Panasonic’s new Lumix GH7 is a seriously powerful video camera with top-notch features – and that’s what the GH6 should have been
Panasonic has unveiled the Lumix GH7 and it looks like a seriously powerful video camera with an impressive world first, and possibly one of the best value video cameras.
It’s the successor to the Lumix GH6, a micro four thirds (MFT) camera that we already rated highly upon its 2022 release, but which felt like its days were numbered after the recent launch of the Lumix G9 II, as the new photography first model has a GH6 autofocus for video.
But Panasonic has now corrected its Lumix GH line by adding phase detection autofocus to a new 25.2 MP sensor, along with new subject detection AF modes that include a target area option, such as the nose of an airplane or the helmet of a plane. motorcyclist. These new capabilities could bring Lumix’s autofocus performance up to par for the hybrid shooters of 2024.
The sensor also features what we expect to be industry-leading image stabilization performance, especially with new enhanced modes such as Active IS ‘High Mode’ for smooth images on the go.
Panasonic has improved its video features for serious filmmakers, with 5.7K/30fps video recording now available in the internal ProRes raw HQ and ProRes 422 HQ formats, plus 5.7K/60fps and 5.8K/30p open gate video. Most other cameras in this price range offer raw video recording via an external recorder, not internally, with the Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K being a notable exception.
The capabilities for slow-motion video recording have also been expanded, with 4K 120 fps in 10-bit and up to 300 fps in Full HD, again in 10-bit.
When photographing in the V-log color profile, the Lumix GH7 maintains a dynamic range of 13 stops. You also get Panasonic’s Real Time LUTs color profiles, which were previously found in the Lumix S5 II and Lumix G9 II, but only gained more attention with the launch of the heavily marketed Lumix S9. In short, you can import any color profile, including recipes created by professional creators, directly to your Lumix camera.
There’s also an impressive world first: 32-bit float audio recording in the camera. We explained what that technology means in our DJI Mic 2 review, but in short it combines a wider frequency range and richer sound than 24-bit audio, with the flexibility to prevent clipping because the frequency range can ‘float’ instead of being fixed. It’s a bit like shooting photos in raw format instead of JPEG: there’s more leeway to recover details that would otherwise be lost.
However, you’ll need an optional DMW-XLR2 microphone adapter and microphone to export video files with 32-bit float audio, and this new accessory will be available from July 2024 for $549 / £499 (Australia prices to be determined).
Speaking of prices, Panasonic has launched its latest Lumix model at the same price as the previous GH models: $2,199 / £1,999 (Australia price TBD), meaning the Lumix GH7 offers the best value for money for video -focused photographers who don’t I don’t need a full frame.
Panasonic has ensured that the Lumix GH7 is both a rugged and versatile camera: the GH7 is solidly built and includes a cooling fan, meaning video recording times are unlimited, unlike the very limited Lumix S9.
We loved the Lumix GH6 when it first came out, but it was ultimately ruled out for video due to its contrast-detection-based autofocus. Panasonic has addressed this and more in the Lumix GH7, but whether there will still be a demand for an MFT camera in 2024 is another matter.
Panasonic has developed its own line of full-frame cameras, including the fantastic Lumix S5 II / S5 IIX video-oriented cameras. And many filmmakers will feel like they need full-frame instead of MFT, regardless of whether that’s actually true.
Ironically, the Lumix GH7’s main competitor could be Panasonic’s Lumix S5 II. However, this new MFT model has a lot to offer, and we’ll express our thoughts in more detail in a full review coming soon.