Panasonic Lumix DMC-G6 Hands-on Preview: Digital Photography Review

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G6 specifications

Body type
Body type	SLR-style mirrorless
Sensor
Max resolution	4608 x 3456
Other resolutions	4608x3456, 3264x2448, 2336x1752, 4608x3072, 3264x2176, 2336x1560, 4608x2592, 3264x1840, 1920x1080, 3456x3456, 2448x2448, 1744x1744, 1712x1712
Image ratio w:h	1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9
Effective pixels	16 megapixels
Sensor photo detectors	18 megapixels
Sensor size	Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm)
Sensor type	CMOS
Color space	sRGB, Adobe RGB
Color filter array	Primary color filter
Image
ISO	Auto, 160, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400, 12800, 25600
White balance presets	5
Custom white balance	Yes (2)
Image stabilization	Unknown
Uncompressed format	RAW
File format	RAW RAW + Fine RAW + Standard JPEG Fine JPEG Standard MPO + Fine MPO + Standard (with 3D lens in Micro Four Thirds System standard)
Optics & Focus
Autofocus	Contrast Detect (sensor) Multi-area Selective single-point Tracking Single Continuous Touch Face Detection Live View
Autofocus assist lamp	Yes
Digital zoom	No (2x, 4x)
Manual focus	Yes
Number of focus points	23
Lens mount	Micro 4/3 Lens Mount
Focal length multiplier	2×
Screen / viewfinder
Articulated LCD	Fully articulated
Screen size	3.00″
Screen dots	1,036,000
Touch screen	Yes
Screen type	TFT Color LCD with wide-viewing angle
Live view	Yes
Viewfinder type	Electronic
Viewfinder coverage	100%
Viewfinder magnification	1.4×
Viewfinder resolution	1,440,000
Photography features
Minimum shutter speed	60 sec
Maximum shutter speed	1/4000 sec
Exposure modes	Program Aperture Priority Shutter Priority Manual
Scene modes	Clear Portrait Silky Skin Backlit Softness Clear in Backlight Relaxing Tone Sweet Child's Face Distinct Scenery Bright Blue Sky Romantic Sunset Glow Vivid Sunset Glow Glistening Water Clear Nightscape Cool Night Sky Warm Glowing Nightscape Artistic Nightscape Glittering Illuminations Clear Night Portrait Soft Image of a Flower Appetizing Food Cute Dessert Freeze Animal Motion Clear Sports Shot Monochrome
Built-in flash	Yes (Pop-up)
Flash range	10.50 m
External flash	Yes (Hot-shoe)
Flash modes	Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync
Flash X sync speed	1/160 sec
Continuous drive	Yes
Self-timer	Yes (2 or 10 sec, 10 sec (3 images))
Metering modes	Multi Center-weighted Spot
Exposure compensation	±5 (at 1/3 EV steps)
AE Bracketing	±3 (3, 5, 7 frames at 1/3 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV steps)
WB Bracketing	Yes (3 frames in either blue/amber or magenta/green axis)
Videography features
Format	MPEG-4 AVCHD
Microphone	Stereo
Speaker	Mono
Resolutions	1920 x 1080 (60, 50, 30, 25fps) 1280 x 720 (60, 50, 30, 25fps), 640 x 480 (30, 25fps
Videography notes	1920 x 1080, 60p, 50p (sensor output is 60p, 50p) (PSH: 28Mbps) ; 1920 × 1080, 60i,50i (sensor output is 60p 30p, 50p, 25p) (FSH: 17Mbps) ; 1920 x 1080, 30p,25p (sensor output is 60p, 25p) (FPH: 17Mbps, 24Mbps) ; 1280 x 720, 60p, 50p (sensor output is 60p, 25p) (SH: 17Mbps)
Storage
Storage types	SD/SDHC/SDXC
Connectivity
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
HDMI	Yes (Mini HDMI Type C)
Wireless	Built-In
Wireless notes	with NFC (Near Field Communication) capabilities
Physical
Environmentally sealed	No
Battery	Battery Pack
Battery description	Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	340
Weight (inc. batteries)	390 g (0.86 lb / 13.76 oz)
Dimensions	122 x 85 x 71 mm (4.80 x 3.35 x 2.80″)
Other features
Orientation sensor	Yes
GPS	None

GearShop

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G6 Mirrorless Camera Kit 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II OIS Lens●

Buy on GearShop

Panasonic Lumix G Series DMC-G6KK Compact System Digital Camera with 14-42mm II Lens Kit (Black)	Too low to display
Panasonic Lumix G Series DMC-G6KK Compact System Digital Camera with 14-42mm II Lens Kit (Black)	Too low to display
Panasonic DMC-GF6 16MP Mirrorless Compact System Camera with Lens Kit	$499.00
Panasonic DMC-G5KK 16 MP Compact System Camera with 14-42mm Zoom Lens and 3-Inch LCD (Black)	Too low to display
Panasonic LUMIX GX7 16.0 MP DSLM Camera with LUMIX G VARIO 14-42mm II Lens and Tilt-Live Viewfinder (Silver)	$998.00
Panasonic DMC-G5KBODY 16MP SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD - Body Only (Black)	$317.50
Panasonic Lumix G Series DMC-G6 Compact System Digital Camera Body Only (Black)	$699.00
Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G3 16 MP Micro Four-Thirds Interchangeable Lens Camera with 3-Inch Touch Screen LCD (Body Only)	$491.19
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5 Digital Camera (Orange) + 32GB SDHC Class 10 Memory Card + Carrying Case + Mini Tripod Kit + Durable Float Strap for Digital Cameras + USB SDHC Reader + Memory Wallet	$384.99
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G6 Micro Four Thirds Digital Camera with G Vario 14-42mm Lens (Black) with 32GB Card + Battery + Backpack + Tripod + Tele & Wide Lenses + Accessory Kit	$669.95
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G6 Micro Four Thirds Digital Camera with G Vario 14-42mm Lens (Black) with 64GB Card + Battery + Case + Tripod + 3 UV/FLD/PL Filters + Flash/Video Light + Tele & Wide Lenses + Accessory Kit	$689.95

