In summary
As noted in our First Look review, the GH5 is a pleasure to use and photographers who like to shoot both stills and movies will find it a top-flight performer in both areas. Being able to spend longer with the camera and use it in a wider range of situations confirmed our initial impressions that focusing, exposure and stabilisation all worked very well, making for a satisfying shooting experience.
Full review
This review follows on from our detailed ‘First Look’ article that was published in March 2017. We have now been allowed a longer time with a production-quality GH5 plus the Leica-branded DG Vario-Elmarit 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0 ASPH. POWER O.I.S. (H-ES12060E) lens, which is reviewed separately. This lens is one of the kit options that will be available with the camera and covers an ideal focal length range for general and travel photography.
Angled view of the Lumix DC-GH5 with the bundled Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0 ASPH. / POWER O.I.S lens. (Source: Panasonic.)
We’ve covered most aspects of the camera in our detailed first look so this review will concentrate upon our assessments of the camera’s performance, including objective measurements resulting from our Imatest tests. Having had the GH5 and 12-60mm lens over the Easter holiday break we’ve had time to carry out our regular tests of imaging performance. We’ve outlined the results in separate sections here.
1. Resolution: Our Imatest assessments showed the review camera to be capable of meeting expectations for the sensor’s 20.2-megapixel resolution with JPEGs and exceeding expectations around the centre of the image frame by a comfortable margin with RW2.RAW files. We converted the raw files from the camera into 16-bit TIFF format with Adobe Camera Raw (ACR), our preferred raw file converter, which has supported the GH5 since shortly after its initial release.
Resolution remained relatively high for raw files throughout most of the camera’s ISO range. With both file types, the highest values were obtained at ISO 200 (‘Low’) after which there was a very gradual decline as sensitivity was increased to ISO 6400, after which a slight decline in resolution occurred. The graph below shows the results of our tests.
Low-light exposures retained their colour accuracy throughout the supported ISO range. The camera was able to produce shots that were printable at A4 size up to ISO 12800 but at ISO 25600 the influence of noise had become obvious in the form of colour blotches, granularity and softening. Nevertheless, files were printable up to snapshot size.
2. Colour reproduction. Colour accuracy with JPEG files was shown to be extremely good in our Imatest tests, with only minor departures from the ideal values. Straight-out-of-the-camera JPEGs had with nicely balanced contrast and saturation with a good dynamic range in most shooting conditions.
Raw file conversion almost always involves a loss of saturation and that occurred with the raw files from the GH5, with reds, mid blues and skin hues least affected. The resulting files provide plenty of scope for editing in sophisticated software like Photoshop.
3. Autofocusing. In single AF mode the review camera and lens were able to lock onto subjects instantaneously, showing the efficiency of the camera’s AF system even in very low light levels after dark. Even moving subjects remained in focus, thanks to effective focus tracking, which worked well for both high-speed bursts of still shots and during movie recording.
Using the Pre-Burst modes with 4K or 6K resolution returned a higher success rate than the normal continuous AF mode with subject tracking, largely because the camera retains a rolling buffer of images captured when the shutter button is half-pressed. Actual saving of images begins when the shutter button is pressed all the way down. This mode enables you to focus the camera on the subject before the action begins, for example before a race starts or a bird takes off, and capture the action from the get-go.
4. Stabilisation. The combination of the Integrated 5-axis IS with Dual I.S. support and the stabilised 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0 enabled us to use shutter speeds as slow as 1/3 second consistently without encountering camera shake. Panasonic claims a shake correction level equivalent to a maximum of five stops, which we think is realistic. Seven lenses currently support the system, with five more gaining support through updates that will be released during the year.
5. Video. We’ve covered the camera’s video capabilities extensively in our First Look article so here we’ll concentrate upon picture quality and recording performance. We shot test clips with each of the settings the review camera offered and not once did we see any of the glitches we often encounter.
The camera’s AF system was able to keep pace with moving subjects in all of the clips, the AE system handled sudden changes in brightness levels almost seamlessly and the stabilisation system enabled us to obtain smooth, shake-free recordings while hand-holding the camera. The colour reproduction in all clips was very natural looking and the camera was able to reproduce a decently wide dynamic range, even in contrasty conditions where other cameras would really struggle with highlight and shadow reproduction.
