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Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2: In-depth review by dpreview.com
›Read the full Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 in-depth review at dpreview.com
Product DetailsSize: 14-42mm Lens Kit
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Product Description
Size: 14-42mm Lens Kit
From the Manufacturer
Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GH2KK Compact Digital Single Lens Mirrorless (DSLM) with 14-42mm lens, 16MP Live MOS Sensor, Full HD Movie, Touch LCD, Black
Astonishing Live Action Video Recording Capabilities
The GH2 is perfect for shooting video, with a cinema-like 24Mbps bit rate, a dedicated Cinema Mode, which has been developed to compliment the LUMIX standard Film Mode, and the newly added Variable Movie Mode. This gives the camera considerable live action power. The DMC-GH2 DSLR camera can record high-resolution full-HD 1,920 x 1,080 videos in astonishing smooth 60i (NTSC) / 50i (PAL), doubling the sensor output from 24p / 25p to 60p / 50p. You can create movies with stunning image quality, expressive afterimage, superior gradation and variable frame rates for interesting effects. In addition, the DMC-GH2 features advanced Intelligent Resolution technology. Rather than uniformly enhanced sharpness, advanced Intelligent Resolution precisely optimizes signal processing to give the entire image outstandingly natural clarity and fine detail. As a result, images are naturally clear and crisp in videos as well as in photos.
16.05-megapixel Live MOS Sensor
Panasonic has refined its digital imaging technology, improving image quality to a level that matches, and in some cases surpasses, that of traditional DSLR cameras. The newly developed 16.05-megapixel multi-aspect Live MOS sensor has been added to Panasonic's original pixel mix technology. The GH2 is able to achieve both high image resolution and a high aperture ratio thanks to its combination of a top of the line transistor and reduced wiring, which allows for high speed digital circuit performance with low noise. A maximum sensitivity setting of ISO 12800 allows shooting in extremely dark places.
Focus So Fast & So Precise Even Professional Photographers are Pleased
Light Speed AF quickly locks onto fast moving subjects for crisp still and video images
With Contrast AF (Auto Focus), the image sensor controls your focus giving you a greater range to create your vivid frame. The DMC-GH2K offers a state of the art level Light Speed AF of approx. 0.1 second which is achieved by reducing the detection time for focusing by doubling the drive speed from 60 frames per second to 120 frames per second. With AF Touch, setting and focusing the subject is incredibly easy and quick, never missing the spur-of-the-moment. Additionally, Light Speed AF quickly locks onto a subject, making it possible to capture even fast moving subjects like your son, the dirt bike rider.
Touch Control 3.0-inch Free-angle LCD
DMC-GH2 offers touch-control shooting right from the 3.0-inch Free-angle large, 460,000-dot LCD that rotates 180° to the side and tilts 270° up and down. The auto focus, shutter release and most of the camera's settings are immediately set to the subject with just a tab on the LCD screen making it possible for you to change settings in seconds so that you never miss a shot, even while recording video. Reviewing photos has never been easier, thanks to the GH2's touch control playback and playback zoom. Scroll through images, drag and zoom with a flick of your finger.
If you prefer the flexibility of manual settings, the DMC-GH2 gives you plenty of options with its touch-enabled manual control. You can tweak aperture, shutter speed, exposure levels, fine white balance, vertical and horizontal alignment easily simply by sliding your finger across the LCD display. Even if you don't have any experience with manual operation you'll be able to master various settings in no time at all.
Venus Engine Produces Clear, Crisp Photo and Video Images, Reduces Noise and Regulates Exposure.
Venus Engine produces clear, crisp photo and video images, reduces noise and regulates exposure. 
The GH2 DSLR camera incorporated a Venus Engine featuring exceptional signal processing for photo and video with 3 CPUs and approximately 1.8x processing performance compared to a standard 2 CPU System. High speed burst shooting and smooth video recording in full HD are supported. There is also an advanced noise reduction system that processes chromatic noise and luminance noise separately. Images are reproduced with superior clarity and detail, even when shooting at high ISO levels. The noise reduction process also prevents color mixing around the edges and in gradation areas, applying selective noise reduction to outlines for more naturally balanced photos without sacrificing resolution quality.
iA Mode with Intelligent D-Range Control
iA Mode automatically sets image optimization functions while D-Range Control ensures optimal lighting. 
Panasonic has pioneered Intelligent Auto Mode automated processes for compact point-and-shoot cameras, and now applies that trusted technology to the interchangeable lens system G Series. The result is a camera that has all the power and creative control of a DSLR with the ease of use of a compact. Just point, aim and shoot, the most popular image optimization functions are activated, letting you take beautiful photos and videos effortlessly. If you think a digital SLR camera is just too complicated for everyday use, think again.
Uneven shadows and highlights can ruin a great picture. Intelligent D-range Control delivers more natural looking photos by optimizing exposure levels for different parts of each image to help preserve gradation and fine detail. There is a backlight compensation feature that is automatically activated when the camera senses a subject against a backlight. You don't have to worry about adjusting lighting conditions, Intelligent D-range Control handles these issues with ease so you can capture beautiful shots in low light, bright sunlight or nighttime, no matter where your subject is located.
Advanced Intelligent Resolution Maximizes Signal Processing for Still and Video Images
The GH2 has been equipped with an advanced Intelligent Resolution function that enables even greater signal processing power for exceptional photos and HD movies. Intelligent Resolution automatically identifies outlines, detailed textures and soft gradation in every image, to enhance uniform sharpness and apply precise pixel-by-pixel signal processing for the most effective resolution improvement. Whether you are shooting wildlife, landscapes or architectural structures, your images will be exquisitely detailed and clear, without the hassle of making time-consuming manual adjustments.
Intelligent Scene Selector
Even if you're a novice photographer or just new to the interchangeable lens system, you can take amazing photos and video with the GH2. When the camera is set to iA Mode, the Intelligent Scene Selector automatically chooses the best settings for ambient conditions. All of the most popular scene modes are included in the Intelligent Scene Selector, including; Portrait, Scenery, Sunset, Night Portrait, Night Scenery and Macro. In order to get the best possible results, the camera detects elements such as focus distance, the presence of human faces in the frame and the brightness levels.
H-FS014042 Lens Included
Included with purchase of the DMC-GH2K camera is the H-FS014042 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 Micro Four Thirds lens. Continuous AF/AE function that supports for both photos and movies. A minimum focus distance of 30cm over the entire zoom range. Contrast AF system support, circular aperture diaphragm and multi-coated lens elements minimize ghosts and flare. The LUMIX GH2 is compatible with all G Series interchangeable lenses to suit your studio and field photography needs.
