

The S5 II is able to identify people, pets, and many types of wildlife.

Like most cameras these days, the focus system is boosted by deadly smart subject recognition. The practical upside is a brisker burst capture rate: The S5 II manages 9fps with focus at every frame, versus 6fps for the original. The original S5's DFD focus was speedy enough, and effectively suppressed focus flutter in the viewfinder, but meant the camera couldn't track moving subjects as quickly as competitors that leaned on phase detection methods. Panasonic is finally moving away from its DFD Contrast focus system. The S5 II addresses one of our (few) real complaints about its predecessor head-on. The Lumix DC-S5 II is the first update to the S5 and while you might not notice a huge difference in spec sheets, there are innovations inside-phase detection focus for action photography and an active cooling fan for long-form video-that make it a compelling upgrade for existing system owners and a good-looking entry-level option for creators interested in the L-Mount Alliance lens system. Panasonic is bringing an updated version of one of our top-rated full-frame cameras to CES this year.
