The long-awaited successor to Panasonic’s GH5 is lastly right here! The GH5 was such an modern digital camera that had video specs no different small cameras did when it got here out. Nevertheless, the competitors has advanced. Is the brand new Panasonic Lumix GH6 sufficient to battle again?
This has been a terrific yr for Micro 4 Thirds (M43) followers. OM Digital Options has launched the brand new OM-1 and continues to carry out new lenses. Panasonic has lastly given us the Lumix GH6. These are the primary M43 cameras in ages to sport a brand new sensor. So let’s dive in and see the way it performs.
Professionals:
- New 25mp sensor
- Glorious video specs (5.7K RAW inner!)
- Nice video high quality in all resolutions
- Top-of-the-line hand-held hi-res implementations but
- Comfy ergonomics
- Full V-log with out paid firmware improve
- S1H-style rear display
Cons:
- Lacking some photograph options like 6k photograph mode pre-burst
- DFD Autofocus wobble/pulsing continues to be a factor
Panasonic Lumix GH6 — Technical specs
All technical specs had been taken from the B&H product web page:
- 25.2MP Reside MOS Micro 4 Thirds Sensor
- 4K 60p 4:2:2 10-Bit Limitless Recording
- 5.7K 60p, 4K 120p HFR, FHD 300p VFR
- ProRes 422 HQ, V-Log, and DR Increase
- Twin I.S. 2, 7.5-Cease 5-Axis Stabilizer
- 100MP Handheld Excessive-Decision Mode
- 3.68m-Dot OLED Digital Viewfinder
- 3.0″ 1.84m-Dot Free Angle Touchscreen
- CFexpress Sort B & SD UHS-II Card Slots
- Constructed-In Lively Cooling
Panasonic Lumix GH6 — Ergonomics and construct high quality
Panasonic did a superb job on the ergonomics of the Lumix GH6. Should you’ve ever used a GH5 or G9, you’ll really feel at residence shortly. The grip is superb. It’s chunky sufficient to offer a superb maintain. Nevertheless, it’s not so massive as to be uncomfortable.
The buttons and dials of the Panasonic Lumix GH6 are effectively thought out and positioned. The digital camera is very customizable and options two file buttons. I’ve lengthy been a fan of the autofocus controls on the again of Lumix cameras, and the GH6 isn’t any exception. With the ability to swap by way of all of the modes, use the joystick, and hit the AF button with out having to look is nice.
The menus on the GH6 have additionally been up to date. Whereas Panasonic menus haven’t been unhealthy, it’s good to see a UI replace. The menus now have a nested really feel to them, much like the model of the brand new Sony menus. It took me a little bit bit to get used to them, however I shortly discovered navigating to what I needed to be straightforward sufficient.
Sure, it’s chunkier
The web has been fast to level out that the Panasonic Lumix GH6 is a chonky boi. Sure, the GH5 wasn’t the smallest digital camera available on the market. Sure, the GH6 is a bit larger because of the new cooling system and display. Nevertheless, it’s nonetheless a manageable digital camera physique. It balances bigger lenses just like the Lumix 10-25mm f/1.7 effectively. It will probably additionally retain a considerably smaller profile with one of many many small M43 lenses available on the market.
One factor that’s noticeable, nevertheless, is that the digital camera is a bit heavier to the left. This wasn’t one thing that bothered me a lot, but it surely was extra noticeable than I anticipated.
Construct high quality
The Panasonic Lumix GH6 is constructed like a tank. Its weather-sealed and durable chassis ought to final for the lengthy haul in numerous situations. The buttons and dials all really feel nice. The rear display mechanism appears sturdy as effectively. All the pieces on the digital camera appears and seems like it would maintain as much as the take a look at of time. I had the digital camera for a month and even took it on a number of mountain bike rides with no points. Not even a spec of mud on the sensor.
Panasonic added a few good touches to the GH6 as effectively. The reminiscence card door housing the CFexpress and SD card slots is sealed and has a locking mechanism on it. It’s additionally good to see a lock on the battery door as effectively.
Panasonic Lumix GH6 — Within the discipline
The Panasonic Lumix GH6 is a good digital camera to work with. With its wonderful ergonomics, up to date menus and nice shows, it presents a pleasant consumer expertise. Earlier house owners of Panasonic cameras will really feel proper at residence.
