Continually updated: Panasonic GH2 official!
Keep following us! We will update this post with all links to reviews, hands-on, images samples and more!
Feel free to send me links to interesting stuff. Thanks!
PREORDERS:
Amazon (Click here to preorder now!!!)
WHAT’S HOT!!!:
- Body only option is available!!! +option with 14-42mm or 14-140mm kit lens!
- The 1080i output is derived from 60p or 50p capture, rather than doubled-up from 24p or 25p on the GH1!
- 1080 60i with variable frame rate (80%,160%,200%,300%)!!!
- 24p native option available at 24 Mbps AVCHD
- 40fps mode using electronic shutter mode
- In Germany the price will be 900.- EUR for body-only. With the kit lens (14-42mm) will be about 1000.- EUR and twith the 14-140mm zoom lens about 1550.- EUR. According to Enagdget “The GH2 will ship in black and silver by “early December,” with a body-only model going for $899.95, a 14-42mm bundle going for $999.95 and a 14-140mm bundle for $1,499.95.”
- 3CPU In order to achieve high quality processing. Compared to the conventional engine with 2CPU it boasts the power of approximately 1.8 times.
- LVF has 0.71× magnification (1.42 × 0.5)
- It can do 3D
- 3 new lenses: 14mm, 100-300mm and the 3D lens. The 14mm lens will be available late October. The other two by early November.
SPECS and INTERESTING NOTES:
- First preview on DPreview
- Akihabara has been the first to report the GH2 press release: “Announced to be sold in Japan later this october, the GH2 comes with a 16.05Mpix Live MOS Censor, direct support of 3D video! Full HD Video recording at 60fps (1080/60i), Video with AF (like on the GH1), SDXC Support, an ISO Speed from 160 to 12800, and an impressive ultra fast AF capable to give you the correct focus in just 0.1sec.“. It also has a 460,000 dot 3-inch wide-view touch panel and 1.5 M dot EVF. 5fps.
- First image samples on Panasonic website: click here and here!
- Special digital zoom in FHD – 2.6x and 3.9x in other modes. Shooting still during video (with evry small video freeze).
- Panasonic will produce 5,000 units per month. Is that enough? 
- The official Panasonic GH2 page on Panasonic Japan websites
PREVIEWS and HANDS-ON
First preview on DPreview
Test on SystemKameraForum (you need a registration and test is in german!)
KEY DIFFERENCES COMPARED TO THE GH1:
* New sensor with 18.3 million total pixels
* ISO range 160 – 12800 vs 100-6400 form the GH1
* Sensor outpus of 1080p at 60 or 50 fps (GH1 24 or 25 fps)
* Faster sensor read-out promises faster AF and smoother viewfinder image (less tearing)
* Larger EVF (852 x 600 rather than 800 x 600 pixels)
* Touch-sensitive LCD screen
* New, more modern looking menu screens
* G2-style combined AF mode/pattern control on top plate
* Direct movie shooting button moved to top plate from rear of camera
* Control dial moved from front of handgrip to rear of camera
* Dedicated metering and ‘film mode’ buttons replaced by highly customizable Fn buttons
* Q menu button moved from top plate to rear of camera
* New battery (DMW-BLC12E) with fractionally smaller capacity (1200mAh vs 1250mAh)
* Slightly heavier (394g compared to 385g body only)
USER REACTIONS:
GH2 official discussion thread at DVXuser-forum (With the GH1 hacker as moderator!)
E-P1.net
IMAGE SAMPLES:
More images samples on Panasonic.net
On Panasonic website: click here and here!
VIDEO SAMPLES:
Presentation by Panasonic Germany on Youtube
First video samples on Panasonics Japan!
GH2 first look on youtube
PRESS RELEASE:
ThePhoBlographer
Enagdget
Imaging Resource
Letsgodigital
Focus Numerique (french)
Quesabesde (spanish)
Digitalcamerareview
Photoscala.de (german)
Chip.de
The official Panasonic GH2 page on Panasonic Japan websites
Panasonic GH2 japanese press release
[Photokina 2010] Lumix GH2 officially Official! (Akihabara)
LENSES:
Panasonic 14mm f/2.5 lens at DCwatch
Panasonic 12.5mm f/12 3D lens at DC.watch
Panasonic 100-300mm F4-5.6 MEGA O.I.S lens at DC.watch
There is also a zoom lever for the 14-140mm lens
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YouDidntDidYou
3 years ago |and in sliver! http://en.akihabaranews.com/?gallery=1&post=62081&origine=62081&image=002
berbert-pk
3 years ago |Where is the sample? (Thank’s for this fast news!)
