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The Panasonic Lumix DC-GH6 is the newest in a line of high-end Micro 4 Thirds cameras aimed toward video shooters. The GH6 can shoot an unlimited vary of 4K-focused video modes, together with slow-motion from 120 fps seize, full-sensor ‘open gate’/anamorphic taking pictures, and seize in {industry} customary codecs reminiscent of ProRes 422 and 422HQ.
The GH6 is constructed round a sensor with parallel excessive and low-gain readouts to ship a ‘Dynamic Vary Increase’ mode that Panasonic says delivers greater than 13 stops of dynamic vary at greater ISO settings. It turns into the primary GH digicam to make use of the complete VariCam V-Log profile.
Key specs
25MP CMOS sensor with parallel readouts
Constructed-in fan for limitless recording
UHD or DCI 4K in 10-bit 4:2:2 at as much as 60p
Sluggish-mo UHD or DCI 4K in 10-bit 4:2:0 at as much as 120 fps
5.7K full-width seize at as much as 60p
5.8K Full-sensor ‘open gate’/anamorphic seize at as much as 30p
Full V-Log/V-Gamut taking pictures
Vary of seize codecs together with ProRes 422 and 422 HQ
1 x CFexpress Kind B, 1 x UHS-II SD slot
Stabilization rated to 7.5EV, maintained at longer focal lengths with Twin IS 2 lenses
Tilt-and-articulating display from S1H
Full-sized Kind A HDMI socket
14 fps taking pictures with AF-S, 8 with AF-C (75 fps with e-shutter)
Promised through future firmware:
Direct recording to SSD over USB
HDMI interface to v2.1 customary
4K/120 over HDMI with stay view and 4K/120 Uncooked stream over HDMI
The Panasonic Lumix DC-GH6 comes at a beneficial value of $2199. It is a $200 enhance, in contrast with the GH5’s unique value in March 2017 however $200 inexpensive than the GH5S was, at launch.
Bounce to:What’s new | Physique & controls | Video capabilities | Picture high quality | Autofocus | Video efficiency | Conclusion | Pattern gallery | Specs
What’s new
Sensor
The GH6 relies round a totally new sensor: the best decision chip we have but seen within the 4 Thirds sensor measurement. Panasonic is being distinctly tight-lipped in regards to the fabrication course of, which strongly suggests the digicam is not utilizing the Stacked CMOS expertise that is underpinned the newest technology of high-end cameras. Though we do not have absolute affirmation, we expect it is extraordinarily prone to be a BSI design.
It is a quick sensor, although, with our readout velocity exams suggesting rolling shutter is not going to be a priority. There’s additionally no anti-aliasing filter, which is smart, since most footage might be output at a decrease decision than it is captured in (ie: 4K output from 5.7K seize).
29.97, 25, 24, 23.98p
59.94, 50p
119,88, 100p
5.8K (Full sensor peak)
17.6 ms
—
—
5.7K (1.9:1)
12.4 ms
12.4 ms
—
DCI 4K (1.9:1)
12.4 ms
12.4 ms
6.8 ms
UHD 4K (16:9)
13.3 ms
13.3 ms
7.3 ms
The GH6’s sensor, which we’re instructed is ‘not made by the corporate everybody at all times assumes we use,’ includes a twin output acquire design. This isn’t to be confused with the switchable twin acquire sensors we have seen in an growing majority of contemporary cameras, however as an alternative is nearer to the design utilized in Arri and a few Canon cinema cameras. The sensor has two, parallel output paths and at excessive ISO settings, the output from each paths is mixed to offer each spotlight and shadow element.
Discover out extra about twin conversion acquire, twin output acquire and the way they work
In stills mode this method is robotically used from ISO 800 upwards, whereas in video mode it’s an optionally available characteristic known as ‘Dynamic Vary Increase,’ which will be engaged when the ISO setting is three stops above its base setting. Dynamic Vary Increase is accessible for video as much as 60p.
Colour mode
Base ISO Setting
Dynamic Vary Increase
Customary modes (inc Cinelike V2 / D2)
ISO 100
ISO 800+
V-Log / HLG
ISO 250
ISO 2000+
Each V-Log and HLG modes fee their base ISOs as 1.3EV greater than the opposite coloration modes, which supplies indication of how a lot extra spotlight seize they’re designed to accommodate.
For those who mix DR Increase mode with V-Log mode, you acquire an additional cease of spotlight seize once you attain ISO 2000, whereas in stills mode and different video modes, you solely see an enchancment in shadow efficiency. This elevated DR helps clarify how the GH6 is ready to supply full ‘V-Log.’
