GH5 How interested are you in a GH6 anymore?
- Thread starter filmguy123
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BobKo
Well-known member
I don't know if you've tried it, but the rack-focus feature built into the GH5 (called Focus Transition in the menu) can be set to do a pretty rapid rack focus from shiny clickbait to a blogger's eyeball. There's a few videos on YouTube about it, including one I made: https://youtu.be/cLX0lJn-Odo
Legalistically, cartels are below the belt in the US and the EU ... unless it's OPEC. Then it's OK. They are allowed to live long and prosper in Japan and Korea. Panasonic, Olympus, Nikon and Fuji buy their sensors - MFT, APS-C, FF and MF - from Sony, something that would be frowned upon by the anti-trust authorities in a market with so few participants. It makes no difference to the same authorities if Toyota buys its engines from BMW or that Supra is a rebadged Z4 because there are so many competitors in that biz. Additionally, Panasonic, Olympus, Nikon and Fuji get an inferior performance in AF from the same sensors, though Sony plays its own cripple-hammer by limiting its sensors pixel-shifting performances. In a competitive market, there'd be more vendors or more in-house sensor development that would result in a constant leap-frogging of one company over another.
And, the reason I posted a YouTube link to that Lidar based AF system is because it could potentially serve as a major market disruptor since it could eliminate the proprietary lens mounting/ecosystem as a major determining factor. It could also bring a lot of smaller manufacturers of the manual cameras and lenses back to importance and cause a few tremors to the aforementioned cartel.
And, the reason I posted a YouTube link to that Lidar based AF system is because it could potentially serve as a major market disruptor since it could eliminate the proprietary lens mounting/ecosystem as a major determining factor. It could also bring a lot of smaller manufacturers of the manual cameras and lenses back to importance and cause a few tremors to the aforementioned cartel.
You would tend to think Panasonic could have better AF, but either can't afford to license it, or are not allowed to.
All AF misses sometimes, but Panny not only manages to miss shots every other system would consistently hit, it pulses like mad while doing so.
That pulsing is actually far more an issue to my eye - once pointed out, you always notice it. The new firmware is better at reducing it, but it's still there.
Unpredictability is also rarely mentioned, but also a huge issue. With the exact same settings you'll get wildly different results in similar lighting conditions. I've had the AF working fine, turn off the GH5, then have it behave differently. It's very bizarre.
Their system just doesn't work, and considering R&D budgets will be going down, it likely never will... unless they make the switch.
All AF misses sometimes, but Panny not only manages to miss shots every other system would consistently hit, it pulses like mad while doing so.
That pulsing is actually far more an issue to my eye - once pointed out, you always notice it. The new firmware is better at reducing it, but it's still there.
Unpredictability is also rarely mentioned, but also a huge issue. With the exact same settings you'll get wildly different results in similar lighting conditions. I've had the AF working fine, turn off the GH5, then have it behave differently. It's very bizarre.
Their system just doesn't work, and considering R&D budgets will be going down, it likely never will... unless they make the switch.
I stuck with the GH2 through 4 and AF100 for many years. I always enjoyed the size and capabilities of the m43 system.
I hated the relative expense of the lenses vs. Panasonic's absolute refusal to make them durable or repairable, and piss-poor low light performance.
Not going back to m43.
I hated the relative expense of the lenses vs. Panasonic's absolute refusal to make them durable or repairable, and piss-poor low light performance.
Not going back to m43.
BobKo
Well-known member
I just took a look at the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera, which comes in two versions: a 4K version that uses Micro Four-Thirds lenses and a 6K full-frame version that uses bigger lenses. The 4K version costs $1300, which includes the paid version of DaVinci Resolve (which costs $300 if you buy it). The one time I tried a Blackmagic camera with my Panasonic lenses, the camera and lenses did not talk to each other at all -- everything was completely manual, and my recollection is that even switched to manual focus, I could not focus the lens.
Otherwise, the writeup on Blackmagic's site makes the Pocket Cinema Camera sound like it walks on water. One noteworthy downside (compared to the GH5) is that the 4K Pocket Cinema Camera takes stills at 8.8-megapixel resolution. (The 6K version takes 21-megapixel stills.) But it's clear that the Pocket Cinema Camera is built for video, not stills. If funds were unlimited, I might think about getting a Pocket Cinema Camera and a non-Panasonic lens or two to augment my GH5.
Otherwise, the writeup on Blackmagic's site makes the Pocket Cinema Camera sound like it walks on water. One noteworthy downside (compared to the GH5) is that the 4K Pocket Cinema Camera takes stills at 8.8-megapixel resolution. (The 6K version takes 21-megapixel stills.) But it's clear that the Pocket Cinema Camera is built for video, not stills. If funds were unlimited, I might think about getting a Pocket Cinema Camera and a non-Panasonic lens or two to augment my GH5.
