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Panasonic G6 topic, GH2 replacement camera
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  • IEBA1IEBA1

    I'm re-uploding it now, but I have another comparison test between the GH2 and the Nikon D800. While the D800 has horrible sharpness & moire, the preservation of detail in the darks is amazing. It makes you realize, in comparison, just what the GH2 is missing.

    I'm hoping the G6 fares much better than the GH2 in this regard and I have written to DigiFoto to see if I can get a copy of the original clips they uploaded to YouTube to see if I can push them myself and see how the GH2 and the G6 compare when pushed.

  • IEBA1IEBA1

    Here's the D800 comparison:

  • nacnac

    GH2 vs d800 is not a fair comparison for so many reasons imho.

  • DailyFilmFixDailyFilmFix

    What are you guys going to professionally shoot with this camera? I shoot interviews--100s of them. And the hacked GH1 has been great--I have two of them with the Leica 25mm and Zuiko 45mm. These are my go to pairing. Main problem on my last feature, Three Days at Foster (threedaysatfoster.com), was that I used the cheap ND filters making color a mess in post. This is my first HD feature.

    I would use this G6 for a wide cutaway (with either the kit or the 14mm 2.5) on my next doc (we're rolling in July/August) kinda like I used the the HMC150 (which I have since sold).

    And the 60p would make this a nice companion to my LX7, which I used for out latest Kickstarter video (link coming in July). That little camera is impressive for video--wish it had 24p to match the GH1...

  • kurthkurth

    @DailyFilmFix

    ...are you Jonathan ? Man...that's a very cool project !

  • oscillianoscillian

    @Butt isn't that the guy who shoots with a GH2 and fools people into thinking he's trying out new cameras?

  • MimirsanMimirsan

    @oscillian Butt is Adam mada...Just a hunch :-)

  • oscillianoscillian

    @Mimirsan Aha :-)

  • IEBA1IEBA1

    @nac I agree that it's not a fair comparison- in either direction. The GH2 has way better sharpness (my article shows that with some still pulls from video, compared to still resolution) and the GH2 has way less moire and aliasing. The GH2 has much better image control and lets you control the image how you see fit (the D800 won't allow shutter priority in video). So I was shocked to see the incredible amount of detail the D800 preserved in the darks compared to the GH2.

    So, in many ways, the GH2 simply blows away the D800 for video. In one way, the D800 blows away the GH2.

    I'm hoping the G6 can at least do better than the GH2. Maintain that detail in the darks so it's recoverable, without screwing up resolution, moire, aliasing, and all the other GH2 advantages.

  • brudneybrudney

    IEBA1-> interesting tets. did you use gh2 stock or hacked?

  • IEBA1IEBA1

    GH2 was stock at that point if I recall correctly. It was seeing how badly the GH2 performed that led me to hack it, and the comparison with the Nikon P7700 (previously linked) demonstrated that the darks didn't improve much with the higher data rate on the GH2. It's the image processing that's obliterating the detail before it reaches the compression engine. So gobs more data doesn't really help.

  • IEBA1IEBA1

    One area where the GH2 wipes the floor with the D800 is moire and aliasing. Here's my comparison video for that. Be sure to see it at 1080p.

  • kurthkurth

    http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/digital-cameras/1299940/panasonic-lumix-dmc-g6/2

  • kurthkurth

    ..and cameralabs has 6 downloadable vimeo samples

    http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Panasonic_Lumix_DMC_G6/

  • CdeCde

    Interesting that Expert Reviews said the MPEG-4 mode is sharper than the AVCHD.

  • IEBA1IEBA1

    Thank you for those. A couple real useful clips there, this one in particular:

    I was able to lift the gamma to 2.0 and there is some blotchiness in the black of the backpack, but the amount of detail it kept, especially considering how dark the source material is far, far better than the GH2, at least to my eyes.

    So, the G6 is: cheaper than a used GH2, 1080p60, easier to hold/use, focus peaking, more audio control (don't know if internal audio is actually better quality though), WiFi control & transfer, better still images, OLED viewfinder, Higher resolution LCD, better darks in video

    The GH2 is: possibly less moire, hackable for higher bitrates, more compact, physical focus selection dial,

    No headphone jack on either. :\

    I wonder how the battery life compares.

  • CdeCde

    @IEBA1

    The G6 is smaller and lighter than a GH2, so 'more compact' would actually be a point for it.

  • kurthkurth

    also....the g6 has timelapse, stopmotion, sweep panorama, a new processor , and cost new ( with a warranty) what a gh2 cost used, bought from who knows who ....which could break tomorrow ! I downloaded 4 of the cameralabs samples and generally think they look good. Some moire in those venetian columns.

  • IEBA1IEBA1

    @Cde,

    At the same time, the two reviews above (respectively) write about a nice beefy grip: " It's a comfortable fit in the hand, with a contoured grip that's much more substantial than most CSCs offer"

    " the G6 is styled like a mini DSLR with a decent sized grip and viewfinder head"

    And DPreiew noted: "The G6 is impressively small, but pleasantly chunky thanks to a large contoured hand grip."

    Mathematically, it is a few mm smaller in every dimension, but the issue I have with the GH2 is holding it. My hand have so little to grasp. So these reports of a beefier grip bode well to solve that problem for me. Of course, I will need to actually hold it to be sure.

    I bought a 3rd party vertical grip/battery holder just to give me more finger space on my GH2.

    My older Cann SX20 is considerably smaller than my GH2, but the grip holds 4 AA batts so it's fatter & rounder. MUCH easier to hold than my GH2.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    "The G6 is impressively small, but pleasantly chunky thanks to a large contoured hand grip."

    I think it is their way to say that it is small but usable :-)

    Both GH2 and G6 are too small for camera in mans hands.

  • IEBA1IEBA1

    The grip does look more substantial.

    But a negative for the G6 is media in the bottom battery compartment. It's nice to have it mounted on something (like my battery grip) and I can still swap out media as needed.

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  • kurthkurth

    ...I'm far more interested in what ya'll think of the samples ...than the grip. The grip won't make a difference if the camera isn't shooting good video !

  • vicxvicx

    G6 needs hack as does a bunch of other panasonic cameras with good hardware. Am I understanding that public firmware is essential to hacks. Does that mean we need to find bugs to report so that these new cameras receive firmware updates. Maybe we can complain that certain lens focuses too slow or something like that or the zoom speed is wrong. Anything to get a firmware update?

  • nacnac

    Agree, with the low bit rate the G6 will never replace my GH2. I have looked at all the samples posted, and as soon as there is any movement, forget it.

  • oscillianoscillian

    @vicx Hopefully there will be issues with the wifi :-)

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