Panasonic GH5 II review: A mild upgrade

The GH5 II is a modest update to the original, but has significant improvements in speed, video quality and AI smarts.
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[@ArchieGee]

Love these camera reviews!

[@CookBoy83]

Long time no see, missed you Steve ✌️

[@superzero4250]

With a $200 discount, the GH5II was a very enticing prospect I could not resist, and one I do not regret. The menu is different and will take a bit of time to get use to. I mainly use M.Zuiko Pro lenses, and the auto-focus is vastly improved. I setup objects at various distances and attempted to grab focus (video) between one/ two/ and three different subjects, and repeated the progression in intervals of ten times each. Then changed the order and repeated it ten times, and again changed the order ten times. I can report that the AF locked on what seemed roughly 97 to 100%. I ended up with more ten of ten successful locks then not. A hand full of nine of ten, and a couple of seven of ten. I noticed the slower I transitioned from one subject to the other the less accurate the AF was, the faster the better the accuracy. But then to, there is the option to tweak the speed and sensitivity, and I have not thoroughly tested to find a good setting for that as of yet. I captured a shot of a hummingbird sticking it’s tongue out after what seemed like a bit of self grooming (stills), when I cropped in, you can see what appears to be a transparent texture to it… I had already resigned to the idea that a $2500 GH6 plus tax was too much for my budget regardless of it’s capability. I’d rather spend the extra 1K on lenses or other equipment. Besides, the GH5/II already shoots 6K Anamorphic 4.2.0 10bit @ 200mbps… …

[@thewalkingvloggingman7152]

For the custom auto focus please set it to -1(speed) and +3(responsive) that would make the AF great just like on my G95.

[@ExploringWorldYouTube]

Hi, congratulations on your interesting video. I am an unfortunate owner of GH5. I would like improved continuous autofocus. Above all, I fshoot people near and far. I'm sorry but I don't understand well. Does continuous AF work better at 50p than at 25p? ThanksThanks for your advice.

[@zachschermerhorn8090]

Unfortunate owner? Ha the GH5 is amazing.

[@jisan317films]

I have an issue with my GH5 I think. Whenever I use a microphone, sometimes there will be these weird glitch sounds in the audio. It happens at random and I don’t know what I can do to fix it. Nowhere online has any answers, and I couldn’t find any videos on this either. Do you know what I’m doing wrong? Thanks.

[@Naumachia]

What microphone are you using with it? How does the glitches sound? If it's a wireless lav system I'd check that first! You may also have to check your cables for damages!

[@thegeneral123]

Sounds like a bad connection. Iffy cable or the jack port has been damaged.

[@harryvlogs7833]

So gh6 will come next Month or in December. Great

[@HarithAhmadDaud]

Does continuous autofocus work in 180fps slow-mo mode?

[@DennisMeetsWorld]

No. You have to manually focus in VFR mode.

[@Smoothblue90]

I bought one. I like it.

[@cinematicfilmsstudio8675]

Hello, where is „extrenal teleconverter” function ? In GH5 it was possibility to use ex teleconverter in movies…..why GH5m2 dosent have ?

[@TheRoadLessChosen]

Agreed! I can’t find it

[@orange42]

looks like some dust on that sensor. So what would your first choice for photo camera? The Fuji XT4?

[@artistjoh]

Even after the GH6 is here, the GH5 M2 is still worth getting. The GH6 is better at many things, but it lacks the live streaming, and is considerably more expensive. GH5 M2 is plenty good enough for my needs, and I value the live streaming, especially outdoors.

[@georgedavall9449]

Indeed

[@ruff1draft]

In your opinion which is better the Panasonic S5 or Panasonic Gh52

[@Directorvhim]

I think the s5, Downside is lens selection

[@CharlesHepburn2]

He didn't answer his own question... should people get the GH5 II, or wait for the GH6. What a tease.

[@thewalkingvloggingman7152]

Why in the hell are you asking a KZbinber what should you buy😂

[@Pyramid491]

Idk about all of you but I LOVE this camera

[@danitopan2764]

Wow mantap

[@Marty_McFatty]

Quit yelling at us.

[@yefikirTube]

Woww❤👄🤙👄🙏👄🙏❤🙏🙏🙏🙏❤🙏👄

[@thegeneral123]

I'd take the Fuji X-T4 over this every time. Much better camera. Panasonics autofocus is just not good. It's why I abandoned M4/3 Panasonic in 2019. I still have the lenses and bodies but have no intention in investing in that system any more. Which I think is basically dead now anyway. I expect the GH6 will be the last flagship M4/3 camera from Panasonic.