MFT system is the most widely/broadly supported mount ecosystem out of all the mirrorless. It is still going strong.
Look at how the GH5 is still very strongly relevant as professional workhorse even now in 2020 years after its release!
The GH5 even now still has features that very few of its competitors have, or even none of them! Or simply don't do them just as well.
The IBIS in a G9/GH5 is still one of the very best there is.
Who else has waveforms? Nobody.
Who has the rock solid reliability of the GH series? Nobody.
Who has anamorphic modes? Very few.
Who has full size HDMI? Very few.
Who has anything similar to DMW-XLR1? Just Sony.
etc etc etc
This list could go on and on!
It will be worthwhile waiting for the Panasonic GH6.
Look at how the GH5 is still very strongly relevant as professional workhorse even now in 2020 years after its release!
The GH5 even now still has features that very few of its competitors have, or even none of them! Or simply don't do them just as well.
The IBIS in a G9/GH5 is still one of the very best there is.
Who else has waveforms? Nobody.
Who has the rock solid reliability of the GH series? Nobody.
Who has anamorphic modes? Very few.
Who has full size HDMI? Very few.
Who has anything similar to DMW-XLR1? Just Sony.
etc etc etc
This list could go on and on!
It will be worthwhile waiting for the Panasonic GH6.
Bassman2003
Veteran
Apparently the Panasonic imaging director said the GH6 was in development and to "stay tuned" in a an interview. https://www.diyphotography.net/stay-tuned-says-panasonic-director-the-gh6-is-coming/
Imho, it would be best sooner than later...
Imho, it would be best sooner than later...
markoconnell
Well-known member
It's definitely due.
Actually, Sony's E-mount is, with about 20% of the total units sold (both in full frame and the APS-C), more if you count the video cameras.
It turned into S5.
Only if Panasonic can deliver significant improvements, especially with C-AF performance.
Yeah, it's kinda hard to think Panasonic will stay in the MFT game for much longer - they simply have little reason to at this point to do so.
I think they'll probably deliver a GH6, likely testing features ultimately aimed at their full frame S line-up, but that'll be it (other then perhaps underwhelming releases like the BGH1 to blow out their whatever remaining MFT stock parts they have left).
That said, I do think Ironfilm has a point - MFT is a massively successful format with thousands of users. This in reality is the only real reason for Panasonic to put any resources into a GH6.
Olympus - with their announcement yesterday of a high end tele lens & new firmware for 4 cameras (including the 4 plus year old EM1 MII) - is hopefully still in the game. JIP clearly hasn't broken the company up yet, something that they certainly could have done by now if they had wished to.
Lots of users - like myself - love the format, but don't necessarily need all the bells & whistles of the GH5, like vectoscopes & anamorphic. Youtubers, corporate + wedding shooters, birders, higher end soccer mom + pops, and low budget indie film makers would seemingly still all be interested in the MFT format....
...Perhaps not enough for Panasonic to remain committed to it past 2021, but maybe enough for them to put out a GH6.
markoconnell
Well-known member
Bassman2003
Veteran
I am still game for a GH6. But, some of that is due to the supply shortages of R5's & a7SIII's. There are great options out there, so Panasonic needs to throw some kind of bone if they want any customers around to buy!
The Gh5 is an easy to use mirrorless camera for video. It has all of the right buttons and features ready to go. Better AF and frame rate choices (4k120 & 1080p240) along with GH5s dual gain + IBIS would be a nice option. They can probably wait until the new year but not much longer if they want me to hold on.
The Gh5 is an easy to use mirrorless camera for video. It has all of the right buttons and features ready to go. Better AF and frame rate choices (4k120 & 1080p240) along with GH5s dual gain + IBIS would be a nice option. They can probably wait until the new year but not much longer if they want me to hold on.
That's his opinion. Let me know when he talks about keiretsu.
markoconnell
Well-known member
But those are over double the price of a Panasonic GH5
(almost beginning to be nearing on three times the price!)
Is the a7Smk3 two or three times better than the GH5? No it is not.
ahalpert
Major Contributor
Haha it's tricky to make a quantitative assessment of qualitative differences.
For example, if the A7SIII can acceptably shoot in conditions too dark for the GH5, then it is infinitely better. Likewise for high-contrast scene handling. Likewise for enabling usable autofocus.
In terms of pure IQ for scenes and uses they can both handle, no it is not 2-3x better
No. I am saying it's his opinion. Sort of like the Canon's execs opinion that R5/R6 were not crippled in any way, shape or form.
Well, Olympus is one and a half feet out the door. So, Panasonic is the only known brand left standing (there's Yongnuo that made a cheapo cam that got blasted and Sharp which announced an 8K cam but has been sitting on it without much noise). So, it's kind of half a dozen tomaytoes deal.
And, in term of 2.5x value vs. price, there's high ISO performance and the AF of A7SIII.