Panasonic S5 20-60mm Kit lens

[Humu797 9]

Any interest in the new full frame S5 from Panasonic? Also, I like the idea of a 20-60mm for general point and shooting underwater. 

[kraft2000 0]

Lots of interest here. I've been looking at the S1 and S1H for a long time, but too bulky and expensive for me. The S5 seems perfect.

Is it a good system for underwater though ? in term of lenses, housings, domes etc. ?

[Humu797 9]

5 hours ago, kraft2000 said:

Lots of interest here. I've been looking at the S1 and S1H for a long time, but too bulky and expensive for me. The S5 seems perfect.

Is it a good system for underwater though ? in term of lenses, housings, domes etc. ?

I’m eagerly awaiting housing manufacturers to jump on this, driven in part on sales. I think the camera fills a gap in the Panasonic lineup. 

[kraft2000 0]

But what about the S1, S1R, S1H ? are there any good L-mount lenses (present and future roadmaps) or do we need to use an adaptor ? especially for underwater purpose 

 

[ChrisRoss 150]

A camera body doesn't make an UW system - lenses of the right variety are important - adapted lenses may or may not be OK.  Especially with the Panasonic it has the distance from defocus system which relies on the camera reading the Out of focus image based upon a map of the lens stored in camera to know which way to focus.  Without that (any non-panasonic lens) it reverts to contrast detection AF so performance may not be that great - might be OK for wide angle but macro might be another story all together.

[Humu797 9]

4 hours ago, kraft2000 said:

But what about the S1, S1R, S1H ? are there any good L-mount lenses (present and future roadmaps) or do we need to use an adaptor ? especially for underwater purpose 

 

I haven’t looked at the S series cameras closely enough at this point. But the out-the-door costs of the bodies alone, plus housing them, is quite a lot of this is just a hobby. The lenses may hold some promise but I’d like to see users weigh in. 

[Humu797 9]

4 hours ago, ChrisRoss said:

A camera body doesn't make an UW system - lenses of the right variety are important - adapted lenses may or may not be OK.  Especially with the Panasonic it has the distance from defocus system which relies on the camera reading the Out of focus image based upon a map of the lens stored in camera to know which way to focus.  Without that (any non-panasonic lens) it reverts to contrast detection AF so performance may not be that great - might be OK for wide angle but macro might be another story all together.

Agreed. There’s no fisheye or a macro as far as I know. But I would be interested in the 20-60mm because that covers the range I typically use in m43. 

Edited September 4 by Humu797
Added new information.