...it will only be 10 - 11 MP's. Even if I was a video freak, I'd have a hell of a time coming t accept a 10 MP video camera that cost over 2K. But then, that's just me.
This is why I periodically chime in here to remind folks that it's not a good idea to part with your NX cameras in general. These cameras, despite any shortcomings (which camera made doesn't have them), will stand the test of time. That's why I'm holding on to my NX300, NX30, and NX500 and they're not going anywhere.
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Sincerely,
Bernd ("Ben") Herrmann
Fuquay Varina, North Carolina USA
You're not alone in that Ben. A lot of folks are STILL holding on to their NX gear even if they've purchased current models from other manufacturers, and I've seen a few people express regret for selling their NX camera a bit reactively.
Specifically, the NX1 and NX500 are those kinds of cameras many refer to as workhorses. That's the best compliment any camera can get in terms of features, performance and cost.
I still ascertain that these two cameras are the best hybrid mirrorless cameras ever created to date, period.
Though in my opinion the GH5 looks really wonderful on paper, I'm realizing the shine and hype has worn off a bit and the camera is starting to show its weaknesses. At this point, we all can truly evaluate its real world performance.
The AF is some of the worse around. This becomes very important to vloggers and handheld gimbal work. To maximize the camera's output, you really have to record externally, because internal bitrates are too comprimised. MFT comes with its own limitations and the workarounds are expensive.
I don't expect the GH5s to be a breakthrough update to the GH5. If Panasonic addresses the AF that could present an attractive proposition for a lot of Panasonic fans. But it will come at a compromise in lowered mega pixels. It will definitely not attract photographers. At any rate tradeoffs are likely to be quite apparent, I could see GH5 owners owning both versions for different applications. We shall see soon.
I'm personally not a huge fan of either Panasonic or Sony, for various reasons relating to color reproduction and image, hence my decision to go with the NX1 in late 2014.
I'm still with my NX1, and in fact wouldn't mind picking up another body for a reasonable price for a two camera kit for filmmaking.
I've tried to make an offer with two famous YouTuber's who own one or several NX1's but they refuse to let them go, even though they're "not using them" that often. Meaning, they're using them more than they publicaly admit.
Both of these people did jump immeditely on the GH5 bandwagon and seem relatively satisfied. That is, I see them making a lot of reassurances and justifications to mainly themselves that the GH5 was a worthy purchase.
However, its not hard to see they harbor a little disapointment, especially when it comes to AF. One of them finally cracked and said his NX1 was still the best all-around camera and once again, "workhorse" was prescribed to it.
The NX cameras are not perfect. I'm not a huge fan of the pretty bad rolling shutter (in 4k) which means I really have to limit myself to avoid fast movement, which means I have to film profile interior moving car scenes in 1080 or with a different camera, or not at all.
I know a lot of cameras suffer from RS, even some REDS, but the NX1 has quite a bit of it. When you realize the camera is scanning a full sensor readout on a 6.5k sensor and downscaling that to 4k, its not hard to understand why the rolling shutter is so pronounced.
Also, if I want a handheld look, I add it in post. The NX1 picks up on the slightest vibrations, both vertically and horizontally and the image breaks down. Plus in post I have full control over rate and intensity of the shake and none of the visual issues of RS.
You have to really be careful and delicate with grading the NX1/500 footage. There's not a ton of latitude in the stored image, mainly because of compression. It's not because it's inherently 8bit, that's a misconception, which is mistakeningly leading to the buzzword of a 10bit workflow for an eventual 8bit distribution. Instead, it has way more to do with the color science. 10bit is useful for VFX and very heavy grades. Otherwise, those two extra bits are mostly imperceptible, especially viewed on 8bit devices, and adding size to your file.
That being said, the camera's weakness can also be it's strength. The color science out of the box is not all that different from Canon. Sony and Panasonic could take a few notes here, especially with skin tones.
If you adjust anything in your NX camera adjust sharpness to completely off (-10) and lower your contrast (-2-5). Saturation doesnt really matter as it can be added or taken away in post non-destructively.
Obviously, if you turn down Saturation in camera, you're mid point in post will be much lower. You also can't adjust color saturation in post on a grayscale image. So use common sense here.
Lastly I reccommend Lumentri for simple color correction and slight grades. However, for heavier grades I reccomend Davinci Resolve or 3D LUT Creator. Lumentri just doesnt have the detailed toolset you need to avoid clipping, banding and artifacts introduced with heavier grades. With the other tools, you can produce better results with less effort and less time. Lumentri as a comprehensive color grading tool needs a little work.
