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John Matthews

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  1. Like
    John Matthews reacted to EduPortas in Panasonic Lumix G7 vs. S5II, used as camcorders   
    Nice.
    Out of curiosity, could you unsharpen the included profiles in the GH2 in video mode?  
  2. Like
    John Matthews got a reaction from EduPortas in Panasonic Lumix G7 vs. S5II, used as camcorders   
    I'll credit @Andrew Reid for the look with EOSHD Pro Color. I only tweaked it a little.
    From what I've understood about Panasonic in that era, even their pro video division was surprised by the hacked GH2. I remember many videographers were saying the 1080p out of the GH2 was WAY too sharp and digital. Some of the hacks even offered less sharp versions. After with 4k, it didn't seem we had to worry so much about detail anymore. IBIS meant we could now actually see the detail because with no IBIS, it turned to mush. 
  3. Haha
    John Matthews reacted to ND64 in Sony FX2   
    Was it necessary to make the EVF so long? Its like a camcorder from 90s. 

  4. Sad
    John Matthews reacted to Andrew Reid in Sony FX2   
    Ouch
    LensSEL24F28G
    $599.99
    $799.99
    33.3%
    LensSEL50F18/B
    $349.99
    $449.99
    28.6%
    LensSEL50F18/S
    $349.99
    $449.99
    28.6%
    When is a cheap lens no longer a cheap lens!
    The irony is this will only benefit the CHINESE lens makers!!
  5. Like
    John Matthews reacted to Andrew Reid in Sony FX2   
    $3500, wow.
    It's almost as if the Trump Tarrifs have given everyone the excuse to globally raise prices in unison like a big cartel / monopoly. Not good.
  6. Like
    John Matthews reacted to EduPortas in Panasonic Lumix G7 vs. S5II, used as camcorders   
    That looks really good. The G7 has much nicer and warmer colors.
    For a doc-style scenario it could be a great option. Other than the obvious jello effect of the tortutre test it could stand up to any modern day camera.
    As we've said in this forum quite a lot: from about 2010-2018 Panny was a true disrupter in the videocamera world.
  7. Like
    John Matthews reacted to TrueIndigo in Panasonic Lumix G7 vs. S5II, used as camcorders   
    Thanks for the kind words, John. I remember an old friend of mine, who is a very experienced DP, once said - with regard to "unmotivated camera movement" - that you "shouldn't move without a reason". For the purpose of the camera test I just enjoyed finding the CinemaScope compositions and letting the action (a very busy location) move within the frame instead. I now have a GH5 and a S5, but my use of IBIS is still very modest - it's more useful to me to simply iron out the micro jitters in my hands than to try to emulate a gimble.
  8. Like
    John Matthews reacted to maxJ4380 in Panasonic Lumix G7 vs. S5II, used as camcorders   
    pardon my ignorance, is it still a locked down shot if you pan or tilt while on a tripod  or is it called a different type of shot ?
  9. Like
    John Matthews reacted to ac6000cw in Panasonic Lumix G7 vs. S5II, used as camcorders   
    I don't know the 'industry definition' of it, but I would think a 'locked down' or 'locked off' shot is just that - the camera can't/doesn't move at all. If you pan a camera, it's a 'panning' shot (tilting is just panning it vertically instead of horizontally, so I guess comes under the same name).
  10. Like
    John Matthews got a reaction from BTM_Pix in Panasonic Lumix G7 vs. S5II, used as camcorders   
    Here's the original video. Of course, this is for testing purposes only as I don't usually shoot like this. I just wanted to see how stable I could make the G7 and see how fast it could reacquire focus once in a settled position. What I learned is the smaller you make the AF box, the faster continuous will reacquire focus. I just went from subject to subject, placing the framing where the focus point was. I doubt the footage of my Panasonic VX980 would have been better, just WAY noisier.
     
