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GH5 Panasonic camera, from anticipation to love or hate
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  • It makes more sense to be 4k 10bit 420, because ultra hd bluray is like that, and the new prosumer cameras must follow ultra hd bluray. 422 is only for high end expensive cameras for heavy post production cine/broadcast market.

    5k could be useful for reframing and stabilization and final output to 4k.

  • @apefos By heavy post production, I assume you mean green screening? 10 bit could also be said to only be used for heavy post when you are pushing the footage alot and need it not to cause banding...

  • @joethepro, TrackZillas & apefos: you might be right but on the other hand, Blackmagic put 10 bit 422 in the $1000 Pocket regardless of their higher end cameras & perhaps it has been their top selling camera? The Pocket is not a high/end expensive camera yet I often use it instead of my GH4 because of 10 bit ProRes 422.

  • @crowbar but that is a video only device. It is purpose built, not a photography based camera.

  • OK right about Pocket but it seems as the GH line has evolved, yes it serves both photographers but now perhaps video/film makers even more. I like many bought the GH4 mainly for motion picture quality although I am also happy for it's still modes. As I learn more and am able to discern differences in digital film quality and how it grades, I grow to desire a better codec than 8 bit 420 for 4K & V-Log which is why I never really consider the Sony A7s/ll as an upgrade except for low light. Personally I'll keep my GH4 as a great hybrid but as for upgrading to a film camera that really makes a difference I'll probably end up having to save my dollars a lot longer for perhaps the URSA mini 4.6 K. But really I would rather spend $3000 less for a GH5 (not to mention I already have lenses) if it has a much improved codec that can handle V-Log well without all that nasty banding etc. Meanwhile the GH4 and BMPCC are just fine.

  • @crowbar Blackmagic is a smaller company compared to the others & they have nothing to lose, plus their moto was to democratise high end gear. The bigger companies have soo.. many different lines of cameras, they will not purposely devalue their Higher end cameras no.. no..

  • OK, thanks, I get it and depending on the reality of it all, how it turns out, we all know what we want and we'll eventually find out what we're offered and then we'll determine our next camera purchase...I only weigh in here hoping that Panasonic monitors the thread and makes upgrades in the GH5 to make a real difference unlike say the GH3 did...which I have also but we all know the Hacked GH2 beats the pants off it when it comes to video..I hardly ever use that GH3, it is my D cam, used only for multi cam shoots as camera #4.

  • @crowbar I understand where you coming from I myself wish they could implement those awesome upgrades. The tech trends says something else "Incremental" But will see when it comes out.

  • @joethepro The GH5's real competition isn't a "pro" cinema camera, it's the A7S II. Panny will never match Sony's sensor size so they have to exceed it in other specs... higher frame rates, more resolution, better color space, etc. Inexpensive 10 bit monitors and TVs are now in cheap abundance, so are cheap/fast SD cards and more efficient recording codecs. It makes no sense to continue producing 8 bit cameras unless you're a company on a mission to please camera sceptics and cynics - but we'll see soon enough.

  • @joethepro "By heavy post production, I assume you mean green screening? 10 bit could also be said to only be used for heavy post when you are pushing the footage alot and need it not to cause banding..."

    It's not just about chromakey or heavy post work. 10 bit is critical for log footage.

    We were desperate for 10bit way back in the early 1990's because we were having issues with 8bit digital in std def! Nearly all recording formats were 10bit after the original D1 8bit format started to fade away. I find it pretty shocking that we are STILL having to deal with 8bit codecs today. Back in the mid 1990's the standard professional digital spec. (Digital Betacam etc.) was 10bit 4:2:2 YUV. The modern 8bit 4:2:0 YCbCr has really evolved from consumer spec. DV formats that were all about writing speed and storage size.

    For a GH5 I would like to see 10 bit 4:2:2 and timecode that can set itself to the internal clock whenever it is powered on. To have to set timecode to internal clock EVERY time the camera is powered on creates post-production issues if the operator forgets to set it.

  • @Tron @caveport I understand where the market is right now and what the industry is capable of, and especially what filmmakers want. But these companies are just not going to give us this stuff in these small inexpensive packages when thats exactly what they offer in their top of the line stuff. I just cant see it happening yet. I would LOVE it, but knowing how they operate, its a "fat chance" to me. I will be pleasantly surprised if we see this in the next gen cameras.

  • The newest Panasonic VariCam will be announced Feb 10th. We will soon see what they are capable of. I hope it is a lot better than the AG-DVX200PJ (and the GH5 is a lot better than the GH4) or I may sell my Panasonic stock

  • Too late, I couldn't wait anymore and am in the process of selling all my GH4 bodies and M43 glass. I was forced to as I needed something that can deal with extreme low light, this is one and only reason as I loved everything else about the GH4.

    I'm trying to be more flexible in the future so I've moved to the A7S II and went back to EF mount glass. An expensive lesson as I went from EF to M43 and back to EF.

    In the distant future I'm looking something in the FS7 price range so I would be interested to see if Panasonic will have something between the GH5/DV200 and the Varicam systems. I'm still looking forward to seeing the GH5.

  • If Nikon can surpass the low light capability of their latest FX camera (D750) with the D500, there is hope for the GH5. MFT is not a lot smaller than DX and they could even put a DX Sensor behind the MFT mount.

    My GH4 is so handy for hiking and trips that I doubt I would let it go soon.

  • If Panasonic can still manage GH5 FW details, then please:

    -make the camera show exposure numbers during video recording

    -make all important video menu items possible to assign to FN

    -give us auto iso in M with EV adjust

    -make AF lock work like it should: on-off-on-off etc.

    -play button to right side (at least with FN option)

  • it would be cool if panasonic can make(or borrow from leica) fullframe sensor that can recognize lens and adapt crop,for m43 lens it would be croped and for full frame and manual lenses it would read out from whole sensor

  • Panasonic have a big shoes to fill here with the next GH camera. Well they can just make many necessary upgrades on the GH4 many of which have already being well articulated in this thread. Add good clean low light to at least ISO 6400 or better and in body image stabilization and I will be happy. I didn't buy the GH4 but I rented it a few times and use and their next HG camera will determine if I sell all my Panasonic related gears or stay.

  • It is CAR sensors, one with unspecified date (most probably never) and another approximately 2020.

  • Yeah, just read about that in another article too :(

  • You would think with the announcement of Sony a6300 that they would speed up the announcement of a new GH cam

  • Panny will need a miracle to beat A6300 feature-wise especially if the price will be more than $1k.

  • Not a miracle, just better bitrates, a flip screen, better battery life, better ergonomics, way less rolling shutter, and maybe h265 and 4K60.

  • It would be nice if Panasonic integrated in the new GHx a real video stabilization as SteadyXP

  • It would be nice if Panasonic integrated in the new GHx a real video stabilization as SteadyXP

    Let's do without link to kickstarter.

    Almost every Panasonic body (and many lenses) already have hardware to record orientation changes, same as this box that is extremely cheap inside. And it is not, huh, real stabilization. Real stabilization are steadicams or gimbals, or OIS or anything like it :-)