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Comments

Total comments: 195

Agghh no gps! I really use that feature!

1 upvote

this is such an enormous camera for an MFT...
why not just get an APSC mirrorless for a lower price? (ie: NX20) or within the same price range (Sony NEX whatever)

what is the advantage of this camera? video shooting? I suspect that may be the NX20's weakness, if video is important to you.

Comment edited 1 minute after posting

1 upvote

Yes, Panasonic's core strength in this arena is video. That's old news since the GH1, and it's strange that people still act as if shooting video is some minor niche.

At any rate, it's still a rather small camera, and MFT lenses are still significantly smaller than APSC lenses, so...Clearly, the total package of G6+lens is much smaller and lighter than APSC+lens. =/

2 upvotes

I would not consider a camera that does not have a fully articulating LCD screen.

1 upvote

"why not just get an APSC mirrorless for a lower price? (ie: NX20)"

NX20 is not any better in image quality, has poor VF, slow AF, slow writing speed, and the lenses are few and large.

1 upvote

Wonder why Panasonic does not mount the Leica 2.8 on such a camera! If it fits into a $500 FZ 200, cost wise, it would make a great package at < $1000 with a 4/3" or another>1" sensor. That should cure the IQ gripe once and for all.

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 5 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

I think this would be too easy for us - customers.
They spent too much money for producing so many lens and having just one lens with light 2.8 and range from 25 to 600 is not a good option for having a daily business with consumer world...

0 upvotes

are you kidding? the fz200 has a cheap lousy TINY sensor, that is about 1/4 the size of an MFT sensor, requiring a much smaller lens, that costs way less to manufacture.

another thing, don't forget that you would be losing out on sharpness and contrast in big parts of the zoom range - most likely at longest (tele) and often on wide as well. sure, it would be practical, but soon you'll be wondering why your pictures aren't as good as you'd like them to be.

a superzoom doesn't do justice to the larger sensor, so it would defeat the purpose. not to mention higher costs given the larger lens required.

Comment edited 7 minutes after posting

2 upvotes

They don't fit that lens onto this one because it would get enormous. The FZ200 has a much smaller and crappier sensor in order to manage such a long zoom with such an aperture.

0 upvotes

at when the review??

0 upvotes

i think this is the one im looking for, question, is it interchangeable-lens??????? ???????????

1 upvote

it is, and it is the one I am looking for just as well ( just ordered one for my little brother)

0 upvotes

Is there a headphone jack ?!! I can't believe there isn't a headphone jack.

1 upvote

LOL

1 upvote

http://www.imaging-resource.com/IMCOMP/COMPS01.HTM

There are some sample images to review for the G6.....perhaps a useful comparison.

1 upvote

for some reason that link isn't resolving...
Main G6 link http://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2013/05/24/panasonic-g6-and-gf6-first-shots-posted-pixel-peep-test-images-new-CSCs
Test images http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/panasonic-g6/panasonic-g6A7.HTM

0 upvotes

First, my thanks to DP Review for it's service to the photo community. The information is essential to making informed perchase decisions. Still wish Panasonic would address the lame flash systems in the G cameras. Oly has really put effort in advancing their flash capabilities but Panasonic seams to ignore this essential component. Of couse they could always come out with a Leaf shutter portrait lens, 1/500 synch should be easy with the small diameter shutter for 4/3. So much potential, for wildlife, travel, portrait - sigh. No serious long lenses, badly overpriced primes, no real macro, no alternate power sources, oh well.

1 upvote

I tried asking this in the micro 4 thirds forum but got no answer --Is the G6 battery, BLC-12, compatible with the one used in the G5, GH2, Fz200, the BLB-12?

Jim

0 upvotes

Image stabilization: "unknown" ??

1 upvote

I also want to express my appreciation of the reviewer and of DP reviews. I didn't like much what seemed to be a cavalier attitude towards the G6, but there are also more reasoned things in the review and in other reviews by the same author.

0 upvotes

I appreciate all your DP Reviews. The Full Reviews are comprehensive and a wealth of information to read. However, some of the Preview's don't go forward into Full Reviews for various reasons.

Would there be a possibility of incorporating the ISO test widget for peviewed cameras (that a production ready of course), perhaps sacrificing time from the initial impression paragraphs? The specs are needed, and I think the ISO image quality shots would be welcome by most enthusiasts.

Thank you.

