I posted the first segment of this month's show to Vimeo so that you guys could see the LX7 in action with 720p compared to the hacked GH1 (which I actually shot in 720p as well so that everything would be the same). The wide with the window in the back ground is the LX7 and it looks awful in 720 compared to the other cams. Part of it is the framing and the window in the background creating tough backlighting, but I think that if this cam can do 1080 for longer than 30 minutes even at the 28mbps, it would be an amazing difference.

You can set the shutter on the LX7 to 1/30 (Creative Movie, Shutter Preferred), which is a big help in low light situations. Two identical frames appear in the output every 1/30 second, so they play correctly. You can decimate the frames with AVIsynth before editing them, if you like...

"Actually if you switch to manual focus you can go as low as 8 fps. "

I'm sorry, you cannot change the frame rate. The lowest frame rate is 30 fps (MP4).

"...the recording codec could be muuuuch better. For example there is this weird "echo" on fast movements..."

I do not see any "echo" and I have considerable experience with this camera in video and many camcorders. What shutter speed? what frame rate? The codec (AVCHD) is a standard, and at 108060p 28Mbps, 1/60th shutter, there is no echo and motion is smooth.

It's blur from using a low shutter speed and moving the camera (too fast). You must know from photography that low shutter speeds and movement create blur. This is not a camera fault, but poor technique by the operator.

And, for video having some blur adds to smooth motion when you view the video. You do NOT judge video by looking at frame grabs. Video is about motion and some blur in each frame is good, though 1/30th may be too slow and you can get trailing artifacts. It is not recommended usually.

I do not think very slow shutter speeds below /1/48th, except if you have some very weird effects in mind, is useful for video. Could help in very low light if you do not move the camera and the subject is completely stationary, but that is not a very interesting video. Or, as i said, if you are looking for some special creative effect. But it helps to first master video technique.

As you can see one guy was confused about frame rates and shutter speeds. Trevmar: you don't imply that my statement that 30 fps is the lowest frame rate in camera is incorrect, right? What shutter speed you shoot is up to you, and it is good the LX7 gives you the flexibility. But one really need to know the limitations of shooting at low shutter speeds; you do, it is obvious others do not. The lowest frame rate IS 30 fps, right?

It would be great if you could show us (point to) some video shot at the low (1/30th and below) shutter speeds. It would also be nice if you could, instead of using the arcane "PSH", tell us exactly what resolution, bitrate and frame rate you used. I posted low light videos here using 1/60th and 108060p, and I saw no need for any slower shutter speeds.

Thanks. I enjoy and learn from your posts.

My issue isn't about shutter speed or motion blur at all.

I attach 3 more pictures to be as clear as possible. (Unfortunately the forum won't let me attach original MP4 or zip file, only jpeg)

As you can see, there are the 2 'real' circles in white, plus 1 or two 'contour' circles leftover from the frames before. This clip was shot in AVCHD PSH this time, shutter speed 1/200

Do you have this issue on your lumix Lx7 ?

Thx guys

I never shoot below 1/30. I'll have to check this on my GH1s, but I can't remember ever going below 1/30 (or being able to force it below 1/30). The sweet spot for me is always between 1/40 and 1/60. I shot a zipline commercial at 1/80, I think, or even higher with the kit and an ND on the lens and the image was smooth enough even at 24p.

I just shot a documentary for a director and most of the interviews were at 1/40 with variable NDs and the Leica and Zuiko lenses wide open. The images were smooth and excellent.

The LX7 would be a terrific C-cam if it could shoot longer than 29 minutes. I continuously run on documentary subjects and only stop if there is a battery issue. Low light performance is important (for range I suppose) but not a problem, because my shoots are all very well lit (I can post production pics, if you guys are interested). In order to achieve the shallow DOF, I have to use variable NDs to shoot wide open (watch focus, of course). And as an aside, buy either all expensive variable NDs or all cheap--my philosophy there is that they should have the same qualities as far as color and so forth across the lenses. Achieve your "look" and work within that box.

The internal ND on the LX7 is a massive help, and beside the GH1, can be comparable as a wider C cam just at a slightly higher ISO. I'm not saying I would use the footage in a doc, but from what I've been seeing, the camera matches the GH1 better than my HMC150 as far as color in post. This means that when running my interview set up (typically the HMC150 and two GH1s), I could move the GH1s closer to the subject or even use longer glass (like the Zuiko 75mm) and have more options in post. A fourth camera that is self-contained and hardly bigger than a cell phone is a major plus for me. Stick it in your bag and add a small tripod and you're all set.

I currently have a Sony RX100 and I'm interested in the LX7 for video

can someone put a video up on Vimeo or elsewhere with download for the original file where the image is set up for the flattest setting and look, and highest dynamic range. I want to see how suitable it is for grading and wether it can do a cinematic image Either 50/60p or 24/25p with 1/30 to 1/60 shutter speed And underexposed a little. Most of the videos I've seen are all overexposed - perhaps due to the LX7 default auto setting

thanks

The RX100 can do it, but it's a little soft, much like NEX5n. I always need to sharpen

A test I did on the RX100

To be more helpful, here is a link to a Vimeo video in which some of the scenes (ancient sculpture) were deliberately shot using a low-contrast mode ('Natural' film mode), and none of it is overexposed. You can download the 108060p original, which was not altered in any way in an editor and mess up any parts you want. It was shot at 1/60th of a second:

Sorry if it does not have a film look - mucking around with the colors of displayed museum art works goes against the purpose of this video - to convey what a visit to a museum is like (including the people). It is also not a "test" video, so there is no shaky cam (well there is some), or oof shots and pointless camera movements.

Mark, that is the best Lx7 video examples I have seen, credit where credit is due. I'm also not big on the filmic look either and prefer what the eye sees in the available light, after all, the subject matter is not make believe. This post alone would convince me to drop a buck on the LX7.

I picked mine up a week ago. Pretty nice camera! Any chance of a hack? These Japanese menus are fun.

I attended a film festival in Macon, Georgia, on Friday, because a feature I cut was playing there. The filmmaker called me up to he stage and another filmmaker grabbed my LX7 and quickly recorded the Q&A. He got great stuff (it helped that he was an accomplished pro). But he was able to instantly get quality video out of the thing with little effort. If this camera get hacked, it will have great potential. I'll cut the Q&A and post it to VIMEO this afternoon sometime.

I find myself learning every time I use the LX7 and love its manual possibillities and that I can save the settings. Flying multicopters means mostly that I need to use manual shutter, focus and without stabilizer to get decent shots (especially since the engines makes rolling shutter a huge problem in wind). I hope for a hack to expand possibillities and would like to contribute with more money if the hack helps me. Here is a few of my latest videos:

Selling cabins: http://vimeo.com/jojoen/vaset17130006

And for fun:

In the last one there is a few scenes midway (flying a faster airplane) with Gopro Hero2