Is the GH2 usable? Should I buy it?

Jeff Harper · April 22nd, 2011, 01:36 PM

If your photos are properly exposed you photos will come out correctly, so I'm not sure I understand. At a high shutter speed you need a wide open aperture and/or high ISO, there will be a point with high shutter speed you cannot compensate at some point, and you will not be able to get correct exposure without sufficient light.

Patrick Janka · April 22nd, 2011, 02:48 PM

Yeah, with the aperture wide open in broad daylight you have to increase the shutter to a large value to get proper exposure. The problem is as I scroll from the single digits to the quadruple digits the preview correctly shows the exposure UNTIL I hit about 1/1500, then from there to 1/4000 it pretty much doesn't change on the preview screen. I take a picture and it comes out different than the preview.

Jeff Harper · April 22nd, 2011, 02:58 PM

You need to increase your aperture to say f/11 in bright sunshine or get a ND filter. You can't expect to run full open in bright sunshine and always expect to be able to get a good exposure. This is what ND filters are for. Also make sure your ISO is on auto or at lowest setting.

Then you'll be fine. You're just trying to take the camera where it doesn't want to go, which is the cause of your problem.

If you use your exposure compensation indicator then you will know when you are out of acceptable range.

Jeff Harper · April 22nd, 2011, 03:09 PM

As noted before Patrick, I can reproduce your problem, has happended to me also. This is not unique to you or me. But when your settings are correct, you have nothing to worry about.

OK, I know why your photos were dark. You were taking your shutter speed too high, and you were not watching the EC meter, because if you were you would have stopped turning the dial higher.

For proper exposure it will be RIGHT on the middle or on 0. You really dont want it to be anywhere else, 99% of the time.

If you run in aperture priorty, you do not need to set the shutter speed anyway, it will be set properly for you. You then change the aperture as you might want to, and then the shutter speed is set automatically. Or vice versa.

Ed Kukla · April 22nd, 2011, 03:35 PM

is this camera capable of FULL manual control of picture and audio?

I hate auto controls on any aspect of shooting.

Jeff Harper · April 22nd, 2011, 04:35 PM

Yes it is.

Jeff Harper · April 22nd, 2011, 09:21 PM

Patrick, I was wrong about your issue, my apologies. There is a lot I have to learn about these cameras.

Long story short, I was playing with the GH1 and had the exact same problem you did in low light, but only for photos. Very strange, the viewfinder was too bright, I played with it for an hour and it really freaked me out, I coudn't figure a way around it.

In regular normal lighting, no problem, but in very low light it was really weird.

I had less an issue with the GH2, however.

I have only taken photos in decent lighting up till now, and normally have no need to shoot photos in the dark, so in the end it is not an issue for me, but still would like to know what is going on!

Jeff Harper · April 22nd, 2011, 09:27 PM

Patrick turn the constant preview in the menu on, that should take care of our problem. I'm going to try it now.

Jeff Harper · April 23rd, 2011, 03:48 AM

Yes, constant preview must be turned on, it is turned of by default, making the screen brighter than it should be. It can still occur with this on, but not nearly to the extent as with it turned off.

William Hohauser · April 23rd, 2011, 10:09 AM

The terminology Panasonic uses with this camera still amazes me. "Constant Preview"? Strange use of the words. "Accurate Preview" would be better. And I experienced this same problem this week while taking behind the scenes photos in a studio.

Patrick Janka · April 23rd, 2011, 04:57 PM

I've had constant preview on since day 1.

Jeff Harper · April 23rd, 2011, 05:03 PM

So have I, but I reset recently so mine was off last night.

I don't know Patrick, I've shot outdoors in direct sunshine and not had the issue you're experiencing, with or without a ND filter, unless my settings were not optimal.

April 22nd, 2011, 01:36 PM	#16
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Re: Is the GH2 usable? Should I buy it? If your photos are properly exposed you photos will come out correctly, so I'm not sure I understand. At a high shutter speed you need a wide open aperture and/or high ISO, there will be a point with high shutter speed you cannot compensate at some point, and you will not be able to get correct exposure without sufficient light. __________________ "The horror of what I saw on the timeline cannot be described."

