roei z
Veteran
But smaller overall sensor size doesn't equal more noise, smaller individual pixels equal more noise. The compacts have more noise because they squeeze 12-14 million tiiiiiiny pixels into that area. The pixels on the GH2 don't get any smaller, you're just using less of them. It shouldn't cause different noise (or anything else except FoV, for that matter) characteristics, just as switching from FF35 to APS mode on a Nikon D3 doesn't.
The answer must be that the GH2 sensor is ALWAYS bad at high ISOs but most of the time this is hidden by downsampling. If this isn't the case, my second guess is it's a software bug that can/needs to be fixed.
i missed your reply.. and i agree with Fotograf.
it's very obvious that the TELE mode simply magnifies the pixels that were smaller before, and now cause more artifacts on more occasions. this cannot be changed.