The Movie Minute with Madeline, Episode #1
Hey all,
Madeline here. This article will be the first in The Movie Minute with Madeline, a series of recurring articles about movies and filmmaking! As filmmakers and storytellers, we often get asked about why and how we are able to use the art of filmmaking to tell amazing stories. So, why not start this series off with a post about one of the most important tools in the Poor Bear Stories arsenal: the Panasonic Lumix GH5 camera?
I first got my hands on the GH5 when myself and Chase were doing videography work at Legacies Alive’s Mountain Man Memorial March back in April. It did take a while to get used to at first, but it proved to be a pretty handy and useful camera, with a load of different features, and when Jacob had acquired one for me to use on a regular basis, it became my go-to camera for shooting b-roll and casual interviews for the various events we do videography work for, such as Legacies Alive’s Gold Star Family Picnic and Mountain Man Memorial March, as well as Special Operations Warrior Foundation’s Operation EPIC and College to Career Transition Conference.
Interestingly, the GH5 is an older model- it came out around 2017, yet 7 years later it’s been praised as a true workhorse that still lives on to this day, and continues to be used by many photographers and videographers around the world.
What catches me the most about the GH5 is its ease of use, even if it takes a bit of time to adjust to it. The camera body is durable (a titanium frame) yet not too heavy to use for handheld photography, though in certain situations it’s best to couple the camera with a monopod or tripod. Because the camera uses two SD cards, it makes things less of a headache when recording long interviews, as thanks to its relay mode, the camera will seamlessly roll over to the second card when the first card gets full, even if I’m currently recording. The camera body also supports a variety of different Micro Four Thirds lenses, from basic prime lenses (with fixed focal lengths) to zoom lenses with built-in stabilization for flexible shots. In addition, as Jacob told me once, the Micro Four Thirds sensor helps save a lot of efficiency on bitrates due to the smaller sensor size, compared to the gigantic bitrates of the Sony FS7 (a super 35 sensor), for example.
It’s important to note, though, that I’m not the only one who has experienced this camera on the team, so here’s what my fellow team members at Poor Bear have to say:
“One of my favorite features and true highlights of the GH5 was the ability to shoot 60 fps at 4k quality. For years, the GH5 was the most affordable option by a long-shot to achieve 4k60 – allowing independent shooters to achieve a truly beautiful and unique look for less than $2,000 – $3,000.”
-Jacob Centeno, Founder and Creative Director
“For me, the GH5 and its predecessors’ biggest contribution was finding the balance between price and power. With the small sensor comes a significant drop in price both for the body itself and lenses, which democratizes access. It allowed young people that would never be able to afford that class of gear to hone their craft to a standard that is profitable. While the sensor does have its technical shortcomings, notably for me being dynamic range and autofocus issues, the sheer power for that price point absolutely outweighs any negatives.”
-Robert Chase, Senior Editor
Jacob adds “As Chase mentioned, the m4/3 sensor (being smaller) struggles with low-light conditions. However, once I purchased my first cine-style Meike primes (T2.2) – low-lit conditions were no longer an issue for me. I am absolutely obsessed with the Panasonic GH5 and the way it transformed the industry. To this day, the GH5 is still an incredible tool and option for budget photo and video enthusiasts and professionals – We still have three in our arsenal and love the product they continue to deliver.”
As Chase pointed out, while the GH5 can serve as a great and more affordable entry point into the world of professional cameras, the camera does also have its drawbacks. For example, if one wishes to use an E-mount lens on a GH5, they would unfortunately be out of luck, as adapters or speed boosters that go from E-mount to MFT are essentially non-existent due to issues with flange focal distance. And while it’s great for shooting b-roll and casual interviews, formal interviews and similar settings are best handled with other some of our other cameras such as the Sony Alpha series and FS7. Nevertheless, the GH5 is still an amazing and useful camera that is an amazing starting point for anyone who wants to get into professional photography and videography.
To close this off, I wanted to take this new opportunity to share our experiences with cinema and filmmaking. So, why not start with the camera that many of us are familiar with and find quite useful? Now that we’ve briefly covered one of cinema’s beautiful moments – the GH5 – there’s still so much potential on what we can say about the characteristics of filmmaking, the equipment we use, etc. So stay tuned for the next post in The Movie Minute– there’s so much more to tell about making movies and content!