The GH6’s log profile is known as V-Log and makes use of a bigger chunk of the V-Log curve than the GH5’s V-LogL mode, however lower than the S1H does.
The GH6’s Log mode is known as ‘V-Log,’ somewhat than ‘V-LogL’ which has been used on earlier Micro 4 Thirds fashions, to explain the truncated model of the V-Log curve that is higher suited to those cameras’ dynamic ranges. It is value noting that even cameras with the ‘full’ V-Log curve nonetheless solely use a subset of the complete curve, relying on their DR output.
Codecs
The GH6 expands the vary of compression and codec choices accessible. New to the GH6 are the choice to shoot in Apple ProRes 422 HQ and 422 codecs. These are each comparatively massive All-I codecs, which has necessitated the inclusion of a CFexpress Kind B card slot. The good good thing about ProRes is that, though it places vital calls for on the digicam’s inner information charges, it’s extremely straightforward on the enhancing stage, without having for transcoding.
For the extra typical MOV modes, Panasonic says it is primarily used the much less environment friendly (bigger) H.264 codec for the digicam’s 4:2:2 modes as a result of 4:2:2 H.265 decompression places a big burden on most computer systems. The 4:2:2 H.264 modes embody each All-I and Lengthy GOP choices, with H.265 used to ship Lengthy GOP 4:2:0 information that stability measurement and high quality. MOV modes of 600Mbps or under will be written to SD card.
With the v2.0 firmware replace, ProRes modes had been prolonged to incorporate 5.7K, DCI 4K and FullHD seize. This exclude 16:9 UHD 4K or the digicam’s open gate/anamorphic modes, however in any other case allows you to select the file kind you need to work with, with virtually all combos of body fee and determination that the digicam presents.
Hand-held high-resolution mode
Hand-held excessive res pattern. Observe the vapor path throughout the highest center of the picture has a single, sharp plane at its head. OM System 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II | 1/100 | F4.5 | ISO 200 Picture by: Richard Butler
Many of the GH6’s largest advances come on the video aspect of the digicam, as you may anticipate. And, for that matter, among the multi-shot modes, reminiscent of 6K/4K Picture and Focus Stacking that appeared in earlier GH fashions are absent. However there’s at the least one photograph mode value drawing consideration to, specifically as a result of it is prone to keep on via to a extra photo-focused mannequin, if Panasonic chooses to make one.
The digicam’s 8-shot excessive decision mode, which delivers 50 or 100MP pictures, now beneficial properties a hand-held mode, by which the digicam aligns and combines pictures even when there’s some digicam motion between pictures. What’s fascinating is that that is mixed with Panasonic’s current movement correction processing, which means you may seize 100MP pictures, hand-held, even when issues transfer throughout the scene.
Up to date noise discount
The GH6’s noise discount has been up to date, with what Panasonic is asking ‘2D Noise Discount,’ which goals to suppress coloration noise and avoiding the graininess that would seem at greater ISO with its current system. In video that is taken additional, with the digicam analyzing motion throughout the scene in order that it may possibly distinguish between actual adjustments (motion) and temporal noise. This added dimension sees it branded as ‘3D Noise Discount.’
Autofocus
The GH6’s AF system relies round its Depth-from-Defocus system that builds up a depth map of the scene by nudging the main target and analyzing any adjustments, primarily based on an understanding of the out-of-focus rendering of the lens.
It is backed-up by AI-trained topic recognition, with a alternative of human (torso/head/face/eye), face/eye (simply on the lookout for faces and eyes), and Human/Animal, which spreads the online somewhat wider and acknowledges cats and canine. These choices will be set individually for stills and video mode.
Basically, although, DFD is healthier the extra usually it refreshes, which implies it really works effectively in stills, the place a number of measurements will be taken between pictures, however much less will in video, particularly at sluggish body charges and lengthy exposures, the place there isn’t any time to re-assess between video frames.
Different enhancements
As is common for a brand new GH mannequin, Panasonic has regarded to broaden or enhance plenty of the digicam’s current features. These principally pertain to video and, whereas every change is, in itself, fairly minor, they add as much as a digicam that is simply that bit simpler to make use of.
Just like the S1H and GH5 II, the GH6 will get a ‘Luminance spot meter’ perform to assist set publicity in V-Log mode, together with the flexibility to resize the waveform monitor show.
The adjustments that stood out to us had been the flexibility to achieve a magnified stay view whereas recording video (earlier GHs solely gave a magnified view earlier than recording). Additionally, anybody utilizing the Show Help mode to preview Log footage can now add their very own LUT within the industry-standard .CUBE format. Lastly, for a digicam with so many video modes, we actually appreciated the flexibility to filter or create a customized checklist of video modes for fast entry.
