What arrives on 13 October
Panasonic has scheduled firmware version 2.1 for the Lumix S9 on 13 October 2026. The download is free. Until that day the global support site still lists the S9 at version 2.0 from 9 June 2026. Wait to install until the new file is actually offered, and check which version the camera itself shows.
The update is for the camera. In parallel Panasonic names LUMIX Lab 3.1.1 and LUMIX Flow 1.7.0. The apps come through their own stores. The S1 II, S1R II and S1 IIE get a different update the same day, about flash and shutter response. That is not the S9.
- Camera: LUMIX S9, firmware 2.1, free.
- Date: 13 October 2026, download via LUMIX Global Customer Support.
- Apps alongside it: LUMIX Flow 1.7.0 or later; LUMIX Lab 3.1.1 for the new MP4 Lite formats.
MP4 (Lite): more frame rates, smaller files
MP4 (Lite) is the S9’s compact video format. Until now it was known mainly as a light open-gate option. With version 2.1 Panasonic explicitly adds these recordings:
- 4K at 60p and 50p
- Full HD at 120p, 100p, 60p and 50p
50p and 100p belong to a 50 Hz system frequency, the usual setting in much of Europe. 60p and 120p belong to the 59.94 Hz side. Set the system frequency before you roll, or some of those menu entries will be missing.
4K/50p in the S9’s regular MP4 menu does not use the full-frame image area. Panasonic’s announcement does not say whether MP4 Lite at 4K 50p/60p crops the same way. After the update, shoot a short test clip and compare the visible frame edge with 25p. Our German basic video setup for the S9 is still the starting point for 4K/25p.
120p or 100p in Full HD is meant for slow motion: in a 25p edit, 100p stretches four times. Treat sound separately. Whether length, heat and the memory card share the same limits as the older formats is something you check on a test run — not on the one take that matters.
LUMIX Flow on the S9
Firmware 2.1 adds support for LUMIX Flow from version 1.7.0. Panasonic says the app then fits the S9 and should ease the production workflow. Flow is the companion app for clip overview, a monitor image and shoot notes — not the LUT app LUMIX Lab.
The announcement does not spell out which Flow functions arrive one-to-one on the S9. After the update, take a few minutes to check the Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection, the app version, and the modes you can actually see in Flow. A stable connection does not replace a backup card in the camera.
More functions on the Lens Fn button
On lenses with their own Fn button you can assign more functions after the update. Panasonic lists, among others:
- Aspect ratio
- E-Stabilization (Video) and Boost I.S. (Video)
- Image area of video
- Focus ring control and focus limiter
- Hybrid zoom and crop zoom, including the related zoom controls
- Focus peaking
- Start and stop video recording
Without an Fn button on the lens, nothing changes at this point. Electronic stabilization and crop zoom tighten the frame. Switch Boost I.S. off for planned pans. Save an assignment you will actually use — not all ten options in a row.
LUMIX Lab 3.1.1: find LUTs, don’t replace them
The firmware goes with LUMIX Lab 3.1.1. The app supports the S9’s new MP4 Lite formats, filters LUTs by category, and offers downloadable LUT packs by theme. Those are Panasonic’s own packs inside the app — not the Lookcraft files from the shop.
Firmware 2.1 does not list a change to LUT import in the camera. A .cube you already loaded stays. Real-Time LUTs still need the matching input profile: do not drop a Rec.709 look onto V-Log without checking. How import works on the S9 is in Install a LUT on the Lumix S9.
How to install the update
Download the file only once the support page shows version 2.1. Panasonic usually warns against starting with a weak battery. A full battery, a brand card formatted in the camera, and leaving the camera alone during the process is the safe order.
- Note the current version in the camera (often 2.0 right now).
- Get the firmware from the LUMIX download page ↗ once 2.1 is listed there.
- Copy the file to the card root, or use the app path Panasonic describes.
- Start the update in the camera and do not switch it off until it restarts.
- Then check the version display reads 2.1 and shoot a short still plus a video clip.
The exact menu path is in the instructions Panasonic ships with the firmware file. Do not depart from that order.
Download overview: Panasonic – Update Contents for DC-S9 ↗
Short checklist after the update
- Check the system frequency, then test MP4 Lite at 4K 50p or Full HD 100p.
- Compare the frame against 25p before you shoot a job.
- Bring LUMIX Lab, and Flow if you use it, to the versions named above.
- Assign Lens Fn only if the lens has the button.
- Leave look slots and white balance alone until a test clip looks right.
The update makes the S9 more flexible in the formats named above. Light, shutter speed and a clear basic setup still matter more than the highest frame rate. The German S9 video article remains the base for that setup.
Common questions
Is firmware 2.1 already available to download?
Not on 7 October 2026. The support page still showed version 2.0 from 9 June 2026. Panasonic has named 13 October 2026 as the release date.
Do I have to update?
Only if you want the new MP4 Lite frame rates, Flow, or the extra Fn assignments. Stills, existing LUTs and the current 4K/25p setup keep working without 2.1.
Does this also apply to the G9 II?
No. This date and this list apply to the S9. The G9 II has its own firmware track.