Accessories for the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GH2
H-H020LUMIX G 20mm / F1.7 ASPH Lens
H-FS45150 LUMIX G VARIO 45-150mm H-FS45150 Lens For G Series Cameras
H-HS12035LUMIX G X VARIO 12-35mm / F2.8 ASPH Lens
H-HS35100Professional Grade X Series 35-100mm F2.8 Telephoto Zoom Lens
H-VS014140LUMIX G VARIO HD 14-140mm / F4.0-5.8 ASPH. / MEGA O.I.S. Lens
DMW-FL360TTL metering, FP emission capable, external flash GN36
LUMIX G-Series Comparison Chart
| Type | Digital Single Lens Mirrorless Camera | Digital Single Lens Mirrorless Camera | Digital Single Lens Mirrorless Camera | Digital Interchangeable Lens System Camera | Digital Interchangeable Lens System Camera | Digital Interchangeable Lens System Camera |
| Lens Mount | Micro Four Thirds Mount | Micro Four Thirds Mount | Micro Four Thirds Mount | Micro Four Thirds Mount | Micro Four Thirds Mount | Micro Four Thirds Mount |
| Lens | Body Only | 14-42mm Zoom Lens | Body Only | Body Only | 14-42mm Zoom Lens | 14-42mm Zoom Lens |
| Image Sensor Type | Live MOS Sensor | Live MOS Sensor | Live MOS Sensor | Live MOS Sensor | Live MOS Sensor | Live MOS Sensor |
| Camera Effective Pixels | 16.05 Megapixels | 16.05 Megapixels | 16.05 Megapixels | 16.05 Megapixels | 16.05 Megapixels | 16.0 Megapixels |
| Recording File Format | Still Image: JPEG (DCF, Exif 2.3), RAW, / MPO (When attaching 3D lens in Micro Four Thirds standard) / Motion Image: AVCHD (Audio format: Dolby Digital 2ch) / MP4 (Audio format AAC 2ch) | Still Image: JPEG (DCF, Exif 2.3), RAW, / MPO (When attaching 3D lens in Micro Four Thirds standard) / Motion Image: AVCHD (Audio format: Dolby Digital 2ch) / MP4 (Audio format AAC 2ch) | Still Image: JPEG (DCF, Exif 2.3), RAW, MPO (When attaching 3D lens in Micro Four Thirds standard) / Motion Image: AVCHD Ver2.0 compliant / MPEG4-AVC (H.264) : .MOV, .MP4 | Still Image: JPEG (DCF, Exif 2.3), RAW, DPOF compatible MPO (When attaching 3D lens in Micro Four Thirds standard) Motion Image: AVCHD / QuickTime Motion JPEG | Still Image: JPEG (DCF, Exif 2.3), RAW, DPOF compatible MPO (When attaching 3D lens in Micro Four Thirds standard) Motion Image: AVCHD / QuickTime Motion JPEG | Still Image: JPEG (DCF, Exif 2.3), RAW, MPO (When attaching 3D lens in Micro Four Thirds standard) Motion Image: AVCHD (Audio format: Dolby Digital 2 ch) / MP4 (Audio format AAC 2ch) |
| Continuous Recordable Time (Motion Images) | AVCHD with picture quality set to [FSH]: Approx. 150 min with H-PS14042 / AVCHD with picture quality set to [FSH]: Approx. 140 min with H-FS014042 / AVCHD with picture quality set to [FSH]: Approx. 150 min with H-FS45150 | AVCHD with picture quality set to [FSH]: Approx. 150 min with H-PS14042 / AVCHD with picture quality set to [FSH]: Approx. 140 min with H-FS014042 / AVCHD with picture quality set to [FSH]: Approx. 150 min with H-FS45150 | AVCHD with picture quality set to Approx. 230 min with H-HS12035 / Approx. 210 min with H-VS014140 | AVCHD with picture quality set to [FSH]: Approx. 120 min with H-FS014042 / Approx. 110 min with H-VS014140Motion Jpeg with picture quality set to [FSH]: Approx. 130 min with H-FS014042 / Approx. 120 min with H-VS014140 | AVCHD with picture quality set to [FSH]: Approx. 120 min with H-FS014042 / Approx. 110 min with H-VS014140Motion Jpeg with picture quality set to [FSH]: Approx. 130 min with H-FS014042 / Approx. 120 min with H-VS014140 | AVCHD with picture quality set to [FSH]: Approx. 140 min with H-PS14042 / Approx. 130 min with H-FS014042 / Approx. 150 min with H-H014 |
| Time Code (Motion Images) (Except MP4) | n/a | n/a | ON/OFF, Count Up : Rec Run/Free Run selectable, Time Code Mode : Drop frame/Non-drop frame selectable(NTSC only) | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| WiFi | n/a | n/a | IEEE 802.11b/g/n, 2412MHz - 2462MHz (11ch), Wi-Fi / WPA / WPA2, Infrastructure mode | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Viewfinder Type | Live View Finder (1,440,000 dots equivalent), Field of View: Approx. 100%, Magnification: Approx. 1.4x / 0.7x (35mm camera equivalent) with 50mm lens at infinity; -1.0 m -1, Eye Point: Approx.17.5mm from eyepiece lens, Diopter Adjustment: -4.0~+4.0 (dpt) | Live View Finder (1,440,000 dots equivalent), Field of View: Approx. 100%, Magnification: Approx. 1.4x / 0.7x (35mm camera equivalent) with 50mm lens at infinity; -1.0 m -1, Eye Point: Approx.17.5mm from eyepiece lens, Diopter Adjustment: -4.0~+4.0 (dpt) | OLED Live View Finder (1,744K dots equivalent), Field of View: Approx. 100%, Magnification: Approx. 1.34x / 0.67x (35mm camera equivalent), Eye Point: Approx. 21 mm from eyepiece lens, Diopter Adjustment: -4.0~+4.0 (dpt) | Live View Finder (1,533,600 dots equiv.), Field of View: Approx. 100%, Magnification: Approx. 1.42x / 0.71x (35mm camera equiv.) with 50mm lens at infinity; -1.0 m-1, Eye Point: Approx. 17.5mm from eyepiece lens, Diopter Adjustment: -4.0~+4.0 (dpt) | Live View Finder (1,533,600 dots equiv.), Field of View: Approx. 100%, Magnification: Approx. 1.42x / 0.71x (35mm camera equiv.) with 50mm lens at infinity; -1.0 m-1, Eye Point: Approx. 17.5mm from eyepiece lens, Diopter Adjustment: -4.0~+4.0 (dpt) | n/a |
| AF Mode | Face detection / AF Tracking / 23-area-focusing / 1-area-focusing / Pinpoint | Face detection / AF Tracking / 23-area-focusing / 1-area-focusing / Pinpoint | Face detection / AF Tracking / 23-area-focusing / 1-area-focusing / Pinpoint / (Full area touch is available) | Face detection / AF Tracking / 23-area-focusing / 1-area-focusing | Face detection / AF Tracking / 23-area-focusing / 1-area-focusing | Face detection / AF Tracking / 23-area-focusing / 1-area-focusing/Pinpoint Touch (1- area-focusing in Face detection / AF Tracking / Multi-area-focusing / 1-area-focusing / Pinpoint) |
| Other Modes | Quick AF, Continuous AF (during motion image recording), AF+MF, Eye Sensor AF, Touch AF, Touch Pad AF, Touch shutter, Touch MF Assist | Quick AF, Continuous AF (during motion image recording), AF+MF, Eye Sensor AF, Touch AF, Touch Pad AF, Touch shutter, Touch MF Assist | Quick AF, Continuous AF (during motion image recording), AF+MF, Eye Sensor AF, Touch Pad AF, Touch AF, Touch shutter, Touch MF Assist, Shutter AF, / Half Press Release | Pre AF (Quick AF/Continuous AF), AF+MF, Touch shutter, Touch MF Assist | Pre AF (Quick AF/Continuous AF), AF+MF, Touch shutter, Touch MF Assist | Quick AF, Continuous AF (during motion image recording), AF+MF, Touch shutter, Touch MF Assist |
| ISO Sensitivity (Standard Output Sensitivity) | Auto / Intelligent ISO / 160 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600 / 3200 / 6400 / 12800 / (Changeable to 1/3 EV step) | Auto / Intelligent ISO / 160 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600 / 3200 / 6400 / 12800 / (Changeable to 1/3 EV step) | Auto / Intelligent ISO / 200 /400 / 800 / 1600 / 3200 / 6400 / 12800 (Changeable to 1/3, 1EV step) / (Extended ISO125-less under 200, ISO more over 12800-25600 Available) (Up to ISO3200 in Auto) | Auto / Intelligent ISO / 160 / 200 / 250 / 320 / 400 / 400 / 500/ 640 / 800 / 1000 / 1250 / 1600 / 2000 / 2500 / 3200 / 4000 / 5000 / 6400 / 8000 / 10000 / 12800 | Auto / Intelligent ISO / 160 / 200 / 250 / 320 / 400 / 400 / 500/ 640 / 800 / 1000 / 1250 / 1600 / 2000 / 2500 / 3200 / 4000 / 5000 / 6400 / 8000 / 10000 / 12800 | Auto / Intelligent ISO / 160 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600 / 3200 / 6400 / 12800 (Changeable to 1/3 EV step) |
| Shutter Speed | Still Images: Bulb (Max.120), 1/4000 ~ 60 / Motion image: 1/16000 ~ 1/30 (NTSC) | Still Images: Bulb (Max.120), 1/4000 ~ 60 / Motion image: 1/16000 ~ 1/30 (NTSC) | Still Images: 1/4000-60 and Bulb, Motion image: 1/16,000 ~ 1/30 (NTSC) | Still Images: 1/4000 ~ 60 and Bulb (up to approx. 2 minutes) | Still Images: 1/4000 ~ 60 and Bulb (up to approx. 2 minutes) | Still Images: 1/4000 ~ 60 and Bulb (up to approx. 2 minutes) Motion image: 1/16000 ~ 1/30 (NTSC) |