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Physique & controls
The physique of the GH6 seems to be somewhat like a barely deeper model of the GH5, crossed with an S1H. From the S1H comes a second massive, pink [REC] button on the entrance of the digicam, giving easy accessibility, if the digicam is mounted in a rig that makes the top-plate button inaccessible. Additionally from the S1H comes a Lock swap on the left shoulder of the digicam, which will be configured to lock whichever mixture of buttons you need to disable.
Fan
The GH6 physique turns into the primary within the GH collection so as to add a fan. As typical for such designs, the fan blows air throughout the again of a warmth sink, and is mounted exterior the digicam’s sealing. The inclusion of a fan permits the digicam to shoot 4:2:2 10-bit 4K at as much as 60p for limitless intervals. Different modes will be shot for prolonged intervals, with the choice to loosen up the temperature restrictions to permit primarily limitless recording in all however probably the most excessive situations.
The GH6 physique turns into the primary within the GH collection so as to add a fan.
The fan is primarily used to chill the digicam’s processor and dissipate the warmth given off by the CFexpress card. Warmth from the sensor is carried out right down to the digicam’s base plate utilizing a carbon sheet.
The fan will be manually set to repeatedly run at a set velocity or in one among two auto modes: one among which prioritizes conserving the physique cool, the opposite of which solely engages if completely mandatory.
Rear display
The GH6 beneficial properties a tilt/articulated 1.84M dot rear touchscreen. The panel is mounted on a fully-articulating hinge, that’s itself hooked up to a cradle that tilts up by round 30 levels or round 45 levels. This allows you to lengthen the display out from the again of the digicam earlier than deciding if it’s good to flip it out to the aspect, guaranteeing it may possibly keep away from the digicam’s left-mounted ports.
The viewfinder is a 3.68M dot OLED panel behind optics that provide 0.76x magnification (in equal phrases).
Audio button & 4 channel audio
The highest of the GH6 beneficial properties one thing that is distinctive amongst stills/video mirrorless cameras: a button that offers direct entry to the digicam’s audio settings. Given how crucial sound is to video content material, it is a genuinely helpful shortcut as you go to arrange a shot.
The GH6 additionally beneficial properties 4-channel audio capabilities, with the three.5mm mic enter offering a 2 channel/stereo enter and the prevailing, optionally available DMW-XLR1 adapter can be utilized to offer one other two inputs. The digicam’s inner mics can seize 48kHz, 24-bit audio, with exterior mics additionally in a position to seize at as much as 96kHz.
All 4 channels of audio are output over HDMI.
Extra Fn button
Whereas the button structure of the GH6 very intently matches that of the earlier technology of cameras, it does discover room for an additional Fn button on the entrance of the digicam. By default, that is used to offer a magnified view, which is now maintained whereas the digicam is taking pictures video. This and the 2 [REC] buttons are among the many 13 customizable buttons on the digicam’s physique.
As regards to button utilization, the digicam’s ‘Focus Transition’ mode, by which you pre-define particular focus distances, then inform the digicam to drive the lens between them, whereas recording, has been made much less fiddly by utilizing the WB, ISO and Exp Comp. buttons to arrange these focus distances. Sadly these buttons cannot be used to drive the main target between these presets, throughout recording.
Battery
The GH6 makes use of the identical DMW-BLK22 because the Panasonic S5. It is a 16Wh unit, that is sufficient to energy the digicam to a CIPA ranking of 360 pictures per cost when used with SD playing cards and the 12-60mm F2.8-4. This quantity decreases round 10% if you happen to use CFexpress playing cards. As typical, these numbers might considerably underestimate what number of pictures you may get throughout typical use, however are broadly comparable throughout cameras. 360 pictures per cost is an effective, although not nice, quantity. Participating power-save mode greater than doubles this determine.
Regardless of the bigger battery, this quantity is round a 15% discount, in contrast with the GH5 Mk II. In video, this distinction turns into obvious, and is exacerbated by the extent to which the fan must function. The older BLF19 batteries can be used however some high-speed modes are disabled.
The digicam will be each powered and operated over its USB kind C socket, you probably have a PD-rated energy supply that may ship 9V, 3A.
Not like earlier GH fashions, there is not a battery grip accessible for the GH6.
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Video capabilities
As you’d anticipate, the GH6 has a various and intensive vary of video taking pictures modes and help options. We’ll have a look at the principle decision modes supplied and the capabilities supplied inside every.
