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GH4 - Best Video Settings
  • 753 Replies sorted by
  • kendallozkendalloz

    Maybe we need a topic for best camera and/or settings for run-and-gun ;)

  • tommytommy

    @RRRoger I know. But it can't be you have auto exposure in Movie mode, and I don't, right? Are you sure? What lens and firmware do you have? (as that are the only differences I can think of... )

  • tommytommy

    @kendalloz I would love to hear those GH4 run n gun settings. I don't have that many camera wishes, but I am afraid the camera still does not exist: pro video (Nd filters), large sensor (DOF, low light) super stable, easy to work with, pro audio xlr)

  • MckiniseMckinise

    What are the least noisy settings for this camera?

  • caveportcaveport

    @tommy There is an exposure mode available on the LCD screen when in MOVIE mode on the top dial. Use the appropriate function button on the back of the camera to bring up the settings display and you will find it. Choose auto exposure and the camera will do smooth exposure changes. I just tested the GH4 in this mode with continuous focus turned on and was pleasantly surprised at the results.

  • RRRogerRRRoger

    McKinise, Are you sure? Seems to me that the least noisy would be pretty blah. I like mostly default settings and cinema V.

  • tommytommy

    @caveport Please be more clear, because when top dial is set to M(movie), and the menu> exposure mode is >M, there is no auto ISO available (it starts at 200) The auto exposure is only available in A, P, S . But in S mode the aperture (steps, not gradually), so only A,P.

  • lumixmaxgh3lumixmaxgh3

    Sorry but, is my impression or the details and color of GH3 in low light is better than GH4? Someone they has both, have noticed something else that is better the gh3?

    Thank you

  • caveportcaveport

    @tommy The M mode is manual photo mode. You need the movie camera icon on the top dial. You should then go to the main setup menu and choose page one of the movie settings and select Exposure Mode 'P'. Then use the 'Disp' function button on the rear of the camera to bring up the lcd display of frame rate and other settings. You will see a section for ISO. Use the touch screen to select ISO and the Auto option is available.

  • caveportcaveport

    @tommy you are correct that in manual shutter and aperture the auto iso is not available. My apologies. The camera needs to be in P exposure mode.

  • RRRogerRRRoger

    lumixmaxgh3 Sorry but, is my impression or the details and color of GH3 in low light is better than GH4? Someone they has both, have noticed something else that is better the gh3? lumixmaxgh3

    This was my first impression as well, but the more I use the GH4 the more I like it better than the GH3

  • dckyotodckyoto

    Just stumbled across this forum and thread, I've started using the GH4 with the SLR Magic Anamorphot lens and took this footage at lunchtime. I'd love to hear more tips for colour grading and using the GH4 to shoot pro-looking cinematic-style footage: (this is also using the timelapse feature so not using the Cine-D or V settings, although my previous videos on that account are using Cine-D with a bit of fcpx colour grading)

    This also uses osirix 3dlut colour grading.

  • jeremydulacjeremydulac

    Interview on the GH4. Great info here on master pedestal vs the s curve.

  • soulkeepersoulkeeper

    What is the recommended shutter speed when choosing 96fps mode( for slow-mo)?

  • nobbystylusnobbystylus

    @soulkeeper 1/200s will keep you closest to 180 degree shutter and so is usuall recommended. Seems to give the best sharpness.

  • dckyotodckyoto

    If you set the system to display shutter speed as degrees you can just set it to 180 and it will work/adjust automatically no matter what fps you record at.

  • WalterHWalterH

    @dckyoto which negates the easy opportunity to drop to 1/40th when shooting slow-moving scenes that need a bit more exposure.

  • LPowellLPowell

    @jeremydulac The Panasonic sales rep is misinformed about the effect of the GH4's 16-235 setting on videos uploaded to Vimeo, YouTube, or broadcast. All cameras and SW encode H.264 video in 8-bit 16-235 format, and the GH4 setting has no effect on this inherent part of the H.264 spec. The GH4 16-235 setting instead controls how the camera scales the image sensor's output in preparation for H.264 encoding. The GH4 then tags the video file with metadata indicating whether it used 16-235 or 0-255 scaling. H.264 decoders use this flag to determine how to scale the decoded reconstruction of the video frames. Clipping will occur only if the H.264 decoder fails to do this properly. With modern 32-bit video editors, the only effect this 8-bit anachronism has is on how the video waveform is displayed on the IRE scale.

  • caveportcaveport

    @WalterH The shutter speed is still controled by the rear thumbwheel, it's just displayed in degrees not seconds. It's really good as you just set to 180 for most shots. Want more light? Increase shutter angle or vice-versa.

  • VeskuVesku

    @LPowell

    Do you say that h.264 file cant have 0-255 luminance levels. Why then Potplayer shows GH4 0-255 clips differently than "normal videos" with manual level control. Sony Vegas also renders all timeline contents to 0-255 with h.264 unless you add "studio level output (16-235) filter". What do you mean that camera scales sensor differently. Is the 16-235 limited in dynamic range? GH4 sensor is 12bit and with video some less. This is confusing.

  • LPowellLPowell

    @Vesku An 8-bit H.264 file encodes luminance Y-values in the range of 16-235, regardless of whether the camera sensor outputs 12 or 14 bits of RGB data. (UV color data is handled similarly by the H.264 encoder.) Before encoding each frame, the GH4 applies tone curve settings and scales its sensor data to an 8-bit equivalent range, in either 16-235 or 0-255 scales. Many people assume that this 8-bit RGB scale should be the same as the 8-bit YUV scale used internally in H.264 files, but they are actually two different color spaces. It is the H.264 decoder's job to reconstruct the original 16-235 or 0-255 RGB color data from the 16-235 YUV data encoded in the H.264 file.

  • VeskuVesku

    So why there is 0-255 range in GH4. What are the benefits.

    If h.264 is always 16-235 then it is a 7.5 bit codec.

  • LPowellLPowell

    @Vesku DSLR's such as Canon and Nikon use the 0-255 range to encode H.264 video. Older camcorders use the 16-235 range. The GH4 gives you a choice, allowing you to match it to other cameras you may be using. With a modern 32-bit video editor, however, it makes no practical difference which scale you choose, as there are no significant rounding errors in mixing footage from differently scaled cameras.

  • VeskuVesku

    @LPowell

    Am I understanding right. No you say that some cameras actually record 0-255 levels to h.264 file.

  • LPowellLPowell

    @Vesku It's a subtle point, make sure to understand that the YUV values written into the H.264 files are not the same data as the RGB values read from the image sensor. They are two different color spaces, which may be scaled differently in each camera model.

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