The BIGGEST ISO Mistake on the GH5 / Panasonic Cameras

ISO is a complicated topic when it comes to cameras. I hear a lot of people talking about the subject when it comes to their camera.
In this video video specifically we will be talking about the GH5 and other micro 4/3 cameras and the one setting you should avoid at all cost!
Some of the topics are simplified for the sake of the video so please, let me know your thoughts and experience with ISO on these cameras, and of course subscribe!
Support the channel, it really helps a lot
/ rhettthompsonfilm

[@lovefirst6157]

Love the content as always. I personally from my testing would say that I would still try to keep my iso low for bright scenes but I have gone to iso 800, 1600 and been pretty happy with my results but I would not say that it is worth it to shoot at higher isos even in bright scenes. It all depends because I used it as a way to add film grain since I was shooting humans. If you were shooting a commercial for a product like soda or a snack then the clients might want it more clean. I get what you were saying and it is true that people should not be scared but people should be also thinking about why they should raise it. I also keep my noise reduction at -4 to get more noise/pleasing image since I hate how noise reduction smoothes and destroys images. What setting do you keep yours at. Great video once again.

[@AlpacoFilms]

Great ISO explanation! Seriously this is one of the best ISO videos I've seen.

[@JacoboCastroCristo]

Maybe i'ts just my taste or style but I love the way the gh5 looks when it's a bit underexposed and you bring it up rather than perfectly exposed. (using v-log)

[@JericTamayo]

Nicely explained! Learned something new about the iso, and was curious about what the lowest extended iso vs native iso were in contrat to one another. Thank you so much for explaining

[@jamesnicholson9780]

On the GH5s, in extended ISO the lowest is 80, while the lowest iso without extended iso on is 160.

[@demonhinatu]

You literally just fixed the biggest thing holding me back from getting the shots I want! All I’ve ever heard from day one was drop the ISO. Thank you for opening my eyes to the actual functionality of it and how to use it properly. Super informative. Just ordered a new Voightlander lens too based off what I’ve seen in your other video. Loving the content.

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

Expose first, ISO second! And that fast glass will help with both.

[@NeroMC]

How is the voightlander performing?

[@robinreso6240]

@@RhettThompsonFilm do you mean? aperture and shutterspeed first than if needed add more light (artificial or natural) and as a last resort adjust iso?

[@jameel2045]

Hello from Toronto! I shot my last two short films on my channel with the GH5 and Leica 12-60mm. I had nooo idea about the effects of highlight roll-off when you use a low ISO vs. a high ISO. You can see in my "Rat Race Blues" film that I could've used that technique for a couple shots. I wish I saw this video earlier!!

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

Just gotta be a little careful! Also consider getting a black pro mist 1/8! It makes the highlights glow a little and they feel like they have better rolloff.

[@RomantiqueVoyage]

This really helped. Thanks!

[@nicolaslachance5057]

this video is a winner, great job

[@gcprost]

I enjoyed your discussion. I have two GH5’s and GH5 Mk2. I shoot live theatre, concerts and dance shows. I live at ISO 400 and 800. Normally I don’t think about ISO but recently I spent a couple of weeks in the Caribbean and it was extremely bright. I used a variable ND filter but all my video footage was rubbish. I’m old and I couldn’t see what was in focus and what the exposure was really like. I think my ND filter was poor. I also think that not being able to use a matte box or lens hood made a difference.

[@petreskyfilms]

Learned a lot here ~ Great info/video ~ Thanks!

[@markziemba8522]

Thanks Rhett - good discussion, especially about ISO 100.

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

It had to be done! Everyone recommends ISO 100 for best results and it often times is some of the worst results you can get out of the camera.

[@lovefirst6157]

@@RhettThompsonFilm yeah I never really got it eitherr

[@AndrewKuttor]

Such a rad transition.

[@derrickkay]

Great video buddy. Makes alot of sense

[@weedeeohguy]

Great stuff! Thanks!

[@Abuzhumagulov]

Dude great content ! Keep going 📈

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

Appreciate it!

