Getting into the DSLR scene

[Deleted User]

First, it’s important to note that a stock GH2 from the factory can record quite nice-looking HD video as-is depending on the skill of the operator. No amount of firmware hacking or expensive external hardware can (completely) substitute for good shooting techniques, nor (completely) prevent or rescue badly-shot footage.

(As you may know, stabilizing a camera, lighting appropriately, having good acting/subject/writing/directing/sound material to work is typically _much_ more important than the choice of camera.)

As for your questions:

Panasonic’s specs for the GH2, including its video recording formats, are on their website:
https://panasonic.net/avc/lumix/systemcamera/gms/gh2/specifications.html

Panasonic’s just-released official _v1.1_ firmware update for the GH2 is described on their website. It adds several useful improvements & new features:
https://panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/dsc/download/fts/index2.html

… See also my post about it here:
https://www.cinematography.com/index.php?showtopic=48216&view=findpost&p=362502

The best starting point to learn about the current (3.63) version of Vitaliy Kiselev’s PTool software hack for the GH2’s original _v1.0_ firmware is his website. I strongly recommend going straight to the source for info about his PTool software:
https://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/1375/ptool-v3.63d-topic

For info about the latest end-user settings (“patches”) for use with PTools, this thread is kept up-to-date:
https://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/953/gh2-patch-vault-most-popular-patches-in-one-place

Note: Vitaliy hasn’t yet hacked Panasonic’s new v1.1 firmware (it’s only been available for a few days), but that shouldn’t be an issue since you can update the cam’s firmware back & forth (between the original v1.0, or the new v.1.1, or a hacked copy of v1.0 via PTools) without a problem. Folks have done this hundreds of times w/o incident (I’ve done it dozens of times).

Concerning lenses: There are good & bad characteristics of both new and old lenses, and there can be visible differences in copies of the _same_ model lens. Many excellent old lenses are available, and there are also some truly awful modern lenses, and vise versa! There’s “lots” of info about this topic online. That’s “lots”, as in near infinite. I get great results using new Panasonic Lumix lenses and also several 45+ yr. old Nikon SLR lenses from KEH.com via an inexpensive Nikon-to-m43 adapter made by Fotodiox. YMMV.

As for recording the GH2’s live 8-bit 4:2:0 HDMI output to an external device: Although the GH2’s 1080p HDMI video output can be set to be “clear” (uncluttered by icons or text) — great for live monitoring — for technical reasons recording the signal externally can be inappropriate for general use. There’s a l-o-n-g detailed thread on this topic at the following link, including a not-for-novices software post-production workaround:
https://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?237584-HDMI-Capture-Problem-SOLVED-AviSynth-RULES!

Users of the most advanced, high data-rate PTool hack settings (especially the latest “Driftwood” patches) report results almost indistinguishable from recordings made via the HDMI output with an external recorder. YMMV.

And, yes, you have a lot of reading to do. 😉

Cheers!

—

https://www.peterdv.com