John Matthews

The body looks nice, but don't people think it's a bit silly to carry a bunch of lenses, each with a huge medium format flange? I don't think they're getting around the physics. Same thing happened to the Sony A7 series cameras. Upon adding a G-master lens, it's the same size as its DSLR counterpart... the only difference is that the DSLR user will only have ONE integrated flange on the body to carry around.

Ok. I get it. Just to give some of my experience with it... I've noticed that the blue channel seems rather noisy in the shadows (nothing like my old RX100 though). Red channel seems to evoke a sort of blurring/glowing effect. Green, as always, is a champion. If someone could tell me how to get the best results from these channels, it'd be very helpful. I was planning on doing some tests myself this week. I think one of the most difficult things to do with 8-bit signals is to get accurate memory colors (like skin) in shadowy areas. So far, I've been using the standard profile with reasonable results.

That was a mistake, right? Haven't tried this, but I'm certain you'd get inconsistent results doing so.

I think that's about right. 2.22 times crop from 35mm.

Thank you for responding. I'm genuinely interested in the reason for why that is because the difference seemed huge (almost double in size) between the Panasonic f1.4 and the Olympus F2! I know you can change the shape of the bokeh by placing a dark piece of paper with it cut in the shape you want in front of the lens, but I didn't know the front element size determines the size of the bokeh ball... interesting.

OMG this discussion seems pointless. FF vs. MF vs. phone vs. etc. That's not what this post was about. Let's move on... next. Guess what... "You can't convince someone against their will." Someone's grandmother once said that.

I really don't see the big deal in syncing... During the shoot, I would spend about the same amount of time setting up an external recorder versus a wired or wireless option. Throw the files on the computer. Ok... this takes the most time. Depending on the file size, it could take as long at 1 minute for a big 24-bit audio file. Syncing in FCPX: Select both files. Right-click and select: "Synchronize clips"... 15 seconds later... voilà... works like magic. In the timeline: Expand audio. Select audio from camera and press "v" to disable audio. Adjust your levels and you're done. 10 seconds. So, what we're really talking about is 2 minutes (maximum) of extra time, but you get a fantastic audio file and it costs much less. If your time is worth that much, I'll argue that you wouldn't have asked the question on this forum. If fact, the only "hard" part of this whole thing is keeping track of which audio file goes with which video file. The only real negative that I can think of to this method is during the recording. You can't adjust and monitor an external recorder (placed next to your subject on-set) if the sound becomes too loud... audio ruined. So care needs to taken when setting the levels.

Ha! Thank you for enlightening me about that Ford... looks really cool. I'm a little confused though about the pricing on it. $400,000 for a Ford designed by Ferrari? A Ferrari (new) is in the $250,000 price range. Why would I want that? I think Ford might have got this the wrong way around... this is ONLY for the Ford brand... not to make money. One of those, "Hey. look what we can do" type moments. Going back to the lens, we don't know if they're in limited quantities, but I bet they are. True Leicas are priced WAY higher than this lens. Take off the Panasonic name, make it in Germany in a Leica factory and you've just multiplied the price of this lens by 5-10 times. Now, is it overpriced? Again, if you like the look, there's no price for that... period. Not saying this lens has a great look, but telling stories is about art, not science. PS: Please don't ruin this thread by talking about lens equivalencies regarding full-frame... (directed at everyone, not you)

I'm going to say that it's not quite comparable. First, that lens has been on the market for some time. The list price is $999 when it first came out. This Leica has JUST come into the market. Second, I know Fuji makes great lenses and I'm sure this one is wonderful, but could there be more value in the "designed by Leica" made by Panasonic brand? I'm not sure. I bet this lens will come down in price a little within the first 3-6 months... especially if no one's buying it due to cost. I think Panasonic got hit with a heavy design cost by Leica and now they have to make it up. Perhaps, they gave it a "premium" price to get more pros... just an idea. This branding strategy is a little strange and contradictory in a way. It's like making a Ferrari designed Ford or something. How much would you pay for that? I guess if it looks and drives like a Cobra- that's cool. However, if it looks and drives like a Mustang with a Farrari engine- less cool. Not sure if that makes sense, but that's kind of how I see it.

