Video responses might be a thing of the past as far as YouTube’s concerned, but that’s not stopping Panasonic. There’s been a bit of talk around the web and YouTube since the Panasonic Lumix GH5’s release about its autofocus system. Well, Panasonic were listening and have responded. Surprisingly, that response comes to us via YouTube.
Lumix Luminary Joseph Linaschke (aka PhotoJoseph) reads the announcement in a video on his YouTube channel. It’s a fairly brief statement, which offers some recommendations for best results. Joseph also got together with fellow YouTuber and filmmaker Max Yuryev to do some comparisons. Two GH5 cameras, with different AF settings.
The statement reads…
We recommend to select the 1-area AF in 30p or 60p frame rate for more comfortable Auto Focus speed. When you select 24p, 1-area AF is recommended.
If you are still experiencing slower than desired AF, Panasonic suggests to override the AF by pressing the shutter button halfway down.
Panasonic pledges to further improve the AF quality.
I’m guessing that by “further improve the AF quality”, they’re suggesting firmware updates. YI Technology have done the same with the YI M1, which was initially quite slow to AF, especially under low light. Firmware updates have helped to speed this up somewhat.
Panasonic are already expected to release a firmware update to increase its video capabilities. So, they could slip an auto focus update in there, too.
If you’re still on the fence about the GH5, and you want to see how it performs in each of the different modes, then you can. Joseph and Max have now both posted their GH5 side-by-side comparison videos to see how well they work. They test a variety of different conditions including handheld, gimbal mounted, subject tracking at various angles, and a bunch of others.
And Max’s video.
The goal for the comparison was to try and figure out the absolute best settings for different conditions. Sure, you can test one at a time, but getting consistency from shot to shot can be tricky. Comparisons aren’t always fair. Shooting the two side-by-side, looking at the same scene, prevents these problems.
Ultimately, as with any camera, whether it’s right for you depends on your needs. Every camera out there has its issues and limitations. If you can happily live within them, great. Your needs and the demands you’re going to place on your equipment will determine what equipment you should get. Not the other way around.
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