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Panasonic has rolled out new LUMIX firmware updates for several cameras and S Series lenses, improving startup times, adding customizable focus-ring functions, and expanding Bluetooth support for DJI RS 4 gimbals. The updates, available October 20 2025, continue Panasonicβs steady refinement of its hybrid ecosystem.
Following Octoberβs release of the newΒ LUMIX Lab 2.0Β andΒ LUMIX Flow 1.3Β apps (check our separate article), Panasonic has also issued firmware updates for theΒ LUMIX S5 II,Β S5 II X,Β S9,Β GH7, andΒ G9 II, as well as multipleΒ S-Series prime lenses. These upgrades emphasize responsiveness and integration rather than headline-grabbing featuresβbut they strengthen everyday usability for working shooters.
The update reduces startup times across theΒ S5 II,Β S5 II X,Β GH7, andΒ G9 II, an often-overlooked but welcome improvement for documentary and run-and-gun users.
It also introduces full Bluetooth connectivity for theΒ DJI RS 4 Pro,Β RS 4, andΒ RS 4 Mini, allowing record and focus-control functions without additional cables. With this, Panasonic aligns its gimbal integration more closely with Sony and Canon, both of which already offer deep DJI compatibility.
For theΒ S5 II,Β S5 II X, andΒ S9, the firmware now lets users reverse theΒ manual-focus-ring directionΒ and assign key camera controls β such as ISO, aperture, or white balanceβto the ring.
The same functionality is added to sixΒ S-Series prime lenses: 18 mm f/1.8, 24 mm f/1.8, 35 mm f/1.8, 50 mm f/1.8, 85 mm f/1.8, and 100 mm f/2.8 Macro. This extra customization may not sound dramatic but can make a real difference for operators switching between stills and video work.
The new firmware also ensures camera compatibility withΒ LUMIX Flow 1.3, unlocking features such asΒ LUT View Assist,Β multi-frame markers, andΒ autofocus-frame displayΒ when using an external monitor. These additions support more flexible framing β particularly for vertical-format projects destined for social platforms.
Future compatibility is planned for theΒ LUMIX S1 II,Β S1 II E, andΒ S1 R II, keeping Panasonicβs full-frame line on a shared feature trajectory.
While none of these changes reinvent the cameras, they collectively smooth real-world operation: faster boot-ups, smarter focus controls, and better communication between cameras, apps, and gimbals.
You can download the latest firmware for your LUMIX camera here.
For owners of theΒ LUMIX S5 II,Β S9, orΒ GH7, the update is an easy recommendation. Together with the newΒ LUMIX Lab 2.0Β andΒ Flow 1.3Β apps, Panasonicβs firmware strategy shows a clear intent: keep improving the tools filmmakers already own rather than reserving progress for the next hardware cycle.
Have you installed the new firmware on your LUMIX camera yet? Let us know if the improvements make a noticeable difference on your next shoot.
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Nino Leitner, AAC is Co-CEO of CineD and MZed. He co-owns CineD (alongside Johnnie Behiri), through his company Nino Film GmbH. Nino is a cinematographer and producer, well-traveled around the world for his productions and filmmaking workshops. He specializes in shooting documentaries and commercials, and at times a narrative piece. Nino is a studied Master of Arts. He lives with his wife and two sons in Vienna, Austria.