Reviews roundup – Panasonic Lumix GH5 : Should you buy it in 2021?
Here’s a roundup of all the Panasonic Lumix GH5 reviews, ratings and impressions from the web. Discover its strengths and weaknesses here!
Released in March 2017, the Panasonic Lumix GH5 is a 20MP Micro Four Third mirrorless camera. It features a 5-axis in-body image stabilization, a Depth from Defocus (DFD) autofocus and a fully articulated 3.2” LCD screen. It includes connectivity through Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI and USB 3.1.
The camera shoots JPG and RAW pictures with a 9fps burst mode in continuous AF mode. The video mode goes up to 1080p at 180 fps or 4K at 59.94p with a 10-bit 4:2:2 output. It comes equipped with three shutters : mechanical, electronic, and electronic front curtain. Recordings are saved on the dual UHS-II SD card slots, separately or simultaneously for backup. The Lumix GH5 weighs 725 g, battery and SD cards included.
So what do the critics think of the Panasonic Lumix GH5?
Overall most reviews say that the Panasonic Lumix GH5 is a very powerful camera for video recording. The 4K 10-bit 4:2:2 output offers a sharp image with little artifacts and a great color rendition. The standard battery can last up to 2 hours in video mode, which is great for a mirrorless camera. The picture quality is more divisive. The JPG format can show signs or artifacts and moiré. The burst mode is a little too slow for sport photography. The menus are also a little fiddly and there is definitely a learning curve to make the most out of this camera.
- Professional photo and video: 20.3 Megapixel micro four thirds sensor with no low pass filter to capture sharp images with a high dynamic range and artifact free performance
- Splash or Freeze Proof Design: Freeze proof to 10 degrees the durable magnesium alloy body withstands heavy use in the field; Splash or dust proof construction with weather sealing on every Joint,...
- Dual image stabilization: 5 axis dual image stabilization corrects all lenses, including classic lenses not equipped with O. I. S, to eliminate Blur and nearly eliminate body and lens shake in both...
Most reviews like…
- Excellent video mode
- Dual UHS-II SD card slots
- Good battery life
- Bright EVF
- Effective high ISO noise reduction
- Good price tag for its capacities
Most reviews don’t like…
- Unreliable JPG quality
- Slow-ish burst mode
- Lack of built-in flash
- Hard-to-navigate menus
- ISO range on the weak side
- Autofocus can be slow at times
For more infos about the positive and negatives sides of the Panasonic Lumix GH5, check out the selection of reviews below:
Websites Reviews
Camerajabber.com – ★★★★★ – ‘If you mainly shoot stills and just dabble in video making then the GH5 may not be the camera for you. A more stills orientated camera like the new Panasonic G9, for example, could be just the ticket.’
Cameralabs.com ★★★★★ (Highly recommended) – ‘It’s fast, flexible and feature-packed, easily taking-on rivals in this category and out-performing virtually anything at its price for video. ‘
Dpreview.com – 85% (Gold Award) – ‘The Panasonic GH5 is a camera oriented at videographers, and includes features often found on more expensive pro video gear. It captures video at up to 4K/60p resolution, including 4:2:2 10-bit color up to 4K/30p, and has useful tools like waveforms and built in LUT display to assist with shooting. The body is very solid, includes several custom function buttons, and a very good EVF, though autofocus can hunt a bit in video. It shoots stills as well, producing very good images for a Micro Four Thirds camera.’
Ephotozine.com – ★★★★½ (Highly recommended) – ‘The GH5 benefits from easy to use menus and a wealth of customisable controls. For those that like a Digital SLR sized camera, the GH5 will suit, but with the benefit of the latest technology and advances, including 5-axis sensor image stabilisation, a high resolution electronic viewfinder, high speed continuous shooting, and more video features than most of us can possibly ever need. Panasonic has thrown everything it has in to the GH5, and produced a camera that delivers excellent results. ‘
Expertreviews.co.uk ★★★★★ – ‘Packed with professional features, the Panasonic GH5 is the new standard bearer for indie filmmakers.’
Pcmag.com – ★★★★★ (Excellent) – ‘The Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5 is the mirrorless camera to get for 4K video, but if you’re more concerned about stills, it’s not a clear-cut winner.’
Photographyblog.com – ★★★★★ – ‘If you typically shoot both stills and video, there’s simply nothing to challenge the Panasonic GH5 at this price-point and in such a portable format, making it a worthy winner of our highest accolade – Essential!’
Photoreview.com.au – 9.1/10
Techradar.com – ★★★★½ – ‘While the last couple of GH-series cameras have felt a little like video cameras masquerading as stills camera, the Panasonic Lumix GH5 is a much more rounded piece of kit. It’s certainly one of the best 4K camera solutions out there, if not the best, before you start considering dedicated professional video cameras, and that video capability is backed up by a great set of features for the stills photographer.’
Amazon users reviews
- Professional photo and video: 20.3 Megapixel micro four thirds sensor with no low pass filter to capture sharp images with a high dynamic range and artifact free performance
- Splash or Freeze Proof Design: Freeze proof to 10 degrees the durable magnesium alloy body withstands heavy use in the field; Splash or dust proof construction with weather sealing on every Joint,...
- Dual image stabilization: 5 axis dual image stabilization corrects all lenses, including classic lenses not equipped with O. I. S, to eliminate Blur and nearly eliminate body and lens shake in both...
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