Panasonic's Lumix GH6 breaks megapixel records... for a Micro Four Thirds camera

Panasonic has set a new bar for Micro Four Thirds cameras. After teasing the camera back in May, the company finally revealed its Lumix GH6 camera that will feature a 25.2-megapixel sensor.

The megapixel count may seem far less than full-frame options like Sony’s A7R IV and its 61-megapixel sensor, but Micro Four Thirds sensors sacrifice sensor size and megapixels to be lighter and more compact. And in the Micro Four Thirds ecosystem, Panasonic’s Lumix GH6 will actually be the highest resolution camera we’ve seen so far. The only real competition comes from OM Digital Solutions and its recently-released OM-1 mirrorless Micro Four Thirds camera, which features a 20.4-megapixel sensor.

Panasonic says its Lumix GH series is a hybrid concept that can handle both photo and video, but it’s clear that the GH6 is definitely more suited for video. Since the sensor is a lot smaller, Panasonic was able to jam a ton of features into the Lumix GH6 to make it very capable for any type of video, while still keeping it pretty lightweight and manageable.

Unlimited recording — Along with the 25.2-megapixel Live MOS sensor, the Lumix GH6 was also built with a new Venus engine that can better process the higher pixel count, higher resolution and higher bit-rate video. The new camera will be able to record video at 4:2:0 10-bit 5.7k 60p and 4:2:0 10-bit 5.8K 30, and even achieve unlimited video recording at 4:2:2 10-bit C4K 60p since the Lumix GH6 has a built-in fan that prevents overheating.

If you’re looking to shoot at lower resolutions, the Lumix GH6 can record at 4:2:0 10-bit 4K120p, a high frame rate option of 4:2:2 10bit FHD 240p, and a variable frame rate option at FHD maximum 300fps, which is the equivalent of 12.5x slow motion. Panasonic even included a five-axis gyro sensor that provides better image stabilization so we won’t get Cloverfield-like footage even when shooting video handheld. Another perk of the new image stabilization is that it lets you take 100-megapixel photos in High Resolution Mode where the camera takes eight consecutive images while shifting the sensor and then combining all of them into the final high-resolution shot.

Future firmware updates — Panasonic said they’ll be releasing the Lumix GH6 in March with the body-only option costing $2,200 and an option for the body and a kit lens for $2,800. Later down the line, there are plans to add more functions to the Lumix GH6 with future firmware updates, which include recording in DCI4K ProRes 422 HQ or FHD ProRes 422 HQ, recording directly to an SSD through a USB connection, 4K 120p HDMI video output during Live View and DCI 4K 120p raw video streaming over HDMI.