| Scene Guide (Still Image) | Clear Portrait / Silky Skin / Backlit Softness / Clear in Backlight / Relaxing Tone / Sweet Child's Face / Distinct Scenery / Bright Blue Sky / Romantic Sunset Glow / Vivid Sunset Glow / Glistening Water / Clear Nightscape / Cool Night Sky / Warm Glowing Nightscape / Artistic Nightscape / Glittering Illuminations / Clear Night Portrait / Soft Image of a Flower / Appetizing Food / Cute Dessert / Freeze Animal Motion / Clear Sports Shot / Monochrome | Clear Portrait / Silky Skin / Backlit Softness / Clear in Backlight / Relaxing Tone / Sweet Child's Face / Distinct Scenery / Bright Blue Sky / Romantic Sunset Glow / Vivid Sunset Glow / Glistening Water / Clear Nightscape / Cool Night Sky / Warm Glowing Nightscape / Artistic Nightscape / Glittering Illuminations / Clear Night Portrait / Soft Image of a Flower / Appetizing Food / Cute Dessert / Freeze Animal Motion / Clear Sports Shot / Monochrome | Clear Portrait / Silky Skin / Backlit Softness / Clear in Backlight / Relaxing Tone / Sweet Child's Face / Distinct Scenery / Bright Blue Sky / Romantic Sunset Glow / Vivid Sunset Glow / Glistening Water / Clear Nightscape / Cool Night Sky / Warm Glowing Nightscape / Artistic Nightscape / Glittering Illuminations / Clear Night Portrait / Soft Image of a Flower / Appetizing Food / Cute Dessert / Freeze Animal Motion / Clear Sports Shot / Monochrome | Portrait (Normal / Soft Skin / Outdoor / Indoor / Creative) / Scenery (Normal / Nature / Architecture / Creative) / Close-up (Flower / Food / Objects / Creative) / SCN (Peripheral Defocus / Night Portrait / Night Scenery / Sunset / Party / Sports / Baby 1,2 /Pet) | Portrait (Normal / Soft Skin / Outdoor / Indoor / Creative) / Scenery (Normal / Nature / Architecture / Creative) / Close-up (Flower / Food / Objects / Creative) / SCN (Peripheral Defocus / Night Portrait / Night Scenery / Sunset / Party / Sports / Baby 1,2 /Pet) | Portrait / Soft Skin / Scenery / Architecture / Sports / Peripheral Defocus / Flower / Food / Objects / Night Portrait / Night Scenery / Illiminatioms / Baby 1, 2 / Pet / Party / Sunset |
| Creative Control (Still Image) | Expressive / Retro / High Key / Low Key / Sepia / Dynamic Monochrome / Impressive Art / High Dynamic / Cross Process / Toy Effect / Miniature Effect / Soft Focus / Star Filter / One Point Color | Expressive / Retro / High Key / Low Key / Sepia / Dynamic Monochrome / Impressive Art / High Dynamic / Cross Process / Toy Effect / Miniature Effect / Soft Focus / Star Filter / One Point Color | Expressive / Retro / High Key / Low Key / Sepia / Dynamic Monochrome / Impressive Art / High Dynamic / Cross Process / Toy Effect / Miniature Effect / Soft Focus / Star Filter / One Point Color | n/a | n/a | (Still image & Motion image) Expressive / Retro / High key / Low key / Sepia / High Dynamic / Toy effect / Miniature effect |
Product Description
Panasonic's Lumix DMC-GH2 is the latest member of the New Generation System Camera Lumix G Micro System. Fully compliant with the Micro Four Thirds System standard, the Lumix G Micro System combines a downsized body with advanced functions that achieve both high performance and operational comfort.The cinema-like 24p movie with the bit rate of max. 24 Mbps provides overwhelming image quality with richly expressive afterimage. Furthermore, together with the Cinema mode, which is newly added as an option of popular Film mode, 24p movie enables the movie to have a characteristic superior gradation. The new Variable Movie mode makes it possible to record motion images in variable frame rate creating a fast/slow-feed movie. Activating the newly added EX Tele Conversion function, the user can virtually extend the zoom beyond the original limit to get even closer to the subject. This options is available in both photo and movie modes. The simultaneous HDMI output while recording images is convenient for even professional users to monitor images on a separate screen.What's in the boc: Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 Digital Camera W/14-42mm Lens (Black), Lumix G Vario 14-42mm F/3.5-5.6 Lens, Front Lens Cap, Rear Lens Cap, Lens Hood, Lens Storage Bag, Battery Charger, Battery Pack, Body Cap, AV Cable, USB Connection Cable, Shoulder Strap, Stylus Pen, CD-ROM and 1-Year Limited Warranty.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
275 of 288 people found the following review helpful
Size Name:14-42mm Lens Kit
Now I know that is a bold statement and I intend to back it up. However, before I do I need to explain what I mean. I am not saying this camera is the best at everything or even anyone thing. Cameras that are the best at something are usually specialized beasts that can really only do that one thing well. What I am talking about is a camera the is so good in so many categories that it can joyfully be used for just about and photographic or video graphic purpose you may have. The GH2 is that camera.
Now that is out of the way we can get to the meat and potatoes of the review. I shoot mostly Nikon and Panasonic and I primarily shoot stills. I dabble in Video but do not proclaim myself any sort of an expert. I can say if you are looking for the best handling combo/cam with the most features then the GH2 is the one you want. Panasonic went out of its way to make this a video camera so that was its primary focus with this camera. However, there are lots of payoffs for the stills part of this camera so this is the best m4/3 stills camera by a long shot also. I will also say that the hard core video market is a niche market compared to the stills market because shallow depth of field video is hard to shoot properly and hard to edit. The average home user has neither the time nor inclination to properly storyboard and shoot this type of video. However, with that said, it is really nice to be able to shoot stills and video. And basic home videos are a snap to shoot with this camera; much more so than any other DSLR with the exception of the Sony SLT A55/33 which at least has a fast auto focus also. To shoot nice home movies, put the mode dial to iA, press the red button, and you are shooting video.
This camera is the next generation of cameras as it successfully blends the advantages of Point and Shoot cameras with the benefits of DSLRs and creates and incredibly small and powerful camera. Listed below are some of the benefits and weakness you get from this next gen camera.
What's Hot
The handling on the GH2 is bar none the best handling "DSLR" on the market. WIth smart controls, great layout, fast autofocusing, swivel screen, full time double live view, etc. Even with how good the D7000 is, it still feels clunky after using the GH2. I get into most of the details of this down below so I don't want to repeat the info here. What I will say here is that you can do things with this camera you couldn't hope to do with DSLRs and you can generally set up your photo parameters much faster with this camera. The menus on the GH2 are not very good. However, the actual camera controls are so good you will rarely even need to use the menus.
Program Shift - Forget using Aperture priority with this camera. You can leave the camera in Program mode. With program shift you can change the aperture setting and thus the shutter speed while in program mode. To do this you press the shutter release button down half way to set the exposure. Then if the numbers are in yellow you just rotate the rear dial switch to change aperture. Want a shallower depth of field or faster shutter speed, then dial in a bigger aperture (smaller number). If the numbers are not in yellow then you are currently in exposure compensation mode. All you have to do is click the rear dial switch and then rotate it. Snap. What a neat feature.
Extra Tele Convert (ETC) Mode in Video - If you shoot video you are going to love this. This is even great for home/casual video shooters. The GH2 has a 16mp sensor but like every other consumer combo/cam shoots 2K video. That means the picture is usually down-sampled to make it 2K. This has some pluses and minuses. Enter the GH2. With the ETC mode the camera uses only 2K of the sensor. This gives you an extra 2.6x crop factor. Which means your total crop factor is now 5.2x. So that brand spanking new 100-300mm you just got is now 520-1560mm with no light loss. If you put a Nikon 135mm f2 then you now have a 702mm f2! lens for video. There are some drawbacks for using ETC also but they are pretty negligible.
