joe12south
Veteran
The we can all start bitching about it being too shallow of a depth of field. ;-)
GH5 Game Over, Panasonic
- Thread starter Jim Simon
- Start date
icarusfilm
Veteran
No its:
Game over Panasonic S1- FUJIFILM GFX 50S Medium Format Mirrorless Camera is coming
Game over Panasonic S1- FUJIFILM GFX 50S Medium Format Mirrorless Camera is coming
Thomas Smet
Veteran
I wouldn’t exactly call moving to FF a slam dunk for dynamic range. Canon FF DSLRs have pretty bad dynamic range as well. Sensor size is not always a determining factor of dynamic range. We know larger pixels can act as buckets and collect more light but there isn’t a lot of public knowledge of what actually makes a sensor have more or less dynamic range. I always assumed as well that size helps determine the dynamic range but it also comes down to how many pixels are crammed into that FF sensor and the science of how that sensor was built. The Panasonic FF cameras have a ton of pixels packed onto the sensor making each pixel much smaller than it could be.
I hope for Panasonic’s sake however they do manage to increase the dynamic range. I honestly don’t care all that much but a lot of users have had the number of stops of dynamic range beat into their heads and from a marketing perspective I would love to shut those people up for once. I’m not going to mind having an extra stop or two if I can get it but I don’t base my camera choice on the dynamic range the manufacturer claims that camera has.
I hope for Panasonic’s sake however they do manage to increase the dynamic range. I honestly don’t care all that much but a lot of users have had the number of stops of dynamic range beat into their heads and from a marketing perspective I would love to shut those people up for once. I’m not going to mind having an extra stop or two if I can get it but I don’t base my camera choice on the dynamic range the manufacturer claims that camera has.
I do, at least in part. That's because I know what too little dynamic range looks like. When you have a bride's white dress in full sun and the groom's dark tux in shade, you need the most dynamic range you can get.
I'm glad I have GH5s 
https://www.cinema5d.com/blackmagic-pocket-cinema-camera-4k-handson-review/
https://www.cinema5d.com/blackmagic-pocket-cinema-camera-4k-handson-review/I'm glad I have GH5s
I am too.
Bern Caughey
Veteran
Got a notice my Pocket 4K was about ready for delivery, but ended up canceling the order.
Had high hopes for the camera, but there are too many issues for my particular needs, & I would ‘t feel confident using it on paid gigs. Probably still a good choice for Indy narrative, but that’s not my focus.
Have only canceled one preorder before, & that was for the BlackMagic URSA Mini.
https://youtu.be/KjmjqlOPd6A
Had high hopes for the camera, but there are too many issues for my particular needs, & I would ‘t feel confident using it on paid gigs. Probably still a good choice for Indy narrative, but that’s not my focus.
Have only canceled one preorder before, & that was for the BlackMagic URSA Mini.
https://youtu.be/KjmjqlOPd6A
What issues exactly?
Yeah, what made cancel you preorder?
For me personally the biggest showstopper so far is the issue of soft corners with a lot of fast and wide angle lenses (that are perfectly fine with every other m43 camera). The reports are somewhat inconsistent but until it's been explained and resolved I'll probably won't be getting P4K.
For me personally the biggest showstopper so far is the issue of soft corners with a lot of fast and wide angle lenses (that are perfectly fine with every other m43 camera). The reports are somewhat inconsistent but until it's been explained and resolved I'll probably won't be getting P4K.
Bern Caughey
Veteran
I use m4/3 for jobs that require air travel (most of mine do), &/or best served by a compact hybrid system. My core package contains two m4/3 bodies, XLR Adapter, 12-35/2.8, 35-100/2.8, 12/1.4, 25/1.2, 42.5/1.2, & a SmallHD 502 Bright Monitor. Along with batteries, chargers, filters, & assorted gack, this package lives in a backpack that’s small enough to be jammed into even the tightest overhead compartments of commuter jets, & so inconspicuous that it’s traveled the world unaccompanied by a Carnet.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...p_cl58068_dslr_pro_pack_nylon_black.html/amp/
Since the Pocket 4K can use my existing lenses, & be powered by the same Canon batteries that the 502 Bright utilizes, I hoped it slot right into my system. While it never fit into the backpack without dumping a body, & at least one lens, I planned on stuffing it, along with a 12-100/4, into a sling/fanny-pack that lives in my rolling carry-on luggage.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...esign_bsl_5_bk_1_everyday_sling_5l_black.html
The day the P4K was announced I preordered from Hot Rod Cameras, a well known boutique dealer that caters to professionals, & as I was 17th on their list, ordered a 8SINN half-cage in anticipation of the delivery. Had high hopes that BRaw would be ported to the P4K, & combined with my Veydra lens set, would yield a look unattainable with the Panasonic(s). All seemed good.
Then came reports the camera was shutting down relatively randomly while powered by Canon LP-E6 batteries, causing the ProRes recording to corrupt, a risk that’s unacceptable for commercial work. While I could build the camera up with brick batteries, or other external options, at that point I’d rather just travel with my FS7.
