MY sample was pure 24.0. By June, Pana could have added pulldown.

Unless they are watching the feedback.

Trying to be depressing, or does it come naturally? ;-(

I was looking at the Panasonic GY-HM100U & HMC150 and imagining them rebuilt around a u4/3rds lens+sensor core. It was nice while it lasted. Among the nice things about this format for Panasonic is that it will be very difficult for Canon, Nikon, or Samsung to easily match the zoom range and light weight of u4/3rds lenses as they are trying to build on an even larger sensor base (APS-C, FF 35mm).

Ok , I need a little help understanding how C Mount lenses can be used on m4/3 cameras . My understanding is that most C Mount lenses for 16mm don't even have an image circle large enough for s16 . So how could they , if 16mm camera aperture is about 10.3 x 7.5mm and m4/3 sensor size is 18 x 13.5mm , work without real bad vignetting , and maintain infinity focus ? thanks

No power zoom and now this:

[PMA] Panasonic SLR Camera Reflects Difficulty of AF Development

Panasonic Corp exhibited its lens-interchangeable camera "DMC-GH1," which will be released by the end of July 2009, at the Photo Marketing Association (PMA) show.

The camera can record HD video in 1080/24p or 720/60p AVCHD format. And it can output 1080/60i video on a TV when decoding (replaying) HD video, according to the company. The SoC hardware to improve image quality and the image sensor's pixel structure in the DMC-GH1 are the same as those seen in the DMC-G1.

The DMC-GH1 (prototype) has an auto focus (AF) video recording function that users might find strange. Specifically, the AF function does not work when the zoom ring is turned after the video button is pressed.

There are two methods of avoiding this problem.

(1) Focusing the camera on the subject by half-pressing the shutter button after rotating the zoom ring.

(2) Presetting the AF mode dial on the upper left hand side of the camera body to AFC mode (which continuously focuses on different subjects like a camcorder) before pressing the video button.

In other words, the first method uses AFS (auto focus-single) mode (in which the camera focuses on the subject only when the shutter button is pressed), which is useful for doing things like filming a movie. For example, to produce a movie effect, it is possible to focus on a man in the foreground while he is speaking and shift the focus to a woman in the background as she starts speaking.

On the other hand, this mode is not suited for following and shooting a running child using the zoom function, for example.

Though the second method is effective in such a case, still camera users usually shoot images in AFS mode. So, they have to remember to switch the AF mode dial to AFC before pressing the video button. As far as I could tell from the exhibited model, however, the camera's focus in AFC mode did not seem very accurate.

If the trouble of switching the dial causes a negative user experience, what must be done is very clear. It is to automatically switch the mode to AFC when the video button is pressed, even though the AF mode dial indicates AFS. And Panasonic should tell users that the AF mode dial can be used only for still images.

When I asked Panasonic at its booth if it is planning to add a function to automatically switch to AFC mode, the company gave me two different responses. One person denied it. But another neither confirmed nor denied it, just saying the camera is still under development.

I don't know which is the case. But supplementary explanation of the first person was interesting because it was about the difficulty of the development of the unprecedented auto focus function.

First, the DMC-GH1 is equipped with a 4/3-inch image sensor. And it has a much shallower depth of field than, for example, broadcast cameras with a 2/3-inch image sensor. Therefore, it is difficult for the camera to automatically continue to focus on the moving subject and shoot a movie that does not make viewers feel uncomfortable.

Moreover, Panasonic developed the AF capability of the DMC-GH1 based on the DMC-G1's AF function, which can be used only for taking still pictures. The DMC-G1's AF is very accurate in AFS mode, and it was realized through sudden focus shifts and slight camera shakes. So, this is possible only with still images.

It will take more time for Panasonic to eliminate the problems caused by such motions and achieve a high focus accuracy in AFC mode, said the person who denied the possibility that the company will enable the camera to automatically switch to AFC mode.

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This is interesting because I kept trying to see what the switch did and when I asked the rep he avoided a direct answer when I said a lower quality AF mode was used when shooting video.

Kurth -- you are right, in theory C-mount lenses do not have practical image coverage for the MFT sensor. But it seems some C-mount lenses have a larger image circle than was necessary for 16mm or even S16mm. It is this unexpected extra which has made them usable for the MFT sensor. I'm as surprised as you; I thought I knew a little bit about C-mount cine lenses and this was a total unknown to me. However, I have to accept the fact that there are stills photographers using these lenses on the G1 right now. As expected, some lenses vignette on all the available aspect ratios and won't be any good, but amazingly a few do not vignette even on 4:3. Obviously, shooting in 16:9 gives video users the best option to escape the worst effects. However, since this extra coverage is coming from the edges of the lens which was never designed to be seen by a film frame, there may be softness as well as illumination fall off. At the moment, it's our friends the stills photographers who are making discoveries in this hit and miss affair, so we wait until more reports come in concerning the things we want to know about the performance of specific lenses (see my previous posts about what to look out for). Check out those photography links I posted and see for yourself what the photographers are saying about it and look at their sample images.

