Difference between GH13 and GH2?

roxics

roxics

Veteran
If I'm going to pick up a second camera for video and some photo would I be completely misguided spending $500 on a used hackable GH1 body?

Is there really a huge difference between the GH13 and the GH2 or are there pros and cons to each?

Just for fun how does the unhackable GH1 pair up considering it can be had right now for $375 with lens?
 
Don't by a non-hackable GH1. I did, it's not worth it if you're doing professional video. I returned it and got my GH13 on eBay and hacked it, and haven't regretted it since. The only thing I need that the GH2 does better is low-light sensitivity. The GH1 is noisy at high ISO, so I have to remove noise in post if I'm shooting in a very dark situation.
 
I think the gh1 for 375 is a steal regardless and these might be cameras being returned from the dealers so some might be hackable too - also the gh2 body is available for less than 8bills brom the facebook route so that´s not a bad deal either - any used g13 you buy is w/o warranty and should be thought of as a used camera only , regardless if it´s hackable or not - also I´ve read the 720 modes are identical on the gh1 and the gh2 - my vote today is for the gh1 on facebook if you can get it to work - at least that´s what I did !
 
If you want a 52mm and 78mm F1.7 lens for video with AFC then the GH2 is your only option right now. The ETC mode really is that good.

Think about your options with the GF13 for longer range low light shots. You can go with the 45-200mm at F4.0 and above or use several old manual focus primes. If you are going to shoot in manual focus then the GH13 is probably the same as the GH2 for video. If you are going to shoot in Auto Focus then the GH2 is a whole different world. I shot MF only with my GF1. However, I am only shooting videos for myself so I wanted AF. The GH2 has given me that and my GF1 never gets used now.
 
Low light performance, better controls (custom buttons, touch screen, etc), the ETC mode (the elephant in the room IMO...even AF-100 doesn't have this), HDMI out, manual audio level control, on screen audio meters...list goes on.
 
Ben_B said:
Low light performance, better controls (custom buttons, touch screen, etc), the ETC mode (the elephant in the room IMO...even AF-100 doesn't have this), HDMI out, manual audio level control, on screen audio meters...list goes on.
Click to expand...

I was under the assumption the GH13 had manual audio control and HDMI output. Hmm.
 
Im going to get shot here...but recently playing with a GH2 I just dont know what the fuss is all about.
I have to disagree about low light sensitivity...GH1 has higher sensitivity I had to go over 1600 iso with the GH2,GH1 similar image at 800 iso...but GH2 has no lowlight fpn and banding...noise is in abundance but the kind you can clean up in post.

Main differences
GH2
No fpn or banding in lowlight
ETC mode (if that floats yer boat)
A posh grip
A more plasticky body
touchscreen (work of the devil)
not yet hacked
24p
Battery is different
HDMI
Audio monitor

GH1
VASTLY CHEAPER
currently hackable
Has 25p
Has unreliable 24p
no HDMI out

Image wise theyre pretty close...I still prefer GH1 as the GH2 still has mud issues.
If you think the above are really worth the extra cost then its the GH2 for you.
Personally I dont feel it warrants the "upgrade" and price.
 
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kurth said:
I think the gh1 for 375 is a steal regardless and these might be cameras being returned from the dealers so some might be hackable too - also the gh2 body is available for less than 8bills brom the facebook route so that´s not a bad deal either - any used g13 you buy is w/o warranty and should be thought of as a used camera only , regardless if it´s hackable or not - also I´ve read the 720 modes are identical on the gh1 and the gh2 - my vote today is for the gh1 on facebook if you can get it to work - at least that´s what I did !
Click to expand...

Did you or anyone else who bought the $375 Panasonic deal end up with a hackable camera?
 
Since the GH2 and GH13 question has already been answered I'd like to hijack my own thread and ask another opinion.

Lets pretend (just for fun) that I decided to trade in my $2000 Nikon D7000 kit and just pick up a stock GH1 for $375. Then put the rest of the cost difference ($1625) into a savings account for a rainy day. Instead of keeping the D7000 for possible side work, I just focus on the GH1 for hobby shoots. Studio photos and short internet films. Would the stock GH1 be a good choice?
 
If photo/video activities r totally your hobby, that's a good choice. Just like photography, cinemagraphy takes long time to learn. I better focus on one thing at a time.
 
I think a key issue is which video formats you prefer. Here's how I rank the relative strengths of the G-series cameras in each of the video modes:

1080p24: If the cinematic look is your main focus, the GH2 wins big with its non-interlaced 24Mbps codec.
720p60: If you're into action shots or slow-mo, the GH13 delivers the highest bitrate. GH2 is still stuck at 17Mbps.
720p30: For 30p YouTube videos, the G2 or GF1's AVCHD-Lite video mode is a perfect fit. GH13 can do this as well.
MJPEG: If you want Intra-frames, 4:2:2 color, or anamorphic widescreen, the GH13 is it.

