The Panasonic Lumix DCGH5 II, $1,699.99 body only, is a powerful stills camera with video capabilities that places its video features at the forefront, just like the earlier models. The GH5's stabilized 20MP sensor is used, but it has more processing power. The body has been updated, as well as the viewfinder. This upgrade is worthwhile for system owners and a great choice for videographers. However, it's not as strong as the Fujifilm X-T4, which was our Editors' Choice winner.
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Refreshes the GH5 Design
The GH5 II isn't a significant change in terms of concept or capability. Panasonic kept the 20MP microfour thirds sensor that was used in the original GH5 II upgrade. It supports 4K60 at 16:9 and 6K30 with anamorphic lenses.
Another GH camera, the Lumix GH6, is coming later this year, but isn't set to replace the GH5 II. Instead, the GH6 promises higher-resolution recording, 5.7K60. Panasonic hasn't fully outlined its specs, but the two cameras will coexist in the lineup; the GH6 is expected to sell for around $2,500.
It doesn't depart too much from the GH5 II's predecessor in terms of its body design. The GH5 II measures a compact 3.9x5.5x3.4inches (HWD) but is heavy at 1.6lbs. Because the magnesium body protects against dust and splashes from outside, the GH5 II can be used for both set work and location work.
Its sensor and lens mount are Micro Four Thirds. The camera works with autofocus lenses fromOlympus, Panasonic, Sigma, and a few others, and has broad compatibility with manual focus lenses. It's not compatible with Panasonic's full-frame L-mount system, though, so you'll need to take a little care when shopping for glass.
The GH5 II is available as a body from Panasonic for $1,700. You can also purchase the GH5 II as a complete kit with Leica DG Vario Elmarit 12-60mmF2.8-4 for just $1,700. This kit saves money as each 12-60mm is $1000 when bought separately.
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Centered EVF Design
There are a few styles of Micro Four Thirds camera from Panasonic. Some models, such as the GX85, and others GX models use corner-position viewfinders. This is similar to a film camera equipped with an optical rangefinder. With a centered viewfinder, and a substantial grip, the GH5 II draws inspiration from SLRs.
The body includes top and rear control dials, along with top controls to set the capture mode and to change the drive speed for photography. The camera splits the shutter release and video record button, putting record further back on the top plate so it's easier to access from a tripod. There's also a rear switch to swap between focus modes, an uncommon feature, and the expected eight-way joystick for direct control over the focus area.
A number of buttons allow you to control white balance, ISO and other commonly adjusted settings. These buttons are complemented by an interface on the screen. You can touch the GH5 II's LCD screen of 3 inches to adjust settings and to access the rear controls for navigation.
The Q button launches an on-screen menu, with up to twelve programmable functions. The default set includes white balance, ISO, picture control, and others. It's a malleable, flexible system, one that you can tweak to best match your workflow. There are two display modes available, and you're able to set up separate menus for still and video modes.
Panasonic's LCD has a variangle design, which is a popular choice for video. For vlog style video, the 3-inch LCD swings to one side. Although it's smaller than the 3.2 inch GH5 screen (3.2 inches), it is sharper (1,8 million dots) for outdoor viewing and more bright. Also, the EVF has been improved. The GH5 had a large, sharp OLED display, but the EVF with 0.76x magnification refreshes twice as quickly (120Hz) to give a more natural, smoother view.
Connection and power
DMW-BLK22 is the new battery used in the GH5 II. The DMW-BLF19 bundled along with the GH5 has the exact same shape, but it holds a little more juice. The battery can take 400 pictures per charge or approximately an hour of 4K60 videos. The GH5 II can be powered by older batteries. In-camera charging via USB-C is also possible.
There's also a full-size HDMI port, the GH5 II sends out a clean 4:2:2 10-bit signal for use with an Atomos Ninja V or other recorder. It includes dual UHS-II SDXC for internal recording, available at up to 4:2:0 10-bit quality. There's a 3.5mm input for external mics, and a headphone jack for monitoring. The Lumix XLR1 accessory is available for $400 if you need to use XLR mics—it adds two balanced inputs.
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are built in. The GH5 II connects to Android and iOS smartphones using the Panasonic Lumix Sync app, a free download for either platform. The app supports wireless control, photo transfer, live streaming (to Facebook, YouTube, and RTMP), and can save camera settings on your phone. The latter is useful if you're sharing or renting equipment—you won't have worry about going through the menu and setting the camera up manually. Saving to an SD card works too, if you don't want to fiddle with the phone app.
Intelligent DFD Autofocus
Panasonic's DFD autofocus technology is used in the GH5 II. Contrast detection is the basis of the GH5 II. This contrast detector approach is different from the hybrid phase-contrast method used by many rivals including Olympus top Micro Four Thirds models the E-M1 Mark III or E-M1X.
