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Hurry! Read the whole Panasonic GH2 review at Dpreview (Click here): “The GH2 might not be a revolutionary development (in all essential points it is very closely related to its predecessor, the GH1) but we’re confident in saying that it is the best mirrorless system camera that we’ve ever tested, bar none. With the GH2 Panasonic has finally demonstrated that it is able to compete with the APS-C format competition when it comes both to resolution and critical image quality. Although the GH2’s Micro Four Thirds sensor is smaller than those found in cameras like the Canon EOS 60D and Nikon D7000, it runs them both pretty close. Up to ISO 3200 in fact, we’d stick our necks out and say that the GH2 can hold its own against any of the current crop of APS-C format cameras on the market, which is high praise indeed. ”
The GH2 earned an overall score of 79% (which is pretty high!). It has the highest movie quality of all cameras ever tested on Dpreview. Only the [shoplink 21101]Nikon D7000[/shoplink] has one little point more (80%).
You can get the Panasonic GH2 at [shopcountry 16254] (Just click on shop name to directly visit the GH2 page). And for our US readers, it is in Stock at Adorama (Click here)!
55 Responses
Too bad Pana couldn’t put those innards into real enthusiast level body built around ergonomy instead of another entry level buzzword body.
With that ergonomy side corrected I would have bought it already months ago.
What are you talking about? The G1/G2/GH1/GH2 cameras have some of the best ergonomics in a camera. I have used Nikons for 40 years, and I have very little to complain about in the Panasonic Gx and GHx cameras. Come on, le’s hear some specifics about the shortcomings in ergonomics. You are just blowing smoke.
Licking butts of marketroids seems to cause serious dementia as I’ve soon told about n+thousand times what’s wrong with current mFT bodies and what I want improved.
In case of wannabe enthusiast level GHs their ergonomy is only in entry-level DSLR class:
Grip too small and without good space for thumb so getting natural grip is hard, only one control wheel and other controls have been jammed here and there to spaces left and according to rules of bullet-point engineering instead of layout designed for maximum usefullness. Also fake DSLR EVF position is missed opportunity to improve ergonomy over limited placing of optical TTL viewfinder.
You see I started photography with fully digital cameras instead of any analog retro systems or rangefinders boxes.
Many of you keep playing broken vinyl record (last time of brain functionality?) about how GHs are at the top of ergonomy for their size… Well, it’s time for you to start thinking yourself instead of outsourcing that to marketroids with only memory for the best ways to fool people around.
So let’s start comparison to what ergonomy and controls are possible in similar size.
Minolta’s top of the evolution (before dumbing down to make room for entry level DSLRs) fixed lens prosumer “compact” A2 has actually 7mm smaller body width, grip is good size for more natural position of fingers (no need to bend them hard), EVF is near enough left side so that nose doesn’t hit to body/LCD and there’s good space for controls which are better spaced and stay fully usable all the time, including while keeping camera on your eye and looking into EVF!
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/konicaminoltaa2/page3.asp
GH2 is again already wider but has entry-level lousy grip without good space for thumb, only one control wheel, half of controls in too tight space where it’s basically possible to press all buttons at once and other half of controls on top where they are unaccessible while looking into unergonomically placed EVF.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/PanasonicDMCGH2/page3.asp
And then you call that as serious enthusiast body!
With that attitude you shouldn’t wonder if Canikon can continue their own market cartel also to mirrorless systems.
Improving body wouldn’t even make it big: Width is well enough for bigger grip size (with second control wheel), cutting one inch from marketing screen would free lots of real estate for better place for thumb and better rear controls with enough spacing, then move EVF to near left edge while in general rearranging controls so that they all can be used while still looking into EVF which can well be used also for fast checking of taken photo whithout need to look rear screen. (for serious video shooting in video rigs there are separate bigger screens which work better without destroying body’s ergonomy and better positioned EVF would make it more usefull in video shooting)
That would make overall size and weight only little bigger from current but ergonomy and controls would be about light year ahead of these current wannabe bodies!
Esa, this time you make some useful points.
