Panasonic Lumix GH7: Upgrade for the vlogging favourite

The Lumix GH7 is Panasonic's new hybrid camera with a micro four-thirds sensor. Compared to its predecessor, it has improved autofocus and now offers two native light sensitivities (Dual Gain ISO). Panasonic has also given the GH7 plenty of video functions for professionals. The housing and operation remain the same.

Cameras

EUR2199,–

Panasonic GH7 Body

26.50 Mpx, Micro Four Thirds

4

Cameras

EUR2199,–

Panasonic GH7 Body

26.50 Mpx, Micro Four Thirds

4

The most important specifications at a glance:

The sensor of the GH7 is the same as in the Lumix G9 II. Its resolution is 25.2 megapixels - the same as the GH6. However, the new sensor supports Panasonic's hybrid autofocus with phase detection. It focuses significantly faster than the old contrast-based system and offers face and eye recognition. This improvement should go down well in the vlogging scene, where the GH series is very popular.

Lots of scope for post-production

The reason for this is the extensive video functions. For example, the GH7 can record 5.7K videos in ProRes Raw directly in the camera. Although this results in very large files, it allows more flexibility in post-production. In normal formats, 4K videos with up to 120 frames per second (FPS) are possible. With the new Lumix Lab app, you can also create your own LUTs and transfer them to the camera.

The GH7 now supports 32 bit float audio. This means it can record sound with more dynamic range. This means that the audio level needs to be set less precisely during recording, as loud sounds are cut off less quickly. 32 bit float audio is best compared to the raw format for photos.

Is the smaller sensor worth it?

Nothing has changed in terms of the body and operation compared to its predecessor. The GH7 is larger and heavier than its photo-focussed sister, the G9 II. It has active cooling so that it does not overheat during long video recordings. The display can still be folded out and rotated.

The electronic viewfinder still has a resolution of 3.86 million pixels. Too bad, an improvement would have been welcome here. Just like the battery life. According to the CIPA standard, this only improves minimally from 360 to 380 images.

The biggest compromise of the GH7 remains the small sensor size compared to APS-C or full-frame - especially as the camera body is still relatively large and expensive. Micro Four Thirds is associated with a smaller dynamic range and poorer noise behaviour. However, these disadvantages are usually less visible in videos than in photos. And if you take the size of the lenses into account, the overall system is more compact than those with larger sensors. <p