First Impressions of the GH5
 

Confirmed specs have now been released by those lucky enough to get their hands on the GH5.

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/mov...essions-review

Some key features for me:
4K at 50p
4:2:2 colour (including in 4K in a scheduled Summer upgrade)
5 axis IS
Dual Card slots
180fps slowmo in 1080p
waveform monitor
auto ISO in A and S modes
and no crop in 4K.

And I thought Christmas was last month.

The audio interface unit looks a nifty add on too.

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

Yes, after Photokina I was somewhat underwhelmed but these specs are much better than anticipated. They claim 2 stops better dynamic range as well.

Very excited about Hybrid-Log HDR, no crop (!), great OLED monitor, useful 4K slow motion, compatibility with GH4 batteries. Didn't see anything about the card speed requirements. Hopefully the fast 4K cards for GH4 are still fast enough for things like 10bit and 400mbps when the summer firmware upgrade ships.

This camera is perhaps slightly overpriced at launch, but it's worth it for an indie filmmaker in the market for a great M43 video camera for relatively small dollars.

Panasonic got this exactly right.

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

...yep, appears I need to again squeeze my piggy bank, as I'm pretty sure I will need one of these!!!

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

I already knew I'd be selling off my Canon gear this year. The Sony A6500 was going to be my pick, but this might be too good to pass up. They also talk about the firmware improvements in the next few months. Sweet.

I've got a wedding to shoot January 28th. Then all my stuff is for sale to switch over.

/solo wedding shooter.

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

No crop in 4K 50p/60p? Just want that clarified right off the bat.

Also, can it maintain 4K 50p/60p 10bit 4:2:2 going out the HDMI out to something like an Inferno?

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

Absolutely, yes.

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

I think the answer is yes to both. Panasonic GH5 at CES 2017: Internal 10-bit 422 4K recording at 400 Mbps, and HD up to 180fps and HD Warrior. If you listen through both these videos you will hear both your questions answered. Looks like just the camera I was looking for shooting UHD and crop/pan to 1920x1080.

Ron Evans

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

Selling up all my stuff as well in March and going to go full Panasonic. 3 x GH4 R's as B / C cams and a GH5 as my A cam kitted out with a cage / xlr adapter. No record limits, unlimited 4K, super slo mo. What else do you need as an event videographer !?

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

I have seen Panasonic reps say no crop in any video modes.

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

To me, this seems like the ideal wedding camera. You can obtain narrow DOF when desired but the gear is a fraction of the weight of full-frame cameras. And now with in-body stabilization, my kit is going to get even leaner.

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

I wonder what effect, if any, this will have on the Metabones SpeedBooster lens adapter? Can you use the one from the GH4 on the GH5?

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

Has anyone found the bit rate for the audio with added XLR unit?

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

I think it is up to 24bit at 96khz.

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

A low light test video was posted in this article:

Can the Panasonic GH5 See In The Dark? Apparently, Yes

Looks like its somewhere around the Canon full frame quality, which seems pretty good for a micro 4/3rd to me.

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

Thanks Ron, I guess we will have to wait and see. So much marketing early on, but it looks interesting.

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

10 bit 4K doesn't suck .....

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

If it would have been 8bit 4K the end result might have been just the same, we only know for sure if this was shot with 2 camera's side by side, one in 8bit and the other in 10bit and then to show of the difference. I"m not saying 10bit doesn't make a difference, for particular applications it does but I would like to see real world examples, like the video that was showcased, and then make a side by side comparison to see if all that excitement about 10bit 4K is warranted.

