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New release of firmware hack for GH2 (v3.62d)
FYI: Vitaliy Kiselev, Chris Brandin and an international team of camera hackers have released version 3.62d of their firmware modification software tool for the Panasonic GH2.
Further improvements in the GH2’s already very good video quality (and other features) are achievable using the new software. I’ve installed the modified firmware on my GH2, and so far, so good. YMMV.
For more info, to download the software, and to donate $ to their project, see:
https://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/666/ptool-v3.62d-topic—
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3 Replies
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Hi Peter,
There is a lot of techno babble in that thread that is over my head! In layman’s terms, what is this hack doing for you?
Jason Jenkins
Flowmotion Media
Video production… with style! -
Hi Jason: I haven’t completed my informal tests yet, but what I’m seeing — or what I think I’m seeing 😉 — is fewer compression artifacts and improved detail in the shadows. Others report similar results.
Increasing the bitrate to 32 megabits/sec or more appears to address the relatively small amount of compression artifacts (“mud”) sometimes visible in standard GH2 high-motion video. A standard GH2 is much better than the stock GH1 was in this regard, but all cameras benefit from throwing more bits at the challenge of recording high-motion video.
The current hack software fixes a issue that was in the previous version which resulted in the first few frames of >32 megabit/s clips with extreme compression artifacts.
Importantly, the new hack allows you to select an overall preference for the GH2’s codec (“Auto-Quantizer”): Should the codec use the “extra” datarate bits to record motion with fewer artifacts, or should it use the extra bits to record details (especially in low-lit areas) with fewer artifacts. You can preset this preference on a scale from 0 (“all to motion”) to 4 (“all to details”). I’m currently testing “#3 Most to details”.
I’m hopeful a combination of bitrate, AQ and perhaps other hack settings will result in GH2 video that is essentially mud-free, has less gradient banding artifacts, and improved detail in shadows. But I’m not done with my tests yet, so YMMV.
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Thanks, Peter; that clarifies it nicely.
Jason Jenkins
Flowmotion Media
Video production… with style!
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