jean-baptiste lefournier

Maybe it depends on how people are doing the downsampling.

 

Using FFMPEG or just a simple scale in Premiere?

just scaling down and grading in After Effects... I'm not sure Premiere is as reliable as AE (yet it might be as both software are getting closer since "CC" and dynamic link) A few years ago all scaling operations done in Premiere was outrageous crap compared to AE. Morever AE as brand new bilinear filtering option (which I didn't use it this test)

Here's a quick grading test mainly using my beloved Osiris LUT (Vision Color)

https://vimeo.com/90805624

 

First feelings :

GH4 footage grades REALLY well ! When downscaling 4K to 2K or HD, the image retains insane details.

Still a bit uncomfortable with GH' color rendition on natural green hues (foliage, grass etc.) 

Yet a BIG fan of lumix GH since GH1.

Being recently using 5DMK3 Raw I notice Panasonic color accuracy issues even more. I wish we could import picture style on GH4... (I mean Vision Color)

 

On the EVF:

 

OLED is certainly a superior technology to the panel used in the GH2. It doesn't do the rainbow-flicker when you pan, the contrast is far higher, you get inky blacks with it, the new panel is 16:9 so suited to video and very wide. Colour from the OLED panel is richer and deeper although different in tone to the main screen. The resolution isn't quite as crisp as the GH2 though, you're right.

 

The main thing that lets the EVF down is the optical side rather than OLED. It does smear too easily at the edges when your eye isn't dead straight on. All EVFs do this including the GH2 but on the GH3 it is particularly easy to get blurry edges.

 

On the dynamic range, I never said it could compete on same level as Blackmagic raw with 13 stops, so not sure what this refers to.

 

Thanks for comments!

My mistake... I missunderstood the passage on Dynamic Range... we're on the same page BMC and its Raw is "above" 5D and GH3.

Nice review of this awesome camera.
Yet I have two remarks :

- You didn't mentioned that GH3´s viewfinder resolution is not as high/good as GH2
GH3 EVF is brighter and has better contrast yet it feels unsharp and make manual focus more difficult (lack of focus peaking)
The French GH3 filmmakers I know share my view.

- How can GH3 dynamic range can compete with Blackmagic Raw? (You say that it has the same DR) Is blackmagic liying about its raw capacity ? Even prores 422 should provide more latitude for color grading.

I personaly use Neoscene Cineform since GH1 was released and it works just fine. 5D to RGB does not bring any more latitude in highlights to my opinion. (I made many test using 5D2RBG rec 601/709 on a same footage)
My workflow : MTS > Neoscene > ProRes (SQ or HQ) > AE or FCP > ProRes HQ > MP4/H264 > Vimeo

Only drawback it's a bit pricy but it's reliable (trusted by Avid and the Industry) it supports batch and multi-cores processing

I am using Neoscene on GH2 hacked footage on a Mac Pro Workstation (still running Snow Leopard so far)

I recommand you try [b]100Mbps Flow Motion v1.11 Failsafe Patch with HBR 25p & 50p modes[/b]
it's not driftwood but the image quality is great, it has direct in-cam playback !
I used it on studio shooting, it worked fine.

My Class 10 / 30 Mo works fine with Flow Motion patch
I think this patch is great, because you have direct in-camera playback ! (88 unified won't allow it)
moreover Flow motion is failsafe and offers 2 diiferents bitrate.
it's not "Intra" but GOP setting is so tight that I can't see any difference.

Thank you Andrew.

I actually imported the original 1.1 firmware (from Panasonic) into Ptool, applied your settings (.ini)
and saved it. (No Audio setting manually touched in any way)

When I tried to use your GH2_10E firmware (from EOSHD 10 steps link), applying your patch to it, "HBR" MODE could not be found in the camera menu anymore.
So I figured out GH2_10E might not be the latest 1.1 firmware.

Everything works fine using patch on my 1.1 backup (bitrate, ISO up to 12 800) [b]except playback[/b].

I just received and tried SANDISK 8 GO "Extreme Pro" Class 10 - 95 Mo/sec this morning.
SANDISK is most reliable brand (inventor of SD Card)

The video won't play in the camera (unless you restart your camera after recording it)

95 Mo/sec or even 30 Mo/sec should be fast enough to play the 11 Mo/sec (88 Mbits) codec

is the bitrate actually 88 mbs in the patch?
I think a setting might cause the patch to prevent the GH2 from reading the file.

