Panasonic GH4 vs GH3 vs Olympus E-M1 (vs GX8?)

I've had the Panasonic GH4 a little over a week now.  I just did some video clips yesterday, pretty much for the first time, although I took a couple of video clips with the GH3.

I had the GH3 for over a year and wanted to trade it before the trade-in value dropped too far.  Unfortunately, it took a while to get a GH4.

I was enthusiastic about the changes to the GH4 because the GH3 was occasionally inconvenient, particularly, the EVF.  Given that the GH3 was the first mirror-less camera body I'd ever used, getting used to the electronic viewfinder was difficult enough, but it always felt a bit broken.

I even had a problem when I was wearing non-polarized sunglasses where the viewfinder at some angles would be blacked out.  I seemed to have a similar problem with the Olympus E-M1, but that seems occasionally to be a problem with the proximity sensor.  I realized that when I saw the image on the rear display.

In any case, the viewfinder of the GH4 seems much better.  There may be some odd behavior but I've only noticed positive results.  As usual, the viewfinder is so bright that I can see better than just using my eyes.  Despite the size difference between the E-M1 (0.71x compared to 135 Format) and GH4 (0.67x), I find the GH4's viewfinder to be very good.  Size is not an issue.  It is surprising that 1024x768 is an advanced resolution for an EVF.  The FujiFilm X-T1's viewfinder is bigger at 0.77x but doesn't seem incredibly better to me, though I don't use it every day.  The GH4's functionality is good enough that I could give up optical viewfinders, and that is difficult for me to believe.

Just today, I had a positive experience with the GH4's magnified manual focus view, unlike that of the GH3.  My experience with focus, whether manual or automatic was difficult on the GH3.  I was just moving from optical viewfinders and the resolution on the GH3 viewfinder was not great, and the distortions were not helping.  Plus, the magnified view was just a huge problem, getting in the way of my ability to follow the action while focusing.  Using the GH4, the magnified view was shown in the center, and I was able to see around it to keep up with the action.  It's apparently possible that you can move it to suit you.

The battery is the same as the battery of the GH3, and the GH4 seems to sip battery power, though I generally leave the rear display in the closed position, rarely browsing what I have just taken.  I wish that I could have done this with the E-M1.  Its economical design seemed more of an attempt to use already-available parts than to create a serious replacement for the E-5 dSLR, for which it seems Panasonic created, with the GH3.

The rear display of the E-M1 can't be protected because it can't be reversed.  It can be accidentally activated (far too easily, though I'm adapting), especially showing the focus point selection display, further depleting the battery life needlessly.  Practically the first thing I noticed when I got the E-M1 was that I could not fold out the rear display to take a portrait-oriented photo of a building from a very low angle.  You can slide it down or flip it up, but it shows a consumer-oriented display mechanism, unlike that of the E-5, GH3, or GH4.  Of course, my E-1's rear display couldn't be reversed either, but that came with a plastic screen protector and of course, didn't have touch capabilities.

The E-M1 does not seem to sip battery power, and my first experiences with the camera body was that I would run out of power early, and end up being a door stop, and I would have to get the E-5 out of the bag.  As the battery is small, so is the grip.  I have acclimated to the E-M1's grip, but it can be uncomfortable coming from a dSLR, unlike the GH3 and GH4 grip.

Using each body, I find myself referring to every SLR, all the way back to my first Fujica SLR but focusing on the Olympus E-1, my first dSLR, which felt instantly intuitive.  The GH3 and GH4 have the drive mode selector on the left shoulder of the top plate.  I feel it might be better to have exposure controls there, including ISO and exposure compensation.

As well, Olympus should have done something similar with the E-M1, assigning it to aperture control rather than having the front dial assigned to exposure compensation.  It was uncomfortable moving to the E-M1 from the E-5, and there are still times when it has been unintuitive, making for accidental changes that I didn't want.

I could hope that all companies come to use a standardized menu interface, but it feels that it won't happen any time soon.  Olympus' Super Control Panel is really amazing, and Panasonic's Quick Menu is satisfactory.  The regular menu systems are the opposite with Panasonic's being more easily navigated, in contrast to those from Olympus (8 levels within the Tools Menu, seriously, Olympus?).  The extra video options on the GH4 should make professional people working in video happier.

I've recorded a few videos and it went well.  Outdoors, it looked very real in 1080p, much like some documentary.  Indoors, there was a similar feel, even though it wasn't extremely bright.  Having been at the skate shop and their half pipe a couple of weeks earlier with the E-M1, I was surprised at how responsive and accurate the GH4 was.  I used the Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 lens in both cases.

Checking the photos and videos later, I was so pleased that the focus was great, surprisingly great.  The photos and videos looked as though there was much more light than what the E-M1 had.

While I was taking video, I tapped the shutter release a couple of times and ended up finding two JPEG files.  I need to analyze them further, but they were taken at unfortunate times and I wouldn't be able to use them.

There was a problem for me finding the button for video recording, but even when I left my thumb on it, I wasn't always able to start or stop recording when I expected.  It's recessed to avoid accidental use.  I'm sure I'll become acclimated to it eventually.  I was thinking that it might be better if the video capture button was near the shutter release--in the front.

Many people value image stabilization and it may save me at some time.  I haven't noticed that it works or not, whether it's in a lens or working the sensor platform.  With the GH4 (and previously, the GH3) and 12-40mm f/2.8, I have no image stabilization, and I don't see any problem.  I finally bought a tripod about a year ago, and I've used it so few times.  When photographing sports in lower light situations, what will help other than more lighting?

At ISO 3200, you probably don't want to use the photos as your best work but from what I've seen, that could also be the story for APS-C and 135 Format sized sensors, as well, except for a very select few that include ISO sensitivity at 102,400 or greater.  Regardless, film didn't do so well at ISO 3200--or 1600 or 1000.

Panasonic GH3 Pros:

• 1080p image quality and video format/bit rate flexibility
• Video industry support
• Grip comfort and battery life
• Multiple function buttons
• 5 custom sets--3 positions on mode dial
• Fully-articulated rear display
• Silent mode

Panasonic GH4 Pros:

• Lower light auto focus ability and responsiveness
• 4K/C4K video
• Video industry support
• Video format/bit rate flexibility
• Grip comfort and battery life
• Improved EVF over that of the GH3
• Multiple function buttons
• 5 custom sets--3 positions on mode dial
• Fully-articulated rear display
• Manual focus magnification mode
• 1/8000 of a second shutter speed
• Silent mode

Olympus E-M1 Pros:

• 5-axis image stabilization
• Electronic ViewFinder clarity
• Button feature set toggle switch
• Responsiveness
• Phase Detection pixels for tracking, and PDAF with Four-Thirds lenses
• Effective Face detection
• 1/8000 of a second shutter speed

I appreciate the Olympus E-M1 and Panasonic GH4 equally.  The extra money for the GH4 is consistent with its extra functionality and ease of use.  While I felt a bit betrayed by Olympus for the mess they created after the E-1 (Four-Thirds) body was released, the E-M1 is a very good camera body on its own, but with micro Four-Thirds lenses.  10 fps (E-M1) vs 12 fps (GH4)?  They both work really well.  I've seen plenty of reviews that say that none of these bodies are good for sports but I get my shots, though the GH3 made it much tougher and caused me to return to the E-5 dSLR in many cases.  The only real problem is the lack of wonderful lenses but Olympus is working on that.

The GH3 should be a great body for anyone who is interested in high quality 1080p video, with still photography on the side.  The price has come down quite a bit and it's a good compromise, especially with the fully-articulated rear display.  I was able to get some good architectural photos at a very low angle, thanks to it.

I'm not even sure that the E-M1's video capabilities have improved over the E-5 and without the fully-articulated rear display, it's not nearly as flexible.  Still photography is its domain and for the size of both the body and the system's lenses, I doubt there is a better compromise.

That said, the E-M1 is now the second most used body in my bag, rather than the E-5.  I doubt that will change once I'm more accustomed to the GH4.  It is both supremely comfortable and it's extremely capable.  The little problems I had with the GH3 seem to have been fixed.

Update 2014.12.13: I've found that the GH4 and E-M1 really automatically focus micro Four-Thirds lenses well (although there is an odd performance issue between the E-M1 and 35-100mm f/2.8).  I'm seeing mixed results with my Four-Thirds lenses.  The E-M1 and 50mm f/2.0 macro are a great match.  The E-M1 works better with the 50mm lens than any other body, including the Olympus E-1 and E-5.  I need to really plan and test, but my 2004 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 wasn't very good with the E-M1.  I suspect that Olympus only tested with the SWD version.  It seemed that it worked well with the GH4.