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

My interest in UHD 10 bit 4:2:2 is that I feel the image will be better when cropped in to get a 1920x1080 output which is really my sole interest in UHD. For the full image taken to DVD or Bluray I doubt whether one could see much difference on an 8bit TV as there is already a big change in resolution and colour depth. Will find out myself in April ( I hope )

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

10 bit 4:2:2 in my mind is for heavy grading. Ideal obviously for when shooting in the log profile. For footage where you're not planning to grade or grade very little, then it seems a lot of space on a memory card for little gain. I'm working on a project right now for a Broadcast Company where I would love to have been able to shoot the whole thing on 10 bit 4:2:2 just to give me that extra flexibility. I had to shoot some stuff today on vLog, though am keeping my fingers crossed it'll grade well in post. It's annoying when you have an ideal camera in mind for a shoot and it's not out yet.

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

I thought someone at a trade show reported that they didn't noticed much of a difference in image quality. I have a feeling this will be a case of the stats looking more impressive than non log workflow with minimal editing.

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

For most people they won't see a difference from 8bit to 10bit and 4:2:0 to 4:2:2, however if your shooting for broadcast (TV) 4:2:2 is a minimum and this is where I'm excited and waited a long time for a small camera that has both 10bit 4:2:2. Now I can travel with a small backpack anywhere, shoot like I'm a photographer and have the bit rates in a compact rig, love it.

I have the A7s, great little camera, lacks in internal 4:2:2 for me and has become redundant in a Broadcast World unless I strap a recorder to it, which is a massive hassle for me.

Looking forward to the GH5.

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

Is there any NEW official news from Panasonic when the camera will be available in stores, especially in Europe? At one time it was 15 March, then 20 March....

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

I've seen a lot of conflicting dates. The only thing that seems for sure and I take that even with a pinch of salt, is end of March. I'd really like to have this camera for the 12th April, as I have a very big Wedding to film and I'd want to make good use of 4K at 50p. It would be nice to have it by the time I go to Ireland for a Wedding on the 25th, but I'm not holding my breath on that one.

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

If you have to wait as long as I had to wait for my pre-ordered g80 then you"ll be lucky to start shooting in 4 months.

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

I got my G80 early October, soon after release. So I'm optimistic about the GH5. Fingers crossed. :)

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

Well to my utter surprise, I got mine delivered literally an hour before I was heading off to a Wedding yesterday in Essex. Mind it was a close call. I got the call Thursday at 7pm to take payment. Asked for an AM next day service and then the delivery van broke down Friday first thing, so was advised of some delay. A frantic call to the delivery firm and they were kind to make me first visit of the day once they were running.

If I made one of those awful unboxing videos, it would have lasted 30 seconds. Long enough to confirm all was there before it was packed with my gear. Started using it as soon as I arrived for the Wedding. Couldn't wait. :)

First impressions. Love having auto ISO with manual (finally), love 4K at 50p which I used for the Brides entrance, confetti, reception entrance and first dance. Definitely smoother auto focusing when in 50p. Much heavier to hold. Menus took some time to get use to. Literally finding my preferred settings on the fly, though my experiences with the GH4 and GX80 helped there.
The new custom menu is great, laying down my most used menu items in 1 place. Battery drains faster than the GH4, but that's to be expected.

And no crop. Much improved on the GH4. I'm now travelling to Ireland for another Wedding today and then will spend a few days visiting, so hope to become more familiar with it and have a tonne of footage by the time I return. However yesterday was a great start. Bit more a baptism by fire than I had with the GH4, but it held up well.

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

Got mine too, feels great to hold it for the first time.

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

You guys are very lucky, still waiting here in Sydney.... gota be soon for me.

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

I got mine weeks ago, I must be blessed. I think I got a special version they send out to all Panasonic believers.

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

"no crop" ? Surely the standard MFT 2x crop? Maybe no 4K 2.3X crop?

Ron

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

Yes, I believe it means no extra crop in 4K

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

Yes just the 2x crop when shooting in 4k now. One for you though Ron, is the ability to punch in to 1.4x in 4k. I guess that's where they're taking the 4k image at 1:1 pixels off the sensor. Great for us wildlife guys!! It's the same as the Ex tele on the GH4 shooting 1080, but now on the GH5 shooting in 1080 the crop can be as much as 2.7x & like i mentioned, 1.4x in 4K, meaning the crop factor is 2.8x. It's on page 148 of the GH5 manual.

