GH5 for video documentaries: some questions please.

[Adriano Moroni]

Hi, I use a Sony AX100 for my 4K ethnic documentaries around the world. The next month I'd like to replace my Sony AX100 with Panasonic GH5 and I'd like to ask some questions:

1) I don't take pictures but video only. In your opinion will I make an error to buy GH5 for my documentaries? I'm not expert in cameras and I'm afraid to make an error because a camera is not so immediate and fast like a videocamera to shot. Can you give me some info please?

2) I think GH5 comes with a 12-60 mm object. Can you tell me how much is a 12-60 mm focal compared to a videocamera focal (precisely)?

3) Has Panasonic GH5 a better steadyshot than Sony AX100?

4) I don't make videos about animals, therefore I don't need a very long focal but I also don't like a very short focal. What is your opinion? Which object could be ok for me?

5) I sometime will use the camera by automatic mode. Does automatic white balance give good videos? Are there some grey filter like in the videocameras?

6) Sad note: I read UHD 3840 × 2160p at 30fps, 24fps. uhhhhhhhhhhh Has a such camera not a 50 fps? It is incredible really but maybe I read badly.

7) Is it very hard to use the zoom with GH5?
thanks

[Noa Put]

The ax100 has a 35mm equiv focal length of 29–348mm, a 12-60mm on a gh5 has a 24-120mm 35mm equiv focal length (not considering any extra cropping that might be going on but I believe that is not the case with the gh5 but anyone may correct me if I"m wrong.) so it's a bit wider but has a lot less reach.

The advantage though is that a gh5 will give you the choice to add a lens that is specific for your needs, if you want a ultrawide, macro, super-tele, zoom, primelens, there hardly doesn't exist a lens that doesn't fit the gh5, either native or with an adapter.

The gh5 has much better lensstabilization then the ax100.

The choice of a lens depends on more then one factor, do you want the ease of use of a zoomlens? Do you shoot a lot in places with low light? Is a shallow dof important?

Some things to consider:

The gh5 is more difficult to use then the ax100, first of all, if you find autofocus important then forget about the gh5, the autofocus suxs, it's just too unreliable to use when you need critical focus.

Lenses for the gh5 are as far as I am aware of not parfocal, I don't know if that is the case with the ax100 but if your intention is to zoom in, manual focus and zoom out and then expect the lens to still hold focus then it's better to get a videocamera that has this ability.

Smooth zooming during a shot is also very difficult, you can do some quick zooms to reframe but doing a very slow creeping zoom is nearly impossible.

Forget about changing the exposure without seeing the exposure jumps in steps unless you get lenses that have a declicked iris. Personally I don't like this because if you shoot with a fast prime, like a f1.4 lens and lets say the lens has a declicked and smooth turning iris ring, when you turn that ring and close the iris down to f5.6 you will very clearly see the dof change. That's not what you want to see in a continuous shot.

The gh5 gives me much more flexibility then the ax100 especially with it's lenschoices and the image generally also looks better, especially in low light but the ax100 is a much easier camera to operate in fast changing environments.

[Noa Put]

Edit: I just see you added some questions :)

The gh5 will shoot 4K at 50or 60fps

about automatic whitebalance, I have read about users saying it has a good autowb, I personally never use auto anything, I whitebalance using a expodisc and I also use a tungsten or outdoor preset if needed.

[Mark Rosenzweig]

I think Noa's observations about the GH5 are right on.

But let me summarize two important points:

If you zoom while shooting, do not get the GH5.

If you use autofocus, do not get the GH5.

Also, if you want to improve low light by a lot over the AX100, do not get the GH5.

If you really need 4K60P, get the GH5

If you really need 4K 10bit, 4:2:2, get the GH5.

If the first three disqualifies the GH5, and the last two are not what you need, then consider getting the Sony A6500, with near parfocal, constant-aperture lenses, like the 18-105 (you can zoom while shooting) and great AF (DPAF), and better low-light performance than the GH5 and much better than the AX100.

[Noa Put]

Also, if you want to improve low light by a lot over the AX100, do not get the GH5.

That's the only part I don't agree with, it also depends what you understand by "a lot", one thing I know from shooting with both camera's during weddings is that the ax100 can produce some pretty bad looking noise at higher iso's, so bad actually that I often had to use neatvideo to make it look decent.
For the gh5 however I never had to use neatvideo and I personally find the difference in low light performance with a fast lens like a f1.4 very noticeable, I can easily shoot candle light dinners with my gh5 but I can't with the ax100.