As I'd found when I was using the GH3, auto focus was better with my Four-Thirds lenses than with the E-1 in low or ordinary light.  My E-1 may have had a problem with auto focus, though it seemed okay in bright light.  The E-5 is still faster with Four-Thirds lenses than the GH4, GH3, or E-M1, except with the 50mm macro.  The 14-35mm f/2.0 is often a pain with auto focus but usally works reasonably well even with the GH4 and E-M1.

Update 2014.12.26: The GH4, as with the GH3, often focuses on something else entirely than what I put in the focus area.  It often finds a fence way behind the person I want to photograph.  Apparently, face detection is not useful.

Update 2014.12.30: Panasonic Face Detection asks me to register a face when I try to use it.  If this happens every time I need to use it, it's going to be a pain.  I hope it works beautifully.

I shot some 4K video the other day.  I tried to pass it through the Sony 4K-upscaling Blu-Ray player and it wouldn't handle it.  Maybe, it didn't like the file format.  I need to transfer to a USB stick and feed it directly through the TV's port.  That works.

Still having more fun/frustration with the auto focus.  It seems to randomly lose focus in the middle of what I'm shooting.  For a professional, it shouldn't be a problem since they won't likely be using auto focus at all--or the native lenses that suppose auto focus.  I'm learning, although, I'm looking at lenses that aren't native or those which won't have an electronic interface.

Update 2015.01.20: I went to take some portraits.  I'm not a portrait photographer but the E-M1 is quite good, partly because of face detection.  Focus rarely fails.  I really need to set up face detection on the GH4 to see how it works with the 35-100mm f/2.8 lens.

I keep wondering about the value of Panasonic going it alone with their DFD technology only working on their lenses.  They need to work with Olympus for the sake of the format.  On the other hand, I've noticed the slower performance between the 35-100mm f/2.8 on the E-M1 versus the GH3 or GH4.

Update 2015.02.09: The GH4 continues to impress in most cases.  The auto focus is still a bit inaccurate (focusing on the fence behind a person rather than the person where the single focus point is place) and it would be better if it worked better with Olympus lenses since the premium Panasonic lenses are generally only adequate.  That said, I bought the Panasonic/Lumix/Leica 15mm f/1.7 lens the other day.  It has the typical purple fringing that seems to define Panasonic lenses but AF is almost always accurate.

I took a trip down south to San Diego and the LA/OC area, photographing at skate parks, both still and video.  I also used the GH4 and Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 at a small concert venue and it performed very well, and I managed to hold it fairly still.  Even though I was close to the speaker, it recorded the sound very well, and the video was good.

I bought some new USB drives, with USB 3.0 speed and copied the 4K video files onto one of them.  After connecting it to the USB 3.0 port on the TV, I didn't really see improved performance.  I'm just not sure the problem is with the TV or the GH4, given that they cost me about the same amount of money.  There was something in Panasonic's latest firmware for the GH4 that mentioned improved playback of 4K files but I figured that it was for the rear display or the viewfinder.

Update 2015.12.11: Things have changed a bit in a year.  The Panasonic GX8 and Nikon D7200 have moved the E-5 out of my current tools.  In many ways, I have regretted buying the E-5. Until the GH4 or E-M1, there was no incredibly-usable alternative for my Four-Thirds lenses.

I looked at jumping to Nikon instead of buying the E-5 but the price of lenses was so significant that I hesitated, and the D300 was looking old in 2011.  Since I now have the D7200, I'm not sure a Nikon body would have made me feel really good about the switch.  While I get good image quality from the D7200, it isn't a clear difference over the E-M1 and GH4.  It also doesn't work as well in lower light conditions.

The GX8 works in most conditions as well as the GH4 and E-M1.  It's really small and the battery has about the same capacity as the E-M1, which isn't much.  Since the rear display isn't exposed, that should save a bit of battery life.  I have three batteries, as I have for the E-M1, versus two for the GH4.

I still pull out the GH4 first, as I've created over 120 videos in the last 12 months, mostly from video clips shot at skate parks.  The GX8 has become a good companion to the GH4 for video.  I used the E-M1 so much in a year that I had to have the shutter replaced, as I had apparently exceeded the 150,000 actuations.  At 10 frames per second, that isn't difficult to do.

Almost all of my equipment is still weather-sealed and the GX8 adds to that.  One of my most-used lenses, the Panasonic/Leica 15mm f/1.7 lens is not.

Update 2016.11.24: Almost two years from when I got the GH4, I'm pleased to use it the most.  I have over 100 videos on YouTube and appreciate the body's size and weight and battery life.  The GX8 is fine at times but the grip doesn't quite match my hands, even if it's better than the E-M1's grip.  Battery life for the E-M1 and GX8 are fairly bad.

I got rid of the Nikon stuff.  It was marginally better with the lenses I had.  Finding weather-sealed lenses was a major problem.  Some of the lenses had a fluorine-coated front lens element and that was the extent to the weather-resistance.  That's sadly amusing.  You can depend on FujiFilm and Pentax for APS-C systems with clearly marked "WR" weather-resistant lenses.  Sigma Sport line lenses are also weather-resistant.

The Olympus E-M1 has been succeeded with a Mk II model that is superior in most every way.  The price is the sticking point for many people.  In an era of almost zero inflation, the E-M1 Mk II is US$300 than Olympus dSLR flagships and something like US$700 more than the E-M1 was at launch.  It feels as though the extensive AF grid will make it worth the extra $300 over what I expected and the dual card slots, articulated rear display, and more show real value.  It's still a difficult price if you're moving from the E-5 dSLR, especially when the Panasonic GH4 feels so much better.

I'm glad to be using micro Four-Thirds for exactly what the reviews say isn't easily possible--sports.  I don't know how other people photograph sports, but what I've seen people show me needs to be improved.  For American Football, they can keep their Nikon D5.  It's obvious that it works well.

Panasonic GH4 is in my bag

It's just before Thanksgiving Day in the U.S.A. and the sales are all over the place.  One of the national broadcasters mentioned that electronics would be cheaper before Black Friday, and cameras and other photographic equipment generally falls into line with electronics.

I read that Panasonic has reduced the price of the GH4 by $200.  Adorama, B&H Photo, and Mike's Camera (Colorado and California) have said that this is an instant rebate.  Mike's Camera ended this instant rebate on November 26th--today.

I braved holiday traffic to drive 30+ miles to buy the camera body.  I met with a salesperson with whom I'd previously talked.  I asked about the body, and he checked their web site, and I bought it, even using my extra battery from my GH3 to try it.  (My battery appeared to be fully charged, even though I traded my GH3 in early June.  That makes it almost six months since it was charged.)

At $1499.99, the body is somewhat more reasonable for me, and it's the same price I paid for my Olympus E-5.  That also makes it less than half the price of the Canon 5D MkIII, its nearest (hybrid) competitor in the business.  Well, actually, the 5D MkIII was the competitor of the GH3, and the expanded 4K capabilities and high bit rates at 1080p add to the differences between the GH4 and the 5D MkIII, above those between the 5D MkIII and the GH3.

The salesperson mounted an Olympus 25mm f/1.8 lens, so I could check the body.  The lens seemed almost tiny, though not as small as the 15mm f/1.7 approved by Leica, designed and made by Panasonic especially for the GM1/GM5.  The image through the viewfinder seemed improved (it has over double the density) over my memory of the GH3.  I didn't notice that much difference from the E-M1 I use regularly, or from my memory of the FujiFilm X-T1.

I used my sunglasses briefly, explaining about the blackout problem that I had with the GH3, and I currently have with the E-M1 on occasion.  It only happened on occasion, but it happened enough that muscle memory was my only way around it with the GH3.  I'm guessing that it may still occur.  Perhaps, switching to polarized sunglasses may help.  It isn't a problem with optical viewfinders.

Of course, it took a few minutes to find settings to change, to try to personalize it similarly to my GH3.  I was pleased to see many video additions in the menus, bringing up the professional specification.  I can't say enough how great it is that the GH3 and GH4 have 5 slots for settings.  I only used two slots with the GH3 and that might be the same with the GH4, although I'll be more focused on video this time, so I might use more.

The most wonderful thing about the GH4 is the instant familiarity.  Panasonic wisely chose to keep ergonomic choices almost all the same.  They added a lock to the mode button, something it has in common with the E-M1--and the Olympus E-1 from way back when.

I just checked the What Digital Camera (my go-to magazine) review for the GH4 and E-M1 and they said that the design of the GH4 was an 85 and the E-M1, 95.  In the text, they complained about the GH4 having so many buttons but appreciated the dSLR-like design.  Strangely, everyone else seems to like that you don't have to dig through menus, and the Panasonic menus are a bit less extreme than those of Olympus.  The magazine has had a complete change of staff and they seem to work toward advertisers more than 10 years ago.  89% for the GH4 vs 92% for the E-M1 isn't a huge difference.  However, I would say that, given Olympus' poor video performance and uncomfortable grip, the two are equal at least.

