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The Best Camera Kit for Film-like Portraits

Chris Gampat
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Last updated on 03/14/2025
03/14/2025
6 Mins read
The Panasonic s5 II, a view from up top
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Last Updated on 03/14/2025 by Lara Carretero

Film is expensive — and not everyone wants to spend that kind of money all the time. And for some jobs, a simulation will do well enough. In the past few years, brands have made it possible to get that look in-camera much easier. But the really awesome thing that LUMIX does so much better is allowing you to take the presets you’ve got on your computer and use them in your camera. That way, it’s applied right from the start. So much easier, right? Well, if you’re looking to make a switch to another camera system then consider what LUMIX can do with their Real Time LUT feature. Here’s the best camera kit for film-like portraits along with sample images we shot ourselves.

This blog post is presented in partnership with LUMIX.

We’re going to say this right off the bat: this article is presented in partnership with LUMIX. But at the same time, we also are transparently stating that we don’t write anything we don’t truly believe in. Trust us, it has caused lots of friction in advertising campaigns. And if we don’t have the facts to back up what we’re saying, we won’t say it. These truly are the best full-frame cameras with a film look for good reasons.

LUMIX luckily has a selection of very affordable lenses that have a film-look and that also have autofocus. In fact, they’ve got more than any other brand that also makes full-frame cameras. You’ll really enjoy the character these lenses can deliver if you’re also using the Real Time LUT feature on their cameras.

Here’s what you want.

Why You Should Trust Us

A Panasonic S5 II camera with a 50mm lens rests on a round wooden surface. The cameras numerous dials, buttons, and top-viewfinder are prominently visible. A strap is attached to the sleek design, while the lighting artfully casts shadows across the wood.
A Panasonic S5 II camera with a 50mm lens rests on a round wooden surface. The cameras numerous dials, buttons, and top-viewfinder are prominently visible. A strap is attached to the sleek design, while the lighting artfully casts shadows across the wood. Credit: Chris Gampat.

The Phoblographer has been doing real-world photography gear tests longer than any other photography publication currently run. We also have the largest database of real-world lens reviews, amongst other things like straps, camera bags, lights, accessories, and more. Here’s why that matters:

  • AI Can’t Do This Job: These days, other publications do roundups, sometimes using generative AI. That’s the same as a person researching products and then making a decision without actually trying it. All of our reviews and guides are written not just by humans but by working photographers — not AI. Computers don’t use cameras, so why would you trust AI to recommend cameras for you?
  • Research and Practical Experience: Here at the Phoblographer, humans consult on what roundups to do with guidance from an editor. Then, a human goes through our database of reviews and selects the best products based on our own internal research. The human creating the roundup has practical experience with photography gear and will apply their knowledge of what’s best to the already human-based experience provided in our reviews.
  • We Block AI Bots: The Phoblographer blocks indexing bots from reading our site, so what’s here can only be read here.

How We Chose the Best Camera Kit for Film-Like Portraits

The LUMIX S5II is one of the best cameras for those film vibes.

  • The Phoblographer’s various product round-up features are done in-house. Our philosophy is simple: you wouldn’t get a Wagyu beef steak review from a lifelong vegetarian. And you wouldn’t get photography advice from someone who doesn’t touch the product. We only recommend gear we’ve fully reviewed in these roundups.
  • If you’re wondering why your favorite product didn’t make the cut, there’s a chance it’s on another list. If we haven’t reviewed it, we won’t recommend it. This method keeps our lists packed with industry-leading knowledge. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
  • When we test products, we’ve got various things in mind. First off, we consider who might want to buy the product, such as a lens and what they might do with it. With that in mind, we try to tackle at least three genres of photography with that lens in a variety of situations. If the lens has weather resistance, then we’ll test it accordingly with a weather-resistant camera. We also test the autofocus of the lens in continuous mode, single mode, with exposure preview effects, without those effects, and then with all the major image quality parameters. These days, no one really makes a bad lens — but some are far better than others. The same applies to working with cameras.
  • In this specific roundup, we’re basing our findings on the reviews that we’ve done. We’re choosing a favorite, but we’re also giving photographers a bunch of others that they might like, depending on how they shoot.

LUMIX S5II

A LUMIX Camera with a zoom lens rests on an open book, revealing its intricate dials and buttons.
A LUMIX Camera with a zoom lens rests on an open book, revealing its intricate dials and buttons. Credit: Chris Gampat.

One of the best affordable cameras to get this look with is the LUMIX S5II. The reason why it’s so hard to beat is because of several factors. We already mentioned that it’s affordable, but did you also know that it’s got a ton of weather resistance built in? Additionally, LUMIX has refined the autofocus so much over the years to make it incredibly good in nearly any situation. They’ve also added in scene detection for various things and features like Real Time LUT, Live View Composite, and more. You can check out our full review, but this is one of the best hybrid cameras on the market for so many reasons.

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Person smiling, doing a squat with orange dumbbells, wearing a maroon shirt and yellow shorts in a dimly lit room.
A person with glasses smiling, wearing a plaid shirt and layered necklaces, in a warmly lit indoor setting. Credit: Chris Gampat.
Person in a white tank top and black leggings sitting cross-legged on a yoga mat in a warmly lit room. Credit: Chris Gampat.
A man in a plaid shirt holds a coffee cup, under a ceiling with star-shaped lights. Credit: Chris Gampat.
Indoor view of a sunlit greenhouse filled with various plants and hanging decorations, leading to an outdoor garden area. Credit: Chris Gampat.

