Panasonic GH5 - all is revealed!

[Fritz Pierre]

25 minutes ago, Emanuel said:

Well, maybe tap to focus may be not so bad route, after all, I'd say...

Curious about the joystick focus button also!

[mercer]

Unsure why everybody is surprised the AF seems iffy with this camera?

Each company seems to have specs they excel at and it takes the other manufacturers a few years to catch up on...

I doubt Panasonic is just holding back phase or dual pixel af. Just as I doubt Canon is holding back inexpensive 4K with a manageable codec size. Just as Sony is doubtfully holding back cameras that do not overheat.

If you NEED great AF, get a Canon. If you NEED crazy sharp, high resolution video with adequate AF, get a Sony. If you NEED 10bit 4K up to 60p at $2000 get the GH5. 

Since I assume most of the people interested in the GH5 are event videographers, I would think AF would be more important than 10bit video?

As said earlier... you can't get everything for $2000 or less.

[jonpais]

4 hours ago, Ken Ross said:

The only thing that surprise me is the near certainty that some seem to have about the GH5's AF given that, a) it has not yet been released b) testers are using with very early beta firmware and c) that Panasonic has stated will have the best AF of any of the GH series, and be excellent by most standards... once the final firmware is baked in.

Call me crazy, but it seems more prudent to wait for the actual finished product, which even after release will still probably get firmware upgrades to improve performance (aside from those we already know are in the works). For those that don't want or need the GH5 and their current equipment is fulfilling their needs, fine, no need to make excuses, defend your current equipment or assume that a camera that hasn't even been released is seriously flawed in some way.

Personally I'm excited to see what Panasonic brings to the table. Technology is always advancing and personally, I think that's great.  

How hard is it to have someone walk toward you as you shoot in continuous AF, yet nobody's done it. Panasonic reps said the beta version of AF-C was already good and that it would be improved upon. As far as over-sharpening goes, over-sharpening means excessive sharpening, and to prefer excessive sharpening is akin to liking excessive jello or excessive noise. Excessive means calling attention to itself, compelling the viewer to focus on the image's defects rather than the content. Only angels should have haloing.

[webrunner5]

5 hours ago, Ken Ross said:

The only thing that surprise me is the near certainty that some seem to have about the GH5's AF given that, a) it has not yet been released b) testers are using with very early beta firmware and c) that Panasonic has stated will have the best AF of any of the GH series, and be excellent by most standards... once the final firmware is baked in.

Call me crazy, but it seems more prudent to wait for the actual finished product, which even after release will still probably get firmware upgrades to improve performance (aside from those we already know are in the works). For those that don't want or need the GH5 and their current equipment is fulfilling their needs, fine, no need to make excuses, defend your current equipment or assume that a camera that hasn't even been released is seriously flawed in some way.

Personally I'm excited to see what Panasonic brings to the table. Technology is always advancing and personally, I think that's great.  

Well if it doesn't focus well I am not buying it. The GH6 will be 3 years down the road in reality. That is a long time to hope for Canon like focusing let alone better. I think focus is the big thing now and if you lag in it I am not buying. I am too old to manual focus, and as a one man band it is hard to do even when you are young.

They are still sticking to the same focus that the GH4 has. If firmware could fix it they would have done it last year. Sure it looks like they have faster readout and more HP in the computing part of it. That should help, but it is not like having Phase Detection on the sensor. That seems to be the answer for Mirrorless cameras. Look at the difference between the Sony A7sii and the A7rii, day and night focus wise.

And I know it is way to early to not consider it, so we will see soon enough. March is around the corner.

[wolf33d]

I see that we have a couple of jokers here on the forum. 
Of course the AF is shit. Pana never ever showed the capability. If the tracking would be great we would see it. Early reports say it sucks. 
Then you say yes but it is a very very early firmware. The camera is releasing next month, are you for real? It is close to final firmware for sure. 
Then the tech itself, contrast base AF is called contrast based because of a reason. It uses contrast and therefore sucks with low contrast. 

The AF will be better than GH4 for sure, but it wont touch Canon let alone A6500. 

Like other said before in this thread focus in video is getting THAT important. So as a guy said before yes we have to choose between Sony, Canon, Pana, and others and they all suck at some important things. Can a company could finally do things right once in their life and put important things in one camera? Too hard to ask to have a 4K60p + 10 bit + FHD 120p + IBIS + tilt touch screen + nice ergonomics and menu + nice color science + Canon like AF, in a regular size body with FF sensor for a decent price? 

Panasonic, except for the sensor size (but in video it is not that much impacting I think) they had almost everything here. And they fuck up the AF. Damn

[jonpais]

7 minutes ago, wolf33d said:

I see that we have a couple of jokers here on the forum. 
Of course the AF is shit. Pana never ever showed the capability. If the tracking would be great we would see it. Early reports say it sucks. 
Then you say yes but it is a very very early firmware. The camera is releasing next month, are you for real? It is close to final firmware for sure. 
Then the tech itself, contrast base AF is called contrast based because of a reason. It uses contrast and therefore sucks with low contrast. 

