Panasonic GH5 - all is revealed!

[zetty]

6 hours ago, lmackreath said:

Jessops say they have stock coming on Thursday (UK)

The guy on jessops chat said "It's only the Lecia kit that we're not getting enough of for all orders. As you've ordered the body we're got one for you!"

I just ordered mine from them a couple of weeks ago and their response to me yesterday about the availability was:

"I can advise that we are expecting to start shipping our pre-orders for the GH5 within the next few weeks. However, we have not yet had a more specific delivery schedule confirmed by Panasonic so I would be unable give an estimated delivery time for your specific order."

[lmackreath]

I ordered mine on the announcement day, jan 4th...so maybe they saw that on their system and know that i will be getting one this week in the first batch and yours will be in the next few batches..i will keep you posted!

[funkyou86]

Keep us posted guys, I orderd mine on 5th of january, so I'm hoping that I'll be in the first batch as well  

[Chrad]

1 hour ago, jonpais said:

Hugh Brownstone is impressed with the GH5's focus pull feature. Shot on the GH5 with the Leica 25mm f/1.4 wide open.

 

I recall Andrew requesting this feature in an interview with a Panasonic engineer years ago, and writing that said engineer wrote it down in his notepad. Interesting to see it finally come to fruition, and I can't thank Andrew enough for the part he may have played.

If the focus transitions are triggerable through the Lumix app, the production value it makes possible is incredible. Remote follow focus steadicam like shots with only a light gimbal. All you need is a 'focus puller' to trigger the pre marked points off their phone.

[jonpais]

8 minutes ago, Chrad said:

I recall Andrew requesting this feature in an interview with a Panasonic engineer years ago, and writing that said engineer wrote it down in his notepad. Interesting to seeit finally come to fruition, and can't thank Andrew enough for the part he may have played.

If the focus transitions are triggerable through the Lumix app, the production value it makes possible is incredible. Remote follow focus steadicam like shots with only a light gimbal. All you need is a 'focus puller' to trigger the pre marked points off their phone.

I would think for the application you're talking about, it would be far simpler to just use the current tap to focus in Panasonic's image app, if the transition speed could only be slowed down enough. Of course, that would mean there would still be some hunting... On the other hand, If someone were walking around with a gimbal and another operator were programming Touch Pull Focus on an iPhone, the gimbal operator would have to stand perfectly still, and entering the settings would take too long. i believe Touch Pull Focus is for locked down shots. Or am I mistaken?

[webrunner5]

1 hour ago, jonpais said:

Hugh Brownstone is impressed with the GH5's focus pull feature. Shot on the GH5 with the Leica 25mm f/1.4 wide open.

 

Parts of this review of the Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 and Zeiss Batis 85mm f/1.8 were shot on the GH5. So we should expect a complete Camera Store review soon!

 

I really like Camera Store reviews, funny stuff, and really hands on stuff, both stills and video wise.

[Chrad]

16 minutes ago, jonpais said:

I would think for the application you're talking about, it would be far simpler to just use the current tap to focus in Panasonic's image app, if the transition speed could only be slowed down enough. Of course, that would mean there would still be some hunting... On the other hand, If someone were walking around with a gimbal and another operator were programming Touch Pull Focus on an iPhone, the gimbal operator would have to stand perfectly still, and entering the settings would take too long. i believe Touch Pull Focus is for locked down shots. Or am I mistaken?

I'm sure it's designed for locked down shots. However, as long as it holds the same focal points regardless of whether the frame shifts (and I don't see why it shouldn't, since autofocus isn't running) it should work for shots where the operator and/or talent hit pre-rehearsed marks, and give a very professional looking result with no hunting.

[mercer]

13 minutes ago, Chrad said:

I'm sure it's designed for locked down shots. However, as long as it holds the same focal points regardless of whether the frame shifts (and I don't see why it shouldn't, since autofocus isn't running) it should work for shots where the operator and/or talent hit pre-rehearsed marks, and give a very professional looking result with no hunting.

That would be a cool feature. I wonder how well the Sigma 30mm 1.4 will focus with the feature. You can have some pretty shallow shots wide open if the focus pull works with 3rd Party AF lenses.

[wolf33d]

36 minutes ago, Chrad said:

I recall Andrew requesting this feature in an interview with a Panasonic engineer years ago, and writing that said engineer wrote it down in his notepad. Interesting to see it finally come to fruition, and I can't thank Andrew enough for the part he may have played.

If the focus transitions are triggerable through the Lumix app, the production value it makes possible is incredible. Remote follow focus steadicam like shots with only a light gimbal. All you need is a 'focus puller' to trigger the pre marked points off their phone.

.

way better to just have a Good AF like canon DPAF, touchscreen focus and touch screen on the phone.

[funkyou86]

44 minutes ago, jonpais said:

i believe Touch Pull Focus is for locked down shots. Or am I mistaken?