Please Andrew... could we have some help/support for PAL users ?
I've waited for months before going to the patch. (waiting for 1.1 being unleashed)
I have a shooting in a couple of days, would be great to be able to read the files without reboot.

Thanks a lot.
Best

I also remember I had the same trouble with GH13 on GH1, It was caused by audio bitrate change (weird)
I put the audio back to default setting (and C settings on video bitrate) and then I could play the videos.

I have same exact problem with Sandisk "Extreme" Class 10 - 30 Mo/sec,
I have ordered a Class 10 "Extreme Pro" Class 10 - 95 Mo/sec, I should be devilvered tomorrow, I'll try it straight away.

I have just figured out that [b]88 Mbits = 11 Mo[/b]
so I wonder why 30 Mo/sec writing speed card could not play 11 Mo/sec footage.

Did you try switch off and on you GH2?
When I do so, I am able to play the video I have just shot.

If you don't want to buy a very expensive filter try [b]LCW ND FADER MII[/b] (around 70-90 $)
Light Craft Workshop ND FADER are really good, it's really "Neutral" density, I tried GENUS ND Fader and they have color casting issue.
All Vimeo gurus have recommanded it (Like Philipp Bloom did)

I have just tried 5D to RBG conversion it works great (DPX here because I don't have FCP/ProRes on this Mac)
I hop it will work as well in Neoscene Cineform. (that I have bought)
I confess that FCP conversion is not very reliable on .mts/AVCHD and I don't like to use it.
Many friends report issues to me.

I think I will stick to the 88 patch (I may buy a faster Class 10 Card)
It is actually Intra Codec

Best

Sorry to here that...
You maybe try the Vanilla patch?
I usually use Neoscene (Cineform) to convert .mts to ProRes,
I won't be able to try it on the new intra files until a few days (the software and workstation are at my workshop)
did you try 5D to RGB?

Hi Andrew I've just rush into installing your 25p 88 patch !
I have carefully followed the 10 steps
First I have notice something weird, I'm not sure the original firmware you have linked is 1.1 ...
so when I have installed the patch on GH2 I lost "HBR" mode...

So I tried again using the official 1.1 bin I have stored in my computer.
I applied your patch (ini) using Ptools.
I now have HBR mode + ISO up to 12 800 so I think everything seems ok !

However I first couldn't read the video I shot on GH2 ("unable to read movie" warning)
now I have switch on once again and It works? weird

When you mention Class 10 SDHC card do you mean 95 Mo/sec cards?
I have just bought SandDisk Class 10 yesterday (Extreme) and I now figure out that it's only 30 Mo/sec (compared to Extreme Pro that is 95 Mo/sec)
Do you think 95 Mo is requiere to handle 88 bitrate (sorry if that sound stupid or naïve)

Thank you.

Here's my latest GH2 video shot on Nanoha lens : [url=https://vimeo.com/36937717]https://vimeo.com/36937717[/url]
NANOHA is a new macro lens for mirror-less cameras which offers up to 5x magnification capabilities. (It means 1 pixel on the picture is about 1 micrometer on the shooting target.) Microscope optics for your camera without needing microscope.

The latest 1.11 firmware is great, (improved NR, "HBR" 25p) you should just wait for EOSHD latest patches (based on 1.1 hack) that might be available for download very soon. Moving back to previous firmware (1.0) would be pity in my opininion.

Thanks for your answer Andrew.
yes I think, I'll wait for your 25p "F" patch release to have a lazy/safe "end user" hack :)

Still great to follow your constant updates and reviews on EOSHD ! Awesome work.

The best tool to match image on both GH2 and 5D is the eye :)
GH2 image seems "already baked" out of the camera so you have to be careful when grading it.
I wish we could have Technicolor Cinestyle on GH2. (as EOS have)
I tried to match 7D and GH2 footage in this test : [url=https://vimeo.com/23907881]https://vimeo.com/23907881[/url]
I think this is not so hard to achieve.

Great News !
Will you update your GH2 Patch Vault page ?
or does the intra testing 88 (F settings) still work along with the new hack?
Thanks for your answer.