New Firmware for the Panasonic Lumix GH6 to Allow 4K/120p and Blackmagic RAW External Recording
Panasonic has announced that firmware version 2.3 for the its videocentric GH6 will be available from next week, and there are two new headline features that will excite serious underwater filmmakers using the flagship Micro Four Thirds camera.
Firstly, the firmware update adds external 12-bit Blackmagic RAW video recording to Blackmagic Design Video Assist 12G HDR monitor/recorders over HDMI. You’ll be able to capture BRAW footage in 5.7K, Cinema 4K, Anamorphic (4:3) 5.8K, and Anamorphic (4:3) 4.4K. The Blackmagic Video Assist 12G HDR will also require a corresponding firmware update.
Panasonic says that when shooting BRAW in 5.7K at 60p or 50p as well as C4K at 120p or 100p, it recommends that the codec quality of your Video Assist 12G HDR be set to a constant bitrate of 5:1 or lower when recording to an SSD or a constant bitrate of 8:1 or lower when recording to an SD card.
The other headline feature is the ability to output 4K at 120p or 100p to an external device over HDMI. A previous firmware update, version 2.0, had already added the ability to output 4K/120p RAW to an Atomos Ninja V+ monitor/recorder (recorded as Apple ProRes RAW).
Available from July 10th, firmware version 2.3 will be available for download from Pansonic’s website. If you want to know how the GH6 fares underwater, check out DPG Photo Editor Matt Sullivan’s take on the GH6 in Nauticam’s housing.