Auto focus - the auto focus on the GH2 is twice as fast as the GH1 and the GH1 was the fastest of previous generation. I have seen some very knowledgeable photographers saying it is as fast as mid-level DSLRs. While I think it is supposed to be a complement I don't think it is a very good comparison. I find the focus speed of DSLRs has most to do with what lens you have on. There are some lenses that focus slowly on even a D3. All of the lenses I have used on the GH1 focus very quickly except the 45-200mm. That lens tends to be my slowest. Non of the lenses I have focus as fast as a 70-200mm f/2.8 but the rest of them focus as fast if not faster than any of the other Nikon lenses I own. The best I can say about this is that you won't notice the focus speed on the GH2 as it is fast enough to get out of your way.
Smaller lighter camera - I recently went on a trip to Egypt and carried nothing but my Panasonic gear. Two camera bodies, 5 lenses, 1 flash, an iPad, and camera bag. Total weight 10lbs (3lbs of that was the bag itself). My Nikon D300 and 14-24mm lens would have weight more just by themselves (I was carrying the Panasonic 7-14mm so I did have wide covered)
Swivel Screen with full-time live view - You won't know what you are missing until you become used to this and how well it works. Want to reach up as high as you can and shoot down; No problems. Want to get as low as possible but can't lay down in the mud or water; No problem. Want to take a picture of you and your daughter but there is nobody around; No problem. Turn the screen around aim the camera at you and use the screen to frame. Something that makes photos interesting is showing the viewer something from a perspective they don't often see. The swivel screen actively encourages this. The other thing the swivel screen does is make shooting from a tripod a joy. Because of how small and light this camera is you can use a much smaller tripod. I have a 3lb tripod that can support 7lbs. Also, you can now set you camera up in all sorts of whacky positions and just rotate the screen to be able to frame and focus. Very nice. Also, with no mirror to flip up you don't have to worry about any vibrations.
Touch Focus implemented as slick as on the iPhone. As I mentioned above you can shoot from many strange angles because you can swivel the screen to almost any angle. However, if the camera did not focus on what you wanted it would be hard to change it. Now you can simply touch the screen on what you want to focus and presto it will focus on that. The GH2 is worth the price just for that.
WYSIWYG - What you see is what you get. Since you are looking at either the screen or the beautiful EVF, you are seeing what the sensor sees. With a DSLR you are seeing what the lens sees. This is an important difference. If you forgot to reset your WB or Aperture or any camera setting, you will see it before you shoot. On a DSLR you would have no idea until you looked at the pictures. Also, if it is a low light situation, the EVF will start to noise up and start to lose some of its smoothness. This is a warning to you that you need to use flash or a tripod. With a DSLR the viewer becomes darker but you don't get a very good visual cue of how your camera is seeing it. For me the most brilliant thing with WYSIWYG is setting exposure. Because I can see what the camera is doing with exposure, I usually leave the camera in P mode. Then I change the exposure by changing where I aim the camera, lock the exposure and then reframe for the subject. It works something like this. I am trying to take a picture of a person but the exposure is picking up to many bright objects, thereby dimming my subject. So, I aim the camera to include more dark areas while keeping my subject in the shoot. Then I press the shutter release button down half way to lock the exposure and focus. Then I reframe back to the original photo. This works so quickly you can try several exposures in less time than you could set one with the exposure compensation dial (which is actually exceedingly well executed on this camera also.) In a DSLR, since you don't see the exposure, you are just basically guessing at what you want and then shooting, view the photo and fix. Much slower.
Shoot about any lens you want - The distance from the lens to sensor is so short, that with the appropriate adaptor, you can put just about any lens you want on this camera. Canon, Nikon, Leica, Voigtlander, Pentax, Sony, you can use them all. Generally you need to use lenses which have aperture rings. Additionally, you do lose autofocus but there are many instances where this just doesn't matter. Macro photography is a good example. You can fit a Nikon 200mm f/4 onto the GH2 and then either get a 2:1 reproduction or a 1:1 reproduction with twice the depth of field. It is like putting on a teleconverter without the loss of light and depth of field. Brilliant.
Great for Newbies - All DSLRs are easy for anyone to use and the GH2 is no exception. The great handling makes the GH2 better for newbies in my opinion. Anyway, all you have to do is put the camera into iA mode and start shooting. This camera gets the subject correct more often then not and will make you look good. In dynamic situation, I actually use the iA mode quite a bit. I do this because the camera is good a recognizing as scene as a person, flower, scenery, etc. The camera then instantly sets numerous setting to make that scene look as good as possible. If you tried to do it yourself it could take a few minuets to set and then a few to set back. Or even worse you forget to reset it and you next pictures look bad. Read more ›
Now that is out of the way we can get to the meat and potatoes of the review. I shoot mostly Nikon and Panasonic and I primarily shoot stills. I dabble in Video but do not proclaim myself any sort of an expert. I can say if you are looking for the best handling combo/cam with the most features then the GH2 is the one you want. Panasonic went out of its way to make this a video camera so that was its primary focus with this camera. However, there are lots of payoffs for the stills part of this camera so this is the best m4/3 stills camera by a long shot also. I will also say that the hard core video market is a niche market compared to the stills market because shallow depth of field video is hard to shoot properly and hard to edit. The average home user has neither the time nor inclination to properly storyboard and shoot this type of video. However, with that said, it is really nice to be able to shoot stills and video. And basic home videos are a snap to shoot with this camera; much more so than any other DSLR with the exception of the Sony SLT A55/33 which at least has a fast auto focus also. To shoot nice home movies, put the mode dial to iA, press the red button, and you are shooting video.
This camera is the next generation of cameras as it successfully blends the advantages of Point and Shoot cameras with the benefits of DSLRs and creates and incredibly small and powerful camera. Listed below are some of the benefits and weakness you get from this next gen camera.
What's Hot
The handling on the GH2 is bar none the best handling "DSLR" on the market. WIth smart controls, great layout, fast autofocusing, swivel screen, full time double live view, etc. Even with how good the D7000 is, it still feels clunky after using the GH2. I get into most of the details of this down below so I don't want to repeat the info here. What I will say here is that you can do things with this camera you couldn't hope to do with DSLRs and you can generally set up your photo parameters much faster with this camera. The menus on the GH2 are not very good. However, the actual camera controls are so good you will rarely even need to use the menus.
Program Shift - Forget using Aperture priority with this camera. You can leave the camera in Program mode. With program shift you can change the aperture setting and thus the shutter speed while in program mode. To do this you press the shutter release button down half way to set the exposure. Then if the numbers are in yellow you just rotate the rear dial switch to change aperture. Want a shallower depth of field or faster shutter speed, then dial in a bigger aperture (smaller number). If the numbers are not in yellow then you are currently in exposure compensation mode. All you have to do is click the rear dial switch and then rotate it. Snap. What a neat feature.
Extra Tele Convert (ETC) Mode in Video - If you shoot video you are going to love this. This is even great for home/casual video shooters. The GH2 has a 16mp sensor but like every other consumer combo/cam shoots 2K video. That means the picture is usually down-sampled to make it 2K. This has some pluses and minuses. Enter the GH2. With the ETC mode the camera uses only 2K of the sensor. This gives you an extra 2.6x crop factor. Which means your total crop factor is now 5.2x. So that brand spanking new 100-300mm you just got is now 520-1560mm with no light loss. If you put a Nikon 135mm f2 then you now have a 702mm f2! lens for video. There are some drawbacks for using ETC also but they are pretty negligible.
Auto focus - the auto focus on the GH2 is twice as fast as the GH1 and the GH1 was the fastest of previous generation. I have seen some very knowledgeable photographers saying it is as fast as mid-level DSLRs. While I think it is supposed to be a complement I don't think it is a very good comparison. I find the focus speed of DSLRs has most to do with what lens you have on. There are some lenses that focus slowly on even a D3. All of the lenses I have used on the GH1 focus very quickly except the 45-200mm. That lens tends to be my slowest. Non of the lenses I have focus as fast as a 70-200mm f/2.8 but the rest of them focus as fast if not faster than any of the other Nikon lenses I own. The best I can say about this is that you won't notice the focus speed on the GH2 as it is fast enough to get out of your way.