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

It is a micro 4/3 sensor in the camera. No crop in this instance means no crop within the sensor as many 4K Cameras impose. Though if one wishes to be pedantic, then technically it is still not true as the 16:9 ratio crops top and bottom. True of all dslr based sensors.

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

Goodoh. My GH5 is ready but a rather expensive couple of months what with a new clutch for my Defender and holiday breaks. Might wait and see what other new owners think. Will download the brochure though.

Ron

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

Friend has just received his two new GH5s. Then finds his Metabones Canon EF to MFT Smart Adapter locks up with a GH5 and a EF mount lens in place.

Needs a Metabones firmware update apparently. Glad I didn't jump in first thing as nearly all my wildlife (birds) stuff is via a Sigma 150-600 and a "Smart Adapter".


Ron

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

I am still not sure just what the effective magnification will be with this camera, despite studying the manual.

With my present EX3, I use a Nikon 80-200mm zoom. That gives a magnifiacation factor of 5.4x, due to the much smaller sensor than a 35 mm camera. So my "effective" focal length range is 440-1080 mm.

If I use that lens on my MFT Olympus body, it behaves as a 160-400 mm zoom would on a 35 mm camera, i.e. a magnification factor of 2x by virtue of the Sensor being larger than my EX3.

If I buy a GH5 body, and suitable adaptor and shoot in 4K, but process in HD 1080, would the overall magification factor be 2.7x, or is the in camera crop in addition to the 2x manification provided by the smaller sensor?

If it the latter, then fine, I have the same effective focal lengths as I do now. If the total magnification factor is just the camera quoted 2.7x, then disaster, my effective focal lengths are halved!

Could someone please clear this up for me?

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

Compared to 35mm format (a.k.a. full-frame)

The GH5 in 16:9 mode has 2.18x crop factor in both 1080 and 4K

The GH4 in 16:9 mode has a 2.18x crop factor in 1080 and a 2.4x crop factor in 4K (with a small difference between UHD and Cinema 4K settings, with the latter being slightly less cropped). The reason of the difference lies in the way Panasonic implemented the read-out from the sensor in 4k; the bigger cropping when switched between 1080 and 4k is quite common with other manufacturers too. The Gh5 is one of the few with no added crop in 4k.

The old GH1 and GH2 had the famous multi aspect sensor with a crop factor in 16:9 mode about 1.84x.

In still mode, when 4:3 aspect ratio is selected, the crop factor compared to the 35mm format is about 2x.
The 2.18x cropping in video mode is due to the necessity to derivate a 16:9 aspect ratio from a 4:3 native sensor so the reduced angle of view.

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

So according to the manual, you can shoot with the standard 2x crop in 4k, or an additional 1.4x in ETC mode. This is cropping in to a 1:1 pixel aspect ratio. If you then use that footage on a 1080 timeline, you can zoom in to 100% effectively giving you a 5.6x crop. You can of course shoot in 1080 & use the ETC mode for the additional 2.7x over the 2x crop of the sensor giving 5.4x crop factor. Either way, yes you can get basically the same angle of view that you get with your EX3. I went from shooting an EX3 to the GH4 & love it!. Looking forward to getting the GH5 though for the 60p & slo-mo.

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

Thank you Bryce, that is just the confirmation that I needed!

A combination of years and heart trouble is making my beloved EX3 outfit increasingly difficult to handle. A second interest is in still photography of alpine flowers, where I use an Olympus digital PEN with a 60 mm Macro lens. This lens would work with the new GH5, so I could end up with the one body fulfilling all my needs!

Re: First Impressions of the GH5
 

So what is everyone's impressions of the GH5 who have it? Still waiting to be notified when it is in stock here in Canada. Hoping to get the email soon though.