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

[hmcindie]

Adding movement to a shot with a gentle Ken Burns effect is a very common trick in post as an alternative to movement produced by using track & dolly (or slider on a smaller production). It works well with just enough movement to be interesting but not so much that the lack of parallax becomes apparent.

 

It's funny how people who absolutely hate optical zooms don't mind doing them in post. (I don't mean that you do, but in general)

[markm]

I've seen the Canon 1D C go for under £5000 on eBay at the moment.

 

Where?

[nigelbb]

It's funny how people who absolutely hate optical zooms don't mind doing them in post. (I don't mean that you do, but in general)

 

It's a lot more controllable addling a little gentle movement in post & I was thinking more of a sideways or diagonal movement than zooming in anyway.

[thedest]

Do you guys think that Panasonic will be brave enough to release a sub 2,000USD that can compete in IQ with the BMPCC - the GH5? I dont think they are worried about BM since they made a camera that is hard to use for most users. Thats a shame. I thought that the new BM would make everyone desperate for a better camera, but there are lots of enthusiasts (fanboys- cough!) saying that their GH3s are almost as good - and its NOT!

 

3,000USD + lens is not cheap. But even at that price I dont believe its going to be launched because they will risk their more expensive cameras. Panasonic and Sony are not as crazy as those guys from Blackmagic. They simply dont care doing a 1k camera with the same quality as the most expensive ones.

[KarimNassar]

Lets be honest 4k is overkill There is no real need for it and everyone here will deliver in HD at best.

 

the playstation 4 comes out next month and plays 4k footage.

 

Things should move fast from there regarding 4k content.

 

4k tvs have already dropped under the 1k price tag.

 

4k is coming fast

[markm]

 

the playstation 4 comes out next month and plays 4k footage.

 

Things should move fast from there regarding 4k content.

 

4k tvs have already dropped under the 1k price tag.

 

4k is coming fast

I know Sony and the big manufacturers want us to adopt 4k so they can make more money But just because they want it doesn't mean consumers will. 4K at best is a gimic if people cant see a difference between 1080p and 4k unless they plant their face up to a 60" screen to see pixels. How will TV companies just used to getting in a few HD channels adapt to 4k when they are on a bottomless pit of never ending HD updating. How on earth will all the movies made in 2k show any improvement over HD

 

although I concede that technology moves on and often what seemed impossible becomes the new norm. However is this an improvement over what already exists and will it grow or be a dead duck. Maybe we will all end up with 4k TV's showing HD and 480p programs.

 

I'm not sure that as film makers we need to be making films in 4K when clearly films like Skyfall look great projected on a cinema screen and really do any of us want to see anymore of Daniel Craigs lines

[austinmcconnell]

Yeah, yeah, so we know this thing is in the works. Any ideas on when we'll get an official announcement?

[markm]

Andrew

 

Where on ebay have you seen the Canon 1dc going for under £5000?

[Nikkor]

I would certainly enjoy more 4k content with a 4k projector. I have a 1080p projector and the screendoor sucks, also on a 150" 1080p looks pretty bad (and no, I don't sit 3 meters away from the screen, its something about smoothness)

[Chrad]

Do you guys think that Panasonic will be brave enough to release a sub 2,000USD that can compete in IQ with the BMPCC - the GH5? I dont think they are worried about BM since they made a camera that is hard to use for most users. Thats a shame. I thought that the new BM would make everyone desperate for a better camera, but there are lots of enthusiasts (fanboys- cough!) saying that their GH3s are almost as good - and its NOT!

 

3,000USD + lens is not cheap. But even at that price I dont believe its going to be launched because they will risk their more expensive cameras. Panasonic and Sony are not as crazy as those guys from Blackmagic. They simply dont care doing a 1k camera with the same quality as the most expensive ones.

I think It will be a good while before they put out anything like the Blackmagic. 