I have found the DSLR form-factor (with eyepiece in center) a good compromise in ergonomics, and superior to the range-finder (eg Leica) form factor, especially when longer and heavier lenses are being used. Keep in mind that the 35mm SLR first appeared about 75 years ago, and the form factor has dominated enthusiast and professional small format camera design ever since – it will not necessarily go away in a fully EVF world. As to the placement of controls this is partly personal (how big your fingers are, and your dexterity), partly traditional, and partly construction pragmatics. Some people loved Citroen, but their ideas on ergonomics certainly did not win over the automobile industry. Camera manufacturers will usually play it safe, so the DSLR form factor will survive long after the reflex mirror and viewfinder pentaprism are gone for good.
I think Esa has a point. While the ego’s aren’t horrible on any of their cameras, the GH2 could be really special if they’d redesign it. IMO the Olympus E-450 and even the Samsung NX11 are both far better designs for “mini DSLR’s”. For their high end cameras Panasonic should really design them so that they work fine on their own, but fit wonderfully in your hand when you add a battery grip. The Pentax K-5 really pulls that trick off well.
I really like the ergonomics and control layout of the GH2, in fact it’s one of the main reasons I bought one…
This is why I can’t wait for more and more m4/3’s bodies. Some people love one thing, some people love another. No one model can please everyone. It’s unfortunate that Panasonic has chosen to use pretty much the same body on the G1, G2, GH1, and GH2. I’m really really hoping for something completely different out of the G3.
I like just about everything about the layout of the controls. The only thing I don’t like is the shutter release is too far up and to the right. It makes my index finger feel a bit cramped. A little down and to the left would be perfect. I think the placement was previously dictated by the control wheel, but since they moved that, there’s no reason they couldn’t optimize the position of the shutter release. A slightly wider grip and a bigger battery would be ok, too. It wouldn’t really add to the bulk, since the lenses all protrude farther than that anyway.
Esa, how much of the GH2 market do you represent?
Apaprently to that part of the markets which has to wait for Canon or Nikon to do real camera instead of fashion toy.
apparent to whom? you and yourself?
IMO GH2 feels like a Canon Rebel. Definitely not up to say a D7000 or even a 60D body build. The back leather grained hard plastic next to the control wheel feels cheap as does the plastic shutter button and the surround silver painted plastic as well. The 4 way control button is the worst. It’s so small I inadvertently press the center button while trying to use the outer buttons all the time.
My GF2 on the other hand has a really solid build (and much better 4-way button). Unfortunately the image quality isn’t as good as a GH2. I think alot of people probably do want to wait for a more solidly build rangefinder like camera. Not like it’s that easy to buy a GH2 anyway!
If the GH2 had a better build and better auto iso + higher flash sync I would buy one with my own money (even though I don’t like the build & ergonomics). As of right now I will just use the one I have access to at work if I need to take some ridiculously awesome video, because that is one area no one can deny the GH2 excels in! Really the build and little quirks mean nothing if you want to shoot the best possible video in this price range and quit a lot higher as well.
Well, those guy’s already have some pretty good cameras, so what are you waiting for? A mirrorless model? Nikon’s mirrorless camera will have a smaller sensor than 4/3 and Canon will keep you waiting for a long while yet. Maybe you should check out the Sony A55.
Unless you’re mainly interested in video capability, in which case it’s odd that you would rulle out the actual best option simply because you imagine someone else would have done it better, even though Canon and Nikon have both added HD video capability and in fact didn’t do it better.
Enthusiast body? What’s that?
The รผber-retro of the X100 or the 70s-something Oly EP-whatever?
Oh damn… I took the troll bait.
An enthusiast body has rock solid build quality (usually magnesium alloy), weather seals, a nice battery grip option, higher burst rate, fast flash sync speeds (1/160th is horrible), and finally 1/8000th max shutter speed. The GH2 is by far the best mirrorless camera at the moment, but lets not pretend like it’s real competition to something like a Nikon D300s from a photographers point of view.
I bought into m4/3’s because I see great potential in the system…but they have yet to make a body that truly satisfies me. Yes, I want something more like the X100. It doesn’t have to be retro, but it does need to be that shape/size, with a no-nonsense control layout. If I see a smiley face or a paint brush on my mode dial that means they are wasting space and including pointless features.
