Blackmagic Pocket Camera 4K Vs Panasonic GH5/GH5s Vs Z CAM E2

This article is a comparison of the specifications of the following low budget 4K cameras under $2,500 that shoots 60 fps or more:

• Blackmagic Design Pocket Camera 4K (Amazon, B&H)
• Panasonic GH5 (Amazon, B&H) and GH5s (Amazon, B&H), and the
• Z CAM E2 (Amazon, B&H)

[bmpc4k]

The basics

Let’s start with the camera bodies:

Camera	Price of body	What you get	Notes
GH5	$1,498	Battery, charger, cable holder	Could have added V-Log
GH5s	$1,998	Battery, charger, cable holder, BNC cable	N/A
BMPCC 4K	$1,295	DaVinci Resolve Studio ($299), AC Power supply	Could have added a battery
Z CAM E2	$1,999	LEMO Power Cable with D-Tap Plug, AC Power Adapter	Huge price jump from the E1

The Blackmagic Design Pocket Camera 4K (Amazon, B&H) is definitely looking good here. Not only is it the cheapest, but you also get the full version of DaVinci Resolve.

But we’re just getting started.

Comparison of sensors

Here’s how the camera sensors compare:

Camera	Sensor Size	Max Resolution	ISO Range	Notes
GH5	17.3 x 13 mm	4992 x 3744	200-25600	5K mode
GH5s	17.3 x 13 mm	4096 x 2160	160-51200 (Dual Native)	Best low light
BMPCC 4K	18.96 x 10 mm	4096 x 2160	Up to 25600 (Dual Native)	UHD is cropped to 17.7 mm
Z CAM E2	19 x 13 mm	4096 x 2160	160-25600 (Dual Native)	N/A

The Pocket Camera 4K is slightly wider, which is good. On the other hand, the other cameras have a native 4:3 sensor so it gives you extra options.

With the Panasonic GH5 (Amazon, B&H), you can almost shoot in 5K in 4:3 mode, which is a great advantage for panning/scanning or cropping. The codec is H.265 in 5K mode.

The GH5S (Amazon, B&H) has great low light ability, which is its USP. The Pocket Camera 4K has dual native ISO, though it isn’t the same sensor as the GH5 or GH5S. The noise comparison tests I’ve done show the difference is negligible:

The Z CAM E2 has similar performance, with one special advantage. It has 120 fps at 4K, which is extremely interesting:

Camera	Max fps at 4K	Max fps at 1080p	Claimed Dynamic Range	Shutter
GH5	60 fps	180 fps	12 stops	Rolling
GH5s	60 fps	240 fps	12 stops	Rolling
BMPCC 4K	60 fps	120 fps	13 stops	Rolling
Z CAM E2	120 fps	240 fps	13 stops	Rolling (Global*)

*The Global shutter variant is a different camera Z CAM E2G, and only goes up to 4K 30 fps.

All cameras attain the maximum dynamic range in log profiles.

The Z CAM E2 attains 120 fps and 240 fps in H.265 only. The maximum frame rate in Prores is 60p.

Comparison of video features

What kind of 4K do you get anyway? First, let’s look at the frame rates, dynamic range, color and so on:

Camera	Best Internal Codec	Max. Internal Data Rate*	Color
GH5	All-I H.264	50 MB/s	10:bit 4:2:2
GH5s	All-I H.264	50 MB/s	10:bit 4:2:2
BMPCC 4K	Blackmagic RAW	135 MB/s	RAW
Z CAM E2	ZRAW^, Prores HQ	110 MB/s	RAW

*At 30 fps

^ZRAW comes with firmware update 0.88, and is currently limited to 4K 30 fps. It will be available to up to 60 fps in a future firmware update.

ZRAW requires ZRAW VideoSuite to open and process, so there’s no point recording it at the moment because you cannot directly work with it in any editing application. Blackmagic RAW is only usable in DaVinci Resolve.

The Blackmagic Design Pocket Camera 4K (Amazon, B&H) definitely as the most versatile codecs – both RAW and Prores. However, the 10-bit 4:2:2 from the GH5 and GH5S is great as well.

The Z CAM E2 is fine as well, and I hope ZRAW gains traction in the market. If it isn’t adopted by some of the major NLEs like Premiere Pro, FCP-X or Resolve, it’s dead in the water.

