@Nimaney Depends on what look you are going for in the weddings. For a shallower depth of field the GH2 is a better choice. For wider depth of field the camcorder would be better.
If you are shooting for PAL then you MUST hack your camera. That will allow you to select the PAL formats like 720p @ 50 FPS and 1080p @ 25 FPS. However, you won't be able to get 1080p @ 25 FPS until the end of this week. The hack for the new version 1.1 firmware should be out then. That is what will finally allow 1080p @ 25 FPS at high bit rates.
I have the American (NTSC) version of the GH2, however, my end product is mostly in PAL. I use Adobe CS5 for post. What movie settings would you recommend that coud make my video look better before I adjust or do the conversion in post? Someone recommended using only 50 for aperture, but what is your opinion? Thanks.
@sourcekings It looks fine to me. What resolution is the Canon screen? Remember the GH2 screen was recorded at 720p with an older GF1 camera in this video. If I recorded the screen with a GH2 in 1080p it would look a lot better. I don't have 2 GH2s though.
@mpgxsvcd i looked the gh2 has a lower resolution screen then canons. i was wondering what was going on. when i hook the camera to a tv i can see the true quality.
@hzuzuknowsall Yes it will record everything on the eye-fi card. It will even upload the AVC-HD files as well. However, there is one BIG caveat with that. The protecting scheme for AVC-HD is different from the other formats. That means that you cannot use the selective upload function with AVC-HD. You must use the upload all videos function. That isn't very useful because it will probably be uploading huge files that you don't want uploaded. It works great in selective mode 4 pictures though.
@holco10 Use 720p @ 60 FPS so you can do some really cool slow motion shots. Use 1080p @ 30 FPS with the new V1.1 for everything else. Also the improvements in Auto Focus in versio n 1.1 will allow you to use AFC. With Version 1.0 you would have to use a fixed focus. Post some videos. I would love to see the footage from that.
@mpgxsvcd What I am looking for is good manual settings, auto is not the way with multicopter use, and 1080P-25 (Eur) is also not useable because of the low framerate.
You can find my video's if you search for holco10 ore Flexacopter
@holco10 I understand autofocus has not worked in the past. However, the new V1.1 GH2 firmware has changed that. Have you tried the new firmware? If you are still dead set on manual focus then just set the focus and try to keep the copter that same distance from the ground the whole time. I would love to see what it looks like with the Olympus 12mm F2.0 lens. Maybe at dusk? Use 720p @ 60 FPS for sure. You can do some nice slow motions with that and resolution is still very high.
@mpgxsvcd I use V1.1, and the 12-F2 is on my wish list but its a lot of money!! think the 12mm f/1.6 Noktor/SLRMagic is a very good alternative;) altho a lot heavier and no auto focus :(
Very helpful. Would be great if you posted a list of your preferred settings rather than screen shots as I found them very hard to follow and set camera at same time. Thanks for posting.
@JAMcDonald1 A lot of the settings are just a matter of taste and subject. Try pausing the video on the parts where I show what settings I have used. Try those settings out but you really need to try to find what settings look best to you.
The settings like dynamic range need to be shown to be understood. That is why I did the video for this.
Hi Dear your video is amazing I watched all. Please can you help me I am trying to upload the firmware 1.1 but its not working at all means. its not updating. Maybe because its japanes version. but where I can find the US version GH2 firmware please can u send me link or email me or any other help. I just received yesterday my GH2H kit. waiting your early reply. Thanks.
@umardilse Can you describe in more detail about what is not working? I will do a full video on how to update the firmware once the version 1.1 is hacked. Hopefully that will be sooner rather than later. What file are you uploading to the memory card. Is it called "GH2__V11.bin". If not then find that file on the Panasonic website. Once you have it on the card. Just turn the camera on, wait for 5 seconds, press play, and then select update. Don't touch the camera at all until it finishes.
@mpgxsvcd Dear thanks for your quick reply but I download the firmware from panasonic website but its now accepting at all. when I format the card from the camera and Copy the firmware GH2__V11.bin and disconnect the camera and switch on and press play button but there is nothing showing. I try many times but when I play the hacked firmware its work fine. Maybe the one I download is wrong file so please if you can send me the link or email to me the right firmware so i can update the original
@mpgxsvcd I will update original panasonic GH2 firmware 1.1, then when hack will available i will do that. but right now I need the 24mb recording. hope you understand. thanks again.
