Re: GH3: Buzz buzz b-buzz
 

I'm extremely happy, Mike. The images are just amazing to me. I love my XA10. I probably would not want the bigger brother to it, I actually love the small size, it works really well for me. Audio quality from the cam is stellar too.

Re: GH3: Buzz buzz b-buzz
 

I must be in the small minority here that find GH3's form factor a big turn off. A major reason I came to GH from Canon DSLR was its more portable size, especially with pancake lenses. I think the appeal of micro4/3 to many people was its smaller size relative to APC-S with little compromise of IQ. Panasonic just put GH3 out of their consideration with its decision to target the niche pro-video market.
In fact, only after the GH3 announcement did I decide to settle on a GH2 instead; GH3 is just too big for a hobbyist.

Re: GH3: Buzz buzz b-buzz
 

Lee, if you need small size and weight, the GF-1 and GX-1 are great cameras in a tiny packet...and the GX1 performs very close to the GH2 in terms of video and stills images (or the G3, which has video/stills performance equal to the GX1).

Re: GH3: Buzz buzz b-buzz
 

Thanks Tony for suggestions. I think GFs and GX1 lack EVF and manual video. Those would be features any video enthusiast would want and cannot live without. I would imagine there are ways to put some bulky cover over a small body so that if people want better handling they can get a larger grip and look, and people like me would have the option of having a more portable body.

Re: GH3: Buzz buzz b-buzz
 

Lee, we each have different likes about the camera, but many of us, me included, find the small size of the camera an issue.

Most of us here purchased the camera because of price and the amazing video quality, not for it's small size, the small size was a downside for many of us.

For day to day use in the field it is fiddly and too easy to hit buttons unintentionally. As a hobbyist, I can see the small size would be a plus. But as a pro shooter it's a different thing altogether. Just my two cents.

Re: GH3: Buzz buzz b-buzz
 

Another interesting interview with Panasonic:

Q&A with Panasonic: The story behind the new video-centric GH3 and other compact system camera tech advances - Imaging Resource

Re: GH3: Buzz buzz b-buzz
 

It's not just pros. Even for some of us hobbyists, the GH2 size is an issue. I'm not a big guy but I'd say I have slightly larger than average hands. I find using the GH2 buttons to be difficult at times. I'm not ready to spring for a GH3 but I do like the larger size.

D

Re: GH3: Buzz buzz b-buzz
 

Put a handle on it. I borrowed this from my Craftsman drill that cost about $50.
I use it for any camera I have, Coolpix, GoPro when I'm in the water, GH2.
It takes the big mitts out of the equation.
I saw a guy with a retractable monopod that looked like the ticket for on land run and gun use.

Re: GH3: Buzz buzz b-buzz
 

I've gotta say that the small size is a blessing and a curse, depending on how it's set up.

One GH2 is on rails with a Rode Videomic and Loup and depending on what lens, a follow focus. It's far from small but easy to handle.

The other is in a Shrigg Rig with a smaller mc. Smaller than the rails but still easy to use.

Anytime I need small to get into a "No Professional Cameras" venue or just because I don't want the bulk, I can take them off and use the bare camera.

Re: GH3: Buzz buzz b-buzz
 

Great idea but you still need to use your fingers to adjust settings. That's as much of a problem for me as just holding the camera. I don't see any solution to that other than to be careful and watch every move so the wrong button doesn't get pressed.

But thanks for the tip.

D

Re: GH3: Buzz buzz b-buzz
 

Thanks for posting the interview william. I am still confused about the HDMI output. The word uncompressed is being used a lot but I have also heard that the uncompressed stream might be 4:2:0 I would like to know if this is true. If it is, kind of a bending of what we all think of as uncompressed output for external recorders.

Anybody know this info?

Re: GH3: Buzz buzz b-buzz
 

The question is where In the processing chain are they referring to the the term "compression". The image goes thru a number of processes before recording or monitoring. Compression is possibly applied in several places, but definitely in the AVCHD transcoding process, some compression at 50mbs, much more at 19mbs. Since AVCHD is a 4:2:0 codec (at least in the GH2 and most other HD cameras), it's not unreasonable to assume that the raw image is first processed into 4:2:0 and then distributed to the various outputs the camera has; EVF, LCD, analog video port, HDMI, AVCHD encoder). However, my understanding of the HDMI standard (certainly a very basic understanding) is that it's a 4:2:2 video data stream not 4:2:0 but it's certainly possible that all HDMI receiving devices can automatically convert a 4:2:0 signal to 4:2:2, of course without improving the quality of the signal. The interviewees are probably talking about the AVCHD compression since 4:2:2 is a compression as well. I hold a very, very modest hope that the video signal is 4:2:2 until it's encoded into AVCHD.

Re: GH3: Buzz buzz b-buzz....bit rate question
 

I'm not up to speed on all the differences in bit rate terminology. On the Nanoflash sub forum the highest bit rates I have read that are available in "I-Frame" mode seem in most situations not to be worth the large increase in memory needed vs lower "high" rates in the "Long-GOP" mode in perceived increase in PQ.

With the Panny GH3 the highest choices are "ALL-Intra" at 72Mbps vs "IPB" at 50Mbps.

Is the "IPB" the same as, or different than "Long-GOP" and can the same deduction be made that 50Mbps in IPB is virtually indistinguishable from 72Mbps in All-Intra and far less memory required?

Re: GH3: Buzz buzz b-buzz....bit rate question
 

Will stay with 64GB SanDisk Extreme Pro cards and be safe. 95Mbs read / 90Mbs write


http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/824149-REG/SanDisk_SDSDXPA_064G_A75_Extreme_Pro_64GB_SDHC_SDXC.html

Re: GH3: Buzz buzz b-buzz
 

Hi
Considering the new Lumix GH-3.
I need a silent camera for making photos of deers - I can see that there is a silent mode for making video - but can the beeps and miror flapping sounds also be silenced in photomode ?