First test with my Panasonic G7

[Mattias Burling]

Its nice and small. Very well built. The image is nice if just a bit brittle and the 100Mbps feels limiting.
The screen is nice, EVF is ok, price is great.
So far it feels like a solid c-cam/still cam.

I hate that you often need to double tap record to get it to start (might be a setting, haven't had time to check).

4K Frame

Here is my first dirty test, just used vintage glas. No real grading just quick fiddle with curves, LUTs and some presets.

[mercer]

I love the retro look of your videos. Do raise the midtones to achieve that?

[Damphousse]

What a coincidence.  I found this just now when I was googling information on the G7.  I'm trying to figure out why one would get the GH4.  Vlog seems like kind of a bust.  Vlog with 10 bit external recording doesn't seem to match BMPCC with internal prores recording.  I'm thinking about just getting the G7 and not messing with the image too much in post.

[Mattias Burling]

I love the retro look of your videos. Do raise the midtones to achieve that?

Not always but I expose to the right.

What a coincidence.  I found this just now when I was googling information on the G7.  I'm trying to figure out why one would get the GH4.  Vlog seems like kind of a bust.  Vlog with 10 bit external recording doesn't seem to match BMPCC with internal prores recording.  I'm thinking about just getting the G7 and not messing with the image too much in post.

I would cinsider the NX1 if it fits the budget.

[TheRenaissanceMan]

What a coincidence.  I found this just now when I was googling information on the G7.  I'm trying to figure out why one would get the GH4.  Vlog seems like kind of a bust.  Vlog with 10 bit external recording doesn't seem to match BMPCC with internal prores recording.  I'm thinking about just getting the G7 and not messing with the image too much in post.

Same here! with the BMPCC as a compliment, I think the G7 will satisfy my need for 4K and stills. I can even buy a nice lens or an Olympus camera if I'm craving IBIS and still spend less than I would've on a used GH4. Here's what I posted in the V-LOG topic:

According to a couple of long, rambling threads on DVX User, what I've gathered is that the GH4 has some sort of inherent problem with its processing that causes this magenta/green splotching/accuracy issue. Apparently, this problem is present in all the GH4's profiles to some degree, but the data pushing from encoding and grading from LOG hugely exacerbates it. My understanding is that these color errors occur at the processing level and before compression, so while 10-bit recording reduces compression and helps make the footage more pliable, it doesn't solve the underlying problem. 

I have to wonder if the G7 would experience this too. Its low-light processing seems to be much improved from the GH4's, and creates far less splotchy color artefacts. 

See the low light samples in this review: http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Panasonic_Lumix_G7/
Check out the comparison with the GH4 at 5:45: http://dslrvideoshooter.com/panasonic-gh4-vs-g7-video-review/
And Brandon's high ISO samples at the bottom of the page: http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?337827-g7-vs-gh4/page4

I wonder if they could improve the GH4's performance by offering the new NR algorithm as a firmware update or something. Maybe it's part of the underlying hardware or LSI. I don't know. But it reminds me of the G6's massive noise advantage over the GH2, despite using the same sensor (and actually reading less of it in video mode). 

After this V-LOG update, I had my heart set on upgrading to the GH4, but if the G7 is this much better with noise and $400 in the bargain, it seems like a no brainer. Shame, because I already have the batteries and whatnot from my GH3. :/

[Flynn]

Beautiful sky, cool chess set, you have a fantastic eye for composition. I got the impression someone wanted to have a word with those horses. That dog has no fear.

Not always but I expose to the right.

I would cinsider the NX1 if it fits the budget.

I still think your NX1 vid is the best looking vid you've done.

[Mattias Burling]

After this V-LOG update, I had my heart set on upgrading to the GH4, but if the G7 is this much better with noise and $400 in the bargain, it seems like a no brainer. Shame, because I already have the batteries and whatnot from my GH3. :/

And still the price held me back a bit. Because the g6 dropped with 50% rather quickly and went on all the way to the sub $250 quite long before it was discontinued.

But needed it rather pronto for a project so it is what it is. Might sell it after its done around Christmas.