Yeah I get it.
I’d love to see a M4/3 FM2-style body with good external controls… the GH2 is pretty close in that regard. A shutter speed dial and one of those external flash sync jacks would about do it. A pivoting EVF would be fantastic, but doubtful given the current design. Some kind of gauge for the diopter adjustment wheel would be welcome!
As long as Panasonic doesn’t turn the thing into a bloated behemoth like the Oly E5, comparatively speaking, we’d be set. Size, weight and good IQ are why I got a GH2 and not a D7000, even though I already have Nikon lenses.
If they would jettison all the extraneous junk add-ons (face recognition, “art” filters, in camera editing, even scene modes) or at least banish the stuff to internal menus, since it’s all in software anyway.
At last, some solid discussion on a “good body”.
I am not convinced that a milled magnesium-alloy body is necessary to provide the rigidity and reasonable weight of an enthusiast camera. The internal “backbone” plates used in the Panasonic bodies can provide the necessary rigidity. The circuit boards, sensor, switches, motors, lens mount, internal optics, and external plastic case can then all be fixed to these backbone plates. If these mountings are robust, then a body built this way will be serviceable for a very long time (and way past the currency of the sensor). Take a look at how laptop computers, smart ‘phones and other portable electronic devices are built. Cost-effective camera construction benefits from what has been learned in building mass-market portable electronics that have a low failure rate.
Plastic is fine from a functionality stand point, but I’ve still yet to feel a plastic camera that feels as nice to the touch as a magnesium body. My G1 feels quite nice and is indeed very solid, but there is still a big difference in that and the solid feel that magnesium provides.
I’m not sure that weight is so important on the GH series. They already weigh 1.4lbs with plastic (with 14-45mm lens attached), which is no lightweight camera as is. If it goes up to 1.6lbs with magnesium that’s not an issue. The GF series can be for those concerned about weight/size. Again, I can’t wait until we have an entire range of bodies small to large to fit everyone’s needs. m4/3’s could prove to be the most versatile camera system ever made so long as Oly/Panny use a bit of imagination.
@pdc
I mean camera bodies more in the vein of Apple’s MacBook Pros, MacBook Airs and iPad, they’re all milled from solid aluminum. Light, Rigid, Beautiful and recyclable. Not so the generic plastic junk boxes from everyone else.
K-5 scored 83% i’d rather have WR than video but why argue about wine when we could get drunk
Oh those famous Panasonic colours…
The thing is that the colours on the GH2 look actually worse than in other Panasonic cameras, so I wonder if it’s just the JPEG engine or the sensor that produces those ugly colours. Yes, they can be corrected in RAW somehow, but I still think there’s something wrong with that sensor.
Quite on the contrary, to my eyes the GH2 in-camera jpeg is the best ever produced by Panasonic.
The color of the GH2 JPEGs are to my eye more natural and not over saturated.
I’ve just started using a WhiBal grey card to adjust the white balance and the difference between it and the stock WB settings is dramatic.
I don’t have one myself, but judging by all the pictures Ive seen online I just can’t say they look natural. They tend to have a green/yellow cast, and I don’t think it’s just a WB issue (though WB is problematic too). They just look “strange” in other ways too. Compare these shots to see what I mean:
GH2:
http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/DMCGH2/DMCGH2hHOUSE.HTM
Oly E-5:
http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/E5/E5hHOUSE.HTM
Or these other ones (not taking in same light conditions, I know):
GH2:
http://img.photographyblog.com/reviews/panasonic_lumix_dmc_gh2/sample_images/panasonic_lumix_dmc_gh2_18.jpg
Canon 600D:
http://img.photographyblog.com/reviews/canon_eos_600d/sample_images/canon_eos_600d_19.jpg
Judging color online is a tricky proposition, especially given all the variables; OS, browser, monitor and calibration (or not), color space, etc.. So, there’s a difference between looking at images online and locally.
