Just as there are with any robust economy, there are ebbs and flows to all things. It’s great that so many brands are putting out so many new cameras fiscal quarter after fiscal quarter. It helps to drive innovation and advance technology, and it also helps to keep costs down as brands try to remain competitive.
Yet, there are downsides, too.
As we’ve seen with a few cameras lately, sometimes these new cameras can experience issues when first released, possibly in part due to being rushed out before they’re ready.
While we can’t speculate on what might be the root cause just yet, we can confirm that reports are surfacing of there being battery draining issues with some Panasonic Lumix S5 II cameras. Here’s everything you need to know.
Reports of Battery Draining Issues
From a first-hand report from Andrew Reid at EOSHD, and confirmed by numerous users on their forum, at least certain Panasonic Lumix S5 II cameras are experiencing an issue where batteries are being drained even when the camera is off.
Obviously, this presents a lot of problems. Not only are you potentially not going to be able to use your S5 II if your battery is drained, but it’s also a huge waste of electricity and energy as well as a concern for your battery’s health itself.
For videographers or filmmakers looking to take the S5 II with them for travel or on-location shoots, having your batteries drained overnight or between setups can be devastating to your production overall. The same report also lists issues with slow start-up time and having had similar battery draining issues with other recent Panasonic cameras as well.
Credit: Panasonic
The Panasonic Lumix S5 II
Focusing on the Panasonic Lumix S5 II itself though, this has been a camera many have been excited about since it was first announced. Even with the recent Lumix S5 IIX being released earlier this year, the S5 II still stacks up well against its upgrade and is considered a solid option as any camera at its sub-$2,00 price range.
Designed specifically for content creators needing a solid mix of video and photo performance features, the S5 II boasts a capable 24.2MP sensor and can record 6K video for up to 30 minutes, and 4K video unlimited. That is, of course, if it is properly powered and has batteries fully charged.
Credit: Panasonic
What Comes Next?
This is truly concerning to hear that anyone is having issues like these with their camera. As anyone who’s ever forgotten to charge batteries overnight or somehow left a power supply at home can tell you, not having a fully charged camera when you expect to can be devastating.
Hopefully, Panasonic will take notice of these reports and be able to fix these issues swiftly and completely. Firmware updates have been issued, but none seem to resolve these issues from these reports just yet. So, more are likely to come.
If you are a Panasonic Lumix S5 II owner (or frequent user) it would be worthwhile to keep tabs on these issues and look out for any additional firmware updates or even possible recall notices, especially if you’re one of the unlucky few who have experienced these battery draining issues yourself.