Next let’s talk about media:

Camera	Dual Card Slots?	Media for 4K	Price per GB	Price per hour of 4K
GH5	Yes	SDXC	$1.56	$275
GH5s	Yes	SDXC	$1.56	$275
BMPCC 4K	No	CFAST 2.0, SSD via USB-C	$2.65 ($0.19 for SSD)	$90
Z CAM E2	No	CFAST 2.0, SSD via USB-C	$2.65 ($0.19 for SSD)	$75*

*With the BMPCC 4K, I’m assuming you are shooting in 3:1 RAW on SSDs. On the ZCAM E2, we are recording Prores HQ.

CFast 2.0 is not a lot more expensive than SDXC UHS-II. But, with larger data rates you have to spend a whole lot more for the same hours of footage. It’s better to use the USB-C option to a Samsung T5 SSD (Amazon, B&H).

Comparison of audio features

Here’s a look at the audio features:

Camera	3.5mm TRS headphone jack	Microphone inputs
GH5	Yes	TRS
GH5s	Yes	TRS
BMPCC 4K	Yes	Min XLR, TRS
Z CAM E2	Yes	TRS

The Pocket Camera 4K definitely looks good here, with its Mini XLR input with Phantom Power. You do need an adapter (B&H) to convert to XLR but it’s a small expense.

The little things

The little things make all the difference:

• Ergonomics, toughness and usability
• Video ports
• Viewfinder and Monitor
• Size and Weight
• Focus and Exposure tools

Here’s how these cameras compare on ergonomics:

Camera	Volume cubic inches	Weight (body only)	Mounting Points
GH5	72.93	600g	Hot Shoe
GH5s	72.93	550g	Hot Shoe
BMPCC 4K	89.2	723g	One 1/4-20
Z CAM E2	43.5	757g	Several 1/4-20

The BMPCC 4K is larger in volume and the Z CAM E2 is heavier. The size is more high-end DSLR territory.

With the Z CAM E2, you also need a monitor to control the unit, like a PORTKEYS BM5 5″. That adds to the cost and weight of the rig.

That’s not all:

Camera	HDMI	Viewfinder	Monitor	Exposure and focus aids
GH5	Type A	Yes	3.2″	Peaking, Histogram, 3D LUTs, Waveform, Vectorscope, Zebras
GH5s	Type A	Yes	3.2″	Peaking, Histogram, 3D LUTs, Waveform, Vectorscope, Zebras
BMPCC 4K	Type A	No	5″	Peaking, Histogram, 3D LUTs, False Color, Zebras
Z CAM E2	Type A	No	No	Meter

The Z CAM E2 has no monitor or viewfinder. The Pocket Camera has a large LCD screen, but no viewfinder. The GH5 and GH5S have both, and they can be flipped.

I’ve found the swivel screen to be very useful in the field. Sometimes you need to get low or high, and you don’t want to worry about tethering a monitor just to see your shot.

Also, the GH5 and GH5S has a better app:

Camera	Control via App	LANC	Sync
GH5	Yes	No	No
GH5s	Yes	No	No
BMPCC 4K	iPad only	No	No
Z CAM E2	iOS only	2.5mm	10-pin LEMO

Most cameras have apps. The advantage for the GH5 and GH5S is the apps are for both iOS and Android. The Pocket Camera 4K needs an iPad, which goes against it in the “pocket” department. It’s not very practical.

The Panasonic app is really useful, especially if you have an iPhone. I’ve used the app to see my footage when the LCD isn’t readable, like on the beach on a sunny day.

The Z CAM E2 is more designed for a broadcast-type environment. With Genlock, Ethernet and LANC it is designed to be operated remotely over networks – almost like a security camera or reality TV camera. It is probably the best camera in this lot for live streaming, with an optional SDI adapter.

Battery life and Power

All the features in the world are useless if you have to hire a donkey to carry your batteries:

Camera	Battery Type	Battery life^	Cost of one battery	Cost per 4 hours of battery life	External connector
GH5	Panasonic	120 minutes	$60	$120	No
GH5s	Panasonic	120 minutes	$60	$120	No
BMPCC 4K	Canon LP-E6	30 minutes	$45	$270	12V LEMO
Z CAM E2	SONY NP-F	120 minutes	$126	$252	12V LEMO

Things are mostly even here, except for the low battery life of the Pocket Camera 4K. You’ll be carrying more batteries (again anti-“pocket”!). There is a 12V adapter but that’s more for a fully rigged setup.

You can use larger battery bricks with the BMPCC 4K and the Z CAM E2, but they are more expensive overall.