0 upvotes

So, is the 16MP GX1 Sensor based on the GH2 or is it newer technology that could have been used in the G6? Thank you

0 upvotes

Read the introduction again, and found it even more condescending than I had before. I am interested in just how good the NR is and how improved its RAW output relative to the G5 and both EM5 and GH3. Yes I know the sensors of the latter two are the latest m4/3rds ones, but lets see how the G6 actually performs. This may be an important camera for a lot of people, in spite of the snobism of these reviewers.

3 upvotes

I generally don't like slr styled cameras, but this one somehow really tickles my fancy. And size is pretty good, cause gh3 was way too large. Lets see what EP5 will look like, not big fan of EM5 style.

2 upvotes

Weakest link relative to Oly OM-D E-M5 is the lack if IBIS. Weakest link of the E-M5 relative to the G6 is the video.

0 upvotes

The PANASONIC / LEICA opted for OIS for allowing a faster response to movements, prospectic correction to the angular change and ability to get closer to the sensor with the lens giving more freedom to the designers of the optical assembly. The disadvantage is that each of OIS lens must have one, thus more expensive, and the rotational motion of the lens axis (Z-axis, perpendicular to the sensor) is not corrected, although this movement is very limited in practice. The IBIS allows cheapen the objective and make the correction of the rotational motion on the axis ("Z") of the lens (including correct the horizon angle) but does not address the prospectic variation due to angular changes in the X and Y axes of the sensor. I believe that the sensor will not move as effective as moving a small block of lenses when it comes to compensate for high frequency instability. I also think that in terms of durability is better shake a small block of lenses than the sensor with its flat cables.

0 upvotes

I am interested in buying this nice camera.does anyone know when it is going to be available?what about a full review of the camera?

0 upvotes

The end of June, I think. It's on the Panny German website.

2 upvotes

With the raised shoulders, it looks a bit like S2 little brother. I never cared much for the look of the Panasonic G/GH cameras, but I think this is an improvement. Has less "designed by committee" feel to it.

7 upvotes

I like the earlier Gs, but the G6 shape is growing on me. :)

Cheers, geoff

0 upvotes

This or the T5i? I mean, both have articulated touchscreens but this one has WiFi built-in, does 1080p60 and is cheaper. Wonder if IQ is similar.

Comment edited 2 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

It is similar. Almost the same DxOMark scores in every category (if it is the same as G5 as it probably is).
Default Canon JPEGs are probably a little warmer, but it is just a little adjustment away either way. Also, with G6 you can use viewfinder with video (and effects preview etc), it is smaller and lighter, and shoots faster it needed. With the new 14-140 must be a great travel camera.

1 upvote

It would be interesting to see a size comparison - with lenses. If the size difference isn't a decider I would assume the lens choice would make quite a difference.

I would like to see comparisons of actual "kits" - not just base kits, but the body, and good lenses as a total cost/solution, or a few alternates which would talk about quality and application trade-offs- light, zoom, portrait, sports and such. Great information as always.

0 upvotes

Kit lens or lenses?

0 upvotes

In my opinion Lumix G6 was born from the work of Vitaliy Kiselev, hired as partner by panasonic, on the Lumix GH2

0 upvotes

...How can you have a subjective "opinion" on a factual mater? More of a guess or an assessment really.

Also, I doubt Vitaly would have let the stock bitrates be so low if he had any say.

Comment edited 19 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

A Question:

The G6 uses the same sensor as the G5 and the GH2, right? Panasonic's press release says "the new Venus Engine is attains high-performance signal processing with the advanced noise reduction system." I'm wondering to what extent image quality can be enhanced without changing the sensor. Any thoughts?

I love the G5; it handles great and produces great images but at about ISO 1600 noise starts to become an issue. If the G6 produces a one-stop equivalent advantage over the G5 in terms of noise I will definitely buy it.

Comment edited 3 times, last edit 2 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

I think it's mainly about jpeg processing

2 upvotes

They do say its the same Sensor as the GH2 but I does not have the true use of the Multi-aspect ratio

1 upvote

Panasonic G5 was already a serious upgrade for the G-series of cameras, GH3 became the true semi-/pro-hybrid camera, but the G6 offers a few new features that even the GH3 doesn't (yet) have:
* Focus Peaking that shows the peak of focus in MF and AF+MF mode
* EV -3 - 18 (ISO100 equivalent) AF Detective Range,
* 1080p@60fps video in Extra Tele Conversion (ETC) mode (the GH3 tops out at 1080@30P in ETC),
* 7 fps @16Mpix&AFSingle, 5 fps @16Mpix&AFTracking and 40fps burst mode (versus 6fps@AFS and 20fps in GH3),
* 1,728-zone multi-pattern light metering system (versus 144-zone in GH3),
* Stop Motion Video, Sweep Panorama
* 1,036K dots TFT LCD screen (versus 614K dots OLED LCD in GH3)
* Adjustable HDR mode. While the Panasonic G5/GH3 have an in-camera HDR mode, there is only an On or Off setting with no scope to tone down the effect.
* NFC +better Wi-Fi: The G6 have wireless recording function with start/stop recording and 30fps video stream feed to tablet/smartphone.