Fortunately, the GH6 contains instruments first launched on the S1H, letting you filter its accessible modes (by body fee, decision, codec or compatibility with variable body fee mode), it additionally presents the ‘My Record’ possibility, that lets you choose the modes you propose to make use of on a challenge and solely see that checklist of modes. This prevents inadvertent choice of similar-looking modes, and ‘Rec High quality (My Record)’ will be assigned to a button to permit fast entry to your favored taking pictures modes.
As you’d anticipate, the GH6 has a various and intensive vary of video taking pictures modes and help options.
The overwhelming majority of the digicam’s high-speed video modes can be found as ‘Excessive Body Charge’ modes that seem amongst the usual video choices and supply autofocus, audio seize and playback on the fee the had been shot. It is solely actually the 300 fps Full HD mode that must be shot in Variable Body Charge (VFR) mode, which is recorded on the slowed-down fee of your alternative.
Autofocus is accessible in all however the quickest excessive body fee modes. Autofocus throughout FullHD seize at 200 and 240p is proscribed to 13 of Panasonic’s personal lenses, with firmware updates including an additional three lenses to the checklist in March 2022, however for many modes and most lenses, AF with monitoring is feasible.
5.7K
The GH6’s 5.7K functionality captures the complete width of the sensor, in a 17:9 facet ratio. This both permits you to pan and punch-in, within the edit. Alternatively it provides you the footage within the natively-captured decision, supplying you with extra enhancing choices if you happen to’re enhancing for a number of output resolutions.
Format
Body fee
Chroma
Comp.
Codec
Bitrate (Mbps)
VFR
Card kind
ProRes 422HQ
4:2:2
All-I
ProRes
1903
CFe solely
1587
1524
1522
ProRes 422
1268
1058
1016
1015
MOV
4:2:0
Lengthy GOP
H.265
300
CFe / SD
200
Sure
C4K/UHD
The core capabilities of the digicam are its 4K choices, all of which can be found throughout each 16:9 UHD and 17:9 DCI facet ratios.
Apart from the fundamental MP4 information, not listed right here, each output mode of the GH6 is 10-bit. It could shoot 4:2:0 4K footage at as much as 120p and 4:2:2 footage at as much as 60p.
ProRes 422 and 422 HQ help for DCI 4K as much as 60p arrived with firmware v2.0.
Decision
Body Charge
Chroma
Comp.
Codec
Bitrate (Mbps)
VFR
Card kind
DCI (4096 x 2160)
or
UHD (3840 x 2160)
4:2:0
LongGOP
H.265
300
CFe or SD
4:2:2
All-I
H.264
800
CFe solely
600
CFe or SD
LongGOP
.
200
4:2:0
H.265
Sure
4:2:2
All-I
H.264
400
LongGOP
.
150
4:2:0
H.265
Sure
5.8K / 4.4K Anamorphic
The GH6 can shoot open-gate, 4:3 footage from its complete sensor. This can be utilized to allow you to pan or punch-in through the edit, or to offer scope for digital stabilization. Alternatively, it may be mixed with an anamorphic lens, placing the utmost doable decision behind the lens, to offer the best-looking outcomes when de-squeezed out to widescreen format.
For those who want body charges sooner than 30p, the digicam presents a smaller, 4352 x 3264 crop for 48, 50 or 60p seize.
Decision
Body Charge
Chroma
Comp.
Codec
Bitrate (Mbps)
VFR
Card kind
5.8K(5760 x 4320)
4:2:0
LongGOP
H.265
200
CFe or SD
4.4K(4352 x 3264)
300
The total sensor area of the GH6 is similar to what you’d get by taking a 4:3 crop from a Super35 (APS-C) digicam’s 16:9 video. Nevertheless, whereas this could ship comparable noise efficiency, we will not consider an APS-C digicam that captures the 7.7K video that may be wanted to ship comparable decision from such a crop.
Even if you happen to did discover such a digicam, the GH6 additionally offers a desqueezed preview to offer a extra understandable method of framing your pictures, and has stabilization modes that adapt to the truth that your lens has completely different efficient focal lengths in its horizontal and vertical axes, which is a degree of help you may discover exhausting to duplicate.
1080 (FullHD)
Alongside the push in high-res modes, the GH6’s 1080 modes get a lift, too. The GH6 can shoot 1080 at as much as 240p in 10-bit mode, and as much as 300p if you happen to use Variable Body Charge mode (no AF, no audio).
The vary of FullHD video modes is immediately comparable with that of the 4K choices, with a alternative of 4:2:2 H.264 modes in All-I or LongGOP types, or 4:2:0 H.265 LongGOP seize.
The two.0 firmware has added the flexibility to shoot ProRes 422 or 422 HQ Full HD at as much as 60p.
