Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4 Review
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4 Review
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| GH4 FRONT |
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4 looks an awful lot like its predecessor, the GH3, but don't let that familiarity cloud the fact that this is one of the most capable stills/video cameras we've ever seen. Panasonic's message about listening to professional videographers is also familiar but the extent to which they're catered-for is unpredented on a camera with such a mass-market price tag.
Just like its predecessor, the GH4 wraps its sealed magnesium alloy body around a 16MP Four Thirds sensor. But that shouldn't be taken to mean that the GH4 is a minor update. The most striking difference is that the GH4 can capture 4K footage (both in the DCI 4K and UHD 4K resolutions), but the extent to which the GH4 supports a professional workflow is arguably just as significant.
The stills photographer using the GH4 benefits from a number of performance and usability improvements. Most obvious is a more capable shutter which can fire as quickly as 1/8000th seconds and syncs with flashes at up to 1/250th of a second. Continuous shooting is boosted to 12 frames per second, 7.5fps with continuous focus. Focus tracking should also improve, thanks to Panasonic's 'depth-from-defocus' (DFD) technology which attempts to assess how out-of-focus the lens is, based on profiles of how the company's lenses render out-of-focus regions.
But, as mentioned before, it's the video capabilities and the supporting features that make the GH4 such a striking camera. In addition to the 4K, the GH4 also includes focus peaking, two zebra settings (to highlight over-exposed regions) and control over Master Pedestal (black level) and luminance scale (16-255, 16-235 or 0-255). The camera can also generate color bars (for calibration) and the ability to express shutter speed and ISO in terms of shutter angle and gain. Not all of these additions will be useful to everyone (in fact I'd wager that nobody will make use of all the new features), but, whether your background is stills or video, the GH4 is likely to offer plenty of tools to support your video making.
Headline Features
- 16MP Four Thirds Sensor
- 4K recording - DCI 'Cinema 4K' (4096 x 2160) or UHD 4K (3840 x 2160)
- 2.36m dot OLED viewfinder
- 1.04m dot OLED rear screen
- 1/8000th maximum shutter speed
- 1/250th flash sync speed
- Continuous shooting 12fps, 7pfs with focus tracking
Although a host of features (such as the focus peaking, zebra and shutter angle display) have been added, the GH4's user interface is essentially identical to that of the GH3. Existing users will be able to pick up the camera and start shooting immediately. If you're in that position, we'd recommend spending a little time going through the menus to make sure you don't miss-out on what could prove to be useful features.
| Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4 | Panasonic Lumix-DMC GH3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor specifications | 16MP Four Thirds | 16MP Four Thirds |
| Continuous shoot rate (with C-AF) | 12fps (7.5fps) | 6fps (4fps) |
| Metering system | 1728-zone | 144-zone |
| Max video Res (Internal) | Cinema 4K (4096 x 2160) | Full HD (1920 x 1080) |
| Max video Res (with external recorder) | Cinema 4K (4096 x 2160), 4:2:2 10-bit | Full HD (1920 x 1080) 4:2:0 8bit |
| Maximum bit rate (1080p/24) | 200Mbps | 72Mbps |
| Focus Peaking | 3 colors, 2 intensities | No |
| Zebra Highlight Warnings | 2 Presents (Adjustable 105-50%) | No |
| Time Code | Yes | Yes |
| Luminance level control | 0-255, 16-235, 16-255 | No |
| 4K Photo Mode | Yes | No |
