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GH5 Panasonic camera, from anticipation to love or hate
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  • Nice tests @joe1946! I have been looking into native MFT glass for first time in my life with the GH5. What other native glass do you have? The 42.5mm f1.2 is quite high end, and lovely!

    One great thing about native glass is the high resolution that is possible. (Something that many other "cinematic" lenses lack, or intentionally market as "pleasing skin texture")

  • Thanks, on Lenstip lens reviews the three sharpest native MFT glass tested is the 25mm F0.95 Voigtlander Nokton, Leica DG Nocticron 42.5 mm f/1.2 and the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 75 mm f/1.8 ED. I have all three and love that sharpness.

    "The resolution test of the Leica DG Nocticron 42.5 mm f/1.2 Asph. P.O.I.S. was based on RAW files from the Olympus E-PL1. In the case of that body the highest results, reached by the best fixed focus lenses, amount to about 80 lpmm (and the record value of 82.6 lpmm belongs to the Voigtlander 0.95/25, with the Olympus 1.8/75 not far behind).The decency level is set near 44-45 lpmm." http://www.lenstip.com/394.4-Lens_review-Panasonic_Leica_DG_Nocticron_42.5_mm_f_1.2_Asph._P.O.I.S._Image_resolution.html

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  • @joe1946 I really want to get into the Voigtlander m43 lenses (and m43 lenses in general). I'm just so worried about the future of the m43 mount, and system as a whole.

    All 4 Voigtlander's are amazing glass for m43, just wish there was true 'apex' product for m43 (like the old af100).

    Lately I have purchased my two first serious m43 glass:

    • 15mm Panasonic Leica f1.7
    • 12-60mm Panasonic Leica f2.8-4

    Thinking about 7.5mm Laowa & Voigtlanders.

  • 'the future of the m43 mount' thats what i am worried about too.

  • @alcomposer

    You are strange.

    I am not worried about Samsung NX future :-) The best thing is that prices mostly keep rising :-)

  • @manstok

    I know this is kind of a 'first world problem'. Yet I also don't want to create yet more 'e-waste' by getting lots of lenses that will be useless in very near future.

    Everyone knows that getting great glass is the best way to improve any camera system.

  • @Vitaliy_Kiselev

    I am simply wanting to know if the Panasonic M43 glass I purchase today will be usable tomorrow (and in a few years) on new GH6 etc.

    This is exactly the reason why many people I personally know have moved to Sony, as e-mount is supported very well, and has a great ecosystem of camera bodies.

    You can purchase a a7rii and have a fantastic photographic camera, and also do lots of great video work on it. Then if you feel like it you can rent - or purchase an FS5/7 which also gives you 14stops of DR and great video output.

    e-mount also will allow full-frame video (which is a direction that Sony has stated they are going).

    I would like to see this sort of commitment to M43, as it would allow me to make informed decisions on my camera system purchases.

    With the introduction of the EVA1 we see that Panasonic is very interested in competing with Canon C200 etc. Yet there is no apex cinema centric product in M43 system.

    Yes the GH5 is amazing, but currently to compete in cinema land the camera needs to have 14 stops of dynamic range, & RAW option (even if external).

    These two aspects present in a M43 body would make purchasing decisions much easier.

    I personally do not understand why there is not a GH5 Pro, and if I do use 'logic' to understand the current issues of the M43 platform then it makes it even more apparent that there is very small chance that M43 will be around much longer.

    Samsung NX is completely different issue. NX1 was full-frame, and did not have any 'technological' issues to overcome, that was a company decision to restructure and put more resources into mobile phone development.

    Sony e-mount platform is ready 'technologically' to go 8K Full-Frame tomorrow. Even the concept of 8K Full-Frame is 100% due to current sensor technology and utilising current platform strengths.

    It is clear that M43 is not going Full-Frame, and hardly capable of going s35. (even though technically possible).

    I have said this before- but it is very sad that M43 is not supported better, and that an eco-system is not created that allows the benefits of a smaller sensor (but not a tiny sensor) to shine.

  • I am simply wanting to know if the Panasonic M43 glass I purchase today will be usable tomorrow (and in a few years) on new GH6 etc.

    Do not too worry about it.

    It will still be 1" portable cameras, as well as m43.

    Samsung NX is completely different issue. NX1 was full-frame, and did not have any 'technological' issues to overcome

    Do you have some secret FF NX1?

