p.1 #1 · How is the GH6 with Panasonic 100-400m for 4K Bird Video
Hello there,
I am wondering if anyone is using the GH6 with 100-400mm lens for a 4K bird video. I am interested in IS handheld capability and 4K 120P video quality. AF capability will be good to hear too. Now I use EM1iii and 4K video is ok. I hope to benefit from a 10-bit 4K 120P video plus a 1.4X crop factor from 5.7 to 4K from GH6 compared to OM-1.
p.1 #2 · How is the GH6 with Panasonic 100-400m for 4K Bird Video
I don't have the GH6 and I don't have the 100-400mm, but I'm quite sure that you won't be happy using that combo for birds in flight for one reason only: AF-C. Although you'll miss out on 4K 120P and 5.7K, I'm quite sure that the OM-1 will give much more satisfactory results, and I'm saying that as a hardcore Panasonic fan.
If you want it all, Nikon can solve that for you with the Z9, but that's another price level and not least another weight class.
If you can afford it, the Zuiko 150-400mm is the lens you should be looking for if staying with MFT, and there's plenty of evidence on this forum to support that. If not, the Zuiko 100-400 is a very good lens, and at least as sharp as the Panasonic.
p.1 #3 · How is the GH6 with Panasonic 100-400m for 4K Bird Video
akepp wrote:
Hello there,
I am wondering if anyone is using the GH6 with 100-400mm lens for a 4K bird video. I am interested in IS handheld capability and 4K 120P video quality. AF capability will be good to hear too. Now I use EM1iii and 4K video is ok. I hope to benefit from a 10-bit 4K 120P video plus a 1.4X crop factor from 5.7 to 4K from GH6 compared to OM-1.
Thank you so much,
Passakorn
Do you already have a PL100-400? Getting a good copy of the PL 100-400 is a hit or miss proposition (at least it has been for me). I have had 4 copies over the years. My latest copy is pure garbage, but the one I had before that was sharp and really nice to use. I agree with the comments above regarding subject detection and AFC. I don't think this would be a good setup for bird video.
p.1 #4 · How is the GH6 with Panasonic 100-400m for 4K Bird Video
akepp wrote:
Hello there,
I am wondering if anyone is using the GH6 with 100-400mm lens for a 4K bird video. I am interested in IS handheld capability and 4K 120P video quality. AF capability will be good to hear too. Now I use EM1iii and 4K video is ok. I hope to benefit from a 10-bit 4K 120P video plus a 1.4X crop factor from 5.7 to 4K from GH6 compared to OM-1.
Thank you so much,
Passakorn
Most serious wildlife videos are still shot with manual focus, so I guess it depends how serious you want to get with your videos. The Panasonic bird detect AF acquires the subject very quickly, but you don't get eye AF tracking. I even gave up on the Sony A1 for bird videos because it loses eye EF in video mode.
p.1 #5 · How is the GH6 with Panasonic 100-400m for 4K Bird Video
akepp wrote:
Hello there,
I am wondering if anyone is using the GH6 with 100-400mm lens for a 4K bird video. I am interested in IS handheld capability and 4K 120P video quality. AF capability will be good to hear too. Now I use EM1iii and 4K video is ok. I hope to benefit from a 10-bit 4K 120P video plus a 1.4X crop factor from 5.7 to 4K from GH6 compared to OM-1.
Thank you so much,
Passakorn
Hi Passakorn,
While I have yet to mate my sweetie's PL 100-400 to my GH6 (I can't seem to get her to take it off of her G9) I can state quite assuredly that the Dual-IS functioning of Panasonic's camera/lens-combos is a wonderful thing. Being able to keep a steady view of a target at an 800mm-FF-equvalent FOV was quite the revelation with her G9 and, quite frankly, the very reason for getting her into this system!
That said, learning to be effective at shooting at such extreme focal lengths does require an investment of time, effort, concentration and commitment. My experience with shooting at (an actual FF) 800mm FL goes back to my Canon 5DII and 7D days with my tripod-mounted Sigma 300-800mm and learning to find and keep a target in view (especially with "busy" surroundings) is a practice of patience and kindness towards oneself in learning a challenging skill. While the Dual-IS technology and lightweight handheld nature of the GH6/100-400 does help lessen the learning curve, do not expect it to be an instant cure-all for the challenges ahead.
Regarding shooting "open gate" on the GH6 (and my S1's), it is my preferred method for shooting wildlife video for the very 4K-cropability reasons you state and there's also the benefit of providing for some extra image stabilization and 4K/1080P frame-panning in post with one's NLE (see image below). I'm greatly looking forward to see what Panasonic will offer in an 8K camera!
Regarding AF for long-distance focusing with an extreme telephoto (such as the 100-400), I generally avoid it and use MF. In my experience, the DOF at 800mm(FF)/400mm(MFT) is very shallow and I've yet to encounter an AF system that can reliably nail critical focus (on small targets such as birds) on a consistent basis and at those critical moments.
My preferred method for focusing on the Panasonic cameras (at those focal lengths) is to use MF mode and punch-in the image via focus assist (I prefer full frame vs PIP) and do a back-button AF then MF tweak as necessary. BIF with AF at those focal lengths is (again, IME) an acquired skill with any system, and my preference when using it is to shoot a bit wider (Read: PL 50-200) and take advantage of the open-gate-crop-later benefits. That said, the PL 100-400 does an amazing job in acquiring initial focus (either AF or MF/AF), but I always verify via the punch-in.