2 upvotes

I'm not into the video stuff myself, but I know people who will go berserk over it. They'll LOVE it. I am looking at the G6 as a remarkably fully specced stills camera. It looks great. Th only doubt I had was that the E-P5 might eclipse it -- but no, the E-P5 hasn’t got an EVF. Same old add-on but now they have added a lock after years of complaints.

And it STILL obviously hasn’t got anything like the ergonomics of the G6 (or the G1 if it comes to that).

"Outdated sensor"? UPDATED sensor is what I see.

Cheers, geoff

4 upvotes

I too am very impressed by these specs. The GH3 has a stronger body, but the G6, at this price, is a very powerful tool indeed. Love the video specs, by the way!

0 upvotes

At first I was skeptical about Panasonic being able to squeeze more out of the outdated sensor. But from the sample photos I've seen at ePhotozine.com, the images look really impressive, clean and sharp, with loads of detail. Unfortunately, they also appear dull and flat. Hopefully that can be fixed with simple adjustments in LR.

1 upvote

the new 14-42 lens might have something to do with the sharpness.

0 upvotes

Panasonic has always had poor colors out of camera compared to, say, Olympus. (I've shot both extensively.) The default white balance is "not warm" to say the least, and contrast is not good. But if you work with them a little bit, you get some great images.

2 upvotes

Even better, typically on Panasonics adjustments in the camera are sufficient for very good OOC JPEGs. Set it and forget it.

0 upvotes

I have to ay I abandoned the G1 for the E-PL3 to get superior JPEG colors OOC. The sample pix I saw from the G5 were close enough to the Oly pix to encourage me to return from the Oly which is an ergonomic disaster area but I wasn't ready to change over.

I'll be in a position to change cameras in the next few months; the G6 is looking very much like the way to go.

Cheers, geoff

1 upvote

GH2 is a very impressive camera 101% on video and 80% on stills. But this was years ago. The G6 have a beautiful exterior but an aged heart [sensor] yes, you will get great photos from it but it will never come close in the present sensor technology. Panasonic makes great lenses its a given fact that the sensors should evolve not only to compete but to satisfy consumers/users alike. I want it but with the prices of GH2 today - still GH2 is the better choice to get instead of G6. This action not only killed the G5 sales but also push MFT shooters to go jump ship. This is an unfortunate reality.

0 upvotes

because someone who has invested a few thousand dollars in the system will suddenly abandon it just because this particular camera doesn't have the latest sensor? are you a "financial analyst"?

4 upvotes

The G5, whether you fancy it the greatest or worst camera of all time, was consigned to the bargain bin by its unexciting sensor choice - at a time when that decision made a lot more sense than choosing the same sensor now. Panasonic obviously learned nothing from this course of events.

I've used the G5, and although there are many things to like about it there is no way I would settle for its sensor at even half the price of an OMD. Once you grab the highlight slider in LR and bring back a perfectly blue sky out of apparent nothingness you can't go back. Consumers tend to see things from their perspective, not in terms of the easiest or most corporately defensible choice for the manufacturer. They see how affordable the E-PM2 and deduce that its superior sensor carries no particularly pronounced price premium. And they want the same in their new G6, if they were going to spend their hard-earned money on one.

Excuses just don't cut it in a competitive market.

2 upvotes

The difference in reality { as ,opposed to in the heads of some optimistic Olympus users }between the E-M5 and the G5 boils down to .7 of a stop DR and approx 0.3 of a stop ISO .Which while no doubt beneficial in specific scenarios is in most shooting situations pretty insignificant. If you want to get a really substantial gain in sensor output then you really need to move up in sensor size.
http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/Cameras/Compare-Camera-Sensors/Compare-cameras-side-by-side/%28appareil1%29/816|0/%28brand%29/Panasonic/%28appareil2%29/793|0/%28brand2%29/Olympus/%28appareil3%29/814|0/%28brand3%29/Nikon
The E-PM2 as with other Pens is feature limited with poor ergonomics , an expensive external EVF to bring it in-line with a G series camera , nor does it even have an articulating screen and it comes with a stupid clip-on flash. I would take a G6 or G5 for that matter over any Pen model. Even with the E-M5 the only significant advantage is the excellent 5-AXIS IBIS,

5 upvotes

Jim,

As I have both a G5 and an OMD in the house, perhaps you'll spare me your definition of what the difference 'actually' is. I've shot the cameras; I know. A lifetime of DXOMark study will not ever illustrate the 'actual' difference. And like most serious m43 shooters, I came from cameras with larger sensors, and having done so have a much better idea of the affect of sensor size than most.

You've also taken my point about the E-PM2 totally out of context. I did not say it is a better or worse camera than the G6, only that the appearance of the Sony sensor in such a budget-conscious product reveals that it could also have appeared in the G6 without breaking the bank. If your D800 had a recycled two-generation old sensor I really doubt you would have invested, and I don't view the G6 any differently.

5 upvotes

The GH3 has a Sony sensor, and it has better DR and ISO performance, but it also has way more moire. I'd prefer less moire, so I'm glad that kept their in-house sensor, as they apparently know how to avoid moire better than Sony does.

Comment edited 27 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

Not that difficult, at least when camera is used regularly. And don't really need to change them all the time too, customize it once to fit your needs, easy to remember this way.