HDMI output
The power to output 4K 120p over HDMI throughout stay view is promised in a future firmware replace, with the HDMI interface being formally raised to V2.1 specification. The HDMI customary limits 4K video to 4096 x 2160 pixels, so that is the decision output when the digicam is working in 5.7K mode. Capturing the digicam in 4:3 facet ratio modes (5.8K and 4.4K) ends in the video being delivered as 2880 x 2160 footage.
Panasonic says it’ll additionally turn into doable to output a 4K/120 Uncooked stream for Atomos recorders (one thing that sits exterior the HDMI customary).
SSD direct recording
Additionally promised in future firmware is the flexibility to output video on to an exterior SSD. The GH6 has a USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps) interface, which comfortably exceeds the calls for of ProRes 422 HQ seize.
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Picture high quality
Studio Scene
Our take a look at scene is designed to simulate a wide range of textures, colours and element sorts you may encounter in the actual world. It additionally has two illumination modes to see the impact of various lighting situations.
Trying on the GH6’s element ranges, they’re primarily unimaginable to differentiate from its 20MP friends (which is to be anticipated: 25MP solely represents an 11% enhance in linear decision). Even this small enchancment is risked as a result of the somewhat disappointing magnified stay view on the GH6 makes high-quality focus extraordinarily troublesome.
By way of noise, the brand new sensor performs comparably with the one within the G9. This implies it falls somewhat behind the chip within the OM-1 at very excessive ISOs, however there isn’t any apparent low-light draw back for the change in sensor maker or design.
JPEG element is excellent, with delicate sharpening bringing out, however not over-emphasizing, high-quality element, which means that high-quality pure textures are convincingly represented.
Default JPEG coloration seems to be good. There is a trace of magenta to the central pink patch and a touch of inexperienced to the yellow, however each are adequately subtle that we would need to test whether or not they have any impression on real-world pictures.
JPEG element is excellent, with delicate sharpening bringing out, however not over-emphasizing, high-quality element…
Noise ranges are effectively managed at greater ISOs however that comes at the price of element and texture being misplaced to noise discount. Total, it performs very equally to its rapid friends.
The 100MP pixel shift excessive decision mode seems to be excellent, even when downsized again to a decrease decision. The multi-shot nature brings the anticipated enchancment in noise and tonal high quality you’d anticipate of a number of sampling. Sadly our favourite stills mode (the primary hand-held excessive res mode with movement correction) cannot be shot utilizing our studio tripod setup.
Dynamic Vary
dynamic vary, we see a special story. Our dynamic vary exams present considerably extra deep shadow noise (a results of digital ‘learn’ noise) than we have turn into used to seeing in trendy sensors. This discount in dynamic vary provides you much less scope for tonal edits, lowering the digicam’s skill to seize high-contrast scenes.
Evaluate the GH6 with the OM-1 shot on the similar publicity, and you may see much more noise within the shadows.
Issues considerably improves from ISO 800 upwards, when the DR Increase mode kicks in, bringing it again into line with its friends. You do not get the additional cease of spotlight seize that DR Increase provides in V-Log video mode, simply cleaner deep shadows. From a stills perspective, it is a disappointing efficiency, with information which can be noticeably much less versatile than the GH5 II, as an illustration.
Publicity Latitude | ISO Invariance
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Autofocus
As is the case with most trendy cameras, Panasonic’s AF system has turn into fairly advanced as increasingly more space modes have been added, to deal with several types of topic. The GH6 does a fairly good job of including its newest modes and additions with out making issues an excessive amount of extra advanced.
The GH6 offers seven several types of AF space mode, to which topic detection will be added. The three topic modes are: Human, Face/Eye and Human/Animal.
The digicam provides you a alternative of space modes, plus a monitoring possibility, then allows you to resolve whether or not to activate human or animal topic detection modes, that are then utilized in relation to the kind of AF space you have chosen. We have discovered each methods to be excellent at recognizing their topics and really ‘sticky’ as soon as they’ve.
Efficiency
The GH6 makes use of depth-from-defocus: a system that adjusts focus and builds a depth-map from the adjustments prompted by that change in focus. This helps the digicam get near being in-focus earlier than fine-tuning utilizing the iterative distinction detection method.
The GH6 does an important job of monitoring topics (particularly people), and usually does job of driving focus to the right place. It will not ship pro-sports-camera ranges of consistency, although.
