In Windoze I use process troublesome clips using AVIsynth and Virtualdub. K-Lite codecs provide all you need. But these are tools for people who are familiar with using scripted programming languages. They are free, and they can do just about anything. Plenty of plug-ins for both -- for example -- Gunner Thalin's 'deshake' filter for Virtualdub is superb, and very configurable.

IMO, to handle AVCHD Lite it is best to create the DGindex and AVIsynth command files with MeGUI (another free tool).

But I am lazy, so I use Cineform for my main codec, Sony Vegas for the final mixdown... Both are commercial packages costing more than the LX7. Both save me time and keep the overall quality high...

Finally, I have stacks of 2TB RAID 1 arrays to store footage for posterity. The drives are cheap. I have fire-proof boxes full of old footage (it will come in useful one day LOL).

when will the hack - Vitaliy?

I'm very happy with the camera for video. The problem I'm having is that I haven't figured out the best use for it on my local TV show. For example, this week I decided to use it wide but unfortunately pointed at the window in the radio studio. At 720p, the camera did not handle it well. It would have been better on me and one of my GH1s in the wide position. Next month, I'll get it set up better. Look for the March show link this week.

To Vitaliy - do you need to wait for a firmware update for LX7

Yep.

Venus is marketing term. But LX7 seems to be from same generation as G5.

Thanks for all your replies - and corrections Markr and Vitaliy.

Markr - the codec data output is variable, so if you shoot a shot where very little is happening - then look at the file Length vs size = rate you can end up with ... see attached report from windows. (Note that other files it confirms the right bit rate almost all the time, just some of these more still long video shots its well under the bitrate. Where i am shooting 720p/60 and geting 7-8Mbit. I saw this happen a few times when the camera is on a tripod ... now with the GH3 it will tend to use the bitrate.

Optical image making pan stutter - great to know. I am in your debt. I started using Nikon manual lenses which obviously don't have OIS and i am getting a good fluid-head so i can see how when OIS is your friend and when it is not.

I see this a lot with live video streaming codecs - and yeah, it can be great to have a lower bit rate and smaller file. You can rejoice ... if the codec did its job but when i look at the image quality, i am not sure its tuned right - could be getting more detail. So ... just imagining how something like the GH2 hack could benefit video quality in future if it happens.

My experience has been that the 720p does not mix well with my hacked GH1. The image quality is the problem, I think. Honestly, I've not tried it in a professional setting on a regular paying job. My little TV show is self-shot (with 4 cameras), and it is a very small and frustrating space--a radio station studio.

But I do set everything (except focus with the LX7) manually. My custom film profile is -2 across the board on all cameras and white balance dialed in eyeballed. I'm not sure what film profile on the LX7 compares to "smooth" on the GH1. I used spot monitoring and under exposed a couple clicks (I try to do this all the time). And this week, I just guessed wrong. Look for the example when I post the show.

I have another documentary project starting soon, and it would be awesome to have a hack for the LX7 by that time. And I need to donate, I know.

The fast lens and ability to shoot completely manually makes the LX7 great. If the bitrate was increased and the clip length limit were lifted this camera would be a terrific true "C" cam for me.

Sure it is not having problems because of the bright outside light in the window? To me it looks like it tries to compensate for that.

Hi fellow LX7 owners,

I have an issue on my camera and can't find a setting anywhere in the manual that I can set to fix the problem. After recording about 1 minute, the camera shuts down all the information on the display; the information such as shutter speed, aperture, battery level, etc... diappear from the screen.

Do other cameras have the same problem? I can produce the problem consistently. Hit the record buttom and simply let it run for about 1 minute without touching anything and all the information is gone from the screen.

Thanks.

Thanks for the comments on my little radio show. Shooting it myself without monitoring the cameras sucks. Generally as everyone knows, shooting towards a window is problematic. I think a filter would help and I use variable NDs all the time (I wonder if a CP would be a good choice). But guys, the cameras are all in the wrong place on my show. At least, I fixed the previous focus issues!

I'm considering picking up a used kit on KEH (they're now pretty cheap) which would let me go wide (and high) on the two GH1s and use the LX7 between us. The little Kodak zi8 should be traded in on a GoPro, because the gal on the boards is much easier on the eyes than the two of us.

By the way, I'm now fully switched to FCPX. I don't even use Plural Eyes anymore (although I still have it if I need it).

Bought a used LX7 from Amazon for $277. It will be here tomorrow. It will replace my Canon S100 as my new butterfly cam. We take a lot of butterfly pics, the wife and I. Also bird pics. Anyway, I was going to wait for the Canon S110 replacement but the following features sold me on the LX7 as my walking-the-trails butterfly cam.

-fast lens at both ends. My S100 is a bad 5.9 at the tele end. -quick manual focus rocker switch on the back -Macro up to 1" from lens. That's huge for me. Sure, it won't replace my Oly 60mm macro/GH2 combo for tack sharp large pixel pics but it also goes in my pocket which is what I need while on the trails looking for butterflies. -1080 60p and that nice MP4 1080 30p feature -720p 120fps will come in handy for pretty butterfly wings slow motion. Can't wait to try that out. -physical Macro AF switch on side of lens...very nice I believe that will be. -my FL360 flash will work with it. I hope the the FP TTL feature works with the LX7 -the intervalometer is nice but sadly limited to just 1 pic per min for 60mins...sigh

I read all of the review out there and it seems I'll probably set the LX7 to 800 ISO limit as stuff above that didn't look that good. We'll see.

As for my Canon S100, it's got the CHDK hack and is outside right now taking motion detect pics of birds on one of our perches.

Can't wait to get the LX7. Thanks for all of the tips from pages 1-8 here.

Harold

2x bitrate would be nice... only if it improves IQ noticeably.

OK, got the camera today from Amazon Deals...used. It doesn't have a scratch on it so who knows what the real story is. Seems to be working just fine. Got the C1 and C2 set up to my liking but I have a question about the time lapse feature and maybe someone like mpgxsvcd will be able to advise me. Here's the issue: The lens retracts after it takes a pic and then, of course, pops out again to take the next pic a minute later. I'd rather it did not as it might startle the birds that I have it set up for. It's out there now doing its thing so we'll see when I check the card later if there are any birds there but if it is possible to keep that lens out during its time lapse function I'd rather do that. Perhaps there is a setting that will keep it active and out during the time lapse process. I'll do the digging myself if I have to but thought I'd ask before I started.

Also, that open/shut lens cap that you can buy on Amazon is really nice and without it I wouldn't have bought the LX7.

Also, thanks to mpgxsvcd for those setting suggestions in your Youtube video. They came in handy.

Harold