Panasonic Lumix S9 Camera Overview
The Panasonic Lumix S9 comes as Panasonic’s latest full-frame mirrorless camera release this year. It is marketed as the perfect camera for a content creator at a reasonable price, boasting 24MP sensor capable of filming up to 6K or DCI/UHD 4K with full sensor width up to 30p, open-gate video in 4k and 6k formats in a super small form factor.
Panasonic Lumix S9 Real Time LUT and Infrared Workflow
One of the main selling points of the camera is its “Real Time” LUT system which allows photographers and videographers to apply look-up table formulas to their images. We think this is an incredible feature for infrared photographers and videographers who are looking to shorten their time spent in post-production since they can upload infrared LUTs made in Adobe Photoshop or DaVinci Resolve into their camera, such as the ones from our Infrared LUT Pack designed in collaboration with Pierre-Louis Ferrer.
With that said, let’s see what this camera is truly made of in this teardown and disassembly!
Starting the Panasonic Lumix S9 Teardown With the Baseplate
First, we removed seven screws from the baseplate. This part of the camera is typically the first place we target to begin taking it apart.
Removing Port Side Screws on the Panasonic Lumix S9
On the port side of camera, we removed one screw next to mic input cover.
Finding Hidden Screws Under the Faux Leather Wrap
Many screws are hidden underneath the faux leather wrap that covers the camera. In this case, there were three screws underneath the port side of the camera.
Removing Right Side Hidden Screws
Two screws were located underneath the faux leather wrap on right side of camera.
Removing the Cold Shoe Assembly
The coldshoe assembly is easily removable—four screws were beneath the cover. Unfastening these screws let us remove the mount part itself.
Removing the Rear Panel of the Panasonic Lumix S9
The last screws on the exterior of the camera was one screw located under the faux leather wrap by the right thumb grip. This allowed us to remove the rear panel of the camera.
Disconnecting the Rear Panel Ribbon Cables
The rear panel is only connected by two ribbon cables located on the top and right sides of the camera. Removing these two cables allowed us to disconnect the rear panel from the main camera.
Disconnecting Panasonic Lumix S9 Circuit Board Ribbon Cables
Nine ribbon cables connect to the circuitboard. Five on the top, three on the bottom, and one towards the left side of the camera.
Removing the Panasonic Lumix S9 PCB Screws
Four screws on each corner of the circuitboard hold down the entire PCB.Â
Removing the Top Plate Before PCB Removal
Quick sidetrack—while we thought the PCB would budge at this point, we still could not remove it. This meant that something else needed to be removed before the PCB could be lifted. We shortly figured out the top of the camera needed to be removed. This was held down with four screws on each side of the camera and two on the front.
After removing the aforementioned screws, we were able to disconnect the top part of the camera.
Removing the Mic Input Cover and Lifting the Circuit Board
One piece of the camera still held the circuitboard in place. On the top right, there was a black cover that was clipped over the mic input jack. With this piece removed, we were able to life the circuitboard from the main frame.
Removing the Circuit Board Bracket
Four screws hold down the circuit board bracket of the camera.Â
Removing the Panasonic Lumix S9 Camera Sensor
We found the Panasonic Lumix S9 uses springs for focus adjustment. Three screws hold down the sensor.
Sensor is finally removed.
Final Thoughts on the Panasonic Lumix S9 Teardown
Despite being relatively new, the Panasonic Lumix S9 is a rather simple and easy camera to tear down and disassemble. According to our camera tech, it wasn’t difficult to navigate the layers and parts that hold the camera together.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Start Disassembling The Panasonic Lumix S9?
The Panasonic Lumix S9 teardown starts by removing seven screws from the baseplate. This is the first access point before moving on to the port side, hidden exterior screws, and rear panel removal.
Where Are The Hidden Screws On The Panasonic Lumix S9?
The Panasonic Lumix S9 has several hidden screws underneath the faux leather wrap. Three screws are hidden on the port side, two are hidden on the right side, and another screw is located under the faux leather wrap near the right thumb grip.
How Is The Panasonic Lumix S9 Rear Panel Removed?
The rear panel can be removed after the exterior screws and hidden faux leather screws are taken out. It remains connected by two ribbon cables located on the top and right sides of the camera, which need to be disconnected carefully.
How Is The Panasonic Lumix S9 Circuit Board Removed?
The Panasonic Lumix S9 circuit board is removed after disconnecting nine ribbon cables and removing four PCB screws. The top part of the camera and a black cover over the mic input jack also need to be removed before the circuit board can be lifted.
How Is The Panasonic Lumix S9 Camera Sensor Removed?
The Panasonic Lumix S9 sensor is reached near the end of the teardown. After the circuit board and circuit board bracket are removed, the sensor can be detached by removing the three screws that hold it down.
