Panasonic GH5 II assessment: A vlogging traditional positive aspects pace and streaming powers | Engadget

Panasonic’s GH5 was such an iconic vlogging digital camera that Panasonic unveiled two Micro Four Thirds successors to exchange it. The $2,500 GH6, because of arrive later this 12 months, has main upgrades like 4K 120p and even 5.7K video. The different is the mannequin I’m reviewing in the present day, the $1,700 GH5 II.

As the identify suggests, the GH5 II is extra of a refresh, with the identical 20-megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor. However, it has an all-new processor that delivers important enhancements in pace, video high quality and AI smarts. Best of all, it’s $300 lower than the GH5 was at launch.

The large query is whether or not it’s value getting this mannequin, ready for the GH6, and even buying an older GH5 that’s now steeply discounted. To discover out, I examined the GH5 II’s new options, video high quality, autofocus and extra — right here’s what I came upon.

Body and dealing with

If you’re already accustomed to the GH5, you’ll be very comfy with the GH5 II — the our bodies are practically similar. That’s a very good factor, as a result of it nonetheless out-handles many more recent cameras, due to the wonderful grip and logical management positions.

There are a number of key modifications, although. While the rear show is just a little smaller at 3 inches as an alternative of three.2 inches, it has barely extra decision and is considerably brighter. That fixes one of many greatest points with the GH5: its comparatively dim show.

The digital viewfinder (EVF) carries the identical 3.68 million dot decision and .76x magnification, however has double the refresh charge at 120Hz. That makes a noticeable distinction in picture high quality; extra so than a decision bump for my part. However, it additionally drains the battery a contact sooner.

Another good enchancment is the addition of USB-C PD compatibility that may cost the battery extra rapidly. And it comes with a extra highly effective DMW-BLK22 battery, the identical one discovered within the firm’s full-frame S5 digital camera. While it’s nonetheless CIPA-rated for 410 photographs just like the GH5, it delivers a number of extra minutes of video recording.

The GH5 II has higher menus than the GH5, gaining these launched on the GH5s. It’s a colour coded, tabbed menu system with hints to seek out the choice you’re searching for. It additionally has the data panel from Panasonic’s professional Varicam fashions (additionally accessible on the GH5s), that present necessary settings at a look. Another characteristic for professional shooters is twin zebra controls that allow you to test two ranges without delay, like highlights and pores and skin tones.

As with the GH5, the brand new mannequin has twin UHS II card slots, however they now assist the utmost V90 (300 MB/s) speeds. That’ll guarantee steady seize in the event you’re utilizing the brand new All-I 4K video settings at as much as 400 Mbps, or let the buffer clear sooner in the event you’re snapping photographs.

Video efficiency

There are a number of refined, however necessary modifications to the video capabilities of the GH5. A key one is an replace to the picture stabilization system. It now delivers as much as 6.5 EV of shake safety, up by 1.5 EV over the GH5. When working with suitable lenses and utilizing the IS increase mode, it’s designed to supply extra regular photographs, even in the event you’re strolling or shifting.

No in-camera stabilization system is ever going to beat a gimbal. However, the GH5 II does a greater job than most mirrorless cameras I’ve tried at smoothing out strolling or working, offered you’re moderately cautious. More importantly, it makes handheld digital camera pans and different movement smoother than the GH5 does. If you want some further stabilization, there’s an digital mode that does assist, although it crops in barely.

Another key change is with the autofocus system. In basic, steady autofocus for video is quicker and smoother than earlier than, although you’ll nonetheless see a tiny little bit of looking or wobble that’s unavoidable with a contrast-detect-only AF system. As earlier than, the system works higher at larger body charges when it has extra info to work with.

The GH5 II additionally brings some AI autofocus smarts that couldn’t be added by way of firmware to the GH5 due to its comparatively previous processor. It provides double the face and eye-tracking speeds, and may choose up focus when a face is tilted away from the digital camera. It can acknowledge heads and human our bodies, making monitoring extra possible if an individual is popping or shifting in the direction of or away from the digital camera. It provides new animal monitoring options that may deal with most pets and a few varieties of wildlife, as effectively.