It’s a little bit of a disgrace that the GH6 viewfinder hasn’t modified a lot. Panasonic usually did a terrific job of holding their shows above the competitors. Nevertheless, the brand new OM-1 with its 5.76 million dot EVF beats out the GH6’s 3.68 million dot EVF handily. Having stated that, the rear display is a pleasant enchancment. The S1H model flip-up hinge paired with the totally articulating hinge is simply nice to make use of. Particularly now that the S1H locking mechanism has been eliminated for the GH6.
IBIS and Handheld Hello-Res mode
As you’d anticipate from M43, the Panasonic Lumix GH6 options wonderful IBIS. Panasonic is now claiming as much as 7.5 stops of shake correction when paired with sure lenses. In use, it’s precisely what you’d anticipate. It smooths out video capturing splendidly.
Panasonic’s IBIS is among the finest within the enterprise for video. Someway the GH6 can inform when motion is intentional or not, and retains clean efficiency always. In the case of stills, it’s potential to drag off lengthy exposures by hand at wider angles.
One other profit to IBIS comes within the type of sensor-shift hi-resolution modes. The Panasonic Lumix GH6 can use the IBIS to quickly seize eight pictures because the sensor shifts and mix them into both 50 or 100-megapixel photographs. What’s nice about this latest iteration is that it may be completed handheld.
It additionally corrects for movement within the pictures. The GH6 makes this function far more helpful in lots of extra purposes. Within the picture comparability instrument above, the photograph to the best is a cropped part of a 100-megapixel handheld hi-res shot.
Battery life and media
Battery life within the Panasonic Lumix GH6 is pretty mediocre. It’s CIPA rated for 360 pictures and has an influence saver mode that may simply double that. In real-world situations, getting far more than the CIPA score is well achievable. Whereas it’s definitely not unhealthy, it’s not the best both. Nevertheless, the Lumix GH6 will be powered through USB-C in case you have a PD-rated energy supply that may ship 9V, 3A.
When it comes to media, the Panasonic GH6 has a single CFexpress Sort B card slot and a UHS-II SD card slot. You’ll must pony up for the CFE playing cards if you wish to unlock each video mode within the digital camera. Though, Panasonic has made an enormous quantity of the video modes suitable with the SD card slot as effectively.
Panasonic Lumix GH6 — Autofocus efficiency
The autofocus efficiency of the Panasonic Lumix GH6 in pictures is fairly good. I put the digital camera by way of its paces with the Lumix 10-25mm f/1.7. I took it on mountain biking rides and examined it on fast-moving topics and path canines. It went on an engagement shoot with me as effectively. The attention, face, and topic detection and monitoring modes all labored fairly effectively in my testing. Whereas the Depth-from-Defocus pulsing within the EVF when in steady AF will be disconcerting, it hardly ever let me down. Single AF is blazing quick and correct too.
Nevertheless, within the video division, it’s a little bit of a distinct story. Panasonic’s DFD autofocus appears to carry out finest when it has extra alternatives to research a scene. In 60fps and better modes, I didn’t have points with the digital camera shedding its topic. Nevertheless, in 24fps, it did sometimes wander. As well as, the Panasonic pulse does present up fairly noticeably in some scenes. Within the video pattern under, you’ll discover pulsing fairly badly within the intro although I used to be capturing in 60fps.
Panasonic Lumix GH6 — Video efficiency
Should you’re wanting on the Panasonic Lumix GH6, odds are you’re serious about video. The GH6 doesn’t disappoint. It has a plethora of video modes accessible. It will probably shoot 5.7k, 4k as much as 120fps, 1080 as much as 240fps with audio and AF (with choose lenses), and 1080 at 300fps in HFR mode. On high of all that, it could actually shoot uncooked video. Additionally, ProRes 422 HQ in almost each mode is right here within the GH6.
The picture high quality in each mode can also be distinctive. Even in 1080p, the picture is crisp and vibrant. Having the complete V-log unlocked from the manufacturing facility is superior. Grading the footage was easy sufficient in DaVinci Resolve, and it appears nice. Panasonic has additionally improved its noise discount, which appears to deal with low-light video effectively. When it comes to video, the one letdown is that the DFD pulse talked about above nonetheless exists.
