Why it matters: Panasonic has formally introduced the Lumix GH6, its latest flagship digital mirrorless camera based on the Micro Four Thirds standard. The new GH6 features a 25.2-megapixel Live MOS sensor, the highest resolution sensor ever crammed into a Micro Four Thirds camera. It also packs the new Venus Engine for advanced image processing and contains V-Log/V-Gamut, a first for a Lumix G MFT camera.
The announcement comes nearly nine months after the company teased the camera during a launch event for the Lumix GH5M2.
Panasonic claims the new engine is nearly twice as powerful as the one featured in the Lumix S1H.
Of particular interest is the camera's video recording abilities. According to Panasonic, the body is capable of 4:2:2 10-bit C4K 60p, 4:2:0 10-bit 4K120p or 4:2:2 10-bit FHD 240p HFR video recording with audio. Furthermore, the GH6 can do 4:2:0 10-bit 5.8K 30p (4.4K 60p) anamorphic 4:3 video by utilizing the full area of the image sensor.
All of that processing power does come at a cost, and I'm not talking dollars. Recording high-res video is a taxing job that requires a lot of power. With power comes heat, and as has previously been demonstrated, thermal shutdown is a very real concern in compact cameras. To combat this, Panasonic has added a cooling fan to the GH6 which it refers to as a "forced-cooling mechanism" in its PR material.
The GH6 additionally boasts a five-axis gyro sensor with an updated algorithm that's good for up to 7.5 stops of stabilization. The company has also updated the firmware on several lenses to enhance autofocus compatibility.
The Panasonic Lumix GH6 is scheduled to arrive in mid-March. Interested parties can pre-order the body over on B&H Photo for $2,197.99 or grab it with a 12-60mm f/2.8-4 lens for $2,797.99.