The AF will be better than GH4 for sure, but it wont touch Canon let alone A6500. 

Like other said before in this thread focus in video is getting THAT important. So as a guy said before yes we have to choose between Sony, Canon, Pana, and others and they all suck at some important things. Can a company could finally do things right once in their life and put important things in one camera? Too hard to ask to have a 4K60p + 10 bit + FHD 120p + IBIS + tilt touch screen + nice ergonomics and menu + nice color science + Canon like AF, in a regular size body with FF sensor for a decent price? 

Panasonic, except for the sensor size (but in video it is not that much impacting I think) they had almost everything here. And they fuck up the AF. Damn

If the AF drifts, just add a little oversharpening. ???

[webrunner5]

Speaking of Autofocus, Philip Bloom has his finial video on the subject finished if you haven't seen it already. No real susprise on the better cameras.

 

[noone]

1 hour ago, webrunner5 said:

Speaking of Autofocus, Philip Bloom has his finial video on the subject finished if you haven't seen it already. No real susprise on the better cameras.

 

Thanks for posting.       Thanks to Philip Bloom for doing it.

One thing I want to ask Sony users who have the 55 1.8, do you have any issue with video AF on your Sony cameras?

I saw he had trouble with the lens on the FS55 and am wondering if part of the issue is that lens (or any other native lenses used with that camera?).

On my first gen A7s, AF is ok for AFS for stills with the 55 1.8 but in video (HD) using AFC, it is very poor to focus.     My 28-70 FE kit lens on the other hand is not bad at focusing in AFC for video as long as the movement isn't too rapid (I use it as a 5.6 constant aperture lens) and it seems close to being parfocal too).

 

I did have an issue (cause-me) with my 55 1.8 though  but I am not sure if the lens might not be the best for video AF.

 

Curious to know others findings.

[wolf33d]

2 hours ago, Ken Ross said:

I really find it very sad that those with honestly differing opinions are described as 'jokers'. Unreal. Talk about zero tolerance, wow!

If, as you described it, the AF is 'shit' and AF is 'THAT' important, why would you even waste your time in a GH5 thread? Like a couple of others here who already 'know' the camera's AF will be crap, somehow 'know' reviewers like Kai have only presented us with the few minutes where the AF didn't go south and also 'know' the firmware used by these early reviewers must have been very close to the final firmware's AF efficacy, your decision is easy.

The really funny thing is if you've actually watched Kai's other reviews, you'd know he can be unmerciful to flawed cameras. 

Again, I'll wait for the final release, but please, if I disagree with you, there's no need to call me or others a 'joker'. Let's be adults here.

Nah, I was thinking of just raising the color levels. 

relax man. 2nd degree exists. 

" AF is 'THAT' important, why would you even waste your time in a GH5 thread?" 

Because as I pointed, many other things are important, and the GH5 is the camera that thicks most boxes for sub 2K$ today. It is just a big shame I think for the AF. Maybe if I, and other point it out all over the web Panasonic will listen to customer. Does not hurt to say what u think. But sorry for wasting time on this thread man.......

[AKED-M]

Matt Frazer about Autofocus:

 

GH5 Focustracking Test:

 

GH5 autofocus tracking  Zoom 40mm low light at 3200 iso

 

GH5 Autofocus and Dual IS testing

 

Setup for Back Button Autofocus for GH cameras

 

[Davey]

On 08/02/2017 at 7:29 PM, liork said:

With the A7s you can shoot iso 25,600 with not much problem, the GH5 cannot touch it.

Yes, my a7s is cleaner at 25,600 than at 3200. I just cannot shoot everything at 25,600. Really disappointed with the camera.

My A7sii is clean across the board.

Edit - I turned noise reduction back on (was advised never to use it) and the difference is startlingly noticeable at 3200 through 12800.

I am happy again.

1 hour ago, noone said:

Thanks for posting.       Thanks to Philip Bloom for doing it.

One thing I want to ask Sony users who have the 55 1.8, do you have any issue with video AF on your Sony cameras?

I saw he had trouble with the lens on the FS55 and am wondering if part of the issue is that lens (or any other native lenses used with that camera?).

On my first gen A7s, AF is ok for AFS for stills with the 55 1.8 but in video (HD) using AFC, it is very poor to focus.     My 28-70 FE kit lens on the other hand is not bad at focusing in AFC for video as long as the movement isn't too rapid (I use it as a 5.6 constant aperture lens) and it seems close to being parfocal too).

 

I did have an issue (cause-me) with my 55 1.8 though  but I am not sure if the lens might not be the best for video AF.

 

Curious to know others findings.

