UHD: Panasonic GH5 and Panasonic HC-X1: which of them gives a better image quality?

[Adriano Moroni]

Hi, I'm studying these two cameras for UHD videos: Panasonic GH5 and Panasonic HC-X1. I watched many clips on Internet but I still don't understand well. If the both cameras have good settings, which of them gives better results with regard to image quality in open air? I mean better definition, chromatism, saturated colors, etc. etc.
I'd like to get replies only from people who used or are using both cameras.
Thanks

[Bill Engeler]

I have both. If you are concerned only with image quality, the edge goes to the GH5 with a good lens. In good light, they both perform well, and the HC-X1 has some ergonomic advantages

HC-X1
Pros
Camcorder design. Built-in ND, built in everything, no wasted time setting up
3-rings on the lens
Powered zoom works well. Smooth and long reach from wide to tele.
Great UHD4K image quality in good light
Viewfinder excellent when too bright for LCD
Autofocus works well
Battery lasts a long time
Cons
Lens only F4 at most focal lengths, so not great in low light.. More than 12db gain too noisy
Shallow dof harder to achieve
LED lights can cause color problems.
HD image quality pretty good, but not amazing
Built-in stabilizer not as effective when shooting 4K

GH5
Pros
Big choice of formats, including high bit rates
Great image quality, UHD and HD
Can choose fast lenses for low light and/or shallow dof. OK to ISO 2000. (Don't know what the dB equivalent is)
IBIS stabilization really good

Cons
Must assemble. Lenses, NDs, XLR adapter, mic
Battery life not as good as HC-X1
Autofocus ranges from pretty ok with native lenses to awful with others
Form-factor not ideal for hand-holding (like any DSLR or Mirrorless)

[Adriano Moroni]

I thank you for your reply. I'd like to ask some other questions about GH5:
Does Autofocus work enough good with Leica 12-60mm lens?
For how many minutes can you shoot with the bigger battery? How many Ah are they?
Does the integrated mic work enough fine?
Does GH5 work enoug fine in "P mode" Did you make some tests?
Thanks again one.

[Noa Put]

Does Autofocus work enough good with Leica 12-60mm lens?

Not sure why but you keep repeating the same questions to which you already got answers on, the autofocus on the gh5 is unreliable, period.

If you think the gh5 is the camera for you, even if several here have said it isn't, then why not buy and start using it as you will learn very quickly why we warned you it's not a point and shoot camera.

[Adriano Moroni]

I asked that question about Autofocus because I have just read: "Autofocus ranges from pretty ok with native lenses to awful with others". For that reason I asked if AF works pretty well with Leica lens.

Sure 99% I will buy GH5, but I need to wait for news about the next full frame camera because I think a full frame camera gives better UHD videos than GH5 in manual mode. When I will be in my country OI will use it in manual mode.

[Noa Put]

A full frame camera will not give a better image quality then a gh5 just because it's full frame, there is more to it then sensor size only but you don't have to take my word for it :)

[Bryan Worsley]

Originally Posted by Adriano Moroni

Does Autofocus work enough good with Leica 12-60mm lens?

Originally Posted by Noa Put

.... the autofocus on the gh5 is unreliable, period.

Case in point - GH5 4K 60p, Continuous Autofocus, Leica 12-60mm lens:

Panasonic Lumix GH5 sample movie: Borough Market / 4k UHD / 60p / 8 bit / 800 ISO / Standard Photo Style on Vimeo

[Noa Put]

And I can find a few other samples where you see the autofocus miserably failing...I have the gh5 and only use native panasonic and olympus lenses. I have shot weddings with it last year in very demanding lightconditions so I don't need to dig up a sample video to prove my point but like I said, nobody has to take my word for it :) If you want more reliable autofocus get a sony a6500 or a canon c100/200, it still won't be 100% perfect but a lot better then what the gh5 is capable of.

[Adriano Moroni]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

If you want more reliable autofocus get a sony a6500 or a canon c100/200, it still won't be 100% perfect but a lot better then what the gh5 is capable of.

Yes, but you will get stroboscopic videos with 25p. It is much time that Sony is a big bluff. You will notice the next expensive Sony a7SIII will be a stroboscopic camera again.

