r/LumixS5ii

s9 is an amazing camera. I bought it initially because I started travelling and initially my switch from iphone to Samsung left me disappointed in camera department. s9 was a breath of fresh air. The tiny little camera is capable of doing so much but eventually I started hitting the limitations that I thought I could overlook.

No hotshoe: this I thought I dont need but eventually you will end up being in situations where you want to take photos at night and need a basic flash... well out of luck because s9 doesnt have a hot shoe. I tried to solve this problem with a ttartisan mini led that can mount on the coldshoe but realised it leaves the photos looking overexposed or underexposed and I needed more fine adjustments for my needs.

mechanical shutter: I thought I dont need this and initially I didnt. then I started indoor photography and oh boy, noticed those banding effects. used the synchro feature to mitigate it but then did face the limitations of an electronic shutter camera.

weather sealing: this is a big one, I bought my camera for travel photography but last year there has been only one occasion where I travelled and it was sunny. the rest were all rainy conditions and I kept juggling the s9 in and out of my bag because I didnt want to get it damaged. I started regretting not getting a weather sealed body.

size: although I bought my camera because it was small, it ended up being too small. as a full frame, lens combinations were limited when I bought it to keep the size down and the camera was top heavy even with sigma 45mm f2.8. smallrig grip doesnt work well IMHO because its too small and the only solution I found was using a silicone rubber case for s9. that balanced the weight of the lens pretty well. I found the buttons to be too small and finicky jumping between menus while scrolling and didnt boost confidence in its long term use.

initial impressions of the s5ii

not much bigger than the s9, its got a better hand grip, built like a tank.

EVF: I thought I dont need a EVF but after using the s5ii I realise how good it is for photography, having it is better than not having it.

buttons: the buttons feel fantastic. you feel like its every penny you spent for it. no compromise. no finicky scroll wheel. all snug fit.

plus all the benefits that are lacking in s9.

the only issues is weight and if im trying to grab the air, the accessory compartment doors that are made of rubber.

my current setup with the sigma 45mm lens is 1kg so kinda heavy for a travel camera but the hand grip and the features makes up for it.

the rubber doors covering usb connectivity is a little concerning and I wonder about their long term reliability.

other than that this is a tank and I am so stocked that im prepared for my next adventure with a rugged weatherproof setup with amazing image quality. More than happy, if lumix fixes the buttons in s9, makes it weather sealed and gives people hot shoe... man that camera might end up selling more than any other in their lineup