Panasonic is expected to release a new Micro Four Thirds camera this year and most assumed it would come in the form of the GH6. If a new rumor is to be believed, however, Panasonic will instead be announcing a marginally upgraded GH5 Mark II.
Nokishita, which is one of the most respected rumors and leak sources in the photo industry, has published a set of specifications from what it reports will be Panasonic’s next Micro Four Thirds camera, and it’s not the highly-anticipated GH6.
Instead, what Panasonic fans have to look forward to is an upgraded electronic viewfinder, a better battery, and a slightly heavier overall camera.
パナソニック「LUMIX DC-GH5M2」のスペックは有効画素数2033万画素、4K60p動画、368万ドット120fps対応EVF、DMW-BLK22バッテリー、サイズ138.5x 98.1×87.4mm、重さ647g(本体のみ)、米国価格1697ドル(12-60mmキットは2297ドル)になるらしい。#噂
— 軒下デジカメ情報局 (@nokishita_c) May 10, 2021
The original Panasonic GH5 launched in March of 2017 for $2,000 and was largely praised as a notable upgrade over its predecessor, the GH4. Pretty much everything about the camera saw an upgrade, from a slightly larger weatherproofed body, to a 20.3-megapixel sensor with no optical low pass filter, to a new Venus Engine processor. It also got notable filmmaking upgrades, including the ability to capture 4K.60 footage and the ability to shoot internally at 4Kp30 and 4Kp24 in 10-bit 4:2:2. With an optional paid firmware upgrade, it also was able to shoot in V-Log.
As noted by Digicame-Info, none of that is changing with the GH5 Mark II (though it remains to be seen if Panasonic will still charge extra for the V-Log upgrade, as it did not do so when it launched the GH5S in 2018), though Nokishita reports that the launch price of the Mark II will be under what the original came to market for at about $1,700. The report also says it will be available with the 12-60mm lens as a kit for about $2,300.
While sticking with 4K resolution isn’t actually a bad thing, as most filmmakers who enjoy the GH series will attest, not getting access to higher frame rates in 4K is going to disappoint a lot of potential buyers if this rumor holds true. At the end of 2020, Jordan Drake of DPReview TV said he expected Panasonic to come out with the GH6 in 2021 and focus on framerate, not resolution, to at least compete with what was being offered from Sony in the a7S III. The fact that Sony is able to get 4K at 120 frames per second in full-frame while Panasonic seems stuck at 60 frames per second with a much smaller sensor is troubling, and hopefully, the GH5 Mark II either has additional tricks up its sleeve in order to stay competitive.