Panasonic GH5 fully Announced

What you need to know: The Panasonic GH4 is a mirrorless camera that looks like a small DSLR. Capable of shooting photos and video the GH4 was one of the first truly affordable 4K capable cameras that provides a host of features professional videographers love. The GH5 shipping in late March 2017 offers some noteable improvements that look to continue to place it at the top of 4K capable cameras BUT the now more expensive $1999 price certainly provides room for competitors.

My Current Recommended cameras for primarily videoSerious video work - Panasonic GH4 / Sony a6300 or a6500Best vlogging camera - Panasonic G85Smallest 4k video capable I can recommend - Sony RX100 Mark IV

I own and use the Panasonic GH4 daily - it is the camera I use to shoot all of my videos including my travel vlogs (except the recent Alaska trip where I tried the Olympus EM1 Mark II)  The GH4 shoots beautiful 4K video, has a battery that lasts for hours and hours of shooting and it's nicely portable with a fully articulating screen- I could go on but you are here because the successor to the GH4 has just been completely announced- I say completely because we had an official announcement from panasonic about the GH5 last September.  That announcement wasn't complete with some information missing. We now have the complete picture.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPxKZ2MWgdI

Panasonic GH5 Specs

• 20.3MP Four Thirds sensor with no low pass filter.
• 4K Video: Internal recording at 4K60/50p (4:2:0 8bit) & 4K30/25p/24p (4:2:2 10bit).
• Variable Video Frame Rates 4K: Max. 60fps & FHD: Max. 180fps.
• No additional crop factor when shooting 4K
• 5-Axis Photo/Video Dual I.S. 2.0 up to 5 stops with compatible LUMIX MFT lenses, plus in-body stabilization support for classic non-O.I.S lenses.
• Fast and accurate focusing utilizing LUMIX 480 fps DFD focusing system and Venus Engine 10
• Full size (Type A) HDMI terminal with cable lock included & twin SD Card slots (UHS-II U3 Compatible).
• 3.5mm mic & headphone terminals - optional DMW-XLR1 microphone adaptor.
• Eye viewfinder 3680k-dot OLED, 21mm, 0.76x.
• V-LogL recording with (Optional) DMW-SFU1 paid upgrade

Body style looks very similar to the GH4 with a few differences

• Dual SD Card Slots
• Full-sized HDMI port
• USB-C for data transfer
• Joystick button for focus point selection & menu navigation (You can also use the touch screen)

Additional firmware updates planned in April and later in 2017 will provide additional bit rates.Price $1,999 an increase over the GH4 and $600 more over the Sony a6500Pre Order the GH5 from B&H Photo

GH5 vs the a6500/a6300

Benefits of the GH5

• Better Battery Life
• 4k at 60FPS
• Better slow mo
• Higher bitrate files
• Fully articulated touchscreen
• Touchscreen works well for ALL camera options
• Large photo burst rate
• no overheating. We don't know for sure yet but the a6500 can in some warmer/hotter conditions shut down do to high internal temps.
• Better lens selection
• Stabilized sensor vs the a6300.

Benefits of Sony a6500

• Better low light performance
• Faster AF
• Better photos (greater resolution and cleaner high ISO)
• Cheaper and the a6300 is almost 1/2 the price.

The list certainly looks good for the GH5 but if you need better low light performance or want a more capable photo camera the a6500 or a6300 would probably be my pick. The GH5 wins in usability and offers that fully articulating screen if you need to vlog.Buy the a6500 from B&H Photo  $1,398.00Buy the a6300 from B&H Photo $998.00Pre Order the GH5 from B&H Photo $1,999.00  

Going Lighter, Faster, Further

Can the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II replace my Sony a7Rii and the panasonic GH4? I talk about the potential and possibilities of leaving behind my GH4 and A7RII - It might be grass is greener on the other side or the sheep are lighter or something but it is very appealing to me to go lighter and simpler with my gear.Watch - Ditching Sony Full Frame for Micro 4/3rdshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgOT5C99v48

Gear List  -

Current Gear:Sony a7Rii - https://bhpho.to/2fyeCr6Canon 24-70 f/2.8 - https://bhpho.to/2fybxqUCanon 70-200 f/2.8 - https://bhpho.to/2gCcC0PSigma 50mm f/1.4 - https://bhpho.to/2gt0DzqPanasonic GH4 -https://bhpho.to/2gS742HPanasonic Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm f/2.8 -https://bhpho.to/2fMXfBtTripod MeFoto Roadtrip Carbon Fiber - https://bhpho.to/2g1VCxeNew Gear ? Micro 4/3rds GearOlympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II - https://bhpho.to/2gS26TtOlympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 - https://bhpho.to/2gFqiFGOlympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/2.8 - https://bhpho.to/2g1NbC7Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 25mm f/1.8 Lens - https://bhpho.to/2gS6d26Olympus M.ZUIKO Digital ED 7-14mm f/2.8 PRO Lens - https://bhpho.to/2gfDtiEVenus Optics Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D - https://bhpho.to/2gtCyc2Zeiss Batis 18mm f/2.8 Lens - https://bhpho.to/2gSsJYF Follow me on Instagram