In stills images it may possibly work very effectively: the quick sensor readout means the system can reply shortly to actions and, when used with Panasonic’s personal lenses, delivers hit-rate. There’s some flutter within the viewfinder because the lens is continually trying to find and checking focus, however the finish pictures are usually targeted the place you need them to be. We have discovered our success-rate to be decrease when utilizing different manufacturers’ Micro 4 Thirds lenses, which might’t make full use of the DFD system.
Video autofocus
Considerably satirically, for such a video-focused digicam, it is video seize the place the most important drawbacks within the focus system turn into obvious. Its have to barely over and under-shoot to search out focus is seen within the ensuing footage, and though it is far more secure than older fashions, the digicam will often should hunt to re-confirm its focus place, which once more means some pulsing and flutter will seem in your recording.
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Video efficiency
By Jordan Drake
Video high quality
The DR Increase mode is arguably the most important improve of the GH6 over earlier GH fashions. This have to be manually enabled, and will increase the minimal accessible ISO by three stops (Leaping from 100 to 800 in most modes or 250 to 2000 in V-Log and HLG). When mixed with the V-Log gamma setting, this delivers an additional cease of highlights, giving over a cease extra dynamic vary than GH our bodies have beforehand supplied. When coping with extraordinarily contrasty conditions, we really feel that the dynamic vary good thing about DR Increase is totally worthwhile. Nevertheless, in case your scene’s distinction will be seize with out enabling DR enhance, the usual base ISO will end in cleaner shadows and midtones. Be certain that to double test whether or not or not DR Increase is enabled when metering a scene to make sure greatest outcomes.
The Panasonic GH6 is able to capturing very detailed video in an enormous number of resolutions and body charges. The oversampled 4K recording at customary framerates is aggressive with equally video-focused fashions however it’s at excessive body charges reminiscent of 4K/120p the place the GH6 captures considerably extra element than all its rapid rivals. For those who want a digicam to seize high-quality particulars at excessive velocity, the GH6 is one among greatest cameras accessible. Simply do not forget that in difficult lighting conditions 4K/120p and excessive velocity 1080p seize won’t assist you to use the DR Increase mode for prolonged spotlight seize.
When mixed with the V-Log gamma setting, [DR Boost] delivers an additional cease of highlights as effectively, giving over a cease extra dynamic vary than GH our bodies have beforehand supplied.
When utilizing the 5.8K ‘open gate’ recording, the picture is considerably sharper than even the flagship full body S1H, because of the lack of an AA filter. This makes the choice of cropping in on 5.8K 4:3 or 5.7K 17:9 footage much more helpful.
Uncooked video recording is feasible with an exterior Atomos Ninja video recorder, with a Ninja V+ required for five.7K/60p and 4.4K/120p recording. As we’ve come to anticipate from Panasonic, this offers you considerably extra flexibility when adjusting white stability or the extent of noise discount, however the preliminary seize is way noisier than even inner recording with noise discount on the lowest setting.
Rolling shutter efficiency is great, with figures that compete with the easiest of its friends. That is particularly spectacular contemplating that all the 4K modes are considerably oversampled. Rolling shutter artifacts can definitely nonetheless happen, however are significantly better managed than different cameras close to its value.
Panasonic GH6
Canon EOS R5
Sony a7S III / FX3
Panasonic S1H
4K/24pDCI / UHD
12.4 / 13.3(o/s from 5.7K)
15.4 / —(o/s from 8K)
— / 8.7ms
24.2 / 25.7(o/s from 6K)
4K/60pDCI / UHD
12.4 / 13.3(o/s from 5.7K)
9.6 / —(pixel binned)
— / 8.7ms
13.8 / —(1.5x crop)
4K/120pDCI / UHD
6.8 / 7.3*(o/s from 5.7K)
7.7 / — * (pixel binned)
— / 7.6ms(1.1x crop)
— / —
*Quicker readout implies decrease bit-depth readout
Whereas low mild efficiency remains to be restricted by the smaller sensor, in most different regards (dynamic vary, sharpness, rolling shutter) picture high quality is corresponding to far more costly hybrid cameras, and will definitely meet the wants of {many professional} videographers and cinematographers.
Video Dealing with
By way of bodily controls for video shooters, the GH6 is likely one of the greatest cameras we’ve ever examined. Each management is logically laid out, and the addition of a document button within the entrance makes it far simpler for creators filming themselves, or when utilizing a video cage. The devoted audio button and corresponding audio menu is a superb concept that appears lengthy overdue on hybrid cameras. The versatile tilt/articulating display (which now not requires a difficult-to-operate swap) is probably the most elegant design we’ve seen, permitting full articulation whereas conserving the LCD away from any related cables. All dials have a pleasant resistance to maintain you from by accident altering publicity, and the locking mode retains you from by accident drifting off the ‘Handbook Film Mode’ the place the digicam is prone to spend a lot of its time.
