Hands-on preview of the powerful 4K shooting Panasonic GH4!

[Jeroen de Cloe]

Great camera for a great price. It's a smart step for panasonic.

Yes I secretly hoped for gx7 (or better) like stabilization, and yes built-in ND and 4:2:2 internal recording would help, but naaaah. Who cares looking at those specs.

Most of us on this forum only shoot their back yard and kid anyway

[austinmcconnell]

First of all, don't call me 'dude'. If a punk cinematographer calls me 'dude'... they don't get a job. Simple as that. This is YOUR forum where you pretend to be a professional cinematographer, at least try to act like it. 

 

Literally no one on the face of the planet would ever want to work for you - you have some kind of anger issues. Also, did you just like, copy/paste the exact some post from earlier? I don't understand. You seem to be under the impression that throwing out insults at people makes you seem cool. It actually is the opposite. It makes you appear very small, and a little bit... y'know, insane. Be nice. Grown ups are supposed to behave better.  :)

[zephyrnoid]

Dx

[Michael Ma]

Literally no one on the face of the planet would ever want to work for you - you have some kind of anger issues. Also, did you just like, copy/paste the exact some post from earlier? I don't understand. You seem to be under the impression that throwing out insults at people makes you seem cool. It actually is the opposite. It makes you appear very small, and a little bit... y'know, insane. Be nice. Grown ups are supposed to behave better.  :)

 

Oh, he doesn't sound insane at all trying to reject people for jobs they never applied for.   ;)

[Kays Alatrakchi]

I'm all for more choices and innovation, having said that I'm left thinking that the Blackmagic Pro is still a better option.

 

Let me explain:

 

GH4 = roughly $2k

4K add-on = roughly another $2k

4K external recorder = probably another $2k

2X crop factor

no raw option

clunky form factor

reduced, but still present rolling shutter

4K add-on needs external power

no release date, hopefully available by the end of the year

 

vs.

 

Blackmagic 4K

4K raw and ProRes

Super35 sensor

global shutter

$4k including full version of Resolve

less clunky (but still somewhat clunky) form factor

needs external power

well behind the promised release date, but should be here any day now.

 

 

What am I missing?

[browndog]

This base would be much more useful if Panasonic had thought to include holes and clamps for rails. It will be difficult to rig this camera with a matte box, focus gear, and other accessories. I'm curious to see what solutions people come up with to address this. 

 

Ideally, the brick could have been designed with cables, so that it could be mounted somewhere other than directly underneath the camera.

 

All in all this is an incredibly exciting camera.

 

 

[CarlMiller]

This base would be much more useful if Panasonic had thought to include holes and clamps for rails. It will be difficult to rig this camera with a matte box, focus gear, and other accessories. I'm curious to see what solutions people come up with to address this. 

 

Ideally, the brick could have been designed with cables, so that it could be mounted somewhere other than directly underneath the camera.

 

All in all this is an incredibly exciting camera.

 

I'm pretty sure the two holes at the base of the attachment are so you can screw in 15mm rails.

[browndog]

I'm pretty sure the two holes at the base of the attachment are so you can screw in 15mm rails.

 

I don't think those are for rails. If I'm shooting with the base then I will need a battery, external recorder, likely an external monitor, matte box with ND filters, focus gear or remote focus motors, audio gear, etc., To support all of this, the rails need to extend through the base and provide the flexibility to mount some of the gear on the rear. Screwing rails into the front would not be sufficient for this kind of setup. I'd be concerned about putting a big zoom or even a heavy anamorphic like a Lomo 35mm Roundfront on rails that are screwed into the base. Also, if I mount the rails below the base, then they will be a long way from the lens and I'll have to mount another set of rails higher in the front with an adapter. This complicates things when they could just include 15mm holes in the body of the base adapter.

 

This camera is a game changer, but we need to learn more about how the camera can be rigged to adapt to various production environments. 

[rjayx]

OK, not sure if this is the case, but earlier today I saw on B&H's website a note re: the YAGH unit mentioning that HDMI out is disabled if the GH4 is mounted on the YAGH unit.

 

Therefore, if HDMI-out is disabled when using the YAGH unit, and internal recording to an SDHC/SDXC memory card is not possible when outputting 4:2:2 10-bit, am I understanding correctly then that in order to output and record 4:2:2 10-bit footage with sound from the YAGH unit’s XLR inputs that the only way to do so is to use an external recorder that works with the Quad-Link SDI Outputs, and either use the built-in OLED swivel screen or a BNC-compatible viewfinder/external monitor to see what it is I’m recording? Or will the HDMI out on the YAGH still work when the GH4 is mounted on it, and it's only the mini-HDMI out on the GH4 itself that is disabled when the camera is connected to the YAGH unit?

 

Note: Looking at the B&H website again just now, I no longer see the note mentioning HDMI-out being disabled when the camera is on the YAGH unit, so perhaps they pulled it down because it was incorrect?

 

UPDATE: I've just read that it's only the mini-HDMI out on the camera itself that is disabled when the GH4 is attached to the YAGH unit, and that the YAGH unit's HDMI out is not disabled so I have the answer I was seeking. Please disregard this post.