Smaller lighter camera - I recently went on a trip to Egypt and carried nothing but my Panasonic gear. Two camera bodies, 5 lenses, 1 flash, an iPad, and camera bag. Total weight 10lbs (3lbs of that was the bag itself). My Nikon D300 and 14-24mm lens would have weight more just by themselves (I was carrying the Panasonic 7-14mm so I did have wide covered)
Swivel Screen with full-time live view - You won't know what you are missing until you become used to this and how well it works. Want to reach up as high as you can and shoot down; No problems. Want to get as low as possible but can't lay down in the mud or water; No problem. Want to take a picture of you and your daughter but there is nobody around; No problem. Turn the screen around aim the camera at you and use the screen to frame. Something that makes photos interesting is showing the viewer something from a perspective they don't often see. The swivel screen actively encourages this. The other thing the swivel screen does is make shooting from a tripod a joy. Because of how small and light this camera is you can use a much smaller tripod. I have a 3lb tripod that can support 7lbs. Also, you can now set you camera up in all sorts of whacky positions and just rotate the screen to be able to frame and focus. Very nice. Also, with no mirror to flip up you don't have to worry about any vibrations.
Touch Focus implemented as slick as on the iPhone. As I mentioned above you can shoot from many strange angles because you can swivel the screen to almost any angle. However, if the camera did not focus on what you wanted it would be hard to change it. Now you can simply touch the screen on what you want to focus and presto it will focus on that. The GH2 is worth the price just for that.
WYSIWYG - What you see is what you get. Since you are looking at either the screen or the beautiful EVF, you are seeing what the sensor sees. With a DSLR you are seeing what the lens sees. This is an important difference. If you forgot to reset your WB or Aperture or any camera setting, you will see it before you shoot. On a DSLR you would have no idea until you looked at the pictures. Also, if it is a low light situation, the EVF will start to noise up and start to lose some of its smoothness. This is a warning to you that you need to use flash or a tripod. With a DSLR the viewer becomes darker but you don't get a very good visual cue of how your camera is seeing it. For me the most brilliant thing with WYSIWYG is setting exposure. Because I can see what the camera is doing with exposure, I usually leave the camera in P mode. Then I change the exposure by changing where I aim the camera, lock the exposure and then reframe for the subject. It works something like this. I am trying to take a picture of a person but the exposure is picking up to many bright objects, thereby dimming my subject. So, I aim the camera to include more dark areas while keeping my subject in the shoot. Then I press the shutter release button down half way to lock the exposure and focus. Then I reframe back to the original photo. This works so quickly you can try several exposures in less time than you could set one with the exposure compensation dial (which is actually exceedingly well executed on this camera also.) In a DSLR, since you don't see the exposure, you are just basically guessing at what you want and then shooting, view the photo and fix. Much slower.
Shoot about any lens you want - The distance from the lens to sensor is so short, that with the appropriate adaptor, you can put just about any lens you want on this camera. Canon, Nikon, Leica, Voigtlander, Pentax, Sony, you can use them all. Generally you need to use lenses which have aperture rings. Additionally, you do lose autofocus but there are many instances where this just doesn't matter. Macro photography is a good example. You can fit a Nikon 200mm f/4 onto the GH2 and then either get a 2:1 reproduction or a 1:1 reproduction with twice the depth of field. It is like putting on a teleconverter without the loss of light and depth of field. Brilliant.
Great for Newbies - All DSLRs are easy for anyone to use and the GH2 is no exception. The great handling makes the GH2 better for newbies in my opinion. Anyway, all you have to do is put the camera into iA mode and start shooting. This camera gets the subject correct more often then not and will make you look good. In dynamic situation, I actually use the iA mode quite a bit. I do this because the camera is good a recognizing as scene as a person, flower, scenery, etc. The camera then instantly sets numerous setting to make that scene look as good as possible. If you tried to do it yourself it could take a few minuets to set and then a few to set back. Or even worse you forget to reset it and you next pictures look bad. Read more ›
72 of 73 people found the following review helpful
By Wyobookman
Size Name:14-42mm Lens Kit
**First off, I have given the GH2 five stars because of its general excellence and how much I love using this camera, but that is not to say it's without fault.**
I am a huge fan of the micro 4/3 format. Point & shots are fine as such, but the lack of manual controls frustrates me as does image quality beyond a 5"x7" print. On the other hand, a full size DSLR feels too bulky in my hand and to carry around often. I learned basic photography using a 70's vintage Nikon FM, so the G-series size is more familiar to my hands than today's full size DSLRs. And with taking candids and street shots, it doesn't feel nearly as intrusive as a 1.5+lb DSLR kit does to me.
So this is my third G-series Panasonic camera. Without a doubt, this is the best one yet. The G1 & G2 are great cameras in their own right, but the GH2 advances the M4/3 format to whole new level. I wanted a faster camera but had too much invested in this format to look elsewhere. The GH2 is faster in every respect over the G2. AF is noticeably quicker, and better yet, very accurate. I've yet to see it really tripped up. Shooting rate is very quick; much, much faster than the G2. Unfortunately it seems Panasonic didn't bump up the buffer size to keep up with the frames per second the camera's capable of. So after about 10 shot burst, the camera freezes up for 5-10 seconds or more, especially if you're shooting RAW -- and I'm using a class 10 8g card. Shooting in jpeg helps some. Don't think of using anything less than a class 6 card, even shooting jpeg. This is a shame as it keeps the camera from being a decent sports/action shooter
Handling is one of my favorite things about the GH2. It feels good in my average-sized guy hands. If you're used to a DSLR, it may feel too light and lacking heft. Coming from point-and-shoots, it feels pretty solid and stable in hand. The thumb grip, while adequate, could be a bit bigger and stickier. The body does have a little too much of a plastic feel and sometimes seems a shade too light. Still, I never have the feeling of it slipping or squirting out of my hand.
The ergonomics are very good. Frequently used settings have manual adjustments. If not, there are now 3 function buttons to customize, as well as 3 custom modes. Or you can drive through the menus. The touchscreen initially struck me as kind of superfluous: I could adjust everything without it. But after awhile, I found myself using the touchscreen much more than I thought I would. It adds another level of control. Sometimes I can't remember where to find setting, but often within two taps of the screen I'm adjusting what I want. It's very helpful in getting the focus point(s) just so on a tricky composition, setting white balance (see below) and reviewing shots.
I always will miss an optical viewfinder, but the GH2's EVF is about as good a substitute as it gets. Smearing and rainbow effect are negligible and only appear in very poor light conditions, as does, not surprisingly, a lot of noise. Otherwise it does fine, even during a fast pan.
I've never been much interested in shooting video, but in the little experimenting I've done, the image quality is absolutely amazing. A number of GH2 owners have posted vids on youtube. Some of these really got me salivating, even though I'm not a video guy. I suspect this may be the camera's better/stronger half.
As for still images, Panasonic is closing in on DSLR quality. The dynamic range and low light speed are much, much improved since the G1, especially daylight, high contrast scenes. Blown highlights are just about a thing of the past. Low light image quality is now quite good at ISO 1600. I can get usable shots up to about ISO 3200, at which point noise is really becoming prevalent. Image stabilization is fine, I suppose: I've not noticed it one way or the other. The new Venus engine seems to render colors closer to their true values than earlier G-series were able to. Images out of the camera (once the WB is properly set, see below), seem sharper and more vivid than the slightly soft look Panasonic cameras I've owned tended to produce.
However, there are two image related issues. First is the auto white balance. It's the camera's greatest weakness. AWB does a pretty good job in ordinary outdoor light, if on occasion a little bit off. Indoors, it's middling at best. In general, inside AWB is too warm, yellow actually, for indoor photos. Moreover, the preset modes, ie, cloudy, incandescent, etc, are quite off and are all but useless. I either set the balance myself -- this is where the touchscreen is very handy -- or use my custom presets. This bothers me less than it sounds. I've learned what to expect and adjust accordingly.
The second issue is really more an issue of preference than a problem. When I'm feeling slow on the draw or just lazy, I'll select the full-on point-and-shoot mode, aka intelligent auto. Shots are consistent and just fine. However, here again, AWB can be a little off. ISO 400 seems to be the default daylight speed when 100 or 200 would be much better, and images once in awhile are little underexposed. Most of which can be addressed post process. But in semi-auto modes where the camera selects the ISO, having it default to ISO 400 when 100 or 200 is warranted, is annoying. But to be fair, in full iA mode, the camera will almost always choose the correct scene -- portrait, children, landscape, etc -- that you're trying to capture and produce pleasing results. Perhaps a firmware update will correct the WB issues and have a better algorithm for the auto ISO.