Now it seems BlackMagic never accounted for the thickness of the sensor stack meaning many of my fast native primes, plus the SpeedBooster, may perform poorly when used wide-open. Additional OIS on the Lumix 12-35/2.8 appears to be performing poorly too, & except for the 12-100/4, the entire lens package may be compromised.
Perhaps BlackMagic can sort the power issues with firmware, & perhaps the sensor stack can be thickened by adding a 3rd Party OLPF, but until such time I’ll trudge along with gear I can trust.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...p_cl58068_dslr_pro_pack_nylon_black.html/amp/
Since the Pocket 4K can use my existing lenses, & be powered by the same Canon batteries that the 502 Bright utilizes, I hoped it slot right into my system. While it never fit into the backpack without dumping a body, & at least one lens, I planned on stuffing it, along with a 12-100/4, into a sling/fanny-pack that lives in my rolling carry-on luggage.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...esign_bsl_5_bk_1_everyday_sling_5l_black.html
The day the P4K was announced I preordered from Hot Rod Cameras, a well known boutique dealer that caters to professionals, & as I was 17th on their list, ordered a 8SINN half-cage in anticipation of the delivery. Had high hopes that BRaw would be ported to the P4K, & combined with my Veydra lens set, would yield a look unattainable with the Panasonic(s). All seemed good.
Then came reports the camera was shutting down relatively randomly while powered by Canon LP-E6 batteries, causing the ProRes recording to corrupt, a risk that’s unacceptable for commercial work. While I could build the camera up with brick batteries, or other external options, at that point I’d rather just travel with my FS7.
Now it seems BlackMagic never accounted for the thickness of the sensor stack meaning many of my fast native primes, plus the SpeedBooster, may perform poorly when used wide-open. Additional OIS on the Lumix 12-35/2.8 appears to be performing poorly too, & except for the 12-100/4, the entire lens package may be compromised.
Perhaps BlackMagic can sort the power issues with firmware, & perhaps the sensor stack can be thickened by adding a 3rd Party OLPF, but until such time I’ll trudge along with gear I can trust.
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icarusfilm
Veteran
same here, if it doesn’t fit in the overhead it’s useless to me. I used to live in NYC where local vs. travel was 50:50 now I’m in Montana and 100 percent of my work is travel. I was also considering swapping one of my two bodies for a pocket 4K. It might become a viable camera sometime next year after a few upgrades. But then the Panasonic S1 will be out. Actually the whole debate has me wondering about getting the original pocket. Most of my work is still 1080 it’s tiny and would add a different look. As an outdoor lockdown with a 12-100mm.
Matt Gottshalk
Resident Preditor
Wow, those are some definitely non-starters for a working pro for sure.
Fair points and I respect your decision (BTW you missed the one about the horrendous distortion using lenses designed to have distortion corrected in-camera ). Given the price though and as a working pro I'd have thought it was cheap enough to at least give it a try for yourself ?
Was this behavior confirmed to be with authentic LP-E6s? I saw a lot of people talking about buying cheap clones and it wouldn't surprise me if that was the root of it.
Not sure about Bern, but if I don't feel fully confident in taking something out into the field it doesn't matter if it's $10 or $1,000, I'd rather put that money toward something that can get a return.
icarusfilm
Veteran
I think its simply a testament thaw good the Panasonic's really are. for those of us who adopted small form cams for specific reasons outside of price like stealth, easy travel, low profile were able to do that because these cameras have a great image and total reliability and added operability via IBIS I can only work with these because they Tick ALL all the boxes. Otherwise I would use my FS7 or get a c300II or other. The pocket 4K not having an EVF and no IBIS is already not where I need it to be add any reliability issues and it immediately becomes a no go. Yes its only $1300 but it takes up space.
The included battery and some 3rd party batteries don't report an accurate voltage/% so can die quickly without warning. However even the real Canon LP-E6 ones can drain very fast to zero when they are getting low. My solution is to have a lot of batteries and change them out before they get low rather than trying to squeeze every last drop out of them. I've not heard of the P4k shutting down for other unexplained reasons but there may be software instability that needs ironing out in future Firmware? My point on cost was that I don't consider the P4k as a replacement for my GH5 but an additional tool that can provide extra capabilities - 4k60p, RAW, extra DR and high ISO/low light ability. For example I have the Sigma 18-35 1.8 with a speedbooster but it's not a replacement for my other lenses as it has too many drawbacks but it's a uniquely useful aditional tool if I want low light ability and / or shalow DOF.
That "horrendous distortion" is a property of the lens, NOT a failing of the camera that makes no attempt to conceal it.
That's what I meant and said - theses lenses are designed to have their distortion corrected by software in-camera. That's not a fault of BM if they can't or won't do it but it's somthing that exists.
... and you are throwing away retirement money. See Puredrifting's comments regarding this in another thread. It seems he has been there, done that, regretted it.