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@Nahua - thanxs a lot,  this really helps a amazingly lot! 

Luckily you can work straight on the AVCHD footage in FCP X - the encoding to MOV is a background task. As I will do some pre editing and sorting on the road during a longer trip I have to find out if I can do it and then remove the MOV's.  Keeping only the compressed material and then when the big editing begins back home, re connect the material. Hope this will work out. Have to experiment before at home though  ;)

Thanxs guys for having this crash course in the technics behind the Panasonic GH3. It really helps!

@Markm - Thanxs it surpizes me that a trial gots so many compliments. Even my editing wasn't up to scratch but hey here I go ;-) Hope to do some better work when I really know the camera.

@powderanks - the band in the tent shot was because I faded in I think. So I can go ahead with shooting AVCHD on the road and still have great footage to color correct in post when I turn all the settings low?!
 

Now I have my Panasonic GH3, I'm looking for the ultimate versatile microphone. (and found out I had to take a university degree in sound recording - getting though all the information available on the web  :P )

Good I nearly got through all the info about sound recording. So now I know there are different kinds of microphones with different pick up patterns for different situations and don't really know what to pick. Because as it happens I will be on the road and have to go as light weight as possible. So I need one mic for in- and outdoor, ambient and interview sounds. The Pana has a 3,5 mm plug. Also it would be handy if the battery would be AAA or AA. 

- Any suggestions?

- Or any experience with the Senheiser MKE 400?

- Is it very stupid to use a digital Recorder only, like such as the Tascam DL 100 or the zoom H4N  or even the zoom H1? I can lug those in directly and place them above the camera or lay them at my sound source and sinc later on. I'm still searching the exact pick patterns of these digital reorders but the zoom has adjustable mics of 90 degrees.

Thanxs for helping starting up!

Thankx to all. I used Sacndisk class 10 for All I on my first shot video and it worked fine.

@Zach I don't need to hack the GH3  ;)

thank you Nahua for your answers. I do have a tripod but didn't use it this time. Your answers regarding the sharpness and contrast in post are not for me as I use Final Cut Pro. So that's why I proposed the following solutions... 

 

- And how do I bring back the contrast, sharpness, saturation and noise reduction in post? 

  Do I add sharpness and contrast by editing exposure, lowering the middle and higher the highlights? 

  And saturation by turning up the saturation in general, the higlights, midtones or shadows?

  What about the noise - do you wanna have that back? 

 

 

1.- The 1080P 60P (or 50P in PAL) 50mbit codec you recommend instead of my codec is a lesser HD. Why is this better?

2.- Just found out what the term banding means. Do you think my footage has banding?

3. - How much I should turn down the noise you suggest when I don't want to do any post work on it later (like you suggest)?
 

4.- By the way do I also get flat images (like RAW in photography) -optimized for post color correcting if I use the compressed AVCHD mode instead of the all I mode turning down the contrast, sharpness, saturation and noise reduction? I will go on a long bike trip and won't be able to store all the footage in uncompressed files. 

Thanxs for the effort answering!

Blanche

It has the jumps. So If you wanna zoom a lot, don't buy it. I have it and Like the lens so far.

So I shot my first footage on my first interchangable camera - the Pana 3.
I'm happy with the first impression but also unhappy with some effects and have to find out what caused that. All my material was handheld for future shots I will also use a tripod.
 
First GH3 tests shots | Winter Marocco
 
- On some of the shots  - asphalt or landscapes with lines I see a smur going on. Is this the aliasing and moire?
   Is this due to handhold or due to the settings? My settings All-I 24p, no color grading, contrast 0, sharpness 0,
   saturation 0, noise reduction 0 
- What are the ideal settings for the GH3 and why? 
- And how do I bring back the contrast, sharpness, saturation and noise reduction in post? 
  Do I add sharpness and contrast by editing exposure, lowering the middle and higher the highlights? 
  And saturation by turning up the saturation in general, the higlights, midtones or shadows?
  What about the noise - do you wanna have that back? 
 
Thanxs so much for helping this newcomer!
 
 
https://vimeo.com/57284392

No I'm waiting for the GH3 guide.... ;)

somewhere I red that Andrew was bizzy with it and that Forum members got it for free - or did I dream about it. 

Thank you Moongoat - I know these tutorials very well. And learned already a lot from it. Now it's the art of combining all these tutorials with the manual of Panasonic ;-)
But I am a bit disappointed about the manual from Panasonic. If I was them I would have combined it with a more practical approach instead of only telling where which button is photography/filming mixed. For a newby it takes a lot of time to get through. 

Does anybody know if a new shootersguide for the GH3 is coming up?