One of the bigger issues for me with the E-M1 was the combination of the small battery and small, angular grip.  Now that I have 3 batteries for the E-M1, I don't run out of power early, but I don't use it nearly as long as I used my dSLRs, so I'm still concerned.

With the GH3, I never had a problem where I exhausted both batteries during a long day of shooting.  Since the battery is so much bigger than that of the E-M1, there is definitely a difference.  Getting battery grips for each won't help much, as either grip only holds an extra battery, though they might help with using my Four-Thirds 35-100mm f/2.0 (3.64 lbs./1650g) lens.  I was never happy with that balance on the GH3 and I've never bothered to try it for more than a few minutes with the E-M1.  Of course, with the tripod collar attached to a tripod, the balance issue goes away.  Naturally, this was never a problem with the Olympus E-5, which is only as big as the Nikon D7100.

When mounting the Panasonic 35-100mm f/2.8 lens outside the store, I found that the lens operated at full speed again, in contrast to its performance on the E-M1.  I had not used it significantly since the Panasonic Repair Facility had checked it.  The few times I tried it with the E-M1, the frame rate was significantly slower than Olympus' 12-40mm lens, which made no sense, since it was very fast on the GH3.  This makes the Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 lens important for the E-M1.  I expect that the color from the lens will be equally better over the 35-100mm f/2.8 as the 12-40mm f/2.8 was.  I thought that there was a problem with the GH3, until I used the 12-40mm f/2.8 on it.  It should be interesting to see how fast the frame rate of the GH4 will be with the 40-150mm f/2.8 lens.

I'm hoping to try some skate park video soon, using the 12-40mm f/2.8 lens.  I don't know much about video but I took a few with the GH3.  I don't have an enhanced speed card to handle 4K video but learning how to handle video is more important at this time.  Responsiveness with my current SanDisk Extreme Pro card seemed much better than with the GH3.

Oh, and concerning the bag, I'm afraid that I've got to re-distribute equipment again to emphasize the smaller equipment, though I still want to use my Four-Thirds lenses through the adapter.  I hope Crumpler has something appropriate.

Update 2014.11.28: Ouch!  The firmware needs to be updated and for some reason, I'm unable to update it for various reasons.

First, the U.S. Panasonic web site ends up with only a Windows executable when I open the .zip file I've downloaded.  Perhaps, I didn't see a Macintosh-related link or the web site incorrectly detected that everyone uses Windows.

I used the Japanese web site that I'd used for the GH3 and that seemed to give me the correct file, but the camera body doesn't recognize that there is an update available when I go through the procedure.  I'm sure I'll be fine with firmware version 1.1 instead of 2.0, for a while anyway, but whatever.  Panasonic continues to be an administrative screw up.  What was downloaded was labeled AH4 instead of GH4.  I got something different tonight, and have updated my GH4.

Taking the GH4 and 35-100mm f/2.8 to the skate park, it performed well, but not with as much performance as expected.  (Continuous AF is enabled by default.)  Auto Focus accuracy was acceptable, similar to the GH3.  I'll try it with the Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 at a later date.  It didn't feel as fast or responsive as the Olympus E-M1 and 12-40mm f/2.8.  Auto Review is also enabled, which not only slows things down, as it does with the GH3, but it's also a battery waster.

Update 2014.12.01: I ordered a 4K-capable SD card from Adorama.  It's interesting that these cards were UHS-I, class 10, U 3.  Do I need such a card right now?  Probably not, but having dedicated for-video storage would be a good idea, especially on those days when I've been busy taking still photos.  I'm a little short on cards now that I have three bodies that take SD Cards.

I had a chance to buy a higher capacity SanDisk card but, after viewing several descriptions of the card, I couldn't determine the exact performance.  One mentioned 95 MB/sec., while others mentioned 60 MB/sec. and 80 MB/sec.  They were also labeled Extreme or Extreme Plus because the company changed the name at some point.

Update 2014.12.07: Part of my order was not readily available, so I ended up at Best Buy getting a 4K-capable card.  It was about the same price for 32GB as Adorama had for 64GB.  That's not the worst I've seen.  At least, it's a SanDisk card.  They had the Extreme and Extreme Plus cards, but this one is labeled Pixtor.  I've barely used it for anything.  I thought that the card would enable 4K options immediately, but that happens through the Creative Video mode on the mode dial.  Getting past the GH3 is taking time.

I'm impressed with how responsive the GH4 has been, especially in low(er) light.  I went to a skate shop with an indoor half pipe, and shot both still photos and video.  I was there a few weeks earlier and the E-M1 struggled with the 12-40mm f/2.8 lens but the GH4 didn't seem to have any problem at all.  That doesn't mean that it's great in the dark.  It isn't.  I could use more lenses at f/1.4 or wider than my older Leica/Panasonic 25mm f/1.4 from the Four-Thirds system.

The Voigtländer lenses look good.  There is a 10.5mm f/0.95 that should be available soon (okay, officially Q1-Q2 2015), and that is wide enough to get skate park shots easily, and should be good for sharp landscape shots at a less aggressive aperture.  Is US$1000 or more too much for a manually focused lens?  It depends on your wallet, of course, and whether you can make money from it.  The other three (17.5mm, 25mm, 42.5mm) have all been rated well and many people are satisfied with what they do.

Update 2014.12.31: The Panasonic card is flaky and has had general errors in both the GH4 body and the computer SD Card slot.  Almost naturally, the SanDisk card isn't a problem--I've had to have one replaced in the past, but only one.

I'm having some struggles learning the GH4.  I'm not finding it as instantly familiar as I thought I would--or at least, I'm not as successful with it as I had hoped.  As I go further with it, I'm finding little issues.  The drive mode dial has been accidentally moved.  The burst mode position is adjacent to a +/- burst mode position that allows you to take bracketed auto exposure photos.  For instance, it will take photos at -1/3 EV, +0 EV, +1/3 EV, much like HDR preparations.  Your bracketing settings will affect the latitude of the exposure range.  It is useful, although there have been times when I was getting a series of shots and naturally, it stops at three and the action continues without me.  Yes, I should be more aware of my settings.  I'm sure I saw it in the viewfinder and didn't really notice as the +/- didn't seem so significantly distinct.

The GH4 is so capable that it could be 6 months before I'm really comfortable.  It's been a little over a month that I've had it now, so getting casual photos are easy but action photos are usually more involved.  I've basically given up the use of the E-M1 to get up to speed with the GH4.

2015.01.09: The auto focus still isn't everything it should be, with continuous auto focus or not.  During video, it will lose focus completely, which is a great effect that people like, except that it will do it at the wrong time.  That's not unlike the Olympus E-M1.  Maybe, the 12-40mm f/2.8 isn't feeling well.  I was using the 35-100mm f/2.8 the other day and I noticed that the auto focus on the GH4 was similar to the E-M1, lower performing burst speed, but with better AF accuracy.

2016.12.07: It's been over two years since I got the GH4.  I've got over 100 videos on YouTube.  Most are skate park videos but I have some music performances and random things, also.  The camera itself does a very good job, except for AF.

I've got a number of Panasonic lenses and it loses focus on those, as well as while using the Olympus lenses.  It just seems too busy to bother with auto focus duties, but in this price range, it shouldn't have such a problem.  I'm not asking it to track someone.  I want it to focus on the single area I select while I move the camera.  It has predictive focus--it's always busy.

I'm still learning.  I've been learning to do time lapse photography because I wanted to try some shots while driving, to condense little road trips as I've seen someone else do.

Since the GH4, I've bought the GX8 and GM5.  The GX8 has very good 1080p video which matches what I get from the GH4, and that is so useful at skate parks since I'll have the 35-100mm f/2.8 on one and the 12-35mm f/2.8 on the other.  The E-M1 doesn't come close and I suspect that the GM5 won't match either.

The GH5 should be released in spring.  What the whole feature set is, no one outside Panasonic knows, and I'm not certain even they know at this point.  3840x2160 at 60p is one of the few things that are guaranteed to be included.  They've shown mockups of the body and it's agreeable, but nothing is much different.

The new sensor may be 18MP or 20MP, but they're not saying.  The new Olympus E-M1 Mk II has a 20MP sensor with 121 cross type AF points--both PDAF and CDAF.  Many speculate that they will use a lot of the same equipment in the GH5.

