Lumix S5 Firmware Update For Professionals

credits: Panasonic

Panasonic just announced an optional firmware update for the Lumix S5 II and S5 IIX that adds a range of tools for photographers who work in high-volume environments, like school portraits, team photos, or other bulk photography setups. The company first introduced its volume photography system last year, which added support for Opticon Bluetooth barcode and QR code scanners to embed subject IDs directly into image files. This new update builds on that foundation, offering even more customisation and control.

The firmware, (version 3.4 for the S5 II and 2.4 for the S5 IIX), adds the ability to upload custom masks and grids, assign multiple barcodes or QR codes to a single photo, and even lock the camera so it won’t fire until a barcode has been scanned. There are now nine built-in portrait mask sizes, and photographers can upload up to ten of their own custom 960x640-pixel masks for use in the field. Panasonic has also added a menu for saving combinations of up to ten grid lines and masks, along with a shortcut key option.

Barcode scanning functionality is also getting smarter. Multiple barcodes can now be linked to a single image, which could help when tagging group photos, team rosters, or pre-order package data. For example, photographers can scan student IDs followed by package codes, or log multiple names in the same image up to a total of 248 characters. These new tools require Panasonic’s Lumix Volume Photography Key, which costs $199.99. The update is already available for download.

You can see full details on Panasonic’s website here