As I remember from my film shooting days, every type of 35mm film had different characteristics…. Ektachrome, Kodachrome, Tri-X, Fuji. In similar fashion, digital cameras and sensors all seem to have unique characteristics. So, some things stay the same, eh? ๐
I’ve used an array of cameras (P&S, pro-sumer, DSLR) and find Panasonic and Nikon to have more natural/neutral color, which I prefer. Olympus and Canon to me are overly bright and saturated. I own cameras from all four companies and have no axe to grind.
I haven’t used or directly seen images from Sony, Leica or Pentax, so I have no opinion one way or the other on those. Although, maybe one day I’ll be lucky enough to be able to afford a Leica and a bag of lenses. ๐
By the way, the GH2 is NOT in stock at Adorama…
But it’s soon to be in stock at B&H.
I got an email from them today suggesting I pre-order.
I got the same email. No indication of WHEN it would be in stock, just that it would, at some point, be in stock…
It certainly was. Got my tracking number from Adorama today. You must have missed the few they had.
This is very sad to say Pana strategy is always try to keep up with the pixi war! for me, I can’t see the GH2 is much better than the old age sensor of EPL1/2 in term of image quality (e.g., noise handling)… If Pana keep it at 14mp (or 12mp) with its new sensor, it should yield better imagies.
I guess Olympus will treat the new sensor in totally different way, but we have to pray that pana is willing to deliver the new sensor to Olympus first…
You can always down-sample to a lower resolution to get less noise. But I agree, would prefer that out of the camera, as I am not that keen on post processing.
If you compare GH-2 16MP images to other 12MP images at 100% and the noise appears the same, then the GH-2 actually has better noise handling. Down-sampling the GH-2’s images to 12MP would allow for a meaningful comparison to 12MP cameras.
Con: “Poor (caucasian) fleshtones – too yellow” LOL
Too bad, the review like that can aggravate the biggest problems of the camera, its price and availability! ๐ ๐
Why GH2’s “Low light / high ISO performance” score is even lower than EP-1 or GH1???
Because GH2 was compared to D7000 and K-5. And starting from ISO3200 it is highly visibly behind competition by about 1 stop.
Yap! GH2-level is more closer to D7000 or K-5 level….
They just put all those cameras(EP1,EP2,GF1) in same category : Mid Range Interchangeable Lens Camera / DSLR , and let us campare them….and the results wierd….
I think DPR uses MSRP and groups cameras of the same price level together. What IMO is OK.
P.S. That’s why apparently Olympus with their dumb strategy of using outlandish MSRPs were justifiably penalized by DPR.
To me the most impressive is that, a high resolution and a fast scan sensor optimized for digital video purposes, also shows superior performance for digital still pictures. This bodes good news for future MFT products.
Very interesting review and a praise for micro 4/3 and panasonic. Interesting: the GH2 resolution is not on par with E5. What do you think of an Olympus camera with E5 fine detail processing which uses the GH2 sensor?
That it will never happen. Pana stated that no other camera than the GH-Line will use this sensors. And it would have to much moire for video and maybe process to slow.
Maybe Oly will get it in 2 years? ๐
I really hope Oly can get a good sensor soon! Why not ask Sony to do a smaller version of the sensor used in the D7000 and K-5 (or just use that sensor in “crop” mode, but then they’d probably have to re-design their IBIS module).
Sony won’t make a sensor for a company that sells a few hundred thousand a year, especially when they’re basically gunning to beat m43. If they did agree, the price would be very high due to low volume. APSC sensor costs are spread around to Sony, Nikon, Fuji, Leica, and Pentax.
Unfortunately, Olympus is run by idiots. They didn’t think that having one sensor partner who is also their competitor might not a bright idea. Forget all the wet dreams about a Foveon, Kodak, or Sony sensor. Same issue exist for any sensor maker outside of Panasonic — too low a volume to justify making specialize sensor for Oly. Olympus will have to keep tweaking that same 12mp sensor for the next 2 years and then announce the end of m43 as they did with 43.
m43 is a fine example of why technology or an initial idea is not enough for success. It requires the right business setup. I really do believe m43 will be the downfall of Olympus’ camera business. Panasonic can go on with it, but Olympus probably won’t.
