GH5 A complicated question on Lumix GH5, to get good shots in Africa

stoneinapond said:
Page 18 of the GH5 Basic Owner's Manual.

Item 13 - Mode Dial
Click to expand...

Hi, now I understand, thanks a lot for your availability. I couldn't understand why my Mode Dial the ring nut has always been in that position on M Cine since I never take pictures. :laugh:
Anyway I had already chosen semiautomatism with aperture priority, going inside the GH5 Menu and choosing "A". I think it's the same thing. It's right?

A last question please: in your opinion is it better to choose aperture priority or shutter speed priority?
 
It seems that you are having dynamic range issues. What picture profile are you shooting with? You most definitely need to shoot in V-Log-L for the most dynamic range, but it's possible that the GH5 just doesn't have enough dynamic range for the scene you are shooting. Try renting the Panasonic S1/S1H and see if the extra 2+ stops of dynamic range helps you capture your shots in the manner you desire.
 
Waooo, Panasonic S1/ is a nice camera, thanks for for reporting. In your opinion, in practice is it just higher than the GH5 or much better for shooting in difficult conditions ?
Now use "Natural" profile and I lowered Contrast, Colours and NR at -2. Do you think Cinelike-D is a better option for me?
I will think about V-Log-L but now I have to use the set I already have.
 
FoxAdriano said:
Waooo, Panasonic S1/ is a nice camera, thanks for for reporting. In your opinion, in practice is it just higher than the GH5 or much better for shooting in difficult conditions ?
Now use "Natural" profile and I lowered Contrast, Colours and NR at -2. Do you think Cinelike-D is a better option for me?
I will think about V-Log-L but now I have to use the set I already have.
Click to expand...

Well, the S1 has less features than the GH5, even with the V-Log upgrade. But it does have much higher dynamic range when using V-Log or HLG profiles. You should not be using Natural or Cine-D in such a high dynamic range scene. Use V-Log-L or HLG. If you can't afford the V-Log-L upgrade, you can use HLG for free.
 
I downloaded the first file. Its anoying because the interesting part of the image (dancers) are dark while the sky and floor are not. Really a composition and planning problem as one would want to do them not at midday and keep the sky out of shot but the file seems to me technically very good once pulled about a bit in the grade.

The good thing you have done is not lose the highlights so they can be brought back a bit.

angola_1.1.1.jpg
 
Last edited:
morgan_moore said:
I downloaded the first file. Its anoying because the interesting part of the image (dancers) are dark while the sky and floor are not. Really a composition and planning problem as one would want to do them not at midday and keep the sky out of shot but the file seems to me technically very good once pulled about a bit in the grade.

The good thing you have done is not lose the highlights so they can be brought back a bit.
Click to expand...


Hey morgan, you made a good work but that clip is very different then other clips I have on the timeline, therefore I can't add a clip like it.
Could you tell me what is the problem of that clip? Is it only underexposed or have other problems too?
 
Last edited:
estarkey7 said:
You should not be using Natural or Cine-D in such a high dynamic range scene. Use V-Log-L or HLG. If you can't afford the V-Log-L upgrade, you can use HLG for free.
Click to expand...

Could you be more detailed in your reply please? Could I use HLG even with my GH5? Where could I find that HLG profile? Can I change the colors as I'm doing now or do I have to do it in a totally different way and study this HLG profile before using it?
 
FoxAdriano said:
Hey morgan, you made a good work but that clip is very different then other clips I have on the timeline, therefore I can't add a clip like it.
Could you tell me what is the problem of that clip? Is it only underexposed or have other problems too?
Click to expand...

I think the clip is perfectly exposed considering the composition. By composing with so much sky you are forced to stop down, hold the sky and then naturally the rest becomes a bit under. I odnt think you could have done better.
 
The second clip is right on the point of losing the sky. But there is something there.

Of course if you want to add these looks you will need to colour grade the whole film which is not a trivial matter.

Overall I feel your use of the camera, settings wise is good, the second clip being 1/2 stop over. I feel the camera is delivering a pleasant file.

