Panasonic G85 review - is there any need to get an Olympus E-M1 Mark II for video?

[Inazuma]

@Stanley @jonpais

I did a side by side shootout with the GX80 (Gx85) and Sony a6300 in 1080p. I'm still meaning to get round to editing them into a video but here are some clips from the GX80:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/1094036/P1010612.MP4

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/1094036/P1010618.MP4

IMO: Detail is as good as other Panasonic cameras ive used. There is a little bit more aliasing going on but not as much as the a6300 and Canon APS-C. 

[jonpais]

1 minute ago, Inazuma said:

@Stanley @jonpais

I did a side by side shootout with the GX80 (Gx85) and Sony a6300 in 1080p. I'm still meaning to get round to editing them into a video but here are some clips from the GX80:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/1094036/P1010612.MP4

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/1094036/P1010618.MP4

IMO: Detail is as good as other Panasonic cameras ive used. There is a little bit more aliasing going on but not as much as the a6300 and Canon APS-C. 

Could you give any estimate as to battery life? Will one battery last 10 min. shooting video? I don't think a single reviewer has mentioned battery life for video in their tests. That seems to be the very first thing they test with laptops.  

@Inazuma Those two clips are some of the best video I've seen yet from the G85 - not over-sharpened, good WB, skin tones are pleasing. It looks like it could very well be intercut with my GH4 no problem (with some tweaking).

[Stanley]

28 minutes ago, jonpais said:

Here you go! Thanks Mercer!

 

Thanks guys. I'd be happy with that. Thought it also handled the sky and water well. Good work Jase!

25 minutes ago, Inazuma said:

@Stanley @jonpais

I did a side by side shootout with the GX80 (Gx85) and Sony a6300 in 1080p. I'm still meaning to get round to editing them into a video but here are some clips from the GX80:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/1094036/P1010612.MP4

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/1094036/P1010618.MP4

IMO: Detail is as good as other Panasonic cameras ive used. There is a little bit more aliasing going on but not as much as the a6300 and Canon APS-C. 

Thanks very much for that. Were they recorded in 1080p or 4K. They certaily look good and better than some reports I've read.

[jonpais]

I've been thinking some more about the astronomical cost of the Olympus. The only real justification I could come across here in the forums is that it just feels better (and probably looks better) than the Panasonics. Which I don't doubt for a second. Panasonic will never win any design awards, but to be fair, their stuff works. I've owned at least three Panasonics and haven't had any issues with any of them. The last time I handled an Olympus was in the 1980s. My dad had given me his Olympus film camera, and I thought it was incredible how they'd managed to pack so much into such a small body. And how a camera feels, how it handles, its build quality, the sound of the shutter - those are all important too. However - $2,000? For just $200 more, you could be packing a Fuji X-T2 equipped with a 35mm f/2 lens and vertical power booster. And the build quality of the Fuji is second to none. It's also made in Japan, not Vietnam. As for the size of the APS-C camera, it's no bigger than the GH4, I think it's actually physically smaller. Or... you could come to Malaysia and buy the G85 for a mere $725, a whopping $1,300 savings over the Olympus, and use the money you save to take a holiday. I haven't been able to shoot with the G85 yet, since I didn't bring any lenses with me and I purchased it without lens, since I've already got a dozen back home. Anyhow, I couldn't decide, so I got both the X-T2 and the G85. 

[Stanley]

I really think Olympus are aiming at stills first and they're loyal customers (who also love Olympus after sales help) and they've just turned the corner regarding video. 

[jase]

9 hours ago, jonpais said:

1. Edit ready is great software. It's free for clips up to 1 minute. A baby could learn how to use it in 10 sec.

2. Unless your computer is super old, you probably won't need a new one for editing on a 1080p timeline.

3. I spent all night looking for good sample 1080p clips from either the GX or G cameras. Couldn't find any. If I had a lens, I'd shoot some for you here and now.

4. Can't anyone here please just shoot something in 1080p and upload it? ?

This one is also entirely shot with 1080p:

Yet for my next shot, I think I will go entirely for 4k, just to see the difference

[Orangenz]

7 hours ago, jonpais said:

Could you give any estimate as to battery life? Will one battery last 10 min. shooting video? I don't think a single reviewer has mentioned battery life for video in their tests. That seems to be the very first thing they test with laptops.  

@Inazuma Those two clips are some of the best video I've seen yet from the G85 - not over-sharpened, good WB, skin tones are pleasing. It looks like it could very well be intercut with my GH4 no problem (with some tweaking).

I shot clips for a couple of hours. Camera on all that time. Half to two thirds still left on the battery.

[jonpais]

2 minutes ago, Orangenz said:

I shot clips for a couple of hours. Camera on all that time. Half to two thirds still left on the battery.

