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GH2.... The need of recognition.
  • danyyyeldanyyyel
    I think the hacked gh2 is in need of recognition, what I mean is that until now is that many people either don't know about it or some just dish it because it is not a Canon. Without any comparative benchmark we just have to speculate. The gh2 is a true DSLR 2, true high definition, no moire/aliasing, proper monitoring and autofocus. Now with the hack is even much much better. But many are still thinking that DSLR technology will have these inherent flaws because the Canon do. It is as if only the Canon exists. Look how many are or starting to claim the 1 DX is going to be the second generation dslr.

    It is really tiring outside of here to go and preach the hacked gh2 merit if we don’t have some benchmark. Until we have some good test of the gh2 against some of the industry standard camera or at the very least some other dslr, we will have no ground to change the perception towards that little wonder cam. Do I expect the gh2 to beat the red/Alexa in terms of resolution or dynamic range, hell no. But if it approaches it in any way I think it will be no mean feat.
    What I love about the hack gh2 is that it could be a truly disruptive technology. What I mean is that this industry is really the most conservative I have seen. If you compare it to any other electronic ones, the progress has been at snail pace. Compare it to the photo industry where you have 18 mega pixel raw cameras for $ 700. No surprise that the affordable large sensor camera came by accident to the video world through the photo technology. Now what the hack gh2 shows is that there is enough power in a $ 800 camera body to make intra codec at 200+ megabit. It shows how this industry is conservative and should change.

    I hope that with some good test, the gh2 could get a true recognition to a much bigger crowd and force this industry to move much quicker. No more excuse that it will cost thousands of dollar more for 10 bit etc...
  • 29 Replies sorted by
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    Do not worry for GH2 and it's recognition :-)
    I really suggest to shoot more instead. And it could be that it is your film that will play vital role :-)
  • MimirsanMimirsan
    Agreed..its just a camera...not a status symbol. ;-)
  • danyyyeldanyyyel
    It is not a status, I am not talking about what you see with red users etc as if just owing it make them better shooters etc. In fact it is the exact opposite. The gh2 being in the lowest price bracket of video/dslr camera it makes it affordable to anyone. It makes the argument that my camera is bigger or pricier than yours irrelevant.
    You are not searching for any bragging rights when you buy a $ 800 camera. Everyday you see a lot of post about the gh2, hacked gh2 vs X,Y and Z camera. It will continue, on and on, until we find some answers with some well made test.

    There was a test comparing the Epic vs the hacked gh2. It was interesting and provided some argument, but unfortunately it had many flaws and any conclusion impossible to make.
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    @danyyyel

    If you like camera just make good films with it.
    You don't need to start crusade :-)
  • mpgxsvcdmpgxsvcd
    No one has scientifically shown the differences between a stock GH2 and a hacked one. What makes you think they want to scientifically show the differences between a GH2 and anything else?

    Most people here are content with the footage they are getting out of their hacked GH2’s right now. They know its limitations in stock form and they perceive great benefit from the hacked GH2. There really isn’t any reason for them to compare it to other cameras if they have no intent of buying the other camera.

    What we really need right now is testing to show how to optimize the settings that we don’t currently have a hack for(ie: color settings, I. Dynamic range, I. Sharpness, Contrast…etc). Then when these settings are finally hacked we will understand how to hack them.
  • mpgxsvcdmpgxsvcd
    Here is a good video shot with an AF100. Nevermind the other manufactures cameras. I want to see truly what the differences are between the AF100 and the GH2. I don't believe even a hacked GH2 would have been able to do any better than what this stock AF100 did. In the right hands of course.

    The guy who shot this is definitely one of the best in the climbing film industry.

  • qwerty123qwerty123
    No flame please! Forget recognition for cameras, seek recognition for the film you make!
  • HallvallaHallvalla
    Vitaliy, Chris, and Driftwood should hold a press event today after Canon and Red. ;)
  • danyyyeldanyyyel
    There was a very interesting post by Chris hurd on dvifo on the price point of a camera and an interesting debate about the real need of joe public consumer, an enthusiast and a pro on the new Canon cameras depending on the price point and the reel need of each category of uses listed above. What I wrote from someone else discussion is below.

    Yes I think you are right, since the dslr revolution, I think that non pro people have no excuse to search for more. The culmination of this is the hacked gh2. This camera is so good, If you can't do a good to very good movie, short or just filming your kids or cat with it, you won't be able to do it with any $ 5000 and above camera. It is your skill set the limiting factor and no matter what camera you want to use it won't make your films better. stop surfing gear site and just go on more creative and artistic ones to develop your skill.