  11. Like
    John Matthews reacted to ac6000cw in Panasonic Lumix G7 vs. S5II, used as camcorders   
    AFAIK, up to at least 60p, the GH5/GH5ii/GH5s/G9/GH6/GH7/G9ii read out the whole sensor width and sufficient height to allow high-quality re-sampling/processing down to (e.g.) FHD and UHD, which probably helps with moire suppression. And yes, the high pixel density versus lens resolution also helps (plus diffraction softening at smaller apertures).
    I like reasonably chunky grips too - it's a major reason why I've never bought an E-M5 iii or OM-5 (and bought used E-M1 ii and iii instead, despite the larger size and weight).
    I've got a Sirui grip for the S9 (which is deeper than the SmallRig version), but if I've got the 20-60mm kit lens on it I don't add the grip as there's enough lens barrel to sit nicely in my left hand. The grip is useful with the 18-40mm lens though.
  12. Like
    John Matthews reacted to TrueIndigo in Panasonic Lumix G7 vs. S5II, used as camcorders   
    I still have my G7 -- I got rid of my GH1, nice though it was back in the day, but kept this little camera; the simplicity of using it remains an attraction. This was my first camera test with it:
     
  13. Like
    John Matthews got a reaction from sanveer in Panasonic Lumix G7 vs. S5II, used as camcorders   
    Here's the original video. Of course, this is for testing purposes only as I don't usually shoot like this. I just wanted to see how stable I could make the G7 and see how fast it could reacquire focus once in a settled position. What I learned is the smaller you make the AF box, the faster continuous will reacquire focus. I just went from subject to subject, placing the framing where the focus point was. I doubt the footage of my Panasonic VX980 would have been better, just WAY noisier.
     
  14. Thanks
    John Matthews got a reaction from sanveer in Panasonic Lumix G7 vs. S5II, used as camcorders   
    People might laugh at me, but I don't care. I've been doing some walk-around filming with my G7 and 9mm Leica versus my S5ii and the kit lens. I'm absolutely dumbfounded how little the differences are.
    Here are my settings:
    Panasonic Lumix G7 - 4k 25fps (EOSHD ProColor Settings, with minor tweaks), super-fast stabilization in Final Cut (InertiaCam- smoothing (.1), continuous video AF on with it's small box in the center (yes, that's right and it didn't really hunt), A Mode, Auto ISO, handheld only,  AWB
    Panasonic Lumix S5II - 4k 25fps (Stadard profile), no stabilization in post (but had IBIS on), continuous AF  (mode 2), small box in the center, A Mode, Auto ISO, handheld only, AWB
    I kid you not, the images were very similar, minus the color which seemed better on the G7 to my eye. After stabilization, there was little difference.
    Here are some stills:

    It would appear the 2015 G7 is still the little engine that could. It weighs a whopping 540g less than the S5II and kit lens. I could add the 14-140, the 25 f/1.4 and perhaps a recorder or mini tripod for that difference.  This is where M43 needs to go in the future: small, excellent value, with great features like 4k, PDAF, IBIS, 10 bit h.265, with a proper shutter and hot shoe. Even the previous generation(s) from 2015-2018 have so much to offer.
  15. Like
    John Matthews got a reaction from ac6000cw in Panasonic Lumix G7 vs. S5II, used as camcorders   
    Here's the original video. Of course, this is for testing purposes only as I don't usually shoot like this. I just wanted to see how stable I could make the G7 and see how fast it could reacquire focus once in a settled position. What I learned is the smaller you make the AF box, the faster continuous will reacquire focus. I just went from subject to subject, placing the framing where the focus point was. I doubt the footage of my Panasonic VX980 would have been better, just WAY noisier.
     
  16. Like
    John Matthews reacted to MrSMW in Panasonic Lumix G7 vs. S5II, used as camcorders   
    And do, but mostly because I think the footage just looks better than the 4k.
    My A7RV will shoot 8k but never even tried video on it. Or my Nikon, even though the 4k out of the Zf is supposed to be pretty good.
  17. Like
    John Matthews got a reaction from TrueIndigo in Panasonic Lumix G7 vs. S5II, used as camcorders   
    People might laugh at me, but I don't care. I've been doing some walk-around filming with my G7 and 9mm Leica versus my S5ii and the kit lens. I'm absolutely dumbfounded how little the differences are.
    Here are my settings:
    Panasonic Lumix G7 - 4k 25fps (EOSHD ProColor Settings, with minor tweaks), super-fast stabilization in Final Cut (InertiaCam- smoothing (.1), continuous video AF on with it's small box in the center (yes, that's right and it didn't really hunt), A Mode, Auto ISO, handheld only,  AWB
    Panasonic Lumix S5II - 4k 25fps (Stadard profile), no stabilization in post (but had IBIS on), continuous AF  (mode 2), small box in the center, A Mode, Auto ISO, handheld only, AWB
    I kid you not, the images were very similar, minus the color which seemed better on the G7 to my eye. After stabilization, there was little difference.
    Here are some stills:

    It would appear the 2015 G7 is still the little engine that could. It weighs a whopping 540g less than the S5II and kit lens. I could add the 14-140, the 25 f/1.4 and perhaps a recorder or mini tripod for that difference.  This is where M43 needs to go in the future: small, excellent value, with great features like 4k, PDAF, IBIS, 10 bit h.265, with a proper shutter and hot shoe. Even the previous generation(s) from 2015-2018 have so much to offer.
  18. Like
    John Matthews got a reaction from eatstoomuchjam in Panasonic Lumix G7 vs. S5II, used as camcorders   
    The limitations are definitely there. We've seen so many overhyped minor improvements—most of which can be overcome with solid technique.
    Take 10-bit vs. 8-bit, for example. I’ve seen endless comparisons on the topic, but none of them really sell me on the concept. Sure, I’ll shoot in 10-bit if it's available—why not—but do I actually need it? Did I really need to upgrade just for that?
    Then there’s 32-bit audio. Again, I might use it—but mostly out of laziness. It’s not something I need.
    IBIS is trickier. It seems practical, especially since most alternatives involve adding weight. But these days, nearly every YouTube video uses a camera with IBIS, and honestly, the look is getting stale. It still beats shaky footage, sure, but it’s become the norm when it should be more of a “just in case” feature.
    Continuous AF in video? Cameras now focus faster than I ever could at f/1.2—but then again, why are we even shooting video at f/1.2? With all the AI, it feels like cameras are making more and more decisions for us—too many, in my opinion. You look at the screen and it’s all over the place: body, face, eye, face again, back to body, airplane, cockpit, no—face again, someone else's body, then the eye. Is this really what we want?
    And what about viewing limitations? The human eye maxes out around 300 dpi—when you’re young. I still don’t see the point of 8K. Plus, where are we actually watching this content? I’d guess 90% of the time it’s on a screen smaller than 20 cm. Who’s noticing the detail on that? As for audio, there has been progress—people are using earbuds more, and they sound far better than the tiny speakers we used to rely on.
    Maybe when you put it all together, it is an improvement. But here we are in 2025—ten years after the G7 launched—and I’ve learned how to work around most of its limitations. Sometimes, knowing the basics still takes you further than all the latest tech. I guess I shouldn't spend so much on camera gear- let the noobs and pros do that.
  19. Like
    John Matthews reacted to ac6000cw in Panasonic Lumix G7 vs. S5II, used as camcorders   
    I skipped over the G7 and went from G5 to G6 to G80, but I shot some of my favourite footage with the G6 in Standard profile at 1080p50 (28Mbps AVC) - the highest quality it could shoot. There was definitely something about the image that those older 16MP sensor cameras had, which seemed to have got lost in the G80 (despite it having nominally the same 16MP sensor). But eventually I decided I could live with the size and weight of a G9 and entered a whole better world of image quality and stabilisation performance...
    Comparing the G9 and my recently acquired S9 - I think 4k50p on the G9 is much less prone to aliasing/moire and the sharpening isn't overdone, but the stabilisation is better on the S9 (as is the dynamic range handling in difficult conditions). Otherwise, which one I might choose to take out would depend far more on lens choices and overall kit size/weight for what I was intending to do - either can produce excellent video (my abilities are more the limiting factor!).
    (Straying away from Panasonic, if I was forced to choose just one camera to keep and use out of my current collection, it might be the OM-1, but only because it has a blend of abilities that fit my preferences and needs combined with 'good enough' video quality).
  20. Like
    John Matthews reacted to MrSMW in Panasonic Lumix G7 vs. S5II, used as camcorders   
    Cropping in post. That’s what I see and like about 8k.
    8k for the sake of 8k though, not interested.
    Same for me with stills and high megapixel cameras. Some say they don’t need 50-100mp and I don’t either, not for the sake of having more, but I do like it because it allows me more reach from smaller or less lenses. I can carry a single 28-105 and ditch the 24-70 + 70-200 combo.
  21. Like
    John Matthews reacted to newfoundmass in Panasonic Lumix G7 vs. S5II, used as camcorders   
    It's a reminder that we're very lucky and have also probably hit a wall when it comes to image processing when a 2015 camera still looks so good 10 years later. 
  22. Like
    John Matthews got a reaction from Andrew Reid in Panasonic Lumix G7 vs. S5II, used as camcorders   
    Yes. Even in mixed lighting, it looks great. It was cloudy outside and I had 3000K lights going at the same time I filmed this today. The first time I did it, I left the G7 on sunny WB- it still looked great, but then it was too far of match with the S5II. I'll try to post the actual video tomorrow.
  23. Like
    John Matthews got a reaction from eatstoomuchjam in Panasonic Lumix G7 vs. S5II, used as camcorders   
    People might laugh at me, but I don't care. I've been doing some walk-around filming with my G7 and 9mm Leica versus my S5ii and the kit lens. I'm absolutely dumbfounded how little the differences are.
    Here are my settings:
    Panasonic Lumix G7 - 4k 25fps (EOSHD ProColor Settings, with minor tweaks), super-fast stabilization in Final Cut (InertiaCam- smoothing (.1), continuous video AF on with it's small box in the center (yes, that's right and it didn't really hunt), A Mode, Auto ISO, handheld only,  AWB
    Panasonic Lumix S5II - 4k 25fps (Stadard profile), no stabilization in post (but had IBIS on), continuous AF  (mode 2), small box in the center, A Mode, Auto ISO, handheld only, AWB
    I kid you not, the images were very similar, minus the color which seemed better on the G7 to my eye. After stabilization, there was little difference.
    Here are some stills:

    It would appear the 2015 G7 is still the little engine that could. It weighs a whopping 540g less than the S5II and kit lens. I could add the 14-140, the 25 f/1.4 and perhaps a recorder or mini tripod for that difference.  This is where M43 needs to go in the future: small, excellent value, with great features like 4k, PDAF, IBIS, 10 bit h.265, with a proper shutter and hot shoe. Even the previous generation(s) from 2015-2018 have so much to offer.
  24. Like
    John Matthews reacted to Andrew Reid in Panasonic Lumix G7 vs. S5II, used as camcorders   
    EOSHD ProColor looking great 😉
    Much nicer than the Panasonic profile on the S5 II
  25. Like
    John Matthews got a reaction from Andrew Reid in Panasonic Lumix G7 vs. S5II, used as camcorders   
    People might laugh at me, but I don't care. I've been doing some walk-around filming with my G7 and 9mm Leica versus my S5ii and the kit lens. I'm absolutely dumbfounded how little the differences are.
    Here are my settings:
    Panasonic Lumix G7 - 4k 25fps (EOSHD ProColor Settings, with minor tweaks), super-fast stabilization in Final Cut (InertiaCam- smoothing (.1), continuous video AF on with it's small box in the center (yes, that's right and it didn't really hunt), A Mode, Auto ISO, handheld only,  AWB
    Panasonic Lumix S5II - 4k 25fps (Stadard profile), no stabilization in post (but had IBIS on), continuous AF  (mode 2), small box in the center, A Mode, Auto ISO, handheld only, AWB
    I kid you not, the images were very similar, minus the color which seemed better on the G7 to my eye. After stabilization, there was little difference.
    Here are some stills:

    It would appear the 2015 G7 is still the little engine that could. It weighs a whopping 540g less than the S5II and kit lens. I could add the 14-140, the 25 f/1.4 and perhaps a recorder or mini tripod for that difference.  This is where M43 needs to go in the future: small, excellent value, with great features like 4k, PDAF, IBIS, 10 bit h.265, with a proper shutter and hot shoe. Even the previous generation(s) from 2015-2018 have so much to offer.
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