I used the 55mm f1.8 on my A7sii just ten hours ago at a wedding reception party, as it happens. The autofocus is poor (I have long been aware of this) but there are times when I have to use it over manual focus. Fortunately, I only needed montage shots of five seconds length - people moving all over the place at high speed on a dancefloor where ISO8000 was needed at around f2.2 and ten feet distance. Five seconds is about the longest it held focus in the same plane, and that was with the shutter half depressed.

Still my favourite lens for more controlled conditions.

[jonpais]

5 hours ago, wolf33d said:

I see that we have a couple of jokers here on the forum. 
Of course the AF is shit. Pana never ever showed the capability. If the tracking would be great we would see it. Early reports say it sucks. 
Then you say yes but it is a very very early firmware. The camera is releasing next month, are you for real? It is close to final firmware for sure. 
Then the tech itself, contrast base AF is called contrast based because of a reason. It uses contrast and therefore sucks with low contrast. 

The AF will be better than GH4 for sure, but it wont touch Canon let alone A6500. 

Like other said before in this thread focus in video is getting THAT important. So as a guy said before yes we have to choose between Sony, Canon, Pana, and others and they all suck at some important things. Can a company could finally do things right once in their life and put important things in one camera? Too hard to ask to have a 4K60p + 10 bit + FHD 120p + IBIS + tilt touch screen + nice ergonomics and menu + nice color science + Canon like AF, in a regular size body with FF sensor for a decent price? 

Panasonic, except for the sensor size (but in video it is not that much impacting I think) they had almost everything here. And they fuck up the AF. Damn

Not really sure what your point is. Essentially, what you're asking is, why can't Sony make a full frame camera with all the features of the GH5 with Canon color science for $2,000, or whatever it is you consider a reasonable asking price. Asking why no camera manufacturer makes the perfect camera for you sounds kind of naive to me. And since Panasonic isn't even in the full frame camera business, I am kind of perplexed. Maybe you should start a new topic and ask why Sony doesn't step up their game, instead of targeting Panasonic.

[jonpais]

Just for the record, I don't for a second believe that Panasonic, Olympus or Fuji are intentionally holding back on reliable AF-C in movie mode. It takes the best engineers in the world years to develop the technology and the algorithms to get it right.

Nakagawa: “First we started by shooting a predetermined subject, then testing the focus shift. This work was to confirm that it conformed
to Canon’s established standards. Of course we confirmed through simulations that focus was achieved with Dual Pixel CMOS AF, however, there were some cases where it did not go that way during actual testing. With old lenses in particular, as this was technology that was not envisioned at the time, disagreements with the simulations were more apt to occur. So, it was necessary to check them all. With the labor of checking the zoom positions for 30 minutes to an hour for each lens, when checking 50 lenses for example, if a problem occurred with the 50th lens and the algorithm needed to be revised, there were cases where all 50 of the lenses would need to checked all over again. From the start of testing, it took about half a year to finish 103 lenses.” 

[Fritz Pierre]

 

[Fritz Pierre]

 

55 minutes ago, Ken Ross said:

If that video was indicative of the 'new Panasonic color', I'd have to dial it down. The saturation is a bit over the top and too yellow. Could just be a WB setting he used. But I wonder about guys that rave about the color and then show videos like that to show why they're excited about it.

Posted on DVX user as purely a demo of what happens when you use the XL speedbooster with the Sigma 18-35 in IS...also no telling from the footage shot with the GH5 what he did with the grade if anything.

[jonpais]

He's just some random guy who walked into a camera store and shot with the GH5. I hope we won't be posting many more of these.

[Fritz Pierre]

4 hours ago, jonpais said:

He's just some random guy who walked into a camera store and shot with the GH5. I hope we won't be posting many more of these.

Well...as an owner of an XL speed booster I was interested in the stabilization turned on with the speed booster...this is the first reference I've seen to the XL used with IBS...though I've seen the question asked many times...

[Andrew Reid]

Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 is an APS-C lens, you are close to vignetting at 1.3x crop with the Speed Booster XL at the wide end.

The extra movement of the sensor when the guy moves it crazily left-right reveals the edge of the image circle.

Either he moves the camera gently or puts a full frame lens on it. problem solved.

[Fritz Pierre]

3 hours ago, Andrew Reid said:

Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 is an APS-C lens, you are close to vignetting at 1.3x crop with the Speed Booster XL at the wide end.

The extra movement of the sensor when the guy moves it crazily left-right reveals the edge of the image circle.

Either he moves the camera gently or puts a full frame lens on it. problem solved.

Yes....I own the lens...and if one was to pan at the suggested pan speed for 24p, (shooting S35 on a 50mm lens a 90 degree pan should take around 23 for smooth motion)....and that's shooting film...the lens may be fine at 18mm with IBS on.

[Vesku]

Does the current FW version show exposure info in GH5 EVF or screen in all video modes? First prototypes dont show exposure info (aperture, shutter speed and auto iso) in all video modes other than full manual.