    I am a photographer, doing commercial photography as my job. I have a passion for image making in the large sense of still and motion. Since the dslr revolution I have been following that movement because it is the first time that I find that the esthetic is nearly the same with what I use as a photographer. For sure I would like raw and DR to get the same flexibility in post, somehow it is coming closer . But I am also fed up with the gear lust that has taken the photo and video world. It is the I have a bigger or a costlier camera now, world we are living in. That is why the gh2 can put a bit things in a better perspective. It is the art form in the end that counts and as I said before if someone cannot do a good to very good movie with a gh2, then he is the limiting factor and no camera will ever make his shot better.
  • danyyyeldanyyyel
    @qwerty123 What I meant was if it is tested that for example the gh2 is close to the Alexa/F3 as a 1080p camera (Those two are champions in DR somehow) and that in 9 out 10 situation you could achieve very close image quality, do you think a lot of people will still have excuses of not using it to shoot their short movie etc. I see a lot of dslr users that are always frustrated, when will they have a no moire/aliasing high resolution camera etc. Hey it is here, just buy the $ 700 body and buy an adapter for your lens. When and if your beloved brand brings out your dream camera you can resell the gh2 body. You might lose what $ 200/300.
  • balazerbalazer
    The GH2 has aliasing. Don't kid yourself. And it has nasty jello effects. Those are things that set a "real" cinema or video camera apart.

    Nevertheless, it produces amazing images and I am happy to have it. But I'm not telling all my friends "I have this new camera that I got for $700 at Fry's, and it's amazing." That part is my secret. What I will share is each time I finish a new video that I'm proud of.
  • Ian_TIan_T
    Any news on the GH-2 firmware upgrade anyone?
  • alcomposeralcomposer
    @balazer ALL CMOS have jello. Just some are nicer than others, GH2 actually comes in at about the AF100.
    Also REDS 5k is a Bayer 5k - (while the GH2 & AF100 are 4k bayer pixel binned to 1080p)

    Conclusion don't kid yourself that you can't see jello at the cinema - I can - so the camera operator should either work with it- or post production should fix it.

    The whole impetus of P-V is in raising the bar of this camera where no one thought it would go!

    (The flames have started)
  • balazerbalazer
    I never said I don't see jello in the cinema.
  • alcomposeralcomposer
    @balazer
    sorry about the conclusion I drew from your statement:
    >Don't kid yourself. And it has nasty jello effects. Those are things that set a "real" cinema or video camera apart.

    I assumed that a "real" cinema camera would be used for "real" cinema.

    Like the saying goes: "When you assume something- you make an ass out of you and me."

    PS: @Hallvalla +1
    ;-)
  • EOSHDEOSHD
    What did Panasonic do with that 'official' firmware update? Wonder if we shall see it mid-November instead now?

    On recognition... The GH2 is under-appriciated by pros... But I feel the cameras are getting too linked to self esteem. Filmmakers are artists who should be judged on their films, not their tools... Yet the tools get linked to the quality of the filmmaker. I love technology and am interested in the tools. But it is going too far with the whole 'better specs' thing. I'm sticking with the GH2.
  • alcomposeralcomposer
    @EOSHD
    One only has to look at the thriving companies (TrusMT, Lanparte, Wondlan) to see that DSLR's are becoming the norm- and that film makers are concerned about getting better shots than better specs.

    Personally I am very interested to see what China brings out in the near future... They already have a C300 killer, just a matter of time.
  • sohussohus
    @EOSHD
    Wise decision. I do the same. Might buy a second body for interview setups.
  • otcxotcx
    Personally I do not care what ever cam others are using. I use GH2 and i am hapy with it. Result is what counts. Cam is just a tool.
  • danyyyeldanyyyel
    @EOSHD yes that is the perception that I want to change. The mine is bigger so it is better etc mentality. What better camera to show it than the gh2. I do understand that many don't care about others using the gh2 etc, but for me I am a bit fed up with the above attitude (mine is bigger).

    For now with the gop 1 codec, the gh2 is sharp enough for me. What I really hope is some film mode or hacked idynamic to get the most DR out of it. But I don't even know how much DR in stops the gh2 has now. This camera does not even have a good test at least to my knowledge on the internet about its DR (in video). This must be one of the least tested video dslr camera, which is astonishing.
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    @danyyyel

    Just look at DR tests in RAW. It is top limit.
    I am working on idynamic and film modes stuff. Can't say then we'll have enough knowledge to hack it though.
  • danyyyeldanyyyel
    @Vitaliy thanks for the update.
  • mrbillmrbill
    I do understand there are clients who expect to see 'something' for their money, but a cheap set of rails and a matte box fixes that very quickly
  • alcomposeralcomposer
    @danyyyel
    DR Tests in raw: (don't know the testing techniques)
    http://www.laesieworks.com/digicom/panasonic-lumix-gh2-noise.html

    Dynamic Range
    How much information can be gathered from middle gray towards the shadows and highlights. As a general rule: the higher the ISO, the less dynamic range.
    At ISO 160, the dynamic range of the GH2 is 10.8 stops (Ev), but at ISO 12800 it has droped down to only 4.7 stops.
    160=10.8
    200=10.7
    400=9.8
    800=9
    1600=8
    3200=7
    6400=6)
    12800=4.7
  • danyyyeldanyyyel
    @mrbill it is not about the look of the camera, it is more about the film maker. I see so many people getting frustrated since the Canon announcement. That Canon has abandon the DSLR users that have bought heavily into their system for other highend market with their $ 20 000 price tag etc. They could just buy a $ 800 gh2 and an adapter and then put their lens on it until if ever Canon comes out some good dslr, sell it if they want for just a little lost. These guys still think that all dslr overheat, aliases, moire etc etc
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