Yes; it’s finally here. After months of rumors and speculations blazing up the internet, Panasonic has finally unveiled the highly anticipated successor to the GH5: the GH5S, fittingly unveiling it on the one year anniversary of the GH5 announcement. The GH5 really lived up to our (high) expectations, so we’re super excited to see its follow-up at CES 2018, especially since Panasonic’s promised us a ton of new features, like a new 10.2-megapixel Digital MOS sensor that’ll further enhance their already outstanding camera. That's why we've seen fit to name the Panasonic LUMIX GH5S our Best Camera of CES 2018. Congrats Panasonic! [image:blog_post:67818]
With that 10.2-megapixel Digital MOS sensor, combined with Dual Native ISO Technology and Venus Engine 10, the hybrid Digital Single Lens Mirrorless GH5S aims to correct one of our only issues with the GH5: its performance in low light. On reviewing the GH5, we started to see noise at ISO 800 and any video shot above ISO 64,000 really wasn’t correctable in post. With the GH5S however, Panasonic promises better low-light performances with higher ISOs, going even as far to say that videographers “no longer need to worry about noise” at higher ISOs, because the GH5S’ Dual Native ISO Technology is supposed to suppress noise in all kinds of light. Its sensor is also supposed to be much more sensitive than the GH5’s, allowing for -5EV luminance detection with Low Light AF.[image:blog_post:67814]
To further detail about the GH5S’s sensor, it’s a multi-aspect type that Panasonic says has a “sufficient margin for realizing that same angle view” in 4:3, 17:9, 16:9 and 3:2 aspect ratios. The sensor’s also reported to enable photo shooting in 14-bit RAW format. Both videographers and photographer should be able to have the same diagonal field of view on all aspect ratios with the GH5S thanks to the True “Multi-Aspect Ratio” Function, a feature that Panasonic says will allow users to swap between different aspect ratios for better accuracy with your lenses and make producers’ and editors’ jobs much easier.
The GH5S’ poised to be the world first Digital Single Lens Mirrorless camera that offers 4K 60p video recording in Cinema 4K —a pretty big milestone.
And thankfully, just like the GH5, there shouldn’t be any record time limit for wither FullHD or 4K recording on the GH5S. The GH5S is also said to a offer a low-bit-rate record mode (4K HEVC for HLG) and comply with 4K HDR video with HLG mode in Photo Style.
As for slow-mo, Panasonic reports the GH5S shoots video in 4K at 60 fps, for a maximum 2.5x slow-mo, and in FHD at 240 fps, for a maximum 10x slow-mo. The camera will allow users to shoot time-lapse, as well.[image:blog_post:67815]
In addition, the GH5S will be compatible with Time Code In and Out, which is essential for any multi-camera setup.
Looking forward, the GH5S seems like it could improve on the already impressive GH5. Though its $2,499 price, or the body only, is higher than the GH5’s $2,000 price tag, the GH5S aims to offer better performance in areas like low-light shooting and to satisfy both videographers and photographers alike with a bundle of new features. We’re itching to get it into our studio for review.
The release date for the GH5S is slated for the end of February 2018. Congratualations again to Panasonic!
In the meantime, check out our review of the LUMIX GH5: [vm_playwire_video_1]