[IronFilm]

What a coincidence.  I found this just now when I was googling information on the G7.  I'm trying to figure out why one would get the GH4.  Vlog seems like kind of a bust.  Vlog with 10 bit external recording doesn't seem to match BMPCC with internal prores recording.  I'm thinking about just getting the G7 and not messing with the image too much in post.

Slow motion. Weather proofed body. Headphone jack. Unlimited recording length.

These are all very solid reasons why (and I'm sure I'm missing a few, such as does the G7 have live HDMI out now? Sadly my G6 lacks it) as to why a person would get a GH4 over a G7, beyond simply the obvious YAGH and V log reasons.

Though yeah, I can totally see why some people would prefer buying the G7 over the GH4. Just like how I personally feel the G6 is a stronger camera to buy than the GH3!

[Antonis]

The G7 also has more rolling shutter issues.

No HDMI out when recording.

Smaller batteries.

So there is still much to consider when choosing between the GH4 and G7.

/Edit:

When I played with the G7, I did not encounter any issues with the record button or any need for double pressing it.

[Mattias Burling]

The G7 also has more rolling shutter issues.

No HDMI out when recording.

Smaller batteries.

So there is still much to consider when choosing between the GH4 and G7.

/Edit:

When I played with the G7, I did not encounter any issues with the record button or any need for double pressing it.

What happens if you let it sit for a while and then hit record?

Regarding rolling shutter a camera either has it or it has a global. More or less doesnt matter to me. I wouldn't do fast pans with either.

[Antonis]

I only had the camera for 2 days. But as far as I can remember, it just worked like any other camera.

Press once and it starts recording. Press again and it stops recording.

[Mattias Burling]

I only had the camera for 2 days. But as far as I can remember, it just worked like any other camera.

Press once and it starts recording. Press again and it stops recording.

yes, but what if you press once to record, press again to stop, whait a minute while you fiddle with the tripod, press once.

For me it is not recording directly the second time. Its more like its been in some semi stand by mode.

Might be a menu setting, either way its annoying as hell

[TheRenaissanceMan]

yes, but what if you press once to record, press again to stop, whait a minute while you fiddle with the tripod, press once.

For me it is not recording directly the second time. Its more like its been in some semi stand by mode.

Might be a menu setting, either way its annoying as hell

The camera's going to sleep. Just go in the menu and turn it off.

[Mattias Burling]

The camera's going to sleep. Just go in the menu and turn it off.

But is that really Panasonics idea of sleep mode? Display still on etc? 

I thought the point of sleep modes was to save battery not just annoy the user

EDIT:
Just checked and there isn't a way o turn it of. At least not that I can find.
I have the regular stand by and sleep mode that I cant turn of but put at 5min and 10min.
But the "Semi Stand By" that goes on after just 1min is still intact. 

[TheRenaissanceMan]

Slow motion. Weather proofed body. Headphone jack. Unlimited recording length.
These are all very solid reasons why (and I'm sure I'm missing a few, such as does the G7 have live HDMI out now? Sadly my G6 lacks it) as to why a person would get a GH4 over a G7, beyond simply the obvious YAGH and V log reasons.

Though yeah, I can totally see why some people would prefer buying the G7 over the GH4. Just like how I personally feel the G6 is a stronger camera to buy than the GH3!

Oh, there are definitely reasons to go with the GH4 over the G7, the ones you mentioned chief among them. Here's the thing, though: I hardly ever use that stuff. I've never had a shoot where the camera's lack of weather sealing held us back from doing work. 96 fps would be nice to have, but it's soft enough that I'd rarely use it over 60p. I always record sound with an external recorder, so I'm usually using my Zoom's headphone jack rather than the camera's. And even when I'm doing weddings, it's rare I can't spare two seconds during the ceremony to restart the recording. I won't be buying a YAGH either way, and V-LOG seems to create more problems than it solves. 

Battery life and overall build quality are the two things that still keep me lusting for the GH4 over the G7, but the fact remains that despite being cheaper, the G7 offers the best image quality in Panasonic's DSLM stable right now.