@Ezzelin - for back up

@Ezzelin - Some people want the best of both worlds. ProRes HD for a reduction in compression artifacts in high motion (and maybe 4:2:2) without any post effort but they also want to have a 4k version to archive for future use. Typically the external method also gives 10bit but with the G7 this is not the case. Some also like to have the external for higher quality but the 4k version to use in emergencies to reframe the shot.

Interesting thing about the GH4 is if somebody does want 10bit output the camera can't record internally either. So in that situation there really isn't a difference between the GH4 and G7 and only being able to use external recoding. I would argue that if somebody is going to bother with external recording from the GH4 they are likely doing so to get 10bit and therefore using the camera the same way they would the G7. Yeah I know the G7 is only 8bit, I'm talking forced workflow.

It's not the best of both worlds, because it really isn't the best camera. But it is a great value (I have two).

So - the end of my first week using the G7 as a close up b-cam to my GH4, shooting interviews. Both are recording ProRes LT to atomos recorders, both using the same white balance, same ISO, both using contax zeiss glass - 50mm f1.7 and the 85mm f1.4, and finally both set to cine-d. Resolution wise, they're a perfect match. Color wise, the GH4's flesh tones are pinker and not as natural as the G7. However, it's a pretty simple lowering of the red channel in post to make the two cameras match. Going to try both cameras set to natural next week and see how they line up on that color profile.

As a video camera, G7 is the winner in my list of currently supported 4K cameras by Windmotion. Second camera is GH4. Third camera is Samsung NX-1.

G7 produces beautiful film-grain like noise and the same picture quality as GH4. After 4:4:4 Full HD conversion we can get a technically perfect 10-bit footage. The same result has GH4. Very cinematic look on both cameras.

Automatic focusing is very poor, but it is not an issue for manual lens.

Samsung NX-1 has a technically better design, but has color banding video artifacts and "plastic" frame look (thanks for H.265 compression).

So, if you have money - get GH4. If you have less money - get G7. Samsung is for technical geeks.

As a video camera, G7 is the winner in my list of currently supported 4K cameras by Windmotion. Second camera is GH4.

Does anyone know the rolling shutter amount of G7, GX8 and GH4. When using e-shutter in photos the GH4 has fastest sensor readout about 1/30s compared to 1/20s of GX8 or G7. Is that related to 4k rolling shutter?

GH4 has the best rolling shutter of small cinema cameras. https://www.cinema5d.com/sony-a7rii-rolling-shutter/

What's the best luma range setting to use on a G7? We only have 0-255 or 16-255, and no 16-235.

@JayB38 Check that again, you should only have 0-255 and 16-255, not 16-235.

@Ezzelin, thanks I stand corrected. It is 0-255 and 16-255. I may have confused it with the luminance of the GH-4

@rean the article you posted has this text: "All settings record the exact same information. One does not give more dynamic range or protection than another."

It is not correct in mathematical sense. 16-235 luma has less information than 0-255. It has 14% difference. Many users cannot see 14% Y-channel quality loss, but it may be important for color grading for non-ideal lighting. It is 8-bit domain, not floating point, that lossless. Any level manipulation in 8 bit gives a small rounding error. Level manipulation for not ideal image can give a posterization, where this 14% difference may be important.

But, of course, if we have noised video, this difference is really small, because all these small differences will be covered with noise.

Can anyone recommend a good (on budget) cage for my g7? Could any of these half cages be a solution? Thanks

Here is a small internet video I've been working on shot almost entirely with the Panasonic G7 and the 14-140 zoom. Yi action camera was used over the shredder. The G7 is not a multi thousand dollar workhorse that being said I think overall it delivers. It was shot in UHD and delivered in HD.