Bill Bruner
Forum Replies Created
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I agree with you on the GH2, Al. But the GH3 is a different kettle of fish. Did you get a chance to look at the GH3/5D Mark III test I linked to above? Interesting: https://vimeo.com/55060120
Cheers,
Bill
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Hi Howie – welcome to the world of GH2 filmmaking! I don’t want to answer for Jason or Chris – but I can’t afford $1000+ Panasonic 12-35 or 35-100 f2.8 lenses (or Oly f2.0) either, so I shoot with Olympus 4/3 f2.8-3.5 zooms such as the $600 Oly 14-54 II f2.8-3.5. With the MA1 adapter it is fully compatible with your GH2. This is a fabulous lens.
AS far as kit lenses go – I have the 14-140 – great outdoor lens, but I can vouch for the fact that it is slow. I don’t even pull it out of the bag indoors any more.
Hope this is helpful and best of the holidays,
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Al – you may find this helpful. Canon claims 1000 lines for the $15K C300 (the $26K C500 and $6.5K C100 should have similar resolution at 1080p):
https://nofilmschool.com/2011/11/canon-cinema-eos-c300-4k-sensor-outputs-1080p/
For me, that’s a lot of money for 1080p. Unless I needed 4K for theatrical projection, I would spend a lot less money and get the $1299 Panasonic GH3, which outresolves even the top-of-the-line Canon DSLRs.
Best of the holidays,
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Hi Tornador – a lot of questions here – I am a GH2 shooter – but I like the A57 and have recommended it to others. Both are great hybrid still/video cameras with different strengths and weaknesses.
To answer at least some of your questions:
Question: Is the GH2 hack “secure”?
Answer: I am not sure what you mean by “secure” – but, guessing that you mean “stable”. The real answer is “it depends”. There are many different types of hacks, which upgrade the camera to different bit rates. Some are more stable than others. I personally have not hacked my camera, and it is still the sharpest and most moire-free camera in its class. With the hack, it is even better.Question: Level of detail/color/smoothness/low light performance?
Answer: I have not seen side-by-sides of the two cameras, so I can’t compare. What I would say is that, for detail and sharpness, the hacked GH2 is the best camera in its class, and that with a fast lens, it performs well in low light. But I don’t shoot stills or video above ISO 1600 with mine because ISO 3200 is noisy.Question: Weather sealed?
Answer: Neither camera is weather sealed. For that, you would have to get the A77 or the GH3.Question: Film look?
Answer: Depends on the lens, the settings and the color grade.Question: Slow motion?
Answer: the A57 shoots at 1080/60p, which produces a slow motion effect when conformed to lower frame rates on playback. The GH2 has a 720/60p mode, but does not shoot at 1080/60p. The GH3 does.Question: Steadyshot?
Answer: The A57 has “Optical Steady Shot” – the GH2 has lens-based “Advanced Optical Image Stabilization” – the real answer is – shoot with a tripod or a stabilizer. Except for Olympus’ 5 axis in-camera stabilization, these systems are not very useful for filmmakers.Question: Autofocus
With the video-optimized 14-140 lens, the https://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-DMC-GH2-Interchangeable-Free-Angle-Black/dp/B0043VE26U?tag=battleforthew-20“>GH2‘s autofocus is very fast in still and video mode. “Small spot size’ and face tracking work very well.
https://vimeo.com/24231759
https://vimeo.com/24232018Something you didn’t ask about was lens autofocus noise. Sony lenses are noisy when autofocusing – see this video: https://vimeo.com/54126328
Panasonic video-optimized lenses such as the 14-140 are absolutely silent (note the noise from the Panasonic 20mm f1.7 and the relative silence of the 14-140):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApEwMXlIYzcOutside of the EU, another difference between the cameras is the clip length limit. The A57, like most Sony cameras, is limited to 29 minutes and 59 seconds of continuous video. The GH2 has no clip length limit.
In EU countries, both cameras are limited to clip lengths less than 30 minutes.
Bottom line – see this post over at indieforum to see what filmmakers are doing with the GH2. I don’t think there’s a comparable collection of clips for the A57.
Hope this is helpful,
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Hi Geoff – if you’re concerned about moire, don’t get a Canon 🙂
I own both the GH2 and the GH3 – and the “moire problem” is way overblown. It is still much better in this regard than any DSLR (save the expensive and heavy 5D Mark III).
People are already flying the GH3 and getting good results with 1080/60p:
Of course, if you want to save money , people are still shooting fantastic aerials with the GH2:
Hope this is helpful, and good luck with your project!
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Perhaps this means the AF200 is imminent? We can always hope…
In the meantime, Panasonic is doing a great job with its DSLMs and entry level pro camcorders. The GH3 is going to be a big seller – and the AG-AC90 is a terrific sub-$2000 pro camcorder.
Still pulling for Panasonic to do something great in pro interchangeable lens camcorder world. An AF200 with a modern m4/3 sensor, https://www.adorama.com/SONEXFS700UK.html?kbid=66297“>FS700 frame rates and FS100 pricing would be a winner.
Alternatively, shooters would also buy a shoulder mounted camera with HD-SDI and built in NDs at the price point of the NEX-EA50.
Or maybe a real game changer, such as 2K RAW output, XLR inputs and 1080/60p at a price point competitive with the BMCC MFT? I would sell every camera I own for something like that.
Cheers,
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My GH3 was just delivered. This camera is a game changer. I will post some tests as soon as I can. In the meantime, here are a couple of interesting videos from Will Crockett at discovermirrorless.com and shootsmarter.com:
Lumix 35-100mm lens on a GH3 signals end of Days for DSLR
and
Hybrid Shooting – D800 or GH3?
Cheers,
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+1 – I’d like to see feedback from your friend too. My GH3 has silent tracking autofocus as well – but it’s certainly not full frame. Interesting that he would sell the Super 35 FS100 to get tracking autofocus and, presumably, the “full frame look”.
Cheers,
Bill
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Hi Steven. There are three ways to mount Canon EOS lenses on your GH2, ranging from least expensive to most expensive:
1. $18 dumb adapter – your Canon lenses will remain at their widest aperture with no ability to control aperture either from the lens or the camera. Not good.
2. $50 EF (not EF-S) lens adapter with manual iris ring built-in – allows manual control of aperture – sometimes causes vignetting.
3. $598 Metabones electronic adapter – allows full aperture control of Canon EOS lenses. Works, but costs almost as much as a GH2 body.
Hope this is helpful,
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Hi Ezra – I think they’re both overpriced. The best value-for-money iPad2 prompter is the $117 InterAct iPad2 Teleprompter R810-8. Highly recommended.
Hope this is helpful,