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GH2 Possible Improvements
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  • tttuliotttulio
    Something simple but that would make all the difference:
    Being able to use the Focusing Magnifier function WHILE filming.
    It is agreat tool to focus correctly before shooting, but after you start recording, it goes away. People tend to move and so does the camera...
    Thanks
  • Mark_the_HarpMark_the_Harp
    ...and I believe @tttulio that peaking would be good too. In both cases it would be great to switch them on and off during recording (in other words, just use them for a quick check). The advantage of peaking is that you still get to see the whole image.
  • Mark_the_HarpMark_the_Harp
    Hey - three in a row!

    I'm in the middle of editing a music video and rather annoyingly I'm discovering the GH2's sync drifts by quite a bit. Typically, over 4 minutes I find it's drifted so it's slightly early by around 8 frames. I only discovered it when I ditched my 2 XHA1 camcorders and decided to do the whole shoot on my GH2. So now I've got better low-light pictures, but I'm spending a long time trying to tidy up this sync issue. I was shooting in 1080i 50 to keep it consistent with the first shoot, where I used both XHA1s and GH2.

    I guess there's no way of curing this beyond obviously just having to sync all 60+ timeline clips manually. Just very annoying! Didn't think I'd ever get annoyed with my GH2 but there you are.
  • ElenionElenion
    Hi, what about different color curves that can achieve the highest possible dr and latitude? It could be useful because currently i found the images of the gh2 a little too compressed to be graded properly, compared for examples with the images of the fs100 (that as almost the same bitrate)
  • fehafeha
    Some ideas (wishes) :
    1. if possible variable movie mode add more options like:
    500%, 700% , 1000% or more great for timelapse video :-)
    2. Global quality recording modes in Mbit's (at least up to 44)
  • Roy_BattyRoy_Batty
    Un-squeezed 2.35 in the LCD.
  • DrDaveDrDave
    Quote
    Typically, over 4 minutes I find it's drifted so it's slightly early by around 8 frames
    End quote
    Mine does not drift like this. 8 frames in four minutes is a lot. If you can borrow a superclock or an RME you can double check it. What is your clock source?
  • Mark_the_HarpMark_the_Harp
    @DrDave I think that's my comment - it was probably more than 8 frames to be honest. I was just using the GH2 stand-alone, ie nothing connected to it, if that's what you mean. I didn't think I'd need to have it sync to a clock source (I don't bother with my other cameras) and not sure if / how you would do that anyway on the GH2. I was basically picking up the sound of a CD player in the room, and that same CD track was also imported into my editor (Vegas pro 10) along with the GH2 footage and synced up using the GH2's audio, and only later when I cut up the clips, did I start to discover the drift. I never thought of checking both ends of each long take first, as I've never had this issue over such a short time before.

    Thinking about it, maybe there was some weird sample rate or CD-player thing going on between the imported timeline file and the CD / CD player in the room. So perhaps I'm blaming the GH2 for nothing. I'll do an experiment today directly playing the timeline and audio recording it on the GH2 and importing that back into the timeline to see if there's any drift. If there isn't, then it's probably just the CD player doing something weird.
  • bdegaziobdegazio
    @Mark_the_Harp
    8 frames in four minutes is suspiciously close to the pull down rate of 2 frames per minute. Maybe Vegas is pulling down your CD audio (therefore causing the gh2 pix to appear to run fast?)
  • DrDaveDrDave
    Sounds like a 44./48 sampling date issue. Resample the audio to 48/32 float in a separate audio editor, check the the total time matches you clip, and reimport in the NLE
  • Mark_the_HarpMark_the_Harp
    Thank you both - will have a good look but just ran into a virus problem on my machine so hours of fun ahead first!
  • Mark_the_HarpMark_the_Harp
    Hi all - have now got out of my virus problems (one of those ones that interrupts running of AV software and then denies access to folders).

    Anyway, I tested out bringing the CD audio into a Vegas project (44.1k audio for both CD and Vegas project settings) then imported the 50i footage (Vegas set to 25p). And yes, basically the GH2's audio is 8-9 frames ahead of the CD after 4 mins.

    Is this something to do with my settings or (strokes imaginary beard) does it reveal something about the GH2? Any helpful answers would be gratefully received!