Actually, I'm a little confused about why the bokeh balls are bigger at F2. Does the size of the front element decide that?

I'm not sure an EVF like on the EM5II is actually technically possible. Gordon Laing was talking about that on the About the Gear episode for the GX80. Space being the primary concern... maybe that hump is there for a reason, even with an EVF? I don't see the color-tearing problems that some talk about. All I see is a great way to frame behind tons of useful information like a histogram and zebras. Is the image great? No. Is it God-awful bad? No. I'd say it goes with GX80's nature- really practical. IMO this camera was really meant for shooting with the LCD primarily- it's fantastic, even in bright sunlight. It has a fantastic touch screen- one of the best in the business. Top it off with several customisable buttons and I'm quite happy with the interface and handling. Comparing it to the A6300 and the RX100, I definitely prefer the GX80. Again, not perfect, but good enough for me considering its size.

So to sum up: ergonomics and EVF... I agree that those might be its weak points. I feel it's quite a step up from a GX7 though... So many more features than the GX7. For me, the GX7 had one MAJOR annoying thing: the placement of the grip-side camera strap. For that reason alone, I wanted the GX80 and I would easily change the grip size for that. Also, the GX7 looked strange when you have the popup flash out and the EVF up- Frankenstein camera! Why didn't you just sell the EM5II and get the G7? Seems like it would have been a better fit for you.

I fully agree. It simply can't be done. The microphone needs to be close to the subject. The first time you do it, you're really surprised how much better the audio is... regardless the microphone. The fact that the GX80's audio can practically only be used for sync FORCES users to do it the right way. In fact, maybe it's a feature.

Another review...

In France, many places still have it on back-order. I wonder if the sales were higher or lower than expected.

Ha! I wish. I think I'd love the look! But my wife wouldn't like the price tag! If I were a solo guy and I could make money at either photography or videography, I'd do it in a heartbeat! Unfortunately, I live in a lost part of France where the equivalent of craigslist rules the imagery world. I have to stick with teaching English- it's what I'm good at. Meanwhile, I need to buy my wife a new car- maybe version 2 of this lens... in 5 years.

I'll just add my 2 cents. What makes a lens great: high micro-contrast high sharpness across the field excellent IS low distortion round bokeh balls low chromatic aberration no vignetting maintains colors easy-to-use and handle withstand torrential rainfall durable reasonable size aperture ring distance markings perhaps more?... The above looks mathematical, but if you like the look, you like the look. It's more subjective than people think. This lens checks a lot of boxes (no IS, but no big deal with a GX80). So, why does this lens cost so much? It doesn't. I'll argue in favor of buying this lens on the sole criterion: "I like the look." Lenses can range from free (someone gave me one once) to millions (think NASA). Now, the cost of ownership could be actually quite cheap (provided you don't break it). At $1299 (retail full price), it seems expensive, but how much can you sell it for later? I bet you could sell it for more than $600 by the time you move on to something else. Meanwhile, you've just shot a bumload of photos and videos with the "look" you like. How much would that be worth to you? In short, the Panasonic Leica 12mm sounds like a state-of-the-art lens for 2016. And, if you were to put your money in a lens for MFT, a fast wide one would be a good place. They're the more difficult ones to design and manufacture... period. Also, this thing is quite small (which is arguably THE POINT OF MFT). "But it's not full frame!" Who cares? People get caught up in this argument all the time and it's quite meaningless. Can I get shallow DOF on MFT? YES!!! "But I want only the cornea of the eye to be in perfect focus and the rest to be a beautiful bokeh ball!" Really? If there's one argument not often made against full-frame, it's that it lacks DOF (especially for videography)... just saying. It's no wonder that film industry rarely uses them.

