By technical editor Matt Allard:
Panasonic have today released version 2.2 firmware for the GH4. Features include the ability to use a 2x Anamorphic lens to create a cinemascope aspect such as 2.39:1 or 2.35:1. Panasonic have said that many cinematographers had been experimenting with the 4K PHOTO mode (which has a 4:3 aspect ratio) and this has lead them to include the anamorphic options in the new firmware.
The V-log profile is not included in V2.2, but it definitely looks like it is coming at some stage. Newsshooter showed the V-log running on a GH4 at Interbee in Japan last December.
About the Upgrade of the Firmware:
The following functions were added or changed from Ver. 2.2 of the firmware.
Please read this in conjunction with the owner’s manual for the camera.
• The firmware version can be checked from the [Version Disp.] of the [Setup] menu.
[Anamorphic (4:3)] has been added to [Motion Picture] menu.
You can perform recording suited to an anamorphic lens. Motion pictures in 4K resolution will be recorded with an aspect ratio of 4:3.
MENU > [Motion Picture] > [Anamorphic (4:3)] Settings: [ON]/[OFF]
• This item is available only when you are using Creative Video Mode and the motion picture size is set to [4K] or [C4K] in [Rec Quality].
• A message appears when you select [ON]. If you select [Yes], the item below will be fixed as follows:
• About the HDMI output during recording when using [Anamorphic (4:3)]
– The HDMI output cannot be used during recording when [Bit Mode] in [HDMI Rec Output] is
set to [4:2:2 8bit].
– If you use the HDMI output when [Bit Mode] in [HDMI Rec Output] is set to [4:2:2 10bit], black
bars appear on the right and left sides of the image. As a result, the image will appear on the screen in a smaller size (2880k2160). In addition, you cannot record motion pictures while using the HDMI output.
• When recording with [Anamorphic (4:3)], use an anamorphic lens that supports the 4:3 aspect ratio. To convert the footage to a cinemascope aspect for playback, corresponding software and device are required.
• Depending on the anamorphic lens used, problems such as vignetting or ghosting may occur. We recommend that you record test motion pictures in advance.
• About motion pictures recorded with [Anamorphic (4:3)] and a [Rec Format] setting of [MP4] – These motion pictures cannot be played back even if you insert the card to a 4K-compatible
TV with an SD card slot. To play them back, connect the camera and the TV with an HDMI
micro cable.
– These motion pictures cannot be dubbed to hard disk drives, including those of Panasonic
recorders that support the import of 4K motion pictures. (As of April 2015)
Pictures can now be taken with the electronic shutter at a shutter speed of 1/16000 second.
When [Electronic Shutter] in the [Rec] menu is set to [ON], you can take pictures with the shutter speed below.