Nathan
3 years ago |Two quick questions about this camera, in the press release it doesnt differentiate between PAL and NTSC, meaning it might be switchable on the camera like the 7D, but it doesnt mention 25/30fps like it does on the GH1′s press release, does this mean that those frame rates arent in the camera?
Secondly, although it says 1080 60i, next to it it says (sensor output 60 frames / sec), does this imply that the footage is actually progressive,albeit at a lower bitrate, wrapped in an interlaced format, like people suggested?
zorrofox
3 years ago |ISO Speed from 100 to 12800,0.1S AF,wow,that’s sounds great!
berbert-pk
3 years ago |Oups, sorry, I’m french and I haven’t read all the post^^
sahara_knight
3 years ago |give me sampels right NOW i want to see the cinema mode in this camera
uiti
3 years ago |sample
http://panasonic.jp/dc/gallery/sample/gh2/P1010175.JPG
http://panasonic.jp/dc/gallery/sample/gh2/P1000168.JPG
admin
3 years ago |Thanks!!!
Sandy
3 years ago |I’ll have to check it out in the shops around Tokyo in a couple of weeks!!!!!
This almost makes the Phase Detection vs Contrast Detection argument a non issue with 0.1s AF.
grum
3 years ago |Also a body only option according to press release:
GH２ GH2 (body)
GH２H GH2H (Telephoto zoom lens included)
GH２K GH2K (With standard lens)
RichT
3 years ago |Hey, if I’m reading the Japanese translation right, there IS a 24p native option available at 24 Mbps!
grum
3 years ago |Yeah, it says
“Cinema movie”
We built new cinema mode movie mode. Sensor output 24 frames / second
McSmooth
3 years ago |Can’t tell for sure if that is indeed 24p native or with pulldown, but likely will be native considering the new bitrate. I don’t see any details on variable frame rates, but wonder if it could possibly have the upcoming AF-100 implementation of variable frame rates encoded to 1080p24.
I’m also curious if the 24Mbps mode will encode B frames like the HMC150 (and upcoming AF-100).
Live HDMI monitoring!
Sounds like there is a crop video mode too
Sold
CallaWolf
3 years ago |Could someone tell me if it would be possible to use my Oly Zuiko 12-60mm & 70-300mm on the GH2? Adapter required? Will they autofocus etc? Thanks
admin
3 years ago |Yes you can use it with adapter. AF works!
CallaWolf
3 years ago |Oh boy…now, for the first time, I seriously consider moving away from Oly. Can anyone give me an idea of how well/badly the lenses perform on Panasonic bodies?
Can I suggest to admin that it would be a great subject for an article…especially for those of us who have invested heavily in Oly glass, but see the E5 as a step sideways instead of forwards.
YouDidntDidYou
3 years ago |I use Oly glass on my Panasonics all the time, they work great (but I prefer to use my 70-300mm on my Olympus for the in body stablisation)
dCap
3 years ago |some of the Olympus lenses are ‘high speed AF’ (can’t remember the actual term) … does anyone know if this faster focus maintained when using a 43/m43 adaptor?
Frosti7
3 years ago |Yey! not replacing my lovely GH1 yet, will be waiting for GH3
but its a good upgrade! (next time im waiting for a more robust body)
Gabi
3 years ago |Sounds good to me! What does “1.5 M dot EVF. 5fps.” mean? The term “5fps” frightens me a bit… Is that the refresh rate?
Gabi
3 years ago |Well, I think this is the burst rate, correct?
grum
3 years ago |See Google translated version here:
http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=ja&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fpanasonic.co.jp%2Fcorp%2Fnews%2Fofficial.data%2Fdata.dir%2Fjn100921-1%2Fjn100921-1.html&act=url
kesztió
3 years ago |same 460000 dots touchscreen?! NOOOOOOOO!!!!
YouDidntDidYou
3 years ago |higher resolution screens aren’t really needed and just drain the battery…
kesztió
3 years ago |BTW agree. This should be the smallest problem here.