Dynamic Vary Increase mode
A brand new addition to the Panasonic Lumix GH6 is the Dynamic Vary Increase mode. Probably because of the new sensor having a twin achieve output design, Panasonic has been in a position to implement this new know-how with the GH6. With this know-how, the digital camera is ready to output from each achieve paths to retain extra shadow and spotlight element. On paper, it exhibits almost full-frame sensor ranges of dynamic vary.
In use, the Dynamic Vary Increase mode does appear to offer a pleasant bump in what the digital camera can do. Within the video pattern above, I shot in 1080p60 with DR Increase on in V-Log after which graded the footage in DaVinci Resolve. It’s actually fairly spectacular how effectively this digital camera does. I’d say Panasonic has retained the M43 hybrid video crown with the Lumix GH6.
Panasonic Lumix GH6 — Picture high quality
Whereas the GH line of cameras is thought for video, the Panasonic Lumix GH6 delivers wonderful pictures as effectively. Its 25-megapixel sensor gives wonderful element. That, together with its processor, produces nice coloration, higher low-light efficiency, and spectacular dynamic vary. Let’s additional break that down.
Dynamic vary
As you may inform by transferring the slider above, the Pansonic Lumix GH6 has little bother with dynamic lighting. I used to be in a position to simply get well the highlights close to the home windows in addition to pull again element within the shadows close to the door and the best facet of the picture. This was all completed by processing a single RAW file in Lightroom. The GH6 handles spotlight and shadow restoration with aplomb. Noise ranges keep properly managed when recovering shadows as effectively.
JPEG high quality
JPEG shooters received’t be upset with the Panasonic Lumix GH6. It delivers pleasing, impartial colours. The digital camera additionally appears to regulate highlights and shadows fairly effectively. As well as, the up to date 3D noise discount does a terrific job with out smearing element into oblivion.
If you wish to shoot JPEGs with a GH6, there’s little motive to not! It’s going to ship tons of element. If you wish to shoot a photograph, switch it through the telephone app and submit it to social media, the GH6 has acquired your again.
Panasonic Lumix GH6 — Proving Micro 4 Thirds isn’t lifeless but
Panasonic had a tricky job forward of them after they determined to interchange the GH5. Not solely was it a terrific digital camera, but additionally different firms have had time to get their cameras as much as spec. Fortunately for followers of the GH collection, Panasonic delivered a stable improve with the Lumix GH6. Whereas it might not be an ideal digital camera, it does enhance on the earlier era in significant methods.
The Panasonic Lumix GH6 might not be low-cost at $2,197, however that does put it according to the OM-1. Sure, you should buy cheaper full-frame cameras. Nevertheless, the GH6 is a little bit of a specialty instrument. With smaller M43 lenses, wonderful IBIS, and a local 4:3 ratio with extra anamorphic choices than any hybrid digital camera on the market, the GH6 presents up a ton of versatility for videographers. It’s vital to remember simply how a lot this digital camera is able to in relation to video.
Additionally, don’t write off its photograph capabilities. The brand new 25-megapixel sensor is kind of succesful as effectively. Whereas I’m certain many people are upset that modes like 6k photograph and focus stacking are lacking, the brand new handheld hi-res mode is kind of spectacular. Hopefully, Panasonic will carry a photo-oriented mannequin out ala G9 sooner or later. That stated if you happen to’re primarily a video shooter in search of all these options, however want a succesful stills digital camera as effectively, the GH6 is value a glance. This digital camera will surely serve you effectively.
Panasonic Lumix GH6 Mirrorless Digital camera
A pioneer within the Micro 4 Thirds class, the Lumix GH6 Mirrorless Digital camera from Panasonic is a petite beast that challenges full-frame rivals, a robust hybrid addition to the video-centric GH collection that provides cutting-edge tech to cinematographers and photographers alike. The improved processing energy of the Venus Engine permits quick sensor readouts for inner recording of 5.7K 30p in Apple ProRes 422 HQ, FHD 300p and handheld 100MP pictures.
