Panasonic has released firmware version 2.1 for the Lumix S9, its compact full-frame mirrorless camera. According to Panasonic’s own support page, the free update is dated 14 October 2026. It is a focused update with three changes: more MP4 (Lite) video options, more things you can assign to the Lens Fn button, and support for the latest LUMIX Flow app version.
What is new
- 4K 60p in MP4 (Lite). Panasonic adds 4K at 60p and 50p, and Full HD at 120p, 100p, 60p and 50p, to the MP4 (Lite) recording options.
- More Lens Fn button functions. The list of things you can assign to the button on compatible lenses grows. CineD lists items such as aspect ratio, electronic stabilisation for video, Boost I.S. for video, focus ring control, focus limiter, focus peaking, crop zoom and starting or stopping video recording.
- LUMIX Flow 1.7.0 support. The camera now works with LUMIX Flow version 1.7.0 or later.
What MP4 (Lite) means for you
MP4 (Lite) is a lighter recording format meant for quick shooting, transferring and editing, especially for people who post video from a phone or to social media. CineD reports that the new 4K 60p mode uses 10-bit 4:2:0 H.265 at 50 Mbps. That is half the bitrate of the S9’s standard 4K 60p MP4 mode and a quarter of the 200 Mbps MOV option. In plain terms, files will be much smaller and easier to move around, at the cost of some of the quality headroom you would keep in the higher-bitrate modes.
Who should care
If you shoot mostly stills, this update changes little for you. If you make short video for social platforms, or you pair the S9 with a phone and the LUMIX apps, smooth 4K 60p files at a smaller size is a practical gain. Photographers who use the Lens Fn button on supported lenses get more control without going into menus.
Before you update
Download firmware only from Panasonic’s official LUMIX support site, use a fully charged battery, and note down your custom settings first. Panasonic also updated the LUMIX Lab app (version 3.1.1), which adds support for the new MP4 (Lite) formats and improved LUT management.
This article summarises information published by Panasonic and other outlets. It is not a hands-on test.