McSmooth
3 years ago |1.5 M dot EVF refers to the new viewfinder. 5 fps refers to continuous shots. Nice improvement. Also, the translated doc mentions something about 40 continuous frames per second. Presumably that is for burst or actual continuous in a reduced resolution. Slick either way.
grum
3 years ago |Is it 60p in an 60i wrapper? Note the AVCHD modes listed as:
1920 × 1080, 60i i record (sensor output 60 frames / sec) (FSH: 17Mbps, FH: 13Mbps/AVCHD)
1280 × 720, 60p recording (60 frames sensor output / s) (SH: 17Mbps, H: 13Mbps/AVCHD)
grum
3 years ago |Answered according to Vitaliy in the dvxuser thread:
“It is 60i, like in camcorder.
Sensor output 60p, but encoder gets only half of the lines.”
dacloo
3 years ago |Let’s hope the codec implementation of AVCHD is much better (no mud, b-frames, etc). This is my only worry right now. The specs are great for a camera like this.
iMikl
3 years ago |I like the rubber grip… reminds me of my trusty FZ50!
Th
3 years ago |The only downside is that 1080 60i and 720 60p are still 17mbps, and only the 24p is 24Mb/s. I can’t possibly understand why.
YouDidntDidYou
3 years ago |just been reading the specs on dpreview the GH2 sounds incredible!
Gabi
3 years ago |If the price for the body is really 1200$, it will likely be around 1200€ in Germany (that corresponds to almost 1600$). This would be a price tag that makes me think twice, since I get the GH1 for less than 1200€ including the 14-140mm lens at present.
Wunde
3 years ago |It´s 900€ in germany, not 1200€.
Gabi
3 years ago |Thank you! That is a great relief!
kgerster
3 years ago |German websites report that the price for the body will be about 900.- EUR. A kit with the kit lens (14-42mm) will be about 1000.- EUR and the kit with the 14-140mm zoom lens about 1550.- EUR.
kgerster
3 years ago |http://translate.google.de/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=de&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=de&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chip.de%2Fnews%2FPanasonic-Systemkamera-GH2-fuer-HD-Video-optimiert_44810033.html
calxn
3 years ago |That price may kill this camera’s potential. This is a very bad price. A camera that is DOF challenged selling for same price as D7000. Uh, no thanks. Oly and Pana are going to price their tiny system out of the market. At that price, it’s no longer a novelty.
YouDidntDidYou
3 years ago |to be honest a many Canon and Nikon users add to much depth of field turning out of focus people/objects into ugly blobs, I think four thirds gives the right balance….
my opinion.
Paulie
3 years ago |Precisely!!! The canikon bokeh has a horribly generic “blended” look that is completely lacking in character. While you have to choose your manual lenses carefully with 4/3, there are some exceptional combinations. The Nokton 50mm f1.1 for example, even the native leica-designed 20mm produces better quality bokeh than most canikon lenses, then we all have high hopes for the new 25mm nokton! Next best thing to an M9.
kesztió
3 years ago |Canonikon users can’t have F0,95 optics at reasonable price…
Danyyyel
3 years ago |Yes the price is very high. If you are really interested in DSLR video it is ok (my interest in this camera), but as a still camera, compared to a Nikon D7000 their is no competition. I hope that it is only the list price and that the street price will be much less.
In terms of lens better not compare what is available in the Canon or Nikon camp compared to 4/3, because it will really hurt.
ANGRY Olympus Owner
3 years ago |really hurt canikon you mena right?
iMikl
3 years ago |Yay!!!
Gabi
3 years ago |The Nikon is surely a nice camera, but the body weighs 780g. I am too old to carry weights like that with me…
divide
3 years ago |“1080 60i with variable frame rate (80%,160%,200%,300%)!!!”
What does this mean exactly ? 80% of what ? 300% of what ?
TR
3 years ago |Check out the video in this post
hemmapulare
3 years ago |Typical. They focused on gadgets like 3D instead of adding raw power. 60i? I hope tester13 can fix this one too.
YouDidntDidYou
3 years ago |no built in intervalometer or cinema aspect ratio 21:9
YouDidntDidYou
3 years ago |lol the GH2 comes with a stylus I joked about that last week!
kesztió
3 years ago |Hardly surpised. Same stylus the G2 already has.
