about to buy GH2: couple of quick questions
 

hi everyone, as a 5D owner I am fascinated by the GH2, and its capabilities

although the image might be slightly less magical than with a 5D, there are other big advantages

so onto my questions

1) does the GH2 allow you to autofocus only with select Panasonic lenses, or will other autofocus lenses allow for this? (I refer to this video Skate. Shot with a Panasonic LUMIX GH2 - YouTube at 4:24 where they talk about one specific lens)

2) is hacking the only way to get 1080 25p?

3) how does this camcorder work with Canon full frame (L) lenses and old Nikon lenses? any compatibility issues?

4) does the GH2 have any stabilization, or you have to rely on a specific stabilised lens (does it have to be Panasonic?)? most of the lenses I see as recommended don't have OIS, why I ask this questions, as I only main shoot with IS lenses with the 5D.

thanks a lot!!
Fed

Re: about to buy GH2: couple of quick question
 

I'm no expert, but I can answer a few of your questions:

1. Any Olympus or Panasonic micro 4/3 lens will autofocus. Most 4/3 lenses will autofocus with a Panasonic DMW-MA1.
2. AFAIK, yes.
3. Should work fine, as long as you don't mind manually focusing all the time.
4. There's no IBIS (in-body image stabilization) in Panasonic cameras. So if you want IS, you'll need to buy an IS lens (or get a stabilizer). Olympus lenses don't have IS, so you'll have to pick up a Panasonic or a Canon/Nikon with an adapter if you have to have it.

Re: about to buy GH2: couple of quick question
 

Old Nikon lenses work fine (I've tried three, all fully-manual lenses). The cheaper mounting adapters have mixed reviews and may not fit as fully snug as you'd like.

Canon lenses are more complicated as you'll need an adapter that has an iris, or gives you electronic iris control.

Re: about to buy GH2: couple of quick question
 

thanks. I cannot find any precise information about 25p.
because I would need to intercut footage from the GH2 with 25p of the 5D, it's quite crucial that I can achieve it

Re: about to buy GH2: couple of quick question
 

I do not think 25p is possible on GH2. There have been rumours of a firmware upgrade, allowing 25p in .mp4 wrapper.

GH1 does 25p though ...

Re: about to buy GH2: couple of quick question
 

a solution for me could be to shoot 24p with the Canon 5D, but I also use the Canon HFG10 which can only shoot 25p and not 24p as I bought the euro model....
AAAARGH what's wrong with these ********* manufacturers? couldn't they just do switchable camcorders like the EX1r?
is the GH1 much worse than the GH2?

Re: about to buy GH2: couple of quick question
 

I guess the GH2 doesn't have 25p yet....I was just assuming the hack enabled it since it did for the GH1.

I owned the GH1 for a while. In good light, the video was excellent, but I had a huge problem with banding in low light. It was somewhat due to the slow lenses I was using, but even so, it shouldn't have been as bad as it was.
I'm sure the newer models are better to some extent, but I personally wouldn't buy it.

Re: about to buy GH2: couple of quick question
 

To expand on the previous replies

1) Autofocus with any lens is not great. If you are expecting the sort of AF you get on a proper camcorder you will be disappointed.
2) 25p is not available with a hack. It may or may not be available with the promised firmware update due to arrive in December. Panasonic have just said this will include "New video mode which is suitable for editing video recorded at high bit rate (24Mbps)" which optimists have interpreted to mean 25p & 30p are being added.

Re: about to buy GH2: couple of quick question
 

thanks
in general terms when is it really mandatory to shoot 25p in PAL land, apart from broadcasting (which certainly doesn't apply to me)?
for shooting for DVD/Bluray, it seems to me that 24p is included in the DVD and Bluray protocols, while 25p not, even though some say that shooting 25p and rendering to 1080i Bluray it keeps the 25p "feel".
most PAL DVD players should be able to read a 24p DVD right?
when shooting for the web it shouldn't really make a difference, and actually it's been said that Vimeo (and maybe YouTube) handle better 24p than 25p clips
so I guess the only real annoyance in shooting 24p in Europe is a possible flickering due to the 50/60Hz thing isn't it?
I know a lot of people who shoot 24p in Europe but I've never tried myself...