@Remixlab No problem. I am glad you liked it. Did you buy a brand new GH2? If so what firmware is it running. Try updating to the latest v1.1 firmware if you haven't already and if you are not interested in hacking. It improves auto focus and noise reduction greatly.
Many thanks! Great video. I'll have to play it again in slow motion while I check some of the things I learnt.
One question: I read that 24p is eventually converted in TV to 25 or 30 fps by adding some "extra" or interpolated images. If that was so, wouldn't it be better to record directly in 25/30p (now that it is possible and we no longer have to resign to 50/60i)? If I am missing something there (probably), what are your rendering settings in your editor? I feel lost when I have to render.
@martinezescribano No that is not really correct. Most newer TVs can display a native 24p signal. There will be no conversion with the GH2's 24p mode. 60i is the only mode that will be truly deinterlaced and loose quality. Never use 1080i for any reason. 720p in the GH2 is ALWAYS better.
The new 1080p @ 30 FPS mode(NTSC) is my personal favorite. I use it for almost every shot now.
I've figured out a lot of things you didn't go into, but I'm still trying to wrap my head around the variable movie rates. I've seen the effects by messing with them, but if you could, would like a little more info on what they do.
@HolyBackboard The 80% mode simply records 1080p @ 30 FPS and slows it down by 80 % to give you perfect 1080p @ 24 FPS slow motion. The other ones record to 1080p @ 24 FPS but they leave out frames to give you a fast motion video. All of this can be done better in post processing. I like to use 720p @ 60 FPS for my slow motion videos.
@whole27 Define what you think is the best. If you think a shallow depth of field is best then 5D MKII is the BEST. If you think Continuous Auto Focus, High resolution, with many other useful controls is the best then the GH2 is the best. The others are not the best at anything with regards to video. They are completely acceptable though.
@mpgxsvcd well my definition of the best video is one that has the best AF, HD resolution quality, etc. The canon 7d specs are better than the gh2....i looked at them side by side....the 7d has way more dots, better AF, resolution etc according to the specs?
@whole27 Your statement shows a lack of understanding of what really matters. Both the 7D and the GH2 can shoot 720p @ 60 FPS, 1080p @ 24 FPS, and 1080 @ 30 FPS. However, the GH2 has far more resolvable resolution in all of those modes and the aliasing is far less with the GH2.
Quite simply no one would choose 7D over GH2 footage unless they needed the shallower depth of field that the 7D sensor size can offer with the right lenses. The GH2 video “quality” is superior to the 7D in every way.
@whole27 If it helps, I had the Canon T3i before moving to the GH2 and I'm very happy that I did, for the reasons given by mpgxsvcd. Plus, the GH2 hacks have served as a tremendous capabilities multiplier and I'm blown away by what comes out of the camera now!
@whole27 Someone hacked into the camera's software and exposed a buncha options that make the camera perform much better. Too much to explain in a comment but you should look up the GH2 hack and see for yourself.
What about lcd color issue when you start recording and color setting is different than before recording. This is pretty unbelievable problem. Also iso 640 looks worst than iso 2500 in lowlight. I don´t get it and i regred that i was so naive about this camera :/
@enfee Those are valid issues. The color problem was corrected for the AF100 and hopefully the new Panny firmware will correct it for the GH2 as well. As far as the ISO issue goes. Yes there are some problems with ISO consistency. However, it still is better than anything else out there for high ISO video. The firmware is rumored to correct those issues as well.
Fantastic job delivering a lot of material in a very concise manner. This was a huge help and we appreciate all the time that you have spent on this. Thanks so much. I look forward to seeing anything you produce. Well done!
Your video answers lots of questions, thanks for posting. I just uploaded the Andrew EOSHD GH2 shooters guide by Andrew Reid, it too gives a lot of insight to the wonders of the GH 2. He does a whole section on the GH2 Hack.
I am intending on installing one of the hacks in the near future but I find it confusing in which version is the best/as in highest quality with unquestioned stability. Nobody seems to be using the same version that I can see. Any comment?
@Bojadog The link in the description takes you to the only hack settings that have been verified to be completely stable with all memory cards in all situations. I tested each setting up to its limit of stability so you can rest assured those settings give you the "BEST STABLE" video the GH2 can do. There are many other good settings out there that have their merits in certain situations. However, those settings are only stable with the new $150+ memory cards. And even then they sometimes fail.
Great video and very helpful since I find the manual to be less than clear. One thing that is driving me nuts. Sometimes when I push the trash can button the focus square reverts to the center. Other times it does not and I get a message that "SHTR Speed Effect ON" and the word "DISPLAY" lights up next to the message. Any idea what's going on?