Simon
3 years ago |Where is the 12-75mm lens? Well, I guess it sounds tooo good to be true
divide
3 years ago |looking at Panasonic Japanese website, I understand this concerning variable framerate:
80% is slow motion : 80% of captured 30fps=displayed at 24fps (first video with the horse)
200% is fast motion : they say 10sec captured is shown in 5 seconds.
So it looks like this variable framerate is a bit useless actually.
However I’m pretty excited by manual audio gain control, touch to focus, higher ISO, and Full HD 2x crop with would virtually double all my lenses !
YouDidntDidYou
3 years ago |- 4 pre-set white balances (previously 2 on GH1)
- cinema film mode
- higher flash guide number now no 15.6 was 10.5 on GH1
- multi aspect and multi film bracketing
- audio control only 3 levels at 80%, no and +20%
- “digital zoom” in “Full 1920×1080″
divide
3 years ago |No there are 4 pre-set wb on GH1 as well.
YouDidntDidYou
3 years ago |nah defo has only 2 on the Gh1 just checked mine and checked the specs on dpreview
divide
3 years ago |No there is 4.
Clear Sky, Cloudy Sky, Shade, Incandescent.
Are you sure you have a GH1 ?
youdidntdidyou
3 years ago |yes I’m sure, what I mean is custom white balances that you save (I use these for a lot for various artificial lighting set ups especially churches).
uiti
3 years ago |GH2 uses the different battery from GH1. that disappointed me.
Frosti7
3 years ago |same here, but thats the only “dissapoitment”, unless they didnt improve the DR,
btw, i own 5 GH1 batteries
kesztió
3 years ago |Admin, worth to notice that – according to DCResource – the LVF has 0.71× magnification (1.42 × 0.5).
Very slightly bigger than the one from GH1 and compete with best fullframe cameras.
admin
3 years ago |Mercì!
YouDidntDidYou
3 years ago |Zoom Lever: DMW-ZL1 [New]
Battery Pack: DMW-BLC12 [New]
Angry Olympus Owner
3 years ago |DMW-BLC12 = vertical grip?
Gabi
3 years ago |It is now officially announced on the GErman Panasonic website: http://www.panasonic.de/html/de_DE/Produkte/Lumix+Digitalkameras/G+Micro+System/DMC-GH2/Spezifikation/5976055/index.html?trackInfo=true
Paulie
3 years ago |Calx, i suppose you mean m4/3 is DOF challenged like this? – http://www.flickr.com/photos/49666698@N02/4819066851/
Seems there is enough depth of field to me…
Winsty
3 years ago |Sure you can get good DOF using old manual lens, not useful if your relying on the the camera to AF whilst videoing. Or if you have no interest in manual focus lens.
youdidntdidyou
3 years ago |most professional videographers are happy to use manual lenses, also you could use the Leica f1.4 25mm with adapter that has autofocus in video mode…
Paulie
3 years ago |Then don’t complain! If you want AF all the time go use a canikon. If you’re not comfortable using a simple manual lens, then in my opinion, you’re a rather limited photographer…
Appareil photo hybride - Le Panasonic GH2 officiel ! | hybridcams.fr
3 years ago |[...] Continually updated: Panasonic GH2 official! (Body only option available + variable frame rates!) les infos mises à jour sur 43rumors [...]
omox
3 years ago |Exciting!
This beast has now what I’ve requested: +/- 5EV scale, +/-1 EV bracketing and more!
Thank you Panasonic, respect!
So now it’s time to upgrade now
Jimson
3 years ago |I’m a little disappointed with the variable frame rates. I’m primarily interested in overcranking for slow motion effects, but all in all it’s looking very promising.
I just need to know how my SWDs will perform, and see some image & video samples.
Then the question is body only, or body + 14-140? It’s nice to have options!
sahara_knight
3 years ago |you know what all these specifies and features are bla bla bla talking but the real taste that gonna change my mind is when the rubber meets the road and got tasted in very extreme conditions at that time only the gh2 can prove it self amongst the other competitors , ,
Miroslav
3 years ago |A m4/3 flagship, excellent specs, impressive, they only left the cup holder out, but I think it can be added via adapter
.
