2 replies to this topic

[Justin]

Hello. Sorry for the very basic level of questions for this forum, but I’d be grateful for any advice.

I’m a documentary producer but I like to shoot a bit as well and I’m planning to invest in my own equipment for the first time. I intend to buy a camcorder (probably Canon XF100) as my main camera - so much easier to use than a DSLR for shooting actuality.

However, I am also thinking of getting a DSLR to use in more controlled situations (eg interviews) or where discretion is the order of the day. I’ve narrowed it down to a straight choice between the Panasonic GH2 and the Canon 60D (or possibly 600D). But I can’t decide.

From all I’ve read, the GH2 wins hands-down in terms of picture quality, continuous recording (no 12 min cut-off) and fewer problems with rolling shutter and moire/aliasing. But the Canons look easier to use and there are some things that trouble me about the GH2, so any answers to the following questions...?

- Can the GH2 shoot in 25p at 1080p or not?

- I can probably only afford 2 lenses. If I went for a Canon camera I would probably get a Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 and a Canon EFS 17-55mm f2.8 IS... Are there decent equivalent (constant aperture) and similarly priced lenses for the GH2? As far as I understand, you can get an adaptor so the GH2 can take the Canon lenses, but that will cost me an extra £100 or so, making the GH2 the more expensive option...

- Using the image stabiliser on the Canon lens makes a big difference in terms of wobble-free pictures. I understand this wouldn’t work if attached via an adaptor to the GH2... So is stability an issue with the GH2? Or have I been misinformed? Are there lenses with IS that would work on the GH2?

- The GH2 has a smaller chip and therefore a smaller field of view than the Canons - is this significant?

- Magic Lantern firmware for the Canons will give, amongst other things, zebras, on-screen audio levels, an ability to separate audio channels and connect an XLR adaptor and also connect headphones into the AV out socket - is there a GH2 hack that enables these?

- There seems to be a much more bewildering array of hacks for the GH2. I’m technically very stupid and I don’t enjoy trawling round looking for things like that - I’m just interested in maximising the camera for both picture quality and ease of use. So is there a GH2 firmware update that offers all of the above as well as pushing output to 50mbps?

I’d be most grateful for any help from anyone out there...!

[andy lee]

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[Chris Mann]

I shoot weddings and corporate events with pretty much the combination of cameras you are talking about - an XF100, plus a GH2, a couple of GH1s, a Canon 7D and also a couple of Panasonic 3-chip camcorders!

All these devices have their strengths and weaknesses. The small camcorders are easy to put up as static cameras and leave running at events. The XF100 has proper XLR inputs for audio, a robust codec, and "proper" controls.

The GH2 can record 1080p at 25 fps but it's saved inside a 1080i "wrapper" - you just have to use some software to covnert it back to 1080p. So not a problem.

Forget the IS stabilizer on Canon lenses - it's designed for stills not video - put your camera on a tripod (or a shoulder-mount rig) if you want to avoid shake! I find that I can hand-hold a GH2 in video mode more effectively than a 7D as it's so much lighter.

When I want steady moving-camera shots I use a GH1 mounted on a Steadicam Merlin.

One big advantage that the GH2 has if you need to shoot hand-held is its EVF - you can hold the camera to your eye in the conventional stills shooting position, which is not possible with a Canon dSLR because its mirror blocks the optical viewfinder when shooting video.

Lenses for the GH2 need not be expensive - but go for primes rather than zooms. Zooms in Micro Four Thirds fit are mostly slow and variable max aperture - very limiting in low light. The Panasonic 20mm and 14mm primes are very good value lenses, giving you the equivalent of 40mm and 28mm in full-frame terms, due to its 2x crop factor form its smaller chip.

For longer focal lengths I suggest getting an old Olympus or Canon manual focus 50mm F1.4 prime, and an adaptor. I use an Olympus Zuiko OM-mount 50mm F1.4 on my GH2 and get great results with it. The lesn cost me £90 ($140 US) on eBay, and adaptors go for $30-$50.

The 2x crop factor is not a problem unless you want to go super-wide; I find that the Panasonic 14mm lens is as wide as I need. One benefit of the smaller chip is that when shooting wide open you have a little more depth of field than with a Canon - so getting accurate focus is not quite so critical. You still get the shallow DOF look.

The one area where the 7D / 60D have some advantage is in very low light - but otherwise I feel the GH2 is a better bet overall.

The firmware hacks for the GH2 don't give you zebra or audio levels, nor is there a headphone socket (there isn't one on the Canons either). The solution to this with either a Canon or a GH2 is to record audio separately using proper microphones into a separate audio recorder such as the Zoom H4n or Tascam DR100. Sound is then synced up in post either using a clapperboard (yes, just like in the old days of film!) or with a utility such as Red Giant Software's Pluraleyes.

The audio preamps in dSLRs are very cheap and basic - so even if you do feed them a signal from a decent mic you aren't getting the most out of your audio. A separate recorder is not too expensive (and you will have saved money not buying those Canon lenses!) Also the mini-jack inputs on the cameras are a weak point long-term. When I used to shoot with Sony DV camcorders that had mini-jack inputs they went noisy quite quickly. Hook up an inepxensive shotgun mic such as Panasonic's own, or a Rode Videomic, to the GH2, so that you have a good clear soundtrack in-camera for syncing with your separate audio, and as an emergency backup audio track.

A Zoom H4n can be used to record directly close-up to the talent in a pinch, or (better) use a proper studio cardioid condenser mic on a stand or boom pole. Rode mics are pretty good as are Golden Age (GA) mics, which I use for music recording.