I can't say I'm enamored of the the kit lens. It's the same lens my G2 came with. I didn't care for its particularly plasticky feel and look. One good bump and it looks like the plastic casing will crack. In operation I think it felt a little cheap too. Given I already had several M43 lenses, I had no need for a kit lens so I ordered the body only. BTW, if you're thinking of a zoom, skip the Pany 45-200mm --it's slow without giving that much zoom -- and go for the 100-300mm. Also, I highly recommend either of the Pany pancake lenses: the 14mm f2.5 or the 20mm f1.7. Both bring out a little something extra from the camera that I can't describe. Images just seem to have a depth, clarity, and tone that other lenses seem to miss. Plus fitted with a pancake lens the camera is small enough to fit in a large coat pocket.
Print-wise, this is where the camera really rewards effort. The rare times I've gotten everything just right have yielded a large print or two I'm proud of. The focus modes and various metering modes are spot on, that is, of course, if the dummy at the controls has configured the camera properly.
The issues with the white balance and the small buffer keep me from giving the GH2 an unqualified 5-star rating. 4 stars is too few for its overall excellence, so read the 5 stars as being 4.5.
On a final note, I wouldn't say this format is for everyone. There are compromises, which become less with each new model, but you pay extra to lose the weight and bulk of a full-size DSLR. For less money you can buy a DSLR with better specs -- on paper at least. I get a kick out of using this camera, in a way like none other I've owned. Its size, its good handling and ease of use, and the way it rewards when you put it to work all justify the extra dollars out of my wallet.
I am a huge fan of the micro 4/3 format. Point & shots are fine as such, but the lack of manual controls frustrates me as does image quality beyond a 5"x7" print. On the other hand, a full size DSLR feels too bulky in my hand and to carry around often. I learned basic photography using a 70's vintage Nikon FM, so the G-series size is more familiar to my hands than today's full size DSLRs. And with taking candids and street shots, it doesn't feel nearly as intrusive as a 1.5+lb DSLR kit does to me.
So this is my third G-series Panasonic camera. Without a doubt, this is the best one yet. The G1 & G2 are great cameras in their own right, but the GH2 advances the M4/3 format to whole new level. I wanted a faster camera but had too much invested in this format to look elsewhere. The GH2 is faster in every respect over the G2. AF is noticeably quicker, and better yet, very accurate. I've yet to see it really tripped up. Shooting rate is very quick; much, much faster than the G2. Unfortunately it seems Panasonic didn't bump up the buffer size to keep up with the frames per second the camera's capable of. So after about 10 shot burst, the camera freezes up for 5-10 seconds or more, especially if you're shooting RAW -- and I'm using a class 10 8g card. Shooting in jpeg helps some. Don't think of using anything less than a class 6 card, even shooting jpeg. This is a shame as it keeps the camera from being a decent sports/action shooter
Handling is one of my favorite things about the GH2. It feels good in my average-sized guy hands. If you're used to a DSLR, it may feel too light and lacking heft. Coming from point-and-shoots, it feels pretty solid and stable in hand. The thumb grip, while adequate, could be a bit bigger and stickier. The body does have a little too much of a plastic feel and sometimes seems a shade too light. Still, I never have the feeling of it slipping or squirting out of my hand.
The ergonomics are very good. Frequently used settings have manual adjustments. If not, there are now 3 function buttons to customize, as well as 3 custom modes. Or you can drive through the menus. The touchscreen initially struck me as kind of superfluous: I could adjust everything without it. But after awhile, I found myself using the touchscreen much more than I thought I would. It adds another level of control. Sometimes I can't remember where to find setting, but often within two taps of the screen I'm adjusting what I want. It's very helpful in getting the focus point(s) just so on a tricky composition, setting white balance (see below) and reviewing shots.
I always will miss an optical viewfinder, but the GH2's EVF is about as good a substitute as it gets. Smearing and rainbow effect are negligible and only appear in very poor light conditions, as does, not surprisingly, a lot of noise. Otherwise it does fine, even during a fast pan.
I've never been much interested in shooting video, but in the little experimenting I've done, the image quality is absolutely amazing. A number of GH2 owners have posted vids on youtube. Some of these really got me salivating, even though I'm not a video guy. I suspect this may be the camera's better/stronger half.
As for still images, Panasonic is closing in on DSLR quality. The dynamic range and low light speed are much, much improved since the G1, especially daylight, high contrast scenes. Blown highlights are just about a thing of the past. Low light image quality is now quite good at ISO 1600. I can get usable shots up to about ISO 3200, at which point noise is really becoming prevalent. Image stabilization is fine, I suppose: I've not noticed it one way or the other. The new Venus engine seems to render colors closer to their true values than earlier G-series were able to. Images out of the camera (once the WB is properly set, see below), seem sharper and more vivid than the slightly soft look Panasonic cameras I've owned tended to produce.
However, there are two image related issues. First is the auto white balance. It's the camera's greatest weakness. AWB does a pretty good job in ordinary outdoor light, if on occasion a little bit off. Indoors, it's middling at best. In general, inside AWB is too warm, yellow actually, for indoor photos. Moreover, the preset modes, ie, cloudy, incandescent, etc, are quite off and are all but useless. I either set the balance myself -- this is where the touchscreen is very handy -- or use my custom presets. This bothers me less than it sounds. I've learned what to expect and adjust accordingly.
The second issue is really more an issue of preference than a problem. When I'm feeling slow on the draw or just lazy, I'll select the full-on point-and-shoot mode, aka intelligent auto. Shots are consistent and just fine. However, here again, AWB can be a little off. ISO 400 seems to be the default daylight speed when 100 or 200 would be much better, and images once in awhile are little underexposed. Most of which can be addressed post process. But in semi-auto modes where the camera selects the ISO, having it default to ISO 400 when 100 or 200 is warranted, is annoying. But to be fair, in full iA mode, the camera will almost always choose the correct scene -- portrait, children, landscape, etc -- that you're trying to capture and produce pleasing results. Perhaps a firmware update will correct the WB issues and have a better algorithm for the auto ISO.
I can't say I'm enamored of the the kit lens. It's the same lens my G2 came with. I didn't care for its particularly plasticky feel and look. One good bump and it looks like the plastic casing will crack. In operation I think it felt a little cheap too. Given I already had several M43 lenses, I had no need for a kit lens so I ordered the body only. BTW, if you're thinking of a zoom, skip the Pany 45-200mm --it's slow without giving that much zoom -- and go for the 100-300mm. Also, I highly recommend either of the Pany pancake lenses: the 14mm f2.5 or the 20mm f1.7. Both bring out a little something extra from the camera that I can't describe. Images just seem to have a depth, clarity, and tone that other lenses seem to miss. Plus fitted with a pancake lens the camera is small enough to fit in a large coat pocket.
Print-wise, this is where the camera really rewards effort. The rare times I've gotten everything just right have yielded a large print or two I'm proud of. The focus modes and various metering modes are spot on, that is, of course, if the dummy at the controls has configured the camera properly.
The issues with the white balance and the small buffer keep me from giving the GH2 an unqualified 5-star rating. 4 stars is too few for its overall excellence, so read the 5 stars as being 4.5.
On a final note, I wouldn't say this format is for everyone. There are compromises, which become less with each new model, but you pay extra to lose the weight and bulk of a full-size DSLR. For less money you can buy a DSLR with better specs -- on paper at least. I get a kick out of using this camera, in a way like none other I've owned. Its size, its good handling and ease of use, and the way it rewards when you put it to work all justify the extra dollars out of my wallet.
152 of 162 people found the following review helpful
Size Name:14-140mm Lens Kit
Now I know that is a bold statement and I intend to back it up. However, before I do I need to explain what I mean. I am not saying this camera is the best at everything or even anyone thing. Cameras that are the best at something are usually specialized beasts that can really only do that one thing well. What I am talking about is a camera the is so good in so many categories that it can joyfully be used for just about and photographic or video graphic purpose you may have. The GH2 is that camera.