It is very useful for dolly or jib shots (If you can synchronise the speed of camera movement with the speed of focus). I shot a Music video last summer, and this shot was a pain in the ass, with this feature it would take me max 2 shots.

[noone]

3 hours ago, webrunner5 said:

Well I sort of disagree. When you put a Speedbooster on the GH5 you will be at APSC size sensor, that is Bigger than a s35 sensor is. So what is a problem with that other than having less DoF than a FF A7, and I will admit better low light ability, but we are allowed to buy lighting. I bet there is not Any scene in a top, say 100 million dollar film, that does not have one frame without some kind of lighting, or a bounce board, umbrella in it. 

And I don't get this "I have to have razor thin DoF" thing anyways. There is no way you can keep stuff in focus at F0.95 for frame after frame. Still photography well yes.

The A7 series sucks on overheating, does not have continuous time shooting, no articulating screen, no touch screen, battery is weak to say the least, no 10 bit, and I don't think I would rather have one of those over a GH5 with a Speedbooster on it to shoot with.

Well you don't really get a APSC size sensor, you still have an M4/3 sensor and you change the lens.      If you put a (say) ,72x focal reducer on a 50mm f2 lens on M4/3,  you get a 36mm 1.4 lens as a result.       Is that going to be any real difference  to a native M4/3 35 1.4 lens?

To me, the DOF thing is vastly overrated both ways as there are few situations it has mattered to me about what format I am using.      Even a  24mm 1.4 lens FF gets infinite pretty quickly.

Of course you are allowed to buy lighting but my point was that I don't see many people deciding between an A7 series camera and a GH5 OTHER than for video use and even then it is only the A7s/A7sii really and they have different strengths.

Regards thin depth of field, for my (very limited) video use, I prefer 5.6 FF most of the time.     For stills, I use fast lenses often but rarely 1.2 FF though again, even that can have plenty of DOF when needed.    Again, regards f0.95 in focus for video, I agree the GH5 will be a game changer for video in the Pro/semi pro sector but it is not going to be competing there with the A7 series. 

     Maybe there will be some people looking to compare it to APSC cameras but are many of those APSC cameras being compared really in the same segment?   Video wise, for specs/features at least they will be light years behind but for stills again, M4/3 (while good) is always going to be playing catch up.      For stills shooters there is a LOT of video specs they will be paying for in the GH5 that they don't have to pay for in something else.      I am not saying this wont be a great stills camera and if you get the GH5 for video use in many cases you wont need another camera for stills.

I have never had any issue with overheating with my A7s and have gone out of my way to see what would take to get it to overheat (have run it for more than the 30min limit twice continually placed on a woollen blanket with the LCD in on a warmish summers day).      My previous A7 I didn't have issues with either but only ever did the odd song (3 to 5 minutes usually) but no one would seriously compare the original A7 to a GH5.     The A7 is an excellent stills camera but is just like all the other cameras that have video as an after thought (but with a few video things that at the time were not so common to its video quality level).      I had overheating issues with my Pentax Kx when I even pointed it at a band to video a song.

No question the GH5 is going to be a wonderful video camera.      Pros and serious video amateurs will love it, but again, how many are really going to be choosing between an A7 series camera and GH5?        Most of the market for A7 series cameras is for stills (but with variations) A7s for low light/high ISO video but that is still not an area for the GH5, the GH5 is mostly for video.

The battery on the A7s just needs you to think differently about batteries.     Used fresh, they get a LOT more charge than is often stated.    I get a thousand or so shots out of a two year old battery that has been used frequently.    If I shot a bit and stopped, shot some more and stopped ETC the battery life is poor (but easy to take two or three and they are small) but used fresh I have no problems.     I often take two or three with me but half the time only need one battery for hundreds of stills and one or two videos.

I love the touch screen in my GX7 but even with out it. I still have to go into the menu less with my A7s than I do with the GX7.

 

The GH5 is in a different market for most people than the A7 series cameras and a different market as well to most APSC cameras I think..

[Fritz Pierre]

4 hours ago, webrunner5 said:

Well I sort of disagree. When you put a Speedbooster on the GH5 you will be at APSC size sensor, that is Bigger than a s35 sensor is. So what is a problem with that other than having less DoF than a FF A7, and I will admit better low light ability, but we are allowed to buy lighting. I bet there is not Any scene in a top, say 100 million dollar film, that does not have one frame without some kind of lighting, or a bounce board, umbrella in it. 

And I don't get this "I have to have razor thin DoF" thing anyways. There is no way you can keep stuff in focus at F0.95 for frame after frame. Still photography well yes.

The A7 series sucks on overheating, does not have continuous time shooting, no articulating screen, no touch screen, battery is weak to say the least, no 10 bit, and I don't think I would rather have one of those over a GH5 with a Speedbooster on it to shoot with.

Well you've experienced it!...the first time A FF DP  sits down for dailies after a long day's shoot and 30 to 40% is out of focus or soft, is the last time that DP is on that shoot...Ridley Scot's DP....Gladiator, Alien, Blade Runner and on and on, shoots no wider open than 4.0 on S35 with good reason...HE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FILM!

