Panasonic LUMIX GH6, 25.2MP Mirrorless Micro Four Thirds Camera with Unlimited C4K/4K 4:2:2 10-bit Video Recording, 7.5-Stop 5-Axis Dual Image Stabilizer, 12-60mm F2.8-4.0 Leica…

This is absolutely the best micro-four third camera in 2023. The pictures are great and the video quality is the best. The only downside is the CFexpress card, which they should stick with the Duo SD-Card. But I guess I can always use an SSD to record. Autofocus is still an ongoing problem, but it’s a lot better compare to my old GH4. Overall I am very impressed by this camera.

I’m upgrading from the G85. It is worlds better than G85. Overall, in the hand this is a fun camera to use. Everything is accessible and easy to find. I own some high end Pans glass and I think the new sensor gets way more out of the glass I own. My 42.5mm f1.2 was crisp before but with the new color science the images are just way more pleasing. Even sharper perhaps though I may just be crazy. Here are a few of my highlights.

-Upgraded flippy screen: The resolution of the screen is much higher than my G85. It is so easy to see if I am in focus or not. Being able to focus peak and punch in while recording is a dream!

-Skin Tones: Panasonic has shed it self of green and magenta skin tone shifts. Their color science is spot on, like it better than my Sony cameras.

-Improved AF: Not without its flaws but for my use case it is more than capable. Talking head interviews, nature walks, family photos. It is enough for work and play. Photo AF is lightning fast with few misses. I’m amazed at its hit rate when shooting high pics p/s.

-Image stabilization- makes my g85 look like child play. Lenses that support dual IS, WOW.

-Dedicated audio button: This saves so much time and is a major convenience to check levels for talking head interviews.

-Silent fan- I had concerns about fan noise coming into this but I never even notice if the fan kicks on in demanding 4k codecs. Recorded 20min interview in 4k, didn’t run once.

-Simple menu system. Huge improvement over G85. Quick menu button makes things even simpler.

-Handling: I prefer the form factor of my G85 but this is on point as well. A little on the chunky side.

-Lut inclusion: the ability to see post processing luts live is a luxury but now that I have it I can’t live without

-Memory presets: Having 4 memory modes in the top dial makes switching from photos to video and between recording codecs amazing on shoots. I don’t know how I have done run and gun shooting w/o it.

-Red highlights are a nice touch. Goes great with iFootage gear like my gazelle tripod. (see pic)

-The early adopter express card a welcome bonus.

Overall, I’m pleased with this step purchase. With how long it take Panasonic to release cameras I don’t intend to wait around another 5 years for the next gen with *fingers crossed* the perfect AF system. The AF is good enough, I lived most of my life shooting manual before AF. It isn’t the end all be all. YouTubers this is more camera than you’ll ever need but the AF will suite your talking head videos.

This camera is an absolute workhorse/beast. It is exceedingly well built, albeit a little on the hefty side. Ergonomics are spot on and very usable out of the box. Buttons and dials can be customized to suit your shooting style. The menu, while dazzling with its myriad of options is easy to use. Custom modes are easy to program. Assist tools in photo and video modes are awesome. I love the focusing peaking, zebras, waveforms and luminance spot metering available. As a video and photo tool, this camera has all of your bases covered.

Standout features for photo mode include the 100MP handheld high res mode with motion compensation. I am blown away by how well this feature works. Another outstanding feature is the IBIS, I was able to take a 4 second handheld exposure. I tried to do the same with my other camera systems and they couldn’t come close. Panasonic’s IBIS is best in class. The increase to 25MP is a welcome addition and I think a very usable resolution for most work. Noise at high ISO is very well controlled and similar to some of my top APS-C cameras. If my work requires an absolutely noise free image, it’s very easy to run the images through denoting in post. Most of the time, I end up adding back film grain because the images start to look a little too clean for my tastes.

Video mode is where this camera excels. The recording options and formats available put many hybrid cameras to shame. V-log with dynamic range boost produces very flexible footage for color grading. Internal ProRes recording is awesome and so is the ability to record to an external SSD over USB-C. I love being able to shoot in 5.8k open gate mode, which is such a flexible way to shoot if you create content for multiple platforms. Video quality is excellent and of course the IBIS is great too (not a gimbal replacement however). With the built in fan I have experience zero overheating issues.

Autofocus for both photo and video is great for my needs. It is not as terrible as every YouTuber would have you believe. In fact I was pleasantly surprised by how good it is.

For me there are very few cons with this camera. Auto white balance could be better. It is a very bulky/heavy camera for the M43 system. I wouldn’t want to bring it with me on vacation or to do street photography, but there are other cameras for that. It balances very well with the larger lenses for the system, like the Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Summilux 10-25 f/1.7.

Overall the micro four thirds system has many advantages that aren’t often touted. The wide and complete range of lenses. The increased depth of field at fast apertures has been handy for me in low light scenarios. The compact size and better pricing on telephoto lenses compared to 35mm (full frame). While many are running to 35mm (full frame), I do believe that M43 has key advantages that will continue to make it a relevant format in the digital age.

If Panasonic were to release and update to the G9 with some of the tech from this camera I would buy it immediately.