The GH5 II is one of the least expensive cameras to offer the option of an XLR audio input module or control over whether the camera restricts its recording to 'broadcast safe' values or offer two levels of input gain for external microphones: its video prowess runs deeper than a simple consideration of frame rate and bit-depth. For our lab data comparison, we compared the Lumix GH5 II with three rival stills cameras that perform strongly when shooting video: the Fujifilm X-T4, Sigma fp, plus a rival from Panasonic's own stable, the full-frame Lumix S5, Panasonic has swapped the 3.2-inch screen on the GH5 for a slightly smaller but allegedly more visible 3-inch display on the GH5 II. (Image credit: Panasonic) The Lumix GH5 II does come with a new, higher-capacity 2200mAh battery, though this does not seem to make a huge difference to shooting times. Instead, its main advantage is probably its USB PD compatibility and its ability to be charged with an AC charger or USB. Memory

WB/ISO/Expo. Button] has been added, which enables adjustment of WB/ISO/Exposure only while the exposure compensation button is pressed. This can be set [Custom]>[Operation]. Before we get into the nitty gritty of the Panasonic GH5’s video capabilities, it’s worth noting that its specs offer some advantages for stills photographers too.So the GH5 II has a tough act to follow, and inevitably there will be those who feel that Panasonic hasn’t gone far enough – to be fair, the original GH5 didn’t leave it much room! Not only that, the new Panasonic GH6, still in development, is likely to be the new flagship powerhouse in the Lumix G range. This does make things more confusing still for Panasonic fans, who already might have a tough job choosing between the do-it-all Panasonic Lumix G9 and more video-focused cameras like these. Dial down the resolution, however, and it becomes something of a speed demon. The 6K Photo mode offers up to 30fps bursts, and in 4K Photo it goes as fast as 60fps. The downside, of course, is a drop in pixels: in 6K mode your images will be 18MP in size; in 4K, they’re 8MP. Also, these shots are actually frames taken from MP4 videos rather than traditional stills, so you can’t shoot them in raw. Due to the small physical size of the GH5 II’s Micro Four Thirds sensor, it’s not the greatest stills performer if you’re looking for superb low light performance or ultra-detailed landscape images. An APS-C, full-frame or medium format camera can easily outperform it in these areas.

This means that rather than using a cropped area of the sensor when shooting 4K as was the case with the GH4, the GH5 uses the entire width of the chip and then downsamples the footage in-camera. This also means that framing won’t be cropped, and you’ll be able to use your lenses as if you’re shooting stills. GH5 is a richly featured camera with numerous useful tools that will benefit stills photography just as much as video" The GH5 II's in-body stabilization system is rated as delivering up to 6.5EV of compensation, when measured using the CIPA standard test. This is 1.5EV more than the original GH5. Panasonic says this figure is maintained for longer focal length lenses with Dual IS 2 that synchronizes with the in-body system. New color modes Its sensor and lens mount are Micro Four Thirds. The camera works with autofocus lenses fromOlympus, Panasonic, Sigma, and a few others, and has broad compatibility with manual focus lenses. It's not compatible with Panasonic's full-frame L-mount system, though, so you'll need to take a little care when shopping for glass.For [4K 60p] [4K 50p] video output, use an HDMI2.0 cable that has the HDMI logo on it, and that is described as"4K compatible". bit LongGOP) (LPCM)/<3328x2496>29.97p, 400Mbps (4:2:2 10-bit ALL-Intra) (LPCM) *7/<3328x2496>29.97p, 150Mbps (4:2:2 10-bit LongGOP) (LPCM) *6/<3328x2496>29.97p, 100Mbps (4:2:0 8-bit LongGOP) (LPCM)/<3328x2496>23.98p, 400Mbps (4:2:2 10-bit ALL-Intra) (LPCM) *7/<3328x2496>23.98p, 150Mbps (4:2:2 10-bit LongGOP) (LPCM) *6/<3328x2496>23.98p, 100Mbps (4:2:0 8-bit LongGOP) (LPCM) The menu system is excellent, and a model of clarity both in its organization and its appearance – the menu text is big and easy to read. There are a LOT of video permutations to get your head around, however, and some features are unavailable unless you’ve selected something else first, e.g. VFR mode needs the MOV format, which is set in another menu. The interface might be very clear, but you’ll still need to spend some time working out where the options are and what they do. For videographers, the GH5S specs are sensational, though it’s only when you drill down into the technical details that the difference between this and regular cameras that shoot 4K video start to become apparent.

How you react to the GH5 II probably depends on what you think 'Mark II' should denote. If you're expecting a Canon-esque complete reworking of the camera, it might seem a little undercooked. But if you see it as a genuine mid-life refresh, with a few spec enhancements and enough processing power to leave room for further firmware updates, then it looks pretty competent. Use a card with SD Speed Class with ""Class 4"" or higher when recording motion pictures in [AVCHD] or [MP4(under 28Mbps)]. The GH5 II has a slightly smaller rear screen than its predecessor: it's a 3.0" panel rather than 3.2". It's still a 3:2 aspect ratio and has slightly increased resolution. The most significant difference, though, is that it can be made brighter than the older screen, which makes it easier to operate the camera outdoors. PHOTO: MP4 (H.265/HEVC, Audio format: AAC (2ch))/4K PHOTO: MP4 (H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, Audio format: AAC (2ch))The video quality, in terms of sampling, at least, is a match for that of the GH5. The focus of this test shot isn't quite as precise, but the levels of detail and the aliasing patterns are extremely similar. Like the original GH5, the Mark II is capturing data using its horizontal pixels and then downsampling this 5.2K data down to 3840 or 4096, depending on whether you're shooting UHD or DCI 4K. In the process it appears to be applying a low-pass filter, which removes the high-frequency patterns it cannot accurately represent. This new firmware enables GH5 tethered shooting via USB, using “LUMIX Tether” PC software. Users can control the camera by connecting it to a PC via USB. It lets you view the image on a large PC screen while shooting, which is helpful in commercial photoshoots of portraits, products and so on, where continuous confirmation is required. You can use [6K PHOTO] [4K PHOTO] and start and stop video recording with the tethered shooting. It is also possible to choose the folder to save the image files in the PC. The customized AF area can be continuously displayed in [Multi AF] and [Custom Multi AF] during live-view. The new Panasonic GH5 Mark II looks a lot like the old GH5, but a great deal has changed that's not immediately obvious Now you can join the facebook group to share your photography and advice, ask and answer questions that arise and help each others!