1 hour ago, Chrad said:

I'm sure it's designed for locked down shots. However, as long as it holds the same focal points regardless of whether the frame shifts (and I don't see why it shouldn't, since autofocus isn't running) it should work for shots where the operator and/or talent hit pre-rehearsed marks, and give a very professional looking result with no hunting.

For a product shot on a commercial or a "reveal" in something narrative, this is a great tool!

[Fritz Pierre]

49 minutes ago, noone said:

Well you don't really get a APSC size sensor, you still have an M4/3 sensor and you change the lens.      If you put a (say) ,72x focal reducer on a 50mm f2 lens on M4/3,  you get a 36mm 1.4 lens as a result.       Is that going to be any real difference  to a native M4/3 35 1.4 lens?

To me, the DOF thing is vastly overrated both ways as there are few situations it has mattered to me about what format I am using.      Even a  24mm 1.4 lens FF gets infinite pretty quickly.

Of course you are allowed to buy lighting but my point was that I don't see many people deciding between an A7 series camera and a GH5 OTHER than for video use and even then it is only the A7s/A7sii really and they have different strengths.

Regards thin depth of field, for my (very limited) video use, I prefer 5.6 FF most of the time.     For stills, I use fast lenses often but rarely 1.2 FF though again, even that can have plenty of DOF when needed.    Again, regards f0.95 in focus for video, I agree the GH5 will be a game changer for video in the Pro/semi pro sector but it is not going to be competing there with the A7 series. 

     Maybe there will be some people looking to compare it to APSC cameras but are many of those APSC cameras being compared really in the same segment?   Video wise, for specs/features at least they will be light years behind but for stills again, M4/3 (while good) is always going to be playing catch up.      For stills shooters there is a LOT of video specs they will be paying for in the GH5 that they don't have to pay for in something else.      I am not saying this wont be a great stills camera and if you get the GH5 for video use in many cases you wont need another camera for stills.

I have never had any issue with overheating with my A7s and have gone out of my way to see what would take to get it to overheat (have run it for more than the 30min limit twice continually placed on a woollen blanket with the LCD in on a warmish summers day).      My previous A7 I didn't have issues with either but only ever did the odd song (3 to 5 minutes usually) but no one would seriously compare the original A7 to a GH5.     The A7 is an excellent stills camera but is just like all the other cameras that have video as an after thought (but with a few video things that at the time were not so common to its video quality level).      I had overheating issues with my Pentax Kx when I even pointed it at a band to video a song.

No question the GH5 is going to be a wonderful video camera.      Pros and serious video amateurs will love it, but again, how many are really going to be choosing between an A7 series camera and GH5?        Most of the market for A7 series cameras is for stills (but with variations) A7s for low light/high ISO video but that is still not an area for the GH5, the GH5 is mostly for video.

The battery on the A7s just needs you to think differently about batteries.     Used fresh, they get a LOT more charge than is often stated.    I get a thousand or so shots out of a two year old battery that has been used frequently.    If I shot a bit and stopped, shot some more and stopped ETC the battery life is poor (but easy to take two or three and they are small) but used fresh I have no problems.     I often take two or three with me but half the time only need one battery for hundreds of stills and one or two videos.

I love the touch screen in my GX7 but even with out it. I still have to go into the menu less with my A7s than I do with the GX7.

 

The GH5 is in a different market for most people than the A7 series cameras and a different market as well to most APSC cameras I think..

Great article!...and you're right about stills of course...as well as the GH5 being loaded with features for shooting video, that may be of little benefit for purely still photographers...unless they are considering a transition into video too...that's when the GH5 stills capability may come into play...can't beat a FF sensor with M4/3 for stills...but for some use you may get close enough...

[matthere]

2 hours ago, mercer said:

That would be a cool feature. I wonder how well the Sigma 30mm 1.4 will focus with the feature. You can have some pretty shallow shots wide open if the focus pull works with 3rd Party AF lenses.

Will the touch focus be available on non native lenses?

[Orangenz]

And..... It's ARRIVED!

[jcs]

6 minutes ago, Orangenz said:

And..... It's ARRIVED!

Why haven't you posted your 2 hour feature film yet?

[matthere]

8 minutes ago, Orangenz said:

And..... It's ARRIVED!

Where has it arrived?

[Cinegain]

Whaddayamean bro? You got one? This for realsies? Here, from what I've seen earliest in two days.

[Rinad Amir]

9 minutes ago, Orangenz said:

And..... It's ARRIVED!

Congratulations  we have to wait another couple days unfortunate 

[Orangenz]

22 minutes ago, matthere said:

Where has it arrived?

Auckland, New Zealand. The shop (ACC) just called so I'm going over now. Will shoot the feature film on the way back ;p 

Of course we all know a proper review means shooting the review on an RX100 while holding the GH5 and looking at it for 20 minutes.