Month: May 2014

Panasonic GH4 Review

Panasonic GH4 review (pictured with Cooke Panchro Cinema lens)
The EOSHD Panasonic GH4 Shooter’s Guide is now available
Master the art of 4K video on the GH4 with this 128 page book!

Welcome to the EOSHD Panasonic GH4 review.

The Panasonic GH4, is it a cinematic monster or a wimpy video camera? It’s a monster. Even compared to the full frame 14bit raw from the 5D Mark III the GH4 holds its own.

The GH4 represents a big return to form for Panasonic, a consumer camera that pushes way beyond the image provided by the GH3 and AF100. As a 4K camera never has the format been so practical to shoot as it is with the GH4. With file sizes 8x less than on the nearest competitor and a price 5x less expensive than the Canon 1D C, the GH4 is the most exciting camera I have ever shot with at EOSHD.

Read morePanasonic GH4 Review

Panasonic GH4 live event at B&H today and review coming soon!

Watch the B&H Studio GH4 live broadcast here Starting 1PM EDT, Tuesday, May 27, 2014 Today B&H will be holding a live webcast discussion about the Panasonic GH4 with filmmakers and Panasonic’s Mathew Frazer. My GH4 review will be published today and there’s also a chance for you to win a GH4 at B&H by tweeting a question with the hashtag #BHPhotoLive here Then following the review, this evening my Panasonic GH4 Shooter’s Guide book will be launched. Stay tuned to EOSHD on this busy day for GH4 users!

Watch a 6K Red Dragon sample video in 4K VP9 – the next generation codec for 4K YouTube streaming

Red Dragon VP9 sample video 4K

Download 6K Red Dragon footage by Phil Holland, compressed to 4K at 15Mbit/s with Google VP9 codec.
To play the video you can use the latest VLC Player or Google Chrome.

The H.265 codec has a rival – YouTube are currently testing the next generation “H.265 beating” VP9 codec for high quality 4K streaming.

The file you see linked to above is nearly 2 minutes of 4K clocking in at under 200MB. The quality is astounding for 15Mbit/s and that in a nutshell is what the next generation codecs are all about. The new codecs have the potential to give us ProRes 4444 quality for 1% of the file sizes and make streaming of 4K video over current internet connections a reality.

The VP9 codec is developed by Google and already has the backing of Panasonic, Sigma, Sony, ARM and others. Interesting to note Sigma in that list!

Read moreWatch a 6K Red Dragon sample video in 4K VP9 – the next generation codec for 4K YouTube streaming

Best small camera for 1080/60p – Panasonic GX7 and A6000 review

gx7-vs-a6000

NB: Sample videos will come next week

The Panasonic GX7 is available at B&H for $897.99 and the Sony A6000 is $648 at B&H here

If you want a nice 1080p camera that is packed with features and doesn’t cost very much then there’s now two really good options available from Sony and Panasonic.

The A6000 is certainly Sony’s best performing mirrorless camera yet for video with an APS-C sized sensor vs the Micro Four Thirds sensor in the GX7.

I’ve been shooting with both to decide which one is most fun to use for video.

Read moreBest small camera for 1080/60p – Panasonic GX7 and A6000 review

What would happen if we took all the best features and put them in ONE camera…

DSLRs

What’s the ultimate cross-breed camera of 2014? If we take all the strong points of the manufacturers and put them in one camera, what do we get?

  • Full frame sensor from the Sony A7S
  • 4K internal codec from the Panasonic GH4
  • Big EVF from Fuji and their lovely X-T1
  • 5 axis in-body stabilisation from Olympus (working for video with any lens)
  • Cine lenses by Sigma – their 35mm F1.4 and 50mm F1.4 are that good
  • Bundled grading / editing software from Blackmagic – Resolve 11
  • Ergonomic styling by Fuji

I’m very sorry but I couldn’t think of a single class leading technology that Canon and Nikon have brought to the market in the last few years to complete my dream camera!

Read moreWhat would happen if we took all the best features and put them in ONE camera…

How to avoid Blackmagic Production Camera 4K fixed pattern noise

Blackmagic Production Camera 4K sample - no FPN noise

Above: my sample showing no fixed pattern noise in low light at ISO 400 on the Production Camera – it’s all about the grade

Almost all Blackmagic Production Camera users have experienced fixed pattern noise – a banding effect or grain texture over the image – and they are quite upset at Blackmagic over the issue. But is the fixed pattern noise problem on the Blackmagic Production Camera a case of faulty cameras OR is it a limitation of the spec?

This is a complex issue and every user seems to report something different. However in my own experience with the camera and of looking at the experiences of others I have to say that all units look to perform in the same way. It is a limitation of the spec, not a case of a large number of faulty units being shipped out.

Yet many users – over 200 of them – are now putting pressure on Blackmagic to acknowledge a hardware or quality control ‘fault’ and to do hardware replacements. Sorry but I just don’t think this is right.

It is best to look at how to handle the camera in order to avoid the FPN in the first place…

Read moreHow to avoid Blackmagic Production Camera 4K fixed pattern noise

Meet the Forbes 70 – an IMAX 70mm motion picture camera prototype

Forbes 70

The digital Forbes 70 is based on a heavily modified Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera using 65mm ground glass for the IMAX 70mm look to medium format lenses.

Recording in Cinema DNG raw the camera delivers an utterly spellbinding image but is currently only at the prototype stage with just two in existence.

Read moreMeet the Forbes 70 – an IMAX 70mm motion picture camera prototype