Panasonic's Lumix GH6 Puts Video at the Forefront
The Lumix GH series is a long-running favorite for video-first creators—the most recent GH5 Mark II is one of our top recommendations for video pros and vloggers looking for a 4K camera. Rivals have pushed video resolution further, and Panasonic is catching up with the Lumix GH6, a new model that co-exists with the GH5 II in the lineup, and one that delivers a substantially upgraded video toolkit, as well as some reasons for stills photographers to pay attention.
Panasonic, curiously, tells us that the GH6 is built as a stills camera first. It's true that its body design takes its cues from stills cameras—the centered viewfinder, handgrip, and silhouette are unmistakeable. In the world of cinema production, the form factor lies somewhere between outlier and disruptor—no one would mistake it for an Arri Alexa or other Hollywood production camera.
The GH6 is built for use in the studio and out in the field. The USB-C port and supplied power adapter will run the camera continuously for on-set use. For use outdoors the magnesium alloy chassis with dust and splash protection comes in handy—we've not yet tried the GH6, but have no reason to expect it to be any less durable than the GH5 II.
In the consumer mirrorless space, the GH series is the darling for videographers. And the GH6 has a pretty fantastic toolkit—it supports 5.7K at up to 60fps, and can record at 4K UHD or DCI at up to 120fps with sound. Continuous autofocus is supported while recording in most modes, but is dropped from the in-camera silent VFR slow-motion mode; despite significant upgrades to the image processor, that's just a bit too much for it to handle.
Long-form recording is no problem. The GH6 doesn't limit clip length and includes an in-camera fan to
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