7D for GH13?

J

Jay Birch

Well-known member
I have a 5DII and 7D.

I love them both but have been watching the GH13 with much interest, the progress with the hack is fantastic.

My question (and I get the feeling it has been/will be asked many times).

Is it worth trading in the 7D for the GH13?
I have the 5DII for still imagery and low light/shallow DOF work.... so it is really about the video quality of the 7D v GH13

Anyone who has used both that can provide their recommendation?

Thanks, Jay
 
its highly depend of your shooting style
the quality of video is similar
GH1 advantages - viewfinder, auto-focus
7D advantages - share same lenses between 5D and 7D, easy mix both on editing - share picture profiles, similar color and texture rendering etc
 
stockfuel said:
... Is it worth trading in the 7D for the GH13? ...
Click to expand...

Hi Jay: The decision is yours of course, and as tsupka says it depends on what you'll be shooting.

I think Barry Green's article comparing the original unmodified GH1 and the 7D covers this topic thoroughly & fairly, with the big caveat that happened after Barry wrote his article: Vitaliy Kiselev's (AKA "Tester13") "PTool" firmware modification utility software for Panasonic m4/3 cameras (AKA "the GH1 firmware hack").
http://www.dvxuser.com/articles/article.php/26
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=206788

PTool essentially makes the GH1 into a whole new camera, especially in terms of video quality. I agree with the conclusions in Barry's article, but I think even Barry agrees that the "GH13" pretty much levels the playing field, and may tilt it in favor of the GH13 for some shooters or productions. For example, a GH13 video now has little or no "mud" and as always has somewhat less alias/moire artifacts compared to the Canons, but a GH13 still doesn't have a live video output while in record mode -- yet.

The GH13 isn't "better" than the Canons. They each have their strengths & weaknesses. It depends on whether you require those strengths -- or can "afford" to compromise if a camera lacks a certain capability -- in service of a particular production. Especially now that PTool exists, it's all good.
 
It really depends on why you have both? Why have both a 7D and a 5D? Does the 7D do things that you need, that the 5D doesn't? Do you need to intercut between the two cameras a lot?

The GH13 has many advantages over the 7D, including much much sharper footage, live histogram, articulating LCD, autofocus in video, and on and on. BUT -- it isn't gonna intercut with a 5D anywhere near as well as a 7D would. So -- if you want to use the 5D for what it's good for, and you want the things that the GH13 does that the 7D doesn't, and the 5D does everything you wanted the 7D for anyway... then yeah, it makes sense to trade.

But if you want two cameras that cut well together, share the same lenses, etc., then stick with the 7D. Unless you NEED the things that the Gh13 does, that the 7D doesn't; if you need them, then you don't really have a choice, if your existing products aren't giving you what you need.
 
Thanks for the replies....

I got the 7D for 24p while we waited for the 5DII update.

Inter cutting isn't an issue as I have used GH1 footage with 5DII without problems and the GH13 should be even easier to CC.

Lens wise, i'm still waiting on a DSLR/Camera that really ticks all the boxes before starting to heavily invest in lenses... so, for now, that isn't an issue either really. I focus manually, so having an adapter on 4/3 is no worries.

I'm purely looking for the best video quality.. GH13 or 7D.

btw - I shoot mainly locked off or smooth dolly nature/landscape footage.
 
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I hope that the GH1 will add new possibilities for you - it's a camera that's so small you could carry it without feeling the weight. You could shoot in public spaces without bringing too much attention to yourself. With the articulating screen, you could get more angles, and be even more discreet while shooting.

Shooting through the LCD viewfinder, your handheld shots become very steady.

Also with the autofocus, you don't have to fiddle with the focus ring while zooming in or out. And the in built stereo audio is passable.

Lastly shooting anything longer than 20 minutes (drama, recital, seminar, wedding) the camera can handle - and it takes decent pics up to ISO 800
 
I second what Barry said. If you are starting from scratch right now I would say the GH1 with the tester 13 hack beats the 7D hands down in terms of video quality and resolution. Before that was a very hard call. BUT,if you already have a 5d mk II and a 7D, you can cut between those two. Pretty hard to cut between a 5D and a GH1 they just look too different.

For absolute video quality and landscapes, the GH1 with the new hack would provide a way more detailed 1920 x 1080 picture. Even Philip Blooms lucasfilm ranch stuff done on the 5D and 7D looks was soft to me. Nice work, but mushy... lacking detail in wide shots on small objects, but some people like that soft look.
 
Also, be aware that some people are experiencing camera lock ups / freezes when shooting with the new 24p native mode in a stable tripod shot. I don't know if this has been resolved yet.

Apparently it doesn't happen with sandisk extreme class 10 cards.
 
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