I think the GH5 will be a regular upgrade to the Lumix GH line. A pretty standard ~US$1000 DSLR type body with improved dynamic range over the GH3, in-body stabilisation and peaking. Video might bump up the bit rate in MP4 a little to 100mbps or so. Some good improvements, but it won't look like a revolution, and it will be announced at Photokina in September. 

 

The GH4 as described would be an amazing deal at $2800 or so. 10 bit 4:2:2 200mbps MP4 should be very nice and gradable compared to any HDSLR footage yet. In a number of ways it's a better tool than anything else in the price range, particularly for professional and broadcast work (though it needs to have NDs). There are less hoops to jump through than with the Blackmagic cams. It sounds like a dream for someone like Philip Bloom. 

 

But at the end of the day, raw is raw. I don't think one of the majors are going to be putting out an affordable camera that gives that much creative control over your images in the foreseeable future. Blackmagic are plagued by too many issues to pose a serious threat.

the playstation 4 comes out next month and plays 4k footage.

 

Things should move fast from there regarding 4k content.

 

4k tvs have already dropped under the 1k price tag.

 

4k is coming fast

 

The Playstation 4 plays 4K footage so Sony can check that box in their marketing. It's all about corporate synergy, from the projector manufacturing through to theatrical production and consumer electronics. But there's almost no 4K content out there for it to play. Not all of the games released for the PS4 launch are even rendering at 1080p yet. 

Yeah, yeah, so we know this thing is in the works. Any ideas on when we'll get an official announcement?

 

43Rumours said it will be announced in spring.  Perhaps NAB in April?

[mitdelay]

Do you guys think that Panasonic will be brave enough to release a sub 2,000USD that can compete in IQ with the BMPCC - the GH5? I dont think they are worried about BM since they made a camera that is hard to use for most users.

 

How is it hard to use?

[Oliver Daniel]

I don't see why 4k is being criticised so much. Its happening. Its another tool to use and you don't have to use it. 

 

Having used the Blackmagic cams on some shoots recently, I felt the cameras were very difficult to adopt into a professional shoot yet the image quality was fantastic......

 

I've been using my GH3 again and the image out the camera doesn't look nowhere near as good now I've used the Blackmagic cams, but I will continue using it because its so versatile and is packed full of necessary features that the Blackmagic cams severely lack. Not just 60fps (even Canon cant be arsed with that), but all then usual camera formatting stuff and recording time left issues. Very silly omissions. 

 

At the moment, I don't think Blackmagic cams are ready for full-on professional work yet. Great hobby cam for shorts and the odd project here and there. Great tool for a shot that requires the DR. Same goes for the Digital Bolex. Cant say having never shot with it, but looks like a beautiful love toy that just happens to have a gorgeous image. 

 

If Panasonic bring this camera out, and the image stacks up, I will be jumping for joy. 

[Lucian]

What are the issues with blackmagic cams? (i'm not shit stirring, legitimately interested)

 

From what I can gather they are ergonomically a bit funky, menus are not great and you need some skill to be able to grade it back to reality.

 

Are there any other issues? for the price, the cinema camera seems like a steal, but I must be missing something because it seems like very few people are shooting on them.

 

 

 

 

I don't see why 4k is being criticised so much. Its happening. Its another tool to use and you don't have to use it. 

 

Having used the Blackmagic cams on some shoots recently, I felt the cameras were very difficult to adopt into a professional shoot yet the image quality was fantastic......

 

I've been using my GH3 again and the image out the camera doesn't look nowhere near as good now I've used the Blackmagic cams, but I will continue using it because its so versatile and is packed full of necessary features that the Blackmagic cams severely lack. Not just 60fps (even Canon cant be arsed with that), but all then usual camera formatting stuff and recording time left issues. Very silly omissions. 

 

At the moment, I don't think Blackmagic cams are ready for full-on professional work yet. Great hobby cam for shorts and the odd project here and there. Great tool for a shot that requires the DR. Same goes for the Digital Bolex. Cant say having never shot with it, but looks like a beautiful love toy that just happens to have a gorgeous image. 

