Why I Bought the Panasonic GH6 (And Why You Should Consider It Too)

With so many incredible cameras on the market, it can be really difficult to choose one! In this video, I break down what I was personally looking for in a camera, the different cameras that I was choosing between, and then ultimately, why I purchased the Panasonic Lumix GH6 for filmmaking and video production.
0:00 - Introduction
0:26 - What I was looking for in a camera
2:51 - The cameras I was choosing between
5:32 - Final reasons I chose the GH6
MENTIONED IN VIDEO
► Panasonic Lumix GH6: amzn.to/3OmQrJy
► Sirui Anamorphic Lens 35mm F1.8 MFT: amzn.to/3sb5GxO
SOCIAL MEDIA
► / nomadfilmmaker
DISCLAIMERS
► As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Commissions may be earned from the links above.

[@LennardSmith_]

Which of these cameras would you pick and why? Tell me below!👇🎥

[@BackusCreativeImaging]

I personally use the GH5M2 but only because of the dreaded streaking issue on the GH6. Granted, all CMOS cameras have this, and I even forced it to appear on the GH5M2. If you expose your footage properly, it shouldn't ever really appear. I think with firmware 2.2 on the GH6, it's pretty much on par with most other CMOS cameras by now. I mainly would like the GH6 for wildlife, the slow motion is incredible on that camera. On DPReview channel they showed that maybe the dynamic range is a tad lower than the GH5 when not using DR Boost mode, so like when shooting in 4K120 it "technically" might have like 1/2 stop less dynamic range than the GH5. Still, would beat the Natural profile anyway, it's still a big upgrade over the GH5/GH5M2. Anyway, I think you made an excellent choice. I hear the GH6 is a bit finicky at times (like it may not appear to stop recording), how has your experience overall been? I'm not expecting perfection. Been using Lumix MFT since 2014 and I love the system by the way :)

[@BarryMaskell]

GH6 is on offer at a substantial discount now and hence is superior value wise now

[@angryfredcomics]

What an awesome breakdown video, Lenny. 🙂I love the look and the feel of the GH6 coupled with an anamorphic lens, the footage on the beach looked cinematic and stunning!

[@LennardSmith_]

Thank you so much! Yes, I was in love with the footage I was getting on the beach! Shooting anamorphic has been a lot of fun! One thing I didn't go into in this video (and will cover in a separate one) is the crazy resolution you get! Shooting in 5.8k has a resolution of 5760 × 4320, but when using a 1.33x anamorphic lens, that becomes 7660x4320 which is really bonkers! 1.33x isn't the biggest squeeze factor out there, but it still gives you some nice oval bokeh and flares that aren't too crazy!

[@zacredacted2137]

I just found the gh6 with the 12-60 for 1799 on best buy. I definitely jumped on it for that price!

[@ekufilm]

I really liked that you listed all these other cameras as well!

[@MojaveMysteries]

Excellent discourse on your thought process. Looking forward to more anamorphic footage from you. Kudos!

[@LennardSmith_]

Thank you! 🙂 I’m planning to release some videos showcasing anamorphic footage from the GH6 real soon! 🎥

[@life107familyfitnessboxing8]

Great video. I have been using the GH5s for 6 years now and love it. I am a bit concerned about the GH6 having a fan but do love its features.

[@DroseMr]

🎉not this world. Beautiful film.Thank You

[@colinthecameraguy]

Well presented thought process, thanks!

[@LennardSmith_]

Thanks Colin! I appreciate that!

[@keyboard60]

Really enjoyed this video / very educational - as with most people working with a budget and new to the panasonic world what lenses would you recommend? Shooting run / gun / talking head videos primarily - $1,500 budget total for lens purchases - Thanks!

[@chrisgronau1857]

Great video! I am on the fence between Panasonic S5 and gh6. For me the look of the S5 looks better

[@CaseloadMoses]

I wish my favorite camera reviewers took this approach. Nice !

[@LennardSmith_]

Thanks so much! I appreciate that! 🙂 What did you like about my approach?

[@StanleyKC]

GH6 user here. Great video.

[@LennardSmith_]

Thanks Stanley! I appreciate your comment! The GH6 is a great camera! 🙂

[@NoelRojas]

HeyZeus!! Fantastic sir - I'm starting a podcast and this is a nice surprise! Cheers.

