Do you have GH3 - if yes then test it yourself. I dont have vimeo account and it kills quality anyway. These are actual stills from video. Matter is about dynamic range.

@starios Nice HDR test.

@maddog15 I use the DSC OneShot chart. The back of the chart is half white and half-gray. It makes it a little difficult to set the white balance on the gray since it's a bit small. Then I make sure to shoot the front side of the chart. On the front side, it has 90% White, 50% Gray and true 0% Black, as well as the primary and secondary 709 colors (set at 50%, since paper can't be saturated that much). In addition, the chart has 4 skin tone shades. It's a great chart (and not cheap).

Lately, I've been trying to keep the f-stop similar between lenses, but it's not necessary. I also found the Voigtlander 25 paired with the Panny 35-100 is a nice mix.

On this shoot, the GH2 was in MCU and the GH3 was Medium. Next time, however, I think I'd switch it up. Reason is that the GH2 is much sharper than the GH3. This is more pronounced when the GH2 is in closeup, since you can make out skin pores, etc...

I shoot with an Ikan D5W which has built in scopes. That way, I can set the whites to 90% on set. I'll try to get the f-stop I want and then futz with ISO. Worst case, I'll throw a vari-ND on either camera to get them close.

In FCP X, I compare the charts from both cameras with the RGB Parade turned on. I'll crop in on the gray chip on the chart. Then I add the wvl_RGBbalance effect. I found it on FCP.co. Now, it's just a matter of deciding which image you want to balance to and set the R, G, and B values (luma, mids, and blacks).

Next up, if necessary, I set the whites, mids, and black levels based on the chart. And then on to the colors. Ah, the lovely colors.

Generally, everything BUT the skin tones are similar enough. The GH2 and 3 record skin tones completely different, as I'm sure you know. Also, magentas are pretty different. So, I'll do a selective CC on just the skin tones. Using the vectorscope, I'll just try to get the skin tones close.

It's a multistep process and it doesn't always work this way. Sometimes, if I'm lazy (which has happened on occasion) I'll use FCP's Match Color function. On occasion it works great.

Here's another example with before and after shots from another interview where I used the workflow mentioned above. BTW - In this scenario, I shot with the GH2 in ETC mode with the Panny 12-35mm - BAD IDEA. Lots of freakish noise. Whoops, I forgot about that. That's why I decided to shoot with the 35-100 on it.

@maddog15 thanks :) Sorry I am off topic with those samples but those are quick tests that show to me that in a right shooting way with a nice frame a tripod or dolly, gh3 can handle some difficult styles with realistic image result if you don't lead it to extreme kitsch like mine - I am experimenting, yet

it is really helpful for a fast shot if it is in camera, I insist that in post with flat shooting give better result to what we try (especially considering the exposure restriction in this mode) but helps alot

maddog, a bit offtopic, but the GH2 shot looks so much better, wow. I know it's a different lens, framing etc. but man... o_0 almost like RED vs. HV20 ;)

@lumixmaxgh3 I agree.. GH3 overall looks kind of orangey, pinky, pastel to me. I used to find the GH2 rarely was very 'off' due to white balance, i've regularly forgot to white balance on a GH2 and it was always fixable. With a GH3 if you don't white balance the orangey pinky pale tones take over. I love the camera apart from this but would love to know whats going on so i could fix it..

@brudney You're not kidding. The Gh2 is much closer in color even when I do a quick WB. I'm struggling with the same thing others mentioned above. That chalky, orangey, pinky skin thing. Seems like anyone with caucasian skin makes the camera stop thinking and it goes, "I'll just make this person pink!" Others have had better luck and posted wonderful results so it's possible. Apparently I've got quite a bit to learn even after 8 months with the GH3. The key seems to be all about obtaining the Perfect white balance. Also I'm starting to lean away from the golden rules. Contrast at -5 definitely to maintain dynamic range. But saturation at -5 seems to suck the life out of caucasian skin tone. My next interview will be set at -2. Did some quick tests and looks like that'll help.

@5thwall Great feedback to say the least! Thank you. And yes, after looking up that card on B&H, I'm gonna have to sell a lens or something to get it! Wow. X^D

Ok this is going to sound dumb most likely. I am just very busy lately and I am trying to find some quick answers. I currently shoot with a GH2 (hacked). Is the GH3 going to get hacks? or is it better out of the box than my hacked GH2? only reason I ask is because I love the idea of 60p 1080 slow-mo and from what I have read slightly better low light performance.

Honest answers appriciated!

Rob

@maddog15 got the same feeling about colors on the GH3 (pastel flat skin tones). Just like coloured b&w pictures http://photorestoreteam.com/images/articles/hand-coloured-colourized-photo.jpg . But I suspect this might be also caused (or at least worsened) by using Panny lenses. I had better results using Nikon glass.

@wgtwo I tend to agree with you, but it largely depends on lenses used. I find that colours are very accurate when using the Pansonic and Olympus lenses. When I put on any manual glass, faces seem to turn very pastel like and it is very easy to make people look ill.

@overdub60 which makes me think we're all missing something settings wise. Perhaps the obsession with flat picture profiles is whats causing the pastel look?