First Impressions of the GH5

Steve Burkett · April 5th, 2017, 07:56 AM

My biggest negative of the GH5 is that I have only 1 of this camera.

Okay so it's not perfect. Focus is improved in 4K, more so when shooting 50p, but not reliable for essential shots - has its quirks.

Dynamic range is improved, though I feel this more as I've been favouring my GX80 and G80 in recent months over my GH4 due to the usefulness of 5 axis IS and compared to these cameras, the image is sooo much better - far less clipped highlights and more detail in shadow. It's like taking all thats good with the G80/GX80 and matching it with the GH4, plus adding a whole lot more.

The joystick is very useful for adjusting the focus area and for menu navigation.

I find the screen less easy to monitor focus than on the GH4 - perhaps its a setting thing, but the screen image feels softer than on the GH4.

4K detail seems to my eye greater than on the GH4. Colour is improved and matches more with the GX80/G80.

Dual card slot is very useful. As is 50p 4K and between the 2 are worth the upgrade alone. I haven't tested 10 bit. I hear some editing applications struggle with it and with a busy workload and a PC on its last legs, now isn't the time to play with it. Hopefully will get to experiment in May with it.

Menu takes some getting use to, though having a custom menu page with my most used items is very helpful.

Camera feels heavy but well balanced in my hands.

Battery life has taken a tumble. Quite a change from the GH4. The battery grip feels more like a must have now.

Auto ISO is proving very useful. I use to have a custom setting for automatic for run n gun, but aperture changes were a real pain and I found myself using aperture priority in such cases. Now I can simply have it on manual and if I do feel the need to have the camera adjust exposure automatically, I can simply switch ISO to manual. Does a reasonable job too.

ISO 100 which perhaps limits dynamic range a little, is also very welcome for helping limit diffraction from high apertures when I don't have an ND to hand. Though it better serves me in allowing me to use a lower aperture and thus more shallow depth of field when outdoors and my ND filter is stopped down as far as it can go.

So to conclude, this camera has been one of my best ever purchases. Hard to think that barely 6 years ago, I was putting up with the soft, mushy, moire mess that was the Canon 60D video quality. Just shows how far technology can grow in such a short space of time.

Ronald Jackson · April 5th, 2017, 08:36 AM

I had a look at the battery grip today, those for my GH4s won't fit. £309 they want, bugger that!
Will have to wait and/or buy more batteries.

Ron

Noa Put · April 5th, 2017, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Burkett

the image is sooo much better - far less clipped highlights and more detail in shadow. It's like taking all thats good with the G80/GX80 and matching it with the GH4, plus adding a whole lot more.

You mean there is a big difference in IQ between the gh5 and g80/80? Does it notice when you combine images?

Steve Burkett · April 5th, 2017, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Noa Put

You mean there is a big difference in IQ between the gh5 and g80/80? Does it notice when you combine images?

Well I'm only just starting to edit the material I shot with my 1st Wedding. We are talking more dynamic range and to my eyes some clearer detail. However detail can vary depending on what lens I am using and dynamic range will show up more in areas of high contrast. It was telling when I filmed Bridal Preps recently where I switched my 25mm lens from filming a scene with a GX80 to the GH5 that the Highlights weren't burnt out and there was more detail in the shadows. Less contrasty image with the GH5, despite both having contrast turned down in the custom profile.

As colour is much the same, arguably I can match the GH5 better with the G80 than with the GH4. I think its more important to match colour than dynamic range; clients will less likely to pick up on the latter. The GH4 had better dynamic range than my GX80 and G80; I could see that as soon as I began using the GX80, though obviously favoured the smaller cameras for their IS.

To be honest, though I can tell the difference, I don't think my clients will pick up on it once I've done a little grading. That said, come extreme low light filming and my cameras are not all equal to the task and why I'd prefer to have another GH5 to offset this. My GX80 and G80 seem to do better than the GH4's but there's more detail in the GH4 shadows than the other 2 cameras. I think my GH5 will do better, though yet to review the low light footage I have shot so far, to give a proper evaluation.

Ron Evans · April 5th, 2017, 10:59 AM

This is an interesting video explaining the autofocus .

Simon Denny · April 6th, 2017, 05:10 AM

Hey Steve, what cards are you using in the GH5?

Steve Burkett · April 6th, 2017, 05:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simon Denny

Hey Steve, what cards are you using in the GH5?

Same cards I used on my GH4/GX80/G80, Transcend. Here's the link:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Transcend-6...sd%2Bcard&th=1

Ken Ross · April 6th, 2017, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Noa Put

In a positive or negative way? I just saw below video and the AF seems like unusable to me.

https://youtu.be/PE9SbpVnrss

In a very positive way. I agree with almost all of what Steve said. A gem of a camera. As for AF, I and other owners have conducted tests and results are hugely different from Max's. I suspect he got a bad body. I can't duplicate his issues no matter what I do.

