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Almost everything that could go wrong on a shoot DID go wrong on this one. Without going into details, I feel like the video is 60% of what it could have been. I had a MoVI that went down on the very first day of shooting, which forced me to rely on our backup brushless "FauxVI" Alexmos based gimbal. Also had a lot of MoVI handheld shots planned, but those had to be cut obviously. The prototype GH4's had some quirks that were challenging to deal with but I'm sure they are solved by now with firmware update. All in all I was really impressed by the image coming out of the GH4. We posted this in front of a 60-some inch 4k monitor and the shots looked stunning to me. And responding to someone previously, yes all 8 lenses and two bodies absolutely did fit handily in my carryon backpack, minus the ocotcopter of course! ;0) BryanHarveyFilms.com

Forgot to add - Awesome review, Andrew!! ... You cut through all the bullshit and delivered the exact info I needed to know. The other GH4 hands-on reviews are pretty pathetic by comparison.

Based on a pre-production model Since the GH1 I have been shooting with Panasonic's mirrorless system for video. Without this series of affordable cameras my early work as a cinematographer and filmmaker simply wouldn't be the same. The GH4 marks a much needed major leap for the line, the first to shoot 4K to an efficient internal codec AND output 10bit 4:2:2 1080p over HDMI to an affordable external recorder like the Atomos Ninja! On a visit to Panasonic I got to see the camera, see 4K sample footage and give my feedback. Here's an account of what I saw... Read the full article here

Nice little demo - watch on youtube and crank up the resolution

Because you have a great camera, one perfectly capable of capturing beautiful images? One that actually exists right now? Don't be too torn up about this - you're looking at probably a $4000 package with the base brick, plus more on top for all your cords and cabling. And if, down the road, you want to make the switch, you're in luck - these MFT bodies actually hold their value reasonably well (especially the Olympus ones). In the meantime, don't stress! You still have a highly capable shooter. There will always be new gear!

I too, was confused before working with the actual bits of RAW video data. When the sensor is exposed to light a chip reads the values from each sensel (which is eventually combined into a pixel value). The sensels are basically just voltage resistances. The camera can read the values to as much precision as the electronics allow. You can liken this to getting the voltage from you household electric. A simple meter would show 220 volts in the U.K., but a fancy one might show 219.556345 volts. The very first sensel, top left, is usually a red filtered sensel (keep in mind the sensor are, at heart, monochromatic). A Canon camera, for example, reads that value and stores it as a 14-bit number, 0 to 16,383. That means it records 16,383 shades of red. It does the same for the next pixel, a green one. Below that green one, on the second row, will be a blue sensel, again the same for that. Both Magic Lantern RAW and Blackmagic, save these values (the blackmagic with some lossless data compression, not to be confused with visual compression). Each of these values is a number between 0 and 16,283. From the three, if you construct a full-color pixel you'd end up with a value at around 4 trillion, say it was white. And another pixel, black, was 0. Unfortunately, our eyes can only see about 16 million variations in color so the 4 trillion dollar white would actually only look like a 16 million value. For the most part, we can only see, and our display and printing produce, color values within 16 million shades. So why do we want 4 trillion colors when we can only see 16 million? EXPOSURE! First, let's turn to the GH4 (or any H.264 tech). In those cameras each sensels value is saved into a 256 (8-bit) value. Those 3 values are then combined to create a 16 million (24 bit) full color value. Assuming you've exposed the scene perfectly, and the colors are what you want, you will happy as Andy with a gold-plated G6 :) Also 4:2:2, and all similar nomenclature, are about color compression for motion; they degrade each still image. But what if you didn't expose correctly? What if you made a mistake and exposed +2. Now your scene is washed out. When you try to get lighter values at the bottom you can't get them. The detail (shading) just isn't there. But much of it WAS there in the RAW data from the sensor! Let's say with the GH4 you exposed perfectly, and it happened to be the 16 million color values between 2 trillion and 2.16 trillion. Then, you expose +2 and it saves the values from 2.74 to 2.9 trillion. With the RAW data you can pick up those values and CONSTRUCT your 16 million color H.264 video data. Naturally, the sensor works better when you expose in the middle of its range, so you can't fix the exposure perfectly in real life. The only benefit of the I-frame data is that it doesn't try to compress the 24bit values from one pixel in one frame, to another, which can create artifacts. It does not, in any way, solve the problem of available color depth, if you're comparing 8bit to 14bit. It sounds like the GH4 will provide fantastic resolution in low-dynamic range shooting conditions. It will not do what the Blackmagic cameras do in high-dynamic range shooting conditions (save enough data for you to fix exposures in post, or recover details from shadows, etc) Filmmakers who don't understand the difference between the cameras may end up having the wrong camera and that would be a shame. They are both fantastic technologies. You can no more have both than you can have a Range Rover and Jaguar in the same car ;)