With these options enabled, it’s simpler to maintain somebody in focus in the event that they or you might be shifting. Again, this works greatest at larger frame-rates, however general, the improved focus hit charges make the digital camera extra sensible for vlogging or run-and-gun work, particularly for solo operators. Animal monitoring can be fairly helpful, significantly if pets and/or children are working round.

Is the GH5’s topic monitoring pretty much as good as on Canon or particularly Sony’s newest mirrorless cameras? No, as a result of each of these manufacturers use phase-detect programs that may nail focus straight with none wobble. Sony’s newest fashions, significantly the A1 and A7S III, even have uncannily quick monitoring capabilities that Panasonic has but to match. Still, the brand new mannequin is a giant step up from the GH5 and positively adequate for a lot of varieties of initiatives.

Video high quality

Video made the GH5 standard, because it was far forward of the competitors for the value when it first arrived. Five years on, it’s getting fairly previous, although, so a brand new processor helped Panasonic increase the GH5 II’s specs in step with what it’s executed on full-frame fashions just like the S5.

To that finish, the brand new mannequin now provides 10-bit 4:2:0 4K and C4K (4,096 x 2,160) video at as much as 60 fps, somewhat than simply 8-bit video at 60p as earlier than. That makes it higher for slow-mo or excessive frame-rate video if you wish to use log or HDR video settings. Like the GH5, it may possibly additionally deal with 6K 30p anamorphic (4,992 x 3,774) with 10-bit, 4:2:0 colour settings. And the place All-I seize was restricted to 24/25 fps on the GH5, the GH II can now do it at as much as 30 fps.

Though the GH5 II comes with VLog-L capturing out of the field, it is restricted to 12 stops of dynamic vary somewhat than 13 like Panasonic’s BGH1 field digital camera and different current fashions. Panasonic additionally launched two new video modes, Cinelike D2 and Cinelike V2, that allow you to shoot log-like video with much less trouble. Those ship barely extra saturated colours and improved pores and skin tones than the unique Cinelike D and V modes.

Like different newer fashions, the GH5 II exhibits a pink body across the display whereas recording, together with side ratio guides and a TikTok-style portrait video mode. With the identical sensor, the GH5 II has just about the identical readout speeds, in order earlier than, rolling shutter is current however effectively managed.

The GH5 II can now seize video concurrently to an exterior recorder over the HDMI port, in contrast to the GH5. However, it may possibly’t seize RAW video just like the S5, as an example. Hopefully, that and the restricted VLog-L dynamic vary will likely be addressed in future firmware updates.

With all these tweaks, the GH5 II delivers sharp video with excessive ranges of colour accuracy for demanding work. It handles pores and skin tones effectively and colours are pure and correct. Low-light capturing will not be its sturdy level, although, because of the smaller sensor measurement. For that, you’d be higher off with both the GH5s or one among Panasonic’s newer full-frame fashions.

The new video high quality modifications are refined, however could possibly be useful for sure varieties of work. Overall, it delivers the video high quality everybody favored from the GH5, plus just a little extra.

Live Streaming

A key new characteristic for the GH5 II is the flexibility to broadcast reside on the net, both utilizing WiFi or a USB-C. The latter would require a firmware replace that basically permits the GH5 II’s USB-C port for use as a wired LAN connection, nonetheless.

You can both stream to a smartphone by way of WiFi utilizing the Lumix Sync app, or stream straight over WiFi with out the necessity for a PC or telephone. The latter requires you to make use of the Lumix Network software program for PC or Mac to put in writing your streaming settings to an SD card. Since it makes use of the RTMP/RTMPS customary, it helps YouTube, Facebook and different providers. Better nonetheless, it helps digital camera audio in addition to video.

Live streaming does require a strong connection, nonetheless, as I struggled to keep up a livestream within the countryside with a 16 Mbps connection. You received’t wish to use the utmost 1080p 60 fps settings except you might have web pace effectively above 16 Mbps.

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