Leaving two problems..
1)composing images within the DR of the camera - keep the sky out of shot most of the time or shoot at 'magic hour' just as the sky darkens early morning or late pm.
2) You must be prepared to colour grade the whole film.

angola2_2.2.1.jpg
 
morgan_moore said:
1)composing images within the DR of the camera - keep the sky out of shot most of the time or shoot at 'magic hour' just as the sky darkens early morning or late pm.
2) You must be prepared to colour grade the whole film.
Click to expand...

I agree. I'm not a professional colorist, but a few adjustments can be made to bring the clips back into "usable" range.

I did these quick edits in the free version of Resolve.

Screen Shot 2020-04-13 at 3.54.06 PM.jpg
Screen Shot 2020-04-13 at 3.54.27 PM.jpg
Screen Shot 2020-04-13 at 3.54.34 PM.jpg
Screen Shot 2020-04-13 at 3.54.43 PM.jpg

In the first node, I used a qualifier with low saturation and high luminance to select the sky. This was then brought down with the offset wheel.

Second node is an "outside" node, this selects everything that the previously qualified node doesn't have selected. This node lifts up the non-sky elements with the offset wheel, then uses the shadow and highlight wheels to bring contrast back into this area.

The third node is just a few small saturation adjustments on greens/blues.



When there's no way to avoid shooting in such harsh lighting conditions, these types of adjustments can bring back parts of the clips. We occasionally do this for some GH5 clips at football games in the late summer time. There are definitely limits to how far these adjustments will take you though.
 
Last edited:
FoxAdriano said:
Yes, I agree with you, but it is not a pic, it is a clip and I can't addit to the timeline because the other clips are different.
Look at this clii: https://www.dropbox.com/s/zcfy35sufnwahwu/Angola 2.MOV?dl=0
It is overexposed but it is useful to understand how the other clips are.
Click to expand...

You have a camera that is capable of capturing more dynamic range, so you need to use either V-Log-L or HLG and see how these modes could fit into your current workflow. You will have to adjust what you do in post in order to get the most out of the new profiles, but there is only three ways to capture high dynamic range scenes.
  • Reduce the scene dynamic range: This is why people use graduated ND filters, so they can reduce exsposure in the sky when they raise the exposure for subjects. This is not so easy to do in run and gun shooting.
  • Choose to loose something in the scene: Keep the subject and decide to loose the sky.
  • Use a profile with more dynamic range: For the GH5 that is either V-Log-L or HLG profile. HLG is free in camera, but it only works in 10-bit mode. Because it only is available in 10-bit, you can't use it in VFR mode.
 
FoxAdriano said:
Waooo, Panasonic S1/ is a nice camera, thanks for for reporting. In your opinion, in practice is it just higher than the GH5 or much better for shooting in difficult conditions ?
Click to expand...


Note that the Panasonic S1 and the Panasonic S1H are two different cameras.

But anyway, I think you're best off just learning more about your GH5 and making the most of it, rather than getting lost down the rabbit hole which is always chasing ever better tech gear!

morgan_moore said:
"to get good shots in Africa"

Use..
shade
magic hour
reflectoors
backlight

(same formula as the rest of the planet :) )
Click to expand...

Exactly

And pay attention to your waveforms

FoxAdriano said:
Ok, but are you recording at 25p to get 10bit?
Click to expand...


You can't record internally 4K 50fps with 10bit, that is why an external recorder is needed if you want 10bits and high frame rates.

Otherwise just stick to your usual 24/25/30p and you can do 4K 10bit internal. These are basic headline facts that everyone should know about the GH5 even from just glancing at the B&H listing
 
Last edited:
IronFilm said:
...Otherwise just stick to your usual 24/25/30p and you can do 4K 10bit internal. These are basic headline facts that everyone should know about the GH5 even from just glancing at the B&H listing
Click to expand...

I think this is obvious, but not using V-Log or HLG for high dynamic range scenes tells us everything we need to know.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top