Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

Just got the lumix g6 for holidays and personal use from my weddings and my work horses hfg10s and 60ds, little bit of a play around in Ireland, in the bar iso 3200 grain free to me?? horses 160 iso standard profile all to the o...Wow, this little dslr is amazing...All footage 50p setting, kit lens 14-42 and the 45-150mm kit lens, no colour grading ect straight from the cam//
00074 - YouTube

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

I got the g6 on order to complement the gh3 I just got, I had my 550d to compare and the gh3 is a much better camera image quality wise, the g6 appeares to perform about the same as the gh3 so I"m exited to put both to work next weddings. The gh3 can go up to 6400 iso and gives me usable images without the real need for neatvideo treatment

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

Hey Noa, yep indeed this little beauty is brilliant. The feel of a light weight camera and the ease of use is excellent. Even the focus system is brilliant. Just point n and shoot the exposure focus pretty much takes care of its self, the 60d so hard to keep focus and maintain...It may well be I try for my weddings, but feel the cam don't look professional enough so will keep to my hfg10s and 60ds canon...
Wedding Video Liverpool Photography Liverpool Capture Your Moments Wedding

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

Steve - congrats on the G6! Fantastic little camera. Seriously, though, you are going to continue to use your 60D and increase the risk of an out-of-focus shot on a paid job because of the way the camera looks? You're kidding, right? :)

Cheers,

Bill
Hybrid Camera Revolution

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

Just kidding Bill yes hahaha

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

Steve, those videos look great "kit" lens and all. I've read that "kit" lens is an improvement over what has been included with the previous G series.

As far as it not looking "professional", the mere attachment of a "proper" lens hood for the lens in use, and the use of even an inexpensive shoulder brace like the SpiderBrace or the Gini rig will take it out of the realm of similarity to "Uncle Joe"s camera.

I sold off a 7D, T3i...AND a 60D once I started trying the GH2.

The Canon's were very good, giving me both good stills and video. But the GH2 was just a tad sharper. Autofocus has matured some in the G6 and GH3.

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

Hey Bruce... How are you? The g6 is growing on me day by day, I am trying all options these kit lens are great, low light im looking for the 45mm 1,8 and the 20mm 1.7. I have my monopods and the shoulder rig already. Just the viewfinder would be awkward maybe? having said that its ok for now..Is there a cheapo cowboy one that fits on the lcd screen at the back? Pity my 60d zacuto does not fit??? steve

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

Not sure I'd like to use a loop on my G6. I have found the focus assist zoom to be incredible to hitting focus. It doesn't work while recording as far as I know which is a shame. I tried to hold my lcdvf over the G6 screen and just couldn't see an advantage of it or focus peaking over the focus assist. Focus assist just works that well.

My T3i and host of L lenses have taken a seat on the pine. Even for stills the G6 can be pretty amazing if you have enough light.

Cheers,
Pete

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

Cheers Pete!!! That's what I was really trying to say, you cannot use the focus assist, you have to stop recording to check or change but like I am finding the tracking system works good so the focus takes care of itself and then you can half press the shutter button and it recfocuses quickly if you are not sure its focused on your subject. The little part of the horses as they go in the warm up cage stays in focus the whole time so that's the advantage over the canons...

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

Steve! I'm so jealous right now it's hard to describe in words! How come your videos look so smooth? They're not jittery at all, but at the same time it looks like a handheld shot . Is the image stabilizer inside the kit lens responsible for this beautiful video? I get really shaky handheld video with my 25mm lens on the GH3 (no O.I.S.).

PS: I just ordered the 14mm f/2.5 Panasonic lens, which is a great example of another lens without O.I.S., if you tell me your 14-42mm can produce such smooth video I'm putting that one in the cart as well. I'm sorry, I love to be able to take handheld shots, and your videos just look awesome to me. I'm more than willing to pay the $165 for that lens.

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

Anyone who doubts what the little sub-$1000 Panasonic G6 can do should look at this wedding video from Vimeo Plus member Jon Wide. I'll simply repeat the word in the title of this thread - wow.




Of course, most of this is Jon's skill as a videographer and editor, but I see a rock solid codec, no compression artifacts and sharp focus with manual lenses enabled by peaking. Very nice.

