Richard Payne posted a full GH4 review at Redsharknews and writes:
As I work for Holdan (a UK, Ireland and European Distributor) I see a LOT of professional camcorders and large sensor systems. In my 30 year’s experience of working with video cameras, I can say with hand on heart that the GH4 is the first camera I would trust for both stills and video.
Also Caleb Pike from Dslrvideoshooter reviewed the camera:
The Panasonic GH4 is an amazing camera. I haven’t been this excited about shooting since I bought my 7D. Not because its a nice toy, but because I can spend more time and energy on my projects, talent and cinematography and stop dealing with silly DSLR issues. Watch my review for the full lowdown. (Editor’s note: Video is embedded on top of this post).
GH4 North American store links:
GH4 camera at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Ritz Camera and Panasonic. Price: $1,698. In Canada at Vistek.
GH4 camera with interface unit at Adorama and BHphoto. Price: $3,298
Interface unit only at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto and Panasonic. Price: $1,998
GH4 Europen store links:
Germany: Wexcameras, Marcotec-shop.de.
UK at Wexphotographic, CameraWorld, UKdigital, CVP, TipTop.
Holland at Fotohanskeuzekamp.
Belgium at Fotokonijnenberg.
Norway at Fotovideo.
Sweden at Cyberphoto, Skandinavianphoto.
Finland at Telefoto, Topshot, Verkkoauppa.
France at Photocineshop.
Spain: Fotoboom.
Asian store links:
Digitalrev and Digidirect Australia.
4K cards
Kingston 16-32-64 GB SDHC UHS-I Speed Class 3 at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
Sandisk 16-32-64 GB Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-II Memory Card at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
Transcend 64-128 GB High Speed 10 UHS-3 at Amazon (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
Panasonic 16-32-64 GB SDHC-UHS-I U3 Card (90MB/s) at Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
28 Responses
It’s a dessert topping! No, it’s a floor polish! No, a dessert topping! No, a floor polish!
No, it’s BOTH. It’s a dessert topping AND a floor polish.
Clearly, Panasonic is a company SO FAR AHEAD of Olympus, that it can create a camera and sensor that is simultaneously optimized for BOTH Stills and Videos, much better than anyone else.
Right.
The issue is that Olympus will have crap video until they either drop IBIS, or figure out how to keep a floating sensor cool when it’s detached from a heat sink. That, along with the fact that the advantage IBIS gives over a stabilized lens is really small, means that unless you shoot a lot of 43 lenses or legacy glass, Olympus will be much worse at video, and at best, equivalent for stills (unless you shoot 43 or adapted lenses). Olympus already uses a Panasonic sensor in their flagship camera… It’s going to be hard for them to be anything but a side grade.
And yes, Panasonics extensive experience with pro-grade video cameras and well engineered codecs means they can get both high end stills and high end video from the same sensor.
I was speaking to an Olympus rep, regarding the EM1. It was a very interestin conversation as I challenged him over the mediocre video features in the Olympus cameras, especially as the company produced amazing technology by way of the IBIS. His argument and I cannot quote verbatim (getting too old) It’s to do with ‘agreements between the companies.’ What he explaind made a lot of sense and he also went on to say… Again I cannot quote verbatim… something to the effect of Olympus will be putting proper video features in their future cameras.
Lol olympus still has quite interesting advantages over Panasonic, where the first one is stabilisation which can make the lenses smaller, lighter, cheaper and potentially with better optics. That is a huge bonus for MOST users. The GH4 is a niche market, sorry to say that.
And in order to achieve high quality stills and video require good glass, which adds considerable to the extremely heavy price of this rather large sized GH4.
Though it is quite a nice piece of machinery from Panasonic.
Somebody us upset that Panasonic is getting props.
What kind of “The Man” whinges like a bridesmaid?
Watched the entire video.
I have a question for those that shoot with the Metabones speed booster for Nikon F lenses to M4/3… Does the Nikon lens autofocus well with this or are you limited to manual focus only?
Hi, if you carefully read the SB specification you will find your answer. In short NO, but you have focus peeking which helps a lot.
Cool. Thanks. I don’t mind manual focus. Actually, I prefer it. LOL
You have focus peeking if you use the SB + Nikon lenses on a GH4 🙂
Thanks for the info!
Nikon F mount lenses certainly are the way to go! They’re the most versatile. I’ve been using Nikon F mount lenses ever since on my Panasonic GH1 even.
The GH4 still receives much less attention than it would deserve. No review yet on DPreview, Pixinfo etc.
A complete good review (not feature list explained) takes time.
And way too much attention here. Many posts reek of ADVERTISEMENTS than objective information. This counts for any camera maker though.
Quoting “first camera to trust for stills and video” is an uber stupendess statement to make.
Why, do you really trust e.g. 5D Mk3 for its video artefacts and for its lovely feature of not knowing in every moment whether the lens is calibrated perfectly for all focus distances hence there are neither back-, nor frontfocus problems for that lens?
who?
tell this guy that canon cameras are used for hollywood production and american TV shows for years.
what does he do?…. film his little kids?
Don’t worry, BE HAPPY man !
It’s okay, you can still shoot in Hollywood with whatever you like. Your world is still safe. Sush. Go back to bed now. Don’t forget to wash behind your ears when you wake up tomorrow.
Who is this Payne kid? I am a still photog and could not care less for nano four turds.
You’re still a photographer who shoots microscopic dung beetles? What?
Ohhhh you’re _still_ a photographer and you don’t want to shoot four microscopic dung beetles. Got it.
Richard, what is the cage you are using. Thx ~ Jett
+1
GH4 is the real game changer , but for stills we still need FF or a bigger format. So please Panasonic design a camera like GH4 with FF sensor or even better MF sensor. That said, the GH4 is already a legend as it is and we all love that, so design the above mentioned FF GH in addition to m43 GH and GX.
What for? You might as well just buy an FF or medium format that’s already available out there. You’d have to buy an entirely new set of lenses anyway, and we would have to spend even more resources to design them for you. I like to go home on time and spend it with my children, thanks.
Richard, thanks for the review.
I asked a question about your cage earlier in this blog but did not understand your response. Would try again. Thc
I didn’t notice a cage in Richard’s review – am I missing something?
The video review is someone else (Caleb Pike) and he’s using a Wooden Camera quick cage (a fantastic piece, especially if you’re going to be using the micro-HDMI port). His review lists all the gear in the video review, and he even links to a video review he made about the WC cage.