Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4 is a mirrorless camera from 2014 built around a Micro Four Thirds sensor. Its maximum video recording resolution is 4K, which the video section below covers in detail.

The mix makes it a fit for anyone shooting footage and stills side by side. Photographers get a 12 fps maximum burst, a screen that flips out for awkward angles, and weather sealing for outdoor work.

Owning it is uncomplicated. The body weighs 560 g and accepts Micro 4/3 lenses, and you can frame through an electronic viewfinder or the 3-inch live view screen.

Stills come from a 16 megapixel Micro Four Thirds CMOS sensor paired with the Venus Engine IX processor. The Optics score of 52 is modest, and the camera sits around the middle of cameras in our database for Optics.

The shutter reaches 1/8000 of a second, which makes fast lenses easier to use in bright light, and the maximum burst rate of 12 fps can help catch brief moments. Forty-nine autofocus points are available for placing focus.

Sensitivity runs from ISO 200 up to 25600. The 200 base can push you toward smaller apertures or faster shutters in strong sun, while the extended ceiling gives more setting options in dim conditions.

There is no in-body stabilisation, so camera shake at slow shutter speeds is not corrected in the body; steady technique or a solid support helps. Framing happens through a 2.36-million-dot electronic viewfinder that shows the scene in fine detail.

Video is a core capability of this camera. Maximum recording resolution is 4K, while the maximum frame rate is 24 fps; the two figures are separate maximums. The Video score of 70 is a good result, and the 4K recording resolution contributes strongly to it.

Recording format choice adds flexibility for different uses. MOV, MP4 and AVCHD are all supported, so the file container can be matched to your editing or sharing needs instead of forcing a single option.

A built-in timelapse function rounds out the video tools. Interval sequences can run in-camera, which saves carrying an intervalometer and suits slowly changing subjects such as moving clouds, tides or fading light.

The 3-inch screen flips out from the body, so waist-level and overhead framing stay practical. Touch input makes menu and setting changes quick, and just over a million dots keep the preview crisp.

Weather sealing protects against dust and moisture in the field, though it is not a waterproof guarantee. A built-in flash is available for dim interiors, and an external flash can be attached when more power is needed. The screen and this protection together underpin a good Features score of 70.

WiFi is built in, giving the camera a wireless connection option. Bluetooth and GPS are absent, so there is no Bluetooth pairing and no built-in GPS tagging of your files.

Two slots accept SD, SDHC and SDXC cards. Keeping a second card in the camera means fewer swaps partway through a long shoot, and those dual slots are the strongest part of a good Storage & Battery score of 60.

The DMW-BLF19 battery is rated at 500 shots, a figure that does not guarantee real-world endurance in every situation. For long shoots, carrying a spare battery is a sensible precaution.

USB charging is not supported, so the battery cannot be charged over a USB connection. Keeping a charged spare makes it easier to work through long shoots when the first battery runs down.