Upgrade Guide
Lumix S1 II→Lumix GH4
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Situational
One clear hardware improvement over the S1 II. Worth it if that specific upgrade aligns with what you shoot.
What's new in the GH4
-
Battery life~500 shots (CIPA) vs 360 shots (CIPA, LCD)
Unchanged or similar
-
Resolution16MP (down from 24MP — optimised for low light)
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | S1 II | GH4 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | -3.9 | ||
| Street | -1.1 | ||
| Travel | -0.8 | ||
| Wedding & Events | -4.3 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | -1.8 | ||
| Filmmaking | -3.5 | ||
| Documentary | -3.0 | ||
| Sports & Action | -3.4 | ||
| Landscape | -2.4 | ||
| Wildlife | -2.7 | ||
| Casual | -1.5 | ||
| Food | -2.7 | ||
| Macro | -3.1 | ||
| Architecture | -3.0 | ||
| Astrophotography | -3.0 |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | S1 II | GH4 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,200 | £349 | |
| Released | 2025 | 2014 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 24.1MP full-frame partially-stacked CMOS | 16.05MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS | |
| Resolution | 24MP | 16MP | ↓ |
| Video | Open-gate 6K/30p, 5.9K/60p, 4K/120p, internal ProRes RAW, 10-bit | 4K/30p, C4K/24p (first consumer camera with 4K), 1080p/96fps | |
| Autofocus | Phase-hybrid AF with AI subject detection (people, animals, vehicles) | Contrast-detect DFD AF, face detection | |
| Stabilisation | 8-stop IBIS with cropless E.I.S. | None (no body IBIS) | |
| Burst Rate | 70fps electronic | 12fps (AFS), 7fps (AFC) | ↓ |
| Battery Life | 360 shots (CIPA, LCD) | ~500 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 800g (with battery and card) | 560g (with battery and card) | ↑ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes | |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 5.76M dots | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.67× magnification | |
| Screen | Fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | |
| Mount | L-mount | Micro Four Thirds | |
| Memory Cards | CFexpress Type B + SD | Single SD UHS-I slot |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See S1 II and GH4 next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
Get a personalised upgrade score
Run the upgrade checker →
Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the GH4 against your specific genres — not just specs.
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