@markr041

Lets not take these comparisons too seriously. I just want to give some perspective where different cameras are at this moment. This comparison was about sensor IQ, not video. GH4 was using high quality prime like always in Imaging Resource. I think that a JPG photo can give us an idea of sensor quality. Not dyn range but noise and color clarity.

I do not see the point of this comparison of jpeg stills for videographers:

1. If you want to see what any camera can really do for stills, you shoot RAW. Looking at jpegs is not sufficient. But who cares anyway.

2. This forum is about video; the jpeg, compressed stills tell us almost nothing about video performance. Many Canon cameras take great stills, and really bad, low resolution artifact-laden video. A recent set of reviews showed (if you compare performance) that the LX100 as a video camera has higher resolution and better low-light performance than the NX1 in video. And it fits in your pocket.

NX1 review:

http://cameras.reviewed.com/content/samsung-nx1-digital-camera-review

LX100 review:

http://cameras.reviewed.com/content/panasonic-lx100-digital-camera-review

Look at the science sections of the NX1 and LX100 reviews for video specs.

@Vesku: Am I assuming right that the GH4 and NX1 pictures were taken using prime lenses? Using a zoom lens with similar focal range would allow for a fairer comparison.

Interesting test but wouldn't the upscaling reduce detail? That would point to #1 being the NX1 as it has more detail. #2 being the most saturation

not sure but :

1: NX1

2: LX100

3: GH4

Battery testing "original vs. 3rd-party" finished for now. The contestants:

The original Panasonic battery claims to have a capacity of 1025mAh*7.2V = ~7.4Wh. Its retail price in Germany, when bought directly from the Panasonic shop is 70 €, when bought from the cheapest online shop its price is currently 48 €.

The Patona battery claims to have a capacity of 750mAh*7.2V = ~5.4Wh. Its retail price when bought directly from the Patona online shop is 13 €.

Test setup: I measured the time that I could permanently shoot video at 1080p50 with manual focus on a tripod, display on. Both batteries were newly bought and were charged with the Panasonic supplied charger.

The findings:

The original Panasonic battery operated with "3 bars on the battery indicator" for 110 minutes, then 23 minutes with "2 bars", then 25 minutes with "1 bar", then the indicator turned flashing red and the recording stopped soon thereafter. So in total 158 minutes.

The Patona battery lasted 100 minutes with "3 bars", then 5 minutes with "2 bars", then 2 minutes with "one bar", then the indicator turned red-flashing and soon thereafter the camera stopped recording and shut itself off. So in total 107 minutes.

So the Panasonic original battery lasted 48% longer, at a 538% (Panasonic shop) or 369% (cheapest web shop) higher price, or in other words: You get 3.6 times or 2.5 times less battery capacity per money unit when buying Panasonic original batteries. (There are also even cheaper 3rd-party batteries available on the market, but Patona batteries were one of the few products guaranteed to contain overheating and overload protection circuits.)

For me the preference is clear: I'll certainly not pay the outragous prices Panasonic asks. And since I have to change the battery before each dive, anyway, I don't miss the higher capacity and longer "power running out" warning period of the original.

For the majority of people – mildly enthusiastic photographers, holiday snappers, families and the like – again, it’s going to be more camera than they need. In fact, I think it’s going to be somewhat intimidating because of the apparent lack of automation and unexpected results if one of the dials inadvertently gets knocked off position. It will be a clear step up from the cameraphone or compact and have more than enough resolution for Facebook or email. For the serious amateur coming from an older camera or smaller format, the size and level of control will delight and liberate. For those coming from current-generation M4/3, performance will be as-expected, but again, the form factor will be liberating – possibly liberating enough to just pair it with a GM5 and say 75/1.8 or 35-100/2.8 for telephoto needs, and be done completely. Travellers on a serious weight budget will love it.

http://blog.mingthein.com/2014/11/12/opinion-review-the-panasonic-lx100-leica-d-lux-109/

This 4K LX100 video has plenty of people movement (sorry for the realistic colors, though :)).

@karl I had the same experience with "Watson" battery clones (from B&H): total battery life is ok, but after 3 bars the battery dies pretty quickly. Caught me by surprise (but no more). The OEM Panasonic battery does not do this; there is a gradual changing of the bars.

@vulgatron about the "cinematic" video that you posted from the GX7: part is caused by the vintage lens used, old lens are less "clinical" than the new ones, and with less contrast. But especially the colors are the result from grading (the author says in the comments that he graded the footage with Colorista).

@vulgatron: I cannot recommend another camera in the same price range that offers better 1080p50.

@vulgatron: Regarding "good 1080p with 50 or 60p": The LX100 is crippled to <= 28MBit/s for all video modes except 4k. So while the 4k recording (at 100 MBit/s) brings marvellous results, the 1080p modes provide mush and compression artefacts whenever there is significant movement in your scenery. Thus I would not recommend the LX100 if you mostly want to record 1080p50.

Regarding 24p: My EU model allows to record 4k in both 25p and 23.976p or 24000/1001 fps - very near to 24p and usually a problem, but I think it should be mentioned that "24p" on the LX100 is not precisely "24p", there are other cameras that do record with precisely 24 fps.

Regarding SD-cards: I've got only SanDisk Ultra 95MB/s 64GB cards to test with, which I used with my GH2, and they work just fine for 4k recording.