Panasonic has revealed a new mirrorless camera — the Panasonic Lumix GH5M2 — aimed squarely at vloggers and YouTubers. And oddly, Panasonic also announced that it will be succeeded by an even better model by the end of the year.
The Lumix GH5M2 is the follow-up to the superb GH5 and builds upon that model's already excellent video skills with a slew of new features for wannabe screen stars. But yes, Panasonic also teased the arrival of the GH6 later in 2021 — and based on what we've seen, it looks like that'll raise the bar even higher.
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The GH5M2 is unashamedly aimed at vloggers and content creators and boasts a number of improvements over the GH5.
Chief among them are the ability to shoot 10-bit, 4K video at 60p without cropping, and the inclusion of a V-Log L profile for high dynamic range and a wider color gamut. Previously you had to buy V-Log L seperately.
Users can also output 10-bit 4K footage via HDMI while simultaneously recording internally. That said, the GH5M2's wealth of advanced wireless live streaming capabilities are possibly most its impressive upgrades.
On this front, vloggers will be able to use the Panasonic Lumix Sync app to stream directly to platforms including YouTube, Facebook and Twitch, without the need for a separate laptop or desktop computer. We've seen it in action and it looks like a great option for YouTubers who want to travel light — though it's worth noting that when streaming via this method you'll be restricted to 1080p rather than 4K quality.
The GH5M2's new features aren't limited to video, either. It has the same 20.3 megapixel sensor as that inside the GH5, a new anti-reflective coating minimizes unwanted artifacts such as ghosts and flaring in images.
Elsewhere, autofocus has also been improved: new deep-learning AI will enable the GH5M2 to recognize and snap on to animals, heads and bodies, whereas the GH5 could only track faces and eyes. The camera's LCD screen has too received an upgrade. It's now brighter and has a slightly higher 1840k resolution, although on the downside it's been reduced in size slightly, from 3.2 inches to 3 inches.
Finally, the camera's built-in image stabilization tech has seen an upgrade and is now good for 6.5 stops rather than the GH5's 5 stops.
So what about the GH6? Well, we know that it will be available by the end of 2021 and that it will feature an entirely new sensor and processing engine. We also know that it will provide 4:2:2 10-bit DCI 4K/60p recording with an unlimited recording time, 10-bit 4K footage at a super-high 120p and 10-bit 5.7K 60p video. Unfortunately it won't be cheap: the GH6 will retail for approximately $2500.
Luckily, the GH5M2 will be slightly more affordable at $1,700 without a lens and is available for pre-order now.
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