0 upvotes

An impressive 5 Fn buttons? Aargh! These things are more a curse than a blessing. Who can honestly remember which function was allocated to which button? And what you changed it to last?
I would be much more impressed with less Fn buttons - just put the things that are needed onto well marked buttons and the rest of the stuff into the menus. An Fn button is effectively just a badly marked button IMHO.

8 upvotes

Totally agree. Less Fn buttons more dedicated (and as you say well marked) buttons like on the L1 or the XE-1.

0 upvotes

The G6 has all the necessary dedicated buttons, and the four of the the FN buttons on the it do double duty with other actions like WiFi, Trash, QMenu, AE Lock.

Comment edited 12 minutes after posting

3 upvotes

Well I like being able to set a button for changing shutter to silent or back. If you don't appreciate Fn buttons just stay with the default settings.

3 upvotes

I think less customization would be needed if a little common sense entered the determination of the default controls for most modern cameras.

To whit - only Pentax can figure out that in the digital age there is no reason to maintain ISO as a secondary function. What I mean here is that although you might be able to assign ISO to any of those 5 buttons, you have the aperture or shutter (and exposure compensation... argh!) as choices for the dials. Why do you always want to have to press a button before adjusting ISO? Why is changing ISO any less likely than changing aperture or shutter speed? Well, it is if you are stuck in film-think...

It's really frustrating how vital they deem exposure compensation to be. You must burn one of the two dial functions on it, even though there 8 other ways to invoke this function, including the otherwise useless rocker switch by the shutter. Why have all those other methods if you aren't going to let the user re-purpose the dial function?

2 upvotes

Panasonic has simply labeled four buttons as both fixed function and function buttons. I for one find it hard to remember that my AE-lock button is actually something else, so this makes sense.

1 upvote

I don't change the functions often...and my memory isn't failing. >_>'

0 upvotes

The body style resembles the old Leica R8/R9. I wonder if Panasonic was going for that look intentionally?

4 upvotes

I like it! Even if they didn't start with that purpose in mind, I'm sure they realized it at one point and may have deliberately moved in that direction. I think the Leica R8/9 look great.

1 upvote

search on the internet for the following: "Panasonic FZ-150 Leica V-LUX 3".

enraged, brethren?

0 upvotes

GH2 with better EVF/screen, 60fps and focus peaking? Great deal!

There are better "photo" cameras for the money but this is a very nice piece of equipment for video at a very competitive price.

To all those knocking the form factor - pick any other camera that matches your fancypants. I love the utilitarian ergonomics so do many others.

2 upvotes

So which sensor will the GH2 have? The GH3/OMD one?

0 upvotes

The comment "An advantage of using the GH2's sensor is that the G6 is able to offer more comprehensive video functions than the G5." strikes me as peculiar. The G5 has the same sensor as the GH2 and G6 and the difference in feature sets was a choice Panasonic made, not some inherent difference in the sensor.

Otherwise, the G6 looks terrific. The real GH2 replacement (although the G5 remains a heck of a value and a good replacement for stills and some video.) Also it is the real poor man's GH3. Considering that the practical difference in RAW between all the 16mp m4/3 sensors is minimal, this is looking like a lot of camera for the money.

2 upvotes

I've been using an E-PL5 for the past few week and I have a GH2, and disagree. "The practical difference in RAW between all the 16mp m4/3 sensors" is fairly significant in terms of DR and color depth. The difference is just not as great as DPR has lead people to believe when they wrote "for most people to get better IQ than the OMD they'd have to go to FF". This is simply not true. All you need to do is work with files from the D7000, D7100, D5200 or K5 to get better than files from the Olympus cameras. Richer colors, better DR, DOF control, cleaner at base ISO and high ISO.

But I do agree that sites like DxOMark have confused some into thinking that for general shooting there is a huge difference between the Panasonic and Olympus m43 cameras in terms of overall IQ. There are some differences, but files side by side they are not as dramatic as some would have you believe with all this talk of sensors.

6 upvotes

I absolutely love the idea of "very short-range means of exchanging data". Excellent! No more damn cables to mess with and misplace.

1 upvote

afraid to take a picture with it? not looking to buy bells and whistles.

0 upvotes

Time lapse?

1 upvote

With this camera and the other larger MFT cameras that Panasonic makes, it is obvious that the body is large in relation to the lens. It is further obvious that the reason is that for these cameras, the body needs to be larger in order to allow a useful quantity of physical controls. This is all very obvious. There can be no argument on these points. There can be no question that this camera could just as easily take advantage of an APS-C sensor, and not even the lens would be larger, because similar lenses that Sony makes for NEX are not any larger. None of this is in any way deniable. Furthermore, when the various size differences are all considered, it seems apparent that if Sony were to make a mirrorless camera with FF sensor, it would be about the size of this camera, albeit with a somewhat larger lens. (The lens would not be nearly as large as a lens for FF with mirror.)

1 upvote

And the point? You want Panasonic to abandon MFT? You'd prefer Sony to make the camera of your dreams?

Alternate hypothesis: Body is larger because market research shows that larger camera bodies are taken more seriously by the target audience (let's face it, Nikon and Canon's FF bodies are a tad bit larger than their FF film bodies ever were).

