Verdict
It might experience like a GH6 II rather than an entirely new camera , but the Panasonic GH7 builds on the GH6 ’s strong foundations with meaningful improvements to autofocus and look-alike quality and reinforcement for 32 - bit sound recording . A superb all - rounder that ’s perfectly suitable to today ’s do - it - all creator .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
This camera might appear familiar but bank us , it ’s sword new – and very much improved .
The Panasonic Lumix GH7 is the spitting simulacrum of its 2022 - release harbinger , theGH6 , and comes with an externally similar spec and feature film lean . Delve deeper and it becomes clear that the GH7 , the new flagship for Panasonic ’s Micro Four Thirds Lumix G range , offer several sweetening , most notably in its borrowing of a phase - detection autofocus system and an improved image sensor . It ’s also the first ever mirrorless camera to bear 32 - bit float sound transcription – albeit via an optional accessory .
The GH6 was an impressive all - rounder with a blinding raiment of telecasting recording options , so do the GH7 ’s tweaks make it even more appealing ? I spent a week shooting both video and photos with it to retrieve out .
Design and handling
As mentioned above , the GH7 is physically selfsame to the GH6 , at least as far as I can tell . The only difference is the tag with the camera ’s name . This law of similarity is no bad matter in my opinion : the control layout is excellent , with chunky modality and drive dials on top , buttons dedicated to almost every conceivable single-valued function and two bar / embark on recording buttons for video recording exploiter ( one on the front , one on the back ) .
There are also front and rear tally lamps , so you ’ll bang for sure when the camera is recording picture , a small but snappy OLED viewfinder and the same double - hinged 3 - in touch screen . The covert ’s design means it can be pointed in almost any direction , while the extra tilt from the 2nd hinge allow it to be moved away from any cable connected to the GH7 ’s side port – handy if you still need to see the covert clearly from the front while using USB , mic or headphones .
There ’s no getting around the fact that the GH7 , like the GH6 , is large and heavy – at least compared to most Micro Four Thirds cameras . In fact , at 721 gigabyte and 138.4 x 100.3 x 99.6 mm , the GH7 ’s physical structure is bigger and heftier than thePanasonic S5II , which has a much swelled full - frame sensor . Still , the fact that MFT lens of the eye are smaller and lighter in weight than L - mount lenses mean portability still tips slightly in favour of the GH7 . Slightly .
The primary reason for the GH7 ’s increase majority is its establish - in cool down system , which use a sports fan and two vents to draw cool air into the camera and then expel hot air . It ’s one of the television camera ’s key features , though , as it allows for outright transcription times for Hawai’i - res video – something many similar cameras ca n’t offer due to overheating issues . In my opinion , it ’s well deserving that bit of extra baggage .
The GH7 is well put together too , with a atomic number 12 alloy frame and an all - round solid build . It does n’t have an official IP rating and Panasonic wo n’t describe it as weatherproof , but do take it to be “ dust and splash insubordinate ” . you may use it in light rain , I ’d say , but do n’t take it out in a tempest .
Features and performance
Arguably the GH7 ’s gravid advance over the GH6 is its autofocus system . With its contrast - spying setup , the GH6 struggled to shut up on to a case as rapidly as rival cameras . That ’s now been supplemented with a phase - detection frame-up that Panasonic calls Phase Hybrid AF , and the final result is much warm and more accurate autofocus carrying into action , with none of the “ search ” I experienced with the GH6 . When a recognisable subject motion into the frame of reference ( these include humans , animals , cable car , motorcycles , train and airplane – you may pick your pick out subject field in the fare ) , the GH7 chance and focuses on it super quickly , stay focussed as it moves around the frame and reacquires it if it act out of the frame and back in again . It ’s a Brobdingnagian improvement on perhaps the GH6 ’s weakest country .
The GH6 ’s construct - in image stabilisation , on the other hired hand , was first-class – and that continues here . The GH7 can stabilise any lens through a user - adjustable compounding of sensing element - shift and electronic stabilisation , and using lenses with visual stabilization will meliorate things further still . Panasonic enounce the system offers up to 7.5 stops of correction , and I do n’t doubt it : even without peculiarly careful handling I was able to reach an almost gimbal - like degree of functioning while walking . If you ’re a vlogger who wants to record to - tv camera pieces while walking around , the GH7 ’s autofocus and stabilization make it the ideal tv camera to use .
Connectivity is very solid . The full - size HDMI output can tip 5.8 K RAW data to an extraneous recorder , while the USB - C port ( which handle charging , index supply and data transfer ) allow an SSD to be used for verbatim recording . There ’s dual - banding Wi - Fi and Bluetooth on the wireless front too , and like the GH6 , the tv camera supports live cyclosis either via Wi - Fi or USB . It can not be used as a USB webcam , however .