Olympus E-M1 vs Panasonic GH3, part 2

Having used the GH3 extensively, and traded it recently while the trade-in value was still good, and now, having the E-M1, I've been making mental notes about things that work and don't work.

I'm warming up to the E-M1, having taken 2300+ shots on Saturday.  It is both a great and annoying camera body.

Auto Focus and Burst Mode

The auto focus is fast.  I have found in single auto focus mode that it can almost always keep up.  Of course, as the light is diminished, every auto focus system loses.  It has surpassed the AF of the GH3, although I have noticed a huge difference in burst mode and/or AF with the Panasonic 35-100mm lens.  It works significantly more slowly than the 12-40mm.

This lens is able to be focused very quickly on the GH3 and works at the full 6 fps in burst mode.  On the E-M1, something is not working correctly, as there is a noticeable difference in frame rate.  Perhaps, the lens is only able to work at 6 fps with OIS off?  I'll check again when I get my GH4.

However, it focuses very well with the Leica/Panasonic Four-Thirds 25mm f/1.4--the 62mm filter size lens, not the tiny micro Four-Thirds version.  I still have yet to use my other Four-Thirds lenses with it.  I should really see how the 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 performs, as this is my go-to lens for outdoor sports.

Black out with sunglasses

My Oakley sunglasses and the EVF combine to give me black-out conditions in bright sunlight, as with the GH3.  I should try my free Jack in the Box sunglasses to see if those change the situation.  I've saved a number of photos by simply using muscle memory.  I've even got to the point where I don't have the camera to my face at times.

Battery life

The battery life is horrible.  Who thinks a small battery is a good idea with a powerful EVF, and with an uncovered rear display that wants to show you everything much of the time?  Of course, it's better if you don't use the rear display at all, and I've found ways to minimize my use of it but the EVF still drains the battery quickly, along with the 5-axis stabilization.  It's my mistake to think that the E-M1 will go as long as the GH3, but it seems to end just as the GH3 is warming up.

Grip

The grip is still uncomfortable.  The GH3 is probably the camera body with the most comfortable grip on the market right now, for me, anyway.  It's right up there with the Nikon D800 and the Olympus E-5.  I suspect that Olympus wanted to save money by using an existing battery, and designed the grip around it--to be too small.  I've heard from a number of people that it's just fine.  Maybe, they have fatter fingers than I have.  Someone suggested that I buy the battery grip, but it will be difficult to use its bigger grip in landscape orientation.

Accidental changes

Accidental control changes are too easy.  Coming from the E-1 and E-5, the front and rear dials change aperture and shutter speed, depending on the mode, of course.  The front dial of the E-M1 changes exposure compensation, by default.  Sure, it's a new user error, but considering that the E-M1 was meant to be the replacement for the E-5, they should have left the functionality as it was (with the E-1, E-3, and E-5), and allowed an optional change for those who wanted it.  It's also far too easy to switch the auto focus point.  Yes, I've been using a single point because I don't like the typical scatter pattern.  I will accidentally tap the OK button (enabling the Super Control Panel) and arrow keys when I'm not shooting, and then, I miss shots, and have to return to reset it, missing more shots.  If the rear display was on a fully-articulated panel that could be closed, this wouldn't happen.

Super Control Panel

The Super Control Panel really is a great way to display and change controls.  The Quick Menu from Panasonic really doesn't work well for me, and I spend more time trying to figure out how to get to what I want and to change it (not just view it and think that I've changed it)--than to actually change it and get back to shooting on an Olympus body.  Does the Olympus menu system suck?  YES.  Does the Panasonic menu system suck?  YES.  People claim that Nikon, Canon, Sony, etc. have a better system.  They don't.  They all suck.  It's the Super Control Panel/Quick Menu kind of interface that helps you get work done more quickly when the body lacks physical controls.

Rear Display

This bugs me the most.  Why didn't Olympus use a fully-articulated display, as with the E-5?  Having used the GH3 to get very low architectural photos with the 12-40mm f/2.8 lens, I can only guess in doing this with the E-M1.  The display doesn't flip out.  It goes up or down.  Having the panel out in the open all the time leads to all sorts of possible dangers.  It's also responsible for accidental control changes and reduced battery life.

Four-Thirds lenses

I have not used my Four-Thirds lenses extensively with the E-M1.  I have used the Leica/Panasonic 25mm f/1.4 lens--the one with the 62mm filter size with the E-M1.  As with the GH3, it focuses well.  From what I understand, it was meant to be compatible with Contrast Detect AF, as the Leica Digilux 3 was designed for Live View, as well as the typical dSLR optical viewfinder experience.  Thankfully, for this lens, we're in drought conditions.  I would hate to have a downpour and find that a US$1000+ lens is ruined by rain.  I have probably used it fewer than 10 times outdoors.

I'd really like to see if the 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 works well with it, as I use it for cross country meets.  Olympus' micro Four-Thirds 40-150mm f/2.8 will become available later this year, but it doesn't reach nearly as far.  Sure, I can carry a load and run the course, because...no, I only do that occasionally when I cannot see past the corn fields.

Olympus has done a good job creating a top end model for micro Four-Thirds.  It's not what I'd hoped that it could be, to replace my E-5.  Yes, the performance is good.  No, it's not quite right.  Panasonic thought more about what the photographer wanted and put that into the design of the GH3 and GH4.  In fact, the GH3 felt like the true successor to the E-5.  It's the kind of design where you don't have to think how to use it--you know how to use it.  On the other hand, the E-M1 is fiddly, unlike the E-5 or E-1.

Olympus E-M1 auto focus tracking for sports

I've been an Olympus equipment user since the 1990s.  I've gone through various bodies since my initial OM-1N.  When Olympus showed that they were ready for dSLRs, I bought an E-1, 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 and 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5--all weather-resistant equipment, which was good since I was in Florida where the hurricanes, daily summer rains, and the construction dust would damage most equipment easily.

I used the equipment out in three hurricanes and it's still functioning beautifully.

Since then, I bought an E-5 body.  The odd, less ergonomic design was bigger, more Nikon-like and made it easier to balance the 35-100mm and other SHG lenses.

I recently, and somewhat temporarily traded my Panasonic GH3 for an Olympus E-M1.  I'd been using the GH3 for indoor sports where flash was a serious problem and where lighting was as advanced as the 1950s.  It worked reasonably well.  The E-M1 is a bit more useful with the 5-axis image stabilization, but is uncomfortable in my hand.  They should have created a new, bigger battery and used it to create a bigger, better grip like that of the E-1, E-5, or GH3.

In any case, I've taken some good photos with it, but I had not put it to the test with sports.  Between moving cross country and schools being out, I didn't have much of a chance to photograph sports.

The other day, the Lathrop, California Generations Center had its grand opening celebration and I was able to photograph some skaters.  I think the E-M1 acquitted itself quite nicely, as you'll see.  I still can't wait for my Panasonic GH4 but I must.

Update 2014.07.05: I used the E-M1 with my Four-Thirds Leica 25mm f/1.4--the big, heavy one made for the Leica Digilux 3 body.  It worked pretty well with auto focus in low light.  Perfect it wasn't, but conditions were far from perfect.

Update 2014.07.25: I've noticed in the last few days that the E-M1 will suddenly not focus properly.  I assume that it's still busy writing to the card but that's not always the case.  Perhaps, it's cleaning up after itself.

Update 2014.10.29: The other day, I tried the full area (what I call splatter) auto focus pattern and got plenty of photos where nothing was in focus.  This seems as good as it was on the E-5, prior to switching to a single point for AF.

I'm planning to try the 5 area AF to see how it works, but I don't have much hope.

Update 2014.12.03: Geez, the 5 area AF made sure that I didn't get any in-focus photos.  Everything was crap.

About a week ago, I bought a Panasonic GH4.  I've been able to use it in varying conditions, and in darkness around sunset, it wasn't great, as expected.  However, indoors, photographing skaters on a half pipe, it was amazingly good, and more responsive than the E-M1 was.  I took many video clips, and they all looked surprisingly bright.

Update 2015.02.20: Any moment now, there should be a firmware update, version 3.0, that will increase the tracking speed frames per second rate from 6.5 to 9.0 fps.  They apparently came up with a better algorithm to use the 37 phase detect pixels.

Update 2015.03.13: I tried the C-AF + Tracking option and while it works, it seems to lag.  It could be the circumstances--artificially-lit skate park during the evening but I suspect it would still be laggy in good light, just better.

Regardless, I find the auto focus, especially with face detection, quite good and better than the GH4 for stills.  The GH4 auto focus is quite capable for video.  Panasonic really needs to update the firmware for a few small things.

Update 2015.12.19: I'm still amazed how good the single AF is, especially with face detection enabled.  I've got a lot of photos--so many that I had to have the shutter replaced.  The shutter is rated at 150,000 actuations.  At 10 frames per second, you can get there quickly.