Re: about to buy GH2: couple of quick question
 

You can do initial AF with just about any m43 or 4/3rd lens, but only specific Panasonic m43 lens will support active AF while recording (might be a few Oly lenses now too). There's a page somewhere on Panasonic that lists them.

Re: about to buy GH2: couple of quick question
 

Here's the link: Compatibilities of DMC-GH2 | Compatibility | Digital Camera | Product Support | Support | Panasonic Global

It appears that all of the Panasonic and Olympus micro 4/3rds lenses (except the awful 3D lens) support continuous AF, albeit with a few limitations on some of them.

I personally don't use continuous AF as I don't like the focus hunting all the time.

Re: about to buy GH2: couple of quick question
 

thanks a lot. but if you decide to not use continuous focusing, is there a function on the GH2 that allows you to focus pressing a button? that would still be much better than the 5D manual only focus

Re: about to buy GH2: couple of quick question
 

That's what I meant when I said in an earlier reply "Autofocus with any lens is not great. If you are expecting the sort of AF you get on a proper camcorder you will be disappointed." Continuos AF on modern decent camcorders is really good & you simply don't see the hunting that you do with the GH2 & any of the Lumix lenses that I have (20mm F/1.7, 14-140mm, 14-42mm)

Re: about to buy GH2: couple of quick question
 

thanks but can you re-focus with a button while shooting? I think there is an awkward and not usable way of doing so with the 5D

Re: about to buy GH2: couple of quick question
 

There's auto focus, and continuous auto focus, two different things. If you're in continuous auto focus mode you can reset focus with shutter button but it will change focus as soon as composition of the scene changes.

CAF is of limited to no use, except for the 12mm lens, in my experience. Even then, I use it about 25% of the time. Others may feel differently.

I use auto focus and CAF is turned off on my cameras. I reset focus as needed using the shutter button.

Re: about to buy GH2: couple of quick question
 

Setup & use AF & continuous AF is confusing on the GH2. We had a discussion on this a while ago as I was looking for the ability that I have on my camcorders to have manual focus but then push a button to hit focus & then for the AF to get out of your way. I don't believe that I ever got it working with the GH2 & have just relied on manual focus now http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/panasoni...push-auto.html

Re: about to buy GH2: couple of quick question
 

Ahhh, those early days of confusion, Nigel. I am completely comfortable with turning CAF off, but running in auto focus, and using the shutter button as needed. And with the 12mm you can go into manual focus by extending the focus ring and adjusting as needed, very cool feature, though I don't use it much, as the auto focus is so spot on and instant it's not needed often.

I would tell anyone to just turn off Continuous Focus off in the camera menu settings, and run in auto focus. I use the touch screen a lot to select my focus area, it's a great feature.

I had forgotten till you mentioned the old thread of yours how confusing it was to learn these cameras. God it was awful. I'm editing a wedding now shot months ago and some of the footage was SO off.

Re: about to buy GH2: couple of quick question
 

It's never been mandatory to shoot 25p in PAL land, even for broadcast. For TV delivery in the UK, 50i has always been and still is compulsory (though shooting at 25p and converting to 50i has always been the norm for high-end drama).

Nor is there any issue with 24p and lighting flicker - feature films have always been shot at 24fps in the UK and across Europe. If the shutter duration is 1/50th of a second (or a multiple thereof), there will never be any issue in a country with a 50Hz mains supply, regardless of the frame rate.

The real issue, as you have already identified, is that 25p is a setting commonly found on recent camcorders, and without it on the GH2, your options are limited in multiple camera scenarios. For example, I have a GH2 and a Canon XH-A1. Their only common frame rate is 50i. Nevertheless, while this isn't ideal, I find 50i-originated TV dramas and documentaries more than acceptable.

