Panasonic DC-GH5MEF-K Panasonic - Review 🏆

The Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5 is the company's flagship Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera, positioned as a top-of-the-line model for enthusiasts and professionals. Released in 2017, the GH5 succeeds the popular GH4 with a range of upgrades while retaining the same form factor.

Key features of the GH5 include a 20.3MP Live MOS sensor without an optical low-pass filter, Venus Engine image processor, 5-axis in-body image stabilization, and Dual I.S. 2 with select lenses. It has a high-resolution OLED viewfinder, free-angle touchscreen display, and weather-sealed body.

For video, the GH5 offers cinema 4K video up to 60fps, 4:2:2 10-bit internal recording, and 1080p up to 180fps. It has advanced video features like vectorscope display, anamorphic 4K capture, and V-Log L gamma. The GH5 is designed for multimedia creators looking for a hybrid camera with professional photo and video capabilities.

Body and Design

The Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5MEF-K features a rugged yet lightweight magnesium alloy body that is weather sealed for use in harsh environments. The body is designed for professional use with an ergonomic hand grip and well-placed physical controls.

Despite its durable construction, the GH5 remains relatively compact and lightweight compared to other pro-oriented cameras. This makes it highly portable for shooting on location. The weather sealing provides protection against dust, splashes and freezing temperatures down to -10°C.

Overall, the body design balances portability and ruggedness for the professional photographer or videographer who needs to work in tough environments. The magnesium alloy body provides a sense of confidence that the GH5 can withstand outdoor shoots in less than ideal conditions.

In contrast, the Panasonic Lumix DC-GX880KEGS offers a more compact design ideal for casual photography. With its sleek build, it prioritizes portability while still offering impressive image quality through a 16-megapixel sensor. The GX880 features built-in Wi-Fi for easy sharing of photos and videos, and its tiltable touchscreen allows for creative shooting angles. This model appeals to those who desire high performance in a lightweight package, making it perfect for travel. Its combination of form factor and advanced functionality provides a versatile option for everyday photographers.

Image Sensor and Processor

The Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5M2 features a 20.3MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS sensor and Venus Engine image processor. The sensor design omits the optical low-pass filter to maximize sharpness and resolution. Combined with the fast Venus Engine processor, the GH5M2 delivers excellent image quality with low noise levels even at high ISO settings.

The 20MP resolution provides flexibility for large prints or aggressive cropping. The sensor and processor enable a native ISO range of 100-25,600, which is expandable to ISO 50-25,600. This allows the camera to excel in low light conditions. Continuous shooting is possible at up to 12 fps with the mechanical shutter or 50 fps with the silent electronic shutter, making it suitable for action photography. Overall, the imaging capabilities of the GH5M2 allow it to balance speed, resolution, and noise performance for both photo and video needs.

In addition to the GH5M2, the Panasonic Lumix DC-TZ95D is another impressive product. This compact camera offers a 20.3MP sensor and a versatile 30x optical zoom lens, perfect for travel and everyday photography. The TZ95D features a bright touchscreen, 4K video recording, and excellent connectivity options, making it ideal for capturing memories on the go. With its user-friendly design, it allows for great flexibility and creativity in various shooting conditions.

Autofocus and Shooting Speed

The Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5MEF-K features a 225-area contrast AF system that provides fast and accurate focusing. It can focus in lighting conditions as low as -4EV, making it suitable for low light shooting situations.

The camera has a maximum burst rate of 12 frames per second (fps) with the mechanical shutter, or 20 fps with the electronic shutter, allowing you to capture fast action sequences. The buffer depth when shooting RAW files is generous, allowing over 50 RAW images to be captured in a burst.

The autofocus system can continuously adjust focus when shooting video as well, providing smooth focus transitions. Overall, the GH5 offers pro-level autofocus and continuous shooting capabilities for both stills and video.

Video Capabilities

The Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5 is a superb video camera that delivers professional-level performance. It can record up to 4K resolution at 60p with 10-bit color depth when shooting internally. This allows for incredibly detailed and sharp video footage that takes full advantage of 4K displays.

The 10-bit color provides over 1 billion colors and greatly reduces color banding issues that can occur in 8-bit video. This results in smooth color gradients and tonal transitions. The GH5 uses advanced compression so you can record high-quality 4K video at a reasonable file size.

Some additional video capabilities include being able to shoot FHD at up to 180fps for slow motion, time lapse and stop motion animation modes, and dual native ISO for low noise when shooting in low light conditions. There are also a wide selection of log shooting profiles like V-Log L to maximize dynamic range and flexibility when color grading.

