GH4 no more GH4 firmwares?
- Thread starter wwjd
- Start date
joe12south
Veteran
That's a really bad analogy. Your perfectly functioning GH4 will continue to be a usable tool without upgrades. Honda hasn't upgraded my car in the intervening years since I bought it, but as long as I can keep buying gas, I'm good to go.
It is a weak anology. 
True, cameras, are not like cars, although these days you CAN download updates for your auto's functions sometimes.
Cameras are more like computers: it IS a computer now. Computers last a few years, but thousands of various softwares can be run on them to do many things.
Like MAGIC LANTERN on Canon, these Panny 4's could do so much more.
Heck, I'd even PAY for software updates to it, at a realistic price - like Apps: $1 to $50.
Would have loved to get:
- aspect ratio marks on LCD
- 4.2k video
- better color profile
- tweaked bitrates and compressors
and list is long and different for everyone. Seems a shame all the potential is tossed aside for the latest model, but I understand our throw away society, and the profit margin is larger selling us new, rather than enhancing the old. Brave New World: "Why mend it, you can send it!"
True, cameras, are not like cars, although these days you CAN download updates for your auto's functions sometimes.
Cameras are more like computers: it IS a computer now. Computers last a few years, but thousands of various softwares can be run on them to do many things.
Like MAGIC LANTERN on Canon, these Panny 4's could do so much more.
Heck, I'd even PAY for software updates to it, at a realistic price - like Apps: $1 to $50.
Would have loved to get:
- aspect ratio marks on LCD
- 4.2k video
- better color profile
- tweaked bitrates and compressors
and list is long and different for everyone. Seems a shame all the potential is tossed aside for the latest model, but I understand our throw away society, and the profit margin is larger selling us new, rather than enhancing the old. Brave New World: "Why mend it, you can send it!"
Aspect ratio marks, color profiles, and more settings for the compression are possibilities, the 4.2k is possibly beyond the hardware.
I said what I said because some many people wish for the moon, and that's just not possible. But come up with a list of things that probably aren't out of the hardware's capability and your chances of getting it may be improved. But I still doubt they will do this, so far only high end gear and the Fuji cameras are getting real features added to older models, especially once the replacement model has been released.
A suitable suggestion would be to unencrypt the firmware (for those that want it) and see what the hackers could bring. This would be the cheapest thing that Panasonic could do for a camera that is essentially obsolete. I doubt a hacked firmware for GH4 would effect GH5 sales, but it would certainly effect used GH4 sales. Those that want and need the GH5 will still buy the GH5 because it's hardware offers things that the GH4 can't provide.
I said what I said because some many people wish for the moon, and that's just not possible. But come up with a list of things that probably aren't out of the hardware's capability and your chances of getting it may be improved. But I still doubt they will do this, so far only high end gear and the Fuji cameras are getting real features added to older models, especially once the replacement model has been released.
A suitable suggestion would be to unencrypt the firmware (for those that want it) and see what the hackers could bring. This would be the cheapest thing that Panasonic could do for a camera that is essentially obsolete. I doubt a hacked firmware for GH4 would effect GH5 sales, but it would certainly effect used GH4 sales. Those that want and need the GH5 will still buy the GH5 because it's hardware offers things that the GH4 can't provide.
I believe the 4.2k is possible based on the changing of aspect ratio for Anamorphic: If they can make it square, they can make it more letterboxed stretching the 4 to 4.2 while reducing the 2160 to less. Would help us achieve OVER 4k to look better when REDUCED back to normal 4k.
But, yeah, the GH5 is out. But its not great DR (but still amazing at this price point) has me looking toward URSA MINI PRO 4.6k with 15 stops
But, yeah, the GH5 is out. But its not great DR (but still amazing at this price point) has me looking toward URSA MINI PRO 4.6k with 15 stops