I think the GH4 is just the start of a big wave of lovely 4K shooting DSLRs and cinema cameras to come before NAB in April, so great for us, who have finite budgets :)   This spec and price is going to be hard to beat.   As for the industry, well, people are not going to swap out their F55 for one. But there's going to be very good commercial reasons to shoot 4K soon and it's VERY important Canon bring out better 4K solutions. The C500 isn't aimed at C300 users and the C300 doesn't shoot 4K. The 1D C is aimed at Hollywood and has no videographer features at all.   If Canon don't have a 4K version of the C300 at NAB, I think the GH4 could gain a lot of ground in that market, even though it's marketed as a consumer camera.

  Uematsu-san said 4:2:2 sampling on the sensor, debayer, right through the imaging pipeline until the actual encoder, then it goes to 4:2:0.   Yes 10bit 4:2:2 over HDMI to your Ninja, which is how I intend to record 1080p on this beauty.

  Ha. Someone who didn't read past the first line of the blog post. What did I say about crisp 1080p image? 4K gives you the crispest 1080p image out there and then you even have 10bit 4:2:2 from the HDMI port. Infuriating!

  Hmm why no AX100 coverage. Well the AX100 is a camcorder and this is a DSLR blog. I've had my hands on a GH4 and I've not had my hands on an AX100. It isn't available to buy yet and it doesn't excite me as much as the GH4. It has a fixed zoom lens, with a spec that's a step backwards from the constant F2.8 aperture lens on the RX10. There's better stuff out there dude!

Panasonic didn't miss on anything. They heavily improved the GH3, it's a no brainer for journalist, high quality video and stills. What this release tells me is that a AF101 successor is right around the corner. Panasonic is smart IMHO, I bet we'll see a GH4, AF200 and the anticipated Vari Cam in 2014. I suspect what you're looking for you'll be happy once NAB rolls around. Coming out with a new AF series, 4K, 10 bit, higher frame rates along with the new Vari Cam could make Panasonic the new Blackmagic. Sonys not gonna beat down the F5, Canon has the c500, nothing from Nikon, Blackmagic needs to deliver before anything else, and sadly I haven't seen any normal decent footage from the DB yet, so the markets ripe. It's a great transition into 4k, terrific offering but the Gap is too wide between the GH4 and Vari cam, I think we'll all be happy this spring. I'll end with saying this review was one the best I've read in a while. Thanks

  To be exact I think it's 2.17x in 4096 and 2.33x in 3840.   In order words the 4096 x 2160 DCI 4K mode is 17% smaller than the sensor area used in 16:9 1080p mode.

Good point, but I can take my BMPCC, with my Honu cage, and my Alphatron evf, and get great focussing and monitoring, as well as recording a very high quality 1080 10-bit image in the camera. You'll be able to put a cage around the GH4, and attach an Atomos Ninja, and get a very crisp 1080 10-bit image recorded to that. They'll both take up about the same amount of space, neither will pass as stealth or even low-key particularly. The difference is, I don't need to spend a dollar more - I can do it today. I applaud Blackmagic for providing us the opportunity to take great images cheaply, and for kicking the bigger guys up the arse. I applaud Panasonic for putting this option out there - but seriously, internal recording 10-bit, 422...

GH4 priced as 1499 euros im cameranu.nl website http://www.cameranu.nl/nl/digitale-cameras/panasonic/micro-ft-camera/panasonic-dmc-gh4-systeemcamera-body/h259_2053_461544

Well of course 4K can look better, there's more resolution. I'm just saying 1080, properly and dramatically shot, looks great as it is. My local camera shop has a pretty scuffed but otherwise perfectly functional used 5DII for sale at $730, so I exaggerated a bit on that one. Anyway, my main point is the tools are cheaply there to create and create wonderfully on par to a pro level. It's not to deny that better gear exists.

here's the GH4 4k footage. dont forget to adjust your playback settings to 4k on the Youtube playback window.

