Considering GH1 for Canon HF-S20 at DVinfo.net

Maurice Covington · February 5th, 2012, 08:13 AM

I am considering a trade for my HF-S20 to pick up a GH1. I recently had a D7000 stolen and need a HDSLR to capture great depth of field in low light. The GH1 also comes with a Nikon lens adapter which should be great considering I have some pretty good Nikon glass. Is the camera really a good choice; the GH1 or should I be looking for something else? I've heard that the 1080P may not be the greatest.

Please provide your feed back.

Bill Bruner · February 6th, 2012, 04:56 AM

Maurice - sorry to hear about your D7000. I'm a GH1/GH2 shooter, and the GH1 is a great camera for shallow DoF video, and for producing great images with Nikon glass, but it has some challenges with dark areas in low light. The GH2 is significantly better.

That said, with shipping, your HF S20 is going for

$604/98 used

at Amazon, while a

used GH1 is just $399.49

. Even with a

Nikon to micro 4/3 adapter

, your camcorder is worth almost $200 more than the GH1.

You'd be better off selling the HF S20 for $550 and buying a

used GH2 for about $775

and the Nikon adapter for about $26. For $250, you'll get much cleaner images in low light, plus an extended teleconverter mode that more than doubles the focal length of your lenses with little to no image degradation, some manual control of audio levels, on screen audio metering, live HDMI monitoring while recording, plus a few other benefits (to include higher resolution stills).

Still $450 less than the $1250 you'd have to pay for a

refurb'd D7000

at Amazon.

Nice side-by-side of the GH2 and D7000 here:

Hope this is helpful,

Bill
Hybrid Camera Revolution

Maurice Covington · February 6th, 2012, 06:58 AM

Bill thanks for the response. Unfortunately, I've already made the trade so any difference in value is lost. I can't look back now. That being said, I've been trying, unsuccessfully, to use a Nikon 24-70mm 2.8 lens with the camera to capture video. I can't say that I've read the manual cover to cover yet but I have been reading. I understand that I must change a setting in the camera to shoot without a lens when using the Nikkor Nikon lens adaptor. What I don't get is that when putting this lens on, the image is dark as though the appeture is almost closed. Obviously, there is no appeture ring on the camera, is it possible that this is my issue. I've seen videos that demonstrate a way to alter the appetite but I'm not sure that I am comfortable with doing something like that. The camera works great with the kit lens but I'd preceded to use the better glass. Any suggestions?

Guy Smith · February 6th, 2012, 01:34 PM

1st off, yes, you will need to set your camera to "Shoot w/o lens"

As far as adjusting the aperture, the less expensive lens adapters cannot control the aperture on lenses that lack an aperture ring. There may be a more expensive lens adapter out there that does this, but if you only have one Nikon lens it may be better to pick up some vintage Nikon glass instead.

At work I use a GH1 and GH2 with kit lenses; my personal camera is a GH1 with Minolta and Nikon lenses. I initially went with Minolta lenses (50mm and 35mm - 70mm macro) because they are good quality and less expensive than Nikon.

I traded in the 35 - 70 for a Nikon 80 - 200 ai lens (manual aperture) and I was unable to get decent color - everything had a purple/green cast. We are blessed to have a local camera shop that buys and sells vintage equipment so I was able to compare two Nikon 105mm f=2.5 lenses on my GH1. One was a late 50's vintage and the other was a newer ai lens. The older lens has the yellow-brown coating and renders much warmer and healthier skin tones. It cost less than the ai lens ($95) and produces very nice images on our D7000 as well.

A friend told me that I can never go wrong with Nikon glass. The owner of the camera shop told me basically the same thing: folks will put Nikon lenses on their Canon cameras, but not vise verse. My $.02 is that lens adapters are cheap and I'm willing to use any lens that produces the result I'm looking for. If a vintage Pentax lens + adapter renders the type of image that I'm looking for at 1/2 the cost of a Nikkor then I'm happy with that. BUT... If you think that you may end up shooting with a Nikon or Canon than you may want to invest in Nikon glass. If you do go with Nikon, consider the older non-ai lenses because they are less costly, built like tanks, and produce excellent results on both Panasonic and Nikon bodies.

Maurice Covington · February 6th, 2012, 08:06 PM

Bill,

The video looks great! I just haven't been able to really test the lens out in the way that I would like to. I don't think any thing is wrong with the camera itself rather I believe that it is as Guy has suggested; possibly the adaptor itself. That being said, it really doesn't make sense that it is an issue with the adaptor because the adaptor is made by Fotodiox a lens that seems to be used by others without issue.

Are there any other special camera settings needed when using an adapter. I believe that it was Guy that said that in low light he has dark corners. I am having just darkness (period). Any suggestions would be great.

Jeff Harper · February 7th, 2012, 07:02 AM

Maurice, I suspect you need to open the aperture. Put the lens on a Nikon camera to open the aperture. If you have to, contact a friend with a Nikon camera or go to a camera store with used Nikons and ask if they will help you by letting you use their camera.

If you do not have an adapter with aperture control then you will need one for the future unless you do not plan on changing the aperture from full open.

You are using a lens that is not ideal for the camera, but with an adapter that has an aperture ring you can work with it.

February 5th, 2012, 08:13 AM	#1
Maurice Covington Major Player Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Plainfield, Illinois Posts: 236	Considering GH1 for Canon HF-S20 I am considering a trade for my HF-S20 to pick up a GH1. I recently had a D7000 stolen and need a HDSLR to capture great depth of field in low light. The GH1 also comes with a Nikon lens adapter which should be great considering I have some pretty good Nikon glass. Is the camera really a good choice; the GH1 or should I be looking for something else? I've heard that the 1080P may not be the greatest. Please provide your feed back.