    Yes the GH5 is amazing, but currently to compete in cinema land the camera needs to have 14 stops of dynamic range, & RAW option (even if external).

    From physical pov nothing prevents you to make m43 sensor even with 20 stops dynamic range. As it is defined by noise numbers on low end by well capacity on other end. Using special design, fast readout or stacking you can increase well capacity significantly.

  • @alcomposer "It is clear that M43 is not going Full-Frame, and hardly capable of going s35. (even though technically possible)." So how is it possible to cover a sensor bigger than the image circle produced by the lens? Also it's good to keep in mind that M43 was always designed for lightweight consumer still cameras. It was never intended to be used for a moving image format. Judging by your comments, I think you need a proper cinema style camera and give up using still cameras as they will NEVER have the form factor and features of dedicated cinema cameras. You would then be safe in the knowledge that all your 'e-waste' (actually old-fashioned real hard rubbish) could be fitted to cameras and used forever. Personally I use old Pentax 35mm lenses on my GH4 and never paid more than $100 for some exceptional glass. Also "Yes the GH5 is amazing, but currently to compete in cinema land the camera needs to have 14 stops of dynamic range, & RAW option (even if external)." It is NOT a cinema camera. If you want it to be you will be forever frustrated. Buy the right tool for the job.

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  • @caveport I don't even understand what "cinema camera" means in today's world. If you are working on a Hollywood film, sure- its not a cinema camera (get an Alexa or Red, even FS5 doesn't live up to that definition). However, there is no reason why a m43 camera could not be used in a cinematic context. Saying a M43 camera is not a cinema camera would be like saying s16 film wasn't cinema film.

    Looking at content shot with GH5 it is clear that there is serious potential for this platform to become a contender as a cinematic solution. With a future body that has more DR (14+ stops) and RAW external option (or internal) I actually don't know what would be missing.

    @Vitaliy_Kiselev sorry, my mistake re: FullFrame NX1! :-S Now that would have been something! LOL

  • Cinema camera means FORM FACTOR. Useable controls on a body designed for the job of shooting moving images. NOT a tiny still camera.

    "Looking at content shot with GH5 it is clear that there is serious potential for this platform to become a contender as a cinematic solution. With a future body that has more DR (14+ stops) and RAW external option (or internal) I actually don't know what would be missing."

    It would be missing out on a shape that works for shooting moving images in a professional situation, like having to complete over 40 different shot setups a day. If you still don't understand, then I suggest you may be a hobbyist with unfulfilled dreams, after all, you DID use the word cinematic after saying you don't know what a cinema camera is!!!

  • @caveport LOL.

    I didn't say "I" don't understand what cinema camera means, I said I don't underdand what it means in today's world.

    I know there is a whole "trend" to "grow up" and buy $10,000 cameras, which magically make everything better.

    But, there is very little that an FS5/7 has that can't be done on a a7rii for example. (A variable ND is one of them - but that isn't on Alexa etc).

    I have completed lots of shots on the GH5, and have found it to be a huge step up in usability to GH4, and in a way proves that a small form-factor camera can be useful. I'm not saying larger cameras are rubbish.

  • It's not about price. You probably don't need the kind of camera I need. Try doing a tracking shot with a zoom & focus pull on a dslr or a Sony a7rii. Try doing a shoot with live action sport where you are on-air. I could go on but we obviously work in very different areas.

  • @alcomposer @caveport

    I think best is to move to separate topic.

  • @alcomposer recently there was an interesting discussion at dvx about m43's future, have a look:

    http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?354967-GH6-and-the-future-of-M43

  • GH5 has different sensor readout speed (rolling shutter) in high iso and low iso when taking photos with silent e-shutter.

    iso100-iso800 e-shutter sensor reading about 1/50s, good.

    iso1000 and higher e-shutter sensor reading about 1/22s, bad.

    https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/59729984

  • @brudney thanks for link. Interesting read. I think it will be interesting to see what the Summer GH5 firmware brings us. Not only for higher bit rate but also fixes. I will wait till that lands to make any lens decisions.

    My personal issue is wanting to keep my system small, lightweight, hence my interest in native glass, as opposed to using FF glass which defeats the purpose of light weight MFT system.

  • @caveport that work sounds like ENG work, which is really cool. Remember b-mount ENG lenses can fit on MFT as well :-)

  • @Vesku , thanks for the info.

    Where it matters, the E shutter is very good on the GH5. In low light usually I don't need E shutter anyway. :)