GH4 leaves me a little confused and dissapointed?

[Advent1sam]

As much as I like video, this seems way way OTT for a consumer "hybrid" camera? and really its going far too "pro-video" for my liking. The new stills af feature seems cool but seriously the GH series has gone off at a tangent IMO. Once upon a time the GH1/2 had Multi-aspect ratios for stills and video lovers and great video/stills features at a very convenient size and price? GH has moved in the wrong direction IMO for consumers, disappointing. However, if your the BBC or budding semi-pro videographer I guess you are the exact opposite!

 

[s_grins]

As much as I like video, this seems way way OTT for a consumer "hybrid" camera? and really its going far too "pro-video" for my liking. The new stills af feature seems cool but seriously the GH series has gone off at a tangent IMO. Once upon a time the GH1/2 had Multi-aspect ratios for stills and video lovers and great video/stills features at a very convenient size and price? GH has moved in the wrong direction IMO for consumers, disappointing. However, if your the BBC or budding semi-pro videographer I guess you are the exact opposite!

I'm not confused or disappointed. I just understand that this camera is not for me. It does not matter how good this camera may be, but it is not for me.

On other hand I'm curious to see how this " off focus blur" feature can improve continuous focus of the camera. May it be a new "PDAF" for cameras with CDAF?

--
Camera in bag tends to stay in bag...

 

[Fredrik Glckner]

Keep in mind that the GH series are low volume premium cameras. They are not for everyone.

I think the GH4 will be a game changer camera. The first compact, affordable cam to have 4K. It is not only for pro video people, but also for amateur enthusiasts who would like to pay $2000 to try this. Panasonic is the early mover who milks this market, which is good for us who are invested in M4/3.

 

[Dheorl]

Keep in mind that the GH series are low volume premium cameras. They are not for everyone.

I think the GH4 will be a game changer camera. The first compact, affordable cam to have 4K.

Well, apart from the Sony AX100, oh and didn't JVC come out with a vaguely affordable one. Also if you can afford a GH3 + Lenses and BMPC isn't that much more.

It is not only for pro video people, but also for amateur enthusiasts who would like to pay $2000 to try this. Panasonic is the early mover who milks this market, which is good for us who are invested in M4/3.

 

[Dheorl]

As much as I like video, this seems way way OTT for a consumer "hybrid" camera? and really its going far too "pro-video" for my liking.

If you believe all the hype by CES next year every half respectable camcorder will shoot 4k. Panasonic just got in there a bit earlier. Kudos to them. As for the high bitrate 1080p if you have the bandwidth you may as well and all the ridiculous recording modes require extra things that the average consumer isn't likely to buy but leaves it open for pros.

The new stills af feature seems cool but seriously the GH series has gone off at a tangent IMO. Once upon a time the GH1/2 had Multi-aspect ratios for stills and video lovers and great video/stills features at a very convenient size and price? GH has moved in the wrong direction IMO for consumers, disappointing. However, if your the BBC or budding semi-pro videographer I guess you are the exact opposite!

 

[RickPick]

No need to be confused or disappointed in my opinion. Your GX7 already gives you what you want I should think (both video and photo quality are very good). The GH3 will stay on the market too. The GH4 just moves up a notch well into pro territory.

 

[Aberaeron]

Television and camera manufacturers are desperately searching for the 'next big thing' that increases their sales through customer demand. I'm afraid 4K might be another damp squib like 3D.

HD TV is a maximum of 2 megapixel picture. 4K is basically 4megapixels.

Full HD TV is great and more than 'good enough' for normal screen sizes and normal viewing distance. So where is the demand going to come from for 4k TV and video? The answer is from people who buy big screen televisions for rooms that are too small for them. Probably not that many people. The manufacturers can hype this up all they like in the hope of it taking off. It probably will sell a few screens and cameras to start with and then nobody will care.

 

[Dheorl]

Television and camera manufacturers are desperately searching for the 'next big thing' that increases their sales through customer demand. I'm afraid 4K might be another damp squib like 3D.

HD TV is a maximum of 2 megapixel picture. 4K is basically 4megapixels.

Actually 4k is around 8MP.