So as to prove my point, here are a variety of videos I shot, trying to duplicate what Max did, that prove how different his GH5 is from mine. The last one is not mine. I'm not saying the GH5's AF is perfect, and doesn't a hunt a bit from time to time, my A6300 did too and often wouldn't even focus on the subject, but it's a whole lot better than what Max showed.

The camera is getting a very bad rap from one review that may well be from a defective camera. It's too bad.

Steve Burkett · April 6th, 2017, 11:54 AM

No camera is perfect and free from flaws and Panasonic has always show some in low light, auto focus and colour. That said, the GH5 has improved in all of them, maybe not to the standards of others, but when combined with Panasonic's strengths, reliability, tonnes of features and image detail, it stands above other DSLR's.

Whilst the Canon DPAF is legendary, I find some tend to rely on it too much to their detriment, and whilst it hunts less, it doesn't always lock on correctly, judging by some videos I have seen. A scenario I also see played out in some examples of GH5 auto focus and why I am always cautious in using it for key moments.

Understandably those using Canon DSLR's have little choice but to rely on auto focus, as that useful manual focusing aid of focus peaking is conspicuous by its absence, even amongst the very expensive models; whereas my GX80 costing little over £500 has it. I'd take features that help me better manual focus over a good AF as I find even the best AF can't predict what I want in focus at any given moment.

As I said, there's no perfect camera, but the GH5 has delivered on all my expectations that I had for it. I have quite a tough Wedding season ahead of me, and I feel more confident knowing I have this camera working for me.

Ron Evans · April 6th, 2017, 12:02 PM

PhotoJoseph has posted this

worth watching I think.He has another that also shows some parameters that do not work.

Ken Ross · April 6th, 2017, 02:19 PM

I don't know how many videos it will take before Max acknowledges, at least the possibility, he got a bad unit. Too many good videos out there with good AF. Here's Peter Gregg who did his own testing. No issues here either. Either way the GH5 will take a hit from Max's video. Too bad:

Simon Denny · April 6th, 2017, 03:11 PM

Steve or anyone here, I'm wondering if I can use the same cards I use in my Sony A7S: SanDisk Extreme Pro 64GB 95MB/s in the GH5.
Still waiting on the GH5 to show up here in Sydney.

Noa Put · April 6th, 2017, 04:09 PM

I can record raw footage on my black magic pocket camera using the card you mention so I"m sure it's fast enough for the current bitrates of the gh5.

Noa Put · April 7th, 2017, 02:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron Evans

PhotoJoseph has posted this

It appears that PhotoJoseph is sponsored by panasonic but I guess we will find out soon if he gets to together with Max:

Noa Put · April 7th, 2017, 02:45 AM

I will believe the autofocus has improved on the GH5 but looking at below comparison video the a6500 kicks the gh5 all over the place, it's actually painful to watch. The sony makes it look oh so simple, just put the focusing system at standard and it just works while on the panasonic you seem need a engineers degree to figure out the settings and it still doesn't work. I still looks like there was a reason why Panasonic didn't put any emphasis on the improved autofocus and now is using panasonic ambassadors to save their reputation. Max has a received a second gh5 unit so we might find out soon enough if he a) has a defective unit or b) uses wrong settings or c) will be proven right.

April 5th, 2017, 07:56 AM	#46
Steve Burkett Trustee Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Romsey, UK Posts: 1,261	Re: First Impressions of the GH5 My biggest negative of the GH5 is that I have only 1 of this camera. Okay so it's not perfect. Focus is improved in 4K, more so when shooting 50p, but not reliable for essential shots - has its quirks. Dynamic range is improved, though I feel this more as I've been favouring my GX80 and G80 in recent months over my GH4 due to the usefulness of 5 axis IS and compared to these cameras, the image is sooo much better - far less clipped highlights and more detail in shadow. It's like taking all thats good with the G80/GX80 and matching it with the GH4, plus adding a whole lot more. The joystick is very useful for adjusting the focus area and for menu navigation. I find the screen less easy to monitor focus than on the GH4 - perhaps its a setting thing, but the screen image feels softer than on the GH4. 4K detail seems to my eye greater than on the GH4. Colour is improved and matches more with the GX80/G80. Dual card slot is very useful. As is 50p 4K and between the 2 are worth the upgrade alone. I haven't tested 10 bit. I hear some editing applications struggle with it and with a busy workload and a PC on its last legs, now isn't the time to play with it. Hopefully will get to experiment in May with it. Menu takes some getting use to, though having a custom menu page with my most used items is very helpful. Camera feels heavy but well balanced in my hands. Battery life has taken a tumble. Quite a change from the GH4. The battery grip feels more like a must have now. Auto ISO is proving very useful. I use to have a custom setting for automatic for run n gun, but aperture changes were a real pain and I found myself using aperture priority in such cases. Now I can simply have it on manual and if I do feel the need to have the camera adjust exposure automatically, I can simply switch ISO to manual. Does a reasonable job too. ISO 100 which perhaps limits dynamic range a little, is also very welcome for helping limit diffraction from high apertures when I don't have an ND to hand. Though it better serves me in allowing me to use a lower aperture and thus more shallow depth of field when outdoors and my ND filter is stopped down as far as it can go. So to conclude, this camera has been one of my best ever purchases. Hard to think that barely 6 years ago, I was putting up with the soft, mushy, moire mess that was the Canon 60D video quality. Just shows how far technology can grow in such a short space of time.