Which is cheaper to own?

Let’s just add up the basics: Initial price, media cost per hour of footage and battery cost per 8 hours:

Camera	Price	Media per hour	Battery for 8 hrs	Portkeys LCD + Battery**	Side Grip**	Total (Rounded)
GH5	$1,498	$275	$240	$0	$0	$2,013
GH5s	$1,998	$275	$240	$0	$0	$2,513
BMPCC 4K	$1,295	$90	$540	$0	$0	$1,925
Z CAM E2	$1,999	$75	$504	$560	$50	$3,188

**I added the monitor and side grip so it would even things out.

When you consider the costs for media and a monitor, etc., the Z CAM E2 surges ahead in terms of price, well over the $2,500 price barrier we have for this article.

The Pocket Camera 4K still beats out the rest in terms of cost, but only if you shoot with SSDs and use multiple cheap batteries. If you’re going to use CFast 2.0 cards, things will get expensive real fast. You also need a reader for CFast 2.0. And, if you are charging multiple batteries overnight everyday, it gets tiring and impractical very fast.

Conclusion

First, here’s a recap:

Feature	Winner
Sensor and ISO	Panasonic GH5 and GH5S
Video features	Blackmagic Design Pocket Camera 4K
Codecs and Color	Blackmagic Design Pocket Camera 4K
Lenses	Panasonic GH5 with IBIS
Media	Blackmagic Design Pocket Camera 4K
Audio	Blackmagic Design Pocket Camera 4K
Ergonomics	Panasonic GH5 and GH5S
Ports and Monitoring	Z CAM E2
Broadcast Features	Z CAM E2
Power	Panasonic GH5 and GH5S
Most value for money	Blackmagic Design Pocket Camera 4K

Before we take our final decision, we’ll let the cameras tell us what they offer that the others don’t:

Camera	USPs	Cons
GH5	Anamorphic mode, 5K video, flip LCD, IBIS, accurate colors	Not as good highlight performance
GH5s	Low Light, flip LCD, accurate colors	No IBIS, not as good highlight performance
BMPCC 4K	RAW and Prores, XLR input, Filmic images	Fixed LCD, Extremely poor battery life
Z CAM E2	4K at 120 fps, Modular, broadcast features	Expensive, you need a monitor

I’m going to discount the Z CAM E2. If I wanted 120 fps in 4K, I’ll choose a Red camera, which is what I do. I also get a larger sensor and an established workflow.

The GH5S was never attractive to me. For just low light performance I miss out on all the other goodies the Panasonic GH5 (Amazon, B&H) has. And the price is too high. I really don’t see the value. I can get the job done with the GH5, and if you want to learn more about my guide for the GH5 check this out.

Which brings us to the Blackmagic Design Pocket Camera 4K (Amazon, B&H). With RAW you definitely get better image quality. Here’s my review if you want to learn more:

[bmpc4k]

On the other hand, if cameras are race horses, they might look good on paper, but the horse still needs to race. You still need to go through the grind of shooting over many days with the camera, and usability matters a lot. The Panasonic GH5 (Amazon, B&H) clearly has the better tools and is more equipped for actual production work:

• Flip screen
• Viewfinder and LCD
• 4:3 mode, 5K anamorphic shooting if you want
• All the important exposure tools
• IBIS!
• Autofocus in video
• 400 Mbps 10-bit 4:2:2 codec which can be graded
• Great stills camera

Here are some great reasons to pick the GH5 over the BMPCC 4K:

The only way the Blackmagic Design Pocket Camera 4K (Amazon, B&H) beats the GH5 is in terms of sheer image quality. Here’s a comprehensive real-world comparison of cameras for image quality. You’ll be surprised by the results:

Camera Shootout: BMPCC 4K vs Panasonic S1 vs Panasonic GH5 vs Sony a7 III vs Sony a7S II vs Nikon Z6

Bottom line, if you asked me to pick one camera for actual shoots that I can totally rely on, I’ll pick the Panasonic GH5 (Amazon, B&H) any day.

[gh1]

Related Posts:

• Sony FX3 vs Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro vs Panasonic S1H
• Which is the best camera for filmmaking under $2000?
• 5 Best Cameras for filmmaking under $4000
• Best 4K Cinema Camera under $10,000? A Fun Comparison between the Blackmagic…
• Which is Better for Low Budget Filmmakers? Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K vs Z CAM E2
• Which is the better value for money: the new Blackmagic Design PYXIS 6K or the…