New GH4 reviews and tests. Potential audio issue (and possible fix).
Panasonic GH4 96fps Tricking from Giulio Calisse on Vimeo.
The video on top shows how much fun some people has with the GH4 for 96fps shooting :) But now back to “serious” GH4 reviews and a first issue report:
PocketLint published the GH4 review and rated it with the full 5 stars:
The GH4 sees the GH series finally land with a bang. It’s not a budget device, but there are points of brilliance throughout all its important areas. It’s really the best-in-class video mode that makes the GH4 one serious camera to be reckoned with. It’s no longer so much “compact system vs DSLR”, it’s about which camera is best, and the GH4 ticks so many boxes it’ll be known as one of the best cameras to arrive in 2014.
Also Camera.Reviewed tested the Gh4 and says:
When you start to compare the GH4 to professional video and cinema cameras. On its own, this new Lumix is a more capable, more impressive package than anything else for under $2,000. It’s flexible, adaptable, and riggable to accomplish whatever you might need it to. Nothing else for the money offers such a well-thought-out feature set or a quality no-compromises interface.
First GH4 issue:
As usual with early buyers once you start testing the GH4 camera you will find some quirks :) Sol.M discovered that: “There appears to be a potentially severe audio issue with the GH4. There’s a discussion here, where I’ve also uploaded an example: http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?323353-audio-bug-discovered&p=1986435983&viewfull=1#post1986435983. Dvxuser TheTrickster seems to have found the solution to get rid of the noise:
I was listening to the noise (as I was testing more mics here) while the mode was in ‘M’ mode, I then moved the mode dial around to M-Movie and the hum disappeared….”
The good news is that it’s almost imperceptible and Panasonic engineers are already investigating the small issue (see their facebook repsonse).
More 43rumors readers feedback:
Gh4 opinions and first impressions video, test footage and 4k frame grabs at Stronzvanderploeg.
Twills: “Here is a video I shot with the GH4 at the Ring of Fire Climbing competition at the Central Rock Watertown climbing gym in Massachusetts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DYfnPhxD8A. The video was shot entirely with the GH4. I used the 4K @ 30 FPS mode for most clips. However, there was some 1080p @ 60 FPS and 1080p @ 96 FPS used for the slow motion. I even used the 4K @ 30 FPS for one of the slow motion shots. Can you tell which one? Ironically my GH4 was not the only one there. I looked to my right and someone else had setup a GH4 on a tripod with a manual focus Canon lens. The operator of the camera had no idea how to work it at all. I tried to help him at least put it in 4K mode but he insisted that the lowest resolution was all he would need because it was just for web use only. Seemed like an awful waste of a 4K camera to me. I wonder how many people bought the GH4 just to say they had a 4K camera even though they never intended to use it?””
Filippo: “Nothing special video, it’s only a simple preliminary test. http://vimeo.com/94621566. The GH4 is an amazing camera: great 4K images, 96 fps in full HD, cheap, manageable. Thanks to the M 4/3 mount, you can use fantastic dedicated Lumix lenses, cinema lenses and a lot of other photographic lenses. The batteries are incredible (the same of the GH3) and the SD cards are very cheap. Panasonic has improved both the electronic viewfinder and the three-inch vari-angle screen (the VF is really great). One of the best cameras for run and gun quality works (expecially with Lumix lenses), reportages, etc… and don’t forget that it’s also a good photogrphic camera.”
North American preorders, shipping date and price:
GH4 camera at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Ritz Camera and Panasonic. Price: $1,698. In Canada at Vistek.
GH4 camera with interface unit at Adorama and BHphoto. Price: $3,298
Interface unit only at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto and Panasonic. Price: $1,998
Europen preorders, shipping date and price:
Germany: Wexcameras, Marcotec-shop.de.
UK at Wexphotographic, CameraWorld, UKdigital, CVP, TipTop.
Holland at Fotohanskeuzekamp.
Belgium at Fotokonijnenberg.
Norway at Fotovideo.
Sweden at Cyberphoto, Skandinavianphoto.
Finland at Telefoto, Topshot, Verkkoauppa.
France at Photocineshop.
Spain: Fotoboom.
Asian preorders, shipping date and price:
Digitalrev and Digidirect Australia.
4K cards
Kingston 16-32-64 GB SDHC UHS-I Speed Class 3 at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
Sandisk 16-32-64 GB Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-II Memory Card at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
Transcend 64-128 GB High Speed 10 UHS-3 at Amazon (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
Panasonic 16-32-64 GB SDHC-UHS-I U3 Card (90MB/s) at Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).