Maybe I should have gotten a G6 instead of sitting here by the door waiting for my $995 Pocket Cinema Camera to arrive :)

Bill
Hybrid Camera Revolution

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

Beautiful.

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

First 'real' shoot with the G6 yesterday and I'm really wishing it had some additional functionality (firmware hack please?). During recording (AFAIK), you can't adjust the ISO, check focus (with manual lenses), adjust WB, audio gain or peaking. Please tell me if this is just an operator error. I'm mostly shooting on the 'video camera' dial mode, and prefer to use my all-manual lenses. I understand that there will always be compromises, especially on a cheap consumer camera. Speaking of which, is it possible to use external power with this camera? I only got about 40 minutes on my battery yesterday (LCD had to stay on throughout the shoot).

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

I just tried doing what you said on the GH3.

1. I could adjust ISO while recording.

2. I couldn't adjust WB.

3. "Checking focus" - I'm not sure what you mean.

4. I could adjust audio gain. There is a shortcut on the touchscreen in the form of a little microphone icon, you tap that after which you can go from input level 1 all the way to 15.

5. When you say peaking do you mean audio clipping? If so, the camera shows you the audio levels on the screen, there are several white bars after which you get 2 sets of red bars. As far as I know, if the audio level reaches the first set of red bars, you're fine, if it goes all the way to the second set, it's too loud.

However, that being said, I've found that the camera adjusts the audio level according to what it thinks it should be, pretty much regardless of the input level you set for it. The input level you suggest only slightly influences the actual audio level. You can think of the audio levels as being more or less automatic. The manual adjustment matters more if you have a silent environment. If things are loud, it will not let the audio get distorted even if you chose a reallly high input volume. Again, I have limited experience with it, but that's the feeling I got after filming a few events.

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

Luc, spot on!! Let me tell you I was surprised, the camera just to my eye tight to the view finder arms tucked in but not really tight in. The kit lens 14-42 and the 45-150 both have ois and also the stabilizer in the camera on. This camera is freaking amazing...Standard profile, natural, vivid they are all brilliant, my buddy Bruce Foreman on the hv 20 forum and on here pretty much sold me to the cam. I may just may sell my canons and get the gh3s if they produce the same results as this little cam, god knows what I could do... Its as if I am watching some kind of 3d image when I watch. If you look when I pan to the right as the horse goes past, it looks as if its 3d or like the horse edges sticks out sharp...The only thing I am unsure about is when I need low light, my canon 60ds 50mm 1.4 and sigma 1.4 are both brilliant but im unsure about the Panasonic 20mm 1.7 and Olympus 45mm 1.8 for stability, I am getting used to the results of these kit lens. I wish they would make a low light lens like these with ois on.

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

Oren, you can change the iso!! Focus afs does it for you or manual I can. wb no but you really would not change wb in the middle of recording? no audio gain, it is only a consumer camera? Spare batteries x 2 needed, got them £12.99 for two.

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

Allow me to let you in on a secret. I filmed 2 weddings this weekend, and I don't think I used my 25mm f/1.4 lens wide open ONCE. Not when action was happening. I only used it at 1.4 when I wanted to get creative with focus pulls where I had absolute control over the situation. You know why? Because I tried filming at f/1.4, and when I was filming people dancing as couples (slow dance), when they took one step towards me they were out of focus, when they returned back to their original position they were in focus, and when they made a step in the opposite direction they were, again, out of focus. That pretty much sums up f/1.4. It's very nice that the lens can go that far, but it is very limiting in certain situations. I am VERY glad I cancelled my Voigtlander f/0.95 order, it would have been useless for events.

I used to think exactly like you, which is why I refused to buy the 20mm f/1.7 - I was afraid it wasn't going to be good enough in low light. And now I sort of regret it. Could have bought 2 lenses instead of the one Leica 1.4. I used it at f/2.5 most of the time this weekend in low light conditions (to get used to the 14mm f/2.5 Panny lens I ordered today), and at f/8 outside in daylight. When they brought out the cake I was shooting at 1/50 shutter and ISO3200, still f/2.5. No problem at all. With those settings it sees about as well as we humans do in low light. Of course, I'm talking about the GH3 here, I have no idea what the G6 is like. Either way, relax, the 20mm f/1.7 will be FINE. You will thank me later.