I bought a Nikon D7200, mostly for wide angle shots.  I tried to use it at skate parks and it's adequate.  It's a good substitute for the Olympus E-5 that I was using for high school sports.  Just like the E-5, the continuous AF is great.  However, working at skate parks, nothing I have can beat 10 or 12 frames per second that the E-M1 and GH4 can do for capturing the whole sequence.  Sure, the Samsung NX1 could do it at 15 fps but who knows whether it's going to be available or not.

I also bought a Panasonic GX8 and the behavior of the AF is similar to the GH4.  Even with face detection enabled, it may detect a fence behind the person.  That all changes when it's recording video, as with the GH4.  I really appreciate having the GX8 and I've been using it since I sent the E-M1 for repair.

GH3 -> E-M1 + GH4, as supplies become available (updated with photos)

How is it that so many people said that the GH3 was too big and that it would never sell, but then, it was in demand so much, and the GH4 is repeating that, even though Panasonic increased production?

Yesterday, I traded my Panasonic GH3 while the value was still good (I got US$500), for an Olympus E-M1.  They did not yet get their GH4 shipment from last week, which says either they're not producing them as well as expected or demand has been really good--better than the GH3 demand.

I waited several months to get my GH3 and it was easy by that time.  I didn't want to wait for the value to fall for trade-in, so I traded it while the GH4 was still difficult to get.  By the time the GH4 is readily available, I'll have learned to use (/love/hate/deal with) the E-M1.

My initial few hours with the E-M1 produced discomfort for me because of the small battery/small grip size.  It was especially apparent that it was too uncomfortable to use with Four-Thirds lenses because of the weight imbalance, as the grip was almost cutting into my fingers.

For the moment, I'll miss the fully-articulated rear display.  There is no way to use the E-M1 in portrait orientation and look down at the display, for instance.  This is something the GH3 and E-5 did so well.  However, the EVF is quite a bit more advanced than the GH3's EVF.

It should be interesting to see if the 12-40mm lens seems more capable with the 5-axis image stabilization.  I suspect it will be working until I adapt my grip.  As well, the Panasonic 35-100mm lens on it may prove to be okay, but the huge lens flare issue won't go away just because it's on a competitor's camera body.

Oh, one thing I've noticed over the pre-production version I used--I can do a half-press without taking a shot.  There are some spongy buttons on the back, but thankfully, the shutter release is more solid in production.

In the registration survey, Olympus asked about video, and I had to say that I wouldn't really be using video with the E-M1.  They didn't give it much functionality, so I won't be using it.  When I have my GH4, then, I can do video again.  I'm beginning to think that my iPhone 5c has better capabilities than Olympus has in any of their camera bodies but then, I buy Olympus for still photography.

Update 2014.06.13: The E-M1 is a good camera with an angular grip and tiny battery.  I think you know what suggestion I would make to improve the camera, as it is not bad otherwise.

I got a few photos at Asbury Park beach and boardwalk with the E-M1 and 12-40mm f/2.8 lens.

For comparison, I have a few from the beaches near Manasquan, NJ, taken with the GH3 and 12-40mm f/2.8:

Update 2014.06.15: I have really found the E-M1 grip uncomfortable, just with the 12-40mm f/2.8 lens.  I don't see how so many find it comfortable.  It feels like it's almost cutting into my fingers.  I understand that they wanted to make it compact as a hedge against those who would complain about it being too big, plus they could re-use the tiny battery from their other micro Four-Thirds bodies.

I haven't used it enough but I don't see any huge difference in image quality from the GH3's sensor.  People complained that there was more noise, but I think it's negligible, at least using Capture One Pro 7.

The rear display out in the open also bothers me.  Unlike the E-1, there is no plastic shield to keep it from damage or my nose.  Of course, the display is active too often, and I'm sure that there is a setting for that, to save battery life.

It seems odd to hear the 5-axis sensor shift image stabilization.  I'm sure that was quite a concern for many people picking up the E-M1 for the first time.  I guess I didn't hear it with the pre-production models because so many of us were talking.

After all this, I'm glad to have it, but I'm all the more impatient to get a GH4.

Update 2014.12.16: There was a pre-Black Friday $200 discount on the GH4.  This made it a sensible purchase.  While I've become accustomed to the E-M1, the GH4 felt immediately comfortable.  Even my extra battery from the GH3 still seemed to be nearly fully charged after about 6 months, happy to see the GH4.

Starting to do video, the GH4 is full of features.  However, it feels as though it's as good a stills camera body.  It took a very long time for it to become available, but it gave me time to become comfortable with the supposed replacement for the E-5 (the E-M1) I have.

Update 2015.09.13: I sent the E-M1 away for repair.  Unfortunately, a BMX/Freestyle rider managed to hit it by riding his bike under the canopy where we were all not doing things like that, and broke the eye cup mount.  I used it for a while with jagged edges until a few days ago when the shutter came down and wouldn't go back up.  I apparently exceeded the 150,000 actuations.

I have two newer alternatives: the Nikon D7200 and the Panasonic GX8.  Both are so new that there are no firmware fixes yet.  The GX8 is easier to use because of my familiarity with the GH3 and GH4 but it is still a handful.  The D7200 defies any clear organization and has been two handfuls, and as a dSLR, it deserves to be two.

The GH4 continues to be interesting.  I've put over 100 videos on YouTube, almost all of which were assembled using 1080p clips from the GH4.  The GX8 is similarly capable, although its ability to do 4K video is limited.

Tried to trade Panasonic GH3 for GH4: low availability at the time

As I was on a short-timer's schedule, I called Roberts Camera of Indianapolis, Indiana to see if they had a GH4 and would do a trade-in of my GH3.

It seemed a bit confusing to the first person to answer the phone, but the second person made it clear--they had no GH4s in stock and three on the waiting list.

Today, I'm nowhere close, though I may try a dealer in New Jersey where they've also done Panasonic presentations.  I believe they are Unique Photo.  Equally, Adorama is across the river in Manhattan.  I trust Adorama to help me, but I hear about many bad experiences dealing with the various personalities in the store.  Maybe, the people are not from the Northeast.  I used to hear many stories about people from New Jersey, New York, or Philadelphia.  In my experience, they were misinformed.  These rude, hateful people are some of the most genuine, loveable people you'll ever know.  They just say what they mean, and so do I.  I lived in Philly for eight years, and supposedly, my biological father came from Philly.

In any case, I want to trade the GH3 and the closest dealer in California to where I'll be living does not trade.  That doesn't mean I won't be able to find a shop, but I'd rather deal with New Jersey or New York where I can trust the person will show me the contempt, rather than try the schmooz me into doing what they want.  (I really liked Roberts Camera for their no-nonsense approach to dealing with people and cameras--give the customer good advice and a good deal.)

Maybe, Unique Photo will be able to help.  I really hate driving into and out of the city (New York City) but parking is worse.  Of course, if New Jersey Transit is working, it might be a piece of cake in a few days, to get to Adorama.

Update 2014.06.08: I was at Unique Photo this morning.  They were friendly and knowledgeable.  They expected a shipment last week and didn't get it.  They have 3 people on the list ahead of me.  It sounded as though they had a significant quantity arriving, so I may just get the body this week.

They also tempted me with the Panasonic GM1, which is clearly a dear and tiny camera body.  I'd really like to see it on the end of my Olympus 35-100mm f/2.0, with the tripod mount attached to the tripod, of course.   Otherwise, it's not quite balanced.  I was impressed with how very tiny the Olympus 60mm f/2.8 macro was.

Update 2014.06.11: I returned to Unique Photo since I hadn't heard anything and I wanted to make sure that they weren't going to send a GH4 to an address I no longer occupy.

They didn't get their shipment yet.  Maybe, they'll get it this week.  They didn't know.  Rather than have the GH3 and a GH4, I traded the GH3 for US$500, which is low, but you can sometime get a new GH3 for under US$900, so it's better to get US$500 than having it collect dust.  I bought an Olympus E-M1, which I will still use after I buy a GH4.

I still feel that the E-M1's battery and grip are too small, but I was tempted to buy a Panasonic GM1, so what's more weird?  I don't know.  Hopefully, the E-M1 will work well with my Four-Thirds lenses in real-life situations.  I still have my E-5 and E-1.

It's taking a while to charge the battery, so maybe it will last longer than I remember.  I hope Panasonic will have their stock soon.

Update 2014.11.30: A few days ago, I finally got my GH4.  Stock is not only good, but they've had a $200 instant rebate on the camera body.  When I tried my extra GH3 battery in the GH4, it seemed to be full, after nearly six months.