First of all, thanks for responding. Secondly, that's sensational. Aren't these the same batteries that were used in the GH2? Panasonic certainly has some sorcerer making these things! Lastly, if the G85 can shoot 4K for a couple of hours on one battery, isn't that like a selling point or something? Isn't that something reviewers might tell readers? But again, not a single reviewer that I know of has even tested battery life for video. Anyhow, I'm very happy (for a few seconds - that feeling never lasts very long!)

[Orangenz]

7 minutes ago, jonpais said:

First of all, thanks for responding. Secondly, that's sensational. Aren't these the same batteries that were used in the GH2? Panasonic certainly has some sorcerer making these things! Lastly, if the G85 can shoot 4K for a couple of hours on one battery, isn't that like a selling point or something? Isn't that something reviewers might tell readers? But again, not a single reviewer that I know of has even tested battery life for video. Anyhow, I'm very happy (for a few seconds - that feeling never lasts very long!)

I wasn't recording that amount of time. Each run through was about 4 min then we'd muck about for a bit. I left it on in between takes though. Overall we were all quite surprised and pleased that it coped so well. Pretty new battery of course.

[aldolega]

I expect that at least a few of the reviewers that forgot to test/mention battery life had been shooting on GH4s previously, and thus were used to not having to be too concerned with battery life...

[Inazuma]

8 hours ago, jonpais said:

Could you give any estimate as to battery life? Will one battery last 10 min. shooting video? I don't think a single reviewer has mentioned battery life for video in their tests. That seems to be the very first thing they test with laptops.  

@Inazuma Those two clips are some of the best video I've seen yet from the G85 - not over-sharpened, good WB, skin tones are pleasing. It looks like it could very well be intercut with my GH4 no problem (with some tweaking).

Yes one battery will easily last 10 min. I don't know how long exactly but way more than 10. 

I would say Panasonic colour is fine. I take issue with how aggressively it shifts colours (especially skin) from their true colour though. Sony does a much better job actually.

8 hours ago, Stanley said:

Thanks very much for that. Were they recorded in 1080p or 4K. They certaily look good and better than some reports I've read.

Recorded in 1080. 

8 hours ago, jonpais said:

I've been thinking some more about the astronomical cost of the Olympus. The only real justification I could come across here in the forums is that it just feels better (and probably looks better) than the Panasonics. Which I don't doubt for a second. Panasonic will never win any design awards, but to be fair, their stuff works. 

The EM1 II is pricey but there's nothing else like it on the market. 4K with almost no rolling shutter. The best stabilisation in the industry. The best continuous AF in M43 - with touchscreen control. Unfortunately for those needing 60fps, its quality is appalling. 

[Yannick Willox]

10 hours ago, jonpais said:

Could you give any estimate as to battery life? Will one battery last 10 min. shooting video? I don't think a single reviewer has mentioned battery life for video in their tests. That seems to be the very first thing they test with laptops.  

 

Hi, I just registered to this site. I have a GX80 since this summer, and did a few shoots with it. Battery life was around 35 minutes (4K, Ibis on, manual focus). According to the manual, actual shooting time is 40min in 4K.

The G85 manual states the actual shooting time as 45 min, so you should at the very least also get 35 real minutes out of it.

I got 2 spare (non-Panasonic) batteries. It is important to get them charged right before the video shoot, they will lose capacity when just sitting there for a week.

[jonpais]

1 minute ago, Yannick Willox said:

Hi, I just registered to this site. I have a GX80 since this summer, and did a few shoots with it. Battery life was around 35 minutes (4K, Ibis on, manual focus). According to the manual, actual shooting time is 40min in 4K.

The G85 manual states the actual shooting time as 45 min, so you should at the very least also get 35 real minutes out of it.

I got 2 spare (non-Panasonic) batteries. It is important to get them charged right before the video shoot, they will lose capacity when just sitting there for a week.

Excellent. I glanced through the manual, but didn't see that information. 

[Yannick Willox]

There is a short manual (100p) and a long manual (385p) - you need the long one !

[Grimor]

Non IBIS cameras last much longer, in example G6, G7 and for sure the GH4.

[dantheman]

30 minutes ago, Grimor said:

Non IBIS cameras last much longer, in example G6, G7 and for sure the GH4.

and it even gets worse when you use stabilized lenses as those will draw power from the battery as well but a advantage a g80 has is that you can add a battery grip to extend battery life, I gladly will trade in battery life for stabilization in the sensor though.

[fuzzynormal]

14 hours ago, jonpais said:

The only real justification I could come across here in the forums is that it just feels better (and probably looks better) than the Panasonics. 

You're not wrong about Oly.  And I shoot Fuji as well, so all these things are part of the mixed bag.  The thing is, when we're talking price, when we're looking at cameras within similar classes, the difference is typically a few hundred bucks.