[Pete Cofrancesco]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

Not sure why but you keep repeating the same questions to which you already got answers on, the autofocus on the gh5 is unreliable, period.

If you think the gh5 is the camera for you, even if several here have said it isn't, then why not buy and start using it as you will learn very quickly why we warned you it's not a point and shoot camera.

At this point I’d rather he get the gh5 so we can put this never ending question to rest.

I tried it at the store the other day and didn’t like the tracking focus. Made me appreciate the 80d.

[Bryan Worsley]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

If you want more reliable autofocus get a sony a6500 or a canon c100/200, it still won't be 100% perfect but a lot better then what the gh5 is capable of.

Originally Posted by Adriano Moroni

Yes, but you will get stroboscopic videos with 25p. It is much time that Sony is a big bluff. You will notice the next expensive Sony a7SIII will be a stroboscopic camera again.

Both are 'world cameras' (PAL/NTSC switchable) - the Canon c200 offers 4K 50/60p and with the a6500 you would at least have the option of 4K 30p and Shutter Priority exposure mode.

But Pete's probably right:

Originally Posted by Pete Cofrancesco

At this point I’d rather he get the gh5 so we can put this never ending question to rest.

You seem set on getting the GH5 anyway, so why not just go for it ? I'd hang on to your AX100 though in case you conclude that the GH5 is not for you or that there is a place for both cameras in your documentary work and casual/leisure videography.

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Adriano Moroni

Yes, but you will get stroboscopic videos with 25p. It is much time that Sony is a big bluff. You will notice the next expensive Sony a7SIII will be a stroboscopic camera again.

You do realize that everything you see in cinema is shot at 24fps? You are again blaming the camera for your own inexperience operating a camera. There is a high possibility that any camera you will eventually get will not be good enough for you if you don't intend to invest time how to handle a camera correctly.

[Adriano Moroni]

Noa, you are always kind to reply me. I thank you but I don't agree with you about my inexperience and impossibility of giving good results for GH5 if you don't use it manually. Anyway you are right, you have to use GH5 manually if you want to get the best result. But you have to be blind if you don't noticed a big difference between AX100 and GH5 shoting in "P mode".

This days I have watched so many videos on youtube and Vimeo. Now I got acculturated about GH5.
On yourtube here are also some videos where GH5 can compete or it is better than 15-20.000 US$ cameras.

A RED VS GH5 Camera Test - 6K high res Anamorphic Shoot out - Noise patterns and color correction - YouTube

GH5 vs Ursa Mini 4.6k - YouTube

Panasonic GH5 vs Canon 5D Mark IV 4K!!!! - YouTube

http://www.videomakers.net/forum/ucp...w&f=0&p=396109
I think not many guys like this rallenty rallenty with 60p because it is irrelevant for some people but not for me:

Panasonic GH5 Slowmotion test 180fps - YouTube

You are right when people write: everyone has a different opinion. Sure!

Anyway I have just bought a GH5 with Leica 12-60 mm lens. I cannot wait for using it and in september when I will make another documentary if Africa we can talk again about the difference between AX100 and GH5 in AE.

[Bryan Worsley]

Well I found the expert professional opinions given in this and the other thread enlightening and very helpful anyway.

[Ron Evans]

Enjoy the GH5 and learn to use it. I too am a fan of high frame rates really do not like the slow frame rates as they affect my old eyes too much. People confuse the TV frame rates of interlace and equate to the progressive rates without knowing that they are very different. Although 60i is 29.97fps the images that users see on the TV is at a 59.94 sample rate the same as 60P . The NTSC 29.97 frame rate is timecode and sync rate for interlace not the rate at which images( fields or half vertical resolution) are displayed. Same applies for PAL. The advantage of shooting at 60P is all the options are open for different frame rates. Nice smooth motion of 60P ( same smooth motion as 60i ), or on a 30P or 24P timeline the "close to film" look or even slow motion. Lots of possibilities for the penalty of a little more file size.

There are lots of GH5 training courses available and I would suggest you spend lots of time looking at them. Just setting up the GH5 is a task in itself compared to the AX100.