Detailed Panasonic GH4 rumoured specs - 10bit 4:2:2 and 4K video

[Andrew Reid]

Compelling Panasonic GH4 rumours have come in from two good sources. Disclaimer: I'm not a rumours site but if I was I'd give this a high rating. That said, it's still a rumour! Nothing official has been announced by Panasonic.

The model has a pro-range product code. It will be dubbed the Panasonic AG-GH4.

[url=http://www.eoshd.com/content/11371/detailed-panasonic-gh4-rumoured-specs]Read the full article here[/url]

[markm]

Would be a great move forward by Panasonic.

[maxotics]

Another reason I believe this rumor to be either true, or on the right track is that face it, no one buys Panasonic cameras primarily to take photos with.  The Sony camera is going to take some wind out of Panasonic's sails.  There are focus pixel issues that make RAW post-processing difficult on hybrid focus cameras from Canon, but Canon could fix that in a heart-beat if they wanted.  They could put out a firmware upgrade tomorrow, or camera, that would do  moire-less14bit 720p in crop-mode.  Obviously, this has limitations.  

 

A big question, which I'd love to hear your thought on, is if it's possible to get a good un-distorted (minimal aliasing) image from an APS-C sensor through line-skipping (in Canon's current line-up/manufacturing)?  If it is, Panasonic has to be worried.  If not, they know that Canon and Sony must beef up their chips and power to sample all pixels on their APS-C platform.  

 

Normally, the industrial division of a company would be loathe to see their features in consumer cameras.  But for Panasonic, a loss of leadership in consumer video, where they're strongest, would put questions in professionals minds about their high end cameras.  

 

If there is a market for the BMPCC, and it drops to $800, in a year, say, the whole Panasonic G line would be crushed (for video) IMHO.  Many would just move their lenses over. 

[Astro]

Very interesting, they seem to be the only Japanese manufacturer (perhaps apart from Olympus to some degree) ready to try and fill the gap that Blackmagic is currently catering to...that's very interesting.

There is no doubt that the BMCC and pocket cinema camera captures beautiful footage, but it will be interesting how Panasonic does all the other stuff...(smaller file sizes that grade well, ergonomics, screen etc..).

I am hoping for some high frame rates as well, perhaps in 2K? that would be awesome..

If they get all that right, this will be a winner for them...if it's true! 

[pilotbayfilms]

This is awesome! Though I was sort of hoping for something to compete with the pocket cam price point... Hopefully there will be more announcements

[kevincarroll]

Lovely. If this has an ND filter it would be the complete package :-) 4k doesn't interest me, unless I get demand from bridezillas but the 10bit and xlr connectivity is fantastic and at a decent pricepoint too. I would imagine it would at least have peaking and let's hope zebras. If they implement the ibis from the gx7 for video and the viewfinder is up to scratch then there's the potential to go rig free also, saving a lot of money and increasing stealth. This coupled with the metabones would make a 4k effective s35 camera for 3k with way better ergonomics. I wonder if there'll be high (60+) framerates in the lower resolutions also. Dual sd would also be nice. And to think that ten years ago I was using a dreadful standard def canon xl1 for twice the money lol!

[xenogears]

It looks more logic to develop the AF series camera for 4K than the GH, but what the hell, this camera will very welcome ;)

[AaronChicago]

Would pre-order the second it's announced.

[Andrew Reid]

It looks more logic to develop the AF series camera for 4K than the GH, but what the hell, this camera will very welcome ;)

 

Why? AF series ergonomics are outdated. Small cameras is where it's at. Just look at the Epic. Easier to rig and easier to customise. More stealthy too. The only thing I miss from the AF100 is the built in ND filter. Exposure is important. Every camera should have it.

[MaxAperture Films]

Panasonic is taking shots at the BMPCC and the BMCC simultaneously, but I see no reason why all of these cams cannot coexist and share the market.  The Panny will have the better ergos and battery life, a reasonable and robust codec that also maximizes storage space, available XLRs/SDI, a high resolution viewfinder already built-in to the camera and hopefully 12-13 stops of DR... Minimal rigging required.

 

The Blackmagic family will retain the luxury of providing beautiful raw images in wide dynamic range but also the drawbacks of the storage, processing, some moire issues (correctable with mosaic filters) and external battery rigging...  Made for rigging in general.

 

As P. Bloom stated in one of his articles, you absolutely must have 4K and raw, but you don't need it.  The more I shoot with the ProRes BMPCC, the more I understand the real thing I prefer is the dynamic range and a solid codec for grading, raw really is not as much a requiremnt for most of my work.  I will use it when I want to go over the top on my own projects like shooting at Yellowstone or doing something extremely dramatic as a boutique piece, for everything else it will be 10 bit 4:2:2 or GH3 8 bit 4:2:0.  I will probably shoot mostly 10 bit in Yellowstone as well, so I can walk away with twice as much footage.