For most applications you won't note the difference. The GH5 II locks focus in a snap, and has an intelligent focus system that recognizes people and many animals. You will note a little focus flutter in the viewfinder when using continuous focus, but it's not as distracting as with earlier models.
Autofocus can be used for video and is reliable. It also supports eye and face detection. Because the frame rate is faster, autofocus checks focus less often and can keep your subject on track at 30, 60 or 24 frames per second. If you depend on autofocus, and like the 24-fps look, it's worth considering. If you don't have a system, the Olympus E-M1 Mark III Micro Four Thirds or Fujifilm X-T4 are good options for that kind of video.
It does limit the drive speed to 9fps in AF-C mode, but that's still quick enough for many types of action. With focus fixed after the first shot (AF-S), the GH5 II supports 12fps capture with Raw (or JPG) quality and the mechanical shutter. The buffer is ample, good enough for more than 125 Raw+JPG pairs before filling up. You can switch to 6K (18MP) or 4K (8MP) Photo mode to snap JPGs at 30 or 60fps, respectively, with the electronic shutter—focus is fixed for the sequence.
Stabilized 20MP Sensor
Panasonic places the GH5 II’s sensor on an IBIS system that stabilizes it at five axes. This is beneficial for video and still images. It's a common feature among mirrorless cameras—most competitors have IBIS, including the Fujifilm X-T4 and Olympus' Micro Four Thirds cameras, the E-M1X and E-M1 Mark III.
The 20MP sensor is made for both, too. In stills mode it captures photos in Raw or JPG format. Raw photos have more room to edit color, while JPGs are ready to share. The camera supports a native ISO range from ISO 200 through 25600, and has ISO 100 available as an extended setting.
JPG default output is natural in color, and has low noise. It also produces clear results using ISO 6400. The color profile can be adjusted to your liking, as well as a variety of preset options. These include a few good black-and white looks and Cine2 video profiles for still images.
We took a look at Raw output in Adobe Lightroom Classic, our standard processor, and found them to be very editable. There's room to adjust highlights and shadows, and fine-tune color to taste, with much more flexibility than with JPGs.
Recording of 10-bit 4K60
The GH5 II has a video engine upgrade that is comparable to the GH5. Its maximum frame rate was increased from 4K30 to 5K60. The 60fps limit will be 4:20:00 color sampling (24fps and 30fps have more information about color, while sampling at 4:22:00). The GH5 II is 10-bit and includes the flat VLog L. This upgrade was available only to GH5 II owners.
Anamorphic options have been expanded. You can set the camera to either 4K30, or 6K30 if you are using an extra-wide lens. To get an ideal widescreen effect with anamorphic lenses, you will need to correct the image during editing.
Micro Four Thirds supports a wide range of adapt lenses. You can use modern lenses to create sharp and high-contrast images or vintage lenses to achieve a more artistic look. For the above sample clip, we used an old Canon 50mm F1.2. It was captured at 24 frames per second using Cine2.
When recording to a card, there are many formats and levels of compression available. MP4 is a good option for projects that don't require extensive edits. With 150Mbps long GOP codecs and 400Mbps All I codescs, the MOV container format offers more possibilities.
Panasonic doesn't include Raw recording via HDMI, something you get with the first-generation GH5 and the low-light specialist GH5s. We don't think it's a reason to skip upgrading. V-Log L offers plenty of room to edit, and you'll still be able to take advantage of more robust codecs like ProRes if you're recording to an external device.
For video, Micro Fourth Thirds
Panasonic has done a great job of updating the aging GH5 II, a 2017 model. Lumix GH5 II continues the legacy of the series, which is a favorite among video professionals. The Lumix GH5 II puts video first. It improves the 4K quality and makes some improvements to its autofocus. The camera will deliver better action shots, half-speed slow motion and a more professional look from 4K60. We are happy to include V-Log L with it.
While the GH5 II still has a 4K resolution, it is fine for most projects but not cutting-edge. You may be better off waiting for the 5.7K GH6 to arrive later in this year, which will cost approximately $2,500. Panasonic's full-frame S1H records at 6K, and supports L-mount lenses. It costs $4,000.
The GH5 II lives up to the series' reputation, and should be one of the first you look at for video projects. It's a very capable stills camera too, with updated autofocus for action. We like it a bit better than the Olympus E-M1 Mark III, another recent Micro Four Thirds update, but it's not our favorite all-around camera in this class. The Fujifilm X-T4 is our Editors' Choice winner, as it's a stunning stills camera and no slouch when it comes to video.
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