April 5th, 2017, 08:36 AM	#47
Ronald Jackson Major Player Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Southport, United Kingdom Posts: 723	Re: First Impressions of the GH5 I had a look at the battery grip today, those for my GH4s won't fit. £309 they want, bugger that! Will have to wait and/or buy more batteries. Ron

April 5th, 2017, 10:59 AM	#50
Ron Evans Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,222	Re: First Impressions of the GH5 This is an interesting video explaining the autofocus . GH5 Autofocus System Explained! â€”Â*PhotoJoseph's Photo Moment 2017-02-21 - YouTube

April 6th, 2017, 05:10 AM	#51
Simon Denny Trustee Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Australia Posts: 1,409	Re: First Impressions of the GH5 Hey Steve, what cards are you using in the GH5?

April 6th, 2017, 11:54 AM	#54
Steve Burkett Trustee Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Romsey, UK Posts: 1,261	Re: First Impressions of the GH5 No camera is perfect and free from flaws and Panasonic has always show some in low light, auto focus and colour. That said, the GH5 has improved in all of them, maybe not to the standards of others, but when combined with Panasonic's strengths, reliability, tonnes of features and image detail, it stands above other DSLR's. Whilst the Canon DPAF is legendary, I find some tend to rely on it too much to their detriment, and whilst it hunts less, it doesn't always lock on correctly, judging by some videos I have seen. A scenario I also see played out in some examples of GH5 auto focus and why I am always cautious in using it for key moments. Understandably those using Canon DSLR's have little choice but to rely on auto focus, as that useful manual focusing aid of focus peaking is conspicuous by its absence, even amongst the very expensive models; whereas my GX80 costing little over £500 has it. I'd take features that help me better manual focus over a good AF as I find even the best AF can't predict what I want in focus at any given moment. As I said, there's no perfect camera, but the GH5 has delivered on all my expectations that I had for it. I have quite a tough Wedding season ahead of me, and I feel more confident knowing I have this camera working for me.

April 6th, 2017, 12:02 PM	#55
Ron Evans Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,222	Re: First Impressions of the GH5 PhotoJoseph has posted this LUMIX GH5 Successful Autofocus Tests! - YouTube worth watching I think.He has another that also shows some parameters that do not work.

April 6th, 2017, 02:19 PM	#56
Ken Ross Trustee Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: New York Posts: 1,945	Re: First Impressions of the GH5 I don't know how many videos it will take before Max acknowledges, at least the possibility, he got a bad unit. Too many good videos out there with good AF. Here's Peter Gregg who did his own testing. No issues here either. Either way the GH5 will take a hit from Max's video. Too bad: Panasonic GH5 Best Camera Settings Explained For Good Video Autofocus - YouTube

April 6th, 2017, 03:11 PM	#57
Simon Denny Trustee Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Australia Posts: 1,409	Re: First Impressions of the GH5 Steve or anyone here, I'm wondering if I can use the same cards I use in my Sony A7S: SanDisk Extreme Pro 64GB 95MB/s in the GH5. Still waiting on the GH5 to show up here in Sydney.

April 6th, 2017, 04:09 PM	#58
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,510	Re: First Impressions of the GH5 I can record raw footage on my black magic pocket camera using the card you mention so I"m sure it's fast enough for the current bitrates of the gh5.

April 7th, 2017, 02:45 AM	#60
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,510	Re: First Impressions of the GH5 I will believe the autofocus has improved on the GH5 but looking at below comparison video the a6500 kicks the gh5 all over the place, it's actually painful to watch. The sony makes it look oh so simple, just put the focusing system at standard and it just works while on the panasonic you seem need a engineers degree to figure out the settings and it still doesn't work. I still looks like there was a reason why Panasonic didn't put any emphasis on the improved autofocus and now is using panasonic ambassadors to save their reputation. Max has a received a second gh5 unit so we might find out soon enough if he a) has a defective unit or b) uses wrong settings or c) will be proven right. YouTube (Short URL)