’t believe that LUTs will “catch on” for still photography, and will largely be a minor thing overall. The largest reason is marketing. LUT sounds dirty, or at the very least uninspiring, like corporate speak. Just from an imaginative perspective, if you had no idea what either were, would you choose “film simulation” or “LUT”?
Manual controls — I answered this in another comment of yours, but what people mean is not-PASM. The S9 is PASM.
That said, not every camera is or isn’t for every person. Some like certain ones, and some don’t. Different strokes for different folks. I’m happy to hear that you found something you like, and it sounds like your son got something significant out of it, too, which is wonderful.
Reliable AF in AF-C, legit IBIS, Leica colors, FF, 65:24, very bright LCD, big battery, a menu system that tells you why something is grayed out, a first rate app that allows for easy LUT sharing and building, 30 bucks for a grip from Smallrig, prompt firmware fixes on recording video limits and availability of older models having access to LUMIX Lab. A preloaded LUT and a Fuji recipe respond exactly the same way when presented with light…they shine! I still love my X-Pro3 btw.
Hey, Dan! I hope you are doing well. It’s been awhile. I enjoy your YouTube videos… they show in my feed from time-to-time. The last one was the X20, I think.
As you and I know, no camera is perfect or for everyone. I’m glad to hear that you are enjoying the Panasonic. There are three reasons why this camera isn’t for me, personally (but this is just me, personally… different strokes for different folks). First is PASM… not a deal-breaker, but nearly so. Next is lack of EVF… not a deal-breaker, but again nearly so. Third is lack of mechanical shutter… this is a deal-breaker for me, because I’ve had too many photos ruined by the electronic shutter that I only ever use it when absolutely necessary, and avoid it otherwise. I feel like this camera was stripped down a little too much in order to make it small and affordable, but of course we’re simply talking trade-offs; while I don’t appreciate those trade-offs, someone else very much might appreciate them.
I don’t have any issues with LUTs, per se… it’s a similar concept to Film Simulation Recipes, but obviously different. They both have pluses and minuses. I think, from a marketing point-of-view, I would have used another term. Within the video world, “LUT” is common and accepted/spoken, but it is much less so in the photo world, and I think it will have a much more difficult time catching on… not the concept, but the acronym. If they had called it something else (almost anything else), it would have much better luck gaining attraction. Picture Styles, Lumix Presets, something like that would have a more romantic feel than LUT. From a marketing point-of-view, I think it was an oversight or missed opportunity.
Thanks for the input, Dan!