Also, have you found the "AFC" auto-focus mode to be less accurate than the AFS?
@MarkNF1 You have to touch the screen before hitting the trash can button. Otherwise it will adjust the SHTR Speed Effect.
I have found AFS to be more accurate than AFC. The only time I use AFC for stills is when something is moving towards me and I am shooting burst pictures.
@mpgxsvcd I thought the AFC or O.I.S. settings were broken and sent my GH2 to Panasonic for repair but they insisted that the camera worked as intended. Ugh!
Could you explain what SHTR Speed Effect is? Of course there is no entry in the manual's index.
@MarkNF1 SHTR speed affect locks the shutter at 1/120 of a second for NTSC cameras. I believe it is only affective for movies while in full auto mode. I believe the intent of this setting is to reduce flicker for flourescent lighting. Atleast that is what the GF1 manual said about it. Let me double check that this is all still true for the GH2.
@mpgxsvcd Thanks, I would really like to know about this and especially how to turn it on and off so I know for sure that it does not effect my still photos. I'm sure its been said before, but you are a tremendous resource and it is very much appreciated.
@mpgxsvcd. For still, one effect of that button is that the lens apperture is set to the desired value (see the lens) so I use it a a preview button.
I also beleive that in constant preview mode the shutter speed is limited in a certain range for liveview to work properly (the image would then be ajusted by calculation ?).
While using that button, you confirm that you accept the lag and want to see the effect of shutter speed on your picture (as well as DOF/aperture)
@mpgxsvcd I was wrong on this. It only affects the refresh rate of the LCD and has nothing to do with actual shutter speed. I will post a video soon showing this. It really does some messed up stuff and Shutter Speed effect should NEVER be turned off. Luckily it is so hard to actually turn it off that it doesn't really matter.
I love the slowmo clips at the end. Any chance of adding an annotation to indicate which settings were which? There looked like multiple difference slow motion versions
@1edrakel Absolutely. There already are a few good videos for hacking instructions. However, I am going to post a full review of the new Panasonic Firmware and the new hack if there is one in mid December.
If video is the priority, the gh2 is the front runner. It has much more detail and sharpness in its video than the canon video dslrs. The only place it falls behind is that it has less accessories and lenses. And of course the sensor size differences mean the canons have a shallower depth of field.
thanks for the run thought. there are not many good resources online for this camera yet. as for shooting in with the cinema look I believe that the skin tones look unhealthy and when possible I try and shoot standard to try and get as close as possible to a healthy looking skin tone in camera. also, the lcd screen on the camera seems to give a bad representation of the color is is recording to the card and the exposer. I feel that stuff often times looks darker than what I exposed for.
@dustymccord Try adjusting the white balance and the other color settings. You can get the colors right with any of the color modes. You can't regain the highlights that the other color modes will blow out. I agree that the LCD on the GH2 does not accurately represent what it is recording. Maybe the firmware update will correct that. The AF100 firmware update fixed it.
@mpgxsvcd have you personally used any of the canons and other dslr's great for video? I'm still deciding which dslr is the best for VIDEO? I have about 6 months so i'm in no hurry but i don't want to pay this much for something that ends up being anything but the best!
Some say gh2, others say canon 7d or 5d mark2 for video?
Thanks for doing this video. I'v been waiting for the book GH2 Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-GH2-Unofficial, but it's not due out until January. This video is a great run through on the menu. Thank you so much for putting it together. Question... I am going to be shooting a foot ball game outdoors at night with my F1.2 Minolta. Should I use the 60fps 720p or the 24fps 1080i?
Thanks for doing this video. I'v been waiting for the book GH2 Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-GH2-Unofficial, but it's not due out until January. This video is a great run through on the menu. Thank you so much for putting it together. Question... I am going to be shooting a foot ball game outdoors at night with my F1.2 Minolta. Should I use the 60fps 720p or the 24fps 1080i?
@TucsonCPA You should always use 720p @ 60 FPS for action sports over 1080p @ 24 FPS. 24 Frames per second is not sufficient to capture smooth motion. Panasonic will update the firmware for the GH2 in early January. It might even add a 1080p @ 30 FPS mode. If so give that mode a try over the 720p @ 60 FPS. I would never use the 1080i mode for any reason. It is a useless legacy format now that all displays are progressive displays.
Great runthrough! Wasn't aware of the shutter bug in P and A mode.
Cinema FIlm Mode is tricky, though. I usually use Smooth since when the highlights get clipped in Cinema they get really ugly. I wish the iExposure could set manually and then underexpose Cinema to avoid clipped HL.
