Big test
PERFORMANCE: ISO Test pictures were taken using the Lumix GH5 Mark II’s full ISO range, from 200 to 25,600, with both outdoor scenes and a controlled indoor situation. In-camera noise reduction was turned off and processing noise reduction was set to default when the Raws were processed. ISO performance was good – images looked very clean up to ISO 800, where noise started to appear. But, even at this speed, you needed There’s also a focus joystick – for me, it was slightly too far left, but works well enough. AF zone can be altered quickly using the touch monitor, and there is a focus & drag option when the eye is up to the EVF eyepiece; the active area can be picked to suit, too. The EVF image is excellent and detailed – pushing the DISP button switches between an image laden with camera info and a cleaner one with just key exposure details. Navigating the in-depth menu is easy enough – it can be done with the focus lever, input dials and using the touch flip-out monitor. FOXED Shot with the GH5 Mark II and Lumix G Vario 100-300mm f/4-5.6 at the 300mm end on a beanbag. The exposure was 1/640sec at f/5.6 and ISO 400. The AF animal detection system coped well with this scene, but when only the fox’s head was peeping over the grass, or it was smaller in the frame, it struggled and focused on the grass different feel. This means selecting and using each one is fine when the camera is up to the eye. A lockable exposure mode dial complete with three user settings, drive knob and the on/off switch make up the top-plate – and all work perfectly well. The design and layout of the rear panel is just as clean and usable. An AF button takes you into the AF zone menu, while the Q button leads to a 12-item menu that includes white-balance, ISO and colour settings. Individual items and layout options can be customised via a menu item.
to look at images very closely to find anything negative to say, and detail remained both excellent and well-defined. Of course, images looked grainier at ISO 1600 and ISO 3200, especially in the shadows and mid- tones, but it was neutral and easily improved with care in editing – or by using software like DxO PureRaw and DeepPrime. In terms of the ISO 3200 JPEG and comparing it with the flat processed Raw, the JPEG
was very smooth, despite looking slightly over-processed. By ISO 6400, Raw images had a more obvious grainy look – and detail, contrast and colour saturation were on the downward slide, too. As you would expect, ISO 12,800 and 25,600 gave quite poor results with heavy grain, flat contrast and a greenish colour cast. Essentially, the GH5 Mark II’s ISO performance matches the best Micro Four Thirds cameras – great results are possible at ISO 1600, or slower, particularly with careful Raw processing. FULL SPEED AHEAD This set of images was shot at Crossness Pumping Station during a TimeLine event, using the Lumix GH5 Mark II with the 12-60mm f/2.8 zoom, mounted on a Leofoto LS-324C tripod. The exposure for the ISO 200 image was 2.5secs at f/11
200
800
1600
3200
6400
12,800
25,600
Issue 90 | Photography News 29
photographynews.co.uk
Powered by FlippingBook