Our main grievance with the interface issues switching to excessive framerate modes when DR Increase is enabled. It’s not appropriate with excessive velocity modes like 4K/120p and 1080/240p HFR. Switching to one among these high-speed modes requires a consumer to manually disable ‘Increase DR’, and it’s straightforward to neglect to re-engage it when leaving excessive framerate recording modes. We really feel that that the digicam ought to robotically disabled DR Increase when deciding on a excessive framerate mode, ideally with a warning that dynamic vary might be decreased. Upon returning to slower framerates, DR Increase ought to return to its earlier setting. This might save time, and reduce the opportunity of being within the unsuitable DR Increase mode when switching framerates. Thankfully, this may very well be a firmware repair, one thing Panasonic has a implausible historical past with.
A full-sized HDMI socket and a display that does not conflict with the headphone socket: it is virtually as if Panasonic checked how videographers would want to make use of the digicam.
The opposite main concern now we have with the video taking pictures expertise is the standard of the ‘punch-in’ skill. The picture is sort of smooth and low-resolution, which makes figuring out focus (particularly at smaller apertures) extraordinarily troublesome. That is noticeable in each stills and video, and makes the in any other case welcome skill to punch-in whereas rolling a bit underwhelming. This might be pretty minor concern, besides that the shortage of top-notch autofocus means most GH6 shooters are prone to rely on guide focus continuously.
Video Stabilization
Stabilization within the GH6 has improved to a CIPA rated 7.5 stops when utilizing supported Panasonic lenses. The difficult half is, a CIPA ranking doesn’t inform you how the stabilization will look when recording video. Many extremely CIPA rated stabilization methods can have a jerky look because the IBIS fights the motion of the digicam.
Since its introduction within the GH5, we’ve been very impressed with the Twin IS mode the place the digicam’s IBIS cooperates with the lens’ stabilization system. Pans and tilts are very clean, and strolling footage nonetheless has pure bounce, however is effectively managed. The GH6 performs even higher on this regard, and makes argument for getting the digicam with the Panasonic Leica 12-60mm F2.8-4 equipment lens, only for the Twin IS help.
Surprisingly, although, the most important change we noticed was when utilizing lenses with out stabilization, or with unsupported stabilization methods. The stabilization when utilizing the Panasonic/Leica F1.7 zoom duo, or Olympus lenses, is significantly improved. Upon seeing the outcomes, we shot a complete episode in Germany primarily handheld with the 12-25mm F1.7 & 25-50mm F1.7, and had been impressed with the end result. We might nonetheless contemplate Olympus/OMDS’s Sync IS system to have a slight edge, however when utilizing unstabilized or unsupported lenses, I might contemplate the GH6 equally efficient for video shooters.
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Conclusion
What we like
What we do not
Wonderful video high quality
Huge vary of video choices
Intensive video help instruments
Wonderful picture stabilization
Fan offers dependability
DR Increase + V-Log delivers spectacular information, particularly in difficult mild
Movement correction makes hand-held high-res mode far more helpful
Fast entry to audio settings
4-channel audio possibility
Only a few body fee/decision/codec restrictions
Nonetheless picture DR is disappointing under ISO 800
Battery life noticeably shorter than predecessor
Magnified stay view by no means very detailed (stills or video)
Awkward to should disengage and reengaging DR Increase to make use of excessive velocity modes
Low ISO footage with out DR Increase mode is a contact behind that from the GH5
The GH6 is, in lots of respects, the same old spectacular continuation of the GH line of cameras. As we have come to anticipate, it expands the vary of decision and high quality choices supplied in video, and provides options reminiscent of four-channel audio seize and built-in cooling to make it a extra credible and reliable video manufacturing than ever.
Even within the face of more and more fierce competitors from the likes of Sony’s a7S III, Canon’s EOS R5C (and even Fujifim’s X-H2S, to an extent), the GH6 presents a well-specced, effectively thought-out secure taking pictures platform that may adapt to a variety of video taking pictures situations. Panasonic has continued to build-out the characteristic set and refine the consumer interface, with good particulars reminiscent of fast entry to audio settings.
Autofocus remains to be one thing of a weak spot for the digicam. Its topic monitoring modes do job of figuring out and following their supposed targets, and in stills mode the hit-rate could be very excessive (significantly with absolutely DFD-compatible own-brand lenses). However in video, there’s nonetheless some flutter, wobble and uncertainty that may seem in your footage, significantly if you happen to’re capturing at 23.98/24p.