    I can try the external resampling thing then bringing it into Vegas, but the Vegas project was actually at 44k1 anyway. I also tried directly DrDave's advice - resampling the CD track to 48k and then importing all into a vegas project running at 48k (because the GH2 audio is also 48k) but alas I still get the same issue with sync.

    The only other thing I can think of is that I made a special CD with some clicks at the start (CD at 44k1 of course) but it could be the CD player was somehow playing back slightly "fast" during the shoot.
  • EtbEtb
    +1 for Rangetogethe

    I would like to play with a tester-patch on 720p120 too, since the sensor capability is able to do (we can dream until we haven't try) :-)
  • JspatzJspatz
    Has anyone given thought to expanding the usability of the mic/remote socket? Perhaps a splitter to use both at the same time. It would also be good to work out a way to use a single remote to start and stop both the GH2 and H4N simultaneously.
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    @Jspatz
    We had discussion of this already.
    It requires some electrical stuff to be do, plus requires changes in system code.
    And any small problem in such patch during testing and bricked body is guaranteed.
  • EtbEtb
    Two another idea, maybe new..

    A possibility to give a manual mode on the 'rec movie switch" in all jog selections, especially for the 'my color mode'... (maybe more easy than create cocacola-hollywood-chewgum-techni-color profiles like canon, but certainly more creative)^^

    A hack for autorize the stabilize mode 3 that can be used in movie shot, for pano.

    I wish you happy holidays, if sometimes you take it :-)



  • bezerk55bezerk55
    @mark_the_harp

    i record dual audio with the gh2 and a zoom h1 and i have no sync problems over 30 minute continuous clips, even where the MTS files have spanned over multiple 4GB files. this is in premiere pro. works fine at both 1080p24 and 720p50. have not tried 1080i50 though. your idea that the cd-player is too fast sounds very plausible to me
  • HaznaHazna
    sTUPID qUESTION:

    Is it possible to strip the color modes from a Leica D-Lux 5 and somehow install them on a gh2?
    My friend just got one and I have to say: Color, Contrast and skin tones are far superior to Panasonics.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    >Is it possible to strip the color modes from a Leica D-Lux 5 and somehow install them on a gh2?

    No, of course.

    >My friend just got one and I have to say: Color, Contrast and skin tones are far superior to Panasonics.

    It is different camera, it is not settings only :-)

  • ImaginateImaginate
    is it possible to create a custom gridline overlay? ie 2.35:1 aspect ratio? Is it possible to have one of the audio channels to record one channel 6db higher or lower than the other side?
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    >is it possible to create a custom gridline overlay?

    In theory, yes.
    Right now - no.

    >ie 2.35:1 aspect ratio?

    It is simpler to do it in editor.

    >Is it possible to have one of the audio channels to record one channel 6db higher or lower than the other side?

    Don't know, it requires further research.
    Today audio level setting is set globally, so may be, but not easy.
  • A_Boy_Named_SooA_Boy_Named_Soo
    With 3rd party batteries my GH2 doesn't show battery life, which in turn disables the auto-sleep function. During rapid shoots I'll bump or accidentally leave gh2 switched on, only to discover later that my gh2 battery drained itself silly. More of a hindrance, can this be fixed?
  • eFCiKayeFCiKay
    Hey Vitaly,

    High Framerates at lower resolutions for slow motion would really really be great! (like some of the CASIOs)
    100fps or 200fps or more :)

    Do you already know if you do it at all?
    And, if yes: can you say which resolutions may be possible?

    thanks for your work
  • HaznaHazna
    Vitally Isn't Leica V-Lux 20 the same as panasonic TZ10 with a better body and improved firmware?
  • tedted
    Vitally,

    I would also request the ability to use the external remote input and microphone simultaneously.

    If that is not possible, a workable substitute would be to allow for switching between the remote and the external microphone while recording. This would allow are relay or switch to cut the audio, enable the remote, and trigger the start/stop command. Loosing the audio while triggering start/stop would be a trivial trade-off to be able to use the VTR start/stop button on broadcast/HD lenses (as well as wireless remotes, etc.)

    Thanks for all your fantastic work!!

    -ted
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