Since Panny didn't specifically state that the GH4 complies with the new Rec. 2020 color gamut for UHD, I'm going to assume that even the 4k footage is limited to the very old yet still current HD Rec. 709 standard

Few things to understand. Rec. 2020 video will be always INFERIOR to usual one. As basic colors are much further apart it means that you need 10bits now to have more or less same color encoding accuracy as original 8bit. Add here demanding to reserve high and low values among 1024 available ones (so you could not use 0-1024 in Rec 2020). And instead of 10bit in Rec 709, you need 12bit.

Plus no affordable monitor now has such color space (widest usually has 100% Adobe space coverage, but it is not enough).

Colour gamut in the file format is a different beast than what the sensor can detect and output. Rec709 is currently what broadcasters use as a standard. Even 35mm film was transferred to Rec601 (slightly smaller range of colours) for post production work on broadcast jobs & it looked great!

I do concur though, that a wide colour gamut used throughout the production/post production chain would be a great thing. We are not quite there yet, as 4k is still in it's infancy. I would expect it to come into common use in a year or two.

I do concur though, that a wide colour gamut used throughout the production/post production chain would be a great thing. We are not quite there yet, as 4k is still in it's infancy. I would expect it to come into common use in a year or two.

Biggest hurdle for color gamut are shops. Making very wide gamut is not big problems as it all depend only on color filters, for wider gamut you need filter that pass only very narrow band of wavelengths for R, G and B. As it'll be very pure colors it lead to instant brightness drop. Add here necessity for real(!) 10-12bit panels (and most manufacturers prefer now to drop to 8bit panels in most of the range). And if you look at shops most of them set dynamic like presets with maximum brightness and contrast.

@ mpgxsvcd

Surprised that more people are not talking about the potential to do post processing stabilization with the 4K footage. With that much extra resolution you could do very affective software stabilization and still have nice 1080p or perhaps even 2.8K stabilized video. <

Post stabilization becomes useless once you have a few frames of motion blur, and you'll have that pretty fast..

I wasn't aware of another camera that uses SD internally for 10/4:2:2... so, I'll not criticize Panasonic if they too have decided it's an unrealistic data-bottleneck situation and instead require off-camera storage.

In my workflow, 10bit, and 4:2:2 are content specs - not delivery specs. I'm not planning on a client attempting to play such files on their laptop with WMP... it's about flexibility in the edit, not the final delivery.

As to the cost - the hyperdeck w/media is around $550. The breakbox box cost isn't released yet, of course. But let's assume $1000-1500. Is ~$2,000 not an affordable option for 1080 10bit 4:2:2 ?

@mrbill the reason why I'm very interested in the GH4 is the fact that it has 96fps 10bit 422 @ 1080p which is lovely, and I also love the G series look. Don't get me wrong the Pocket Cinema Camera is a winner, but only 30fps that's it's only limitation.

I've tried to read (and follow) all 19 pages about this new camera, and I have to say, I'm not that technical like you all are but it's an interesting read though :) I am a longtime Canon user, still filming all my projects with an oldie: the 5D MII and a 7D. This is actually the first time I'm looking forward to a new camera. Only decision I have to make is which camera I will sell to buy this GH4. I'm hoping the DR will be very nice though! I want to buy a lens adapter so I can still use my Canon lenses. Anyone has some experience with that?

One of the problems, and yes it's a problem, with their add-on audio/video "brick" is the ergonomics. It really looks hideous and makes the camera chunky and unwieldy, even on a rig. If they had smoothed out its lines, stream-lined it to match the GH4's body, and also made it weather resistant and more like a battery grip then it might have been something. As is, it smacks of "kludged together after-thought."

Since Panasonic knows you HAVE to buy their accessory for XLR audio, 4k SDI video, time-code, etc. they have no incentive to make the add-on cost to consumers be more reasonable. The audio pre-amp circuitry is probably not pro-grade, but they'll more than likely price it as such. You're a captive audience and that's never a good thing.

If they had priced the GH4 body and a better designed add-on device as a $2,000 pro kit package, they'd give Sony and others a run for their money. You know they could do this since this stuff is built in low pay sweat shops in China and relative build costs are negligible.

One of the problems, and yes it's a problem, with their add-on audio/video "brick" is the ergonomics. It really looks hideous and makes the camera chunky and unwieldy, even on a rig. If they had smoothed out its lines, stream-lined it to match the GH4's body, and also made it weather resistant and more like a battery grip then it might have been something. As is, it smacks of "kludged together after-thought."

How about just buy small JuicedLink?

Since Panasonic knows you HAVE to buy their accessory for XLR audio, 4k SDI video, time-code, etc. they have no incentive to make the add-on cost to consumers be more reasonable

And it is not true, you do not to have to buy anything. It is just XLR preamp, and HDMI to SDI converter. Mostly made for people who need reliable connectors and all in one solution.

@LongJohnSilver

It has some unproven facts, like sensor used (we discussed it in topic below), like 1080p frame rate does not match.

http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/8745/new-m43-panasonic-sensor-with-4k-support-mn34230pl/p1

Crop factor calculations are just completely fucked up, using diagonal pixels and comparing all possible modes.

@vitaliy_kiselev ok for crop calculation which I skipped. For sensor it's clear that the sensor used by em1 is the same you linked. Of course no clue that Pana used it on GH4.

nevertheless I think that is a fair summary of what's happened/happening

For sensor it's clear that the sensor used by em1 is the same you linked. Of course no clue that Pana used it on GH4.

I think you messed up here, as I was talking about article statement and provided link to 4K sensor that author states is in GH4 (using his fantasy mostly).

If I use a DSLR and let's say a Tascam DR-100 for audio, they cannot sync together with a master clock. Audio products without a time-code master clock tend to drift. If I'm recording a live concert or something else that needs long takes, there can be problems.

OK, let's go again. Usage of time codes with such cameras is limited at all. People who use GH4 won't have video mixer, most won't have any recorder that can use this signals. Most won't even connect recorder, frequently it is just not so safe and easy thing to do outside special studio. So, check above for my comment about real sceneries.