GH5 Game Over, Panasonic

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QUOTE=NorBro;1986772498]Think we all have done that...wasted a small fortune on overrated or under-performing gear throughout my career.

Could have probably just bought an ALEXA from day 1.[/QUOTE]
 
I don't remember my GH5 or GH5s losing the current file if the battery died while recording was underway. My recollection was no lost data. That to me would be the most serious failing of the P4K if it did.

On GH5, You will lose data/corrupt file.....just happened to me.
 
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.
Whomever was reporting this was incorrect. The most you will lose when recording ProRes is the last 5 seconds of footage. The most you lose when recording RAW is the last frame. I'd prefer the Pocket 4K displayed a little warning before shutting down (like the GH5) but it does NOT corrupt files when it does shut down.

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.
This is partly misinformation and FUD. Many people have shared positive results, and even those that are having issues are only speculating that it is due to sensor stack thickness based on an old quote from Metabones speculating about the original Pocket.

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.
I have the current version of that lens and OIS works fine. I also have the 100-300 and OIS works fine.
 
I don't remember my GH5 or GH5s losing the current file if the battery died while recording was underway. My recollection was no lost data. That to me would be the most serious failing of the P4K if it did.
It doesn't. It "closes" ProRes files every 5 seconds. DNGs are, obviously, recorded frame by frame.
 
Quick update after 4-ish weeks of use:

I've only found 1 impactful issue, 1 easily avoided glitch, and one PQ issue that doesn't impact my shooting:
1. P4K audio pre-amp is very low level. I still have to use my pre-amp in the same way I do the GH5, which is a bummer. I was hoping to lose that extra bit.
2. If you want to record to a USB drive, you have to get in the habit of connecting it after the camera is powered on. (Known issue to be corrected in next firmware.)
3. Blackmagic's v4 color science hard clips extremely saturated colors. (Like neon at night.) I don't shoot this kind of stuff, but if I did, I would process my files using an older version.

Late last week I did the studio work to develop a matching LUT for the GH5 and Pocket 4K. I'm going to post a more detailed write-up somewhere/sometime, but short version is:
1. P4K exposure, WB and tint are damn near spot on. (Maximum color match error: 4%) To compare, max error on the GH5 is almost 30%.
2. If you can get a controlled exposure, the two cameras are *very* easy to match. As in "I bet you couldn't tell the difference" easy to match. (Easier than matching the GH4 <> GH5.)
 
On GH5, You will lose data/corrupt file.....just happened to me.

I just tried this on GH5, recording continuously until battery expired.

The battery low icon started flashing, alternating between a solid red and a solid white, after a few minutes of this camera stopped recording, closed the file, went to an orderly shutdown, displayed "Lumix," then off. Did not lose any data nor corrupt the file.
 
I’m not comfortable beating up on any camera, & certainly not one many will enjoy using, but for context here’s where I’m getting my information from.

Whomever was reporting this was incorrect. The most you will lose when recording ProRes is the last 5 seconds of footage.

I’ve been obliged to shoot on the URSA Mini Pro a handful of times, & once lost power while recording ProRes without corrupting the entire clip, so was a bit surprised when I watched Max Yuryev’s review where he discusses experiencing exactly that problem on the P4K.

Fast forward to the 10 minute mark.
https://youtu.be/ju2Q1Tv-2Aw

This is partly misinformation and FUD. Many people have shared positive results, and even those that are having issues are only speculating that it is due to sensor stack thickness based on an old quote from Metabones speculating about the original Pocket.

Oddly BMCuser locked this thread, seemingly without explanation.

http://www.bmcuser.com/showthread.php?22425-Soft-edges-with-wide-angle-lenses-on-the-BMP4K

Also a bit surprised no one on BMCuser had better quality fast glass to run tests on. Was tempted to take possession of my P4K just so I could properly test better lenses on it, but knew I’d never hold onto the camera due to the inconsistent battery performance, & would have felt guilty returning it.

And of course there’s Brian Caldwell’s opinion...

