Anybody who has been learning the ins and outs of shooting video with DSLRs during the past few years is likely very familiar with Dave Dugdale and his excellent educational site Learning DSLR Video. Like the rest of us, Dave started out from square one, with a Canon T2i, a few lenses, and an insatiable hunger to learn anything and everything about the process of DSLR filmmaking. A few years later, Dave is shooting corporate and real-estate videos, and doing it quite well. While his gear has changed a bit since that first DSLR, he has been a Canon shooter since the beginning. Until now, that is. His 45-minute review of the Panasonic GH4 explains why.
Like I mentioned above, this review is a bit on the lengthy side at 45 minutes, but it is definitely worth watching all the way through because Dave has some excellent insight into how the GH4 stacks up against the 5D3 (and how the image stands up to a RED EPIC in terms of sharpness & rolling shutter). So grab a cup of coffee and check out the review. If you're interested in just one of the topics that he covers, check the list below, and jump to the appropriate time in the review.
- 1:26 -- No Zacuto Viewfinder Required
- 2:39 -- Skin tones
- 3:05 -- Slow Motion
- 3:45 -- 4K Detail
- 6:09 -- GH4 vs Red Epic
- 7:33 -- Everything not in focus at f/16?
- 8:19 -- Sensor Size
- 16:43 -- ISO Tests
- 18:42 -- CineLikeD
- 19:48 -- Dynamic Range
- 20:40 -- Pushing the Grade
- 22:05 -- Motion Blur
- 22:50 -- Aliasing
- 23:41 -- Rolling Shutter
- 25:09 -- Focus
- 26:22 -- Time Lapse
- 26:37 -- Construction
- 27:18 -- 4K Pan/Scan
- 28:06 -- Stills
- 30:14 -- 4K Advantages
- 31:59 -- Things I Don’t Like
- 36:14 -- Magic Lantern Raw?
- 36:51 -- Sony A7S?
- 38:07 -- C100?
- 39:19 -- Conclusion: Why I am leaving Canon?
Like most of the reviews and comparison videos with the GH4 that we've seen so far, Dugdale's conclusions are quite similar. It's an incredibly sharp camera that blows all other DSLRs out of the water in terms of sharpness, especially in its 4K 100Mbps mode. That much is self-evident at this point. The GH4 produces excellent 4K images with the same workflow simplicity as other DSLRs at a price that is unmatched.
However, the fact that the GH4 looks better and is more versatile than the Canon 5D3 is only part of the reason that Dugdale isn't going to be a Canon guy any longer. In his review, he confirms something that many of us have suspected for quite a while: that Canon has no vested interest in adding new video-centric features to its DSLRs because it would essentially cannibalize their line of cinema cameras, all of which are significantly more expensive. Panasonic, on the other hand, has proven that they're extremely interested in continuing to innovate with their lower-end products, and it makes economic sense for them to do so since they don't run the risk of cannibalizing an entire line of higher end cameras.
Ultimately, Canon is going to have some serious work to do if it wants to maintain the DSLR filmmaking market that it inadvertently created 6 years ago. If they fail to innovate and compete with the likes of companies like Panasonic and Blackmagic for the low-end market, their DSLR's may very well begin to fall out of favor with the people who have been steadfastly relying on them since day one. Dave Dugdale might be done with Canon, but if these trends continue, he certainly won't be the last one.
What do you guys think of Dugdale's review? Are Canon DSLRs going to remain relevant in the world of independent filmmaking, or are they becoming a vestige of years past as cameras like the GH4 surpass them? Leave your thoughts down in the comments!
Link: GH4 Review and Why I am Leaving Canon -- Learning DSLR Video
