From Camera Zone: The new Panasonic GH4 is put to the test in a shootout with the Canon 5D MarkIII & Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera

Panasonic : Introducing 4K Video Advantages – A Revolution in Videography

@jleo, I saw the shootout video on 43rumours. I don't own either of the 3 shootout cams yet (still on my GH2's), so I wanted to check what the real detail differences are in 1080p. I took a screencap and matched the levels, saturation & temperatures in Photoshop (more or less). Then applied sharpening to the Pocket & 5DIII to match the GH4 (attached).

At 1080p the differences are much smaller than people think from unprocessed (or non-matching processed) images. Sure the 4k detail is there, and you can zoom/stabilise etc. But otherwise either camera can give you a pretty similar 1080p image detail-wise imo. The bigger issue for me is the horrible moire on the Pocket (otherwise seems great).

(remember that different lenses were used, so DOF is different and not possible to exactly match sharpness in fore/background)

From the start we felt the GH4 could be the most significant camera Panasonic has released so far, and after using it for almost two weeks we believe it will be a genuine game-changer. Not only is it a superior performer for still image capture, but to offer such a wide range of video options – many of them meeting professional requirements – puts the icing on an already attractive cake and takes the camera into areas we could only dream about previously.

http://photoreview.com.au/reviews/advanced-compact-cameras/interchangeable-lens/panasonic-lumix-dmc-gh4

@maddog15,

I believe the main reason for all of the interest in the Atomos Samurai is because it can capture the 4k 10-bit out from the GH4 and the 4K 8-bit out from the sony A7s through their hdmi ports.

@maddog15 A few publications and reviews tend to misinterpret facts (surprise!). The truth is that the GH4 does indeed support 4K 10bit 4:2:2 via the micro HDMI port. It's discussed here @ 1:20:

I know the camera just came out, but have any of you worked with 4K 10bit 4:2:2 external recording through HDMI? What external recording unit would you recommend? After @killagram clarified things for me, I'm considering the Atomos Ninja 2. Thoughts?

@maddog15 No problem! I've been a fan of the Convergent Design Odyssey 7Q for awhile and figured they'd support the GH4, but unfortunately it only works in tandem with the YAGH. Fortunately the GH4 will work with the Atomos Shogun via the micro HDMI port and a bit cheaper then the 7Q too.

Unfortunately the Shogun is going to cost around $2,000 and it's still months away from release.

@AdamT True, recording 4K with true sensor bit depth will be costly. The alternative for HDMI will be the Ninja Star ($295) which supports HD at 10bit 4:2:2, but not 4K. It all depends on your priorities. As it stands I'm quite impressed with the internal recording of the GH4.

Per GB, SSD is cheaper than high performance flash cards. Monitors with scopes and waveform are notoriously expensive, especially high resolution. The Shogun will represent good value if you need the features.

Are there any news when GH4 will be in stock in EU stores?

Techradar have updated their review with some image quality comparisons...

http://www.techradar.com/reviews/cameras-and-camcorders/cameras/digital-slrs-hybrids/panasonic-gh4-1218311/review/3#articleContent

The results make for interesting reading. They mention a slight softening of the image at high ISO compared to its peers, which seems at odds with other reviews? However, the raw image noise and dynamic range look incredible! Basically the camera seems to maintain good performance far better than the competition as the ISO increases (including the fuji xt1).

Looking forward to the arrival of mine this week (fingers crossed)...