Mike's camera was fairly close--about 33 miles from where I live now.  Their people are not brand fanatics and are willing to talk intelligently about any brand you might want to buy.

It's a long time to go without.  The E-M1 has been good and the GH4 seems to be everything the GH3 was but better.

One year with the Panasonic GH3 and 35-100mm f/2.8

When I bought the GH3, I was practically desperate to combat low light photography in a way I had not tried since ASA 400 speed film was considered high speed.

I photograph sports.  I usually do it well, but certain gymnasiums and swimming pools make the task much more difficult.  Many gyms have multiple levels of seating, which restrict the floor level to sports-related people, i.e., those involved in the game or meet such as athletes, coaches, and referees.  Equally, a swim meet I was supposed to photograph put the swimmers behind a wall of glass.  However, nothing is worse than poor lighting and it's more likely than not.  If you can't adequately see the athletes, it's likely that the camera can't capture the moment.

I met with quite a few lighting obstacles, especially with high ceilings and few lights.  There are many schools that were built in the 1960s or earlier, and often small communities struggle to pay the bills.

I've often felt that getting a few keepers out of hundreds of photos was still a good workout.  In the case of dark venues, I was getting very few keepers.  I had considered switching brands, tossing my old equipment, and hoping for the best.  I analyzed a number of other photographers' photos and found that Nikon and Canon weren't in much better shape than Olympus in the US$1000-$2000 range for camera bodies.  Being that I would be spending US$2500 on a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens to complete the combination, it had to do much, much better, if I was to spend US$4200.  I dare say that the D800 is still in the same normal ISO sensitivity range, up to ISO 6400, where the D7100 resides.  They may seem better, but are they really?

The crazy, but conservative alternative was the released but difficult to find Panasonic GH3 body.  With an adapter, it could be used with my current lenses.  I had never used a Panasonic body but I was impressed with the construction of the Four-Thirds Leica 25mm f/1.4 lens made for the Leica Digilux 3--made by Panasonic.

Every review I read said that the GH3 was an adequate stills body and an amazing value for video.  As most photographers know, the world is moving to hybrid photography, and the GH3 (and now GH4) is a good product to become acquainted with it.

I had been looking for lenses, but Olympus was answering the call for fixed focal length lenses and generally, Panasonic had a number of software-corrected zoom lenses that weren't good without bright light, starting with an aperture of f/4.0, such as my 45-200mm.  Panasonic also had their new fixed aperture lenses, the 12-35mm f/2.8 and 35-100mm f/2.8, but with an earlier X-series lens, it didn't seem that they might be adequately designed.  When I read the reviews for the 35-100mm especially, on LensTip, I cringed for sure.

After a grinding debate, I ordered the GH3 and 35-100mm f/2.8 lens.  They arrived, I tried them alongside the E-5 and 35-100mm f/2.0 lens combination.  I tried many settings but in moderate light, the E-5 was better for image quality and color fidelity.  However, the GH3 delivered in darker areas, although I trashed a number of photos over ISO 3200.  In fact, the shots from ISO 4000 and up weren't good enough to be grainy photographs of Big Foot, at least, not for me.

In using the camera body, I ran into some odd problems that I decided were new user problems.  At some angles, the viewfinder image was curved, and the color was always incorrect.  The standard setting pushed me to view every photo after I took it, causing a lengthy pause in the feed, although I kept shooting, as though I could see.    Such is the life of a Live Viewfinder, as Panasonic calls it.  I found the setting to turn off instant review, and the pause was minimized.

At every event, I would revise and refine the settings to my liking, just as I would do with any dSLR.  The images weren't bad but they were never really great.

I tried manually focusing, as the auto focus would often focus somewhere odd, but between the short 35-100mm lens, and the magnification (manual focus assist), I never could rely on manual focus, as I did with an optical viewfinder.  This became more of a problem with track season, and I had to modify my techniques to just do the job.  Then, my sunglasses in concert with the viewfinder would often produce a black view--100% obstruction of the scene.  Auto Focus was equally an opponent to good photos, as it would often choose the chain link fence behind the runners.  If you've ever photographed a chain link fence, you know it's more difficult to focus on it because it's not deep.

However, I've adapted, and I've found ways to make things work, and I've had some good shots.  If it's to be believed, the GH4 likely addresses all of the problems I've encountered.  I'm ready for equipment that doesn't get in my way.  Truth be told, switching from the Olympus E-1 to the E-5, I had my doubts, also but it was certainly less of a stretch moving from dSLR to dSLR, although it didn't feel that the same company designed them both.

I doubt I'll back away from mirror-less bodies now, even though Panasonic had not convinced me 100% through the GH3.  Once the Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 lens is available, I'll likely trade the GH3 and Panasonic 35-100mm f/2.8 lens because, even without image stabilization, I'll get better shots.  How?  I've been shooting with the E-1, which has no image stabilization, and also with the E-5, which has simple two axis stabilization, as well with the GH3 and Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 lens.

It's been a rough road since I got the GH3 but I've found that it is capable of good photography when fitted with the correct lenses.  That could be said of almost any equipment, but I've truly been shocked at how good it really is with Olympus lenses attached, even through an adapter.

Pros:

• Strong, flexible video options
• Comfortable body, especially with Four-Thirds lenses
• Articulated rear display
• Silent mode
• Weather-sealing, magnesium alloy frame
• Battery life
• Five customization profiles

Cons:

• EVF magnifying glass effect, blackouts
• Image quality above ISO 3200
• File naming doesn't contain date
• Too small for larger Four-Thirds lenses

Update 2014.03.20: I watched a video on Vimeo today between Zacuto Films and a Panasonic representative.  They were enthusiastic about the GH4 and they got some good answers from the representative.  I was amused at the quick disappointment concerning the 35-100mm f/2.8 lens feeling plasticky and how the 12-35mm f/2.8 lens felt like a good piece of equipment.  They sounded like my comments on the lens.  The Panasonic representative didn't say anything other than the X-series lenses were meant to work at a higher level.  I wish mine would.  I didn't mention it much in this blog entry because I've complained thoroughly about it in others.  You can get good shots with it, but you have to be very, very careful.  Despite the price, it should not be a US$1500 lens.  US$750 would be more than enough for a lens of this caliber, especially one Made in China.

In any case, the GH3 has been a good camera body and makes me think that Panasonic has mostly thought about the photographer, more in handling lately than Olympus has.  It was the perfect transition from the Olympus E-5--the E-M1 certainly isn't.

One thing that has consistently surprised me about a camera body with two displays is that the battery lasts a very long time.  It's not a huge battery, either, especially coming from the E-1 and the E-5.

The other day, I tried Silent Mode for the first time.  It was interesting, but of course, I couldn't tell much of what was happening since there was no feedback really.  I could tell that something was being written to the card but I had no idea how many frames had been taken.

Update 2014.03.29: Panasonic offers a lot, and the flaws can be a problem, but as with any dSLR, you learn and adapt.  The GH4 is better but more expensive.  It's an easy choice if your main intent is to make video content, but they've also made some improvements for still photography.  If you consider that the GH3 + 12-40mm f/2.8 combo has been my constant companion over the past several weeks and the E-5 and E-1 have remained in the bag (and usually at home), I think you'll understand how good the GH3 actually is.

If I could make changes, I would use Olympus' Super Control Panel and TruePIC VII processing, along with the VF-4 viewfinder.  Why not just buy the E-M1?  It's uncomfortable for use with the Four-Thirds lenses it was specially designed to handle.   The GH3 was more thoughtfully designed for photographers.

For those looking at the GH3 as it is dropped in price, think about how inexpensive it is for a weather-sealed, high quality full HD video device.  Sure, the Pentax K-50 is less expensive for a weather-sealed body and you can buy unsealed lenses on the cheap, if still photography is what you want, but the GH3 is of a bit higher specification overall and the lenses are almost always smaller.

Update 2014.04.17: Panasonic have permanently reduced the price of the GH3 to US$1099.99.  This should make high quality video available to many more people, and make the GH3 bodies a more affordable platform to small studios.  Of course, there have been discounts that have dropped the price lower but they were temporary.  However, this makes buying the Canon 70D and Nikon D7100 for video less reasonable choices, except for those heavily invested in lenses for those brands.

I continue to find the GH3 and Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 lens a compelling combination.  Many will find the combination pricy but I find fewer lenses of higher image quality fit my needs better than more lenses of lower image quality--and weather-sealing is necessary for me.  If you've ever lived in an area subject to loads of dust and sudden weather changes, you'll understand the importance of not damaging a lens worth hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Update 2014.05.23: I've used the GH3 a number of times to get a vertical shot from a very low angle using the rear display tilted away from the body, a position unavailable to the Olympus E-M1 or the FujiFilm X-T1.  That in itself is enough to remind me that the GH3 and GH4 have a flexibility I need.