Now that is out of the way we can get to the meat and potatoes of the review. I shoot mostly Nikon and Panasonic and I primarily shoot stills. I dabble in Video but do not proclaim myself any sort of an expert. I can say if you are looking for the best handling combo/cam with the most features then the GH2 is the one you want. Panasonic went out of its way to make this a video camera so that was its primary focus with this camera. However, there are lots of payoffs for the stills part of this camera so this is the best m4/3 stills camera by a long shot also. I will also say that the hard core video market is a niche market compared to the stills market because shallow depth of field video is hard to shoot properly and hard to edit. The average home user has neither the time nor inclination to properly storyboard and shoot this type of video. However, with that said, it is really nice to be able to shoot stills and video. And basic home videos are a snap to shoot with this camera; much more so than any other DSLR with the exception of the Sony SLT A55/33 which at least has a fast auto focus also. To shoot nice home movies, put the mode dial to iA, press the red button, and you are shooting video.
This camera is the next generation of cameras as it successfully blends the advantages of Point and Shoot cameras with the benefits of DSLRs and creates and incredibly small and powerful camera. Listed below are some of the benefits and weakness you get from this next gen camera.
What's Hot
The handling on the GH2 is bar none the best handling "DSLR" on the market. WIth smart controls, great layout, fast autofocusing, swivel screen, full time double live view, etc. Even with how good the D7000 is, it still feels clunky after using the GH2. I get into most of the details of this down below so I don't want to repeat the info here. What I will say here is that you can do things with this camera you couldn't hope to do with DSLRs and you can generally set up your photo parameters much faster with this camera. The menus on the GH2 are not very good. However, the actual camera controls are so good you will rarely even need to use the menus.
Program Shift - Forget using Aperture priority with this camera. You can leave the camera in Program mode. With program shift you can change the aperture setting and thus the shutter speed while in program mode. To do this you press the shutter release button down half way to set the exposure. Then if the numbers are in yellow you just rotate the rear dial switch to change aperture. Want a shallower depth of field or faster shutter speed, then dial in a bigger aperture (smaller number). If the numbers are not in yellow then you are currently in exposure compensation mode. All you have to do is click the rear dial switch and then rotate it. Snap. What a neat feature.
Extra Tele Convert (ETC) Mode in Video - If you shoot video you are going to love this. This is even great for home/casual video shooters. The GH2 has a 16mp sensor but like every other consumer combo/cam shoots 2K video. That means the picture is usually down-sampled to make it 2K. This has some pluses and minuses. Enter the GH2. With the ETC mode the camera uses only 2K of the sensor. This gives you an extra 2.6x crop factor. Which means your total crop factor is now 5.2x. So that brand spanking new 100-300mm you just got is now 520-1560mm with no light loss. If you put a Nikon 135mm f2 then you now have a 702mm f2! lens for video. There are some drawbacks for using ETC also but they are pretty negligible.
Auto focus - the auto focus on the GH2 is twice as fast as the GH1 and the GH1 was the fastest of previous generation. I have seen some very knowledgeable photographers saying it is as fast as mid-level DSLRs. While I think it is supposed to be a complement I don't think it is a very good comparison. I find the focus speed of DSLRs has most to do with what lens you have on. There are some lenses that focus slowly on even a D3. All of the lenses I have used on the GH1 focus very quickly except the 45-200mm. That lens tends to be my slowest. Non of the lenses I have focus as fast as a 70-200mm f/2.8 but the rest of them focus as fast if not faster than any of the other Nikon lenses I own. The best I can say about this is that you won't notice the focus speed on the GH2 as it is fast enough to get out of your way.
Smaller lighter camera - I recently went on a trip to Egypt and carried nothing but my Panasonic gear. Two camera bodies, 5 lenses, 1 flash, an iPad, and camera bag. Total weight 10lbs (3lbs of that was the bag itself). My Nikon D300 and 14-24mm lens would have weight more just by themselves (I was carrying the Panasonic 7-14mm so I did have wide covered)
Swivel Screen with full-time live view - You won't know what you are missing until you become used to this and how well it works. Want to reach up as high as you can and shoot down; No problems. Want to get as low as possible but can't lay down in the mud or water; No problem. Want to take a picture of you and your daughter but there is nobody around; No problem. Turn the screen around aim the camera at you and use the screen to frame. Something that makes photos interesting is showing the viewer something from a perspective they don't often see. The swivel screen actively encourages this. The other thing the swivel screen does is make shooting from a tripod a joy. Because of how small and light this camera is you can use a much smaller tripod. I have a 3lb tripod that can support 7lbs. Also, you can now set you camera up in all sorts of whacky positions and just rotate the screen to be able to frame and focus. Very nice. Also, with no mirror to flip up you don't have to worry about any vibrations.
Touch Focus implemented as slick as on the iPhone. As I mentioned above you can shoot from many strange angles because you can swivel the screen to almost any angle. However, if the camera did not focus on what you wanted it would be hard to change it. Now you can simply touch the screen on what you want to focus and presto it will focus on that. The GH2 is worth the price just for that.
WYSIWYG - What you see is what you get. Since you are looking at either the screen or the beautiful EVF, you are seeing what the sensor sees. With a DSLR you are seeing what the lens sees. This is an important difference. If you forgot to reset your WB or Aperture or any camera setting, you will see it before you shoot. On a DSLR you would have no idea until you looked at the pictures. Also, if it is a low light situation, the EVF will start to noise up and start to lose some of its smoothness. This is a warning to you that you need to use flash or a tripod. With a DSLR the viewer becomes darker but you don't get a very good visual cue of how your camera is seeing it. For me the most brilliant thing with WYSIWYG is setting exposure. Because I can see what the camera is doing with exposure, I usually leave the camera in P mode. Then I change the exposure by changing where I aim the camera, lock the exposure and then reframe for the subject. It works something like this. I am trying to take a picture of a person but the exposure is picking up to many bright objects, thereby dimming my subject. So, I aim the camera to include more dark areas while keeping my subject in the shoot. Then I press the shutter release button down half way to lock the exposure and focus. Then I reframe back to the original photo. This works so quickly you can try several exposures in less time than you could set one with the exposure compensation dial (which is actually exceedingly well executed on this camera also.) In a DSLR, since you don't see the exposure, you are just basically guessing at what you want and then shooting, view the photo and fix. Much slower.
Shoot about any lens you want - The distance from the lens to sensor is so short, that with the appropriate adaptor, you can put just about any lens you want on this camera. Canon, Nikon, Leica, Voigtlander, Pentax, Sony, you can use them all. Generally you need to use lenses which have aperture rings. Additionally, you do lose autofocus but there are many instances where this just doesn't matter. Macro photography is a good example. You can fit a Nikon 200mm f/4 onto the GH2 and then either get a 2:1 reproduction or a 1:1 reproduction with twice the depth of field. It is like putting on a teleconverter without the loss of light and depth of field. Brilliant.
Great for Newbies - All DSLRs are easy for anyone to use and the GH2 is no exception. The great handling makes the GH2 better for newbies in my opinion. Anyway, all you have to do is put the camera into iA mode and start shooting. This camera gets the subject correct more often then not and will make you look good. In dynamic situation, I actually use the iA mode quite a bit. I do this because the camera is good a recognizing as scene as a person, flower, scenery, etc. The camera then instantly sets numerous setting to make that scene look as good as possible. If you tried to do it yourself it could take a few minuets to set and then a few to set back. Or even worse you forget to reset it and you next pictures look bad. Read more ›
Now that is out of the way we can get to the meat and potatoes of the review. I shoot mostly Nikon and Panasonic and I primarily shoot stills. I dabble in Video but do not proclaim myself any sort of an expert. I can say if you are looking for the best handling combo/cam with the most features then the GH2 is the one you want. Panasonic went out of its way to make this a video camera so that was its primary focus with this camera. However, there are lots of payoffs for the stills part of this camera so this is the best m4/3 stills camera by a long shot also. I will also say that the hard core video market is a niche market compared to the stills market because shallow depth of field video is hard to shoot properly and hard to edit. The average home user has neither the time nor inclination to properly storyboard and shoot this type of video. However, with that said, it is really nice to be able to shoot stills and video. And basic home videos are a snap to shoot with this camera; much more so than any other DSLR with the exception of the Sony SLT A55/33 which at least has a fast auto focus also. To shoot nice home movies, put the mode dial to iA, press the red button, and you are shooting video.
This camera is the next generation of cameras as it successfully blends the advantages of Point and Shoot cameras with the benefits of DSLRs and creates and incredibly small and powerful camera. Listed below are some of the benefits and weakness you get from this next gen camera.
