About a year ago I talked to one of the Project managers for the AF100. She said that Coke and Pepsi probably talk to each other more than they do with their Still Camera Division. Neither one cares what the other is doing.
@VK its comments like those that keep me hopeful that soon there will be no difference between the two, (except for the size- and the canon mic jacks...)
There's a thing that I really would like to see fixed in this firmware update and that's the damned fixed horizontal band visible with really high isos and low light. Among other things, I can't take full advantage of the "iso limit" patch until this is fixed. But then again, maybe is hardware related and we, early gh2 adopters, are pretty much fucked in that regard. In any case, this is by no means a deal breaker. I have shot a lot of stuff since I got the camera and rarely bumped into this issue. But I'm going off-topic here, let's just hope it's firmware related and addressed in the upcoming update.
@atticusd there are ways to repair this in post. I remember looking at RED high ISO footage- looked like street pizza. There is just not enough knowledge about what post houses have to do with footage- that is why there are so many tools out there in Compositing VFX land...
@alcomposer You're right. It really looks like something that can be repaired in post. I'm just not that well versed in After Effects or anything similar. Someone here (I can't find the comment or user right now) mentioned an After Effects treatment with adjustment layers that sounded fairly easy even for people like me who have launched the program just two or three times. Gotta give it a try soon. In any case, let's hope it's firmware related. Right now, the closer I can get to the final result in camera, the better.
@atticusd the line is probably some internal circuitry that is causing interference- so that is hardware- but at such high levels (crazy levels) this is bound to happen!
@alcomposer yeah, I think you're right about the internal circuity causing interference. That was my first thought. Probably because of the huge amount of data going through the processors, and having bad shielding around some of the components. I have a similar line in my GF1. The less UI elements on screen, the lesser the line becomes on my GF1. So probably processors interfering with each other.
@All, this isn't really an issue- as such high ISO footage needs lots of processing to look broadcast/cinema quality anyway... hence... a little bit more is not that much of an issue... comes with the price of high ISO's.
(Think of all the processing the guys on Superman Returns had to do to fix that 1pixel dead line on ALL of their footage!)
I've noticed that I only see the band intermittently... mostly only under artificial lighting, doesn't seem to show up much under natural conditions. Maybe it's a weird light frequency thing?
I am updating the second it comes out. For the things I do the higher bit rate hacks are not necessary. However, the 1080p @ 30 FPS could be very useful. I also can't wait to get the longer burst rate mode and some of the other new features.
I can test it if no one else is willing to try it.
Actually 24mbps is good enough for most applications, even broadcast although I must admit having seen the quality produced by the hacks, 24 is nothing.
Still I'd very happy if there is 108025p at 24mbps with the new patch
@kazuo if there is a good stable 25p patch we should all rejoice as this would allow VK to 'hack it up!' Same with any other 'fixes' available in the new firmware. VK can 'improve' them! (and secretly I am hopeful of a nice HDMI fix!)
@Micius, you probably should get it out and have a play for 10 mins, you may even like it?! 24 looks amazing anyway, (and most of the material that is played on TV in PAL countries originates in NTSC/24p anyway!)
@Micius: How come you did buy it then? If you have to intercut with other cams, shoot interlaced, and if your GH2 is the only cam on the project- do a tiny pal speedup.
I have 2 others cameras with 25p , now I will cross my finger for the new firmware... It's nice camera, but unusefull without the 25p in Pal region. :-(
'Actually 24mbps is good enough for most applications, even broadcast although I must admit having seen the quality produced by the hacks, 24 is nothing.'
Actually, it's not - there's a 50mbps 'gold standard' for HD transmission and UK broadcasters, and a pretty restricted list of cameras that broadcasters will allow indies to use. The GH2 isn't on that list, though if VK and Driftwood get to work on the new firmware upgrade, who knows what might happen..
If you sent them a mxf INTRA 100 (but GH2 INTRA hacked) wrapped file, I believe you would be able to fool most broadcasters - without mentioning it was shot on the GH2 of course but a $20k P2 camera or whatever.