Full HD TV is great and more than 'good enough' for normal screen sizes and normal viewing distance.

It would be if half of the content was actually full HD. Maybe if 4k became popular we'd at last get proper full HD.

So where is the demand going to come from for 4k TV and video? The answer is from people who buy big screen televisions for rooms that are too small for them. Probably not that many people. The manufacturers can hype this up all they like in the hope of it taking off. It probably will sell a few screens and cameras to start with and then nobody will care.

I think 4K might actually gain some traction tbh. Part of the reason 3D didn't take off was because it wasn't an overly home friendly experience. 4k is just like normal TV but better.

 

[DLBlack]

Panasonic is just expanding their MFT cameras upward into the pro-level. It looks like a great camera, especially for video. Still has some good improvements over anything else in MFT for still photography.

Now the market the camera is aimed for is small, but still an important market. Some of the features from the GH4 will find its way down to the cameras below it. The cameras like the GH3, which is still on the market, the G6, GX7 and the GM1 will be the better selling cameras.

Anyhow, I would love to have the GH4, but I can not afford to buy every new MFT camera released.

 

[FrankS009]

The Gh4k is not my cup of tea, but that is ok. I wonder what the G7 will be like, what the next GF camera will be like, and maybe (my guess only) there will be a still oriented upper level camera that is entirely new. We will probably know a bit more by the end of March according to 43 Rumors.

F.

 

[Aberaeron]

Television and camera manufacturers are desperately searching for the 'next big thing' that increases their sales through customer demand. I'm afraid 4K might be another damp squib like 3D.

HD TV is a maximum of 2 megapixel picture. 4K is basically 4megapixels.

Actually 4k is around 8MP.

Full HD TV is great and more than 'good enough' for normal screen sizes and normal viewing distance.

It would be if half of the content was actually full HD. Maybe if 4k became popular we'd at last get proper full HD.

So where is the demand going to come from for 4k TV and video? The answer is from people who buy big screen televisions for rooms that are too small for them. Probably not that many people. The manufacturers can hype this up all they like in the hope of it taking off. It probably will sell a few screens and cameras to start with and then nobody will care.

I think 4K might actually gain some traction tbh. Part of the reason 3D didn't take off was because it wasn't an overly home friendly experience. 4k is just like normal TV but better.

Yes, but the vast majority of content for years to come will be legacy repeat broadcasts and, as you say, it doesn't even come up to current 2k HD TV standard. Where it does come through as HD, are people really hankering after even better on their standard screen size TV? Are they going to change their TV for mega-large screen sets?

The problem manufacturers have is that today's products are very very good and people will take a lot of persuasion to convince them that they need even better. Fair enough if they sell this new high performance stuff for the same price or less than the old technology stuff, but their aim is to persuade people to upgrade early to stimulate sales at a premium price and I'm not sure that they will succeed.

I'll use my own example where there is a HD TV in the living-room but this house does not subscribe to HD satellite broadcasting. So I have a HD TV that last showed a HD film about a year ago, which was the last time we bought a film CD. We just can't be bothered. Oh! Forgot that I do shoot the odd video but seldom watch it on TV, although the picture is as good as we could possibly want when we do, but usually watch video shot by the camera on the iMac in the kitchen. I think we are quite 'normal' as a family.

 

[guybie]

As much as I like video, this seems way way OTT for a consumer "hybrid" camera? and really its going far too "pro-video" for my liking. The new stills af feature seems cool but seriously the GH series has gone off at a tangent IMO. Once upon a time the GH1/2 had Multi-aspect ratios for stills and video lovers and great video/stills features at a very convenient size and price? GH has moved in the wrong direction IMO for consumers, disappointing. However, if your the BBC or budding semi-pro videographer I guess you are the exact opposite!

I'm not confused or disappointed. I just understand that this camera is not for me. It does not matter how good this camera may be, but it is not for me.

On other hand I'm curious to see how this " off focus blur" feature can improve continuous focus of the camera. May it be a new "PDAF" for cameras with CDAF?

--
Camera in bag tends to stay in bag...

 

[Abacus3]

I am very delighted by GH4 - next year ALL cameras will have 4K, you cannot stop development. And this is okay.