[@LennardSmith_]

Thank you!

[@DominicAJ]

Would be interested to know if you would of went with the S5 II if you were making this decision a month later.

[@mssapmaz]

Great video. I wonder why you did not consider XH2s.

[@jayforcinema]

Coming from GH5, I went to the Lumix S1. The image is amazing, but I still use GH5 quite frequently. I think I'll be upgrading from GH5 to the Lumix camera releasing next year, since it should address most of my concerns with the S1 or S5. The only three things I need, honestly, are the All-I codec, uncropped All-I 4K 60P and some form of 4K 120 P (even with a crop is fine). I could work with the smaller sensor of GH5, but after going to S1, I just want to stick with the FF Pannys. Also, the crop factor of FX30 shouldn't have been an eliminating factor if GH6 is in your list. The E-mount switchover cost, definitely

[@LennardSmith_]

Are you referring to the S5 Mk II that's been rumored/leaked? That camera looks really enticing! Especially if they finally add phase detect autofocus! Looks like that launch is tomorrow, so we'll find out soon enough! If you're coming from the GH5 though, then that absolutely sounds like a great upgrade! (Even from the S1 hopefully). If you need 4K 120p, it looks like the S5II only has C4k 60p and Full HD 120p. Which might be a reason why the GH6 still has some advantages - 6k 60p and 4k 120p, that the S5II won't have. And yes you're right - the crop factor wasn't an eliminating factor, it was just a nice to have, and in the end I sacrificed having full frame, for having the extra resolution that the GH6 gives.

[@jayforcinema]

​@@LennardSmith_ Thanks Lennard. Let's see what eventually turns up. Panasonic needs 4K 120P just to stand in the same line as Sony's FX3/A7SIII, Nikon Z9 or Canon R5, all of which were released much earlier. Even the R6 II has uncropped 4K 60P, so pretty sure 4K60 with crop won't go down well with anyone :)

[@harlemwoodstudios]

I appreciate your reflections, as a GH6 user.

[@LennardSmith_]

Thank you! What do you use the GH6 for mainly? 🙂

[@harlemwoodstudios]

@@LennardSmith_ I use the GH6 to shoot my web series now. And I use it for single camera client projects. For multi camera projects I use 3 GH5S and 2 GH5 cameras.

[@madedigital]

i wanted all the things you said but also auto focus.....yeah you may laugh but its a big step up from my BMPCC4K, i watched the GH6 for a year and yes the price was to high ...then i saw a rebate code on amazon that took £400 off the price taking it to 1300....I got so many MFT lens i wont give them up...I have a GX8 too so its a no brainer i like the size and price of the lens now added the anamorphics to the collection and 6k HD at 300fps love it.

[@MTLRoyalFilms]

Great Video! I'm still debating on if I should pick the S5 or the GH6. I'm currently shooting on the GH5 and own 6 lenses. Only major thing holding me back is the streaking issue of the GH6...

[@LennardSmith_]

Thank you! Yeah, it's a tough choice between those two! If your lenses are all MFT then the GH6 probably makes sense for you, though honestly I don't think you could go wrong with either camera! I was initially worried about the streaking issue too, but from everything I've heard, you'll only see it in very specific lighting situations. I've only had the camera a couple of weeks now, but haven't seen it myself fortunately!

[@gitpho]

I can concur that the streaking is almost a complete non-issue. I've been able to intentionally reproduce it, but it's never occurred during an actual shoot.

[@MTLRoyalFilms]

@@gitpho thanks for the information! How did you intentionally reproduce it? How high are you comfortable pushing the ISO?

[@gitpho]

@@MTLRoyalFilms you can reproduce it by shooting directly at a clipping light source against a dark background (the hard edges of a typical softbox or window make it more noticeable). My understanding is that FW 2.2 provided a significant improvement, but I haven’t tested it or felt the need to. As for ISO, I shoot V-Log exclusively, almost always with DR Boost on and as close as possible to the base ISO 2000, reducing exposure if necessary with the NiSi True Color VND. I’d say my tolerance for noise extends to ISO 8000 in this configuration. _Edited for clarity._

[@HeshamElAnsari]

I’m currently using Bmpcc4k. I’m on the fence between S5ii and Gh6. I’d love to have the autofocus phase detection in the S5ii but I invested a lot in the micro 4/3 lenses. Very difficult decision.

