I was thinking that I'd only had the GH4 for a little more than 1 year, but it has been 2. Strange how time seems to pass. It's been almost 5 years since I started with micro Four-Thirds, with the GH3 and 35-100mm f/2.8 lens.
In about 36 hours, Panasonic will announce the GH5. So far, the rumors have indicated very little. It's getting a higher resolution sensor. It's getting a higher resolution EVF and a higher resolution rear display. It will be able to record at higher bit rates, including 4K at 60p, and possibly 120 fps or 180 fps for 1080p. There is a new hotshoe-mounted interface device.
The 12-35mm f/2.8 and 35-100mm f/2.8 lenses are to be revised. Hopefully, they'll fix the pathetic OIS unit in the 35-100mm f/2.8. The stutter in video was just as bad after the firmware fix.
Speculation is everything now.
I have one big wish--that the AF be tremendously improved. Whether I'm recording video clips and the AF suddenly goes away or I'm trying to take a still photograph of someone and it locks onto the fence or wall behind the person, I need improvement. Supposedly, they've divided the AF areas to provide a more granular set but it didn't feel as the number of CDAF areas were the problem. It was that the camera body became too busy to be bothered with AF.
It's odd that I can be sitting and I point the GH4 in a slightly different direction and I can hear it working on AF, but if I need it to take care of it while doing the half-press on the shutter release button, it's off in lala land just enough to be a problem.
I've still had problems with the EVF blacking out while I'm wearing non-polarized sunglasses but that isn't really a problem for me. Muscle memory helps me get my shots.
Since Sony and Canon have stepped up their game, Panasonic must arrive with much better technology and I'm not enough of a brand fanatic to believe that they have. I believe whatever Venus Engine processor they use will be better but it always comes up a bit short. They've become better at removing chroma noise, but not enough to make anything over ISO 3200 usable for me.
To me, they should have the same sensor with 121 cross-type AF PDAF and CDAF points that the E-M1 Mk II has. This would solve many problems, if used correctly. Panasonic told us that they didn't need PDAF and that using pixels for PDAF degraded image quality. I suspect that they didn't use the best technology.
Whatever comes, they will likely underestimate demand and eek out a few units, so that people will wait months for their camera body to arrive, even if they receive a boatload of pre-orders.
I hope that Panasonic overwhelms us with good news about the GH5 and the 35-100mm f/2.8 replacement.
What, no PDAF? Are they stupid, cheap, or both? For the price, PDAF should be included.
I'm underwhelmed. Yes, it's better than the GH4, but it would be difficult to not improve on the GH4. Apparently, the sensor outputs at 1.7x the speed, they say, but isn't 480 2.0x 240? Hopefully, the replacements for the 12-35mm f/2.8 and 35-100mm f/2.8 are up to full speed instead of lagging. They aren't--the same 240 fps that the originals did. I'm wondering if they fixed the OIS in the 35-100mm f/2.8 or just re-did the exterior, as with the 20mm f/1.7 lens. At least, they reduced the price from the maximum of the original.
I was unimpressed with the 35-100mm when I used it on the E-M1 instead of the GH3 because it was so much slower. It's slow on the GX8 also, but of course, not on the GH4. In the revised version, they say 240 fps, which seems the original figure, but it never seemed to work well, for me, on anything but the GH3 or GH4. It was slow on the GX8 and E-M1, for me.
At least, the GH5 finally has 5 axis image stabilization, and hopefully, the new routines in the Venus Engine 10 image processor will help them keep up. Its speed improvement was less than impressive, considering that the GH4 was overwhelmed at times and didn't keep up. It almost feels as though the new processor was good enough for the GH4.
It's both brilliant for the film maker, and brilliantly flawed for the rest of us.
Update 2019.04.01: It's been over two years and a lot has happened. The GH5 is still there, but there are also the G9 and the GH5s. For film makers, the GH5s is a great way to get things done, but for the extra expense. It's definitely not for a stills photographer, as it has 10.28 MP and costs more than the GH5, but without in-body image stabilization. That camera body is the G9 with IBIS and 20 MP and much better auto focus.
The G85 is actually quite good, as a GH4 alternative and shortly, its successor should be available, if the rumors are true. 20 MP, 4K video, and a small-ish body. That might be worth it, just to get an enhanced version, even if it is small. Since the G85 already has the Dual IS to make the joined stabilization stronger than either lens OIS or IBIS, it could be an alternative, especially if the price drops due to its replacement.
