The Panasonic GH5 has a cool feature wherein you can can zoom in to your shot without losing quality. There are two choices:
- In 4K you can zoom into 1.4x
- In 1080p (FHD) you can zoom into 2.7x
You can find this setting in Menu B > Page 3/4 > Ex. Tele Conv. You cannot control the zoom ratio, it’s set to either 1.4x or 2.7x. All you can do is turn it ON or OFF.
Note: Do not use Digital Zoom! You’re better of uprezzing the footage in post to your convenience.
So, the question is: Is this feature worth it?
Tests
Here are two tests, the first in C4K (right click to see full-size):
14mm lens, normal view
14mm lens with 1.4x Tele.
Same lens zoomed in to roughly 20mm, no Tele
Result: No difference, really. You can use 1.4x in 4K.
The second test is for 1080p or FHD (right click to see full-size):
14mm lens, normal view
14mm lens with 2.7x Tele.
Same lens zoomed in to 38mm, no Tele
Result: There is a difference. 2.7 is noticeably softer than when the same lens is zoomed in. The difference isn’t that great however, so you might be able to use it under normal circumstances.
Conclusion
With 4K there is no perceptible difference. With FHD there is a slight softness, but I think it’s acceptable for normal shooting.
If you really want super sharp images, get a good zoom lens!
