Firmware update V1.2 (2009-17009)

D

dobro

New member
Version 1.2 Body only

1. Improved Auto Focus performance for the subject in low contrast.
2. Decreased the operation noise of Auto Focus in Motion Picture recording for H-H020 lens.
(In order to minimize the operation noise of Auto Focus, the Auto
Focusoperation speed is reduced in Motion Picture recording.)
3. Improved the stability of AE(Auto Exposure) control for H-ES045 lens(to be introduced in Oct., 2009).

Download link: panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/dsc/download/fts/index.html
 
from dpreview: "The GH1 firmware v1.2 also decreases the AF operation sound of the 20mm F1.7 pancake lens for quieter video recording."
Didn't know that it can do video-AF with the pancake! Nice!
 
Its possibly the lamest update I've ever seen. They have done absolutely nothing to improve image quality since the camera was released. Just white balance, AF optimisations and a few lens updates.

I have officially given up hope for a mud fix now.

7D here I come.
 
has anybody noticied any other improvments

has anybody noticied any other improvments

Not sure they would announce they've sorted the mud! its not supposed to be there in the first place.
 
Adventsam said:
Not sure they would announce they've sorted the mud! its not supposed to be there in the first place.
Click to expand...

They could just say they've Optimised 24p AVCHD performance, without mentioning any fault. Alas... nothing.

Some may think I've moaning too much about mud, but Panasonic are running out of excuses. They've had enough time to put a fix through QA now. Why doesn't the GH1 have B Frames? Why don't they acknowledge the issue at all and say whether it is fixable? Its the lack of transparency that gets me. Enough people have made the effort to contact them about it... why can't they just say 'yes' or 'no'? It's just common courtesy, and in all due respect to us customers, we didn't expect mud when we chose to buy a GH1, did we?
 
I now strongly believe that Panasonic are artificially balancing performance across their range.

Look at the GF1 - is there any reason it should be stuck at 720p AVCHD lite?
Look at the GH1 - is there any reason it's AVCHD codec can't compete with a high end AVCHD camcorder from Panasonic, or indeed the pro-range of video cameras?
Then look at the pro stuff from Panasonic - it all has faultless AVCHD.

The GH1 deserves better firmware. I'd happily pay for it. I'd happily had paid 20% more for my GH1 if they spent that extra 20% on a proper AVCHD encoding chip and firmware.

It all just smacks of protecting their bottom line and segmenting markets so that they maximise the profits from each sector.
 
Price points are something marketing departments consider very carefully; target audiences (both primary and secondary) need to be identified along with pricing of the competition. Some might have happily paid more for the GH1 with additional/improved features. The crux of the matter is what a more expensive camera would mean to Panasonic's bottom line - i.e. total sales.

Sadly, a GH2 would be subject to the same process. We are, after all, talking about a consumer product. I find the "pro" features of the GH1 somewhat amazing just as they are considering the primary target audience and the price.
 
Well it sucks. I know damn well at some point we'll be made to shell out an extra £2000 on a pro version with a better codec which cost them 50 cents per unit to implement :thumbup:
 
Aside from the mud issue, what is the "catch" to the improved AF? I would think that one of two possibilties exist: 1. Autofocus algorithms are improved so the motor spends less time "hunting" and more efficiently moves the lenses to the "focused" position, or 2, the motor is slowed down and focusing speed is reduced. I don't know the ins and outs of focusing systems so if there is another explanation I am interested to hear it.

Does anyone have any experience to explain what might be happening? With the first option I would think the noise level would be similar but with a shorter duration. Is there any degradation or improvement in focus speed with the firmware updates in order to quiet the motor?

Thanks
 
I haven't had much of a problem with mud and I don't really think of it as a priority issue (primarily given that there is likely not much to be done on the firmware side to fix it.) I would prefer live monitor-out while recording, either HDMI or composite, and it would be convienient to not have to remove pulldown in 1080p but that's fine too...overall I am very happy with the image quality of the camera...it's the no liveview thing thats really bugging me because, at least for composite, it really feels like a totally artificial restraint when it cuts off when you hit record. Plus that and having to do a button combination just shows that they decided to hide the feature from consumers. Total bs.
 
I got my GH1 sept. 3 and I haven't had any problem at all with the so called "mud". I either got a camera from the magical batch, Panasonic fixed the "codec problem", thus the delivery delay or the issue was all blown out of proportion. I will not shoot anything other than 1080p, the quality is excellent.
 
John Caballero said:
I got my GH1 sept. 3 and I haven't had any problem at all with the so called "mud". I either got a camera from the magical batch, Panasonic fixed the "codec problem", thus the delivery delay or the issue was all blown out of proportion. I will not shoot anything other than 1080p, the quality is excellent.
Click to expand...

Try putting it on a steadicam, go to the park, see what happens :)

Ignoring mud is okay until it bites you in the arse during a shoot.

Philip Bloom says he no longer uses a GH1 for pro work due to it's codec.
 
Ben_B said:
I haven't had much of a problem with mud and I don't really think of it as a priority issue (primarily given that there is likely not much to be done on the firmware side to fix it.) I would prefer live monitor-out while recording, either HDMI or composite, and it would be convienient to not have to remove pulldown in 1080p but that's fine too...overall I am very happy with the image quality of the camera...it's the no liveview thing thats really bugging me because, at least for composite, it really feels like a totally artificial restraint when it cuts off when you hit record. Plus that and having to do a button combination just shows that they decided to hide the feature from consumers. Total bs.
Click to expand...

I think the lack of HDMI live output is understandable really. To encode AVCHD at the same time as outputting it via HDMI in real time is asking too much. The camera can barely output full HD in playback mode - it has to buffer it for several seconds (but confusingly, misses the first few seconds of the clip altogether) and degrades the colour space.
 
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