Panasonic GH5, GH5s, G9 Firmware Update – Improves Autofocus And More

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by Jakub HanMay 30^th, 2018

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The new firmware update for Panasonic  LUMIX cameras has just been released. It addresses the Panasonic GH5, GH5S and G9, and improves autofocus, sound quality and adds more features.

This firmware update – which is available now and is free (download links below) – deals with autofocus performance, adds new monochrome photo styles and upgrades sound quality for video recording.

As a GH5 owner I welcome this new firmware greatly as that camera’s autofocus (AF) performance is considered – by many users – to be quite poor. Although I mostly do not use the AF with the GH5, in some situations (like gimbal filming or vlogging) a good AF can help a lot. I am very curious about how significant the improvement is.

Panasonic LUMIX DC-GH5 Firmware 2.3

New firmware version 2.3 (download link and full details can be found here) adds or improves following features:

• Improved AF performance – increased tracking AF performance. Allowing users to follow their subject while recording movies.
• Improvement of Body I.S.(Image Stabilizer) performance
  • There were cases where peripheral distortion occurred in video recording while walking when used with Panasonic wide zoom lenses (H-F007014, H-E08018). This bug has been fixed.
• L. Monochrome D & Grain effect – The new L. Monochrome D photo style captures darker tones and greater contrast. Grain effects are available in different strengths for all monochrome settings.
• Live View Boost – viewfinder screen and LCD monitor can be displayed brighter than the image recorded. This allows users to check the composition in low-light environments and helps to frame the shot.
• MF Assist – more accurate manual focusing for photos and videos. Magnification goes up to 20x in MF Assist mode.
• Night Mode – camera screen displays all information in red to not be disturbing for night use.
• Like 709 & V-LogL improvements – Like 709, V-LogL and V-LogL View Assist in Photo Style can now be used for still photo shooting and time lapse video. [LUT Monitor Display] and [LUT HDMI Display] can be used in playback mode to check the appearance. Note that you still need to have the V-Log update purchased.
• Enhanced sound quality – sound quality has been improved by optimising the performance of the internal noise cancelling microphone.

Additional information can be found here.

Night Mode on the Panasonic GH5

Panasonic LUMIX DC-GH5s Firmware 1.1

New firmware version 1.1 (download link and full details can found here) adds or improves following features:

• Improved AF performance – the autofocus for lowlight and low-contrast photo shooting has been improved.
• L. Monochrome D & Grain effect – The new L. Monochrome D photo style captures darker tones and greater contrast, with grain effects available in different strengths for all monochrome settings.
• Enhanced sound quality – sound quality has been improved by optimising the performance of the internal noise cancelling microphone.
• Better Control of Video Settings – Vector Scope can be displayed on the screen while adjusting white balance.

Panasonic LUMIX DC-G9 Firmware 1.1

New firmware version 1.1 (download link and full details can be found here) adds or improves following features:

• Improved AF performance – increased tracking AF performance. Allowing users to follow their subject while recording movies.
• L. Monochrome D & Grain effect – The new L. Monochrome D photo style captures darker tones and greater contrast. Grain effects are available in different strengths for all monochrome settings.
• Live View Boost – viewfinder screen and LCD monitor can be displayed brighter than the image recorded. This allows users to check the composition in low-light environments and helps to frame the shot.
• MF Assist – more accurate manual focusing for photos and videos. Magnification goes up to 20x in MF Assist mode.
• Improved High Resolution Mode – The aperture range of the G9’s high resolution photo mode has been expanded – from F8 to F11 – and the motion correction has been improved.
• Enhanced sound quality – sound quality has been improved by optimising the performance of the internal noise cancelling microphone.

I am glad to see that manufacturers like Panasonic listen to their customers and bring firmware updates to fix any issues or weak spots of their products. The GH5, for instance, really went a long way from when it was first launched to the market.

Can you see improvements in your camera performance after installing the new firmware? (Especially AF performance). Share your experience with us in the comment section below.