GH2 Boss wants a GH2 or similar - GX1?

roxics

roxics

Veteran
I'm now looking for a GH2 for my boss. When I bought mine six months ago I paid $465 used in great shape. Now I can't seem to find them for less than $900 used. What is going on?

I'm trying to stay under $600. He doesn't want to spend a lot. He's going on a trip and was going to take a GoPro but I convinced him not too because the wide angle lens isn't great for closeups and the type of shooting he'll be doing. He's now seen my GH2 and wants to get one, but as said the price seems to high these days.

I also mentioned the older GH1, but he doesn't want to go older he said. So I'm considering other options like maybe a hacked GX1 even though it too is an older camera but it's a 16MP anyway. I know little about this camera though, what is your opinion of it? Or if you have other suggestions even outside of Panasonic, please advise.
 
Tomorrow Panasonic is supposed to announce the G6 which according to 43rumors.com is supposed to have the same video capabilities as the GH2. I have no idea when the camera will ship. Places to check for used GH2's are KEH.com, BHPhotovideo.com, and craigslist.

He could always rent one at borrowlenses.com
 
Hmm, you must have got a killer price. 6 months ago, GH2s were not going for under $600. I see quite a few used ones going for $550-600 though on this forum as well as the m43u forum... and then there's always ebay
 
I just got a GX1 as a "knockabout" camera when I don't feel like lugging a GH3. It takes all the m4/3 lenses but really needs an external viewfinder badly (I ordered the LVF2 from B&H for it and it helps a lot). Still wise, it's pretty OK, images look good on the computer or in the external viewfinder, kind of OK on the LCD (not a real hi res LCD). I'll look closer at the G6 when released but my main gear will be a pair of GH3's (already have one, fixing to order another today).
 
BillStrehl said:
Tomorrow Panasonic is supposed to announce the G6 which according to 43rumors.com is supposed to have the same video capabilities as the GH2. I have no idea when the camera will ship.
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Well that is some timing right there isn' it? lol But like you said, it may not ship for a while. he needs a camera come May. Otherwise I may have even suggested the pocket cinema camera so that we could use it for video projects. ;) Although realistically it would be a horribly unsuitable camera for his needs in May.

It does make sense that a G6 would offer GH2-like video quality. Panasonic I think has a bit of a hole in their camera line-up right now after discontinuing the GH2.
 
I don't know enough about them. But my impression of Oly has always been that video is secondary to them.
 
The GH2 is going up in price now: because it's no longer being manufactured and people still really love the image it produces. The image is distinctive enough (maybe even more filmic) than the GH3. I suspect we will see the GH2 live another few years as a solid imaging system.

If price is an issue, consider the Nikon D5200. It's ~$700 and rivals the Canon 5D3 in terms of image performance (until you get to 6400ISO or so). Tell your boss it would be a great camera for making videos for his business!

Andrew of EOSHD.com (who is a die-hard GH2 fan) really likes the camera: http://www.eoshd.com/content/9713/nikon-d5200-vs-canon-5d-mark-iii
 
sigamy said:
What about one of the Oly PEN series? Not sure if video is good enough for his needs...
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I recently sold my Olympus Pen E-P3. It was a tremendous still camera (needs an external EVF if you're going to use it outdoors in daylight). But the video suffered from awful rolling shutter unless the camera was stabilized real well, otherwise it looked pretty good.
 
I am about to abandon my Canon gear (7D) and was looking at the GH3. I too am curious at to whether the G6 would be a viable alternative? I like the fact that the G6 has the GH2's sensor (less moire) and can do 1080 60p. It seems that the G6 lacks the ALL-I and .mov file codecs (although gains FOCUS PEAKING!!!!) but what else is it missing in video terms om the G6?
 
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Not missing much other than those things....it has full manual control, 24P, 30P, 60P, newer processor than the GH2....looks like a winner.

Also has peaking. ;) Lol, which you just added to your post
 
vtwiz said:
.. but what else is it missing in video terms om the G6?
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I looked up "G5 hack" and there doesn't seem to be one. (Or maybe I missed it?)
Granted, there may be more of a push for this model to be hacked, but the guy that does the hack doesn't have to hack the G6, right? And if so, maybe next year?

Also will be the G6 be built more as a video device like the GH2 or more as a still camera?
Will all those same video menu options be in the G6? Will it have things like Rec Highlights to check overexposure, etc.?

Not saying the G6 would be bad as stock firmware.
 
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