I'm quite surprised about 30 minutes. I've heard reports of 1 hour and 30 minutes. That's really low. I bought 2 extra batteries for 30 Euros with a charger. I think I'm covered, you might consider the same. This problem would have been solved had Panasonic been able to change their voltage requirements- I wanted to hook up a USB battery pack like my RX100!

I have more faith that people will be tired of the the one-liners. It's already happening. What happens when Facebook is full of only that? Do they actually have any real value after? What does one gain from going there? I prefer EOSHD. Community is still king... always has been. This site brings people with similar interests together. I'm quite happy with it. I know many people who HATE Facebook, but only feel they have to use it because everyone uses it. I check mine once a week. I check this site daily.

Hi Jordan, thank you for responding. TCSTV has now got over 200,000 subs. Congratulations! That's amazing! Some people probably have full-time jobs with those kinds of numbers. I really like your show and I look forward to seeing many more episodes. You're taking criticism the right way, meaning, when constructive, people are trying to make your show better... not worse. I respect what you have to say, as I'm just an aspiring filmmaker who wants to learn the tools of the trade. With the number of your youtube subs, there undoubtably comes great responsibility to get it right. 2016 will be a make or break year for many of the companies out there... and there are a lot of people and jobs who depend on camera sales. You've got a difficult job... Good luck! ... especially with people like me who are going to double and triple check everything you say. Many of us have tried to contact Panasonic about the HDMI to get clear information on it. Sounds easy enough, but no response. Can you put in the question? I'd think you've got more pull. Concerning the 80d, there was a touch of sarcasm in my post. Dual-pixel AF sounds great, but I think people are going ga-ga over this tech, not taking into consideration more important issues and features. Personally, I'd rather have a detailed 4k image and IBIS. That's just me though. And just a note, I had a look at the dpreview review (that sounds weird) of the GX85 and I also didn't agree with some of the things they said there... and I found a few mistakes.

Saw it on BandH for 1299... ouch! Maybe I'll go the speedbooster route for wide shots, or just get the Olympus 12mm or Panasonic Leica 15mm. Still, consider this: for $3300, you get a Panasonic Leica 12mm F1.4, a Panasonic Leica 42.5 F1.2, and a GX80... that would be about the price of a A7R ii body only. Those lenses could be some of the best that MFT has to offer.

I'm pretty sure this is my next MFT lens: http://www.43rumors.com/ft5-leaked-first-images-new-panasonic-12mm-f1-4-asph-lens/ Panasonic Leica branded 12mm F1.4- no IS, but you won't be needing it with the GX80. Could be priced at $600- perhaps more. I'll start saving.

Great to see you post! Interesting codec specs... not quite sure what it all means, but I'm hesitant to say you somehow recorded 1080p 60fps 10-bit 4:2:2. I have my doubts. A number have put in questions regarding this point to Panasonic. I wrote Panasonic France and they said they would forward my question to HQ... we'll see. I bet they're being cagy for some reason... or they're just inefficient. Your Blackmagic video assist could be just recording zeros on a 8-bit signal. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. I also looked at Fuji, but they're just too far behind on the video front- great color, but awful moiré and aliasing problems. Not sure which Fuji you held, but have you tried to change the ISO when the camera's at your eye? I bet it's harder than the GX80. I've never been a fan of its dedicated dials. I do admit that I would have liked to see a little larger grip on the GX80 (possibly with a GH4 battery), but then again I've just bought 2 extra batteries and the AC adapter- power won't be a concern for me, but holding it took some adjustment.

I think Fotodiox makes one... not sure if its any good. Maybe someone has experience with it. Also, do you want the IBIS to work with it? If so, it would need to communicate it to the camera...

Pretty sure you can't. For that setup, I think you need an adapter with electrical contacts or with aperture built into the adapter...