Panasonic’s New On-Camera Mic Has 32-bit Float and Six Directional Modes

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A black Panasonic LUMIX S1 camera with a large lens and an external microphone mounted on top, displayed against a plain white background.

Panasonic has announced the DMW-DMS1, a new digital shotgun microphone for select Panasonic Lumix mirrorless cameras.

The Panasonic Lumix DMW-DMS1 is an all-in-one microphone designed for a wide range of situations. Panasonic says it works well for Lumix users, whether they are “filming a travel vlog in a busy city, recording in an interview in a quiet studio, or capturing the excitement of a live event.”

The compact, lightweight, and cable-free digital mic features a newly engineered 0.4-inch large-diameter microphone array that supports six selectable directional modes, wind-noise cancellation, and 32-bit float recording. The six directional modes include Forward Cardioid, Stereo, Wide Stereo, Forward Supercardioid, Rearward Supercardioid, and Bidirectional Supercardioid.

The mic promises distortion-free audio up to 120 dB, which is very loud, similar to a thunderclap or chainsaw operating nearby. As Panasonic puts it, 120 dB is “comparable to a front-row concert or close proximity to an emergency siren.”

Panasonic promises crisp, clean audio even in challenging or noisy environments. The on-camera mic sports a floating shockmount to minimize vibration and handling noise, which the company says further supports clean recording, even when moving around.

A black Lumix camera microphone with control dials and labeled settings for wind cut, noise cut, and gain, mounted on a camera shoe adapter.

The DMW-DMS1 weighs only about 100 grams (3.5 ounces) and draws power and transmits digital audio data directly through the camera’s hot shoe, no cables or extra accessories required. The mic has on-camera physical switches to adjust settings, audio gain, and mic modes. There is also a flip-up clear plastic door that protects against accidental hitting of the switches and buttons, which is a clever design feature.

When recording in four-channel mode, rather than six-channel mode, channels three and four can also be used as backups to protect against accidental settings errors or to capture ambient sound. As of February 2026, this feature is only available on Lumix S1 II, S1 IIE, and S1R II cameras that have been updated to the latest firmware.

Speaking of compatibility, at launch, the Panasonic Lumix DMW-DMS1 digital shotgun mic is compatible with the Lumix S1 II, S1 IIE, S1R II, S5 II, and S5 IIX — all full-frame Lumix mirrorless cameras. However, Panasonic says that it plans to add compatibility for the Panasonic Lumix GH7 and G9 II Micro Four Thirds cameras “in the future.”