How do you choose between the Lumix GH5 and the newer GH5s? Since the two cameras share a number of features, it can be difficult to know which will be a better fit for your video production work.
To help you decided between the GH5 and the GH5s, we’ll go over the top differences between the two cameras: their native ISOs, sensor aspect ratios, top resolution and frame rates, and image stabilization.
Low-Light Performance
The native ISO of a camera is the ISO at which the analog signal is converted to a digital signal without being amplified. Typically as you need to brighten the image by increasing the ISO, the image quality degrades. Every digital camera has a native ISO. The GH5 has a single native ISO of 400. This means that after ISO 400, you see more and more noise as you increase the ISO.
The GH5s is a bit different; it has a dual native ISO. That means it has a native ISO of 400 as well as a second native ISO of 2,500. With two native ISOs, noise is reset at ISO 2,500, allowing you to use higher ISOs with less noise.
Sensor Aspect Ratio
The aspect ratio of a sensor is tied to the type of work it will do. Additionally, it will affect the amount of crop you get. The GH5 has four aspect ratios to choose from, 1:1, 3:2, 4:3 and 16:9.
With its Multi-Aspect sensor, the GH5S captures a wider field of view than that of other four-thirds sensor cameras. Less crop equals more field of view at the same resolution. This will give videographers the advantage using the maximum sensor area possible.
Top Resolution and Frame Rate
The GH5’s top resolution and format is 60 frames per second in UHD 4K. And that’s nothing to scoff at.
By contrast, the GH5s offers 60 frames per second in resolutions up to Cinema 4K.
That gives you a slightly wider, more cinematic aspect ratio. When producing in UHD, the increased resolution will also give you some wiggle room to reposition framing left and right.
Being able to shoot a high frame rate for slow-motion video can be key to getting a dramatic and cinematic shot.
The GH5s uses a new sensor to enable an increase in high-speed recording compared to the GH5. The GH5 will capture up 7.5 times slow-mo. However, the GH5s can capture up to 10 times slow-mo. Shooting the highest frame rate on the GH5s will make a two-second shot into 20 seconds.
Image stabilization
The GH5 introduced in body image stabilization of the sensor. This allows for image stabilization regardless of the lens attached.
However, Panasonic removed the in-body image stabilization from the GH5S in favor of deploying the larger Multi-Aspect Four-thirds sensor. This enables, in combination with the lower pixel count, the ability to capture accurate color in low light with lower levels of noise.
Both the GH5 and GH5s offer appealing features to video shooters, but there’s no clear winner here. The GH5 offers shooting at 60 frames per second in UHD 4K and image stabilization, no matter the lens that’s attached. Meanwhile, the GH5s offer shooting at 60 frames per second in resolutions up to Cinema 4K, a wider field of view, and dual ISO, allowing you to shoot at higher ISO with less noise.
Which camera you get depends on which features you see yourself using the most. We hope we’ve given you some insight into the most important features to consider.
For more information on either the Panasonic Lumix GH5 or GH5s, visit http://www.shop.panasonic.com/lumixg Instagram @LumixUSA and Facebook.com/Lumix
