GH2 Anyone else looking to upgrade their GH2 for the Blackmagic Camera?

Jaime Valles

Jaime Valles

Veteran
So, Blackmagic Design's new camera looks to be every GH2 owner's dream cam:
  • 2.5K resolution
  • Similar size to Micro 4/3 sensor
  • RAW 12-bit CinemaDNG recording
  • 1080p ProRes and DNxHD recording
  • Off-the-shelf SSD drives on board
  • 13 stops dynamic range
  • $3000
My only wish is that it could use Micro 4/3 lenses (currently it only works with EF lenses such as Canon and Zeiss ZE). DP John Brawley (who shot test footage on a pre-production camera HERE) says that Blackmagic is aware that people want Micro 4/3 mount as well as PL mount. If they do indeed come out with a M4/3 mount version, how many of you would jump ship from the GH2 + hack?

I certainly would.

I'm only interested in shooting narrative cinema (not event work, documentary or run-n-gun) so the RAW workflow doesn't scare me. It frees me from the tyranny of 8-bit 4:2:0 footage in the grading suite. It's small, simple to use, and presumably doesn't have any of the quirks of the GH2 (the ISO bug, aliasing, etc.) and 13 stops dynamic range should be amazing. I hear some folks are somewhat worried about low light performance, but I don't shoot in low light (narrative only with pre-planned lighting) so that doesn't really bother me.

At $3000 it's certainly a step up from an $800 GH2, but for me it seems like a no-brainer... once they make one with a Micro 4/3 mount. I want to use my Voigtlander 25mm f/0.95 and SLR Magic 12mm f/1.6 on this baby!

Who else is thinking of jumping ship?:evil:
 
Also realize that you know all the warts on the GH2 already, but have yet to learn them in this new cam. What do they say: the grass isn't always greener on the other side... Al
 
I would jump ship for those specs (or maybe not jump ship but add it on). Blackmagic knew exactly who to target when they made it with the EF mounts. Who in their right mind would buy another dslr in that price range when they can get the Blackmagic Camera. I was so excited when I heard the news yesterday and I am waiting for it to come out. July come already!
 
Jaime, have you seen sample footage? I cannot find anything. Is it a definite guarantee that this new camera will provide better image quality than a hacked GH2?
 
Heck - the way things are moving, the iPhone 8 will probably shoot 4K video with "Vintage Lens Emulation" software inside and cost $299...

In 15 years you KNOW my joke will have long since come true.....

Sometimes it is almost scary.
 
kholi, your thoughts on the BlackMagic Camera please :). You gave me a lot of kick ass info and opinions regarding the GH2 via the vimeo message (in case you forgot) and I would love to know what you think so far :).
 
DPStewart said:
Heck - the way things are moving, the iPhone 8 will probably shoot 4K video with "Vintage Lens Emulation" software inside and cost $299...

In 15 years you KNOW my joke will have long since come true.....

Sometimes it is almost scary.
Click to expand...

lol, "like"
 
I think it depends on what you shoot.
I'd love to use the BMD cam for film/music video but not for events, run 'n gun stuff - especially when the platform is web.
I reckon I would still use the GH2 anyway.
SSDs are still pricy and I don't know the recording capacity.
 
strancali said:
kholi, your thoughts on the BlackMagic Camera please :). You gave me a lot of kick ass info and opinions regarding the GH2 via the vimeo message (in case you forgot) and I would love to know what you think so far :).
Click to expand...

Initial thoughts?

Hmm.... let's see how short I can make this.

I only wanted Panasonic to iron out weird operational kinks, improved rolling shutter, better DR. I would pay 1,999.99 for the GH3 in that condition without a kit lens, and that's before any hack reared its head.

The Magic Cam's 2845.00 for the body, and at the expense of a slightly smaller sensor--judging from John's very early test footage, I get what Jaime listed? I also get my own copy of one of the industry's leading color tools to go with it?