There are also 3.5 mm headphone and mic socket , and for more demanding users , mounting the young XLR2 adapter ( £ 499 ) on the blistering shoe allows up to two XLR microphones to be connected – and for 32 - bite float audio to be recorded on the camera . Panasonic sent me the transcriber with my GH7 reexamination sample distribution , and the 32 - spot ice-cream float option is something the great unwashed recording in difficult conditions ( where setting addition accurately is wily ) will appreciate amply ; with its huge dynamic range , it allows much more oscilloscope for adjusting audio level in post - product . For most hoi polloi , the 3.5 mm input and a shotgun or lavalier mic will likely be sufficient .
Internal storage is handle by two card slots : one for SD and one for ultra - fast CFexpress Type B cards . The latter slot is required if you want to access some of the higher bitrate transcription modes .
Finally , a discussion on the stamp battery life . It ’s not outstanding – I was only able to get about an hour of video recording out of a full charge . On the plus side , the USB - atomic number 6 interface abide constant power supply as well as recharging , so hold the GH7 powered when you ’re out and about is n’t as difficult as it could be .
Image quality
Micro Four Thirds sensor are small with small pixel , and that ’s guide to a reputation that they come up rather short when it comes to dynamic range and low - lightness operation – at least equate to larger full - frame and APS - C sensors . The GH6 attempted to bring things in line of business with its great - sensor rivals with Dynamic Range Boost , a feature of speech that Panasonic keep fair muted but work by capturing and then merging two separate outputs from the sensor for each photo or frame of picture . It worked well in most situations but not in all , and in high - demarcation situations it could also make unsightly visual artefact in the form of horizontal bar .
I did n’t encounter these run in person but have seen plenty of evidence that many people did . Thankfully the GH7 , which uses a new 25.2MP sensor ( antecedently witness in the Panasonic G9 II ) has call the active Range Boost issue , not only deposit the streaking but improving overall dynamical chain of mountains . In fact , photos and video count utterly fantastic by the standard of MFT cameras , and while I ’d still pick a full - frame camera over this if I was mainly pullulate in dark conditions , the GH7 can go toe - to - toe with the best APS - C cameras in reasonably much any situation .
Panasonic ’s colour science is telling , with JPEGs looking great directly out of the tv camera and a wide range of predetermined photograph and video styles to try out with . you may also upload your own and other peoples ’ LUTs into the tv camera , previewing their force and baking them into any snapshot you capture . Panasonic Lumix Lab mobile app is a great fashion to do this . you may , of course , shoot in RAW , or using the flat quintet - logarithm profile , then tweak your photos and videos in post - production . It ’s the best method for draw every morsel of active orbit out of the television camera : in fact , you’re able to get over 13 stops of dynamic range when shooting Phoebe - log .
The GH7 is a unassailable all - rounder but picture users are particularly well - served thanks to the absolute range of a function of transcription mode , bitrates , chassis rates and more on crack . It can even shoot Apple ProRes RAW HQ internally , as well as C4 K at 120fps and Full HD at 240fps , give it huge potential difference for create everything from fun family telecasting to , well , pic and other professional pieces . The GH6 was potent in this area , but the GH7 takes things even further .
For still triggerman , the rapid uninterrupted shot speeds ( 14fps with mechanically skillful shutter and AF , 60fps with electronic shutter and AF , or 75fps with electronic shutter and manual focus ) make it ideal for shooting wildlife and sport – both of which will get a rise from the aforementioned improved autofocus too .
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Should you buy it?
The GH7 is a stunning creative toolbox , particularly when it comes to video . If you ’re a content creator with demanding standard , its broad range of capabilities and pro - even public presentation will be justly up your street .
The GH7 ’s size of it and weight are greater than that of some full - frame cameras , despite its small MFT sensor . Its bombardment life is also fairly stingy . So if portability and stamina are primal to you , you should probably search elsewhere .
Final Thoughts
I was affect by theGH6for its absolute compass of video modes , John Rock - steady icon stabilization and connectivity , but was n’t sell on its contrast - signal detection autofocus or battery life history .
The GH7 takes everything that was great about its predecessor and either keeps it intact or improves upon it , while also convey the autofocus in line with its competitor ’s camera . It has n’t improved the barrage fire life , sadly , but given that this camera cost the same as the two - twelvemonth - onetime GH6 did when it launch , I have no complaint about its value whatsoever . A grand all - debauchee that establish Micro Four Thirds still has loads to offer . To see what else the GH7 is up against , checker out our bout - up for thebest camerasoverall .
Trusted Score
How we test
We try out every camera we retrospect thoroughly . We habituate set tests to equate features properly and we apply it as our principal machine over the follow-up period . We ’ll always evidence you what we notice and we never , ever , accept money to refresh a product .
FAQs
The Panasonic GH7 boast a Micro Four Thirds sensor .
The Panasonic GH7 supports television resolutions up to 5.8K.
Full Specs