Any reason you don't use REC HIGHLIGHT and HISTOGRAM when shooting video? Especially REC HL has been my savior many times.
@oscillian Great suggestions. I don't use the Histogram very much because I often shoot indoors with very flat light. If I shot more outdoors I definitely would use it.
Can you describe a little more about what you are seeing with the clipped highlights in Cinema? Smooth shoots the RAW image extremely under exposed so the RAW image will have the highlights. However, it drastically increases exposure across the whole spectrum for jpgs and movies so it will clip them in the end.
@mpgxsvcd It's seems that Cinema clips the three channels unevenly so you get some nasty fringing and oversaturated colours in the last few highlight steps instead of a smooth transition to white, as I get with Smooth.
@oscillian In an ideal situation (i.e. a studio shoot or location shoot with tons of gear) you should underexpose to protect your highlights and then add fill light to the shadows (unless you had an Alexa with that great Dynamic range, yeah right, in my dreams ;)
@oscillian For me, Smooth is a good compromise in those situations where i need to expose for the face and it forces me to blow out the highlights (i.e. a person being backlit)
@oscillian Just to clarify what is happening in Shutter and Aperture mode. With Auto ISO in P and A mode the camera uses as close as possible to 1/(2 x 35mm Equiv Focal Length) for shutter speed. In the video I used the 25mm F1.4 so it selected 1/60. With the 45mm F1.8 it will use 1/100 for shutter speed. That is the fastest longer native m4/3s lens so using P or A with Auto ISO indoors with even the faster native m4/3s lenses is not really affective.
Is it wise to replace my Sony hd-1000u (uses mini dv) that I use for shooting events, with Panasonic Gh2? I mostly shoot weddings.
Nimaney 1 week ago
@Nimaney Depends on what look you are going for in the weddings. For a shallower depth of field the GH2 is a better choice. For wider depth of field the camcorder would be better.
mpgxsvcd 21 hours ago
If you are shooting for PAL then you MUST hack your camera. That will allow you to select the PAL formats like 720p @ 50 FPS and 1080p @ 25 FPS. However, you won't be able to get 1080p @ 25 FPS until the end of this week. The hack for the new version 1.1 firmware should be out then. That is what will finally allow 1080p @ 25 FPS at high bit rates.
mpgxsvcd 1 week ago
I have the American (NTSC) version of the GH2, however, my end product is mostly in PAL. I use Adobe CS5 for post. What movie settings would you recommend that coud make my video look better before I adjust or do the conversion in post? Someone recommended using only 50 for aperture, but what is your opinion? Thanks.
CHANDSOME 1 week ago
the lcd screen reslution sucks on this camera im going to be real with you. its nowhere near as good as canon
sourcekings 2 weeks ago
@sourcekings It looks fine to me. What resolution is the Canon screen? Remember the GH2 screen was recorded at 720p with an older GF1 camera in this video. If I recorded the screen with a GH2 in 1080p it would look a lot better. I don't have 2 GH2s though.
mpgxsvcd 2 weeks ago
@mpgxsvcd i looked the gh2 has a lower resolution screen then canons. i was wondering what was going on. when i hook the camera to a tv i can see the true quality.
sourcekings 2 weeks ago
hey can you record in avchd on this card?
hzuzuknowsall 2 weeks ago
@hzuzuknowsall Yes it records AVC-HD at 1080p 30 FPS, 1080p 24 FPS, 1080p 25 FPS(PAL Users), and 720p @ 60 FPS.
mpgxsvcd 2 weeks ago
@mpgxsvcd on the eye-fi card? i know that those are the settings on the camera but is the eye-fi card compatible with them.
hzuzuknowsall 2 weeks ago
@hzuzuknowsall Yes it will record everything on the eye-fi card. It will even upload the AVC-HD files as well. However, there is one BIG caveat with that. The protecting scheme for AVC-HD is different from the other formats. That means that you cannot use the selective upload function with AVC-HD. You must use the upload all videos function. That isn't very useful because it will probably be uploading huge files that you don't want uploaded. It works great in selective mode 4 pictures though.
mpgxsvcd 2 weeks ago
@mpgxsvcd oh thank you! im going to order one right now
hzuzuknowsall 2 weeks ago
@hzuzuknowsall I love my eye-fi card. I just wish they had a 64 Gigabyte version with class 10 or greater speed for the hack.
mpgxsvcd 2 weeks ago
awesome video! very helpful. I hope it helps my shooting.
