G7 and G85 AutoFocus while shooting video questions

alcelc wrote:

red sled wrote:

Thank you pannumon. I was almost ready to purchase one of these two cameras but the focus difficulties others were having has given me pause.

I'm not familiar with these AF difficulties as I normally shoot with a Nikon D90 or D300s which I see have phase-detect AF for normal shooting. Perhaps, as you say, it would get better with experience trying different settings.

I heard basically the Nikons have useless AF on video...

AFAIK PDAF alone doesn't help in video shooting. Currently there had been a few models having more reliable video AF than Panasonic, e.g., Sony and Canon, are using hybrid AF system (i.e. On Sensor PDAF or Dual Pixel AF), basically are a marriage of traditional PDAF plus Live View. Traditional PDAF of dslr doesn't support live view, and live view been used by video. On video shooting dslr has to lock up the mirror, disable the traditional PDAF module and use CDAF. On pure CDAF operation, Panasonic could be the best until now.

Finally, how serious your video work will determine your requirement on the AF performance. On my GX85 (causal shooting), using the work around solution (MF, disable CAF etc) can satisfy me. Indeed on slow and steady panning, not to zoom the lenses etc CAF is not 100% unacceptable.

If you need the best, I suppose a Sony FF (size, weight and cost) could be a better choice at present (but mnd the 4K overheating). Not very sure but likely not every DPAF Canon supports 4K.

Thank you Albert, I appreciate your input. After much thought I believe 4k scenery and 4k time-lapse will be the majority of work for this new purchase. So a wide angle lens should suffice, and moving targets should not be an issue (98% of the time).

No, I'm not looking for the best equipment.  I do like the time-lapse options of the G7-G85 models and the 4k video and stills options. So perhaps that opens the door to different, less expensive Panasonics than the G7 (but I would like the best IQ possible in the G7 price range. 4k video and time-lapse video in the camera are the two main considerations.