 

I don't think we would be at this place if it wasn't for Blackmagic and Magic Lantern rattling the big guys cages.  Red was seen as an entirely different market compared to the prosumer category and didn't strike as much fear into the hearts of Panny, Canon and Sony as what BM and ML have accomplished in a short period of time.

[Andrew Reid]

Panasonic is taking shots at the BMPCC and the BMCC simultaneously, but I see no reason why all of these cams cannot coexist and share the market.

 

As P. Bloom stated in one of his articles, you absolutely must have 4K and raw, but you don't need it.  The more I shoot with the ProRes BMPCC, the more I understand the real thing I prefer is the dynamic range and a solid codec for grading, raw really is not as much a requiremnt for most of my work.  I will use it when I want to go over the top on my own projects like shooting at Yellowstone or doing something extremely dramatic as a boutique piece, for everything else it will be 10 bit 4:2:2 or GH3 8 bit 4:2:0.  I will probably shoot mostly 10 bit in Yellowstone as well, so I can walk away with twice as much footage.

 

Well you could rewind Bloom's argument to the standard def era and say you absolutely must have 1080p but don't need it, shoot 480p.

 

Practical considerations over creativity.

 

Creativity is about discovering the new technology and applying it in interesting ways. I can see that if you turned up for a spec shoot for a client and they only needed a 480p master, it would be silly to take your 1080p camera to the job and that is really what Philip Bloom is getting at. Nothing more.

 

What Panasonic need to do is move way beyond the GH2 hack era. Get rid of the need for Vitaliy (he's awful!) give us reliable high performance out of the box. The GH3 didn't go far enough from the GH2 hack in terms of image quality. To have a community based around a Russian hacker rather than your own camera features is nuts.

[theSUBVERSIVE]

43 Rumors says "4:2:2 10/8bit output". What does this actually mean? He is not sure if it's 10-bit or 8-bit?

[Andrew Reid]

Our source mentioned "10bit/8bit". I would suspect the lower bitrate recording options are 8bit and top settings for 4K are 10bit. Another possibility is that 10bit is just via HD-SDI for external recorders and it does 8bit internally. But AVC-Ultra definitely supports 10bit internal recording.

[thebrownshaun]

this is incredibly exciting! I love the addition of a proper timecode that could be jam synced with an audio recorder. And is you want ProRes, could always connect something like the Atmos Ninja via the HD-SDI port. Here's hoping for IBIS stabilization and a LOG color space!

[markm]

Could be dithered NOT actually 10 bit like the Panasonic AF100 A

[zephyrnoid]

Panasonic is smart. They wouldn't hire me but are glad to suck it out of our heads for free. No matter. Getting the right camera out there is what matters right?
So this will be great but you know what I'm gonna say.
Are we going to be be stuck with shooting overpriced super fast glass just to get enough background blur with wider lenses because they can't deliver this all with a  bigger DX/APS-C sized sensor ??????????????????????????????
C'mon Panasonic. You are ALMOST there :)
T A L K 2 S O N Y

[Andrew Reid]

Speed Booster gives it a larger than Super 35mm sensor so I really don't think that's a problem.

[dishe]

Our source mentioned "10bit/8bit". I would suspect the lower bitrate recording options are 8bit and top settings for 4K are 10bit. Another possibility is that 10bit is just via HD-SDI for external recorders and it does 8bit internally. But AVC-Ultra definitely supports 10bit internal recording.

 

Just occurred to me that perhaps the opposite would be true. The camera guts max out processing a certain amount of throughput and recording bandwidth, right? So perhaps the processor can handle 10-bit 1080p at 60fps, and is also capable of 4k resolution albeit at 8-bit and only 30fps. 

[Oliver Daniel]

Now this sounds absolutely awesome! Please be true. 

 

I love the GH3 and its brilliant ergonomics and functionality. These are important factors that the BMD cameras severely lack. They create beautiful images but are a complete pain in the ass. 

 

I see the AG-GH4 as the ideal camera with current technology. 4k can be down sampled to 1080p for a better image, and also offer choices in post with framing. 

 

From my professional experience with BMD cameras (not hobbyist), I see them only as a serious film narrative tool. I think the AG-GH4 takes the best of all worlds (on paper that is). 

 

The only thing i don't see is high frame rates...surely this will be added at lower resolutions? (120fps please?) That addition would make it one of the best cameras on the market.

 

So an announcement at NAB 2014 maybe? Wonder what BMD have up their sleeve? (absolutely no firmware updates but 67 new cameras hehe)

[TJB]

This seems too good to be true. Broadcast standard video and audio in a usable (proper EVF) form factor (unlike BMCC) for $3K.

I've been looking forward to this happening eventually, but I still won't believe it until it's in my hands.