Re: about to buy GH2: couple of quick question
 

The problem with the GH2 is that 24Mbps higher quality recording is only available with 24p. Even if I wanted to record 50i (which I don't) the maximum bit rate available is only 17Mbps.

Re: about to buy GH2: couple of quick question
 

Jeff, I have been following this thread and the wedding setup thread even though I haven't posted. I am moving over to all GH2 setups for my weddings and had a few questions.

You mentioned the 20mm 1.7 lens is a great lens if you only had one to use on a wedding. Just curious are you shooting reception footage with no external lighting or supplemental off camera lighting? I have also been intrigued by the 17mm 2.0 and the 14mm 2.5. The little extra WA seems it would be handy to have but is the slower iris on those a deal breaker?

I have 2 GH2 setups already just using the kit lenses (one of each) and I used them on my last wedding of the season. Overall they were pretty good even with the slow lenses but I do have a small light on a light stand near a DJ light and also a 35W light on the camera for a little extra punch on closeups of main dances. My footage at 1250 ISO and 1600 ISO was a big improvement over the Canon A1s I normally shoot with even at 6db. Of course because they are slow lenses I don't get as much of the shallow DOF I wanted for the main formal dances but the footage was good.

Just curious with the 20mm 1.7 what ISO are you using as your max. For me the 1600 was my limit unless it was real bad at which content is more important. :-). Do you have a max ISO you won't go over in most situations?

I have been using a single T2i in my setup for b-roll shots so I am comfy with the whole DSLR environment and plan to get one more GH2 to round out the setup. Just trying to figure out what lenses I will want for each camera. I have some manual focus lenses from the T2i that can be used as needed as well. I am also planning to get that 45mm 2.0 you have mentioned. That will be my dance close up lens for the reception and maybe a little prep time closeups too.

Re: about to buy GH2: couple of quick question
 

Phillip, thanks for posting, and I'll try and help you based on my limited experience.

For the reception I run the 12mm F/2.0, the 45mm F/1.8, and the 20mm. I only came up with this system my last wedding. This is because it was pitch black, and my XA10 looked pretty bad compared to the GH2s. Those three lenses cover things pretty well. However, some guys use the Rokinon 85mm F/1.8 or F/1.4 to great effect. On a larger dance floor it would provide the nice closeups that give your video the emotional impact we need for a more effective wedding video. The 45mm is quite nice, but will not be as long as you might want in many situations. The 45mm has a nearly instant auto focus that helps make up for the lack of length, as you can almost always be in sharp focus with it.

For the ceremony I really need a real videocamera. Shooting the processional with all DSLR style cameras, or hybrids, is a true pain and not worth it to me. I am actually going to add a second XA10 or G10 for next year for ceremony work, if not two. I like three cameras at all times for everything when possible, and for the ceremony I really don't care if I use the GH2s or not.

For the processional nothing better than a videocamera, for me.

F/2.0 is plenty fast enough for virtually anything, especially when the lens is as sharp as the 12mm F/2.0.

As for ISO, I often run in shutter priority for receptions and let the auto iso fly, works out ok. For your highest ISO, I think 1600 is a good max, but since I run in shutter priority with auto iso, I often don't know what ISO i'm running at. ISO is limited to how high it will go in the semi manual modes, I think, but don't quote me on that.

Re: about to buy GH2: couple of quick question
 

If you're used to the 5D and are in the market for something new I would maybe hold off to see what comes of this. Should be a huge game changer. Coolest feature is it's fully iPad controllable:

Canon Develops Full-Frame DSLR Capable of Shooting 4K Video | PhotographyBLOG

Re: about to buy GH2: couple of quick question
 

Thanks for the info Jeff. I am going to play around with Shutter Priority and auto ISO while shooting video. I just may like that for a reception.