Had I tried to do the same shot with the E-M1 or X-T1, I might as well be using the fixed display of a Canon 70D or Nikon D7100.

Update 2015.03.22: Since I traded the GH3 in June 2014, I'd been using an Olympus E-M1.  It worked well for still photography, but of course, was not very good for video.  In December, I got the GH4, and it reminded me of all the good things that I liked about the GH3.  Many problems with the GH3 were fixed in the GH4, but auto focus is still a problem.  Image quality is better in many respects but photos are still limited to a useful ISO sensitivity of 3200, for my use.  Fixing the chroma noise problem has made those look better, but it's not enough to help the overall problem above that sensitivity.

The 35-100mm f/2.8 lens continues to disappoint, especially as I'm recording video now.  The stuttering of the OIS, even after the firmware update for it, is extreme.

Panasonic GH4 is loads better than just GH3+1

So, Panasonic is defying old (Japanese and Chinese) beliefs by using the number 4 for their professional model DSLM (Digital Single Lens Mirrorless--Panasonic's brilliant acronym) camera body.  It takes courage to go against such an old way of saying things, and they didn't go against it with consumer models.

This GH4 will have a lot to recommend it:

• Improved Viewfinder and rear display
• Improved focusing
• Faster processing
• Faster 1/8000th of a second shutter speed
• Faster 1/250th of a second flash sync
• Enhanced dynamic range at low(er) ISO sensitivity
• Panasonic lens profiles, similar to FujiFilm X-E2 and Olympus E-M1
• Better for current HD video
• Addition of 4K/Cinema 4K video

My biggest problem with the GH3 is when I'm using sunglasses with the viewfinder.  I occasionally end up with a black display, which makes "best guess" my operational mode.  The EVF (Electronic Viewfinder) on the Olympus E-M1 took care of all that (it does it too, on occasion), and I can assume (I've used it for a few minutes and it was good) that the FujiFilm X-T1 viewfinder is even better, due to raves I've seen about it so far.  However, the 0.67x magnification (as compared to a 135 format dSLR like the Nikon D4) is not entirely impressive, as the E-M1 using 0.71x and the X-T1 has 0.77x, as I recall.  I hope it's better than expected, and that it's not just an eye cup and an increased (10,000:1) contrast ratio providing most of the enhancement.  I'm sure the EVF of the E-M1 (or X-T1) is rather expensive, but with everything else they've enhanced, I'd hope that Panasonic would want to create a great shooting experience.  We'll see.  (Update: "DSLRmagazine (translation here) met Panasonic chief engineer Inoue. He confirmed the GH4 EVF is a lot better than the one used by the GH3 and that has been also achieved thanks of the use of aspherical lenses on the EVF."--it sounds much better.)

The Face Recognition/Eye Detection auto focus enhancements sound as though they'll likely simplify my work (as long as it works correctly), since taking photos of basketball, cross country, or other sports requires me to get at least one face in focus.  They've increased the number of focus points from 23 to 49, and you apparently have the ability to customize which you'd like to use as a pattern.  Supposedly, the focus point can be anywhere across the frame, but if there are only 49 points, how can that be?

Depth of Defocus technology should speed up accurate focusing by comparing the distance from correct focus, using specific lens information.  Whatever it takes to improve the sometimes laggy "world's fastest" (everyone has the world's fastest AF now) auto focus will be appreciated.  Using lens profiles within the camera is something already being done by the Olympus E-M1 and FujiFilm X-E2 and X-T1.  They've said that this sort of technology eschews the need for Phase Detect pixels on the sensor.  I'm not so sure, but compared to Olympus' (supplier's) half-hearted design attempt in the E-M1, we shall see.  The 35 pixels (areas? The X-T1 is using 86,000 PD pixels) used for phase detection weren't exactly a lot, but I think it's more about the cost than the number of pixels.

The improved burst speed is quite stunning--12 (twice as many as the GH3) frames per second, "up to approx.40 (including RAW)".  I'm assuming that means that the raw buffer will hold 40 frames.  The poorly translated press release needs some work.  They're claiming 7 (4.2 on the GH3) frames per second in continuous/predictive auto focus, which is higher than single AF on the GH3, which is 6. I haven't counted on the continuous auto focus because the GH3's predictions were wrong for my shooting, so hopefully, that of the GH4 will be closer, or I will get a faster response from the single AF.

They've increased the standard top end of the ISO sensitivity to 25,600 from 12,800 because they've found a way to handle chromatic noise better.  Given that I only use photos from the GH3 up to ISO 3200 on a regular basis, this could allow me to regularly use images at ISO 6400 and give my ISO 3200 photos an extra distance from extreme correction.  I would generally not condone using ISO 3200 but photographing sports in a gym or at a swimming pool leads to a lot of bad lighting.  In some cases, flash is permissible but my regular flash (Olympus FL-50) was damaged and is no longer functional and I don't care to spend money on another at the moment.  ISO 3200 on the GH3 seems to be a bit rougher than on the Olympus E-M5 (but not the E-M1 supposedly), but then, it's also rougher than the newer Panasonic bodies, the GX7 and GM1.  Then again, when the E-M5 was new, there were allegations that the ISO sensitivity numbers were higher than the actual sensitivity.

As with the enhanced processing, the dynamic range has been enhanced ⅓ EV at base ISO, which should be ISO 200 (but is apparently an extended ISO 100).  Is it enough to stave off the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera's great dynamic range?  Also, has the dynamic range been enhanced due to moving noise producing electronics away from the sensor, or has it been enhanced with better, cleaner processing?  (Given that I've seen the enhanced dynamic range at ISO 100, rather than ISO 125 even, I think they've re-worked their curves to emulate ISO 100 while actually using ISO 200, something many camera makers do.)

They've increased the fastest speed of the shutter to 1/8000th of a second and improved the flash sync speed to 1/250th of a second.  Working with their newest 42.5mm f/1.2 lens should be much easier in bright light, along with those Voigtländer lenses at f/0.95.  On the E-5, I'm above 1/4000th occasionally, so this will be of use to me on the GH4.  The shutter durability has been doubled to 200,000 uses, which is higher than Olympus' E-1, E-3, or E-5 at 150,000.

They've increased the readout speed of the sensor to reduce/suppress the rolling shutter/jello effect during video.  Obviously, no global shutter technology yet.  My understanding is that you'll have to spend significantly more to get devices with global shutter technology.

Of course, their big announcement for video is that they have 4K and Cinema 4K resolutions available.  They've also increased the upper bit rate for HD video from 72 Mbps to 200 Mbps.  I am not a video person in general, so I can't say much about these.  They've gone to a lot of trouble to allow the sensor to continue for longer periods of time without overheating.  In fact, they have a mode where you can use a GH4 without recording at all, but to feed an external recorder using a higher specification than can be put onto an SD card, via the HDMI port or the new interface module that connects below it.

However, they have a new adapter module: DMW-YAGH interface unit for professional applications.  This provides the inputs and outputs to make things work more easily, and enables a channel to record 4:2:2.  It would also be useful, if you had several GH4 bodies and needed to use them interchangeably on one cart, but still allow them to be mobile.  The GH4 body is somewhat different than the GH3 but still uses the same battery grip.

If I said that I was enthusiastic about this announcement, it would be an understatement.   I found the GH3 to be a useful camera body, with a number of flaws.  The company seems to have taken steps to correct the flaws while leaving the general design of the camera body as it was.  Given the reviews and output from the company's GX7 body, I was expecting quite a bit more from a GH3 replacement.  It seems that they've delivered.  I hope that I still feel that way when I have one in my hands for a few hours.

What they haven't mentioned are the price and delivery dates.  The rumor was under US$2000, which could easily be US$1999.99.  Still, it will be less expensive than the Canon 5DMkIII, which they're targeting.  Pre-orders are apparently available, starting on March 17th, so by then, they'll have finalized pricing, and will have an idea when they'll be able to finalize the firmware and ship bodies.

I wonder if there will be a long line, as there was with the GH3.  It took quite a few months before there was a considerable quantity available, though Panasonic often struggles to provide products other than rice cookers and home phones.

Update 2014.02.23: This week, I went to buy a micro Four-Thirds lens, the Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8.  While talking with the salesperson, I had some thoughts about the GH4 and the FujiFilm X-T1, along with what he was saying about delivery of lenses.  Given that product manufacturing can be fraught with disaster and products can be delayed in being delivered to market, The GH4 seems the best product for me, even if the finer points of resolution of still photos isn't as good.

