Panasonic presents Lumix GH5 with 4k60fps movie function and bitrate up to 400Mbit/s

Panasonic has revealed all the details about its Lumix GH5 system camera at CES. The compact system camera with a 20-megapixel sensor in the micro four thirds format films in 4k resolution with up to 60 fps and has a maximum bit rate of 400 Mbit/s.

Panasonic provides the GH5 with built-in image stabilization, something that predecessor GH4 does not have. Just like that device, the system camera films in 4k resolution, but that is now also possible with a frame rate of 50 or 60 fps, in addition to 24, 25 and 30 fps. At a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels, it is possible to make slow motion recordings with a maximum of 180fps.

The bitrate of movie files is 150Mbit/s and the camera records with 4:2:2 subsampling and a color depth of 10 bits. Most cameras in this segment film with a color depth of 8 bits and 4:2:0 subsampling. When using the 180fps feature, the GH5 is also limited to a color depth of 8 bits. A firmware update for the Lumix GH5 will be available in the second half of 2017, which will add an all-intra codec with a bitrate of 400Mbit/s. For filming, the camera uses h264 compression.

Also new is the 6K photo function, in which the camera continuously captures images in 18-megapixel format at a speed of 30 fps. These files are saved with h265 compression. The function is intended to record images one after the other and to extract photos from them, which then have a size of 6000×3000 pixels. It is also possible to play the 6k files as a movie, but no sound is recorded. As with the GH4, there’s also a 4K photo function, with speeds up to 60fps.

When shooting in raw format, the speed is a maximum of 12 fps. According to Panasonic, forty raw files fit in the buffer, or a hundred if jpg compression is used. The Lumix GH5 has two SD memory slots with support for uhs-II u3 cards.

Although the housing of the GH5 is very similar to that of the GH4, internal changes have been made. The electronic viewfinder in particular will receive a major upgrade: the new device has an OLED viewfinder with 3.68 million pixels. The 3.2″ tilting screen placed at the back has 1.62 million pixels.

The device has WiFi and is sealed against dust and moisture. There is a 3.5mm jack on the housing for connecting headphones and there is also a microphone input. Optionally, a battery grip is available and an XLR adapter for connecting professional microphones.

The announcement of the Lumix GH5 follows an initial introduction in September, when Panasonic showed the camera at the Photokina fair. At the time, not all specifications had been announced yet. The manufacturer has now also made it clear when the device will be on the market: from the end of March, the GH5 is for sale for a suggested retail price of 1999 euros.

Together with the GH5, Panasonic presents the Lumix GX800, a very small micro four thirds camera with interchangeable lenses. The sensor has a 16-megapixel resolution and can shoot at up to 5.8fps. Panasonic gives the GX800 its 4K photo mode and the device can also film in UHD resolution of 3840×2160 pixels, with 25 or 30fps. That keeps the camera full for a maximum of five minutes. In 1080p resolution, this limitation does not apply and you can film at a maximum of 60 fps. The device has a 3″ LCD that can be tilted 180 degrees, there is no viewfinder. The battery is good for taking 210 photos according to the specifications. The GX800 costs 549 euros including 12-32 mm kit lens and will be available in mid-January. market.

Panasonic also presents a bridge camera with a small 1/2.3 “sensor and 60x optical zoom: the Lumix FZ82. It is striking that the zoom range starts at a focal length of 20 mm in full-frame equivalent. The maximum zoomed in is 1200 mm. The lens is equipped with optical image stabilization.

The Lumix FZ82 has an electronic viewfinder that uses a 0.2″ LCD with 1.17 million pixels. The viewfinder has a refresh rate of 60Hz. On the back is a 3″ touchscreen with 1.04 million pixels. The device takes photos in 18-megapixel resolution and at a speed of up to 10fps. Filming is possible in UHD resolution of 3840×2160 pixels with 25 or 30 fps. In 1080p resolution, this is a maximum of 60fps, in 720p format 120fps and at a resolution of 640×480 pixels, recordings are possible at 240fps. From the end of March, the FZ82 is for sale for a suggested retail price of 349 euros.

Together with the cameras, Panasonic is introducing a new lens: the 12-60 mm f/2.8-4.0 with optical image stabilization. The lens housing is sealed against dust and moisture. The manufacturer also renews four of its existing lenses. The 12-35 mm f/2.8, 35-100 mm f/2.8, 45-200 mm f/4-5.6 and 100-300 mm f/4-5.6 all get an II after the name and, according to Panasonic, offer better image quality. The 45-200mm and 100-300mm have now also been made dust and splash-proof, the other lenses already were.

The new 12-60mm lens will hit the shops in mid-February for a suggested retail price of 999 euros. Panasonic gives the new 12-35 mm a suggested retail price of 999 euros. The 35-100 mm costs 1099 euros, both lenses will be on the market at the beginning of March. The new 45-200mm costs 429 euros, the 100-300mm has a suggested retail price of 649 euros. The two zooms will be on sale from the end of January.