New Panasonic G6 - contender for the GH2's video crown?

Julian at DIGIFOTO PRO has posted a comparison video between the "hacked" GH2 and the upcoming Panasonic G6. The G6 has a mic jack, the same sensor as the GH2, and shoots at 1080/60p.

For $749 with the kit lens (and less without?), the G6 could be a great GH2 replacement for shooters who can't afford a GH3 (even though used GH3 prices are coming down ).

Here is the comparison video (please watch at 1080p):


And here is a side by side that includes a shot of shingled roofs - a good test of a camera's susceptibility to moire (again, please watch at 1080p):


The good news is that the G6 seems to be as moire-resistant as the GH2 and the Nikon D5200/D7100! The bad news is that it won't be available until June. If you can wait until then, please support the blog by pre-ordering it from Amazon here :)

UPDATE: Great news - according to Panasonic, the G6 uses the DMW-BLC12 battery, the same battery used by the FZ200, the G5 and the GH2.  So all of you GH2 upgraders can keep your existing batteries!

New Nikon D7100 - GH3 killer?

Is this the GH3 killer?  So soon?  With its true weathersealing, new moire-free Toshiba sensor (demonstrated by Andrew Reid on the D5200), headphone jack, dual SD card slot and $100 lower price - is the D7100 a true hybrid still/video competitor for the GH3?

It will really depend on how the video looks (the only video Nikon has released to date is a low-res ISO 6400 flash clip, which you can see here).

But a few things are certain. It will not match the noiselessness of the GH3's electronic shutter, wi-fi capability, unlimited continuous video clip length, articulated LCD and 1080/60p.  And it doesn't have the GH3's choice of bit rates and codecs.

The D7100 looks like a solid competitor for the GH3, but, in my view, it is not a GH3 killer.

Tellingly, Nikon's product video for the D7100 doesn't mention video at all.  The video images from this camera may turn out to be great, but from a marketing perspective, ignoring consumers who are interested in video is a fail.

All of that said, if you already have Nikon lenses, and you want a potentially moire-free, weatherproof still/video camera with a headphone jack that is not much larger and heavier than the GH3 - the D7100 may be the camera for you.

If so, and if you find the information here useful, please support future reviews, and video tutorials by pre-ordering your D7100 from these links at Amazon or Adorama. Thanks!