Josh Cameron: Lumix Have Destroyed Fuji’s Biggest Selling Point

For years, Fujifilm has dominated the straight-out-of-camera (SOOC) JPEG conversation. Their film simulation workflow has become a staple among photographers who want beautiful, shareable images without spending hours in post. But now, Panasonic has entered the ring with the new Lumix S9 and its innovative Real-Time LUT system—challenging Fujifilm on their home turf.

In a recent video, Josh Cameron dives deep into how these two systems stack up when it comes to quick workflows, customization, and real-world usability. He opens with a simple truth: many of us take photos daily, and if editing every shot becomes a chore, we end up not sharing them at all. That’s where good SOOC JPEGs can completely change your process.

Josh shares that he used to shoot with the Fujifilm X100F and XT3, and while the film recipes were fun, the process felt slow and limiting. Even with help from the excellent Fuji X Weekly app, he found that many recipes only worked well in very specific lighting conditions. Fast forward to today—he’s been testing the new X-E5 alongside the S9, and sees a clear difference in workflow.

The Fuji system lets you tweak simulations like Classic Chrome or Nostalgic Neg by adjusting grain, tone curve, sharpness, and more, then saving the look into one of seven custom slots. However, with Panasonic’s S9, you can load up to 39 LUTs directly into the camera via SD card or the Lumix Lab app. These aren’t just looks—these are fully customizable color profiles, stackable, adjustable in intensity, and infinitely shareable.

Josh highlights the new “Magic L” feature in the Lumix Lab app. You upload a photo—say a Fuji Classic Chrome shot—and the app reads the color data and generates a matching LUT. In seconds, that look is now available in-camera. Want to emulate Fujifilm color on your full-frame Lumix? Now you can.

While the X-E5 has an EVF, Josh finds it too small and low-res to be useful. He’d rather use the rear LCD or skip the EVF entirely. And that 23mm f/2 kit lens? In his words, “total crap”—slow to focus and noisy.

In contrast, the S9 offers full-frame image quality, better low-light performance, and a more efficient JPEG workflow—making it ideal for fast turnarounds and social sharing. Yes, it feels more plasticky, but you can solve that with a SmallRig L-grip or your favorite rigging accessories.

At the end of the day, Fujifilm still has its unique charm—X-Trans sensors, that signature color pipeline, and beautiful ergonomics. But if speed, flexibility, and modern tools matter to your shooting style, the Lumix S9 is a compelling alternative. As Josh puts it: “Fuji does color differently. But Lumix is catching up fast.”