Last week we took a look at a comparison between the Panasonic GH6 and Blackmagic Pocket 4K. These two cameras are competitors, but they exist in two very different worlds so the tests were more fun than making a big statement on whether one was truly better than the other.
Today, we are going to take the look at the GH6 when it is compared to something a bit more direct – the Blackmagic Pocket 6K Pro. Taking a look at these is once again filmmaker Arber Baqaj who has been using Panasonic and Blackmagic cameras for a good long while.
The reasons for a comparison are that both cameras offer around 6K imaging along with a very similar mid-$2,000s price tag—though the GH6 does come in a little cheaper.
The reason to not directly compare them is that the Pocket 6K Pro has a Super 35mm sensor while the GH6 is sticking with Micro Four Thirds.
Image Credit: Panasonic
Blackmagic made some huge improvements with the Pocket 6K Pro. Ergonomics especially got a revamp. Big changes include a brighter 5” touchscreen that is much more usable in daylight than the other Pocket models. There are also internal ND filters, which is a rarity on cameras in this class, and a bigger L-series battery.
The GH6 has its own neat tricks though, especially if you are shooting handheld or in rough weather. The GH6 is much better sealed and has built-in image stabilization that might be more important than anything else considering both will deliver great image quality even if the Pocket 6K Pro has a larger sensor that’ll likely perform better in many ways.
Image Credit: Blackmagic Design
Arber shows off a lot of test footage and in daylight it is very tough to tell the difference between the two cameras.
For a better breakdown of which areas each camera wins Arber put together a nice list.
GH6 Winning Categories:
- Autofocus (huge win here over Pocket)
- IBIS
- Weather sealing
- Slow motion
- Audio
- Photography
Pocket 6K Pro Winning Categories:
- Internal raw video
- User interface
- Price
- Monitoring (assuming you pick up the optional EVF)
- Streaming
- Usability
- Image quality
- Dynamic range
- Color
- Internal NDs
- Sensor size
There were some draws – or at least areas where neither camera dominated the other. Good examples are battery life, Raw, sharpness, and general video features. I also question some of the ratings. The Panasonic supposedly wins in audio, but the Blackmagic has better built-in audio inputs. Maybe with the optional XLR adapter?
Overall, the Pocket 6K Pro appears to be a better video camera for the money, especially thanks to the large display and internal ND functionality. The GH6 is still an outstanding camera that has some particular benefits that may sway you more in that direction.
Which of these cameras would you pick? What feature tipped you one way or the other?
[source: Arber Baqaj]
Order Links:
- Panasonic GH6 Mirrorless Camera (B&H, Amazon)
- Panasonic DMW-XLR1 XLR Microphone Adapter (B&H, Amazon)
- Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 4K (B&H, Amazon)
- Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro (B&H, Amazon)
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate partner and participant in B&H and Adorama Affiliate programmes, we earn a small comission from each purchase made through the affiliate links listed above at no additional cost to you.
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