| Electronic viewfinder resolution | 2.36m dots (1024 x 768px) | 1.74m dots (1024 x 576px) |
| Rear LCD resolution | 1.04m dots (720 x 480px) | 0.61m dots (640 x 480px) |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 500 shots | 540 shots |
| Dimensions | 133 x 93 x 84mm | 133 x 93 x 82mm |
| Weight | 560g | 550g |
| Body type | |
|---|---|
| Body type | SLR-style mirrorless |
| Body material | Magnesium alloy |
| Sensor | |
| Max resolution | 4608 x 3456 |
| Other resolutions | 4608 x 3072, 4608 x 2592, 3456 x 3456, 3264 x 2448, 3264 x 2176, 2448 x 2448, 2336 x 1752, 2356 x 1560, 1920 x 1080, 1744 x 1744, 1824 x 1368, 1824 x 1216, 1824 x 1024, 1712 x 1712 |
| Image ratio w:h | 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 |
| Effective pixels | 16 megapixels |
| Sensor photo detectors | 17 megapixels |
| Sensor size | Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) |
| Sensor type | CMOS |
| Processor | Venus Engine IX |
| Color space | sRGB, AdobeRGB |
| Color filter array | Primary color filter |
| Image | |
| ISO | Auto, 200-25600 |
| Boosted ISO (minimum) | 100 |
| White balance presets | 5 |
| Custom white balance | Yes (4 spots) |
| Image stabilization | No |
| Uncompressed format | RAW |
| JPEG quality levels | Fine, standard |
| File format |
|
| Optics & Focus | |
| Autofocus |
|
| Autofocus assist lamp | Yes |
| Digital zoom | Yes (2x, 4x) |
| Manual focus | Yes |
| Number of focus points | 49 |
| Lens mount | Micro Four Thirds |
| Focal length multiplier | 2× |
| Screen / viewfinder | |
| Articulated LCD | Fully articulated |
| Screen size | 3″ |
| Screen dots | 1,036,000 |
| Touch screen | Yes |
| Screen type | OLED |
| Live view | Yes |
| Viewfinder type | Electronic |
| Viewfinder coverage | 100% |
| Viewfinder magnification | 0.67× (0.34× 35mm equiv.) |
| Viewfinder resolution | 2,359,000 |
| Photography features | |
| Minimum shutter speed | 60 sec |
| Maximum shutter speed | 1/8000 sec |
| Exposure modes |
|
| Built-in flash | Yes |
| Flash range | 17.00 m (at ISO 200) |
| External flash | Yes (via hotshoe or PC sync) |
| Flash modes | Auto, auto/redeye reduction, forced on, forced on/redeye reduction, slow sync, slow sync/redeye reduction, forced off |
| Flash X sync speed | 1/250 sec |
| Drive modes |
|
| Continuous drive | 12.0 fps |
| Self-timer | Yes (2 or 10 secs (single or three-shot)) |
| Metering modes |
|
| Exposure compensation | ±5 (at 1/3 EV steps) |
| AE Bracketing | ±3 (3, 5, 7 frames at 1/3 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV steps) |
| WB Bracketing | Yes (3 exposures in blue/amber or magenta/green axis) |
| Videography features | |
| Resolutions | 4096 x 2160 (24p), 3840 x 2160 (24p, 25p, 30p), 1920 x 1080 (24p, 25p, 30p, 50p, 60p), 1280 x 720 (24p, 25p, 30p), 640 x 480 (25p, 30p) |
| Format | MPEG-4, AVCHD |
| Videography notes | Supports IBP and ALL-Intra codecs; 1080p data rates up to 200 Mbps |
| Microphone | Stereo |
| Speaker | Mono |
| Storage | |
| Storage types | SD/SDHC/SDXC |
| Connectivity | |
| USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
| HDMI | Yes (micro-HDMI) |
| Microphone port | Yes |
| Headphone port | Yes |
| Wireless | Built-In |
| Wireless notes | 802.11b/g/n, WPA/WPA2, WPS, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Remote control | Yes (via DMW-RSL1 wired remote) |
| Physical | |
| Environmentally sealed | Yes |
| Battery | Battery Pack |
| Battery description | DMW-BLF19 lithium-ion battery and charger |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 500 |
| Weight (inc. batteries) | 560 g (1.23 lb / 19.75 oz) |
| Dimensions | 133 x 93 x 84 mm (5.24 x 3.66 x 3.31″) |
| Other features | |
| Orientation sensor | Yes |
| Timelapse recording | Yes |
| GPS | None |
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