Panasonic GH2: Best Video DSLR For The Price?

[Tim Akin]

Yes it is. They did that deal right after I bought one from B&H dang it.

[Jeff Harper]

Ouch. I'm thinking of picking one up, and I don't even need it! Can always use an extra, that's for sure.

[Christopher Ruffell]

My two cents.. I've been using my GH1 for professional video work over two years now (wow.. that long?) and I'm very impressed. I've hacked it, but before even doing that, it was serving me very well - the hack isn't needed, but it sure helps.

The best thing I could say is, I've compared it to the 5D, 7D and T2i. I've edited projects shot exclusively with these Canon cameras (and I've owned a Canon production camera for several years).. and my partner and I both agree: the Panasonic Lumix GH1 is the camera we reach for an rely on as A-camera, every time.

I have no reason to upgrade yet - I'll buy whatever is the best bang for the buck when it comes time - but I'd invest in a GH2 if my GH1 was wrecked at some point! I'm a Nikon lover, so I'm hoping a great Nikon is released, but I'm all for the GH1 and GH2 right now! Such a clean, reliable image.

[Jeff Harper]

You do great work Christopher, like your Habit video. Regarding the GH1, it's nice of course, but in low light the sensor cannot hold up to the GH2, for me. Colors with the GH1 become muddied in the dark where they would hold up with the GH2. I shoot with both cameras for weddings, and for indoor work I cannot rely on the GH1 using a F/2.8 zoom, it can't cut it when compared to the newer model. It becomes difficult to a achieve a decent white balance, and the footage is can be very difficult to match with a GH2. I used the GH1 last week with the F/1.7 20mm and the footage really lacked the richness and detail of the GH2 in the same low light.

All things considered, if I had no GH2 to compare it to, I wouldn't think a thing of it and would be happy enough. But when you have both, need to run a slower lens, the GH2 I'll reach for every time. In sufficient lighting it doesn't matter much at all, of course.

On the other hand, when I send the GH1 out with an FX1, the GH1 destroys it, but that would be obvious anyway, wouldn't it?

[Christopher Ruffell]

Great to hear Jeff - I've not done much research regarding the GH1, but hearing that you have both and can compare (and I know you and your work) this is great news! I'm glad I know the upgrade path I'll most likely take now.. and if I'm as impressed with the GH1 as I am, I'm glad to hear the GH2 is a worth-while improvement! Thanks!

[Jeff Harper]

Based on what you do, I can see the GH1 as all you need, for sure. Unless you do weddings or run and gun, and if you have control over the lighting for your shoots, then I can see you would not need the GH2.

Saturday I had the GH1 with the 20mm F/1.7in the back of the church, main floor, for example, where it was dark, and while the footage would beat most conventional video cameras, it just didn't have the wow factor of the GH2s, it was lifeless and dull color-wise. If I got the altar exposed correctly, the aisle and seating areas were too dark. If I exposed to get the main floor and aisle exposed correctly, then the altar was too dark.

On the other hand, with the GH2 and 12mm F/2.0 across the aisle aimed same direction, it was all close to perfect running in shutter priority.

Where the GH1 has really struggled for me was when using third party zoom lenses. With a Tamron 28-70mm F/2.8 the GH1 couldn't be white balanced in many ceremony situations at all. Colors were absolutely horrible. That situation was the result of a combination of the Tamron's issues with color handling made exponentially worse by the GH1 sensor in low light.

[Rob Katz]

coming from an eng rig, i am getting to the dslr revolution late.

i am drawn to the gh2 because:

i need long record times and the canon 10-12min limit is a deal breaker.

i very much like panasonic products and really like the "pannie look".

i shoot lots of talking head interviews for web clients.

i shoot lots of short corporate pieces.

but being late to the game, there is an overwhelming amount of info out there.

where do i start my education?

i have walked thru pages and pages of this forum along with watching hours of vimeo footage.

and i am more and more excited about the possibilities.

possible topics:

lens choices.
audio set-up.
dressing up the gh2.

i like forward to thoughts, links, pointers which anyone cares to share.

be well

rob
smalltalk productions

[Kaushik Parmar]

Originally Posted by Dennis Vogel

"Because Panny has the GH2 discounted on their Facebook Fans Deal page and have had it discounted for a month now..."

I didn't realize the GH2 was being discounted. B&H has it for $999.95 with the 14-42mm lens. Adorama is the same. Newegg doesn't have it in stock. Are these the discounted prices you're refering to? Anybody (reliable) got it cheaper?

D

It is now $749 with 14-42mm! Sure new GH3 is coming soon. I ordered today from B & H.

[Jeff Harper]

I personally would buy the GH2 and a Panasonic 20mm F/1.7 lens to start. Play with it, and learn the camera with that lens and the 14-42mm that comes with it. For audio, the camera has a mini-mini input, radio shack has an adapter for a few dollars that will enable you to plug in a Rode Videomic Pro or other small shotgun to it.

That would be all the investment I would make initially. As you learn the camera, then you could go from there. You'd have a lot of fun with it if you kept it simple initially.

The 14-42 lens, as inexpensive as it is, can be very effective, but only in plenty of light. It is useless in low light, but a nice lens to have available in your kit.

[Bob Richardson]

I agree with the recommendation, above.

Can't say enough nice things about the VideoMic Pro. In really noisy environments you'll still pick up ambient noise (impossible to completely reject with such a short microphone) but somehow the voices of your subjects pop out clearly from the din.

Long record times was a deal-breaker for me, which is why I didn't venture into DSLR video until the GH2. (I also own an ENG-style JVC HM700, which can record nonstop all day using 2 card slots.)

Additional recommendations:

1. Buy extra batteries. You can easily record over an hour continuously on one battery (without continuous auto focus), but beyond that (depending on the circumstances) is pushing it. (When I record plays/theater, I swap batteries at intermission.) Spring for the overpriced official Panasonic battery, so that the camera will show you a proper battery level indication.

2. Buy yourself a cheap Nikon lens adapter, and look for some all-manual cheap Nikon-mount lenses at garages sales or eBay, stay well under $50. These lenses may not be suitable for serious production, but they will really help you get a feel for different focal lengths and apertures before springing for an expensive (but high quality) Micro Four Thirds lens of similar specification. And who knows, you may find a gem of a lens. (I'm lucky, my father's old camera kit contained a couple of rather useful lenses!)

A caveat: This camera is best at shooting 24P (North American version at least). 60i (30fps interlaced) is also supported, but if you want to do 30P it's problematic at best. (Someone correct me if I'm wrong!)

[Jeff Harper]

I love shooting weddings at 720 60p, Bob. Motion is so smooth, it's just stunning, to me. 60i looks great of course, and I'm sure 24p is best, but for run and gun give me 720 60p.

I shoot now with a XA10 so I've switched to 60i, but I'm playing with idea of 24p.