Maybe Aptima also create senzor for m43 .. when they already created such (43 format) senzor for the Ikegami camera:
http://image-sensors-world.blogspot.com/2011/03/aptina-4k-video-sensor-lands-in-ikegami.html
Then why not just put an APS-C sensor in the Oly cameras? They could just use the area of the sensor that corresponds to the 4/3 format. Four Thirds and APS-C sensors are really quite similar in size, so that shouldn’t be that much of a problem.
Of course this would look stupid, but I really think it isn’t, considering Oly’s current situation. Marketing would just have to come up with some nice buzzwords; multi-aspect enhanced-size four thirds sensor or something like that ๐
@Ganec: I don’t think the sensor you mentioned is a 4/3 sensor. It is a 4/3 inch sized sensor, but seems to have another aspect ratio.
43Photo -On what basis do you claim the E5 resolution is better than GH2? DPR reviews says 2600 Lph for E5 and 2800 Lph for GH2?
On the matter of body design, one theory why they are changing the g3 is that it may be the first fully shutterless ILC camera. This would enable a significant redesign. This would fit with the development of it’s new sensor too. Pure speculation but global shutters are very close at hand – will Nikon/Pentax get there first with their systems? Panasonic will need a response waiting in the wings.
Ganec, you not getting it. Economy of scale. People here expect these plastic cameras to be below $800. Small volume of sensors for just Oly would push up prices. One of the reasons Pana won’t give the GH2 sensor to Oly yet is probably because they haven’t yet fully covered the costs of the 12mp sensor and want to fully cover that before letting Oly have the new one.
Sadly this site is turning into 43complaints.com
Contrary to many of You I’m very happy with m43 system. And my GH2 is on the way. ๐
The things I do in near future:
– buy 12-50mm
– and maybe GF2 which I’m in love with! ๐
Greetings to all photographers who love to… TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS! ๐
Its easier for most to complain. If they love it they get called a fan boy. If they complain they blend in with the other sheep.
I would like to see a better Dynamic Range. From the review it looks like the DR on of the EPL2 is better than the GH2. Also in the in Jpeg and Raw studio capture the resolution of the EPL2 looks better than the GH2. Noise handling seems worst for the EPL2, but the detail is much better on the stamp crops.
There I complained about one M43 camera and supported an other. Too bad the video in the EPL2 is limited and the AF isn’t as good as the GH2 or I see that as a serious competitor. But not for the people that think the cameras need bigger grips.
I thought that complaining is habit only of my nation but as far as I can see it is spreaded all over the world ๐
But… seriously You are absolutely right! All of these are mine wishes also. Panasonic however made some leaps forward in terms of overall image quality, as far as I see it on the web. Leaps big enough for me to make a switch to GH2, however I’m very impressed how good the build quality of GF2 is. It is solid, small and lightweight simultaneously. I’m waiting for GH2 delivery now and still thinking of buying GF2 as a really small second camera. I see bright future of this system. It is a real pleasure to use it.
Life has taught me that it is impossible to please everyone.
๐
Oh My, I just downloaded the .mts files, the 24p look really good, but the 50i are like damaged on purpose.in a time where 99% of video is made for Web and 1% for LCD TVs why would Panasonic create an interlaced file from a Progressive sensor? Why? Are they mad?
Please, please please, give us 25p. you cannot count on Vitaly Kiselev always cleaning up your mess.
Dynamic range – was that discussed here? DPreview praise the GH2’s image quality, but the GH2’s dynamic range is about the worst of all cameras that are comparable via their new dynamic range comparison tool. The difference is already visible from the gray scale steps shown, not only from the graphs.
I am not happy with the JPEG output and i am not happy at all with the dynamic range.
On DxOmark, the GH2’s dynamic range is similar to Canon Powershot G12, one EV better than the G2’s and better than some Olympus, Pentax or Canon DSLR cams, but worse than most Nikons. In the DR compartment, the GH2 seems to fare better with DXOMark than with dpreview. This comment may contain mistakes and wrong attitudes.
Pentax k-5 got 83% and a gold award ๐ Just saying.
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