shenanigoat 2 weeks ago
Good Stuff
InFrameProduction 3 weeks ago
Hi,
I use the GH2 on a multicopter for arial video shots, can you give me some tips for the settings?
holco10 4 weeks ago
@holco10 Use 720p @ 60 FPS so you can do some really cool slow motion shots. Use 1080p @ 30 FPS with the new V1.1 for everything else. Also the improvements in Auto Focus in versio n 1.1 will allow you to use AFC. With Version 1.0 you would have to use a fixed focus. Post some videos. I would love to see the footage from that.
mpgxsvcd 3 weeks ago
@mpgxsvcd What I am looking for is good manual settings, auto is not the way with multicopter use, and 1080P-25 (Eur) is also not useable because of the low framerate.
You can find my video's if you search for holco10 ore Flexacopter
holco10 3 weeks ago
@holco10 I understand autofocus has not worked in the past. However, the new V1.1 GH2 firmware has changed that. Have you tried the new firmware? If you are still dead set on manual focus then just set the focus and try to keep the copter that same distance from the ground the whole time. I would love to see what it looks like with the Olympus 12mm F2.0 lens. Maybe at dusk? Use 720p @ 60 FPS for sure. You can do some nice slow motions with that and resolution is still very high.
mpgxsvcd 3 weeks ago
@mpgxsvcd I use V1.1, and the 12-F2 is on my wish list but its a lot of money!! think the 12mm f/1.6 Noktor/SLRMagic is a very good alternative;) altho a lot heavier and no auto focus :(
holco10 3 weeks ago
This has been flagged as spam show
I want this video on my GSmart t600 unit.
josepena1127 1 month ago
Very helpful. Would be great if you posted a list of your preferred settings rather than screen shots as I found them very hard to follow and set camera at same time. Thanks for posting.
JAMcDonald1 1 month ago
@JAMcDonald1 A lot of the settings are just a matter of taste and subject. Try pausing the video on the parts where I show what settings I have used. Try those settings out but you really need to try to find what settings look best to you.
The settings like dynamic range need to be shown to be understood. That is why I did the video for this.
mpgxsvcd 1 month ago
Hi Dear your video is amazing I watched all. Please can you help me I am trying to upload the firmware 1.1 but its not working at all means. its not updating. Maybe because its japanes version. but where I can find the US version GH2 firmware please can u send me link or email me or any other help. I just received yesterday my GH2H kit. waiting your early reply. Thanks.
umardilse 1 month ago
@umardilse Can you describe in more detail about what is not working? I will do a full video on how to update the firmware once the version 1.1 is hacked. Hopefully that will be sooner rather than later. What file are you uploading to the memory card. Is it called "GH2__V11.bin". If not then find that file on the Panasonic website. Once you have it on the card. Just turn the camera on, wait for 5 seconds, press play, and then select update. Don't touch the camera at all until it finishes.
mpgxsvcd 1 month ago
@mpgxsvcd Dear thanks for your quick reply but I download the firmware from panasonic website but its now accepting at all. when I format the card from the camera and Copy the firmware GH2__V11.bin and disconnect the camera and switch on and press play button but there is nothing showing. I try many times but when I play the hacked firmware its work fine. Maybe the one I download is wrong file so please if you can send me the link or email to me the right firmware so i can update the original
umardilse 1 month ago
@mpgxsvcd I will update original panasonic GH2 firmware 1.1, then when hack will available i will do that. but right now I need the 24mb recording. hope you understand. thanks again.
umardilse 1 month ago
Your vid is a favorite on Nauru
yronwyatt49b 1 month ago
Thanks a lot for taking the time to create this video. I just purchased the GH2 yesterday and watched your informative video last night.
Remixlab 1 month ago in playlist Uploaded videos
@Remixlab No problem. I am glad you liked it. Did you buy a brand new GH2? If so what firmware is it running. Try updating to the latest v1.1 firmware if you haven't already and if you are not interested in hacking. It improves auto focus and noise reduction greatly.
mpgxsvcd 1 month ago
Many thanks! Great video. I'll have to play it again in slow motion while I check some of the things I learnt.
One question: I read that 24p is eventually converted in TV to 25 or 30 fps by adding some "extra" or interpolated images. If that was so, wouldn't it be better to record directly in 25/30p (now that it is possible and we no longer have to resign to 50/60i)? If I am missing something there (probably), what are your rendering settings in your editor? I feel lost when I have to render.
martinezescribano 2 months ago
@martinezescribano No that is not really correct. Most newer TVs can display a native 24p signal. There will be no conversion with the GH2's 24p mode. 60i is the only mode that will be truly deinterlaced and loose quality. Never use 1080i for any reason. 720p in the GH2 is ALWAYS better.
