Is the Panasonic GH4 an upgrade from the Canon EOS 1200D for stills as well as video?
Asked 11/3/2016
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2 answers
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I currently use a Canon EOS 1200D and want to upgrade because I plan to do more high-quality video. I know the Panasonic GH4 is a big step up for video, but I’m also interested in how it performs for still photography.
Compared with the 1200D, would the GH4 be an improvement for stills too? I’m especially interested in image quality, low-light performance, and overall usability/features.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
1
The Panasonic GH4 is very good for photography and produces high quality images for its generation. You can read my in-depth review of the GH4 here. While I do cover video, all my reviews are centered around the photographic capabilities of the camera.
Now specifically compared to the Canon EOS 1200D which is from around the same time-frame, you will see some improvements, mostly in terms of dynamic-range where the GH4 can capture one more stop than the 1200D. Low-light performance is about the same, although at high ISO, the larger APS-C sensor of the 1200D delivers a small advantage.
The nice thing though is that the GH4 is much more sophisticated and has tons of features not found on the 1200D. It is faster, has much more efficient controls and a larger 100% coverage viewfinder. A full list of features is shown on the first page of the review linked above.
Originally by user1620. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1620
8y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes — the GH4 is generally an upgrade over the Canon 1200D, especially if video is a priority, and it is also a capable stills camera.
For photography, the GH4 offers good image quality for its generation and appears to improve on the 1200D mainly in dynamic range by about one stop. Low-light performance is broadly similar, though the 1200D’s larger APS-C sensor may have a slight advantage at very high ISO.
Where the GH4 stands out is in handling and features: it is faster, more sophisticated, has more efficient controls, and offers a larger viewfinder with 100% coverage. For hybrid shooting, the articulated screen, mic input, and headphone output are especially useful.
For video, the GH4 is clearly the stronger choice, including long 4K recording without overheating.
So if you want a camera that is much better for video and still very good for still photography, the GH4 makes sense. If your main concern is high-ISO still image quality alone, the advantage is less clear.
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