We were able to play back all the clips on a computer screen using the freeware application MPC-HC (64-bit) and view them on our Windows computer. Unfortunately, only the clips recorded with 25 fps frame rates could be played back directly from the camera’s SD card or a USB stick on our 4K TV set via a Panasonic-branded 4K recorder/player.
6. White balance. We’ve added a new type of lighting ““ domestic LED lights ““ to our tests because it is rapidly taking over from both halogen and fluorescent lighting. Like virtually all cameras we have tested, the review camera’s Auto white balance setting was unable to completely correct the warm bias of incandescent lighting. However, the AWBc setting, which prioritises ‘the natural colours of subjects’ produced close-to-natural colours.
Fluorescent and LED lights were also well corrected and the incandescent pre-set, the only option we were able to test, slightly over-corrected. Manual measurement produced images with neutral colour rendition and the camera provides plenty of adjustments for tweaking colours as you shoot.
7. The 4K Photo and 6K Photo modes. The new 6K Photo modes are essentially a resolution upgrade to the 4K modes offered on previous Panasonic cameras. In the GH5, users can choose between 4K resolution of 3328 x 2496 pixels or 6K Photo at 4992 x 3744 pixels with a 4:3 aspect ratio. With a 3:2 aspect ratio, 4K resolution is 3504 x 2336 pixels, while 6K is 5184 x 3456 pixels.
The16:9 and 1:1 aspect ratios are selectable in 4K mode but not for 6K Photo recording. In addition, the 4K Photo mode supports frame rates up to 60 fps, while the 6K Photo is limited to 30 fps. You can add markers to identify frames you want to save by pressing the Fn2 button during the recording and in the 4K/6K Burst (S/S0 mode, the camera can be set for ‘loop’ recording, which creates clips of approximately two minutes for up to 10-12 minutes.
We’ve outlined the different shooting options in our detailed ‘First Look’ article. The 6K Photo modes are a definite advantage because of their higher resolution. We don’t think any photographers will be put off by the lack of support for 16:9 and 1:1 aspect ratios or the slower frame rates for 6K capture. However, it’s important to be aware that the camera can only record JPEGs in all of these modes and you can’t apply special effects.
The Post Focus mode, enables users to select the plane of sharpness after capture and provides a burst of frames for focus stacking. We found it worked best with close-ups, where depth of field can be limited. Because you can shoot with a relatively wide aperture (we used the fastest setting), it enables you to work in low light levels and obtain the benefits of superior resolution (since most lenses function best at wider apertures).
An example of 6K Post Focus in use with a close-up subject. This illustration shows five frames from the sequence used to make the stacked image below. 36mm focal length, ISO 320, 1/1000 second at f/4.
We found it more difficult to pull out individual frames with different planes of focus from shots of larger subjects. Nevertheless, the Post Focus mode delivered stacked combinations that were sharp front to back. This setting could be useful for real estate photographers, who often prefer to photograph houses around dusk.
8. Response times: We carried out our timing tests with two Panasonic cards, one a SDXC UHS-II U3 Class 10 card with a capacity of 128GB, which was used for recording raw files and movies, and the other an SDHC II U3 Class 10 card with a capacity of 16GB, which was used for JPEGs. Both cards are fast enough to support 4K movie recording and high-speed continuous shooting and both were used in our timing tests, with RW2.RAW files being recorded on the faster card in Slot 1 (which is also compatible with the new Video Speed Class cards) and JPEGs being recorded on the card in Slot 2.
The review camera took less than a second to power-up for the first shot. Autofocus lag was too brief to measure with our equipment. Without flash, shot-to-shot times showed a consistent rate of 0.4 seconds.
Processing of JPEGs was completed within half a second of the shutter being pressed. Having dual card slots enabled JPEGs to be recorded to one card and raw files to the other, so this time also applies to raw files and RAW+JPEG pairs. When we removed one card and measured the processing times for JPEGs and raw files separately, there was little difference between them.