Barry says there's no free lunch, and he's right, there isn't. I genuinely hope they find a way to open the camera mount up to more options like PL and M4/3 before shipping, and against the odds I'll hold out hope for a 720/60 of the full active sensor area recorded to ProRes 422 (if it's even possible, not sure if it is.). The battery solution will be a bit trying at first, it is slightly strange and I also am a little timid about the rolling shutter reports. I can't imagine it being worse than GH2, but stranger things happen.

I'm number two at an authorized retailer as of 10AM this morning.

Too bad it's not coming sooner.

Depending on how it pans out, I'll keep the GH2 for slow mo on all small projects and anything more's a rental item/favor pulled.

It seems like there won't be anything else between now and October at least. From July to October I'll make as much of it as the camera will allow. =]
 
Kholi said:
Initial thoughts?

Hmm.... let's see how short I can make this.
Click to expand...

hahaha I love it. It's actually pretty short compared to your other discussions :thumbsup:

I'm all for the magic cam. I can't believe the price for all the features. As far as mounts go, they have to go with canon mounts in the beginning to scoop up all the dslr customers first. I'm sure other mount options will be coming soon. These guys do listen to what people are crying out for.

Now I gotta ask, how did you get the second in line? Are there any deposits required or do we just sign up?
 
strancali said:
hahaha I love it. It's actually pretty short compared to your other discussions :thumbsup:

I'm all for the magic cam. I can't believe the price for all the features. As far as mounts go, they have to go with canon mounts in the beginning to scoop up all the dslr customers first. I'm sure other mount options will be coming soon. These guys do listen to what people are crying out for.

Now I gotta ask, how did you get the second in line? Are there any deposits required or do we just sign up?
Click to expand...

I agree with you. It wasn't a dumb move, it was very well planned. EF can take Nikon glass still, and there are EF to AI-S mounts that'll control newer glass. I can still mount everything I own as of right now, because I never invested in M4/3 glass, anyway.

For a reservation, someone tipped me off to Markertec. They're one of the authorized dealers on the website. You have to do a credit card authorization of the entire amount, but it's just an authorization, meaning it'll show up but drop off in a day or so.
 
I'm kind of stuck in a dilemma. I want to pre-order this and get it as early as possible, but I don't want to regret getting it early if the MFT version ends up coming a little later. I'm aiming for a feature in the fall, and I don't want to be doing post work thinking "damn, if only I had an extra four stops for this shot" either. I also have a feeling supply won't meet demand and it'll be like hunting for a GH2 when it first came out all over again. But yeah, the MFT version I would get in a heartbeat. I'll probably keep the GH2 for slow motion and as a B-cam. With all the DSLR dumping that's going to happen this summer, I don't think I'd get much for it anyways hehe.
 
I'm invested in m4/3 lenses and like them, so would only consider upgrading to the BMC if/when they provide an m4/3 mount option with (at least) iris control.

I'll likely wait until early 2013 to see what shakes out, and at that point choose between the GH3 and BMC, depending on their respective specs and reviews. AF200 would have been a contender, except it seems to be AWOL ...
 
Trucci said:
I'm kind of stuck in a dilemma. I want to pre-order this and get it as early as possible, but I don't want to regret getting it early if the MFT version ends up coming a little later. I'm aiming for a feature in the fall, and I don't want to be doing post work thinking "damn, if only I had an extra four stops for this shot" either. I also have a feeling supply won't meet demand and it'll be like hunting for a GH2 when it first came out all over again. But yeah, the MFT version I would get in a heartbeat. I'll probably keep the GH2 for slow motion and as a B-cam. With all the DSLR dumping that's going to happen this summer, I don't think I'd get much for it anyways hehe.
Click to expand...

I'd say go for it. Like you said, with all the demands it'll be like hunting for a gh2. I can confidently say that there will be a lot of dslr dumping but not the gh2. The only way you will lose out on a gh2 is if there are discounts on a new unit from Panny otherwise, the gh2 will still be sought after. What version is the MFT??
 
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