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5D MK II or GH2 w/ Hack?
I’ve already got my GH2, and I love it so far! The video quality is great, but it still lacks in a lot of different ways. I’m going to save up my money this summer and add to my video gear setup, and I wasn’t too sure if I should sell the GH2 and the lenses I have for it and buy a Canon 5DII.
The GH2’s only benefits over the 5D, so it seems so far, is a more detailed film image with the hack and a flip out LCD. Also, moire and aliasing are almost non-existent on the GH2.
The 5D, on the other hand, has (1) MUCH better build quality – the camera is a lot stronger, sexier to look at, and weather sealed so that I could shoot in the rain (2) Takes gorgeous still images (and I’d like to get in to photography – the GH2 is definitely not the top choice for stills) (3) has a much higher resolution LCD which helps with focusing (4) has a mirrored viewfinder, while the GH2 is electronic, so the image is much more clear because I’m not looking at pixels, I’m looking at a reflection (5) has many, many more quality lenses available (6) Magic Lantern adds a TON of extra functionality to the 5D (7) the larger sensor makes it much easier to use longer lenses in tight situations to achieve shallower and more prevalent DoF; also helps the camera do well in low light (8) you seem more pro with a Canon camera from what I have observed.
The bad things about the 5DII: (1) high price tag (2) I keep reading on the EOSHD blog that the 5D does not take “true 1080p”… what? That guy is a hardcore GH2 fanboy, however (3) the camera is pretty damn heavy (4) the HDMI input that connects external monitors cannot output to more than 480p or something like that (I’m not sure if the GH2 can do better or not… I know the 5DIII can output full HD when an external monitor is connected).
What should I do? The flip out LCD on the GH2 is not a huge advantage over the 5DII anyway because I’m getting an external monitor no matter which camera I have. The biggest thing I’m worried about is loosing tons of quality with the 4-year-old 5DII.
What would be the best camera for me, in your opinion? I’m leaning towards the Canon because I think it has a lot more functionality and practicality in the film world, but tell me if I’m wrong or you thing differently.
Member of iFrosh
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8 Replies
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You’ve got “grass is greener” disease. Dood, you have a GH2 which is a sweet camera. Use your money to buy a nice monitor like the SmallHD DP6 and some better glass. Now go out and shoot something!
Jason Jenkins
Flowmotion Media
Video production… with style!Check out my Mormon.org profile.
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If your going to go out and spend more money, I’d get the 5D MkIII. Definitely worth the extra cash. Shoots amazing in low light and with the updated sensor, it has solved many issues.
Here’s a test shoot.
vimeo.com/38897047Brent Dunn
Owner / Director / Editor
DunnRight Films
DunnRight Video.com
Video Marketing Toolbox.netSony EX-1,
Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 7D
Mac Pro Tower, Quad Core,
with Final Cut StudioHP i7 Quad laptop
Adobe CS-5 Production Suite -
I love the camera, but at the same time, it has no versatility!
I mean, I’m NOT impressed with the still image quality at all. It’s better than what I get on my iPhone but… Here’s an example. I didn’t even know how to use a 5DII, and I took a photo of my friend with one. That took about 30 seconds. I’d need to mess around and tweak my GH2 for ten minutes at least to get a photo of the same quality that the 5D produced in seconds.
The next problem is that the GH2 is not weather sealed, and not being able to shoot in some rain really sucks. I’m always worried that my camera is going to break at any moment.
The awesome things about the GH2, however, are that it’s insanely affordable, has practically no aliasing and moire, and retains incredible detail in video.
I just can’t make up my mind!!! GAHH. I would get a 5D III because it doesn’t really have any aliasing/moire problems and better low light, but I think it would be better to save $1700 and get another nice L lens. I just don’t know what to do…
Member of iFrosh
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I would love it, but I can get a used 5D II for like $1700. With the $1,800 saved I could buy an awesome Zeiss/L lens, and we all know that lenses are generally what make a picture good over the camera itself.
I could also just buy a $300 filter for the 5D II to eliminate the moire/aliasing issues.
If I had an extra $2,000, I’d definitely consider it! But I really need to consider what’s more important, and I definitely think having a great set of lenses is much more important than having a killer camera with decent lenses.
Member of iFrosh
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Jeff – I’d keep the GH2. With good glass and moving the auto white balance away from evil Panasonic green towards magenta, it’s a great still camera. It’s no full frame, but I don’t have to do any work to get good stills anymore. Set it to AWB, autofocus and pull the trigger.
Here is an example. Here is another.
I do like the full frame look, but not enough to spend full frame money 🙂
Bill
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I have a GH2 and will be shooting a feature film with it starting on 25 June–Saving Dinah. I wouldn’t waste money on the Canon 5D MkII, not because it’s not a truly fine camera that shoots great video, but because it just doesn’t matter. The differences between the images of all these cameras is imperceptible from an audience’s viewpoint.
If I had the money to spend that you have, I’d invest in fine sound equipment, and perhaps camera support equipment. Stuff that weathers the passage of time (my tripod an O’Connor 50D was built in 1972).
Better yet I’d go to Trigger Street or Ink Tip, and see if I could option a great screenplay, because what really, really, really matters is the story.
Like all features today, no matter the cameras used, we’ll be releasing Saving Dinah in theaters equipped with D-Cinema projectors. I assure you no one in the audience can tell if a D-Cinema film was shot on a Red, an Alexa, a GH2, or a 5D. It just doesn’t matter.
Regards
Stephen Best
https://stephenbest.ca -
This is very true, and a good point! I am mainly doing this as a high school hobby, so I don’t have many SERIOUS projects going on at the moment. Sound is definitely very important, but I’m thinking that my sound setup will just be a boomed shotgun mic, a Zoom H4N, maybe a lavalier mic for my main actor, and probably a studio mic for recording sound effects. For now though, I’m just using a Rode Videomic Pro and doing some foley and sound design with the sound effects that I already have.
I guess the main reason I’d like the 5D is because I’d like a good still AND film camera all in one, I’d like the diversity, and I’d love the weather sealing. I filmed today in the rain and had to have someone hold an umbrella over me the entire time so that I didn’t break my camera!
I have a while to decide, though – I won’t be making any purchases until the end of the summer in late August/early September.
Member of iFrosh
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Hi Jeff,
I own a hacked gh2,a 5dmkii and a 5dmkiii,so I know all these cameras well as opposed to someone who just knows the specs off by heart. If you really are serious about getting into photography get a canon. The gh2 doesn’t come close to the 5d’s.however the gh2 really is amazing for video, the detail when hacked at high bit rate does astound. The dynamic range is larger that the mkii (maybe the mkiii too who knows?) the gh2 is my first camera of choice when going out. When I do professional jobs for video I reach for the mkiii as the low noise in the dark is very good. Lenses for gh2 worth getting are the voigtlander 25mm and the SLR magic 12mm.you can also use all the canon lenses if you have any, mwith adapter rings. The lens baby 3G is very affordable and thoroughly rock and roll. The panasonic 14-140 is the best all purpose lens, you probably already have it. Don’t sell the gh2!its my favourite……
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