Showing posts with label GH5. Show all posts
Showing posts with label GH5. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
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:
Panasonic GH4 Pros:
Olympus E-M1 Pros:
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.
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.
Thursday, November 27, 2014
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.
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.
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
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:
Cons:
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.
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.
Monday, March 10, 2014
Panasonic GH4: to pre-order or not at US$1699.99
Apparently, the floodgates have opened, and pre-orders on the Panasonic GH4 are available at roughly US$1699.99, the full retail pricing. I continue to think about the Olympus E-5 that was introduced in 2010 at the same price. The extra US$400 over the GH3 full retail pricing probably isn't enough to offset the research and development work, but I think that the company will sell enough to business users to make a profit eventually.
If things are good, the first people ordering it should see their camera bodies around the end of April. If it's as it was with the GH3, it could be longer--a few minutes delay in ordering could mean months. I'm not sure Panasonic anticipated the demand for the GH3, though I'm not sure that demand that strong exists for the GH4.
I'm ready but cautious. My GH3 may be flawed but I haven't seen anything about a production-firmware-laden GH4 yet. Panasonic certainly isn't talking to me about it.
I was reading the marketing blurbs on the Panasonic web site. Any time I see the word "professional" in marketing these days, I laugh. It seems to be the way around actually committing yourself to dangerous comparisons that may get you a lawsuit. I've seen people use an iPhone as a professional camera, so what exactly does that mean to the GH4 or the D4 or 1D x?
Can I use the GH4 instead of a US$3000 (5DMkIII or D800) body and get nearly the same results? How does it hold up against a US$6000 body?
The answer is a qualified "yes", of course. Yes, the video functionality will do well. My question is all about the still photography functionality. I'm impressed with the numbers but I really need to know how it really works in real world situations because I don't photograph test charts. I photograph sports.
I'm looking to wait a while anyway. I need to sell my GH3 or trade it for the GH4. I want the Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 lens that will be available later this year, so I may wait for the combination of the two and add my Panasonic 35-100mm f/2.8 and 45-200mm f/4.0-5.6 lenses to the trade-in list. I don't care about the image stabilization, if I can't get a good, clear shot anyway. (Just ask me about all the years with the Olympus E-1 and 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5. I did fine. It could make sense to go with the E-M1 but I might as well wait for the replacement to see if they put a bigger battery in it and therefore, fix the grip.)
Happy shopping!
Update 2014.04.06: The GH4 should be arriving for some people at the end of April. Hopefully, their production will be strong enough to meet demand. I'm still hesitating until I can trade my GH3 but then, I'm packing in order to move across the country. I think I want to trade the GH3 here, where the people at the store know me. I could get a few dollars more.
Hopefully, the firmware upgrades to the inevitable minor issues will be quickly and accurately written and dispensed. Of course, the camera body has more intense processing than the GH3, so the little problems could be magnified a bit.
I wonder if any of the newer options from the AG-AF100/AG-AF105 will present new problems.
I hope that Panasonic has a rock-solid version 1.0 firmware release but I won't hold my breath.
Update 2014.04.09: I've seen the initial reports on the Sony A7s 4K camera body. I'd like to be impressed but it still sounds like checklist engineering. I see far too many complaints about the lack of responsiveness with the A7/A7R and can't imagine that the A7s will be better. Yes, it can do the things they list, but can it do them well? My money will be on the GH4.
Update 2014.04.14: Tweeted at Roberts Camera concerning a GH4 in stock. No such thing available. Do I want to be added to the list when I will probably be gone in three weeks? I don't believe so, but I want to trade the GH3, while I can do it in person. I'm not sure why, but mail order and waiting just isn't for me. Selling my house has filled me with anxiety already. Maybe, I should buy/trade for that Olympus E-M1 while I'm waiting. :-D
Update 2014.05.19: Over the weekend, I sent a message to Mike's Camera in Dublin, California asking if they did trade-ins. They have both Olympus and Panasonic, supposedly. They responded that they don't handle trade-ins, unfortunately.
I'm thinking of a mad, mad solution: trade for the Olympus E-M1, which Roberts easily has in stock. Then, later, when the GH4 is in stock and properly updated to reliable firmware, I'll buy one outright, probably through Adorama, although I might buy it locally at Mike's Camera. (I'd rather buy locally but there are times when it's just a bad idea. Mike's is a company from Colorado with a few California locations, for some reason, and one is reasonably close to where I'll be.)