[Orangenz]

I don't think those are for rails.

What are the screw threads for then? My guess is you can have a couple of rods in there for a mini rig, or add the full cage via the mountings on the bottom of the YAGH unit. More options is good.

[browndog]

What are the screw threads for then? My guess is you can have a couple of rods in there for a mini rig, or add the full cage via the mountings on the bottom of the YAGH unit. More options is good.

 

That's a good question. They're too close together to be 15mm rails but they do look like they are for some kind of attachment. It will be interesting to see as more information is released.

[tosvus]

why do you think you need the add-on for 4k 422-10bit? I thought I read HDMI can carry that and that the gh4 won't limit that either. You do need an external recorder, but wait a few months and you are likely looking at under 1K for that.

I'm all for more choices and innovation, having said that I'm left thinking that the Blackmagic Pro is still a better option.

 

Let me explain:

 

GH4 = roughly $2k

4K add-on = roughly another $2k

4K external recorder = probably another $2k

2X crop factor

no raw option

clunky form factor

reduced, but still present rolling shutter

4K add-on needs external power

no release date, hopefully available by the end of the year

 

vs.

 

Blackmagic 4K

4K raw and ProRes

Super35 sensor

global shutter

$4k including full version of Resolve

less clunky (but still somewhat clunky) form factor

needs external power

well behind the promised release date, but should be here any day now.

 

 

What am I missing?

[tehgeek]

This is good step in the right direction but it's far from perfect. Can't wait to see what else happens this year.

 

If only the brick was connected via a cable. Rigging this thing seems like it will be a real hassle.

[RobertoSF]

Going to be an interesting year for camera releases, and it's not even April yet.

 

A 4:3 switch would have been a very nice anamorphic lens friendly feature...

 

Otherwise, yes, a it looks like a well-improved legacy to the GH2, which I'm not letting go of anytime soon. ;-)

 

Looking forward to seeing your your Cookes look on the GH4 Andrew!

[NRT]

The  threads on the front of the brick are for 15mm rods - it says so either in the press release, or on the panasonic page for the brick.

[NRT]

Front facing screw holes provide expandability for rail systems and added stability for PL mounts. 2 XLR input terminals for audio support and 3G-SDI video output.

[Shirozina]

The GH4 could be a GH3 replacement for me if they have significantly improved the DR in video. One of the engineers was quoted as saying they squeezed 1/3 stop more for stills but if that's the same in video my next video camera looks like a c100 with an external recorder. The c100 has 12 stops DR which is at least 2 stops more than my GH3. Ok it doesn't have 4k but it's 1080 is clean, detailed and had better low light capability. Let's face it most people shooting in 4k will not be outputting final material in 4k but down sampling to 1080 and it doesn't matter how you get superior 1080 - native 1080 capture or 4k down sampled to 1080. I guess we will have to wait for DR measurements as manufacturers seem especially coy about stating these specs unless like BM they are something to shout about. When you have good DR and better than 8 bit 4.2.0 files the need for RAW capture and all it's post production and storage hassle becomes less important. Please let's hope we get at least 11 stops from the GH4...............

[Vesku]

Andrew -

 

Could you say how it was to handle and use. Was the features just like in GH3 or was there any improvements is usage like more programmable menus to FN-buttons or an independant video mode when talking about exp values. Is there anywhere a feature list or are those still under devolopment?

[Huuow]

 

I worked the crop factors out at 2.5 for quad hd and 2.3 for cinema 4k.

 

 

so basically if you deliver HD, a FF lens + speedbooster convert to a bunch of primes and two zoom lenses, lol

 

source: FF 35mm

 

HD - normal adapter: 70mm

HD - speedbooster: 49mm

HD - normal adapter - tele mode: 161mm

HD - speedbooster - tele mode: 112.7mm

Quad HD - converted to HD - normal adapter: 87.5 - 175mm

Quad HD - converted to HD - speedbooster: 61.25 - 122.5mm

 

that lens should better have hell of a resolution

[Brellivids]

 

 

 

 

so basically if you deliver HD, a FF lens + speedbooster convert to a bunch of primes and two zoom lenses, lol

 

source: FF 35mm

 

HD - normal adapter: 70mm

HD - speedbooster: 49mm

HD - normal adapter - tele mode: 161mm

HD - speedbooster - tele mode: 112.7mm

Quad HD - converted to HD - normal adapter: 87.5 - 175mm

Quad HD - converted to HD - speedbooster: 61.25 - 122.5mm

 

that lens should better have hell of a resolution

 

 

Yeah get a Sigma 35mm Art and a speed booster and your set.. 

 

Black magic pocket cinema camera + 3 different speed boosters and the upcoming Sigma 24 mm art.. what else do you need :D (to be honest the hassle of swapping the lenses is a pain in the arse and not suited to certain faster processes).

 

So can some one clarify the math .. Is the 4K crop to 35FF is 2.5x? like the above poster said??  or ist it 2.3 x what I recall reading from some early discussions at 43 rumors.