Panasonic GX80/85 Review

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwLqxqWfWMQUnboxing

Dynamic MonochromeThe GX80 now includes a dynamic monochrome picture profile. I normally don't shoot monochrome but I decided to test it out.  Here was the result straight out of camera along with the raw image that I edited in Silver Efex Pro 4. I personally prefer editing my own B&W rather than leaving it up to the camera. AF SystemThe AF system now sports 49 AF areas – up from the GX7´s 23 area AF. Panasonic has also added Depth from Defocus technology to help it lock onto things with more speed and accuracy. It only works with specific Panasonic lenses however. Nevertheless I have still had it lock onto the background instead of the foreground subject several times. It utilises Contrast Detect Autofocus and is lightning fast in AF-Single.The GX80 now also comes with eye detect AF, which seems to be a very hit and miss affair and even when it works it never quite seems to hit the centre of the eye.  Pinpoint AF is probably going to be the more useful AF mode for portrait shooters.The AF system can focus down to -4 EV which is pretty impressive and the camera also comes with an AF assist lamp on the front.Post FocusPost focus allows you to take a photograph and then select the focus point after the fact. It is limited to 4K resolutions and works by taking a video of the subject and focussing quickly through the range whilst doing so. You can pick the photo you want to save via the camera on screen interface or by editing the 4k video file that is created on your SD card.4K Photo ModesThere are three 4K photo modes: 4K Burst, 4K Burst (S/S) and 4K Pre-Burst. 4K Burst shoots as long as your finger is held down on the shutter button. 4K Burst (S/S) starts and stops the recording when the shutter is pressed. 4K Pre-Burst records all the time and stores a seconds worth of video up until the shutter is pressed. The pre-burst mode comes with a warning that when the camera exceeds the temperature rating it will default to 4K burst!Roll over the image to see 4K Post Focus in action[himage][/himage]BracketingThe GX80 comes with several bracketing options. For focus bracketing (focus stacking) for example you can configure how many images you wish to have and the step size for the focus. This feature seems to work very well when importing into Adobe PhotoShop and using the stacking functionality. The GX80 also offers aperture bracketing and WB bracketing.Viewfinder/Touchscreen DisplayThe electronic viewfinder (EVF) is taken straight from the GX7, however on the GX80 it no longer tilts upwards. It has a diopter setting on the right hand side and is a 2764K high resolution unit with 16:9 aspect ratio and 0.7x magnification. Some people report seeing rainbow patterns due to the field-sequential LCD used in this viewfinder.The rear 3″ display is tiltable as per the GX7 – 90° looking down onto it and about 45° looking upwards. It is not fully articulated, which I personally prefer. It seems better than the one on the GX7, especially in sunlight. The GX80 has a 60 FPS refresh rate which makes LiveView look very smooth, but may come with the cost of reduced battery life.Wi-FiWi-Fi is pretty much unchanged from the GX7 implementation however, the GX80 lacks NFC capability. With Wi-Fi you can connect to your mobile phone, using the Panasonic Image App, or your computer. When using the app you can copy photographs locally to your phone or use it as a remote control for your camera. Performance is pretty good when I tested it with the iPhone 6s Plus. It is also possible to setup a share on your computer and send your photos to it. Using LightRoom it is then possible to monitor this share and emulate tethering functionality – however I found this to be incredibly slow, probably due to the USB 2.0 port on the camera.Battery/ChargingThe GX80 does not come with a charger. You have to charge the battery in camera via the supplied USB cable. If you were thinking of having an external battery pack plugged in then you will be disappointed as you cannot use the camera whilst it is being charged this way. I purchased a couple of extra third party batteries and a charging cradle for about 20€. Whilst I was shooting at this years Comic-Con in Germany I noticed that the camera body had gotten quite warm and the third party battery only lasted for about 50 shots. With the official Lumix battery it was considerably better, however after my previous experience I was being extremely careful and ensuring that I turned off the camera if I wasn´t shooting for any length of time. I also turned down the display brightness and changed its refresh rate to 30 instead of 60.ConclusionThis is a fun little camera with a micro four thirds sensor that has a few niggles, but nothing onerous. It offers really nice image quality for photos and 4K video as well as a whole host of interesting little extras for a very good price. The dual IS system is amazing, easily on par with Olympus´s system and probably a taste of things to come with the GH5. The GX8 has a few advantages over the GX80 – namely the 20MP sensor, weather sealing and a mic input. However in Europe the GX8 is still a fairly expensive camera coming in at over 1000€ body only. The GX80 is currently priced at 699€ with the 12-32mm kit lens and is far better value for money. For me the GX80 features easily make it a better choice over the GX8.Buy from B&H Photo Thanks Heidi for this thorough write up.  You can see more of Heidi's work atInstagram: heidi.harding.photos500px: 500px.com/adelheid_deWeb: http://adelheid.photography And Heidi has some real world samples from a recent Comic-Con

