Panasonic GH6 Reviews
Excellent camera
By Jason
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2023-01-26
Great camera but still needs lots of improvements. Although I love this camera and will give it a 5 star, I feel like Panasonic dropped the ball with this release considering how long it took from the GH5 release. If they don't change their censor by the next update, I'm jumping ship to Sony or Canon.
Great camera for a wide range of consumers
By Nicholas
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2022-12-19
Great camera for mid-range enthusiasts and professionals alike. I actually purchased this to be a B-Cam, but have found that 9 times out of 10 I'm reaching into my bag for this camera.
A no brainer
By Mauricio
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2022-12-15
I have been using a blackmagic pocket 4k and wanted more of a run and gun set up. The GH6 is everything I was hoping it would be. Great image quality, light set up, quick and easy to use. If you're in the MFT ecosystem it's really a no brainer.
Phenomenal upgrade - especially for video
By Daniel
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2022-12-13
Bought the GH6 as an upgrade for video. Use it with the Pana/Leica 12-60 for video = super quick autofocus (and silent) for video. (Other lenses may vary so you have to test them out.) Looking to get the Pana/Leica 9mm for video as well.
For stills, already had the Pana/Leica 42.5 f/1.2 and Olympus 75mm f/1.8 for portraits and the Pana/Leica 15 f/1.7 for walk around.
Wicked good image stabilization as well.
Great all around.
Very nice imaging tool
By jeff
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2022-12-08
Not only is this thing an extremely good video camera, but using what I've learned shooting my G9s, it is also a good stills camera. Seem like many of the reviewers don't know how to use a stills camera.
Significant imaging improvement, confusing implementation.
By Liam
Rated 4 out of 5
Date: 2022-12-06
I've had the GH6 since FW 1.0 and have owned it since June 2022. I own the G9, and have worked with the EVA-1 and GH5. Before anything else is addressed, ProRes internal is the main advantage, with IBIS and the form factor/build quality coming second. Hate the limitations of a smaller sensor? Get the S5 or S1H. Need to run (literally, I've run miles strapped with my cameras) with two cameras at once in inclement conditions (110+ degree heat, condensing humidity)? Get the GH6.
The G9 is a much more rounded hybrid. During the first months, I had totally given up on photo for the GH6, as the dynamic range was ABYSMAL at low ISOs, and I shot at 800 even in broad daylight. Panasonic needs to do a better job communicating how DR Boost works in photo mode. Recently, either because of quiet firmware tweaks or improved ACR handling, I find I can shoot at ISO 100 with only a minimal highlight clip, and FINALLY have recoverable shadow detail. 14 bit RAW is the most noticeable improvement, and at times I even prefer the GH6 now for its color depth.
Originally the GH6 was prone to chroma noise across modes, but that has improved. The CMOS banding was present from the second I turned on the GH6 on FW 1.0, but is now a non-issue. Autofocus is usable, and better than most in photo. Battery life is disappointing, and keeping at least 3 for a shoot day is essential. I miss the top LCD of the G9, the battery grip support, as well as the .83x mag. Exposure is confusing, and I find myself overexposing close to 3 stops in some scenes using DR Boost. I wish Panasonic provided a bit more information to their legacy G/GH series users.
What I'm waiting on is the G9 successor. Even a GX successor with a better viewfinder and sealing. The success of the S5 has undercut the MFT system. I still use it because of the PanaLeica lenses, the size-to-performance, and the ability to get flagship performance below $3K.
Serious Pro Tool
By Aaron
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2023-01-17
I picked up the GH6 while I anxiously wait for a G9 successor. The tech available in this camera at this price point is amazing.
The build quality is exceptional. The camera feels solid and durable, albeit a little bulky. It balances well with larger lenses like the Leica 10-25 f1.7. The dials are wonderfully tactile and provide just enough resistance. The menu system is great, although there are a ton of options at your disposal.
For photography, this camera is excellent. The sensor is great, I love the extra megapixels over the G9, although it is hard to really tell without pixel peeping. The handheld highness mode is nothing short of amazing. This is the feature I would most like to see on a G9 successor. The motion compensation in the high-res mode is magical.
Dynamic range, e.i., the ability to push and pull and under/over exposed image isn't as good as the S5, but it is good enough. It does seem to favor being over exposed rather than underexposed. The default metering mode does seem to underexpose 1-stop compared to the G9.
Noise is well controlled and very comparable at high ISO to APS-C sensors likes those found on Fujifilm cameras. A little bit of post processing can clean up the noise if that's what your work requires. I find myself adding film grain to my images when they look too clean anyway, a little grain is my preference. (sample images no grain added)
I'm not much of a video shooter, but I feel much more confident using this camera because of the vast array of tools and assists. The waveform is awesome to have, so is the luminance spot meter and punch-in for focus confirmation.
I have no problem with the autofocus in this camera. In photo mode it is extremely fast and accurate. In video mode, it transitions nicely between subjects and tracks well for my needs. Autofocus is something that can/should always improve with new generations of cameras. As it is today, the autofocus in the GH6 is perfectly usable for me, however your needs may vary. Anyone coming from a DSLR will notice a marked improvement, that is to say, everything is relative.
Overall, I am very happy I picked up this camera over the S5. The wide variety lenses available for M43 make this an affordable and complete system. The Panasonic Leica lenses are excellent with this camera. There are also a myriad of adapters and speed boosters available for those wanting to adapt older glass.
Everything I need in a cinema camera
By Steve Clark
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2022-12-22
My best endorsement.. I just bought a second one. Have been using the GH-5 and GH5S, so I was very well equipped with an assortment of lenses. Major advantage over my previous cameras is that I can power this camera with USB.