In the high-speed sequential shooting mode, with the mechanical shutter, the review camera was able to record 70 Large/Superfine JPEGs in 20.2 seconds without showing any sign of slowing, which works out at a frame rate of roughly 3.5 fps. With the electronic shutter, 94 frames were recorded in 13.1 seconds, representing a frame rate of approximately 7.2 fps. It took 7.4 seconds to process the first burst and 8.2 seconds for the second one.
On changing to RW2.RAW format, we again recorded 72 frames in 10 seconds with the mechanical shutter without any sign of the capture rate slowing. With the electronic shutter the capture rate slowed after 76 frames, which were recorded in 10 seconds. Both frame rates were just over10 fps and processing the burst took one minute and 40 seconds.
Conclusion
As noted in our First Look review, the GH5 is a pleasure to use and photographers who like to shoot both stills and movies will find it a top-flight performer in both areas. Being able to spend longer with the camera and use it in a wider range of situations confirmed our initial impressions that focusing, exposure and stabilisation all worked very well, making for a satisfying shooting experience.
The GH5 is being sold in Australia in three kits: DC-GH5GN-K (body only), DC-GH5LEICA (as reviewed with the 12-60mm f/2.8-4 lens) and DC-GH5PRO (with the 12-35mm f/2.8 lens). Panasonic has the body listed at AU$2999 on its website and each of the two body+lens kits at AU$3999.
It’s early days for this camera and some websites (both local and off-shore) are only taking pre-orders so far. Nevertheless, some discounting has already begun, with a couple of market leading re-sellers offering the camera body at less than AU$2800 and the single-lens kit at around AU$3700. (Interestingly, one site that deals mainly with pro photographers had it priced above the Panasonic RRP, while another highlighted a $4 discount!
Buying the camera with the kit lens will give you a discount of roughly AU$200 on the combined RRP and that represents decent value if you can afford it. Don’t expect such a big discount if you buy the kit from a retailer that has already discounted the price of the body and lens.
Buying off-shore may look tempting but by the time you’ve included roughly AU$100 for shipping and the 10% GST you will inevitably be charged, the difference between the cheapest off-shore and local price disappears. You’ll be better off shopping locally, where you’ll gain the benefits of Australian consumer protections laws, help keep your local camera in business and be able to try out the camera before pulling out your credit card.
SPECS
Image sensor:17.3 x 13.0 mm Live MOS sensor with 21.77 million photosites (20.3 megapixels effective)
Image processor: Venus Engine
Lens mount: Micro Four Thirds
Focal length crop factor: 2x
Aspect ratio settings: 4:3, 3:2, 16:9, 1:1
Image formats: Stills: JPEG (DCF, Exif Ver.2.31, MPF Baseline compliant), RW2.RAW, MP4 H.265/HEVC (for 6K Photo & 4K Photo); Movies: MP4: H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, MOV: H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, AVCHD Progressive, AVCHD (Audio format: Dolby Audio 2ch)
Image Sizes: Stills ““ 4:3 aspect: 5184 x 3888, 3712 x 2784, 2624 x 1968, 4992 x 3744 (6K Photo) / 3328 x 2496 (4K Photo); 3:2 aspect: 5184 x 3456, 3712 x 2480, 2624 x 1752, 5184 x 3456 (6K Photo) / 3504 x 2336 (4K Photo); 16:9 aspect: 5184 x 2920, 3840 x 2160, 1920 x 1080, 3840 x 2160 (4K Photo); 1:1 aspect: 3888 x 3888, 2784 x 2784, 1968 x 1968, 2880 x 2880 (4K Photo); Movies: [C4K] 4096 x 2160 at 23.98p, 150Mbps (4:2:2 10-bit LongGOP) (LPCM, High-Res Audio) / 100Mbps (4:2:0 8-bit LongGOP) (LPCM, High-Res Audio); [4K] 3840 x 2160 at 50.00p, 150Mbps, 25.00p, 400Mbps, 25.00p, 150Mbps; [Full HD] 1920 x 1080: 50p 200Mbps/100Mbps, 25p 200Mbps/100Mbps, 24p 200Mbps/100Mbps, 50p 28Mbps, 50i/24 or 17Mbps, 25p/24 or 17Mbps
Image Stabilisation: Image sensor shift type (5-axis / 5-stop), Dual I.S. 2 compatible; digital stabilisation available for movies
Dust removal: Supersonic wave filter
