getting a GH4...?

What do you think about getting a GH4…? They’re still available, are half the price of a G9 and an even better bargain up against the GH5. And yeah, I know---no IS, no 4K. But the GH4 was really the one to set the standard in its day as a video tool.

Obviously money’s an issue with me. And also the fact that a camera’s a camera. It’s willing to take good pictures so long as you know how to use it properly. I’d love all the added features on an EM-1. II but if I shelled out money every time there’s an upgrade, well, we all know the score…

I was just curious if anybody else had considered the same idea.

4K. I stand pleasantly corrected! Is this 4K different in some way? I misread the side-by-side specs. Is MPEG-4 4K?

I think that the Olympus OM-D M10 III is the current best value for video on M43. Can't post the link properly So here goes

https://www.xxxxx.com/2018/10/the-absolutely-mega-olympus-e-m10-iii-oversampled-4-6k-no-crop-5-axis-ibis-for-500/

Replace xxxxx with eoshd

The GH4 was one of my favourite cameras to use, and only got replaced by the G9 because a bonus helpfully arrived in April 2018. If it weren't for that, I'd happily still be shooting with it!

A little retrospective on my time with the GH4.

Cheers,
Paul

GH4, Great camera, still viable today.

amipal wrote:

The GH4 was one of my favourite cameras to use, and only got replaced by the G9 because a bonus helpfully arrived in April 2018. If it weren't for that, I'd happily still be shooting with it!

A little retrospective on my time with the GH4.

Cheers,
Paul

Thanks for the added info link. Nice pics, too. Thanks!

Is there anything in particular attracting you to the GH4 over the G85?

Mark9473 wrote:

Is there anything in particular attracting you to the GH4 over the G85?

Good question! I’m glad you asked!

This has been a topic for another thread but yes, I had my eyes on the G85 first, when it came out. It got a great review and has IS and a more updated 4K suit.

However---and I just wrote a local camera store about this---you can’t get it without paying for a kit lens. I don’t need an extra standard zoom. I already have 2. Same deal with GX8 here. Some models available, but bundled with the 12-35! Again, same problem. Panasonic is notorious for this bundling BS!

Shop around. Typically the bundle with the 12-60 is only $100 more, but on some occasions even less. It's not like you're paying a lot for a lens you don't need.

I do see the G80 offered body-only here in Europe.

Rarely. In fact the one case where they had a body only unit it was a 1000 NOK more than the body with kit lens. Panasonic has made it a dedicated and annoying case bundling bodies with lenses. It's an inconvenience, a waste of glass if you don't use it.

The G85/81/80 would sell a lot more if just the body were available.

And how many "numerations" do they have to give one model?

jrg wrote:

Panasonic has made it a dedicated and annoying case bundling bodies with lenses.

You can only blame your official importer for that, I think.

The G85/81/80 would sell a lot more if just the body were available.

Then buy in another country?

And how many "numerations" do they have to give one model?

I usually buy either in Norway or in the States, usually B&H or Adorama. RE the Panasonic G80 kit problem the US retailers are even worse. I’ve never seen one “body only” on the market. Norway has them solo but rarely. Same with Germany. If it had been offered body only I would have bought one years ago when it came out

jrg wrote:

Same with Germany. If it had been offered body only I would have bought one years ago when it came out

https://www.idealo.de/preisvergleich/OffersOfProduct/5121697_-lumix-dmc-g81-body-panasonic.html

jrg wrote:

Mark9473 wrote:

Is there anything in particular attracting you to the GH4 over the G85?

Good question! I’m glad you asked!

This has been a topic for another thread but yes, I had my eyes on the G85 first, when it came out. It got a great review and has IS and a more updated 4K suit.

However---and I just wrote a local camera store about this---you can’t get it without paying for a kit lens. I don’t need an extra standard zoom. I already have 2. Same deal with GX8 here. Some models available, but bundled with the 12-35! Again, same problem. Panasonic is notorious for this bundling BS!

