Hands-on with the Panasonic DMC-GH4 4K DSLR

Adjustments

One of the key features that makes the GH4 so appealing is that shooting 4K and then downsampling to HD completely works around muddy AVCHD compression. The 4K-to-1080p downsample simply blows away the in-camera 1080p footage, no matter the data rate.

There are even people working on post software to try and take the 10-bit 4:2:2 video the camera sends out the HDMI and downsample that using certain algorithms to try and end up with a 10-bit 4:2:2 HD image that will offer so much more ability to grade in post.

Even with the camera's limited 8-bit 4:2:0 internal 4K recording, the GH4 offers features to enable you to deliver as much latitude as possible to the edit bay.

With adjustable Picture Profiles (Figure 5, below), Highlight & Shadow curves, Pedestal (Figure 6, below Figure 5), custom white balance, and more, you can certainly create a look in camera that you want, or make it hold on to as much as possible so that a talented colorist can push and pull the image to create a look that you couldn't get any other way.

Figure 5. The GH4's Cinelike Picture Profile. Click the image to see it at full size.

Figure 6. Setting Master Pedestal Level on the GH4. Click the image to see it at full size.

All these adjustments are also available in all the HD modes and will also benefit the video before it reaches AVCHD compression, to keep details out of the deep darks and away from the brightest whites where compression might lose it. So even if you have no intention of using 4K, which I strongly suggest you do, all the new image finesse tools will help your in-camera HD recording as well.

Recording Media

A lot has been written about how the new 200Mbps data rate associated with 4K requires very expensive new cards. I used a 45Mbps UHS-1 Sandisk and a Samsung "rugged" UHS-1 card in the GH4 (Figure 7, below). I was able to record 200Mbps 1080p24 for more than 10 minutes without any issues. This created only a 3.63GB file so I hadn't reached the point where it would need to "span" to a new file on my FAT32-formatted cards. If you already have the 95 MBps Sandisk cards, or anything decently fast, I feel you shouldn't have any problem using them in the GH4. The 4K top speed is only 100Mbps, which is half the data rate that I successfully tested on my slower cards.

Figure 7. Older, slower SD cards performed fine with the GH4 in testing.

If you have SDXC cards, not SDHC, the XC cards are formatted exFAT so there is no 4GB file limit and no need for the camera to "span" files. "Spanning" is what happens when the camera approaches the FAT32 4GB file limit. The camera has to switch the video writing to a new file and simultaneously write the close to the original file it was previously writing. It's writing two files at the same time. This goes over the data rate specified by the camera which is solely for writing a single stream of video. When a card can't "span" the camera stops recording.

So before you plunk down several hundred more for the fastest media available, test, test, and test again. In as much as you don't want to waste money on card speed you don't need, you also don't want to get burned by a flaky card, that can't span, or find out that a card slows down when it fills up. Test your media. Know your gear.

Still Camera

The GH4 is also an incredibly capable still camera. It is a true hybrid device. I don't do professional still photography so I can't comment authoritatively here, but every mention of the GH4 I read from those who review stills has been very favorable. So I doubt you'll be let down on the stills side.

Conclusion

The GH4 is the first 4K camera I really look forward to owning. Not just because it shoots 4K, but because of the capability it delivers, in so many areas. And it does this at a price point that is not matched by any other piece of hardware out there.

While some hold out hope that Panasonic will get smart and make an AF200 based on the GH4, I don't see it happening. Panasonic could have done that with the GH2 after it won so many accolades, or after the GH3 really solidified that position. But Panasonic instead showed a new multipiece Varicam at NAB 2014. They're taking their video cameras to the high end, leaving the middle-ground completely empty.

I don't feel the GH4 will be available in a more professional form factor. I think the YAGH accessory is all we will see from Panasonic on that front. So if the GH4 fits your production needs, this is my green light to go and shoot 4K. May the 4K be with you.