[@madedigital]

I got the BMPCC4k too i got the GH6 love it

[@anotherintrospekt6596]

What did you decide in the end

[@roxtar79ify]

I’ve got the FX30, very happy with it :)

[@regenytarmovies]

What settings do you use with Sirui anamorphic lenses?

[@cel4403]

Do you use an exsternal recorder or the Cfexpress cards?

[@bedenegative6450]

No battery grip for the gh6 is really killing it for me. Im pretty done with jerry rigging power solutions. I think all cameras should just have 12volt barrel connectors now. Btw on the 6kpro 1 battery is about an hour and ive gotten 3 hours with the grip which is pretty nice.

[@donteva]

at 5:55 you said the gh6 can shoot 6k 60fps internally. How are you doing that? mine is updated to the newest firmware 2.2 and only goes up to 5.7k 30fps. Am I missing something? please help lol

[@intellatek]

You can only shoot it on the CFexpress type b card

[@TrailAmbience]

Nice video. Question, On Clip 1:46 -1:50 sec, what lens did you use?

[@LennardSmith_]

That was the Sirui Anamorphic 35mm F1.8 1.33x, on the GH6! I'm planning to publish a video with more sample footage from that lens real soon! 🙂

[@TrailAmbience]

@Lennard Smith I really thought you can easily tell its a different lens. Looks beautiful and the flares are nice. Thanks

[@remdell]

The S5 II and upcoming S5 IIx seem to fit the bill. Albeit you'd be sacrificing frame rates compared to the GH6. In a run and gun situation, it seems the tradeoff is worth it. Though, if you're fine with the GH6 autofocus and image quality, you don't have much reason to bail out just yet. The phase detect auto focus and 6k recording on the S5 II really makes me want to switch from my A7s III + A7IV setup, but I love my doubled-up set of Tamron f/2.8s way too much to leave the ecosystem.

[@WEHAVETHISDREAM]

Seriously…. You wanna go from A7s iii to this? I love the features on the GH6 but the A7s iii / Fx3 is still my dream camera, if I can ever afford it.

[@castielvargastv7931]

@@WEHAVETHISDREAM where is a7s open gate and 6k? hahahaha s3 is not even close

[@life107familyfitnessboxing8]

Subscribed

[@nonprofittvnetwork3528]

With our work, the GH6 is the best choice. We produce a lot of PSAs, commercials and events. The stabilization and high frame rate options allow us to shoot in 4k 120 for everything and let's us get silky slow motion on demand for any scene. Interviews we just 5.7K and cropping in looks much nicer now. The low light is improved dramatically and with just a touch of noise reduction onboard, there's not much grain at all. The ONLY gripe, which doesn't affect us, is autofocus pulsing, which is still a thing. This is because to get 10bit, high frame rate etc, requires a small sensor or it overheats like all the other full frame rigs. I'd love to have the bokeh of full frame, but honestly, using a sigma at 1.3 or 1.1 F stop gets me there most of the time and isn't worth the other tradeoffs. For us, when funding permits, we'd like GH6 for field, and Canon for interviews (or other full frame). Some other cons, no live streaming built in, which should be for this type of camera in 2023, and the AUTO WHITE BALANCE is terrible as it shifts while recording and doesn't lock on resulting in terrible results for editing later. I'd buy this camera again no problem.

[@myenglishgig5182]

That makes a lot of sense. What Canon would you use for interviews?

[@nonprofittvnetwork3528]

@@myenglishgig5182 I'd look at the R5, but it really depends on needs and budget. The options are crazy and if Canon can just solve the overheating issues, they could own the market. Don't know why they just didn't add a fan as most people could live with that happily instead of limitations. Anyway, it's great to have all these options and prices are not bad at all considering the capabilities and time we get out of them

[@Average1212]

For my needs the GH6 was the best fit, I need good Stab, Open gate 4/3 so I'm not having to rotate the camera and reshoot for social, For my main video content (walking tours) I need Deep DOF even in lower Fstops, so the MFT or APSC fit the bill there. I was able to find the focal lengths I want in MFT for much less than in APSC or Full frame, Just in the lens costs I saved more than the cost of the camera itself. Is it perfect? No not even close. If money hadn't been a factor I would probably own an A7s3 but after the body and lenses I desired it was well out of my price range for a hobby that doesn't make me money yet.