For what it's worth, this is one punk that's more than willing to stay away from a toxic work environment.

By doing the same thing, but different. And then we all get to read various internet postings from fan boys. They'll assert that because they made a decision to spend their money on Canon, it's so much better than Sony. And Panasonic? Forget about it, just because they were first, doesn't mean they're the best and so on and so on. It's just that this time the phrase 4K will be used a whole lot more. It's silly, but that's all part of what helps sells these things.

Just watched the "Light Of Yucatan" video in 4K on YouTube. That detail is insane! Looks like a moving poster.

  Ladies and gentleman and not so gentleman we have a Mr Angry on the forum. Calm down Mr Angry. It's only a camera!   Contribute without the nastiness from now on, or lose your login privileges. Your choice.   I choose not to shoot with the AX100 because I prefer interchangeable lenses on the GH4. My choice.

Anyone who is thinking the BMPC is a better choice than this is still forgetting about workflow and the added cost and time that will go with it. I really like what I'm seeing here, and will definitely be picking one up.

  Well, you have the choice. The GH4's add-on box gives you 4K in 10bit 4:2:2, same as 4K ProRes on the Blackmagic Production Camera but with a sensor that does clean ISO 3200. Dynamic range will likely be similar, if not actually a bit better on the GH4 due to cleaner shadows, but I'm speculating because neither camera is actually even finished yet.   8bit is fine if you're only doing light grading or leaving the footage on the picture profile it was shot with.   The source signal is 10bit 4:2:2 from the sensor and the encoder does a good job of compressing it into 8bit 4:2:0. The images really did look lovely. Will they fall apart with heaving grading? Yes, like a JPEG does. So choose the external recorder route, problem solved. Do I need the headache of raw file sizes and transcoding any more? After looking at my stack of hard drives after a year shooting Cinema DNG, I'm really not sure raw is viable long term.

  I braced myself for The Mark Response. Truth is I've been treading this moment. I'll try not to be too harsh on you, and try to keep it short.   You're wrong.

I think the camera is a possible disaster hurriedly rushed through to compete with the BM4K giving them time to make a Panasonic af100 4k or a DSLR along the lines of the 1DC. I didn't like the skin tones in the demo films and I thought the image looked oversaturated with high contrast and crushed blacks.Will be interesting to see what the DR is on this.

  For me it isn't a huge issue as we now have it via HDMI, with the advantage of SSD media capacities, prices, much better focussing and monitoring if you choose a recorder like the Atomos Ninja!   ProRes 10bit 4:2:2 is very processor intensive, maybe Panasonic didn't want to give us 40 minute battery run times like Blackmagic ;)

  AF100 successor, now that's an interesting thought. It's no secret the AF was not a huge success and was trampled on by Sony and Canon. Maybe they see the GH4 as the successor and there won't even be an AF200?   On the other hand, I still think one makes sense. Built in NDs, XLRs, HD-SDI. Maybe the AG-pro division GH4 add-on is the AF200's image processing hardware in a box :)

  Good reason for that! The ALL-I codec spreads the bitrate more thinly as every frame is separately compressed and stored. To get equivalent quality to IPB you need a much higher bitrate with an ALL-I codec, which is why the MJPEG codec on the 1D C is 500Mbit and a real card gobbler.   If you need intra-frame uncompressed 4K you can have it with the GH4's external box. Can't wait to see the image from that!   Yeah it adds bulk and size but it's not that heavy and as a whole, the GH4 + external box is still smaller and lighter than a C500 with external recorder, likely lighter than the Blackmagic Cinema Camera too, with much better ergonomics than the latter.