John - I followed a number of links to different sites and every example of a c mount lens on the g1 vignetted . Now these were all 4/3 and not 16/9 images but from my understanding the 16/9 image is wider on the sensor , so the problem would be worse . I'd love to be able to use c mount but I think that the scarlet will be the first camera to use them effectively obviously because the sensor is smaller . If Panasonic could issue a firmware mod that could , for c mount lenses , sample the video image from a smaller part of the sensor ( also increasing effective focal length ) then that would be cool. I'd love to be able to use my ole' 9.5-95mm ang.. Maybe the s16 canon lenses would work but they are very expensive .cheers/k

Kurth -- some examples I saw were clearly reported as having no vignette with 16:9, and this was confirmed by the image samples presented. I also saw many "white wall" tests showing the image circle fall-off. I spent many hours going through so many threads on several forums I did not keep a record, but the impression was certain lenses were usable, which certainly surprised me. At the moment only the G1 is available, so the filmmakers have to wait for the GH1 to carry out their own experiments to find out what's what. I have some C-mount primes which I will try on the GH1 if I get it.

yeh , I also have a 10mm ang that might be nice - I also have alot of canon fd mount lenses which might be more useful - someone somewhere should do a compatibility list when it's time . With this camera and with the scarlet , c mount lenses might become harder to find !

Kurth -- I made these quick notes when I was originally looking at the still photography websites. They are also hoping to get some sort of combined data about what's good and what's not. These contributions come from the getDPIWorkshop forum:

SOM-berthiot 25mm f0.95: “vivek” said covers all frame aspect ratios, but needs machining to fit adapter.

Pentax 25mm f1.4: “Monza” said covers 16:9.

Canon 50mm f1.8 TV lens: “wjlapier” said covers all frame aspect ratios.

SOM-Lyter 1” f1.9: “wjlapier” said covers all frame aspect ratios. Some edge smear.

Wollensak 1” f2.5: “wjlapier” said covers all frame aspect ratios. Some edge smear.

Bausch & Lomb 26m f1.9: “butterdada” said covers all frame aspect ratios. Soft when wide open.

My apologies if I got some of these conclusions wrong. Thanks to all these guys for putting down their money to find this stuff out for the rest of us.

There's a great c-mount lens compatability chart that's being maintained here:
G1 C Mount Lens Compatibility List - Google Docs

And here's a list of all the lens adapters available for the G1, and where to get them:
Panasonic Lumix G1 Lens Adapters

thanks - after a fast glance at the chart , it appears that no wide lenses are covered , and the first real coverage starts at 25mm , except the 10mms' which seem to have confusing contradictory info . So my take is that c lenses might not be the way to go . Canon FD lenses , which are also cheap and available on ebay and nearly as fast , and have no problem with image circles seem to be a more viable option . Here's a site that has all of the FD options . I really wish someone would try the c mount zooms ! Imagine an angenieux on this camera with 20-200mm reach (i.e. the 9.5-95mm)

Canon FD lenses - Main Index Page

I've got a few FDs' starting at 17mm and they're great lenses . Remember you have to double the FL for m4/3. Also seems I remember that Pany has a 20mm in the m4/3 pipeline which will preclude any adaptation.

Joe -- that C-mount lens compatibility list is a great link! I haven't been on that forum for a little while and there was talk about making such a list, and now here it is!

Kurth -- thanks for that FD lens link. I've been coming round to this option myself, though you need really wide 35mm camera lenses to combat the 2x MFT crop. Normally ultra wide lenses are out of my price range, but Canon FD are an "orphaned" lens series, which makes them more affordable for me. I think a 20mm f2.8 would be a good compromise for me, and if I go down the Samsung NX route instead, that is even less of a crop for a 35mm camera lens.

Thanks again for those links.

John - I bought a tokina FD mount 17mm f3.5 on ebay for 90 bucks a few years ago . That'll be 35mm , my favorite focal length on m4/3 .The canon FDs' usually go for less than $100 . The new Panasonic 7-14mm f4 also looks very nice , but quite expensive to obtain ultrawide . This is the reason I'll be open to also getting a new rebel , if it has video , to use my tokina 12-24 f4 . The rebel will be cheaper than the 7-14mm pany . Actually one could buy a rebel and tokina 12-24 for the same price as the 7-14mm . It'll be fun deciding which camera to buy next won't it ? And if Nikon enters with some more models shooting video - whaooo ! Truthfully , I've been waiting for the one -camera solution all of my life , since super8 days , and now it's here , and I want them all ! Actually , for the last year , I've been shooting with my compact so I could have both with me , but while the still files are good , it's still too unresponsive , and the video isn't good enough .The only complaint I have so far with m4/3 is the ergonomics . I hope nikon or olympus will rethink the problem since they have no video market to protect and give us a truly revolutionary camera ....or Red will , one or the other . Video is coming to still cameras and it's coming like a tornado.