Let’s hope image quality has also improved. Price is better than I expected. Not for me, I prefer Olympus’s IBIS and EPL-1′s bounce flash, but kudos to Panasonic for this one!
Wonderful news for the system. Let’s hope Olympus gets that sensor soon.
cracker
3 years ago |Confirmed. 40fps is unlimited in jpeg but limited to just 7 in raw (useless). I guess its limited to card size and battery power. But unlimited Jpeg is HUGE news.
I wonder how the battery will go shooting 40fps.
Paulie
3 years ago |“but limited to just 7 in raw (useless)” how many frames a second do you actually need?! i wouldn’t call that useless by a long stretch of the imagination! who actually is going to use 40fps for anything worthwhile?
David
3 years ago |Someone who doesn’t know how to craft a shot or switch to movie mode
Giulio Sciorio
3 years ago |“but limited to just 7 in raw (useless)” how many frames a second do you actually need?!
I’ll use this all the time. It’s 4MP video! It’s about as close as I’m gonna get to a Red and at a fraction of the cost/price.
I shoot professionally and will be buying this the day it comes out to test it out. If it rocks I might have to sell my canon system.
I always loved 4/3′s system. I had a close relationship with Olympus (they were a client) when they first launched the system. I loved it but switched when Canon really started coming out with industry leading features.
I guess it took a solid electronics company to do something different. The GH2 looks amazing and if Tester 13 can crack this open we’re gonna see something amazing.
Karli
3 years ago |@admin: no news about a new lens roadmap?
Miroslav
3 years ago |I was just about to ask that. Interested in fast 25mm …
admin
3 years ago |Not yet!
yosemite
3 years ago |Dec availabikity is too late for me. Does anybody kniw of Japanese websites shipping products to the US?
mashinhead
3 years ago |I second this. Is it coming out in Japan first?
Gaslight
3 years ago |I thought the GH1 had 3200 max ISO and not 6400… am I mistaken? if not, how to set ISO 6400 on the GH1?
spanky
3 years ago |3200 max on the GH1.
Gaslight
3 years ago |Does anybody know if the shutter sound of the GH2 is quieter than the one in the GH1 – I find it to be very loud, considering it’s a mirrorless camera
CenterMan
3 years ago |I just got my GH2. I don’t know about the GH1, but GH2 shutter sound is still too loud.
mmm
3 years ago |Wow, GH2 sounds awfully impressive. Not nearly as sexy as the new Fuji, but seems to do a LOT of things right. I would have a hard time choosing how to spend $1K- Fuji X100 or the cheaper GH2 kit (ideally would have the 20mm or 14mm lens instead of zoom though.)
Since I cannot actually afford either, I might end up looking for a used GH1 after the GH2 is available. I have no complaints at all about GH1 speed and IQ, even if GH2 is better.
Angry Olympus Owner
3 years ago |vertical grip option?
richard
3 years ago |gh2 body for $900 that is almost 2x of gh1 body, which sell for $500 in many places, gh2 is not worth 2x of gh1, has improvement but isn’t major step.
Gabi
3 years ago |In Germany, it is almost 1200$ for the body only. I do not know what you are complaining about!
spanky
3 years ago |You’re comparing discount store prices on the GH1 with manufacturer’s suggested prices on the GH2. The real difference is only about $200, which is not significant, and warrants a second look at the GH2. As to what it’s worth, that a personal decision you’ll have to make.
Jimson
3 years ago |Where are you guys finding GH1s for $500 USD? I’m not even sure I could get a used GH1 body on eBay for that price…
Post a link please?!
Interesting Camera News « MotionLife Media Blog
3 years ago |[...] to 43rumors.com, here are some of the new GH2′s specs (please note that some of these specs have not been [...]
Bird
3 years ago |how is this compare to sony A55?
stephonweb
3 years ago |http://www.eoshd.com/content/354-Panasonic-GH2-Hands-on-and-sample-footage
stephonweb
3 years ago |GH2 video result. (don’t know about what parameters it use)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCxPFga8elk
zach
3 years ago |what’s the latest on this? When will the GH2 ship to the states?
Doloris Selma
2 years ago |or maybe fixed for you to impress labels or maybe envelopes to handle, or even containers
Erminia Bohmker
5 months ago |If you are beginner to private domain registration then you are certainly a Domainbie