PS: I have the 45mm Olympus. It is magnificent. But I don't even dare take handheld shots with it.
PPS: I'm totally ordering that 14-42mm lens by the way, because of you. Just to be sure, the G6 does not have a built-in stabilizer, correct? It's just the lens MEGA O.I.S. that works the magic, yes?

By the way, what is the difference between MEGA O.I.S.:

http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-14-4...ywords=14-42mm

and POWER O.I.S.:

http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-14-4...ywords=14-42mm

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

The g6 has also a built in stabilizer yes for sure just checked and the lens are mega ois, so perhaps it has extra stabilization that's why its so good??? not sure on the difference the power one has the pz but don't think it matters, the mega one is great. Will look for the 20mm cheers

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

Just checked and the manual says the optical stabilization on the g6 built in to the camera only works with the lens that have the ois, manual lens will not work with the cameras built in stabilization. steve

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

Feeling better now that Luc pointed me in the right direction. I was trying to do everything with buttons vs. on-screen. Yay! I can control ISO and audio (to a certain extent, at least). Punching in the zoom with a manual lens on-the-fly would be great to help with focus (I know the native lenses do this when you turn the focus ring), but I'll have to deal. Battery life will still be annoying, especially since my other camera is an FS-100 that will go 8 hours on a battery and not break a sweat.
I only bring up these issues because this will often be an unmanned 2nd camera. I need to be able to set-and-forget without worrying that the battery will quit when the display still reads two bars. For the record, it went from 2 bars to one bar to off in the space of perhaps 10 minutes yesterday. Hey Panasonic, how about a 'battery time remaining' display. Even a rough guess would be nice. Three dots don't really cut it for me.
Okay, I've been sour long enough. I really am enjoying this little Panny, all pet-peeves aside.

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

The G6 does not have IBIS in any way. It simply is a quirk in the wording of selecting IS on or off in the camera. You can simply turn on and off IS from the camera without having to use the switch on the lens, if it has one.

I have shot my G6 with a 12-35 f/2.8, 14-42 II and a 100-300 all with OIS. It's quite good and if you are steady you can even shoot at 42mm and ETC for an effective focal length of 210mm hand held quite nicely.

Just making sure that you understand that the cam has control of IS from the body, but doesn't have any IS in body at all.

Cheers,
Pete

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

Is there much loss in resolution in that mode?

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

Never mind, just discovered etc on my gh3, "only" 25p but very usefull.

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

This sunday I got bored during the wedding and tested ISO 3200 & 6400 in low light, plus ETC at those ISOs. Hopefully I will have the time today to upload the test, but from what I saw the ETC footage is usable, even though slightly grainier. I'm guessing you'd really get away with using it if you had to film in 720p.

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

With the GH2 there is definitely a degradation in video quality when using ETC. However the videos that Pete Carney has posted using ETC on the G6 look amazing e.g.
Also here is no such thing as a free lunch & while the ETC mode does give extra reach it is in effect reducing the size of the sensor so it's like you are using a small sensor camcorder with get deep DoF rather than putting a big telephoto lens on your large sensor camera.

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

If a 600 euro camera body can magnify the lens range by 2.5 without any visible loss in image quality and produce results Pete has shown, who would care about having a deeper dof? I don't see that as a negative at all, some of Pete's footage looks amazing.

I first thought he was using some kind of extender but when I found out today my gh3 has the same function I just quickly tried a 300 mm canon lens on it and while I can imagine there has to be some image degradation, in daylight at least I couldn't see artifacts of any kind, all detail was there, that opens up opportunities to be shooting with my samyang 85mm f1.4 lens at a reception from a stealthmode position :) Can't wait to try this feature next wedding.

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

*ahem*

do you mean THIS?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/859134-REG/Samyang_SY85M_O_85mm_f_1_4_Aspherical_Lens.html

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

I have one with a canon eos mount but use a adapter for my panasonic.

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

If you would get one, be sure you get the cine version:

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

I agree the images look great which is why I linked to Pete's video. In fact I believe that the ETC on the G6 gives a 4.8X crop & what I was trying to convey is that the image won't look the same as if you really had taken off a 100mm lens & put on a 480mm.