The new 1080p @ 30 FPS mode(NTSC) is my personal favorite. I use it for almost every shot now.
mpgxsvcd 1 month ago
@mpgxsvcd Ah! Thanks for the clarification. It is not easy to learn this kind of things.
Cheers
martinezescribano 1 month ago
I've figured out a lot of things you didn't go into, but I'm still trying to wrap my head around the variable movie rates. I've seen the effects by messing with them, but if you could, would like a little more info on what they do.
HolyBackboard 2 months ago
@HolyBackboard The 80% mode simply records 1080p @ 30 FPS and slows it down by 80 % to give you perfect 1080p @ 24 FPS slow motion. The other ones record to 1080p @ 24 FPS but they leave out frames to give you a fast motion video. All of this can be done better in post processing. I like to use 720p @ 60 FPS for my slow motion videos.
mpgxsvcd 2 months ago
How can I convert my 50p camera into 60p?
10fps more would be nice for even smoother slow motions!
Zuzullo 2 months ago
@Zuzullo Wait till VK can hack the new firmware. Shouldn't be too much longer now.
mpgxsvcd 2 months ago
great video!
oliver454 2 months ago
And don´t you know when this new fw should be released?
enfee 2 months ago
@enfee It is supposed to be sometime next week. Arround the 9th I think.
mpgxsvcd 2 months ago
@mpgxsvcd i need the best camera for VIDEO....should i get this or canon 60d or 7d? I can't afford 5d mark2
whole27 2 months ago
@whole27 Define what you think is the best. If you think a shallow depth of field is best then 5D MKII is the BEST. If you think Continuous Auto Focus, High resolution, with many other useful controls is the best then the GH2 is the best. The others are not the best at anything with regards to video. They are completely acceptable though.
mpgxsvcd 2 months ago
@mpgxsvcd well my definition of the best video is one that has the best AF, HD resolution quality, etc. The canon 7d specs are better than the gh2....i looked at them side by side....the 7d has way more dots, better AF, resolution etc according to the specs?
whole27 2 months ago
@whole27 Your statement shows a lack of understanding of what really matters. Both the 7D and the GH2 can shoot 720p @ 60 FPS, 1080p @ 24 FPS, and 1080 @ 30 FPS. However, the GH2 has far more resolvable resolution in all of those modes and the aliasing is far less with the GH2.
Quite simply no one would choose 7D over GH2 footage unless they needed the shallower depth of field that the 7D sensor size can offer with the right lenses. The GH2 video “quality” is superior to the 7D in every way.
mpgxsvcd 2 months ago
@whole27 If it helps, I had the Canon T3i before moving to the GH2 and I'm very happy that I did, for the reasons given by mpgxsvcd. Plus, the GH2 hacks have served as a tremendous capabilities multiplier and I'm blown away by what comes out of the camera now!
SuperSetCA 2 months ago
@SuperSetCA i keep hearing about this "hacked" thing...what is that exactly?? And you can do it with any camera right?
whole27 2 months ago
@whole27 Someone hacked into the camera's software and exposed a buncha options that make the camera perform much better. Too much to explain in a comment but you should look up the GH2 hack and see for yourself.
SuperSetCA 2 months ago
@enfee Firmware was released this morning, Testing now!
mpgxsvcd 2 months ago
What about lcd color issue when you start recording and color setting is different than before recording. This is pretty unbelievable problem. Also iso 640 looks worst than iso 2500 in lowlight. I don´t get it and i regred that i was so naive about this camera :/
enfee 2 months ago
@enfee Those are valid issues. The color problem was corrected for the AF100 and hopefully the new Panny firmware will correct it for the GH2 as well. As far as the ISO issue goes. Yes there are some problems with ISO consistency. However, it still is better than anything else out there for high ISO video. The firmware is rumored to correct those issues as well.
mpgxsvcd 2 months ago
Fantastic job delivering a lot of material in a very concise manner. This was a huge help and we appreciate all the time that you have spent on this. Thanks so much. I look forward to seeing anything you produce. Well done!
EdVision1 2 months ago
Your video answers lots of questions, thanks for posting. I just uploaded the Andrew EOSHD GH2 shooters guide by Andrew Reid, it too gives a lot of insight to the wonders of the GH 2. He does a whole section on the GH2 Hack.