April 22nd, 2011, 02:48 PM	#17
Patrick Janka Major Player Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 623	Re: Is the GH2 usable? Should I buy it? Yeah, with the aperture wide open in broad daylight you have to increase the shutter to a large value to get proper exposure. The problem is as I scroll from the single digits to the quadruple digits the preview correctly shows the exposure UNTIL I hit about 1/1500, then from there to 1/4000 it pretty much doesn't change on the preview screen. I take a picture and it comes out different than the preview.

April 22nd, 2011, 02:58 PM	#18
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Re: Is the GH2 usable? Should I buy it? You need to increase your aperture to say f/11 in bright sunshine or get a ND filter. You can't expect to run full open in bright sunshine and always expect to be able to get a good exposure. This is what ND filters are for. Also make sure your ISO is on auto or at lowest setting. Then you'll be fine. You're just trying to take the camera where it doesn't want to go, which is the cause of your problem. If you use your exposure compensation indicator then you will know when you are out of acceptable range. __________________ "The horror of what I saw on the timeline cannot be described."

April 22nd, 2011, 03:09 PM	#19
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Re: Is the GH2 usable? Should I buy it? As noted before Patrick, I can reproduce your problem, has happended to me also. This is not unique to you or me. But when your settings are correct, you have nothing to worry about. OK, I know why your photos were dark. You were taking your shutter speed too high, and you were not watching the EC meter, because if you were you would have stopped turning the dial higher. For proper exposure it will be RIGHT on the middle or on 0. You really dont want it to be anywhere else, 99% of the time. If you run in aperture priorty, you do not need to set the shutter speed anyway, it will be set properly for you. You then change the aperture as you might want to, and then the shutter speed is set automatically. Or vice versa. __________________ "The horror of what I saw on the timeline cannot be described."

April 22nd, 2011, 03:35 PM	#20
Ed Kukla Major Player Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: All over, USA Posts: 512	Re: Is the GH2 usable? Should I buy it? is this camera capable of FULL manual control of picture and audio? I hate auto controls on any aspect of shooting.

April 22nd, 2011, 04:35 PM	#21
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Re: Is the GH2 usable? Should I buy it? Yes it is. __________________ "The horror of what I saw on the timeline cannot be described."

April 22nd, 2011, 09:21 PM	#22
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Re: Is the GH2 usable? Should I buy it? Patrick, I was wrong about your issue, my apologies. There is a lot I have to learn about these cameras. Long story short, I was playing with the GH1 and had the exact same problem you did in low light, but only for photos. Very strange, the viewfinder was too bright, I played with it for an hour and it really freaked me out, I coudn't figure a way around it. In regular normal lighting, no problem, but in very low light it was really weird. I had less an issue with the GH2, however. I have only taken photos in decent lighting up till now, and normally have no need to shoot photos in the dark, so in the end it is not an issue for me, but still would like to know what is going on! __________________ "The horror of what I saw on the timeline cannot be described."

April 22nd, 2011, 09:27 PM	#23
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Re: Is the GH2 usable? Should I buy it? Patrick turn the constant preview in the menu on, that should take care of our problem. I'm going to try it now. __________________ "The horror of what I saw on the timeline cannot be described."

April 23rd, 2011, 03:48 AM	#24
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Re: Is the GH2 usable? Should I buy it? Yes, constant preview must be turned on, it is turned of by default, making the screen brighter than it should be. It can still occur with this on, but not nearly to the extent as with it turned off. __________________ "The horror of what I saw on the timeline cannot be described."

April 23rd, 2011, 10:09 AM	#25
William Hohauser Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: New York City Posts: 2,650	Re: Is the GH2 usable? Should I buy it? The terminology Panasonic uses with this camera still amazes me. "Constant Preview"? Strange use of the words. "Accurate Preview" would be better. And I experienced this same problem this week while taking behind the scenes photos in a studio. __________________ William Hohauser - New York City Producer/Edit/Camera/Animation

April 23rd, 2011, 04:57 PM	#26
Patrick Janka Major Player Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 623	Re: Is the GH2 usable? Should I buy it? I've had constant preview on since day 1.

April 23rd, 2011, 05:03 PM	#27
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Re: Is the GH2 usable? Should I buy it? So have I, but I reset recently so mine was off last night. I don't know Patrick, I've shot outdoors in direct sunshine and not had the issue you're experiencing, with or without a ND filter, unless my settings were not optimal. __________________ "The horror of what I saw on the timeline cannot be described."