I don't quite get why Sony could or would make a FF body of this size, yet no other maker does. Faith that Sony can miniaturize better than anyone else? Physics is physics. Larger sensor requires larger glass. Could they build a really small box to put on the back of that larger lens? Yes, but I think we'd hear a whole lot about bad balance (the heavier the glass, the more leverage is needed to keep it level, hence a larger grip), and, yes, silly appearance.

0 upvotes

The point is self-evident. A camera this size and with this size lens will be a better camera if it uses a larger sensor. The point is not for Panasonic to abandon MFT. The point is that for this size camera, the MFT sensor is smaller than is ideal. I am only really pointing what is obvious, but it has to be pointed out, because few people are saying it, and some people are trying to argue that it is not true. It obviously is true. For smaller, genuinely compact cameras, the MFT sensor makes perfect sense. But with every camera, the size of the sensor needs to be a good match to the size of the camera. You alternate hypothesis is moot, i.e., if the camera body is larger for reason A rather than reason B (and reason A and reason B being so closely coupled as to be nearly indistinct), the pertinent fact is still that the camera body is large relative to the sensor.

2 upvotes

the 4/3" is okay, not too bad.

what they need is f/1.4 zooms and f/0.x primes that can do the same work as f/2.8 zooms and f/1.x primes on 35mm format.

reasonable f/2.0 zooms and f/1.4 primes for entry level users.

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 37 seconds after posting

3 upvotes

Arrgh. DaveMarx, as to your other point - You say that you don't get why Sony could do that "no other maker does", and talk about "physics is physics", etc. Well, comments of that sort are silly. OBVIOUSLY, the reason would only have to do with the manufacturer's demonstrated capability. You apparently have not bothered to compare the size of Sony's NEX lenses to the MFT lenses. One of the invalid assumptions that some people are evidently making is that a mirrorless FF camera would use the same size lenses as existing FF cameras with mirrors. This is wrong. When the lens moves closer to the sensor, it also gets smaller in diameter. Take the NEX-7, scale the lens diameter up by a factor less than 50%, and ditto for camera height. Why is it so difficult to visualize this being done, and how is it not obvious that the resulting camera body would be no larger than this? The lens itself would be larger in diameter than this lens, but by less than 50%. Not all of the diameter is optics.

Comment edited 4 minutes after posting

1 upvote

> because market research shows that larger camera bodies are taken more seriously by the target audience

good point, they have to compete in (large) size because they cannot compete in quality or price performance.

0 upvotes

What? You say you compared the size of sony NEX lenses to M43rds lenses. Then you say they are the same size. I am sorry but no!
Fuji has managed to make some really small nice lenses. These I would compare with M43rds. Sony on the hand has large lenses. Even Samsung has some nice small lenses that Sony hasn't been able to produce yet.

0 upvotes

I agree with kaiser soze. But... putting an APS-C in there would ramp up the prices on MFT cameras even more. This might not be a problem with MFTs if, to generate demand, they could be marketed with more attention to those who generally buy (sub-"enthusiast") point-and-shoot cameras. Look at what Nikon is able to get away with, thanks to those ridiculous Ashton Kutcher commercials and the sub-par "1" series. A few friends have bought Nikon 1's thinking that ILC intrinsically implies higher quality photos. Well, for MFT that is that is the truth. MFT manufacturers need to take advantage of that perception and get these cameras in the hands anyone who wants to pretend they're a pro.

0 upvotes

I think OP may be a little off base.

One of the problems with an increased video spec is overheating. This has long been a topic on the various GH2 hack forums. Cameras of some other manufacturers (not Panasonic) even lock up under extended video use. So when you have a much increased bitrate, etc. your camera needs to be bigger to dissipate heat. This to me is as logical an explanation for the size of the camera as the need for buttons on the exterior. The body could be smaller and still accept a lot of buttons.

Also, having been with m43 since the G1, I switched from Olympus DSLRs to Panasonic m43 BECAUSE of the larger Panasonic body size, which was easier to handle and included a built-in viewfinder. None of the Oly models offered a built-in viewfinder until the OM-5.

So, I'm not sure that all of the assumptions in OP are valid.

Comment edited 27 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

> compared the size of sony NEX lenses to M43rds lenses.

if they are following the "market research", there will be larger heavier lenses soon, probably bundled with stone.

0 upvotes

Lens diameter goes up in proportion to sensor size. Lens mass (glass) goes up as the CUBE of sensor size. So you'd expect the glass in FF lenses to be roughly 8x heavier. This isn't just physics, it's middle school math.

0 upvotes

The lens as seen in the photo does look a little too small compared with the body. However, this is the Panasonic 2013 standard kit lens, and was designed so that the GF6 is a more compact package (the old kitlens looked way too big on the GF series... almost NEX like). They are going to use the same kitlens on every camera... its just that on the more block fronted G6 its a bit swamped.

Put another zoom lens on this G6 and it will look much better proportioned. Go to four-thirds.org, choose the matching simulator and try it out. The bigger grip will work well if you use the 100-300mm supertele zoom.

0 upvotes

You are concerned about the G6K Lumix sensor with 16 MP, I wonder if anyone can beat the Sony PMW-F55 with 8.9MP CineAlta 4K.

0 upvotes

"An advantage of using the GH2's sensor is that the G6 is able to offer more comprehensive video functions than the G5. "

WTF?! The G5 uses the exact same sensor.... and how exactly are video functions bound to the sensor?!