At a certain point, determining my camera purchase can turn into a  "penny wise and pound foolish," decision.  A few hundred, or even a grand, is a small price to pay to own and use a camera that I'm comfortable with and does the things I need it to do.

You know how it is.  You balance liabilities of the gear with the needs of your work and one's own biases.

For instance, I just did 6 30-min documentaries in 6 months.  I did it with the GX85 and EM5II.  I'm not lying when I say that I'm glad I did the job on these consumer cameras rather than something like an Arri.  One would look INCREDIBLY better than the other, and I would love to use that camera for many many many things, but I wouldn't have been able to do half the work load (nor the radically informal work that yielded a lot of good results) without the flexibility of these goofy, small, hybrid, IBIS, 8-bit, cams.

I know it's hard to fathom among a forum like this, but having the best IQ is not always a priority.

My favorite industry idioms comes from the National Geographic guys.  It's simply, "f8 and be there."  And I think you can understand the sentiment of that saying.  

That's why I can't get caught up to much in the IQ debate.  My factors for my particular work rely on a lot more than just IQ.  You'll have other needs.  Someone else will have other requirements as well.  

For instance, I'm doing a cinematic doc/narrative in 2017, and I plan on using a Sony F5 and 100% static shots, so it's always always an "it depends" sort of answer with tools one decides to use for a project.  

[Brian Williams]

I own an A6300 (replaced my GX85 with it) but I think I want to try out the G80/85... but, when I look at the comparison between my A6300 and the G80 over at DXOMarks, the Sony's sensor blows it away in their opinion. Does everyone think this is total BS? I loved the stabilization of the GX85, but have to agree that I think SLOG2 is a nicer image. Yes the RS on the A6300 sucks, but I try not to move around so much. Never had it overheat.

Do people not see a difference, in things like say DR, between the two? Would love to hear from other A6300 owners or former owners who also have or had the GX85 or G80, trying to convince myself that going to a G80 would be a step up.

[Cinegain]

Look, I'm all about M4/3, but to be honest, the actual sensor performance of just about any APS-C camera kicks M4/3 butt. Butt, I mean, but, it's more than sensor performance alone. Also, performance compared on sites like that are mostly important in terms of stills, perhaps not as much in terms of video, so, that's less of an advantage, but still a significant one. If you can make the rolling shutter work and never had issues with overheating, I'd even say: stick with it, good on you! You get a clear advantage in noise performance, detail and dynamic range (in some capacity) too. G80 wouldn't be a step up in quality. What you would get is a cheaper system. The possibility to mount much smaller lenses, to have better ergonomics (imho), front-facing w/ full touchscreen implementation et cetera. It's more about those things... the sensor is not on the same playing field though. But it's certainly managable going with M4/3, especially if you don't need the lowlight performance per se. I was looking forward so much to the A6300, but I'm glad I didn't get one. Because the rolling shutter and overheating (just knowing it could at any given time... I know it would probably work fine for months on end, but when push comes to shove would let me down at the most inconvenient time) would supersuck. I don't like the ergonomics and design of the camera. No front-facing touchscreen. Colors not that great off the bat. No real plans for the APS-C line-up lenses. Et cetera. Just my 2cts of course, but I choose not to deal with those things. But anyways... so you've had the GX85 right? Then you roughly know what the system is capable of. The G80/85 is a different league as a camera. In sensor performance, not so much. If you're happier with the A6300 than the GX85, I don't see why a G80 would suddenly triumph.

 

On a unrelated note, *points towards the topic title*... anyone bought an E-M1 Mark II yet? Just curious. It's been out in countries like Germany and The Netherlands for a while now. Also started to see changes in the stock status of several local stores, yet for the time body only is tricky to get a hold of. I guess best would be to sell my E-M1 as kit with the 12-40mm and buy the E-M1 Mark II with all new 12-40mm in kit. Shouldn't make any difference below the line. Guess everyone is waiting for the GH5 announcement on the 4th (full specs + pricing + release date (spring/March/April))... but nobody was like: ooh, I have to get it anyways (not even you fuzzynormal)? I'm actually tempted to maybe pick one up on friday. I love the E-M1 for stills over any other camera. Doesn't mean I'm not interested to see what the GH5 is about... but it's not really the same thing, now, is it? Currently I have all kinds of cameras, so, I'd just be replacing models for their respective successors an keep using each for the areas they excell.

[Brian Williams]

2 hours ago, Cinegain said:

Look, I'm all about M4/3, but to be honest, the actual sensor performance of just about any APS-C camera kicks M4/3 butt. Butt, I mean, but, it's more than sensor performance alone. 

All good points, thanks. It's showing up tomorrow from Amazon so I'll get to do a real comparison between the two, see which one gets to stay.