I have shot a few processionals with a DSLR and just bump up the ISO a little and set the iris to a larger number like 5.6 or slightly higher. This gives me a fairly large area of infocus area and I just let them walk through the shot without trying to pull focus or zoom. At 5.6 you can usually get a nice spot of a good 15 feet or more in length in good focus to let them walk through. It has worked well for me for those times I have done DSLR for the processional.

Here is the plan I have in my head for how I would be working with the GH2 for a wedding day. For the preps I would use either the 20mm or the 45mm (maybe have 2 cams with different lenses with me) I could would then use the 20mm for wider shots. I can get in closer at times and if I need to quick change zoom length use the TeleConv option quickly from a function button. That would allow me 2 focal lengths from one lens without having to switch cams or lenses. With my T2i I had vintage primes and was constantly changing between the 28 and 58 lenses. Was a pain. This will be quicker and essentially give me both focal lengths I am used to shooting with for prep. With the 45mm on a second cam I would have 2 more options to quickly use if needed.

For the ceremony I would shoot the processional with one of the kit lenses like I mentioned above or use one of my vintage lenses on a monopod. I have a 70-210 3.5 Vivitar that would be my broll lense for the closeups of the ceremony. My second cam would be setup with one of the kit lenses to the side and unmanned. I would check the camera from time to time to set it up for a shot. My third would be manned in the back center by my other shooter probably using a 14-140 kit lens. That cam is usually on a medium shot for most of the ceremony so it could be put in TeleConv mode and be able to get a few closeups at the alter when needed.

For the reception it would be the 20mm (or other WA) for the wide shot of dancing and the 45 for the closeups of the dancing during first and parent dances. After that I can cover it all with a WA lens pretty easy. For the speeches I can get somewhat close for the speaker and use the 45 or in TeleConv mode if needed. The other manned cam for reaction shots would probably have a 20mm or maybe one of the kit lenses if a big zoom is needed....or course the ISO would be bumped up to compensate but they are mostly cutaway quick shots. If the faster lenses allow me to keep the ISO around 800 the noise is not too bad so the TeleConv could be used to give extra options.

That is my plan but I know there are a few holes in it I need to figure out. Those holes will probably be covered with a manual focus lense that I have or can get easily. I plan to be full GH2 with no regular video camera because I am comfy shooting those moving shots of the processional and recessional with a DSLR.

Re: about to buy GH2: couple of quick question
 

Sounds like a plan.

Re: about to buy GH2: couple of quick question
 

weren't there talks that the much announced firmware upgrade due I think in a couple of weeks, will bring the 24Mbps bitrate also to 50i? and maybe even introduce 25p?

Re: about to buy GH2: couple of quick question
 

There are working patches available to bump up bitrates in every video mode, not just 24H... of course, you have to go through the whole frame rate headache to get it.

Still, the GH2's stock 720p mode is miles better than the 7D's 720p.

Re: about to buy GH2: couple of quick question
 

Panasonic did indeed announce new firmware is coming in December. (This is not to be confused with the amazing amount of work that's already being done with hacked firmware.)

Here is the Panasonic announcement:
Information of firmware update service for DMC-GH2 | Digital Camera | Digital AV | Consumer Products | Support | Panasonic Global

It mentions new video modes and 24Mbps, but it isn't specific as to what those modes are going to be, so we'll just have to wait and see.

(Because you can currently record 24Mbps ONLY in the 24P fine mode, speculation is that this might now be applied to other modes which are currently limited to 17Mbps.)

Re: about to buy GH2: couple of quick question
 

how is the GH2 720 50p for slow-mo? how does it look upscaled?
thanks

Re: about to buy GH2: couple of quick question
 

720 upscales fine. How it looks is dependent on the quality of the footage. Upscaling is a non-issue, it looks like Bluray should look. Ideally 1080 is better, but the advantages of higher frames rate handling motion so well can help make up for the lack of resolution. There are networks that shoot in 720 60p, don't know about 50p.