Please help me choosing GH4 vs A7R2

[adrjork]

Hi guys,

I’m searching for an advice about a video-camera. Just a pair of questions.

I’m following a “video-composition for music” course in the Conservatory of Trieste, and my Prof says that I have to choose and buy a camera to begin shooting (and I’m a beginner).

I try to make the point about the specs I probably really need:
1. Low Light: I will surely shot exclusively in natural light, without reflectors or led-panels, so I need a fast camera;
2. Dynamic Range (and bit depth): working in natural light I’ll need to grade a lot in post;
3. Sharpness: I will do composing, so the image has to be well detailed;
4. Hybrid: it would be better if the camera could do stills too;
5. Workflow: I’d like to work with video-files that don’t require a super-priced-monster-mac (I’m a mac user).

After various researches and comparison tests from internet, I’ve found 4 competitors: GH4R (with V-Log), A7S, A7R2, BMCC2.5k.

GH4R vs BMCC2.5k
I’ve seen that BMCC2.5k has a wide and filmic 13 stops Dynamic Range, but it seems to me that it’s not a low-light champion, and no stills at all. On the other side, GH4 is a real hybrid camera and it outputs sharp 4K, yes it has a narrower 10 stops Dynamic Range but the new V-Log L profile should add 2 stops, and I can link the 10bit HDMI output directly to the new Atomos Assassin to match the 10bit 422 Prores of the Blackmagic, but in 4K!
So GH4 wins! (BUT the workflow of HD 10bit Prores is smoother than 4K 10bit Prores… Surely HD doesn’t need more than an iMac, while - this is my first question for you guys - grading or composing 4K requires a big bad Mac Pro, isn’t it?)

A7S vs A7R2
A7S is most of all video oriented (with 12MP the stills are really small for print) while the A7R2 is another real hybrid that makes really big stills. I’ve seen a low light comparison between A7S and A7R2 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8eaWln57cc) and it reveals that up to ISO 12800 the two cameras are pretty similar in noise level.
So for my needs I think A7R2 is the winner.

GH4R vs A7R2: The showdown
After a comparison test between the two cameras (http://www.eoshd.com/2015/08/panasonic-gh4-vs-sony-a7r-ii-low-light-speed-booster-shootout/) Andrew Reid says GH4 is not so far from A7R2… Well, I’ve seen a big difference: A7R2 has a wider Dynamic Range and seems to be almost noise free, but this comparison lacks something:
1. GH4 was tested without V-Log L profile (and this should improve the GH4’s DR by 2 stops!);
2. Both footages are internal codec, while I’d would be curious to see both footages taken with Atoms Assassin: because GH4’s HDMI outputs 10bit, while A7R2 outputs only 8bit.
So, who would be the winner if GH4 were equipped with V-Log L and 10bit Prores?
That is the second question of you guys.

Thanks a lot for your appreciated help.

[D Fuller]

We can tell you a lot of stuff, but you should try the cameras out. Lensrentals.com has both of them. You should try them out because one of the most important things to learn about a video camera is how useable it is. That is to say: how well can you make the shots you want to make? Can you keep them in focus? (Sony's a7s viewfinder is dreadful, so an outboard monitor is a must for focus.) Can you move the camera as you want, or does it really need a cage? Does it dossolve into rolling shutter when you move it?

In my experience, any DSLR or mirrorless needs at least $1000 worth of stuff before it's really useable as a motion camera: a viewfinder or outboard monitor and a cage with a top handle at a minimum. Where it goes from there depends on your shooting style.