0 upvotes

"The Extra Tele Conversion function virtually extends the zoom range Max.4.8x without deterioration of image quality".

ETC is directly from the GH2 and would not be possible with the G5 sensor.

The above quote is from the G6 Press Release under "Highest Level in Class – Stunning Video..." on the front page of DPR.

0 upvotes

Again: The G5 uses the GH2 sensor.... they only disabled the Multi-Aspect-Ratio system and changed the readout method. And the lossless Tele Conversion is also found in the G5 although it is a 2.4 conversion. (which is the same as the G6, see text above, no idea where you picked up 4.8?)

0 upvotes

@marike6

I'm pretty sure my G2 also had ETC, unless I'm misremembering.

Edit: I also remember it being MORE than 2.4x on the G2, something like 2.9x or thereabouts. I may be wrong.

Comment edited 59 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

@Hagane Then I don't know. I was just trying to help you figure out what they were talking about regarding the sensor and "more comprehensive video functions".

0 upvotes

@Hagane,

I think the 4.8x must take the crop factor into account.

A 50mm lens is 100mm equivalent on m43. Then you times that by 2.4x, and you get 240mm equivalent for a 50mm lens, which is 4.8x.

It really is an amazing feature for video. I have a Nikon manual focus 180mm f2.8, which on this camera using the extended tele feature would be 864mm f2.8 equivalent. It is useful for video of birds, the moon, etc. With some lenses that already have a semi-macro feature, like the Olympus 70-300mm, you can use the ETC for extreme closeups. You can fill the video frame with a butterfly's head, that kind of thing.

0 upvotes

Is it too early to request a shootout?

Panasonic G6 VERSUS Blackmagic Pocket Cinema *FIGHT*

Interested in seeing if Panasonic squeezed any more DR out of the 16MP Live MOS.

BlackMagic shoots RAW Video but it is limited to 30fps.

0 upvotes

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera supports 1080HD resolution capture in 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97 and 30 fps.

The GH2 has very good quality video. The BMCC camera has awesome video quality with huge DR. If the Pocket Cinema is anything like the BMCC, it will not be a fair fight.

0 upvotes

Just watch the comparison between 5d and Blackmagic (available on the web) and you'll see that G6 will not have much of a chance.

The Blackmagic's sensor is purpose built, while that of G6 is an all-rounder.

0 upvotes

WOW! The 5D MKIII gets slaughtered by the BlackMagic Cinema Camera. I hope the pocket cinema camera is that good!

http://vimeo.com/49875510

Comment edited 12 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

dpreview--

Is this a 2.4x "digital" teleconverter option, as described in the introduction?

I know on the G2 and the GH2 it was what I (at least) would call an "optical" teleconverter option, i.e., there is no up-rezzing involved, simply a crop of the sensor so that a smaller part of the sensor was sampled (enough for 1080 resolution, much smaller than the full sensor resolution, rather than downsizing the full sensor resolution to 1080 without teleconverter).

If this is the same as the GH2 and G2 teleconverters (and it may not be!), I don't think it makes sense to call it a "digital" teleconverter option; in that case, sampling a DX-sized piece of an FX sensor, at lower resolution and without up-rezzing, would also be a "digital" teleconversion, and I don't think most people would agree with that terminology.

Comment edited 35 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

Have always thought the G5 looked like the S2 shrunk in the wash and the G6 more so, but why the gratuitous "of all things" comment? A bit of a put down - yes we know it is not a medium format camera. I am not a big fan of any DSLR design, but the S2 -and maybe the G6 - are the cleanest.

This camera is clearly not the EM5 killer that Panasonic might yet produce. But it looks like an attractive refinement of the G5 which itself is an excellent camera.

Comment edited 5 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

I like the five fn buttons. I wish more cameras of this class would do this (instead of putting everything in a touch-screen menu).

0 upvotes

Just wondering if in video mode... there shutter and aperture control whilst in auto focus.

0 upvotes

OMG so ugly. Looks like an OMD on cortizone.

2 upvotes

Different ppl, different taste. I like it.

3 upvotes

Form Fits Function- it looks very functional to me. Love how all the buttons are on top or back. No more tilting the camera to get at some seldom used buttons... like my D7000.

0 upvotes

Now that's a silly comment. Each to his own. While I think the OM-D is a nice camera and would like one some day to complement my Panasonic bodies, it looks like something out of an Anime comic book to me. But I would never post that just to sound clever. Or did I just do that :-)

Comment edited 45 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

I like it, and I like the OMD too. But the G6 looks like it will handle better overall as there is more space on the camera. Never know till you hold one though.

0 upvotes

That one ugly mother......

0 upvotes

Camera appearances are an aquired taste. The first sight of equines terrified the Amerindians, who later became quite fond of horses and ponys.

0 upvotes

Luckily for them (and it's about the only bit of luck they've had since that time), horse design has remained relatively stable with no "improved" three- or five-legged versions appearing to cause them confusion and "upgrade" envy.

Comment edited 52 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

Wow ... the OM-D fan boys are on a roll :-)

2 upvotes

Eh? It's a joke, dummy!