Is there a easy to use shooting guide for people who just start using a 'SLR'?
 

Received my brand-new Panna GH3 two days ago. I know what words like f stops and ISO etc mean. Still coming from a consumer camcorder it's a little bit bewildering at the moment. I have my Panasonic manual to tell me where all the bits are and I know how to search the internet but.....is there a easier to use starting guide for people like me? Explaining step by step  and practical which function does bring what kind of effect - preferably for the GH3? 

I don't know Andrews GH2  guide and when and if there will be a GH3 guide. 

Thank you so much for helping!

Again Nahua - Thank you very much ;-)

Which class are the cards you are mentioning in your own examples?

When searching the internet for the best memory cards  for the Panny GH3 i encounter a lot of different thoughts. 

- Which card is best for filming with the GH3  in all-I mode? (all-I is the best mode ins't it?)

- How much does the camera 'eat' when filming in the different modes? How much card is eaten in a particular timeframe?

Excuse me - english isn't my native tongue.

And thank you for the effort!

Thank you all and especially Nahua!

Are these batteries sold separate? I can't find them on the internet - how much will they be?

One last question -  if I wanna a real close up from somebody's face  such as eyes working with a 12-35mm

What's the camera distance in cm's 

Yep I'm really new using lenses   -_-

I think Andy Lee answered your question. The best way is to check ebay for adapters.  Just put in "micro 4/3 adapter" and whatever lens maker you want (ex Canon, Nikon, etc).  It doesn't have to be a mega-expensive adapter like Novoflex.  The only advantage to Novoflex is that the quality is amazing, with precision machining.  Also, it has a step-less aperture ring for smooth aperture control.  However, since I don't really use that it's not worth that much more over the cheaper Chinese made adapters.  And "much more" like $35 vs $300 more.

Andrew is talking about using old 35mm manual focus lenses because they do have flaws, they do have imperfections.  This is the "character" of the lens.  Look up his old posts about old Olympus Pen-F, Leica-R, and other lenses.  If you compare them to new lenses, they have that something that makes it look "filmic".  I think new lenses are very clinical, with their advanced AF motors and multi-coated lenses.  But it does depend on how you shoot.  When I shoot events, AF is important and thus I use new lenses.  If I'm shooting a project or music video, then I use the old manual lenses.  It all depends on how you shoot and what you're shooting.  I hope this helps.

Thanxs Nahua this sure helps. Beause I'm comming from a small consumer camcorder and the main thing is shooting documentary on road with a bicycle carrying the whole load - I will start with only one focus lens 14-35 mm. Later on I can decide to buy more.
 

Thank you to all helping me with this decision! Appreciate it a lot. 

Does anybody know how long the 'package' battery of the GH3 lives - how many hours when filming?

The xtra battery grip is rather expensive so.... 

Thanxs for the effort!

Thanxs all! @Nahua, w

Dr Brinkley,

 

I use a few FD lenses, 50mm 1.2L, 85m 1.2L.  Both are really very nice.  Check ebay, there are many adapters available for any mount, including Pentax K.  If you don't want to go the cheap route, then you could check out Novoflex for their excellent adapters.  They are built solid, but cost upwards of $300 (I own a few).  Any old 35mm camera lens will work on the GH3, and will produce outstanding results.  Just remember to multiply the focal length x2 - 50mm = 100mm.  I have used Canon, Nikon, Leica - all produce excellent results.  I feel that even though Panasonic and Olympus produce excellent lenses, they are very clinical and maybe too sharp.  I believe Andrew is correct in this regard.  Lenses with more character produce better results, or maybe more "filmic" results.

hat do you mean by

- Any old 35mm camera lens will work on the GH3- . Can I fit old 35 mm lensens of a non digital camera to the GH3 with a mount? 

- I believe Andrew is correct in this regard.  Lenses with more character produce better results, or maybe more "filmic" results.- Which lens are we speaking about?

Thanxs again. Yeah I know Voightlanders are prime and not a zoom  ;) 
I'm still  in doubt about two primes or a zoom so I'm searching for tips in prime and zooms.

Can I use all 3/4 lenses with the GH3 without loosing AF on the machine?

Thank you! I see a lot of people use the Voightlander instead...is this a good one?

Which objectives are best for me and why?

I have always filmed with a camcorder but it's time to move on because I have outgrown this camera.

Waited for months but now finally buying the Panasonic GH3. I don't any glass and I don't know much about objectives yet so please help.

- I'm making documentary work where I interview people but also shoot landscapes.

- Most of my films are shot on the road while traveling with a bicycle, so lightweight is important.

- Like a  Filmish look

Which objectives are best for me and why? 

Thanxs for helping a newcomer!