 

If Panasonic bring this camera out, and the image stacks up, I will be jumping for joy. 

[Oliver Daniel]

The image the camera produces is great for the price.

It's just that when you are used to video cams and DSLRs that have basic features, such as knowing how much space you have left on a card - using a Blackmagic can be a very frustrating experience, as these cameras don't have hardly ANY of the basic features. Even the White Balance is very limited.

Blackmagic want you to workaround the cameras shortcomings. The confusing thing is, as they are price range of amateurs, enthusiasts, semi pros and independent professionals, these workarounds are just, on the majority, a pain in the ass. You can put up with it, but a lot of people don't want to.

Now Blackmagic have gone 4k, and I hope they stop there and improve these cameras they have already made. They have so much potential.

Panasonic are going to announce this 4k camera, with loads of features. The image will soon catch up!

[markm]

Saw a 4k TV in action today and now I'm sold. 4k is definitely the future. I got close to the screen and almost felt I was in that world and although the world wasn't real more like being on drugs it felt awesome.

 

I think 4k will open the doors on new forms of media entertainment that could put you in an amazing surround game like the holodeck for education Wildlife safari. Other planets, space. In fact I believe the biggest advance to come from 4k could be how we educate our kids and ourselves in a very entertaining fun and exhilarating way to learn.

 

I'm just not that sure if it will be right for films. I think maybe like documentaries news and sport have always used small sensors this is where 4k will excel Film is more of an art form that doesn't rely on this much definition unless it is for gameplay.

 

4K and 8K are coming... Just not in the way many have portrayed it I think.

[leo]

I can understand the bitching about 4k, it can't be bad if you have money to spend but right here is the problem, money, it doesn't bring a huge  improvement to your productions and will become a must if you want to survive and have clients, clients are stupid and if the tv ads say 4k is what you need they will want a 4k production.

We know a full frame sensor with good low light perf and some excellent primes and raw recording brings a whole lot more than 4K but there is no money to be made in that compared to the 4K hype.

Hell, even a phone right now records 4k, they are desperate and we are hurting because we know we are gonna spend a lot of money.

[Andrew Reid]

If 1080p is 'enough' then 4K makes very good 1080p because of oversampling, so everyone wins regardless of whether they think they need 4K or not. Also a full sensor output will do wonders for dynamic range and colour gamut. My only concerns relate to how they go from 4.5k to 4K on the image processor.

 

GX7 full output in 16:9 - 4592 x 2584

 

4K video standard - 3840 x 2160

[Rob Dunford]

 

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.  

 

I'm not so sure, I thought the pro cameras had all sorts of connections, like SDI, XLR etc that no GH3 or GH4 is ever going to have. 

 

 

[Oliver Daniel]

All this talk of 4K hardly different to the eye than 1080p, load of nonsense in my experience.

I used a GoPro today and did a shot with the 4k option for a laugh, then I did the same shot in 1080p and put it on a 1080p timeline....... The difference was easy to see. The image in 4 k was miles better.... And this was just from a GoPro on an iMac screen.

Do we need 4k? Definitely not for most of us. Many consumers are happy watching pixelated streamed movies off dodgy websites. But as a serious filmmaking tool, it could be very useful and very beautiful.

I don't need 4k. But I sure want to film in 4k. I want to say wow again!

[Paulio]

All this talk of 4K hardly different to the eye than 1080p, load of nonsense in my experience.

I used a GoPro today and did a shot with the 4k option for a laugh, then I did the same shot in 1080p and put it on a 1080p timeline....... The difference was easy to see. The image in 4 k was miles better.... And this was just from a GoPro on an iMac screen.

Do we need 4k? Definitely not for most of us. Many consumers are happy watching pixelated streamed movies off dodgy websites. But as a serious filmmaking tool, it could be very useful and very beautiful.

I don't need 4k. But I sure want to film in 4k. I want to say wow again!

How bad is the performance burden in editing and composting compared to dealing with 1080p footage?