The 12-35 f2.8 is not what I would call a kit lens.

I have the 12-32 f3.5-5.6 and it is a very nice addition to any M43 system: very small, good IQ, OIS, and weights nothing.

Tatouzou wrote:

The 12-35 f2.8 is not what I would call a kit lens.

Right. And the price of that kit (if I wanted the GX8) was the same as a new GH5! Hence my point...

jrg wrote:

Tatouzou wrote:

The 12-35 f2.8 is not what I would call a kit lens.

Right. And the price of that kit (if I wanted the GX8) was the same as a new GH5! Hence my point...

I bought my GX8 in bundle with 12-60 f3.5-5.6 from a French famous  brick and mortar shop  for only 620 € last october. Which was really a bargain.

I do enjoy both the camera and the lens.

The 20MP sensor and the jpeg engine in GX8 are, IMO, much improved over the older 16MP sensor and JPEG engine in my G7 and GM5.

And the GX8 ergonomy and viewfinder are a joy to use.

jrg wrote:

What do you think about getting a GH4…? They’re still available, are half the price of a G9 and an even better bargain up against the GH5. And yeah, I know---no IS, no 4K. But the GH4 was really the one to set the standard in its day as a video tool.

Obviously money’s an issue with me. And also the fact that a camera’s a camera. It’s willing to take good pictures so long as you know how to use it properly. I’d love all the added features on an EM-1. II but if I shelled out money every time there’s an upgrade, well, we all know the score…

I was just curious if anybody else had considered the same idea.

How much is your interest video and how much stills?

Personally I'd be inclined to look at the G80/85 (especially if you're happy with the EVF and panning) as it's cheaper, has Dual-IS2 and 4k. (Note the G, not GX.)

Dr_Jon wrote:

How much is your interest video and how much stills?

Personally I'd be inclined to look at the G80/85 (especially if you're happy with the EVF and panning) as it's cheaper, has Dual-IS2 and 4k. (Note the G, not GX.)

This has actually been covered in the above posts. They will agree with your suggestion.

jrg wrote:

Dr_Jon wrote:

How much is your interest video and how much stills?

Personally I'd be inclined to look at the G80/85 (especially if you're happy with the EVF and panning) as it's cheaper, has Dual-IS2 and 4k. (Note the G, not GX.)

This has actually been covered in the above posts. They will agree with your suggestion.

I read a number of posts but didn't get that for down, so missed that.

I've had GH3, GH4 and GH5 and I think the first two have some issues compared to IBIS cameras, plus the 1080p in both skips a lot of pixels and so suffers from moire and aliasing. The GH4 4k is excellent though, and shoots great video in Cinelike-D (avoid VLog-L as that can fall apart on an 8-bit camera and the GH4 uses less than 8-bits for it (okay, dug out a calculator, 7.3 bits)...

BTW I basically got my GH5 for free by trading in my GH3, GH4 and their battery grip (I paid £741 for a GH5 with the Leica 12-60, which at the time was £859 with £100 cashback).

If you do get a Dual-IS2 camera it's worth checking if you have lenses that work with it, if not a kit lens might be an idea (for example I have the mk 1 12-35 and 35-100 f2.8s and neither support it). I felt the difference (Dual-IS vs Dual-IS2) was between an image just slightly moving and what looked like reviewing a still (at short range and no great tele). You can of course do "better than IBIS" by using a gimbal, but that does get tiring.

If you do a lot of stills a 20MP camera may be better, although there are two different 16MP sensors around (Panasonic and Sony). But you aren't buying a GH camera just for stills.

In the U.K. you can get the G80 alone or in a kit with the cheaper of the 12-60s. Maybe in a country near you too?
I wouldn't get a GH3 as the 1080p has too many issues, I really did like my GH4 but IBIS really is handy (as is VLogL that is usable).