[Mark Rosenzweig]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

That's the only part I don't agree with, it also depends what you understand by "a lot", one thing I know from shooting with both camera's during weddings is that the ax100 can produce some pretty bad looking noise at higher iso's, so bad actually that I often had to use neatvideo to make it look decent.
For the gh5 however I never had to use neatvideo and I personally find the difference in low light performance with a fast lens like a f1.4 very noticeable, I can easily shoot candle light dinners with my gh5 but I can't with the ax100.

I agree that the AX100 is no low-light performer. But, sure, with an f1.4 lens *at* f1.4, you will do much better than the AX100 (if you could put the f1.4 lens on the AX100 you would do much better too). But shooting documentaries at f1.4, given the shallow DOF, is not easy and focusing in dim light - I cannot imagine. The DR and the low-light performance of an APS-C camera is just going to be better than the GH5.

The GH5 is without peers for 4K60P and for heavy grading (422, 10bit); it's IQ is good too. It's lenses are compact, relatively. Those are very real advantages for a seasoned, serious videographer. But if those first two advantages are unimportant, the GH5 has severe shortcomings for run and gun shooting - no zoom, no reliable AF. One can shoot great video without the latter two (I am quite happy with my Z E1, which has neither) with work. But someone going from a camcorder to a GH5 is going to be really disappointed.

[Ron Evans]

To support Noa and Mark. The GH5 is NOT a camcorder replacement for the AX100. It has no automatic features one is used to on a camcorder. It has suburb video but one has to work for it. I use mine as an unattended full stage camera in shooting theatre. I control with the image app from a tablet, have it set up with a gain limit ( iso 1600 ), shutter priority 1/60, auto gain, and use AE shift to taste !!! It is the closest one can get to automatic operation ( camera is automatically managing gain smoothly ) close to the way I ran my Sony's in this role and it works very well shooting UHD 60P.

I suggest you look not only at the new Sony camcorders, AX700, HXR-NX80 but also the Canon GX10 or XF400 that would also shoot UHD 60/60P and have a better wide angle zoom than the Sony's.

Is there a reason you ask about the GH5 ? My reason was UHD60P, fixed application with no zooming required always on a tripod. It is still the lowest cost way of getting this. The XF400 is now close but only 8bit too.

[Adriano Moroni]

Thanks for your pleasant replies. My priorities are (descending order):
1) Higher video quality, better than Sony AX100 (noticeable)
2) Good performance as with high light as with low light
3) Very good AF
4) Compactness and lightness of the body
5) The use of the zoom even if I use it very little.
6) UHD 50p or 60P
I can use as a camera or as a videocamera but it must have all those options.

[Noa Put]

If all of your priorities are a must then I would recommend a Canon c200.

[Noa Put]

Also, why is 4k 50p so important? Do you plan on slowing down your footage a lot? If you are satisfied with 4K 25p you get a lot more camera's to choose from that meet your priorities.

[Adriano Moroni]

Yes, 50p is important for me because I sometimes shot running subjects and almost always without tripod.
If I have to be sincere I don't like that abortion of Canon C200. ;)

[Noa Put]

If the c200 is not something you want to consider then the camera you want doesn't exist so you need to rethink your priorities, camera's that shoot 4K50p are mostly in the 5K + range and the gh5 is the only exception unless you want to go with very small sensor point and shoot camera's like a gopro that can do 4K50P.
Also shooting action or running subjects just requires a different shootingstyle, all action films in cinema are shot in 24p and it has never bothered me that they aren't in 48, 50 or 60p.

[Adriano Moroni]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

Also shooting action or running subjects just requires a different shootingstyle, all action films in cinema are shot in 24p and it has never bothered me that they aren't in 48, 50 or 60p.

I'm sure you use a tripod for your shoots, try your 25p camera with freehand shooting.

[Noa Put]

I shoot weddings handheld 90% of the entire day in 4K 25p. I do use tripods but those are for my other camera's. My main camera is handheld almost all day.

[Ron Evans]

First the GH5 with 12-60 lens is bigger and heavier than the AX100. It has the advantage in your situation of being more rugged than the AX100. I do not think its auto focus is as good for video as the AX100. I always use in manual and touch focus on the LCD just like I do with the AX100.

I can see why you may want UHD50P as I like the smooth motion of 60P ( not to slow down ) and shooting in this form gives the advantage of being able to playback in lots of formats where with 25P or 30P that is all you have to play with.

It can shoot with more dynamic range if you take the time to learn and shoot in VlogL No need to zoom if you edit to HD as one can zoom almost 4:1 in editing from a 50P UHD to HD. You are back with 25P in camera if you want to shoot HLG for instance as you would external recorder to get 50PUHD HLG..

I am not sure the GH5 is that much better in low light than the AX100, noticable but neither is stellar in really low light. They both work fine in my theatre shoots. You would need variable ND filter for the lens as there are none in camera.

The GH5 is great camera but it is not a replacement for a point and shoot video camera.