I am intending on installing one of the hacks in the near future but I find it confusing in which version is the best/as in highest quality with unquestioned stability. Nobody seems to be using the same version that I can see. Any comment?
Bojadog 2 months ago
@Bojadog The link in the description takes you to the only hack settings that have been verified to be completely stable with all memory cards in all situations. I tested each setting up to its limit of stability so you can rest assured those settings give you the "BEST STABLE" video the GH2 can do. There are many other good settings out there that have their merits in certain situations. However, those settings are only stable with the new $150+ memory cards. And even then they sometimes fail.
mpgxsvcd 2 months ago
Great video and very helpful since I find the manual to be less than clear. One thing that is driving me nuts. Sometimes when I push the trash can button the focus square reverts to the center. Other times it does not and I get a message that "SHTR Speed Effect ON" and the word "DISPLAY" lights up next to the message. Any idea what's going on?
Also, have you found the "AFC" auto-focus mode to be less accurate than the AFS?
THanks.
MarkNF1 2 months ago
@MarkNF1 You have to touch the screen before hitting the trash can button. Otherwise it will adjust the SHTR Speed Effect.
I have found AFS to be more accurate than AFC. The only time I use AFC for stills is when something is moving towards me and I am shooting burst pictures.
mpgxsvcd 2 months ago
@mpgxsvcd I thought the AFC or O.I.S. settings were broken and sent my GH2 to Panasonic for repair but they insisted that the camera worked as intended. Ugh!
Could you explain what SHTR Speed Effect is? Of course there is no entry in the manual's index.
Thanks for your help.
MarkNF1 2 months ago
@MarkNF1 SHTR speed affect locks the shutter at 1/120 of a second for NTSC cameras. I believe it is only affective for movies while in full auto mode. I believe the intent of this setting is to reduce flicker for flourescent lighting. Atleast that is what the GF1 manual said about it. Let me double check that this is all still true for the GH2.
mpgxsvcd 2 months ago
@mpgxsvcd Thanks, I would really like to know about this and especially how to turn it on and off so I know for sure that it does not effect my still photos. I'm sure its been said before, but you are a tremendous resource and it is very much appreciated.
MarkNF1 2 months ago
@mpgxsvcd. For still, one effect of that button is that the lens apperture is set to the desired value (see the lens) so I use it a a preview button.
I also beleive that in constant preview mode the shutter speed is limited in a certain range for liveview to work properly (the image would then be ajusted by calculation ?).
While using that button, you confirm that you accept the lag and want to see the effect of shutter speed on your picture (as well as DOF/aperture)
Pho3NiXWorlD 2 months ago
@Pho3NiXWorlD Which button are you reffering to as "that button"?
mpgxsvcd 2 months ago
@mpgxsvcd The trashcan button that also show on screen "shutter speed effect on/off", when it's not used to center the focus area.
Pho3NiXWorlD 2 months ago
@mpgxsvcd I was wrong on this. It only affects the refresh rate of the LCD and has nothing to do with actual shutter speed. I will post a video soon showing this. It really does some messed up stuff and Shutter Speed effect should NEVER be turned off. Luckily it is so hard to actually turn it off that it doesn't really matter.
mpgxsvcd 2 months ago
I love the slowmo clips at the end. Any chance of adding an annotation to indicate which settings were which? There looked like multiple difference slow motion versions
supercockroach 2 months ago
@supercockroach I am preparing a Slow Motion Video Guide right now. That will explain all of the slow motion techniques I use.
mpgxsvcd 2 months ago
Great video. Thanks you the tips. Since I am not technically incline, any chance of a video to show people like me to hack the firmware. Thanks
1edrakel 3 months ago
@1edrakel Absolutely. There already are a few good videos for hacking instructions. However, I am going to post a full review of the new Panasonic Firmware and the new hack if there is one in mid December.
mpgxsvcd 3 months ago
@whole27
If video is the priority, the gh2 is the front runner. It has much more detail and sharpness in its video than the canon video dslrs. The only place it falls behind is that it has less accessories and lenses. And of course the sensor size differences mean the canons have a shallower depth of field.
ashatron656 3 months ago
thanks for the run thought. there are not many good resources online for this camera yet. as for shooting in with the cinema look I believe that the skin tones look unhealthy and when possible I try and shoot standard to try and get as close as possible to a healthy looking skin tone in camera. also, the lcd screen on the camera seems to give a bad representation of the color is is recording to the card and the exposer. I feel that stuff often times looks darker than what I exposed for.
dustymccord 3 months ago
@dustymccord Try adjusting the white balance and the other color settings. You can get the colors right with any of the color modes. You can't regain the highlights that the other color modes will blow out. I agree that the LCD on the GH2 does not accurately represent what it is recording. Maybe the firmware update will correct that. The AF100 firmware update fixed it.
mpgxsvcd 3 months ago
Has this hack ever failed file spanning?
