4K-ready Panasonic Lumix GH4 CSC UK price and release date revealed

Panasonic has confirmed the UK availability and price of its upcoming Lumix GH4. The mirrorless system camera, which is the first Lumix model capable of broadcast-quality 4K video capture, will be arriving on our shores from the 5th of May – but it won’t come cheap.

First impressions: Panasonic Lumix GH4 Hands-on review

With a new 16-05-megapixel sensor capable of recording 4,096×2,160 4K video at 24fps (cinema 4K) or 3,840×2,160 at 30fps (Ultra HD, the 4K TV standard), along with a choice of bitrates up to a maximum 200Mbit/s, the GH4 has serious video credentials. It can also output real-time 10-bit colour footage over HDMI to an external recording device, for broadcast-quality raw capture. This is all processed by the quad-core Venus image processor unit, which according to Panasonic boosts sensitivity, colour gradation and image detail.

It has both 3.5mm microphone and headphone jacks built into the body, but the optional DMW-YAGH expansion unit will add XLR inputs for more serious microphones and allow the GH4 to be connected to an uninterrupted power supply.

Other improvements over the outgoing Lumix GH3 include a splash-proof magnesium allow body, an OLED EVF and 3in flip-out rear screen, and compatibility with the latest UHS Speed Class 3 (U3) SD cards, which have a minimum write speed of 240Mbit/s (30MB/s).

However, these professional-level features come at a serious cost. The body-only version of the GH4 will cost a massive £1299.99 when it arrives in May, while the model with an included 14-140mm kit lens will set you back a whopping £1799.99. Finally, Panasonic will also sell a bundle that includes the body-only GH4 and the DMW-YAGHE interface unit, which will retail for £2,499.99. Even at this price the GH4 looks to be one of the cheapest ways to start filming in 4K – we can’t wait to get one into our labs to put it through its paces.