Looking at my needs*, this is the state of play as of today;

The S5 ($2100 with lens + cage = $2200/$2700 with an optional 50mm later on) is the front runner so far, but the thinking is complicated.

For;

The S5 is enough to fix the main concerns I have for video (long recording, high ISO performance, better dynamic range), add a growth path and it does it effortlesly like a stock standard V8 engine just humming along. It has the added advantages of the full frame cinematic look, potentially made even better with a prime lens.

What it avoids is overkill.

No monster bit rate formats, no tricky tech, no steep learning curve with processing power or storage concerns. It tops out at 200mbs (internal) and is actually beaten by the G9 in some specs (4k/422/10 bit/60p vs 4k/422/10 bit/30p or 420/60p), but it can go external with some big increases (6k/422/10-bit!).

The S5 being a full frame gives me (according to several reviewers), better 4k/8 bit/420 than most smaller sensor 10 bit/422 cameras (and still has 10 bit/422 up its sleeve). This means a reasonable balance between it and the backup G9’s used in 10 bit, with long 4k recording times of over 2 hours on just 1 battery and a relatively light load on my laptops. I am not yet a pro videographer, but I do want quality and versatility, which means keeping things within a realistic envelope now, but being able to up my game considerably if needed. The S5 has many of the same specs out of the box as the Netflix approved S1H.

It is balanced with my already capable kit and directly addresses my primary shortfalls, but it can also go further.

I would likely get a 50mm or similar to have super-duper low light and shallow depth shooting, but the reality is, the dual ISO sensor with full frame sensitivity will still make the kit zoom better than my best M43 lens in low light and the M43 gear can do some heavy lifting here also.

Looking at the well respected kit lens in M43 depth of field terms it is equivalent to a f1.7-2.4 lens, has excellent close focus, a 50% crop factor in 4k/50 and the camera offers ISO 640 and 4000 (8000 is clean) as its secondary, meaning it gains more than two stops over the G9 as a base line at 1600 max (some noise), so it is effectively faster by comparison as well. With a $500 prime it gains 3-4 stops!

Put simply this camera, like a big V8 engine, does the hard stuff easily. No exotic extras, no hassle, no catches and the rest of my kit stays relevant. It also adds in a 3:2 ratio full frame stills camera (96mp HR), external recording and power and anamorphic support.

If I want to use it for a long period recordings (my main need), say with a drama production, 4k/8-bit/420/25p or 1080/422/10-bit/25p LOG is the most likely maximum format for the “A” cam, simply for practical storage, battery and processing. The OSMO or G9’s as “B” camera options can then be used in 4k or 1080p/10-bit/422/25p with Cine-D (or upgraded to VLOG-L) with an eye to balancing them out in post.

It is small, has no special card or power needs and handles like a GH%-G9 lite/G85 lovechild for video. Upgrade paths, should they ever be needed, include off board recording to 12-bit/6k/422/RAW external, prime lenses and external powerpacks. Potentially a fully enabled full frame GH6 for about another $8-1200!

Perfect.

Against;

The negatives are few. The AF is fine, just not totally reliable, which ironically helps make the decision not to use it easier. The EM1x, OSMO and G9 cameras, especially with their more than fast enough prime lenses and the added depth of field of M43 will give to those will be my run-n-gun cameras. The stabilising is best in it’s class, but again bettered by the M43 cameras and OSMO. Plenty of ways to get the job done.

The little issues of mini HDMI connection and only 8-bit/4k or 10-bit/FHD unlimited recording are mitigated by my realistic needs (i.e. I would not use them outside of these parameters anyway). The fact is, 4-6k/10-12 bit/422/LOG-RAW unlimited would eat up massive amounts of card/SSD space, battery and require speed and no-one has asked for it.

The crop is also a choice for added benefit.

*

The GH6 ($2300au + cage and card = $2700au) was the front runner for a while, but I have misgivings. This is clealry the better pure video camera and stays within my M43 landscape, but may just be too much of some things and not enough of others.

For;

Future proof video specs (can answer any of my needs at this point and for a few more years), best video AF and good stabiliser (probably no better than the EM1x and only marginally better than the G9, so not perfect), audio display, ProRes internal, best slo-mo. There are lots more but these are the only ones relevant to me. The stabilising is class leading, but the Oly cams beat it still and the AF is still not utterly reliable.

Against;

Half the cameras capabilities may never be used. The 6k, ProRes 10 bit 422 etc are all simply too much for my needs, as well as my computer’s processing power and my storage capacity. I would struggle to justify buying a single CFexpress card just to backup my footage and would need other extras. One reviewer worked out that to shoot a full days wedding shoot at full image power, they would need close to $10,000us in cards and storage!

It is big, expensive, dear to run, over complicated and out of balance with my other kit, or looking at it another way, most of it would be wasted on my needs. Most reviewers agree that the image quality, even if you limit yourself to these “lesser” settings it is still worth it, but I feel it is just too much to fix a few small problems (this all started with a Boxing day sale add and quickly got out of hand). I would be getting it for the features the S5 already offers, but at a premium and with strings attached. The S5 can be heavily upgraded if the need arises.

*

The GH5.2 ($1600 all up) is still in the mix, but seems the least likely at the moment. It does much of what the G9’s do, but little more, just to add what they do not.

For;

The GH5.2 is from the same generation as the G9 and the cheapest by a small margin. With better video specs than the S5 in some areas and better stab/AF, balanced against poor DR, ISO performance and VLOG-Light. It offers streaming, All-i at 400mbs (needs a V60 card minimum), G9 handling, menus and performance, so it is the closest in work flow.

It leans heavily towards video, but is otherwise a G9. I guess this means it is also the most sensible in this space.

Against;

No real improvement over the G9 in DR or ISO performance except when high bit rates are used and that comes with the storage and processing issues of the GH6. It begs the question of older ISO limits (1600) and fast glass being enough. For the money, it offers the least, even though it is the cheapest (by a small margin), but needs no added extras. Even the cage I have fits. In a lot of ways the G85 makes even more sense here, but then the S5 trumps that.

*

*Maximum 4k 10 bit 422 in short bursts for short film making, FHD for the rest, some hand held, most not, with some AF, more manual focus, in mixed light, with occassional long recordings, slo-mo etc, with 1-3 camera cross-compatibility.