Overall, the video capabilities of the Lumix GH5 are exceptional. The combination of 4K 60p 10-bit internal recording, extensive frame rates, impressive low light performance, and flexible profiles make it a top choice for dedicated video shooters and multimedia content creators.

Photo Features

The Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5M2 features an impressive array of photo capabilities for both stills and video. One standout feature is the 5-axis in-body image stabilization, providing up to 6.5 stops of compensation for camera shake to enable sharper handheld shots and stable video footage.

The camera also offers 6K and 4K photo modes, allowing you to extract high-resolution still frames from 6K and 4K video. This is great for capturing the perfect moment in fast action sequences like sports and wildlife. The 6K photo mode produces 18MP images while 4K photo generates 8MP still photos. There are different drive modes like burst shooting to choose from when using the 6K/4K photo functions.

The 5-axis stabilization combined with the high-resolution 6K and 4K photo modes make this an excellent choice for those seeking top-notch photo features and image quality in a mirrorless camera body. The photo capabilities allow both professional photographers and enthusiasts to capture stunning, shake-free images and videos.

Display and Connectivity

The Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5M2 features a 3.0" articulating touchscreen LCD with 1.84 million dots of resolution. This allows you to tilt and swivel the screen to help compose shots from challenging angles, whether holding the camera above crowds or low to the ground. The display is bright and vibrant, providing a crisp live view.

For wireless connectivity, the GH5M2 has both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi built in. This allows you to pair with a smartphone or tablet to remotely control the camera, or transfer images for sharing on social media. Using the Panasonic Image App, you can use your mobile device as a monitor and change key settings like aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, and more. The 5GHz Wi-Fi provides a fast, reliable connection to enable quick sharing.

Battery Life

The Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5 Mark II has decent battery life for its class. It is powered by a Li-ion battery pack (7.2V, 2200mAh, 16Wh) and is CIPA-rated for 410 shots per charge. This is a slight improvement over its predecessor, the GH5, which was rated for 380 shots per charge.

The battery life will allow you to shoot throughout the day or most of a long event without needing to swap batteries. However, for professional use or all-day shoots, carrying a spare battery is recommended. Power management features like Sleep Mode help conserve battery life when not actively shooting. Overall the GH5 Mark II offers respectable stamina from its relatively compact form factor.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Impressive video capabilities: The GH5 is a video powerhouse, able to shoot 4K video up to 60fps and 1080p video up to 180fps. It offers 10-bit 4:2:2 internal recording and can output 4K 60p/50p over HDMI. The GH5 supports a wide variety of professional video features like V-Log L, anamorphic 4K capture, and 4:3 Anamorphic mode.

• 5-axis in-body image stabilization (IBIS): The GH5 features impressive 5-axis sensor-shift image stabilization that works in conjunction with select lenses for up to 5.5 stops of stabilization. This allows for sharper images when handholding the camera, especially at slower shutter speeds.

• Weather sealing: The magnesium alloy body is splash, dust, and freeze proof down to -10 degrees Celsius. This makes the GH5 suitable for outdoor and adventure photographers who need a rugged camera.

Cons

• High price: The GH5 has a premium price point, especially for a Micro Four Thirds camera. This puts it out of reach for some hobbyists and enthusiasts.

• Mediocre battery life: The CIPA rating for battery life is only 410 shots when using the rear LCD, or 440 shots when using the EVF. This is relatively low for a mirrorless camera and heavy video use will drain the battery quickly. Carrying spare batteries is recommended.

Conclusion

Overall, the Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5 is an excellent mirrorless camera that excels for both photos and video. It features a 20.3MP Micro Four Thirds sensor and Venus Engine processor that enable fast shooting speeds up to 9 fps with AF-S, making it great for action photography.

The GH5's autofocus system is highly accurate and offers 225 AF points for flexible compositional freedom. Its DFD focusing technology quickly locks focus on moving subjects.

For videography, the GH5 delivers cinema-quality 4K 60p video with 4:2:2 10-bit internal recording. Its unlimited recording times, advanced video features like waveform monitors, and V-Log L capabilities make it a top choice for pro filmmakers and videographers.

The GH5 has a sturdy, weather-sealed body with dual SD card slots. Its high-resolution EVF, vari-angle touchscreen LCD, and extensive physical controls provide an excellent handling experience. Built-in 5-axis image stabilization offers up to 5 stops of compensation for smoother handheld shooting.

Overall, the Panasonic Lumix GH5 is one of the most versatile hybrid cameras available today. It excels for both photography and videography needs. If you are looking for a professional-level mirrorless camera with exceptional image quality and video features, the GH5 is easy to recommend.