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

I did. Got it in Nikon F mount as I had the adapter and a couple of Nikon lenses on hand. So far all I've been able to test it with has been on stills and seeing what it does with exterior lighting on my house from the front yard.

I've been having cataract surgery and for the first few days after each eye is done I stay inside so stuff blowing around in the wind doesn't get in the eyes. I can see anything past arms length far better than I ever remember.

But I think I'm liking the Rokinon 85mm T1.5 Cine lens.

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

Now that I actually own a G6 & have read the manual I need to correct this. WIth 1920x1080 mode ETC is 2.4x. It's s shame that there is not a way of simply toggling ETC On/Off as on the Olympus OM-D as the Panasonic requires several button pushes to engage/disengage ETC.

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

Partly as a result of seeing these posts singing the praises of the G6 I have now bought one. It's a PAL model but bought from Hong Kong & is without that pesky 30 minute recording limit so I can use it to replace my recently sold Canon XF105 as a locked off wide camera when shooting weddings. However the G6 is far more than that as it is a very capable camera. I used to own a GH2 but disliked using it as it was so small & fiddly. The G6 is just as small but feels much better in the hand because of the grip & the textured feel of the whole camera is more like my Canon 5D3. Even with the 14-42mm kit lens the still & video images are great while the ability to operate the camera remotely over WiFi (even the zoom lens) is great for a camera intended for unattended use. This is the first camera I have owned that does 1920x1080 50p so I have been experimenting with slow motion. I don't see any lack of resolution when using 50p as reported in some reviews.

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

A snail is not exactly the best subject to test slowmotion on :)
I don't like the way the camera lies in my hand at all, I constantly activate one of the buttons on the back with the palm of my hand, very annoying, never had that issue with my 550d which has a much better layout of the buttons and where you hold the camera. The gh3 is also a much better camera in that respect.

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

Also the etc mode on the g6 and the gh3 is just brilliant, have been shooting talking heads at a very dark reception with my g6 and a 85mm at f1.4 with etc enabled, I guess you get a 200mm f1.4 equivalent with that etc mode, the resulting images looked very good and where perfectly usable.

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

I have assigned the etc mode to one of the preset buttons, so I just press the preset button and the etc menu pops up, then I tap on the screen to activate the etc mode so that's pretty quick to turn on or off.

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

My little joke although it does show that the slo-mo is pretty smooth even at 25%:-)
It's certainly not as ergonomic as my 5D3 but it's not too bad & is vastly better than the GH2 that I couldn't get on with at all. TBH I only got the G6t to use as a locked off wide angle camera & as such I won't need to handle it much. In fact using WiFi I won't need to touch it at all once it's in place. The fact that it is only 5/8 of the price of the GH3 means that if it's a success I'll probably buy another so that I can use it for another locked off angle.

I did a test earlier today with a cheap non-Panasonic battery that lasted just 81 minutes while recording. I am currently repeating the test with a genuine Panasonic battery & it has been running 130 minutes & still hasn't died so I guess paying 3x the cost for genuine Panasonic batteries is worthwhile

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

Nigel I to have started to use it for my weddings, the kit lens are great but I need to save for a micro thirds lens 1.7/.8 to give me bokeh that my canons give me... I am slowly but surely loving the g6, dead light hold in your hands and steady......Still unsure on picture setting, I like standard toned down in sharp contrast sats -2, but just natural is good...

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

It's not terrible. It's just that I know it could be better. With my OM-D I have ETC mode assigned to a function button & it's press once for on & press again for off. I do keep forgetting about using the touch screen which us something that I do need to get used to as it does work very well.

Re: Panasonic lumix g6, wow
 

I tested with the Panasonic battery & it filled the 32GB card recording over 2.5 hours & there was still battery left.

I have also been experimenting with the smartphone app connecting over WiFi. It is possible to connect & disconnect the smartphone to monitor the recording which just keeps on going. This means that you could have multiple cameras all controlled from one smartphone. It's a little cumbersome & not as slick as the GoPro app that easily toggles between multiple cameras but it still looks usable.