I'm not exactly in a rush.  The GH3 does okay in low light.  It's just not great.  If the GH4 is one stop better, that's a great step.  I've been looking for that perfect sports camera body, and the Nikon D4 might be that but not for me, not now.  If I was making US$250,000 each year, why not?   Besides, the hybrid abilities of the GH3 and GH4 are the reason I chose the GH3 anyway.

I was not extremely comfortable with the color from the Panasonic 35-100mm f/2.8 lens, but I'm hoping that the Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 lens will be available later in the year, and while it's no Olympus 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5, it still has almost 4x zoom and the constant aperture will help.  It may be enough for cross country running.

I was hoping that the GH4 sensor would have Phase Detection auto focus available, but Panasonic have said that they found the performance increase to be more important.  Given my experience with Four-Thirds lenses on the GH3, if the GH4 AF performance with them is much faster, they might be as usable as on the E-M1, which wasn't as great as Olympus would like us to believe, at least, in my hands-on experience.

Update 2014.03.06: I saw this JPEG ISO sensitivity comparison.   It doesn't look as though it's a complete win, but it's better with the GH4.  Since I use photographs at ISO 3200, I'm interested in photos at ISO 6400.  There was improvement in the face, but not so much in the hands in the shadow areas.  I also thought that the face with the GH4 at ISO 6400 was an improvement over the GH3 at ISO 3200.  Since raw file conversion is not yet available, I won't hold my breath to see if it's the truth or a trick, but I expect that it's the truth.  Panasonic make good improvements in each generation of their processing.

I was reading this review of the X-T1 at Admiring Light.   It confirmed more of the quirks that would make it difficult for me to enjoy using it for sports.  So, if the GH4 doesn't cost a small fortune, it looks as though there is only one way to go for what I do.

Update 2014.03.08: Would US$1699.99 be too high a price?  It seems as though Panasonic is still trying to figure this out with only a week or so left for pre-orders to be allowed.  Obviously, it's a fine line with the perception that the E-M1 and X-T1 are equals, even though their video capabilities are inferior.  It won't matter to those companies for which the GH4 will be one of many tools in the shed, but for the hobbyist, it's a major sticking point.  Besides that, Panasonic has a routine about pricing too high, and then, discounting too quickly, making early adopters upset.

I have expected anything up to US$1999.99 but US$1499.99 would be extremely reasonable.  I don't see it lower than that, at least, until its replacement is ready to arrive on the market.

Update 2014.03.16: The US$1699.99 became a reality.  That's not horrible at US$400 more.  It is a better product with increased functionality.   The processing power alone adds to the price quite a bit.  I was a bit shocked at the price of the DMW-YAGH interface unit at US$1999.99.  It must have extremely noise-free pathways to be so expensive.  For a studio to buy it, I'm sure it would not be a huge purchase, and it will work with multiple GH4 bodies.  However, at $3299.99 for the pair, it shouldn't bother most people serious about film making.

I would say that the GH4 is a no brainer, but it's not an impulse item like chewing gum or mints.  If the GH4 is as good as the E-M1 or the X-T1 for stills, I think Olympus and FujiFilm will have a fight on their hands because video is not something either company does well.  Similarly, the Nikon D7100 and Canon 70D and 7D are targets for Panasonic and they don't do video well.

Update 2014.03.20: I was watching a discussion on Vimeo between Zacuto Films and a Panasonic representative who apparently knows the motion picture technical side quite well.  While you cannot record 4K 4:2:2 video directly to the SD Card, you can use either the HDMI output or the YAGH interface unit to do that, and you'll need to interface with an external recorder.  Something that The Camera Store brought up in their video on YouTube is that the YAGH interface is unpowered--there is no battery.  Therefore, you need to carry a battery with you to do handheld work, or you work close to an electrical outlet.  For US$1999.99, shouldn't there be a battery inside it?  I don't suspect most people in the business will be bothered, or will be using it handheld but who knows?  My ignorance of the motion picture industry counts here.  On both videos were mention of video and motion picture related options in the GH4, so that it would be easier to work with familiar measurements, rather than ISO sensitivity, for example.  Apparently, a lot of these options were available in the AG-AF100/AF105 micro Four-Thirds camcorders.  That means that the GH4 is a lot of power and ability at a very comfortable price, even at US$3299.99 with the interface unit.  Supposedly the next least expensive, similarly available product/combo would be something from Sony at around US$25,000.

I was glad to hear that the stills ability has improved, but sad that the viewfinder is still a bit odd optically.  It certainly dampens my enthusiasm for using it.  However, any improvement is great because the GH3 viewfinder is a pain for me.  The Camera Store video mentioned that the shutter noise is louder, but the enhancements seem worth it, especially the durability and doubled frame rate in single auto focus.

Update 2014.12.01: I got my GH4 about a week ago, and at a $200 discount.  It just feels right, as did the GH3.  It's very close to the Olympus E-5 dSLR in shape, but with a more Canon feel than Nikon, though it still uses PASM instead of Tv for S, Av for A, etc.

The viewfinder is better.  I don't believe I've had it black out yet but I have a feeling it has to do with the proximity sensor in the GH3 and the E-M1.  Last week, when I was using the E-M1, I had a black out but I somehow saw the image below on the rear display.  On the GH3, I never had the display facing out, so I never would have known.

The performance seemed good but not amazing--it is shipped with Continuous Auto Focus enabled.  Auto Review is also enabled, which not only slows things down, as it does with the GH3, but it's a battery waster--something that also seems consumer-oriented.  Are consumers the target buyers for the GH4?

Since the price of the GH3 has dropped below US$1000, it may be a more difficult choice to buy the GH4.  I suspect it's a very, very good choice, though.

Update 2015.01.03: After a couple of thousand photos--no, serious--a couple of thousand photos, and over 100 video clips, I'm feeling fairly secure about the GH4.  However, I wish that they had a !@#$ profile for the Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 lens.  I've found too many photos that weren't in focus, although video seems fine for the most part.  I'm sure there is firmware to be released.  I think they'll be refining firmware for a while.  I really wish that they would support significant Olympus lenses.  Surely, it would be to Panasonic's advantage to support Olympus lenses in Depth From Defocus.

If I was making a film, I don't think it would matter.  Manual focus lenses aren't a problem in film-making but I'm a sports photographer.  However, until late 2011, I'd never used auto focus for much more than testing.  I'd always manually focused for sports.  The problem for me now is that micro Four-Thirds lenses are too small.  I've tried manually focusing the Panasonic 35-100mm f/2.8 multiple times without any repeatable success.  I was having a problem recently where the GH4 was focusing on the fence behind the rider, similar to the GH3 focusing on a fence behind the runners.  Back then, the magnified view got in my way.  It's not bad with the GH4, though.  I can see around it.

Still, I'm wondering if I should buy the Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 lens.  I waited too long to get a holiday discount, but it seems permanently at US$999.99 now.  I'd rather spend money on the Metabones SpeedBooster adapter and Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 lens combination, which would be big enough to focus manually.  It's too bad the Metabones SpeedBooster for Nikon G lenses doesn't have a focus confirmation chip, at least, that I can find.

Update 2016.01.17: It's been over one year and I've taken over 62,000 photos and made over 120 videos from many more video clips with the GH4.

When I arrive at a skate park, I reach for the GH4 first, ahead of the Olympus E-M1 or my recently-purchased GX8 or any of the dSLRs.

I've been using it with various lenses, including the Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 and Panasonic 35-100mm f/2.8.  The Leica/Panasonic 15mm f/1.7 has been extremely useful in lower light situations, as has the Olympus 8mm f/1.8 fisheye lens.  I even bought the Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 lens with the GX8 with a healthy discount.

The GH4 still picks the fence behind people, so no matter the AF enhancements, Panasonic has a long way to go.  Face detection works, but so slowly that it's not really usable.  It's slightly faster on the GX8 but it only takes a quick try with the Olympus E-M1 to see how great Olympus' implementation of face detection is.

There have been occasions when I was frustrated with the GH4 but I get more done with it and it feels more like an extension of my hand than any other camera body since the Olympus E-1.

Battery life is amazing and the viewfinder is almost always amazing.  On occasion, it blacks out, due to the angle with my sunglasses, but it works very well overall.  I've had the same problem with the E-M1 and the GX8.  It seemed as though the GH3's viewfinder was blacked out more than it was useful.

I can't say that the image quality is amazing in lower light, but it is manageable and the camera is responsive in conditions that cause the Nikon D7200 to stop and think...and think...and think.  I don't use images past ISO sensitivity of 3200, even though the top end of the normal range is 25,600.  Video seems better at that sensitivity but it's using a smaller resolution, even for 4K resolutions, which I don't really use.