If you don't need either 1080p24 or 720p60, you might want to consider the G2. It combines the GH2's ETC tele mode and touch-screen focus control with the hackability of the GH1. The G2 is quite inexpensive and my understanding is that all of them can be hacked.
 
No even for hobby work my main shooting mode would be 1080p24. Because my hobby work would be short films. Cinema look. I didn't realize the stock GH1 stored this as interlaced. Is that true also for the GH13?
How much of a quality hit are you getting doing a conversion of that footage to actual 1080p24?

For hobby work my stuff would be seen on the internet 95% of the time.
So I would shoot 1080p but it has to be good enough for display on the internet at 720p youtube/vimeo compression.
I would hope the stock GH1 is at least good enough for that. From what I've seen it is. Forgetting about artifact and things most average people aren't going to even notice.

But how well does the stock GH1 footage key out? That's about the most technical I'd probably get. A little keying once in a blue moon.
 
roxics said:
No even for hobby work my main shooting mode would be 1080p24...
How much of a quality hit are you getting doing a conversion of that footage to actual 1080p24?

So I would shoot 1080p but it has to be good enough for display on the internet at 720p youtube/vimeo compression... I would hope the stock GH1 is at least good enough for that.

But how well does the stock GH1 footage key out?
Click to expand...
The GH13 can produce high-bitrate 1080p24 video, but it's packaged inside a telecined 60i container. Once it's properly deinterlaced in post, it looks just as good as Native 24p.

The stock GH1's 1080p image quality was pretty dismal. But if you don't mind muddy details...

If you want to do any keying in post, the MJPEG encoder's 4:2:2 color depth is still the best. (But the GH2 cannot do this.) It's 30p, however, so it may not suit your needs.
 
mimirsan said:
Im going to get shot here...but recently playing with a GH2 I just dont know what the fuss is all about.
I have to disagree about low light sensitivity...GH1 has higher sensitivity I had to go over 1600 iso with the GH2,GH1 similar image at 800 iso...but GH2 has no lowlight fpn and banding...noise is in abundance but the kind you can clean up in post.

Main differences
GH2
No fpn or banding in lowlight
ETC mode (if that floats yer boat)
A posh grip
A more plasticky body
touchscreen (work of the devil)
not yet hacked
24p
Battery is different
HDMI
Audio monitor

GH1
VASTLY CHEAPER
currently hackable
Has 25p
Has unreliable 24p
no HDMI out

Image wise theyre pretty close...I still prefer GH1 as the GH2 still has mud issues.
If you think the above are really worth the extra cost then its the GH2 for you.
Personally I dont feel it warrants the "upgrade" and price.
Click to expand...

I think some of your assertions are simply incorrect (low light sensitivity, you omitted the 1080i mode, if you don't like the touch screen you can use the rear controls just as you did with the GH1 etc.) or embellished. That could be why you feel the way you do.
 
OK, fair enough. So how does the stock GH1 1080p24 footage compare to footage from the T2i and 60D?
 
roxics said:
Since the GH2 and GH13 question has already been answered I'd like to hijack my own thread and ask another opinion.

Lets pretend (just for fun) that I decided to trade in my $2000 Nikon D7000 kit and just pick up a stock GH1 for $375. Then put the rest of the cost difference ($1625) into a savings account for a rainy day. Instead of keeping the D7000 for possible side work, I just focus on the GH1 for hobby shoots. Studio photos and short internet films. Would the stock GH1 be a good choice?
Click to expand...

Good luck with the $375 deal, I have been trying to get it, literally for 3 days with no luck. Their site is terrible for ordering. Good luck though and if you have luck, please let me know!
 
I had already put it in my basket and it came out to $375 for me. It said $425 before adding it to my basket.
 
roxics, forget the stock GH1; the video output will not meet your stated needs and you will bitterly regret your purchase within days if not hours. Honestly - just rule it out and move on.

Arm yourself with the knowledge in this thread:
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?218181-GH1-and-GF1-valid-serial-range
and hunt around for a new or used GH1 bargain to hack. The hack turns a nice "family-holiday" camera into a little video beast that's good enough for professionals to make money with, and for indies to make art with.

If you want a new, stock GH camera that's also good - pay more and get a GH2.
 
roxics said:
I had already put it in my basket and it came out to $375 for me. It said $425 before adding it to my basket.
Click to expand...

Have you tried to checkout? Whenever I tried it jumped to $548 (with tax)! I have tried everything. Maybe PJF is right, wait for the GH2 to become more readily available.
 
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