[@Iflexis]

I totally agree with the dont care part Some of my first videos i shared with people were really overly exposed and noisy, but those are the actually the ones i have gotten some of the best feedback on. Personally i can't go over 1000 ISO because i instantly notice it and i feel like my footage is just completely ruined. I'm just really picky with noise and i think most of us are, noise has gotten itself a bad reputation which it doesn't deserve Great video man

[@JWS1968]

Great video. I didn't know that low ISO crushed the image. I always hated the GH4 highlight roll off.

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

I’m not gonna lie sometimes I’ve used it in emergency situations but that’s the only time I would use it.

[@fabiomorich]

Nice, thank you!

[@PhilippeOrlando]

Great information, thanks! WHere did you get that the native ISO was 400? I couldn't find this on Panasonic site?

[@LeneMulan-jt2dc]

Interesting video do you have any videos on the lumixg95 i love this video

[@dukebozikowski3801]

Finally someone who knows what they're talking about!

Gracias 😊

[@p.a.dconstructionltd4139]

Subbed. I agree

[@sutv6754]

I've done some testing since and you are correct and right about that 100. Thanks for answering my question. NObody is saying this anywhere and I'm a GH5 nut and watched every GH5 video out there. I know there is an a announcement coming today but most people say we won't see GH6 until 2022. What do you think?

[@BarryMaskell]

Have you tried iDynamic for video - setting ISO to auto and use iDynamic (set to auto) in a room with background window daylight shooting inside which provide a much smoother dynamic range between the window daylight and internal

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

I was always steered away from those options but if we are being honest I haven't done nearly enough testing to know how well those options really work or not. Future video...?

[@rajshekharkhandeparkar352]

Alas. If every camera person understands this. Excellent video.

[@fujifilmrecipes]

Thank you for the video! What exposure value is considered correct on the exposure meter Panasonic GH5 II and what is the exposure metering mode?

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

Personally I use the exposure meter on the screen a little bit in conjunction with the histogram and spot exposure tool. Despite exposure is so helpful to make sure your subject is exposed correctly because everything else really doesn’t matter!

[@jdaponte66]

Thanks for the tips I still rock a gh4 and it’s a work horse have been thinking of dropping a mortgage payment on the lecia 10-25 f1.7 your thoughts?

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

That’s an interesting proposition for sure. I would try to do some more research on this if you can because my firmware might not have been up-to-date but the lens did not seem to be parfocal on my GH4. I’m not 100% sure if my camera was out of date software wise but it was kind of strange. That being said the manual focus clutch and aperture ring work well. It’s a very expensive lens for sure and I really like it but I may consider renting it first if I were you and see how you feel about it. And I’m sure you’ve done this research as well but you could be someone who the sigma 18-35 works better for. Let me know if you have any other questions!

[@LeneMulan-jt2dc]

I really fine this video interesting

[@ray32825]

So if I am shooting a night time rocket streak shot, where I will be using the long exposure noise reduction function as I will be exposing for 4 minutes or more, will the extended ISO100 benefit me as I go from a smaller aperture like f16 to a larger one like f10 of f8?

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

Stop. This whole video is about how iso shouldn’t be used for basically anything. I guess theoretically maybe you might see a 1% noise reduction but the highlight rolloff is so Awful I wouldn’t use 100 unless you’re desperate

[@djdannyray]

Great video but just wondering why my camera only goes as low as 200 iso both in photo and video mode ?

[@wtfkurtis]

the sensor is amplifying and searching for light in the dark at any ISO thus creating MOS noise.

[@dimitardimitrov317]

bravo

[@ZeroFuxBE]

How-lee shit, I didn't know 400 ISO would give more DR then 100 ISO , never shooting 100 again! TY!

[@Freddd95]

Considering I have more than enough light available and a variable ND to fine tune the exposure, so that I can choose whatever ISO I want: What ISO is generally best when NOT shooting in Vlog? I heard 400 is best for Vlog, but I´m using CineD. So I guess it´s either 400 or 200, but people say different things. And by the way, I´m not on a snowy mountain or something like that, just wondering for my general go-to ISO setting. Thanks a lot in advance!

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

Usually I still think the lower you are the less image quality suffers but it’s a really complex topic

[@robinreso6240]

what would be you're recommended settings for a low light club video. picture style and range iso settings

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

I haven’t used it extensively but the HLG profiles if you know what’s up are really clean

[@robinreso6240]

@@RhettThompsonFilm thx for pointing me into the right direction. Vlog not recommended for low light in general because of increased noise i read on the internet. I guess i have to test out for myself 🤷 thx for the help!!