[@Dennis94913]

Yeah, fuji xt3/4 has basically similar video features in a super35 package with phase autofocus. The only advantage the gh5 has is 422 subsampling and a taller sensor (anamorphic).

[@kamilpotato3764]

For some of us m43 is perfectly good enough, especially cheaper models. Small body size, cheaper lenses. And people being saying m43 is dead for years. It might be dead if OM systems will screw it. It's not flagship models that kept m43 afloat for so long. It was cameras like omdem10 series, omdem5 and other Panasonic small body ones similar to gx80. This were the biggest seller. I hope m43 will keep it's niche and continue deliver affordable lenses and cameras. Not everyone can or is willing to spend £1500 on camera body and same on basic set of lenses.

[@superzero4250]

To each their own. For my video workflow, I would pick the GH5II over the X-T4 or any Sony 6000 series including the A7III/IV and S. None of them offer the video rich features of the GH series and never have. If I were more photo inclined, then maybe the X-T4 would be my weapon of choice. But for video, hands down no hesitation GH5II all day every day and twice on Sundays… It’s the obsession with larger sensor size and PDAF that has clouded the brains of many to think that that is what filmmaking is all about. ZERO professional Cinema camera’s even have AF, not BlackMagic, RED, ARRI, Etc., Etc. Not to mention the vast majority are Super35, which is not that far off from µ4/3 and easily achievable with a Speed-booster, and in some cases to greater effect especially in low light… Just remember, Skill and Talent are more important than the Tool… With skill or talent you can make anything work. A tool won’t make someone a better artist or more creative, though it could make you average… …

[@martin_the_artist_]

@@superzero4250 I know, this current obsession on video auto focus is more than annoying. It's like people think all a camera's worth is how good it can track a face whilst vlogging, which is a small segment of the market. Baffling

[@TheRoadLessChosen]

Are you selling the lenses?

[@TheThaiLife]

A little late to the punch with this video? Why now? $$? Your a pretty solid 5 months late on this video. Let me sum up the camera, Panasonic made the BGH1 (cube ripoff) guts that were originally pulled and MILDLY updated (85% firmware, 15 percent hardware) from the GH5...and lazily put the exact guts they upgraded from the BGH1... back into the GH5 II. That's why the streaming features. Same price as the Sony A7S4 with the Panagarbage focus? No comparison in tech. Panasonic is re-selling us their one great camera in one form factor after another. They are married to contrast-detect and Sony, Canon, Fuji and nearly everyone is eating their lunch.

[@thegeneral123]

What's a Sony A7S4? Oh perhaps you mean the A7siii? The £3800 camera?

[@TheThaiLife]

@@thegeneral123 Nope, I mean the Sony A7SIV which is a $2,500 camera. Get with the times man.

[@thegeneral123]

@@TheThaiLife There is no A7SIV. Do you mean the A7IV? Get with the times man.

[@superzero4250]

You have so many things wrong in your comment I simply had to respond. The BGH1 is more along the lines of the GH5S, rather than the GH5. It has a 10mp sensor and no IBISI and is meant as a studio camera for multi cam productions, SDI and a V-Log with 13 stops of Dynamic Range. Basically a more true film camera in every way. Not a hybrid camera like the GH5. The GH5II actually is more in line with the G9 minus the photo advantages and barrow some algorithmic improvements from the S5. The focus is only garage for people who have not dealt with it in recent times. It has been considerably better the last couple of years, and significantly better this year alone. Usable is the current consensus, though admittedly not superior… Currently, it is the only camera with wireless streaming features in this class, so it is obviously unique in the wild. PDAF is great for photos no doubt, but it is not vastly superior in video, and that is a hugely false notion most will not admit. Buying into Sony’s ecosystem simply means everything is twice the price… …

[@TheThaiLife]

@@superzero4250 interesting, he basically reiterated what I said. I was clearly talking about the S model.

[@BoomingVisuals]

RIP gh cameras.

[@tresderan10]

the most boring camera outthere useless and nonsensical i don't understand panasonic... canon is leading the way!!!

[@alexandermedina9886]

Canon fanboy alert ⚠ lol jokes aside, everybody is entitled to their own opinion. But honestly, it is decent improvement. Keep it in mind, all cameras are used in different situations. Obviously, panasonic still need to work on low light situation and AF a little bit more. But they are heading to the right direction. As for canon, they may still have a better AF. But they need to work on their overheating issues, color science is too orange, and better customizations.

[@superzero4250]

Canon users (some at least) are very reminiscent of peer pressure in intermediate school… Don’t believe the HYPE… …

[@georgedavall9449]

@@alexandermedina9886 Hah! Good comment Alexander. Nice to see there are some level headed peeps out there! Happy Shooting and Peace