What's Hot
The handling on the GH2 is bar none the best handling "DSLR" on the market. WIth smart controls, great layout, fast autofocusing, swivel screen, full time double live view, etc. Even with how good the D7000 is, it still feels clunky after using the GH2. I get into most of the details of this down below so I don't want to repeat the info here. What I will say here is that you can do things with this camera you couldn't hope to do with DSLRs and you can generally set up your photo parameters much faster with this camera. The menus on the GH2 are not very good. However, the actual camera controls are so good you will rarely even need to use the menus.
Program Shift - Forget using Aperture priority with this camera. You can leave the camera in Program mode. With program shift you can change the aperture setting and thus the shutter speed while in program mode. To do this you press the shutter release button down half way to set the exposure. Then if the numbers are in yellow you just rotate the rear dial switch to change aperture. Want a shallower depth of field or faster shutter speed, then dial in a bigger aperture (smaller number). If the numbers are not in yellow then you are currently in exposure compensation mode. All you have to do is click the rear dial switch and then rotate it. Snap. What a neat feature.
Extra Tele Convert (ETC) Mode in Video - If you shoot video you are going to love this. This is even great for home/casual video shooters. The GH2 has a 16mp sensor but like every other consumer combo/cam shoots 2K video. That means the picture is usually down-sampled to make it 2K. This has some pluses and minuses. Enter the GH2. With the ETC mode the camera uses only 2K of the sensor. This gives you an extra 2.6x crop factor. Which means your total crop factor is now 5.2x. So that brand spanking new 100-300mm you just got is now 520-1560mm with no light loss. If you put a Nikon 135mm f2 then you now have a 702mm f2! lens for video. There are some drawbacks for using ETC also but they are pretty negligible.
Auto focus - the auto focus on the GH2 is twice as fast as the GH1 and the GH1 was the fastest of previous generation. I have seen some very knowledgeable photographers saying it is as fast as mid-level DSLRs. While I think it is supposed to be a complement I don't think it is a very good comparison. I find the focus speed of DSLRs has most to do with what lens you have on. There are some lenses that focus slowly on even a D3. All of the lenses I have used on the GH1 focus very quickly except the 45-200mm. That lens tends to be my slowest. Non of the lenses I have focus as fast as a 70-200mm f/2.8 but the rest of them focus as fast if not faster than any of the other Nikon lenses I own. The best I can say about this is that you won't notice the focus speed on the GH2 as it is fast enough to get out of your way.
Smaller lighter camera - I recently went on a trip to Egypt and carried nothing but my Panasonic gear. Two camera bodies, 5 lenses, 1 flash, an iPad, and camera bag. Total weight 10lbs (3lbs of that was the bag itself). My Nikon D300 and 14-24mm lens would have weight more just by themselves (I was carrying the Panasonic 7-14mm so I did have wide covered)
Swivel Screen with full-time live view - You won't know what you are missing until you become used to this and how well it works. Want to reach up as high as you can and shoot down; No problems. Want to get as low as possible but can't lay down in the mud or water; No problem. Want to take a picture of you and your daughter but there is nobody around; No problem. Turn the screen around aim the camera at you and use the screen to frame. Something that makes photos interesting is showing the viewer something from a perspective they don't often see. The swivel screen actively encourages this. The other thing the swivel screen does is make shooting from a tripod a joy. Because of how small and light this camera is you can use a much smaller tripod. I have a 3lb tripod that can support 7lbs. Also, you can now set you camera up in all sorts of whacky positions and just rotate the screen to be able to frame and focus. Very nice. Also, with no mirror to flip up you don't have to worry about any vibrations.
Touch Focus implemented as slick as on the iPhone. As I mentioned above you can shoot from many strange angles because you can swivel the screen to almost any angle. However, if the camera did not focus on what you wanted it would be hard to change it. Now you can simply touch the screen on what you want to focus and presto it will focus on that. The GH2 is worth the price just for that.
WYSIWYG - What you see is what you get. Since you are looking at either the screen or the beautiful EVF, you are seeing what the sensor sees. With a DSLR you are seeing what the lens sees. This is an important difference. If you forgot to reset your WB or Aperture or any camera setting, you will see it before you shoot. On a DSLR you would have no idea until you looked at the pictures. Also, if it is a low light situation, the EVF will start to noise up and start to lose some of its smoothness. This is a warning to you that you need to use flash or a tripod. With a DSLR the viewer becomes darker but you don't get a very good visual cue of how your camera is seeing it. For me the most brilliant thing with WYSIWYG is setting exposure. Because I can see what the camera is doing with exposure, I usually leave the camera in P mode. Then I change the exposure by changing where I aim the camera, lock the exposure and then reframe for the subject. It works something like this. I am trying to take a picture of a person but the exposure is picking up to many bright objects, thereby dimming my subject. So, I aim the camera to include more dark areas while keeping my subject in the shoot. Then I press the shutter release button down half way to lock the exposure and focus. Then I reframe back to the original photo. This works so quickly you can try several exposures in less time than you could set one with the exposure compensation dial (which is actually exceedingly well executed on this camera also.) In a DSLR, since you don't see the exposure, you are just basically guessing at what you want and then shooting, view the photo and fix. Much slower.
Shoot about any lens you want - The distance from the lens to sensor is so short, that with the appropriate adaptor, you can put just about any lens you want on this camera. Canon, Nikon, Leica, Voigtlander, Pentax, Sony, you can use them all. Generally you need to use lenses which have aperture rings. Additionally, you do lose autofocus but there are many instances where this just doesn't matter. Macro photography is a good example. You can fit a Nikon 200mm f/4 onto the GH2 and then either get a 2:1 reproduction or a 1:1 reproduction with twice the depth of field. It is like putting on a teleconverter without the loss of light and depth of field. Brilliant.
Great for Newbies - All DSLRs are easy for anyone to use and the GH2 is no exception. The great handling makes the GH2 better for newbies in my opinion. Anyway, all you have to do is put the camera into iA mode and start shooting. This camera gets the subject correct more often then not and will make you look good. In dynamic situation, I actually use the iA mode quite a bit. I do this because the camera is good a recognizing as scene as a person, flower, scenery, etc. The camera then instantly sets numerous setting to make that scene look as good as possible. If you tried to do it yourself it could take a few minuets to set and then a few to set back. Or even worse you forget to reset it and you next pictures look bad. Read more ›
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great
I shopped the available items and this is the best even for more money. It does movies and photos. Get the Panasonic lens with it as it is automatic. Read more
Published 10 days ago by E. J. Cunningham
5.0 out of 5 stars
I thought I needed it... turns out I did!
Oh DANG. This smexy baby is everything you could want AND MORE. The camera portion of it is alright I guess, but the best, and I mean BEST part, is the footage. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Neutra-man
1.0 out of 5 stars
Don't pay more than $800!
Why would you pay over $700 dollars for this camera (BODY ONLY). Yes it IS WORTH $700 dollars, maybe even eight! Read more
Published 1 month ago by BroadSword
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Video Quality - Good Stills Quality
This camera is awesome.... Very easy to figure out with out reading the manual. Once you apply patches to this camera the video quality is just astounding. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Hazel
4.0 out of 5 stars
Definitely not the best, but it's still pretty good.
There are a lot of pros and cons to this camera. It's lightweight, but that's due to the cheap materials. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Jacob E. Sammer
5.0 out of 5 stars
Videographer's dream camera
Absolutely amazing stills and video camera.
With the high bit rate hack, this is an amazing HD camera with cinema feel. Read more
With the high bit rate hack, this is an amazing HD camera with cinema feel. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Charles
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love it! Great for filming AND photo
I bought this to be my "B roll" camera, but it's so light and so good, I love the flip screen, what can I say? Read more
Published 2 months ago by Joe Ed White
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome Camera
Awesome camera! The hacks available improve the quality tremendously. A lot smaller and lighter than my pentax DSLR which isnt necessarily a bad thing. Read more
Published 2 months ago by MLMENT
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Camera/VIdeo Camera
The GH2 is great camera or video camera for anyone looking to take photos/videos. WIth basic settings, the photos come out very in-depth, balanced, couldn't be more than happy. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Mark Gleizer
5.0 out of 5 stars
Affordable Video DSLR
I'm giving this a five due to it's affordability and high performance. First off, I'm a newbie to the video DSLR arena - which made the GH2 a great entry level camera. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Scott K. Tanaka
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