[@chevypowertogo-9070]

QUESTION RHETT THOMPSON? On High Quality Bit Rate Long Run VIDEO'S...DO Either GH5 Or Olympus EM-1 MKII Video FILES Get Split Up Into Multi Piece Bits? IF One Does But The Other Doesn't ..PLEASE Tell Me Which One Does & Which Does NOT? Or IF Both DO? I'M Of Course Wanting One That Just Spits OUT One Big FILE & Not a TON Of Multiple Small 2GB FILES That Needs Special Software Stitching Together? THANK YOU🙂

[@tubeman1983]

Is 400 iso on the GH5 the native iso when you shoot non-log profiles or when you shoot VLog?? Or both?

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

This is actually a great question. Some have said the native ISO is 400 no matter what but if you look at cameras like the S5 they have different native ISOs for the different. The info is a little spares out there but it seems in Non-Vlog and non-HDR the native ISO is 200 but I'm not 100% on that.

[@Filmmaker809]

Hi Rhett, I I shoot video in Natural colour Profile, should I turn off the noise reduction completely to Zero?

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

I think that’s a personal choice! I typically turn it down but not ALL the way to zero

[@Filmmaker809]

@@RhettThompsonFilm Thank you Rhett. I was thinking that myself. :)

[@ahmedice9417]

i thought the highlight problem was a cheap nd problem. it probably adds to it. but definitely notice the shitty highlight roll off on my gh4

[@nesscog2287]

Is G80/85 any good for recording in somewhat dimmed light? 🤔

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

Not the best honestly. Around the same generation of tech as the GH5 but still not bad with the right lenses!

[@johntravena119]

If the storytelling is great they will ignore the high iso noise.

[@videos2pick]

Thank you for the video. I have many different camera brands, but Panasonics such as my G85 colours - specially on faces - is horrible. It creates extra red and yellow colours that's very hard to remove in post process. Wondering if you have or noticed similar issues.

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

I think I have before but I think it mostly has to do with underexposing, perhaps also a camera that shoots 10 bit may help. What profile do you use?

[@videos2pick]

@@RhettThompsonFilm Hi, Rhett, Yes I guess it happens when there is not enough light - I use Standard profile. However, I don't have the same issue with Olympus, Nikon, Canon or Fujifilm in the same scenario. Also I think there is lots of color noise. Thanks for the reply.

[@blaspayri]

thanks for these reflections on ISO ... on another note, are you wearing the same hat as kzbin.info/www/bejne/opaue4Ccjb9kf6c ? is it Lumix-recommended hat color?

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

Sir that hat is dark gear and my hate is clearly dark green haha. Damn you Panasonic colors!

[@sutv6754]

Very Cool. Are you talking about photo only. Would you apply this philosophy for video. I think not. Let me know what you think please

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

Photos is different for sure and I was talking about video since it has more stuff applied in camera that you cant turn off as easily. For raw photos Im not sure...might warrent a follow up video.

[@asafblasbergvideographer]

What is the native ISO for Panasonic GH5 II? Is it also 400?

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

In VLOG 400 and standard profiles 200.

[@asafblasbergvideographer]

@@RhettThompsonFilm Thanks! :)

[@TheaterJunkie]

Cant seem to put 200 iso at all on my gh5. it says in the "iso sensitivity" - this item cant be chosen

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

Are you using VLOG?

[@TheaterJunkie]

@@RhettThompsonFilm yes

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

@@TheaterJunkie 400 is the lowest for VLOG

[@BarryMaskell]

In years to come sensors will be so good that there will be no noise and they will be adding filters to add back noise

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

We arent far off!

[@aakashghale9370]

Nice video. I have g85 and its noisy and i dont care l. Haha

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

No one ever watched a movie and said “I liked it pretty well but then I noticed how grainy that one scene was”

[@Random-yz8gb]

Does the sigma 18 35 become 10 25mm and 50 100 becomes 35.5 71?