Also, the GH6 also has in-camera settings for focus limiting, it's a great tool and worth the time to learn!
Anyhoo, keep us posted on what you decide!
Jimmy G
Edit: added AF/MF info.
Sensor Aspect Ratios for Frame Rates from GH6 Manual.
p.1 #6 · How is the GH6 with Panasonic 100-400m for 4K Bird Video
Thank you very much for all of the comments. I have been using EM1iii with a pana 100-400 for a few years now. I think my copy is OK, nothing spectacular but it is sharp to my eyes. I can do a handheld 4k video with the EMI1iii at eqv 800mm with a bit of shaking as it has only 24/30p. I hope that the 120P from the GH6 would give me both less shaking and also slow motion. I do not expect to video BIF with either EM1 and GH6 with AF. I am learning on how to do a manual follow focus in video now. Handheld video will be a bit difficult with manual focus anyway. If it is a pure photography I would pick the OM-1 instantly but for video I will get stuck with 800mm for a 4k video. Just hope the GH6 will give me a bit of flexibility.
Too bad that Fuji XH2 does not have 4K120p otherwise it would be perfect and still have 2x crop factor for its 8k video. In fact now I am trying to take photos with F8 all the time in various conditions to see if I can live with f8 lens (Fuji 150-600) for both slower shutter speed, and higher ISO. For the xh2s, even though it has only 6K video it fall in between OM1 and GH6 for a hybrid bird camera.
I don’t see much bird video from gh6 in you tube provable due to it slow focus for bird.ps.
p.1 #8 · How is the GH6 with Panasonic 100-400m for 4K Bird Video
akepp wrote:
Hello there,
I am wondering if anyone is using the GH6 with 100-400mm lens for a 4K bird video. I am interested in IS handheld capability and 4K 120P video quality. AF capability will be good to hear too. Now I use EM1iii and 4K video is ok. I hope to benefit from a 10-bit 4K 120P video plus a 1.4X crop factor from 5.7 to 4K from GH6 compared to OM-1.
Thank you so much,
Passakorn
The Panasonic bodies will provide better IS with that lens than any of the Olympus bodies will.
If you can live without 4K120, the G9 does 4K60 and has bird detect AF, which the GH6 lacks.
p.1 #10 · How is the GH6 with Panasonic 100-400m for 4K Bird Video
jimmy462 wrote:
Um, well, my GH6 actually does AF birds...and wolves, and lions apparently, but I've never tested the latter two...
I guess the reviews I read where people complained about the GH6 not having bird/animal detect AF were obviously wrong... I never bothered to dig any deeper since I have no interest in the GH6 myself, but it's good to know that feature is there.
p.1 #11 · How is the GH6 with Panasonic 100-400m for 4K Bird Video
I have just found this thread.
Have you compared G9 with GH6 already meanwhile? I am missing the digital zoom in the GH6, and think about selling it again and go back to G9 for more reach.
jefflee wrote:
Gh6 is my next buy. Here is 4K using digital teleconverter, PL100-400 on a tripod using G9.
p.1 #12 · How is the GH6 with Panasonic 100-400m for 4K Bird Video
What settings are you guys using the GH6 with the PL100-400?
I am using 4K, 30p and sometimes 120p for slowmo.
Mostly 420, since I am not sure what benefit I get from 422.
p.1 #13 · How is the GH6 with Panasonic 100-400m for 4K Bird Video
As a wildlife focused amateur videographer, I shoot everything in 10-bit, 60fps or 120fps at the highest resolution possible to allow for cropping in post. I've decided to adopt 60p as default timeline for smooth motion but will drop to 30p if I want to enhance slow motion. This applies to both my main FF camera (Z9) and the GH6 which is my carry camera.
For butterflies-in-flight I typically shoot HD240 but plan to try HD300 with the GH6 this year. The GH6 high frame-rate IQ isn't very good so it may require post-process enhancement through Topaz Video AI. The difference between 420 and 422 is negligible in all cases so I ignore it.
p.1 #14 · How is the GH6 with Panasonic 100-400m for 4K Bird Video
FWIW I recently purchased the GH6 and bought it with the OM Systems 100-400 since the reviews I read/watched showed it was sharper than the PL100-400. I ended up testing both lenses on the GH6 (including a two different samples of the PL 100-400) and can confirm the OM system lens is much sharper than the PL version, especially at 400mm. BUT I found the IS to be wholly incompatible between the two difference systems. The GH6 IBIS would work with the OM system lens (obviously not in synch mode) but the image would really jump around making panning virtually impossible. The image would even jump around when shooting static shots unless you held the camera very steadily. It might not be so much of a problem at lower focal lengths but it was a huge issue at longer 400mm focal lengths.
Suffice it to say I had to exchange the OM system lens for the PL lens to ensure full system IS compatibility, which is much superior.
In many ways I would have preferred the OM-1 and OM Systems 100-400 combo, both for the sharpness and superior AF, but video on that camera is very weak in comparison to the GH6 (only sharp at 30p, very soft at 60p and it doesn't do 4k120) so I decided on the GH6 and just shoot it in MF. So far, so good!