Comment edited 25 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

I have a G5 which I love. This looks like a very decent upgrade if they keep the price the same as the G5:

- new more compact standard kit lens (the more expensive X power zoom is still an option)
- better EVF (OLED)
- capacitive touch screen (resistive on G5)
- microphone socket
- manual video controls
- focus peaking

The lack of sensor upgrade over the G5 is a little disappointing but the GH2 sensor is very good except at the highest iso's.

For me the excellent ergonomics, very fast operation and focusing, optional silent shutter, EVF and articulating display on these camera makes for a compelling feature set. I find the buttons really well placed and you effectively have 'dual control dials' as the lever in front of the shutter release is very handy for exposure compensation.

If it looks a bit large in the photos I encourage you to try one in the flesh. It's a lot smaller than nearly all DSLRs - especially with the new more compact lens. And no, I don't work for Panasonic.

5 upvotes

"The lack of sensor upgrade over the G5 is a little disappointing but the GH2 sensor is very good except at the highest iso's."

While I agree with you, my G5 easily outshoots my GH2 in shadows in RAW. So I am not unhappy that Panasonic have chosen to update the GH2 sensor for the G6. Look at how much improvement they squeezed out of the GF5 sensor at 12mp as an example of what can be done on the cheap. And the practical difference in raw between all the 16mp sensors is not enough to get too twisted about anyway in my opinion.

So this is looking pretty darned good to me. I may sell off some equipment to grab the new body ...

1 upvote

"the practical difference in raw between all the 16mp sensors is not enough to get too twisted about anyway in my opinion."

Agreed - I guess I only put the sensor comment in there because everyone else was going on about. If I wanted the ultimate low light cam I'd go full frame. For everything else, m4/3 is fantastic for me. I didn't expect much from the change to a mirrorless sytem from a DSLR but the faster focusing, silent shutter, real live view on an articulated LCD, fantastic readout in an EVF and small size / weight have been a revelation. I can deal with the fact that a 16mp NEX might have less noise at ISO 25,600!

2 upvotes

How can you do a prefiew when you don't know if there is image stabilization or not? You have written unknown.

0 upvotes

it's a silly mistake in the table, but we all know there is no stabilization as this is a Panasonic camera and they put that in the lenses instead

5 upvotes

GH2 sensor !! sweet great news ..
Mean I don't have to downgrade from my GH1!!

0 upvotes

I suppose Panny's market research tells them there's a market for large "micro" cameras. Let's hope, for Panny's sake, they're right.
Too big for my taste. Waiting for GX2.

2 upvotes

Its gained 2mm in width and 2mm in height over the G5. The depth is the same which I guess means the grip is no bigger, just a better shape.

The G5 is not a big camera (yeah bigger than the GX1, but add the EVF to it and then compare), and neither is the G6. The more angular shape just makes it look more chunky than it is.

0 upvotes

"An advantage of using the GH2's sensor is that the G6 is able to offer more comprehensive video functions than the G5."

The G5 also had the GH2 sensor, so any differences in video capabilities are not because of a different sensor.

1 upvote

Nope mate. The software plays a huge role in video (or I would say software is more important than the sensor size itself in video). The GH series offers uncompressed RAW video output and much more customisation in video shooting.

0 upvotes

Fully agree, h3csc. What exactly were you disagreeing with on my post?

0 upvotes

How many GH3 purchasers have a real need for RAW video? How many terabytes of RAW would it take to shoot a tournament, ceremony, or trip? How much serious editing do the gear gurus do with RAW that they could not do with AVCHD or MP4? What difference will a viewer see in the 5mbps version they stream over YT and view on their iPhone?

A G5 or G6 offers all the video spec most people (even serious ones) can handle. Video-wise, an HC X920 (3x1/2.3" CMOS) is more versatile in practice, has less moiré, and better stabilization.

Manual customization of video, or narrow DOF, are not anyone's "best friends" if you are shooting an event you can't orchestrate or double-take. One can get very good video with very simple kit. Content is king, audio is queen, editing is the prince, camera hype is the knave, and the camera buyer is often the fool or jester.

3 upvotes

what about the internet forum philosopher?

0 upvotes

"Manual customization of video, or narrow DOF, are not anyone's "best friends" if you are shooting an event you can't orchestrate or double-take. One can get very good video with very simple kit. Content is king, audio is queen, editing is the prince, camera hype is the knave, and the camera buyer is often the fool or jester."

Clever, and true. I like the G, GX and even the hacked GF series for events and other long clip scenarios. But I do think that the manual control on the G6 and 24p is very welcome too. For those times when you have the time to set up and get it right. So this is a nice upgrade.

0 upvotes

This is nice, and if the price quickly drops, like previous G models, it will be a massive bargain. Instead of a sweet deal, which it is already. I only had a few quibbles with the G5, and this addressed all of them. I know people love the OM-D E-M5, but this offers more features for a lot less money, and even bests the NEX-6 in some ways. OK, the sensor isn't quite up to Sony standards, but it isn't far behind anymore. I do wish Panasonic would dump the clunky faux-dslr styling for something cleaner, but that's about the only remaining problem. If I were shopping this would be hard to resist.

1 upvote

I am one of those who likes the feel of the G series in the hand. Reminds me a lot of Nikon dSLRs that I shot for some years. Ergonomics matter a lot to me and these two brands epitomize the best of that.

0 upvotes

Total comments: 195

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