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

Not sure I follow sir but I think you’re math might be off on at least the 18-35

[@Random-yz8gb]

@@RhettThompsonFilm I know it's random but does the sigma 18 35 with speedbooster become into 10 25 (20 50)

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

@@Random-yz8gb no I don’t know if any speedbooster with that crop. First the zoom range is totally different and idk if speedbooster with that crpp

[@biscuitsalive]

You made the first mistake 6 seconds into the video. XD ISO isn’t an acronym. It comes from the Greek word isos, which essentially means equivalence. The ISO website itself that coined the word explains it meaning and derivation on their website. (If it was an acronym it would be “I.O.S.” For the International Organization for Standardization) So its pronounced “Eye-So”. Not “Eye, Ess, Oh”. :)

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

Yeaaaaah I know this and I honestly go back and forth with how I say it. I wouldn’t really call it a mistake per say since I feel the majority of people say I-S-O but technically it isn’t correct.

[@biscuitsalive]

@@RhettThompsonFilm just made me chuckle. Video about ISO mistakes and you made one straight away. :)

[@Interceptor121]

You are seriously confused both on how the camera works and what the implications are. On the GH5 ISO is not a complicated topic, the camera is ISO invariant when it comes to shadow recovery. You also make some confusion about definitions. The value of 200 on MFT camera is the base value where gain control is applied. The extended ISO values are those where highlight compression is applied. As your video editor does not expect that and does not know how to deal with it the highlights look clipped but they are not. 400 is simply the value where noise reduction starts working there is no benefit shooting at 400 vs 200 if you are exposing properly. I do not recall reading any documentation nor statement from Panasonic where they mention native ISO for any of their standard front illuminated sensor digital cameras. Some of the examples you use to make the point are also not well chosen like the black frames which only show that read noise on a standard front illuminated sensor increases with gain, this is always the case unless the sensor has a dual gain architecture. For a video that is supposed to help people not to make mistakes this is pretty confusing

[@gopolarisstudio]

Wait are you saying Panasonic has never said they have Native ISOs.....? Becausr they most definitely did...

[@Interceptor121]

@@gopolarisstudio where? Find me a reference. The manual has 174 mentions of the word ISO and neither base or native feature. If you find something please let me know

[@gopolarisstudio]

@@Interceptor121 www.panasonic.com/au/consumer/lumix-cameras-video-cameras/lumix-cameras/lumix-g-cameras/dc-gh5sgn-k.specs.html Ctrl-F "native". Note: if you are then about to counter with "but it's not the manual, I said the manual", then that would make you a dipshit. Fair warning, lol.

[@Interceptor121]

@@gopolarisstudio that is the GH5s camera which is the only one that has dual native ISO. This videos is about the GH5?

[@gopolarisstudio]

@@Interceptor121 lol shifting the goal posts now. You said Panasonic. Now I'll show you GH5 and it'll be "b-b-but it's not the manual". You got what you asked for.

[@lonebeagle]

Your video is making me nauseated. Lots of people cannot tolerate moving images which are shaky and not stable--it causes motion sickness and is a well known medical condition. It's a bad idea to have a handheld shaky camera just for the sake of having a shaky image. It is literally impossible for a lot of people to view your video.

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

My camera is on a tripod…

[@lonebeagle]

@@RhettThompsonFilm At 0:18 seconds??

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

@@lonebeagle oh, that part is like 10 seconds. Just skip it. It’s not even that shakey man but I’m sure that’s no fun, sorry about that.

[@lonebeagle]

@@RhettThompsonFilm That's okay, it seems that lots of filmmakers and others have no idea that shaky handheld camera motions can make a lot of people sick in just 2 seconds. I literally had to leave the theater when I went to see "Black Hawk Down"--I vomited in a trashcan. And this is a typical response to this kind of motion sickness. I couldn't watch Saving Private Ryan because of the use of the frame rate that made the motion look choppy. The director thought that it looked cool but all it did is make some people nauseous--it's a cheap gimmick that didn't exist in the days of film. So when I run into videos on KZbin that have this kind of shaky motion, I have to immediately stop watching.

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

@@lonebeagle I may try and include warnings for this in the future, thank you for bringing this to my attention

[@tmstone835]

Underexposing is almost always the reason when people complain about noise. Panasonic doesn't help that because I think they cheat a little on their ISO ratings. I find that it's best to overexpose by ⅓ stop or, better yet, use the luminance guide and expose to the right without clipping.