[@adliberate]

S5 does shoot internal 6k but only for 15mins

[@amfre]

Will you still stick to this choice once S5M2 with DP autofocus is released?

[@LennardSmith_]

Hey Dariusz! That's a great question - I've definitely been considering the S5M2 and whether it would be worth switching. I'm on the fence right now! I'm planning a video to break down the pros/cons, as I think there are still a good number of reasons to stick with the GH6!

[@thewalkingvloggingman7152]

S5 is the same camera as the mark ii and I have never had any issue with the auto focus on the S5. I actually shoot in manual mode. 6k is not a step up, the story that you tell matters most!

[@djmouglie]

The GH6 seems pretty great but for me who has a GH5, the GH6 just seems to not be quite there.. especially when other lumix cameras have come out with better auto focus.. so you know its comming. Also the DR boost is just strangely implemented with the ISOs you need for it to work. And the noise level is no better then the GH5 and the normal dynamic range is not much better.. sooo i will wait.

[@AoyagiAichou]

Would you have made a different choice if you were deciding after the S5II was released?

[@LennardSmith_]

Yes, this is an interesting comment! I have definitely been thinking this through, since really the S5II matches pretty much everything I was looking for in a camera! Though there are a couple of reasons why I would stay with the GH6 - I thought I might create a video on this topic and share the pros and cons between the two!

[@motebike]

Correction. If you still don't know it by now, the GH6 does not shoot in open gate 60fps. It's actually 4K with the illusion of looking like a 6K format.

[@intellatek]

It is 5.8k 30p open gate or 4.4k 60p open gate

i think the gh6 is perfect from a price point of view and all specs that had, it's just getting rid of the idea of ​​a good continuous focus.

[@LennardSmith_]

Hey Milton, I totally agree! The GH6 is so incredibly powerful! And especially for the price! Though depending on your work, the autofocus may or may not be a deal breaker.

@@LennardSmith_ I Just buy mine!! Thanks for your helpful videos bro

[@castielvargastv7931]

s5 2 has everything you want

[@illshootyou5199]

GH6 is god teir

[@WEHAVETHISDREAM]

And the autofocus? You haven’t said anything anymore after that :) ONLY thing which keeps me from buying this camera. Otherwise, great stabe, tons of features… a dream camera.

[@WEHAVETHISDREAM]

I mean, how do you handle it by manually focusing? How happy are you with that? I am afraid I might miss some “run and gun” shots cause of that.

[@JeffBourke]

6k is good but deliberately over framing every shot and cropping in post every time is too much effort.

[@LennardSmith_]

I agree Jeff! It’s better to frame/expose and get everything right in camera as much as possible. The two instances I mention in this video are fairly unique and cropping in post ends up easier than the alternative, eg. an additional camera or cameraman. 1. Editing 4k KZbin videos and using the 6k resolution to give you a close & wide shot from one camera. 2. The fitness videos where I can’t operate the camera to follow the subject around in frame. In other instances, absolutely! Best practice is to get your framing right to begin with. Thanks for sharing that point!

[@christianschroeder-sciomedia]

The GH6 has Light streaking in high dynamic Range Situations such as shooting from inside out throught a window. Thats a pretty basic shot and that problem makes the camera unusable for me. Have you discovered the problem? DPJourney and Gerald Undone made a video about this issue. Sometimes its better to not go with a hype.

[@gcprost]

I would pick the GH6 or the G9 ii. I have two GH5s and a GH5 ii. I shoot primarily live theatre, concerts, and dance shows. I already have a pretty good collection of MFT glass. I also appreciate have cameras that are easy to match while editing.

[@richardgorski23]

Not so good for photos. My G9 is better . More reason for an updated G9.

[@LennardSmith_]

That's a great point Richard! My review is really from the perspective of a video shooter. That's my main focus, so I'm looking specifically at video features, and less so at photos. Thanks for sharing about the G9 though, that's great to know!

[@thewalkingvloggingman7152]

And that's why the GH5 Mark ii is the one to get, because it does video and stills GREAT and plus the G9 is very limited in Video, no thanks.

[@Directorkunguru]

Really