7 replies to this topic

[Michael64]

Iam currently running the Flowmotion patch in High Bitrate mode and it shows 29 frames per second. Question is how do you select 50 or 60 frames per second. I am new to the Hack world and trying to learn to maximize the patch Iam doing aerial video and would really like to shot at 60 fps. All help would be appreciated.

Michael64

[Axel]

60 fps are possible with 720p. The GH2 doesn't have 1080 60p. Don't worry about this.. It is nominally a lower resolution, but only few camcorders get really close to Full HD.

As of now there are not many players that can play back 1080 60p smoothly, and youtubes 30p limit makes a sufficient improvement to motion rendering if compared to 24p. My advice: Use HBR for the aerial shots, use 60p upscaled (no problem) for the odd slomo. But please: Don't use the interlace mode, no matter how high you can force the bitrate. This dinosaur should rot in peace.

[Michael64]

Axel so is way people mainly talk about 720P instead of 1080 with all the patches for the GH2. I figured more people would want to use 1080HD and not 720P, I guess I figured wrong. So the quality of 720p is as good as 1080 is the bottom line this does not sound right but I am still learning with this camera and the patches for it.

Michael64

[Axel]

Axel so is way people mainly talk about 720P instead of 1080 with all the patches for the GH2. I figured more people would want to use 1080HD and not 720P, I guess I figured wrong. So the quality of 720p is as good as 1080 is the bottom line this does not sound right but I am still learning with this camera and the patches for it.

No. 1080p is of course more desirable, but the GH2 simply doesn't have it as 60p.

I guess aerial videography doesn't require shallow DoF, so there is another solution for you: Buy a Panasonic 707, 900 or 909 (see for yourself in the reviews, the price tags for new cameras start at about 500 €). These give you 1080 60p at an almost "true" resolution, therefore moire-free and they give you ~ 20 x smooth zoom, optical image stabilization, very good auto focus, in short: all the things you might miss with a DSLR or EVIL. You can buy a spare camera at the price of a decent lens!

I am not an expert for aerial shots, actually I have no idea what they need to look good. If movement resolution is important, I suggest you first try HBR (at - what is it 29,9 s.th. or 30p? I'm from a pal country) and see if this is enough. If not, check 720p. People who use the Canon EOS cameras for video get this resolution if they dial 1080p, and they don't despair of it. Resolution is not unimportant, but it is far overrated, imho.

[Michael64]

Axel
Thanks for the info and suggestions. Aerial video is alot like landscape photography in a way but than you throw in moving objects chasing cars, bikes, and motorcycles and so it changes REAL fast for sure. Looks like I have alot to learn in the video department which is far from photography. I know alot about photography been a photographer for about 8 yrs but video and good video is a whole other animal thats for sure.

Michael64

[Germy1979]

I use this patch. I used to use driftwoods. However my thoughts on what i consider the film look to be usually lands on "motion". The way a film camera runs at a slow rate with a slow shutter vs say 60fps and the video look. It's The disconnection from real life that pulls you into the story you're watching.

This patch will top you off around 100 mbps... Which is more than sufficient for detail. I like it because of its purpose: to render motion very fluidly and it does it imo better than the others from what i've seen so far.

As far as wide landscape aerial stuff, i would say don't leave your lens wide open. Check out some of those cinestar vids on vimeo with GH2. Some of them look really good, others not so much. It can be done if it's done right in other words.

[Michael64]

Germy 1979
Being new to the GH2 video world is there a shutter speed window that you should stay within. As with the lens I use you need to keep it i between F8 to F11 is where the lens is the sharpest. I was wondering if there is shutter speed window that it should be kept within. I have started using Neutral Density Filters to keep the F Stop in that window that works best with my lens.

Michael64

[Germy1979]

Germy 1979
Being new to the GH2 video world is there a shutter speed window that you should stay within. As with the lens I use you need to keep it i between F8 to F11 is where the lens is the sharpest. I was wondering if there is shutter speed window that it should be kept within. I have started using Neutral Density Filters to keep the F Stop in that window that works best with my lens.

Michael64

I like to keep it around 1/40 man. 1/50 is pretty standard, everybody uses it since it's closer to the 180 degree rule than 1/40. 1/50 doesn't look bad, but 1/40 looks more filmic to me on a gh2. On film cameras though I read that they run closer to 210 degrees which is closer to 1/40. It made sense because the most filmic looking motion i found with a Gh2 had the shutter set to 1/40.

The opening shot in this one:

(quantum patch)

For aerial I like this one:

(cbrandin 66 patch)

The aerial one doesn't give a description on settings. But it's a Gh2.

Roman Legion's vids are usually a 1/40 shutter, and they look closer to the cadence of film motion than most i've seen on a gh2.
Plus he levels them out in post not really hyping contrast.. It looks good.

Neutral density is a neccesity for shallow shots in heavy light. Depending on your shot preference, it's personal taste, but i couldn't see using an nd filter for a shot of a landscape. It's like putting sunglasses on. Unless you're using a high end nd like a heliopan, or a b+w, i'd just stop it down. Lesser nd's tend to colorcast the further you turn them. For your depth of field shots though, motion blur is key to the look. If you've ever seen footage from dslr's where the motion looks jittery with no fluidity between frames. (like a johnny cage shadow kick) - that's 24fps with a high shutter rate to expose for bright light. Keep your shutter around 1/40 to 1/50 on the Gh2 for 24p work.