Panasonic’s high-end mirrorless cameras have been the go-to for impartial and documentary filmmaking for years. In 2017, Panasonic launched the original GH5, the flagship mannequin that took three years to construct. It was speedy, rugged, and simple to make use of—a massively well-liked, clear standout out there.
Loads has modified since then. Other producers are actually constructing great cameras for filmmakers that may shoot 6K footage. But the brand new GH6 continues to carry its personal for videography and pictures alike, particularly at this value level.
Control Panel
There’s a stunning quantity of heft to the GH6 however not a lot that it turns into a wrist pressure. It comes with a UHS-II SD card slot in addition to a CFexpress card slot, which turns into essential for higher-end video taking pictures (extra on that under). Its three-inch flip-out display will be rotated so it is seen to the topic of the digital camera, making it helpful for on-line content material creators who must be their very own manufacturing group.
For run-and-gun photographers and filmmakers, the physique is constructed for purposeful muscle reminiscence. Alongside typical layouts just like the white stability, ISO, and publicity compensation buttons alongside the highest, or dials to regulate issues like aperture with out taking your hand off the physique, there are additionally a number of purple buttons for recording video. There’s one button on the highest plate and one other on the entrance. You can begin recording footage, irrespective of which picture mode you are presently in.
The materials on this digital camera has a number of the most satisfying tactile suggestions I’ve encountered on a digital camera. Its design is not that far off from many different cameras prefer it, however the distinction is within the subtleties. For instance, the audio data button alongside the highest is rubberized, which provides it barely extra friction than the machined metallic video button proper subsequent to it. Once you are aware of the format, little particulars like this make it straightforward to inform precisely which button or dial your finger is on with out wanting.
Photograph: Panasonic
The equipment comes with a barely better-than-standard f/2.8, 12–60mm variable focal size lens. It additionally contains non-obligatory Power OIS, which, mixed with the in-body picture stabilization, makes the entire system impressively easy, even when freehanding photographs. Inside, the GH6 packs a 25.2-MP Micro Four Thirds sensor. It’s a little bit on the small facet, however it works effectively sufficient for this digital camera.
Battery life, sadly, is middling. A totally charged battery will final about an hour of steady utilization, whether or not that is pictures or 4K video. However, that could possibly be considerably much less, particularly if you happen to depend on Apple ProRes recording. Conveniently, nevertheless, you may cost the battery utilizing the gadget’s USB-C port. If it may well provide sufficient energy (round 9 V/3A), then you may function the digital camera off USB-C energy. Still, you may want a spare battery or two.
Balance and Focus
The Lumix GH6 feels prefer it expects you to make use of it whereas on the go. The stage gauge overlay show has a built-in accelerometer to show lean and tilt, turning inexperienced if you’re as stage as will be. This is the sort of characteristic that’s pointless when you have a very good tripod or gimbal, but when all you may deliver with you is your digital camera and your toes, it is a helpful instrument.
The digital camera makes use of contrast-detection autofocus. This sort of autofocus is more and more outdated, however not less than the GH6 does effectively with it. A blue overlay will spotlight the areas of the picture which are in sharp focus, and repeatedly urgent the autofocus button can (typically) swap between completely different topics in focus.
When rotating the main target lens manually, a gauge pops up indicating the focal distance and, crucially, which route you are transferring the main target. This is the sort of extraordinarily helpful characteristic that is exhausting to do with out upon getting it—no extra guessing whether or not you have over- or under-shot the main target.
Options Upon Options
The GH6 got here with an already spectacular vary of video recording choices, and a firmware replace in late July added much more. The star of the present is the addition of Apple ProRes 422 and 422 HQ. Depending in your storage media, you may shoot as much as 5.7K video at 30 fps in ProRes 422 HQ, among the best compressed codecs you should use with out diving into studio-level cameras. This is especially helpful for filmmakers seeking to edit for 4K output.
Storage media issues as a result of, for sure video settings, the SD card you could have laying round in all probability will not reduce it. Most typical SD playing cards max out at round 300MB/s learn speeds, however their write speeds can usually be a lot decrease. For instance, this 128-GB SD card tops out at round 120 MB/s when writing and is often on sale for about $36. Meanwhile, a 128-GB SD card that can file on the practically 240 MB/s required for five.7K ProRes footage costs around $120, on the time of writing.
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