As large as full fame, why would anyone get the GH7? Hands-on Review

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Some people are still not aware that this a Hybrid camera with unlimited recording and not stills only. It's not big at all considering all that it does. Plus even the biggest M43 lenses will balance well on this body.. unlike the biggest FF lenses.

Look how huge this camera is

Prerant, I'm a stills photographer only, so this really isn't my cup of tea body/focus wise, but I am an MFT photographer since the E-M5 came out (and four thirds before with the lumix L1, fantastic body). It's worth pointing out that you can get shallow DOF with MFT. There are a lot of lenses that make it easy, like the Olympus f1.2 Trinity (17, 25, and 45 for 34, 50, and 90mm FF FOV equivalent), PanaLeica 42.5mm f1.2 Nocticron, and if you don't mind manual there are lenses like Laowa's 18 and 25mm f0.95's that have a pretty solid image too. I have all those listed and love them all, but I'm also purely a stills photographer focused on lifestyle portraits. You might think it odd for me to use MFT, but my focus/jobs involve travelling to rural areas/villages all over the world (mostly East/Southeast Asia, but I've been to South America and Africa) and the only way I've found to get truly natural portraits in those environments is with Olympus/OM-Sushi's E-M5/OM-5 models and the Olympus 75mm f1.8. That combination of body/lens gives me a 150mm FOV while retaining the light gathering of f1.8, the DOF of 75mm glass at f1.8, and it's in a discrete package. I was asked to try a Z8 and 135mm Plena when it was coming out, and after maybe half an hour I gave up. Every shot had people staring at the foreigner with a big camera/lens. I do trade background compression to achieve the same DOF, but that's fine for me. I'm not saying that MFT is better image wise, that's not how physics works. But there are weird niches where the small/light factor of longer effective focal lengths extend past just outdoor hiking or wildlife in general. In the studio, I use a Pentax K-1.ii and 645Z (and KP for work outdoors at times) so arguably I'm double the amount of irrelevancy brand and tech wise, using MFT and DSLR's, but it works great for me and there's also a "special" look of Pentax and Olympus files that are super easy to reach my preferred result with. Even in studio, the G9.ii I've been messing with, and the improved handheld hires on top with better IBIS and processing takes amazing studio portraits detail and resolution wise while the Olympus f1.2 Trio, 42.5mm Nocticron, and even those Argus Laowa lenses create strong subject/background separation and look amazing results wise. If I didn't already have the gear for the niche, would I buy it/use it over full frame? Hard to say, if I had zero experience with it and didn't need that discrete setup, then maybe not? I love my fp L, and I was actually hoping the S9's would show up used for dirt cheap to replace my regular fp (it's basically the fp but better in every way I care, I rarely use my EVF on it so not a big loss). I was also hoping the body new would be like 1200 or maybe 1300 tops, so used ones would edge closer to 3 digits USD. If it crashes maybe they'll do a discount or early heavy discounts and I'll buy two, lol.

I just orderd a gh7. Those who thing it should be small should buy a sony i want a tool with room for my hands

That 32 bit audio recording mode where you set the gain afterwards is fantastic. (I imagine that one day in the far future, that sort of working will be the case for video as well, with hardly any need to change aperture etc in camera. After that, maybe cameras would eventually have one sensor setting encompassing all brightnesses, and a new super HDR standard would display the data unmodified on a screen capable of doing so.)

Lok, thanks for the great video! Subbed! But please be careful when telling people about the 32 bit floating point audio now available on the GH7. Even with 32 bit audio, you can still blow out your sound. However, as with raw video, 32 bit audio gives one significantly more latitude in post because it contains significantly more data. But even with more audio data, one can still blow out their audio in exactly the same way that one can still blow out their highlights even when shooting on an Alexa35. And people need to be aware of this, as not correctly explaining 32 bit floating point audio can be very misleading. But otherwise, great vid, thanks!

That sample vlog style footage of you so damn stable. Maybe your hands have a big impact? (hello digitalrevTV days cameraman days)

I have all of the main support gear for this camera ready and waiting! I cannot wait for this camera to start shipping!

The body is large because it's a video camera large bodies are easier to hold

5:12 G9 Mark II doesn't have Proxy... I just checked :'(

The video features are something for sure!

Raw,32bit 4channel audio,pdaf.setting up for an okidoke w one cf express 2tb restriction . Gotta riggitout! Def buy🎉

I guess if you already have a bunch of m4/3 lenses it makes sense. Thanks as always for sharing your thoughts Lok

I have one of their mid range cameras. It's pretty good. I'm not a fan of the stabilization tho.

From the days of Digital Rev, I have always loved you Lok. Something that is very noticeable is how much your English skills have improved since those older days. Moving to the UK has helped a lot. Congratulations. I know it can be difficult when trying to use a second language. You are conquering it, like climbing Mt Everest. I have a savings account open to get the GH7. It only has $15 so far because I have a huge expense for my car, but in a couple of years, maybe three, I will get the GH7. Meanwhile I use the G9, GH5 II, and GH5s, all excellent cameras. The GH6 never excited me, and I didn't like the removal of the top screen on the G9 II, but the GH7 truly excites me with many creative possibilities, and that sensor seems to match or be better than the GH5s. I love the hi-res mode. What I most dislike about these latest cameras is the removal of 4K/6K which is something I love in the older cameras. I could always get video focus that worked for me, but I am comfortable with using manual focus. It is nice, however to have the PDAF for video. But for me, there are so many other things that make me want the GH7 other than PDAF. Controlling corner warpy-ness, for example, which is now better than Sony. Sony is an important part of my gear. For example, the two cameras I took on my recent London trip were the RX100 VII and DJI Pocket 1 and 2, and when I went to India the time before that I took the G9 band Pockets. They were all great travel cameras, but when I need to get serious with photography and video back home, it is 90% Lumix MFT cameras, and a mixture of Lens brands. It would be almost 100% Lumix MFT cameras if it wasn't for Product Showcase mode on my ZV-E10. That is such a useful feature I do not know why all other manufacturers are not rushing to implement it on their cameras.

I have you tried the Panasonic Leica 10-25mm or 25-50mm with this camera? I have the 25-50mm and the bokeh isn't is decent.

I’ve used my GH4 for over a decade now and want to replace it but this is getting quite big…

1:50 there is an open gate mode (4.4K 50/60p 4:3) which doesn't use the "full sensor", but pixel/pixel. and it's the mode i'd most likely want to use 😭

Nice one! All you need in for filmmaking! Great advances on a GH5 for an upgrade for sure. More dynamic range, better in low light, decent auto focus, 32 bit float, increased res. If you want to gain more of that shallow depth of field use a speedbooster and a fast lens like the 1.8 sigma art 18-35mm. However, when there is full frame s5iix around the same pricing it is a harder argument for it.