(budget) Replacement for E-P5 with better video?

Hi, I have E-P5 which is fine piece of camera except video. I use m43 for snapshots and family photos when I am not carrying my dslrs and for casual videos when dslr is too cumbersome and tripod.

The lack of external audio jack can be fixed with SEMA-1 adapter but the video quality itself bothers me. It has just too much artifacts. The frame rate is 30fps (not very suitable in Europe) and video mode itself is very limited.

When using shutter priority in video mode, the shutter speed is same as it was last time in still mode. That's not good as I wan't to use fixed 1/60 or 1/50 speed. The shutter priority mode also limits smallest aperture making it quite unusable in bright sun where f/16 or f/22 would be suitable.

The much better video af is in my wishlist too.

Panasonic G7 could be replacement. It has all what I need. Except.. It's bit too big, It does not have IBIS and thus my current m43 lenses won't be usable with video. I would prefer E-M10 II but SEMA-1 microphone adapter does not fit in it.

Other options? All seems to lack microphone input. I even searched some 1" cameras with fixed zoom lens (like G5x, LX10 and LX100). But no microphone input there either.

Use of external audio recorder with casual videos is too inconvenient.

What am I missing here?

GX8? G80/85?

I'm not exactly sure which other Panasonics have mic jacks, but every Panasonic will have better video than your EP5.

GX80/GX85 would be amazing and fairly close in size and weight, but there's no way to input sound so you'd have to record sound externally.

User8673440952 wrote:

Elmokki wrote:

GX80/GX85 would be amazing and fairly close in size and weight, but there's no way to input sound so you'd have to record sound externally.

That's the problem. The external recording is such a hassle when trying to take some video clips in the middle of still image shooting.

Really small recorder attached to camera with a bracket could do it if it's easy enough to hit record button.

Do you foresee yourself with a microphone on the camera all the time?

I have a GH4 and plugged in a microphone only once when I recorded a cousin's wedding reception casually. All the other many videos are done with the built-in mics. Since I am not making oscar winning films, I find it OK.

I now have a GX85 which has no mic input and many in the internet have complained about its built-in mics. I am in the camp that thinks the built-in mics are fine. Many of the video stories I do end up with music in a lot of the clips and any audio is usually close to the camera to result in reasonable good sound. The 4K video is what I will not compromise on and both of my cameras produce outstanding video.

To me, the lack of an external mic port is a deal-breaker if one wants decent videos. I routinely video classical concerts, usually with two or three cameras, and although really high quality external sound is always available (up to 32 bit and 192 kHz), synching it is a pain. Also, mic placement on the camera sounds more natural.

Another concern with in-camera mics is camera noise and, usually worse, any bumping or brushing of the camera during operation. I've been using an Olympus EM1 and OM5II for video, and find that even the little multiport extension mic on the EM-1 better than just using the built-in mics on either (though these are not bad.)

The little hot-shoe-mounted Rhode stereo mics, though, with their compact isolation, seem to be the cat's meow. I'll be using on at the next concert.

The G85 in an only slightly larger screen offers and an external mic jack and a fully articulating screes - which I find essential for video, and is not that much more expensive.  For me, seems to offer a lot more.

tkbslc wrote:

If you want stabilized video with a mic jack, you are looking at E-M5 II or Panasonic G80/85. I don't think there is anything that will be cheaper than those that offer both of those featues.

Of the two, the E-M5 II has better (downright incredible) video stabilization , but only 1080p. Olympus has really improved their video in the latest batch, and it is really solid quality high bitrate 1080p.

The G85 does great 1080p and cropped 4k and has video stabilization. It is the same price as the E-M5II, or for $100 more you can get a nice weather sealed 12-60 kit lens that sells for $500 new.

Size-wise, the E-M5 II is only a tiny bit taller than your E-P5 (just the evf hump, really). It is a tiny bit thicker, but with a lens on, the difference is negligible. The G85 is noticeably larger in every dimension,.

Not as cheap as some of the cameras you were looking at, but you can't always get everything you want at the cheapest price.

I do love my OM5ii for its overall quality and portability, and the video is quite decent, and the image stabilization incredible (almost a built-in steadycam)!. .  If you are mainly shooting video and used to Panasonic, though , the G-85 is hard to beat.  be sure to try both!

User8673440952 wrote:

aljudy wrote:

User8673440952 wrote:

Elmokki wrote:

GX80/GX85 would be amazing and fairly close in size and weight, but there's no way to input sound so you'd have to record sound externally.

That's the problem. The external recording is such a hassle when trying to take some video clips in the middle of still image shooting.

Really small recorder attached to camera with a bracket could do it if it's easy enough to hit record button.

Do you foresee yourself with a microphone on the camera all the time?

I usually have at least a small shotgun microphone in bag with (dslr)camera and I use it often. I don't see any reason why wouldn't I do same with m43.

Easy way to get rid of wind noise and camera noises.

Will work perfectly well on either the G85 or the G85 (but NOT the Panasonic x model - has no mic input).  Will not work perfectly wellon either, because another idiocy both corporations decided to share was having the mic plug and the covering flap on the same side that the foldout flap/cover and the mic input are on, so as reviewers of either and both have noted, the mic plug and cable and the cover and the screen can get in the way of each other.

Takes and advanced degree in engineering to accomplish such things ...especially fo two supposedly competing corporations 

Again, again, be sure to try, more than once if possible, before you buy!

User8673440952 wrote:

At the end, I went to Panasonic G7.

The lack of in body stabilization is a downside. Panasonic's Power O.I.S. helps, but it's not even as effective as IBIS of my E-P5.

The camera is light (plastic body) and it is really easy to carry with Rode Video Micro attached. The AF works fine on casual videos.

Camera itself feels more like toy than camera when compared to my old E-P5. The picture quality however is a slight better and video is just from another world. There's no comparison between full HD quality. Panasonic is just so good.

With 12-60mm 3.5-5.6 lens G7 seems to be good allround camera for videos and snapshots.

However there's something that I miss: The auto ISO does not work in full manual video mode and in the shutter priority video mode, I cannot see the selected aperture or ISO value so it's hard to know when aperture is near minimum value when taking video under constantly changing light.

Interesting. I just bought the G85 (G80 in Europe) and have similar feelings about the much more "plasticky" feel than my OM5ii, or, especially my EM-1.  Bought it for video and wouldn't have bought it with its OIS and a fantastic price (on sale for $1,200 CAD with 12-60 lens, and I already had an $206 credit with Don's).

It will be a challenge to use it alongside my OM5ii as the menu system and control interface do seem a bit more logical and accessible than Olympus', but definitely have their own idio(t)syncrasies.  (I added the "t", of course, because half the problem is with this aging idiot trying to use them).