Panasonic GH4 - Cinema Quality at a Consumer-Friendly Price

[JennPenn]

Hey Divers!
It's JennPenn from Backscatter. It's a 4K video revolution!
4K video - 4 times the resolution of HD video - is what the industry standard is moving toward. Remember when we moved from standard definition to HD? Well, this is the next progression. If you're a video shooter looking to make the jump to a camera that shoots 4K, be sure to check out the Panasonic GH4 underwater camera review by Jim Decker and Rusty Sanoian, with actual videos and stills taken with the GH4.

 

[DazedAndConfuzed]

Saw somebody's video on the camera and on the creature's swimby while camera was pointed upward with the sky in the background and saw enough posterization to think why did panny implement a 4k resolution when nobody is asking for it, instead of improving the 8 bit 4:2:0 encoding.

Plus, not sure why nauticam implemented a sports viewfinder for the GH4's EVF. It is not a DSLR and that will probably never be used, and probably adds $500 to the price of the housing.

 

[eelnoraa]

Hey Divers!
4K video - 4 times the resolution of HD video - is what the industry standard is moving toward. Remember when we moved from standard definition to HD? Well, this is the next progression. If you're a video shooter looking to make the jump to a camera that shoots 4K, be sure to check out the Panasonic GH4 underwater camera review by Jim Decker and Rusty Sanoian, with actual videos and stills taken with the GH4.

Good marketing, but inaccurate. 4 times the pixel number - YES, but only 2x the resolution of 1080P. And you will need a 4K monitor/TV to benefit from the extra resolution. Having that said, a 4K native in GH4 down convert to 1080P in post will yield better sharpness in native 1080P video. So it is still a good reason to shoot 4K in GH4.

One more thing that no one mention. With the same lens, 4K on GH4 will be narrower field of view than 1080P by about 15%. The full frame equivalent crop factor goes from 2x to about 2.3x. It is how Panasonic design to implement their 4K. Just something to pay attention to

 

[nimoh]

Good marketing, but inaccurate. 4 times the pixel number - YES, but only 2x the resolution of 1080P. And you will need a 4K monitor/TV to benefit from the extra resolution. Having that said, a 4K native in GH4 down convert to 1080P in post will yield better sharpness in native 1080P video. So it is still a good reason to shoot 4K in GH4.

One more thing that no one mention. With the same lens, 4K on GH4 will be narrower field of view than 1080P by about 15%. The full frame equivalent crop factor goes from 2x to about 2.3x. It is how Panasonic design to implement their 4K. Just something to pay attention to

not exactly.

4K video has 2x the vertical resolution and 2x the horizontal resolution, for 4x the resolution. The pixel count is the resolution, and 1080p is just a shorthand method of writing 1920x1080.

 

[eelnoraa]

not exactly.

4K video has 2x the vertical resolution and 2x the horizontal resolution, for 4x the resolution. The pixel count is the resolution, and 1080p is just a shorthand method of writing 1920x1080.

So 2x the linear resolution which is what matters. But I think there is no point of arguing the definitely of resolution. We both agree it is ~2x the width and height of 1080P depend on 4K mode. And I do think it is a revolutionary camera for 2014 for bring down native 4K recording under $2000. I like it and I got one. The part about extra crop factor is what I didnt expect and it is quite noticeably in the wide end. So I think potential buyer should be aware of that especially wide angle is important to you

 

[drbill]

8 to Hi-8 to SD to HD to HD 3D to 4K. No thanks. Until there is significant content in 4K to make it worthwhile to buy one of those beautiful sets, I'll stick to HD. For each leap in technology like this (and it is getting better faster than the consumer market can keep up) we make "obsolete" entire libraries of interesting underwater footage shot at lower resolutions. It takes time to rebuild those libraries with new footage of real interest (exciting behavior, species, etc).

I visited Jean-Michel Cousteau at his family camp two or three years ago (as I do every year) and as we were having lunch he said I really have to go to HD 3D. I had just upgraded my old HD system to a better one (camera, housing, lights) and the last thing I could afford to do was buy all new 3D gear. Good footage is good footage. I've had people watch my old SD footage and see a lot of things they'd never seen or understood before.

Oh, and I still run a number of my computer son Win XP (although I do have some on Win 7 and 8... as well as others on Win 98, Win 95, Win 4.1 and even CP/M)

Love Backscatter though!

 

[BluewaterPhoto]

Even if you just want to shoot HD video, I think the GH4 is an excellent choice, the quality of the HD video is amazing, and I think the camera and housing are priced well for a serious videographer, or for someone who wants to shoot video and stills. Just my two cents

Scott Gietler

 

[kelemvor]

I think it's high time we started referring to 1080p as standard definition. It really has been the standard for many years.

1080p = SD 4K = HD

 

[drbill]

I think it's high time we started referring to 1080p as standard definition. It really has been the standard for many years.

So what will we call the existing SD format?

 

[diversteve]

LD - low definition...