If for some reason when/if I go to Roberts they have an extra GH4 in stock, I could just go the shorter path, though I'm thinking that the E-M1's 5 axis IS will help on certain nights. I'd rather have the successor to it, but I suspect that will take some time. Olympus isn't even replacing the E-M5 yet.
If things are good, the first people ordering it should see their camera bodies around the end of April. If it's as it was with the GH3, it could be longer--a few minutes delay in ordering could mean months. I'm not sure Panasonic anticipated the demand for the GH3, though I'm not sure that demand that strong exists for the GH4.
I'm ready but cautious. My GH3 may be flawed but I haven't seen anything about a production-firmware-laden GH4 yet. Panasonic certainly isn't talking to me about it.
I was reading the marketing blurbs on the Panasonic web site. Any time I see the word "professional" in marketing these days, I laugh. It seems to be the way around actually committing yourself to dangerous comparisons that may get you a lawsuit. I've seen people use an iPhone as a professional camera, so what exactly does that mean to the GH4 or the D4 or 1D x?
Can I use the GH4 instead of a US$3000 (5DMkIII or D800) body and get nearly the same results? How does it hold up against a US$6000 body?
The answer is a qualified "yes", of course. Yes, the video functionality will do well. My question is all about the still photography functionality. I'm impressed with the numbers but I really need to know how it really works in real world situations because I don't photograph test charts. I photograph sports.
I'm looking to wait a while anyway. I need to sell my GH3 or trade it for the GH4. I want the Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 lens that will be available later this year, so I may wait for the combination of the two and add my Panasonic 35-100mm f/2.8 and 45-200mm f/4.0-5.6 lenses to the trade-in list. I don't care about the image stabilization, if I can't get a good, clear shot anyway. (Just ask me about all the years with the Olympus E-1 and 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5. I did fine. It could make sense to go with the E-M1 but I might as well wait for the replacement to see if they put a bigger battery in it and therefore, fix the grip.)
Happy shopping!
Update 2014.04.06: The GH4 should be arriving for some people at the end of April. Hopefully, their production will be strong enough to meet demand. I'm still hesitating until I can trade my GH3 but then, I'm packing in order to move across the country. I think I want to trade the GH3 here, where the people at the store know me. I could get a few dollars more.
Hopefully, the firmware upgrades to the inevitable minor issues will be quickly and accurately written and dispensed. Of course, the camera body has more intense processing than the GH3, so the little problems could be magnified a bit.
I wonder if any of the newer options from the AG-AF100/AG-AF105 will present new problems.
I hope that Panasonic has a rock-solid version 1.0 firmware release but I won't hold my breath.
Update 2014.04.09: I've seen the initial reports on the Sony A7s 4K camera body. I'd like to be impressed but it still sounds like checklist engineering. I see far too many complaints about the lack of responsiveness with the A7/A7R and can't imagine that the A7s will be better. Yes, it can do the things they list, but can it do them well? My money will be on the GH4.
Update 2014.04.14: Tweeted at Roberts Camera concerning a GH4 in stock. No such thing available. Do I want to be added to the list when I will probably be gone in three weeks? I don't believe so, but I want to trade the GH3, while I can do it in person. I'm not sure why, but mail order and waiting just isn't for me. Selling my house has filled me with anxiety already. Maybe, I should buy/trade for that Olympus E-M1 while I'm waiting. :-D
Update 2014.05.19: Over the weekend, I sent a message to Mike's Camera in Dublin, California asking if they did trade-ins. They have both Olympus and Panasonic, supposedly. They responded that they don't handle trade-ins, unfortunately.
I'm thinking of a mad, mad solution: trade for the Olympus E-M1, which Roberts easily has in stock. Then, later, when the GH4 is in stock and properly updated to reliable firmware, I'll buy one outright, probably through Adorama, although I might buy it locally at Mike's Camera. (I'd rather buy locally but there are times when it's just a bad idea. Mike's is a company from Colorado with a few California locations, for some reason, and one is reasonably close to where I'll be.)
If for some reason when/if I go to Roberts they have an extra GH4 in stock, I could just go the shorter path, though I'm thinking that the E-M1's 5 axis IS will help on certain nights. I'd rather have the successor to it, but I suspect that will take some time. Olympus isn't even replacing the E-M5 yet.
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