I make my videos with 4K - and they are BETTER than every fullhd video. You get 4K tvs for less than $1000 for looking 4K videos (4K tvs are UNNECESSARY for looking 4K tv - not existing!)

Best cameras now are Sony AX100 and Lumix GH4 - other cameras are too expensive. 4K monitors soon are available, DELL 24" and 28", Lenovo 28", also < $1000

 

[quezra]

The best thing about the GH4 is the downward pressure it will put on the price of the GH3. I think the GH3 would make an excellent full-featured system camera, and the GH4 is actually a lateral sidestep, not a forward development of the line, despite the number.

 

[Iliah Borg]

As much as I like video, this seems way way OTT for a consumer "hybrid" camera? and really its going far too "pro-video" for my liking. The new stills af feature seems cool but seriously the GH series has gone off at a tangent IMO. Once upon a time the GH1/2 had Multi-aspect ratios for stills and video lovers and great video/stills features at a very convenient size and price? GH has moved in the wrong direction IMO for consumers, disappointing. However, if your the BBC or budding semi-pro videographer I guess you are the exact opposite!

Panasonic GH4 Review - Imaging Resource

Last edited: 02/09/2017 — UPDATE: 02/09/2017: Want the absolute latest and greatest? If so, you’ll want to check out the Panasonic GH5, a successor to this camera which brings with it a huge raft of improvements, as you’ll find out in our hands-on Panasonic GH5 preview! If you prefer to spend a...

www.imaging-resource.com

 

[apierleoni]

a consumer "hybrid" camera?

who said it is a consumer oriented camera? the feature and the price do not look like consumer-oriented

 

[Lab D]

As much as I like video, this seems way way OTT for a consumer "hybrid" camera? and really its going far too "pro-video" for my liking. The new stills af feature seems cool but seriously the GH series has gone off at a tangent IMO. Once upon a time the GH1/2 had Multi-aspect ratios for stills and video lovers and great video/stills features at a very convenient size and price? GH has moved in the wrong direction IMO for consumers, disappointing. However, if your the BBC or budding semi-pro videographer I guess you are the exact opposite!

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/panasonic-gh4/panasonic-gh4A.HTM#DFD

 

[Corkcampbell]

But, look at the improvements. The bad thing for some of us is, from the rumors I've read, it will ship with the 14-140mm lens, which a lot of us don't want or need. That's what gets the price up; perhaps there will be a lot of those lenses on eBay in a few months...

I don't remember if it was the GH2 or the GH3, but one of them also initially shipped with the same kit (older lens version), which made a lot of us wait to find a body-only option, which slowly appeared later.

Considering that my last dSLR was considered a consumer model and it was about $1300 (plus or minus), I don't think that this is any big change.

 

[Iliah Borg]

As much as I like video, this seems way way OTT for a consumer "hybrid" camera? and really its going far too "pro-video" for my liking. The new stills af feature seems cool but seriously the GH series has gone off at a tangent IMO. Once upon a time the GH1/2 had Multi-aspect ratios for stills and video lovers and great video/stills features at a very convenient size and price? GH has moved in the wrong direction IMO for consumers, disappointing. However, if your the BBC or budding semi-pro videographer I guess you are the exact opposite!

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/panasonic-gh4/panasonic-gh4A.HTM#DFD

If this works, it could be pretty amazing.

Maybe "useful" would be the word

 

[drcPhoto]

The best thing about the GH4 is the downward pressure it will put on the price of the GH3. I think the GH3 would make an excellent full-featured system camera, and the GH4 is actually a lateral sidestep, not a forward development of the line, despite the number.

Yes, the GH3 does make an excellent full featured camera for the user, but I can assure you as a GH3 for some time now after looking at both the specifications of the GH4 and reviewing both the stills and video output now available on this cameras, I can safely assure you the GH4 is nothing close to a "lateral sidestep", more so a giant leap upward and forward.

Also, look at the con list and criticisms on the GH3 and many of those have been eliminated. Even if I bought and used the GH4 for stills only and no video, it is a significantly better camera than the GH3.

Dale