Its true that Blackmagic cameras have no anti-aliasing filter. But they do have an IR blocking filter and a coverglass. The total thickness of those two pieces of glass is 2.4mm, which is 1.6mm less than the 4mm of glass found in standard m4/3 cameras. That 1.6mm difference is a problem, and causes high speed m4/3 lenses to perform less well on BM cameras than they do on regular m4/3 cameras.

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthrea...ummary&p=1986466404&viewfull=1#post1986466404

I have the current version of that lens and OIS works fine. I also have the 100-300 and OIS works fine.

Max Y. discusses problems with the focus throw, & OIS, at the 4:10 minute mark.
https://youtu.be/ju2Q1Tv-2Aw

And even according to your own spreadsheet OIS on the original 12-35mm is unreliable
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1aAmZ3u4ZdYQznj_cTCtGcMxsZxT_l2JgmBVj0ADWl1s/htmlview#
 
I just tried this on GH5, recording continuously until battery expired.

The battery low icon started flashing, alternating between a solid red and a solid white, after a few minutes of this camera stopped recording, closed the file, went to an orderly shutdown, displayed "Lumix," then off. Did not lose any data nor corrupt the file.

On several occasions I’ve had OEM batteries die in my GH5, & seen it happen on others bodies too, but it never resulted in lost, or corrupted footage.
 
I just tried this on GH5, recording continuously until battery expired.

The battery low icon started flashing, alternating between a solid red and a solid white, after a few minutes of this camera stopped recording, closed the file, went to an orderly shutdown, displayed "Lumix," then off. Did not lose any data nor corrupt the file.

The only time I have experienced an issue was when I changed a battery in the battery grip before shutting down the camera. It corrupted the file. Seems this happens whether one has the expensive Panasonic battery grip or the cheap Amazon grip I have. Since I learned this I shut off the camera before changing the battery in the grip and all has been well. So having a grip is no way to run continuously unless you definately wait for the power to shift to the internal battery I am told. I have since bought a Case Relay system that works just fine to change batteries. I have the same experience of actually running out of battery power as Tom on a test a I did. Orderly shut down and no corrupted file.
 
- I saw Max's video, as well. With all due respect, he's a nice guy and it's fun watching him build klick-ass custom PCs, but he obviously didn't spend long with the camera, or verify his opinions. BMD has directly refuted this claim, and it is easy to verify for oneself that it isn't the case.

- Caldwell's "opinion" has never been verified by BMD, and we certainly know one thing is technically incorrect - there is no "standard" MFT sensor stack thickness. That said, something *is* going on with some lenses at the extremes of very wide and very fast, but exactly what is currently just speculation. If your work depends on those kinds of lenses being absolutely wide open, then the Pocket 4K is probably not for you.

- Like I said, OIS works on version II of the 12-35 f/2.8. I don't have an older copy, so going on anecdotal reports. I haven't seen a confirmable report of any Olympus OIS glass not working.
 
The only time I have experienced an issue was when I changed a battery in the battery grip before shutting down the camera. It corrupted the file. Seems this happens whether one has the expensive Panasonic battery grip or the cheap Amazon grip I have. Since I learned this I shut off the camera before changing the battery in the grip and all has been well. So having a grip is no way to run continuously unless you definately wait for the power to shift to the internal battery I am told. I have since bought a Case Relay system that works just fine to change batteries. I have the same experience of actually running out of battery power as Tom on a test a I did. Orderly shut down and no corrupted file.

I've only once corrupted a GH5 file by accidentally popping-out the battery while still recording.
 
I’ve only seen a few of Max’s videos, & as you said he seems like a nice guy, but I don’t put much weight in his reviews. Same with PhotoJoseph, & most other bloggers

Brian Caldwell is a whole other story, & I agree with him on the Sensor Stack thickness being an issue. Even fast wide lenses bloomed more on the original Pocket camera then they did on Panasonic, or Olympus bodies, & it had nothing to do with FOV.

That said I am looking forward to a reliable source doing a comprehensive review of the P4K.
 
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