February 6th, 2012, 04:56 AM	#2
Bill Bruner Major Player Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Sunny California Posts: 513	Re: Considering GH1 for Canon HF-S20 Maurice - sorry to hear about your D7000. I'm a GH1/GH2 shooter, and the GH1 is a great camera for shallow DoF video, and for producing great images with Nikon glass, but it has some challenges with dark areas in low light. The GH2 is significantly better. That said, with shipping, your HF S20 is going for $604/98 used $604/98 used at Amazon, while a used GH1 is just $399.49 used GH1 is just $399.49 . Even with a Nikon to micro 4/3 adapter Nikon to micro 4/3 adapter , your camcorder is worth almost $200 more than the GH1. You'd be better off selling the HF S20 for $550 and buying a used GH2 for about $775 used GH2 for about $775 and the Nikon adapter for about $26. For $250, you'll get much cleaner images in low light, plus an extended teleconverter mode that more than doubles the focal length of your lenses with little to no image degradation, some manual control of audio levels, on screen audio metering, live HDMI monitoring while recording, plus a few other benefits (to include higher resolution stills). Still $450 less than the $1250 you'd have to pay for a refurb'd D7000 refurb'd D7000 at Amazon. Nice side-by-side of the GH2 and D7000 here: Nikon D7000 vs Lumix GH2 Daylight Color Test on Vimeo Hope this is helpful, Bill Hybrid Camera Revolution

February 6th, 2012, 06:58 AM	#3
Maurice Covington Major Player Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Plainfield, Illinois Posts: 236	Re: Considering GH1 for Canon HF-S20 Bill thanks for the response. Unfortunately, I've already made the trade so any difference in value is lost. I can't look back now. That being said, I've been trying, unsuccessfully, to use a Nikon 24-70mm 2.8 lens with the camera to capture video. I can't say that I've read the manual cover to cover yet but I have been reading. I understand that I must change a setting in the camera to shoot without a lens when using the Nikkor Nikon lens adaptor. What I don't get is that when putting this lens on, the image is dark as though the appeture is almost closed. Obviously, there is no appeture ring on the camera, is it possible that this is my issue. I've seen videos that demonstrate a way to alter the appetite but I'm not sure that I am comfortable with doing something like that. The camera works great with the kit lens but I'd preceded to use the better glass. Any suggestions?

February 6th, 2012, 01:34 PM	#4
Guy Smith Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 48	Re: Considering GH1 for Canon HF-S20 1st off, yes, you will need to set your camera to "Shoot w/o lens" As far as adjusting the aperture, the less expensive lens adapters cannot control the aperture on lenses that lack an aperture ring. There may be a more expensive lens adapter out there that does this, but if you only have one Nikon lens it may be better to pick up some vintage Nikon glass instead. At work I use a GH1 and GH2 with kit lenses; my personal camera is a GH1 with Minolta and Nikon lenses. I initially went with Minolta lenses (50mm and 35mm - 70mm macro) because they are good quality and less expensive than Nikon. I traded in the 35 - 70 for a Nikon 80 - 200 ai lens (manual aperture) and I was unable to get decent color - everything had a purple/green cast. We are blessed to have a local camera shop that buys and sells vintage equipment so I was able to compare two Nikon 105mm f=2.5 lenses on my GH1. One was a late 50's vintage and the other was a newer ai lens. The older lens has the yellow-brown coating and renders much warmer and healthier skin tones. It cost less than the ai lens ($95) and produces very nice images on our D7000 as well. A friend told me that I can never go wrong with Nikon glass. The owner of the camera shop told me basically the same thing: folks will put Nikon lenses on their Canon cameras, but not vise verse. My $.02 is that lens adapters are cheap and I'm willing to use any lens that produces the result I'm looking for. If a vintage Pentax lens + adapter renders the type of image that I'm looking for at 1/2 the cost of a Nikkor then I'm happy with that. BUT... If you think that you may end up shooting with a Nikon or Canon than you may want to invest in Nikon glass. If you do go with Nikon, consider the older non-ai lenses because they are less costly, built like tanks, and produce excellent results on both Panasonic and Nikon bodies.

February 6th, 2012, 08:06 PM	#5
Maurice Covington Major Player Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Plainfield, Illinois Posts: 236	Re: Considering GH1 for Canon HF-S20 Bill, The video looks great! I just haven't been able to really test the lens out in the way that I would like to. I don't think any thing is wrong with the camera itself rather I believe that it is as Guy has suggested; possibly the adaptor itself. That being said, it really doesn't make sense that it is an issue with the adaptor because the adaptor is made by Fotodiox a lens that seems to be used by others without issue. Are there any other special camera settings needed when using an adapter. I believe that it was Guy that said that in low light he has dark corners. I am having just darkness (period). Any suggestions would be great.

February 7th, 2012, 07:02 AM	#6
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Re: Considering GH1 for Canon HF-S20 Maurice, I suspect you need to open the aperture. Put the lens on a Nikon camera to open the aperture. If you have to, contact a friend with a Nikon camera or go to a camera store with used Nikons and ask if they will help you by letting you use their camera. If you do not have an adapter with aperture control then you will need one for the future unless you do not plan on changing the aperture from full open. You are using a lens that is not ideal for the camera, but with an adapter that has an aperture ring you can work with it.