Panasonic GH5 to come at Photokina 2016, shoots 6K video and 4K 60p?

[marcuswolschon]

What about an HDMI-output that doesn't block the articulated screen?

[DPStewart]

The resolution race has officially become a wank-fest.
Just like we knew it would.


 

[TheRenaissanceMan]

Time will tell. I'm sure it'll at least have the improved noise processing of the G7/GX8, which have a ~1.5 stop improvement over the GH4. Besides that, I think the codec will make or break this camera. Higher bitrates, internal 10-bit AVC-Ultra, internal downsampling, etc. 

From what I've seen out of the GX8, that 20MP sensor actually had a really beautiful look for video. Low noise, lovely native tonal response, natural colors, and an excellent highlight rolloff. 

All the hubbub over the 4K crop factor is completely silly (Oh no, a 1.15x crop of my sensor! HOW CAN I BE CINEMATIC NOW???), but I have a feeling it'll decide a lot of sales. The first bite of the apple is with the eyes, and the first bite of the camera is with the spec sheet. If they downscale the full 16:9 readout or actually give us 5K video, I'm sure many users would be tempted to upgrade.

And if things don't work out with Panasonic, it's a very easy transition to Blackmagic.

[Nathan Gabriel]

1 hour ago, TheRenaissanceMan said:

I'm sure it'll at least have the improved noise processing of the G7/GX8, which have a ~1.5 stop improvement over the GH4. 

Is this true? I didn't know gx8 had better noise than gh4. Anyone have a link to sample images? Thanks!

[TheRenaissanceMan]

19 minutes ago, Nathan Gabriel said:

Is this true? I didn't know gx8 had better noise than gh4. Anyone have a link to sample images? Thanks!

In video, yes. The LX100 also had this improved processing, which is why many confused reviewers were reporting better noise performance in 4K.

I haven't had hands on with the GX8 yet, but it has the same per-pixel noise as the G7 in RAW and the improved processing, so it would stand to reason that it too is improved over the GH4. The few samples I've managed to find online seem to bear that out.

[tugela]

6 hours ago, DPStewart said:

The resolution race has officially become a wank-fest.
Just like we knew it would.


 

That's ok. You can still shoot in 720p if you want

1 hour ago, TheRenaissanceMan said:

All the hubbub over the 4K crop factor is completely silly (Oh no, a 1.15x crop of my sensor! HOW CAN I BE CINEMATIC NOW???), but I have a feeling it'll decide a lot of sales. The first bite of the apple is with the eyes, and the first bite of the camera is with the spec sheet. If they downscale the full 16:9 readout or actually give us 5K video, I'm sure many users would be tempted to upgrade.

 

If someone's primary concern is the "need to be cinematic", then they are probably a hack

[DPStewart]

1 hour ago, tugela said:

That's ok. You can still shoot in 720p if you want

If someone's primary concern is the "need to be cinematic", then they are probably a hack

Well I really like cameras that give a generally cinematic look - that's why I use so many Blackmagics - but that's only one look of many. It doesn't convey nature documentaries as well as super high-res clear and realistic cameras will. Like a Sony FS7 or Canon C300.

We are getting to a point with the evolution of these cameras that certain cameras are intentionally designed to have different strengths. And so far they don't really overlap.
Meaning: yeah sure, you can make a super-documentary camera "look" more cinematic and vice-versa, but it takes a lot of extra time both in shooting or in post to do so, and it's just a much more streamlined process to simply pick the right camera for the job - in PRECISELY the way we already pick the right lens for the shot. Same thing.

[eit412]

I wonder how the camera will handle 6k. As far as I know HDMI 2.0a does not support 6k, so an external 6k HDMI recorder might not be possible yet. I think that would leave a proprietary external recorder or internal 6k recording.

[conurus]

20mp sensor is 5184 x 3888. How can it be 6k readout? 6k is 27mp in 4:3. I hope they will do exactly that and go back to multi aspect sensor like gh2.

But 5k oversample to 4k, no crop at 60p is what makes people buy the gh5, imo.

[Clayton Moore]

On February 23, 2016 at 4:51 AM, Jimmy said:

As you say, let's hope they get the codec right.

If it is 8 bit 4:2:0 with a low bitrate, then it is almost wasted tech.

I cant possibly see how they can engineer a 6k10 bit codec into a camera with a small form factor.  Also is there any SD form factor storage that could handle a file like that?  Nope!  

[Jimmy]

If they use h265, it seems more than possible... At least for the 4k

[sanveer]

How about Dual ISO like on the Varicams  (since anything above ISO 800 on the GH series is noisy right now), and CFast cards to help with internal 10-bit. 

They probably will make it $2000. If it has 5-axis stabilisation, it will be probably even be worth it.

[Georgios]

Lexar uhsII 2000x sd card,has write speed about 270MB/s..

[marcuswolschon]

We're doing FullHD 12bit raw with the old UHS1 95MB/s Sandisk Extreme pro.

So 4K 10bit ProRes/DNxHD should not be a problem on the current UHS2 284MB/s cards.

[Emanuel]

2 hours ago, sanveer said:

 5-axis stabilisation

For sure. New Nikons do it.

[mopixels]

Glad to see some people are being realistic about this.  6K is fool's gold, even more so than 4K.  Panasonic's #1 mission should be to improve image quality and noise in low light whether it be by a dramatically better 4/3 sensor or preferably moving to Super 35 or FF sensors.

[Alex S]

the res-race has begun.. And the thing is, these higher resolutions don't always guarantee a better image. Iv'e seen really pro 1080p cameras which have a much more pleasing image than lots of 4k cameras out there. My opinion is panasonic should implement other things instead of jumping to 6k. Like..

 

1) better high iso performance (clean up to 12.800 at least) * possibly having larger pixels on sensor like the a7s?

2) in camera image stabilization

3) 4:2:2 color space shooting

4) better autofocus technology (for video)

5) log mode for grading

6) good looking 120fps slo mo at 1080p

7) good quality stereo mic (for us run and gun shooters)

And the thing is, panasonic is waiting so long, that it seems their almost forced to come out with something new like 6k just to be able to compete with whats already out there. The gh4's strong point when it came out was the 4k. The panasonic GH series has a lot going for it with great battery life, loads of lenses.. what worries me is how they are going to pull off a decent update with the m4/3 sensor as moving to full frame or even super 35 would require new lenses wouldn't it?

[marcuswolschon]

8 hours ago, Alex S said:

4) better autofocus technology (for video)

5) log mode for grading

7) good quality stereo mic (for us run and gun shooters)

 

4) they just did with Depth From Defocus

5) they just did with the GH4R

7) How? To be good it would have to be outside the camera. They just gave good preamps with phantom powered XLR on the YAGH with the ability to sync timecode to a slate.

[dbp]

If it ends up just being a glorified 6K GH4, then snooooooooooooore x1000

 

 

[jax_rox]

Spoke to Panasonic reps this week about the Varicam LT. Mentioned the GH5. Was told 'if there is a GH5, the Japanese engineers are very tight lipped about it - as far as we know, there is no GH5 yet. That being said, if there was an announcement, it would be much more likely to be at a Photokina than NAB'.