Walvis2007 3 months ago
@Walvis2007 It has failed with the 1080p High(42 mb/sec). However, it works just fine in 1080p Low(32 mb/sec) with any card including class 6 cards.
mpgxsvcd 3 months ago
@mpgxsvcd have you personally used any of the canons and other dslr's great for video? I'm still deciding which dslr is the best for VIDEO? I have about 6 months so i'm in no hurry but i don't want to pay this much for something that ends up being anything but the best!
Some say gh2, others say canon 7d or 5d mark2 for video?
whole27 3 months ago
Thank you. This has been really helpfull.
rydeen18 3 months ago
Thanks for doing this video. I'v been waiting for the book GH2 Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-GH2-Unofficial, but it's not due out until January. This video is a great run through on the menu. Thank you so much for putting it together. Question... I am going to be shooting a foot ball game outdoors at night with my F1.2 Minolta. Should I use the 60fps 720p or the 24fps 1080i?
Where did you get your 42mbs hack?
TucsonCPA 3 months ago
@TucsonCPA I have updated the description with links to the hack.
mpgxsvcd 3 months ago
Thanks for doing this video. I'v been waiting for the book GH2 Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-GH2-Unofficial, but it's not due out until January. This video is a great run through on the menu. Thank you so much for putting it together. Question... I am going to be shooting a foot ball game outdoors at night with my F1.2 Minolta. Should I use the 60fps 720p or the 24fps 1080i?
TucsonCPA 3 months ago
@TucsonCPA You should always use 720p @ 60 FPS for action sports over 1080p @ 24 FPS. 24 Frames per second is not sufficient to capture smooth motion. Panasonic will update the firmware for the GH2 in early January. It might even add a 1080p @ 30 FPS mode. If so give that mode a try over the 720p @ 60 FPS. I would never use the 1080i mode for any reason. It is a useless legacy format now that all displays are progressive displays.
mpgxsvcd 3 months ago
Great runthrough! Wasn't aware of the shutter bug in P and A mode.
Cinema FIlm Mode is tricky, though. I usually use Smooth since when the highlights get clipped in Cinema they get really ugly. I wish the iExposure could set manually and then underexpose Cinema to avoid clipped HL.
Any reason you don't use REC HIGHLIGHT and HISTOGRAM when shooting video? Especially REC HL has been my savior many times.
oscillian 3 months ago
@oscillian Great suggestions. I don't use the Histogram very much because I often shoot indoors with very flat light. If I shot more outdoors I definitely would use it.
Can you describe a little more about what you are seeing with the clipped highlights in Cinema? Smooth shoots the RAW image extremely under exposed so the RAW image will have the highlights. However, it drastically increases exposure across the whole spectrum for jpgs and movies so it will clip them in the end.
mpgxsvcd 3 months ago
@mpgxsvcd It's seems that Cinema clips the three channels unevenly so you get some nasty fringing and oversaturated colours in the last few highlight steps instead of a smooth transition to white, as I get with Smooth.
oscillian 3 months ago
@oscillian In an ideal situation (i.e. a studio shoot or location shoot with tons of gear) you should underexpose to protect your highlights and then add fill light to the shadows (unless you had an Alexa with that great Dynamic range, yeah right, in my dreams ;)
oscillian 3 months ago
@oscillian For me, Smooth is a good compromise in those situations where i need to expose for the face and it forces me to blow out the highlights (i.e. a person being backlit)
oscillian 3 months ago
@oscillian Yes I dream of having an Alexa as well one day.
mpgxsvcd 3 months ago
@oscillian Cool I need to do some more experimenting with that then.
mpgxsvcd 3 months ago
@oscillian Just to clarify what is happening in Shutter and Aperture mode. With Auto ISO in P and A mode the camera uses as close as possible to 1/(2 x 35mm Equiv Focal Length) for shutter speed. In the video I used the 25mm F1.4 so it selected 1/60. With the 45mm F1.8 it will use 1/100 for shutter speed. That is the fastest longer native m4/3s lens so using P or A with Auto ISO indoors with even the faster native m4/3s lenses is not really affective.
mpgxsvcd 3 months ago