The "standard of videoing" is about a lot more then the number of pixels... What it does is allow access to higher resolution capture at a lower price point than before. I'm in the "perfect 1080p" camp more than the "4K" camp, I'd like a small camera with 1080p ProeRes 444 like the Alexa. but the 4K number will sell this body to a lot of people I'm sure, regardless. What this means (unfortunately) is that Canon will doubtlessly release a cheaper 4K body soon, but still with 4:2:0 8-bit recording. Seeing 4:2:0 8-bit in specs has now gone beyond annoying and started to become just... boring... :(

Thanks, I'm not the one to ask for magiclantern workflows as I have only used it once in that vid. But I can tell you that the new .mlv module is very handy. You can preview your files in camera and watch them on your computer with the mlv player. So that is a big improvement over the old .raw format. http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=7122.0 Regarding post-production workflow I always use the same. I have a creative cloud subscription so I always use; premiere, speedgrade, and after effects.

I'm curious Andrew, you liked the RX10 seemingly a lot for it's great feature set (for a run and gun shooter), but hated the AVCHD codec. You are also (obviously) very keen on 4K at the minute. So my question is this - It's been weeks since CES and not one peep from you about the AX100? Obviously it is not in direct competition with the GH4, but it does seem to fix the issues with the RX10 and add a similar 4K capability into the bargain... And at $1999 no less! Seriously don't get why this wasn't plastered all over EOSHD? This is the first 4K for $2K camera ever, has a 2.7x crop sensor (vs 2.3 in the Panasonic) with a decent ranging lens, 100Mbps 4K, scraps the crap AVCHD in 1080p, even supposedly does 120fps. So what gives? It was like a week after you proclaimed going to 4K and everyone else should follow... So, could your trip to Panasonic have had something to do with both of those things (your post about everyone should go 4K and your complete silence on the AX100)?

Did you really read the article? The answers are all there.

Great coverage! What release date Panasonic is thinking? For what is for those hole in front of the adaptor? some sort of rods for MatteBox and Follow Focus?

you take some of the history i made up about this lens add film clips shot by francisco and you make up figures as you go along. provide not one mounting solution. i thought you had a couple and one had fungus inside now we have 2 perfect lens. if you are gonna use another film makers excellent landscape work to sell your glass bung him 150 dollars. this site is getting quite sordid on the sales front. i would suggest for 3000 you would need to have the baby mounted into the best hand made shooting cage ever made. the fact you cannot be arsed to spend 20 dollars on a vamp clamp just adds to the offence. shoot your own tests,if you cannot be arsed . seduce us with lens poetry explain why you believe this optical marvel to be worth the made up figures plucked from your minds eye. why be a vampyre you had a good christ mass at someone from norways expense. drac is back for more free drinks. pay something back to francisco you tool or be a little more subtle.

I hope the camera is a hit for various reasons. 1) It seems Panasonic is putting hopes in the 4k and rushing it to market because the Imaging Department seems to be be under pressure from above as they've already sold off 51% of the Imaging Department based on an article I recently read. 2) I hope it succeeds because I like what Panasonic has been doing for the enthusiast/pro market. 3) I hope it succeeds because I find the the general support for Canon in America to be annoying and counterproductive and would like to see Panasonic make inroads in that market and push the other companies to offer more for less. 3) I hope it succeeds for the sake of MFT's future. I'm enjoying my BMPCC, don't get me wrong, but this 4k could be a great kit for documentary filmmakers. I don't think it's too big or bulky. Looks a lot smaller than the Canon XL-1 from the late 90s.

There's nothing "fun" about this topic Sean. Those kids were obviously having a really pleasant day and it got ruined. All I want to know is who ruined it. If it's real then fair enough - shit happens. But if what you're saying is true then it was someone like you who spoiled their day. You guys can't just go around randomly doing VFX to people you know. There are consequences.

Thank you, Andrew !! Great review and wonderful film clip. Enjoyed watching it ... especially as it was mostly filmed on an E-M1. I'm loving using this camera and video is a whole new world for me. I tried once before briefly with a GH3, but this IBIS on this thing makes shooting video FUN :) I wonder what the fun factor was for you making this clip compared to making others? On a different note, is there a thread somewhere on EOSHD that shares E-M1 clips, settings and tips? I can't find anything and info seems to be fragmented. Would be nice to have it in one place.

  Bullshit. I have seen for my own eyes putting more powerful equipment in the hands of aspiring filmmakers does inspire them, does improve their cinematography and does allow them to get noticed. This community wouldn't even exist if it wasn't for the gear.   You won't know any of my work if it wasn't for this platform, which is based on the gear.   Let's knock this content is king nonsense ON THE HEAD permanently from now on. OK?