New Panasonic Lumix G Vario 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH. POWER O.I.S. Lens

Panasonic announced the Lumix G Vario 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH. POWER O.I.S. Lens yesterday.  On Feb 17th Mish Mash show we shared our love for the Vario 12-35mm f/2.8 Asph lens. It is a fantastic range and lens- but a bit pricey at $997.00.  The new lens extends the range to 60, on a micro 4/3 camera this is a 24-120 lens, 5x zoom.  Only downside is the variable aperture f/3.5-5.6. I would love to see them make a f/4 constant lens.  The new 12-60 is weather sealed, offers stabilization (OIS) and is priced significantly cheaper at $497.Preorder from B&H Photo - Lumix G Vario 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH. POWER O.I.S. Lens $497Watch our Vlogs from New Zealand - all shot with the GH4 and 12-35 f/2.8Buy the GH4 from B&H Photo  Buy the 12-35 f/2.8Full Press ReleasePanasonic is introducing a new zoom interchangeable lens, the LUMIX G VARIO 12-60mm / F3.5-5.6 ASPH. / POWER O.I.S. (35 mm camera equivalent: 24-120 mm) for the LUMIX G line of Micro Four Thirds System cameras. Featuring a splash/dust-proof design, the new lens offers a versatile 5x zoom range of 24-120mm (35mm camera equivalent) that covers a variety of daily shooting situations from dynamic landscapes to portraits.For everyone interested in a modern alternative to bulky DSLR interchangeable lenses, Panasonic LUMIX Mirrorless Micro Four Thirds lenses deliver impressive, no-compromise optical performance. The durable, all-weather LUMIX 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 Lens features the highest standards of detail and sharpness. Built for travel and great photo and video capture, it comes complete with a splash and dustproof sealed body.** And with Dual I.S. (Image Stabilization) compatibility, you'll shoot with unprecedented hand-held stability anywhere you go.**When mounted on a compatible LUMIX G Mirrorless cameraIncorporating an inner focus drive system and a stepping motor, the new LUMIX G VARIO 12-60mm / F3.5-5.6 ASPH. / POWER O.I.S. is capable of smooth, silent operation to work with the camera's high-speed, high-precision contrast AF system for both photo and video recording. It is also compatible with the sensor drive at max. 240 fps to take maximum advantage of cameras with high-speed AF. This stunning AF performance is able to record 4K video, where precise focusing is required. Seven blades give the aperture a rounded shape that produces an attractively smooth effect in out-of-focus areas when shooting at larger aperture settings. A highly reliable metal mount assures durability for active use, and uses multi-coated lens elements that minimize ghosts and flare to further enhance its shooting performance.It also features 0.54x (35mm camera equiv.) magnification capability for impressive macro close-up shots.  Comprised of 11 elements in 9 groups, the lens system features three aspherical lenses and an ED (Extra-low Dispersion) lens which effectively suppresses spherical distortion or chromatic aberration to achieve stunning picture quality.The LUMIX G VARIO 12-60mm / F3.5-5.6 ASPH. will be available in May at www.shop.panasonic.com and valued channel partners in metallic black for $499.99. 

olympus air review and sample images

The Olympus Air -

• Clips to Smartphone and Shoots Uncoupled
• 16.05 MP Digital Live MOS Sensor
• Micro Four Thirds System
• Electronic Shutter 4 sec up to 1/16000 sec
• Full HD 1080p Video Recording at 30 fps
• OA Central App for iOS & Android
• Built-In Wi-Fi & Bluetooth Connectivity
• FAST AF System and 10 fps Shooting
• Accepts microSD Cards; Built-In Battery (chargeable via USB while shooting)

Support our work - buy from B&H Photo | AmazonMy Hands-on Review of the Olympus Airhttps://youtu.be/8XSbMwHEOig Olympus Air Sample Photos[unitegallery olympusair] Support our work - buy from B&H Photo | AmazonRecommended Micro 4/3 prime lens: Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 25mm f/1.8 Lens or Olympus M.ZUIKO Digital 17mm f/1.8 Lens