LUMIX S 85mm f1.8

The LUMIX S5II with the 85mm f1.8
The LUMIX S5II with the 85mm f1.8. Credit: Chris Gampat.

One of our favorite things about the LUMIX S 85mm f1.8 is the fact that it’s so compact. With a 67mm filter thread on the front of it, it’s designed to fit in perfectly with nearly all of your other LUMIX lenses. Plus there’s weather resistance, very fast autofocus capabilities, and of course, excellent image quality. In fact, we’re kind of shocked that this isn’t considered one of the brand’s LUMIX S Pro lenses.

” The LUMIX S 85mm f1.8 has nine aperture blades and a beautiful, creamy bokeh,” we state in our review. “For what it’s worth, I really like it. I think most photographers will really like it for the price point. Is there better bokeh? Yes, but not for this price point.”

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Person with a beard and mustache, wearing a graphic t-shirt, looking to the side in a lit room with neon lights. Credit: Chris Gampat.
Smiling woman with wavy hair, nose ring, and layered necklaces, in a dimly lit setting. Credit: Chris Gampat.
Person smiling in a white top, wearing a black hairband, with a blurred dark background and lighting from behind. Credit: Chris Gampat.

LUMIX S 50mm f1.8

The LUMIX 50mm f1.8
The LUMIX 50mm f1.8. Credit: Chris Gampat.

It’s hard to not like the LUMIX S 50mm f1.8. We find ourselves reaching for it when we need a bit more of a zoom in than the 35mm that we love to use. It’s a solid middle-way between 85mm and 35mm. Like all the other lenses, this one is weather resistant, fast to focus, and boasts really nice image quality. In our review, we state, “The LUMIX S 50mm f1.8has 9 aperture blades. And, of course, that’s more than enough to give it creamy bokeh.”

Buy Now
Sample image shot with the Panasonic 50mm f1.8. Credit: Chris Gampat.

LUMIX S Pro 50mm f1.4

The LUMIX 50mm f1.4
The LUMIX 50mm f1.4. Credit: Chris Gampat.

As one of the sharpest and best built lenses in the LUMIX lineup, it’s easy to see how we’d think of this lens as pretty much being perfect in so many regards. In our review, we said, “Now with all heartfelt honesty, the strongest feature of the LUMIX S Pro 50mm f1.4 is the image quality. Photojournalists, wedding photographers, landscape photographers, portrait photographers and those who just like pixel peeping will admire what the LUMIX S Pro 50mm f1.4 can do. This lens is so sharp that it makes the LUMIX S1 seem like it’s a higher megapixel camera. Beyond that it has beautiful bokeh, can focus closely, and has no major problems at all.”

Buy Now
Sample image shot with the The LUMIX 50mm f1.4
Sample image shot with the The LUMIX 50mm f1.4. Credit: Chris Gampat.

Picking the Right One For You

If you’re still a bit confused as to the right lens for you, here are some questions to ask yourself

  • What’s your budget?
  • How will you use the product?
  • What lighting situations are you in, and how will that affect what you’re doing? Our reviews hyperlinked in this article can help with that.
  • Are you traveling a lot with it?
  • Will you be using it in a situation that’s a bit rougher?
  • Who else uses this product? How are they using it?
  • What’s so appealing about this product that I can’t get from what I have already or something else?
  • When will I really have time to use this product?
  • Where will I bring this product?
  • How will this product help bring me joy and joy in my photography?
35mm 50mm f1.4 85mm lumix panasonic s5ii
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Written by

Chris Gampat is the Editor in Chief, Founder, and Publisher of the Phoblographer. He provides oversight to all of the daily tasks, including editorial, administrative, and advertising work. Chris's editorial work includes not only editing and scheduling articles but also writing them himself. He's the author of various product guides, educational pieces, product reviews, and interviews with photographers. He's fascinated by how photographers create, considering the fact that he's legally blind./ HIGHLIGHTS: Chris used to work in Men's lifestyle and tech. He's a veteran technology writer, editor, and reviewer with more than 15 years experience. He's also a Photographer that has had his share of bylines and viral projects like "Secret Order of the Slice." PAST BYLINES: Gear Patrol, PC Mag, Geek.com, Digital Photo Pro, Resource Magazine, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Finance, IGN, PDN, and others. EXPERIENCE: Chris Gampat began working in tech and art journalism both in 2008. He started at PCMag, Magnum Photos, and Geek.com. He founded the Phoblographer in 2009 after working at places like PDN and Photography Bay. He left his day job as the Social Media Content Developer at B&H Photo in the early 2010s. Since then, he's evolved as a publisher using AI ethically, coming up with ethical ways to bring in affiliate income, and preaching the word of diversity in the photo industry. His background and work has spread to non-profits like American Photographic Arts where he's done work to get photographers various benefits. His skills are in SEO, app development, content planning, ethics management, photography, Wordpress, and other things. EDUCATION: Chris graduated Magna Cum Laude from Adelphi University with a degree in Communications in Journalism in 2009. Since then, he's learned and adapted to various things in the fields of social media, SEO, app development, e-commerce development, HTML, etc. FAVORITE SUBJECT TO PHOTOGRAPH: Chris enjoys creating conceptual work that makes people stare at his photos. But he doesn't get to do much of this because of the high demand of photography content. / BEST PHOTOGRAPHY TIP: Don't do it in post-production when you can do it in-camera.
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