Shutter (speed range): Focal-plane shutter (1/8,000 – 60 seconds plus Bulb); Electronic first curtain shutter (1/2,000 – 60 seconds plus Bulb); Electronic shutter (1/16,000 – 1 second); Bulb max. 30 minutes; Shutter life approx. 200,000 cycles
Exposure Compensation: +/- 5EV in 1/3EV steps (+/-3EV for movies)
Exposure bracketing: 3, 5, 7 images in 1/3, 2/3 or 1 EV step, max. +/-3 EV, single/burst
Other bracketing options: Aperture, Focus, White Balance
Self-timer: 2 or 10 seconds delay plus 10 sec delay, 3 images
Focus system: Contrast AF system with DFD technology
Focus modes: AFS (Single), AFF (Flexible), AFC (Continuous), MF; Face/Eye Detection, Tracking, 225-Area, Custom Multi / 1-Area / Pinpoint
Exposure metering: 1,728-zone multi-pattern sensing system with Multiple, Centre-weighted and Spot metering patterns
Shooting modes: Program AE, Aperture Priority AE, Shutter Priority AE, Manual
Photo Style modes: Standard, Vivid, Natural, Monochrome, L. Monochrome, Scenery, Portrait, Custom 1, 2, 3, 4; Movie options: Cinelike D / Cinelike V / Like709 / V-LogL (optional Upgrade Software Key DMW-SFU1 is required)
Creative Control modes: Expressive, Retro, Old Days, High Key, Low Key, Sepia, Monochrome, Dynamic Monochrome, Rough Monochrome*, Silky Monochrome*, Impressive Art, High Dynamic, Cross Process, Toy Effect, Toy Pop, Bleach Bypass, Miniature Effect**, Soft Focus*, Fantasy, Star Filter*, One Point Colour , Sunshine* (*For photos only. **Not available in 4:2:2 10-bit video or 4K video recording)
Colour space options: sRGB and Adobe RGB
ISO range: Auto, Intelligent ISO, 100 (Extended), 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400, 12800, 25600 (Changeable to 1/3 EV step)
White balance: Auto, AWBc, Daylight, Cloudy, Shade, Incandescent, Flash, White Set 1, 2, 3, 4, Colour temperature setting 1, 2, 3, 4; Blue/Amber, Magenta/Green bias adjustments
Flash: TTL External Flash (sold separately)
Flash modes: Auto*, Auto/Red-eye Reduction*, Forced On, Forced On/Red-eye Reduction, Slow Sync., Slow Sync./Red-eye Reduction, Forced Off (* For iA, iA+ only); first/second curtain synch available
Flash exposure adjustment: +/- 3EV in 1/3EV steps
Sequence shooting: Max. 12 frames/sec.; max. 60 fps in 4K Photo mode
Buffer capacity: Max. 600 JPEGs, 60 RAW files or RAW+JPEG pairs
Storage Media: Dual slots for SD, SDHC, SDXC cards (Compatible with UHS-I standard SDHC / SDXC Memory Cards)
Viewfinder: OLED Live View Finder with 3,680,000 dots, 100% coverage, approx. 1.52x magnification, 21 mm eyepoint, -4.0 – +3.0 dpt dioptre adjustment, eye sensor
LCD monitor: Free-angle 3.2-inch, 3:2 aspect TFT LCD monitor with static touch control, approx 1,620,000 dots, 100% coverage
Live View shooting: 2x, 4x digital zoom, Extra Tele Conversion: max. 2x for stills, 1.6x for 4K Photo, 2.7x for movies (FHD)
Playback functions: 30-thumbnail display, 12-thumbnail display, Calendar display, Zoomed playback (Max. 16x), Slideshow (All / Picture Only / Video Only, duration & effect is selectable), Playback Mode (Normal / Picture Only / Video Only), Location Logging, RAW Processing, 4K PHOTO Bulk Saving, Light Composition, Clear Retouch, Title Edit, Text Stamp, Video Divide, Time Lapse Video, Stop Motion Video, Resize, Cropping, Rotate, Rotation Display, Favourite, DPOF Print Set, Protect, Face Recognition Edit, Picture Sort, Creating Still Pictures from a Motion Picture
Interface terminals: USB Type-C, Super Speed USB3.1 GEN1, HDMI (TypeA / VIERA Link, Audio: Stereo), 2.5mm jack for remote controller, 3.5mm jacks for headphones and external microphone
Wi-Fi function: IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth v4.2 (Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), QR Code Connection
Power supply: 7.2V, 1860mAh, 14Wh rechargeable Li-ion battery pack; CIPA rated for approx. 400 shots/charge
Dimensions (wxhxd): Approx. 138.5 x 98.1 x 87.4 mm (excluding protrusions)
Weight: Approx. 645grams (body only); 725 grams with battery and card
Distributor: Panasonic Australia, Ph. 132 600; www.panasonic.com.au
TESTS
Based on JPEG files taken with the 12-26mm kit lens.