Jordan DrakeReviewer
The GH6 taking pictures expertise caters to the wants of pros, whereas taking full benefit of the advantages of a hybrid mirrorless design. The inclusion of ProRes recording, waveforms, vector scopes, shutter angles and built-in fan are options we’d normally solely anticipate from a cinema digicam. Nevertheless, the compact measurement, picture stabilization and intelligent images options take full benefit of the mirrorless format.
Panasonic has additionally acknowledged the constraints of Micro 4 Thirds and labored to reduce them. The DR Increase mode will increase the GH6’s dynamic vary over what we’ve seen earlier than with 4 Thirds sensors, and when paired with the Panasonic/Leica F1.7 zooms you may obtain shallow depth of discipline and light-weight gathering corresponding to APS-C and even approaching some full body digicam our bodies.
Our largest concern, although, is the sensor. In stills mode it falls at the least a cease behind its predecessor by way of dynamic vary. This deficit is made up from ISO 800, when the DR Increase mode kicks in, however this makes it a way more restricted photograph digicam than earlier GH fashions, regardless of the promise of the motion-corrected hand-held multi-shot mode.
Issues are somewhat extra optimistic in video mode, the place you are unlikely to be utilizing the deep shadows (and the place most modes might be making use of the digicam’s highly effective noise discount). Base ISO efficiency is strong sufficient and the additional cease of highlights you get (with DR Increase and V-Log mode) three stops above base imply that you’ve got a digicam that may proceed to ship good ends in tougher lighting. But it surely does seem the un-boosted efficiency is not fairly on the degree we have turn into used to, so there seems to be a trade-off for this wider working envelope.
For setups reminiscent of interviews, the place the topic is just prone to transfer to a small diploma, the GH6’s in-menu, configurable focus limiter can cease something going badly unsuitable, however there’s nonetheless the chance of slight focus pulsing or flutter.
There are cameras that may match among the GH6’s options, whether or not by way of providing ProRes seize, 4K/120 or fan-cooled dependability, however there is not one that provides all of those collectively, together with super cross-mode consistency (you may shoot nearly each decision and body fee within the codec, bit-depth and bitrate that fits your wants).
The GH6 is the sort of production-standard powerhouse we have come to anticipate from the collection, however we’re unsure Panasonic’s large gamble on a special sensor design delivers the pay-off it was clearly hoping for. It is a very good video digicam however whereas it does carry some thrilling new photographic methods to the desk, general it is a much less succesful hybrid digicam than its forebears.
Scoring
Scoring is relative solely to the opposite cameras in the identical class. Click on right here to study what these numbers imply.
In comparison with its friends
The Sony a7S III has a considerably bigger full body sensor and a price ticket that is 60% greater however its video focus and close to full-width 4K/120p functionality make it a pure competitor for the GH6. Just like the GH6, it has sacrificed some photographic functionality, primarily by way of decision, with a view to be a extra succesful video software.
The a7S III boasts a way more dependable part detect and topic monitoring system which has constantly impressed us. Additionally, it has a higher-res 9.44M dot (2048 X 1536px) EVF, is smaller and lighter and sports activities matched twin CFexpress A/SD card slots, permitting redundant recording at any decision, framerate and codec.The Panasonic GH6 delivers extra detailed 4K video, greater decision 5.7/5.8K recording choices attributable to its greater decision sensor, and anamorphic help. The choice of recording inner ProRes will enchantment to professionals who require a universally editable skilled recording format. We additionally discovered the picture stabilization and ergonomics superior on the GH6, and its fan cooling provides larger dependability.
You can even take a look at the Sony FX3, which sacrifices the a7S III’s glorious EVF for a in-built fan, tally lamps, a number of 1/4″ mounting factors and a a number of extra Log profiles.
The total body Canon EOS R5 C cinema digicam takes the sensor and core design of the Canon R5, however provides a fan to mitigate the much-discussed overheating points. It could document 8K video: method above the GH6’s most 5.8K 4:3 mode, however prices at round twice the worth.
The R5C presents lots of the similar skilled help instruments like waveforms, however provides inner uncooked video recording and Canon’s effectively regarded DPAF system. It additionally cleverly adopts the Cinema EOS interface when in video mode, however photo-focused EOS shows when taking pictures stills. Nevertheless, it sacrifices IBIS in change for all these video additions.
The GH6 bounces proper again with much less rolling shutter in its oversampled 4K modes, extra detailed 4K/120p, and full sensor anamorphic help. It additionally presents the IBIS that the R5C lacks.The APS-C Fujifilm X-H2S additionally stands as an fascinating various at the same value, however we’ll wait till we have extra extensively examined it earlier than making ultimate judgements.
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