Based on RW2.RAW files converted into 16-bit TIFF format with Adobe Camera Raw.
SAMPLES
Auto white balance with incandescent lighting.
Auto white balance with incandescent lighting using the AWBc setting, which prioritises subject colours.
Auto white balance with fluorescent lighting.
Auto white balance with LED lighting.
ISO 100, 20mm focal length, 30 seconds at f/4.5.
ISO 800, 20mm focal length, 25 seconds at f/5.6.
ISO 3200, 20mm focal length, 8 seconds at f/7.1.
ISO 6400, 20mm focal length, 5 seconds at f/8.
ISO 12800, 20mm focal length, 4 seconds at f/9.
ISO 25600, 20mm focal length, 2 seconds at f/11.
60mm focal length, ISO 400, 1/25 second at f/6.3.
Maximum digital zoom;60mm focal length, ISO 400, 1/25 second at f/6.3.
18mm focal length, ISO 200, 1/3 second at f/9.
12mm focal length, ISO 800, 1/20 second at f/8.
20mm focal length, ISO 400, 1/800 second at f/8.
12mm focal length, ISO 1000, 1/1600 second at f/9.
12mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/500 second at f/5.6.
60mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/1300 second at f/8.
31mm focal length, ISO 200, 1/800 second at f/11.
22mm focal length, ISO 200, 1/15 second at f/11.
56mm focal length, ISO 400, 1/20 second at f/5.6.
16mm focal length, ISO 200, 1/20 second at f/10.
60mm focal length, ISO 200, 1/200 second at f/8.
A stacked sequence of shots of a house; 12mm focal length, ISO 200, 1/1000 second at f/2.8.
Still frame from MP4 (AAC) video clip recorded at 3840 x 2160 pixels, 8-bit, 25p, 100Mbps.
Still frame from MP4 (AAC) video clip recorded at 1920 x 1080 pixels, 8-bit, 50p, 28Mbps.
Still frame from MP4 (LPCM) video clip recorded at 3840 x 2160 pixels, 8-bit, 50p, 150Mbps.
Still frame from MP4 (LPCM) video clip recorded at 3840 x 2160 pixels, 10-bit, 25p, 150Mbps.
Still frame from MP4 (LPCM) video clip recorded at 1920 x 1080 pixels, 8-bit, 50p, 100Mbps.
Still frame from MOV (LPCM) video clip recorded at 3840 x 2160 pixels, 8-bit, 50p, 150Mbps.
Still frame from MOV (LPCM) video clip recorded at 3840 x 2160 pixels, 10-bit, 25p, 150Mbps.
Still frame from MOV (LPCM) video clip recorded at 1920 x 1080 pixels, 8-bit, 50p, 100Mbps.
Additional image samples can be found with our review of the Lumix G Vario 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6 Asph. POWER O.I.S. lens.
Rating
RRP: AU$2999 (body only); US$1998 (body only)
- Build: 9.0
- Ease of use: 8.8
- Autofocusing: 9.0
- Still image quality JPEG: 9.0
- Still image quality RAW: 8.9
- Video quality: 9.2
