GH2 GF2 upcoming hack possibilities or just get gh2

I

Irondiver

Member
First time poster to this forum. Long time user of the panny tm700. I would like to step up into the dslr world and was thinking about purchasing a gf2 because of price, then I heard about work on a possible hack. I am working on a project that I would like to turn into a longer short. Shallow DOF is what I am after without having to resort to adapters. I am very happy with the picture quality of the tm700 and would splice in footage from the gf2. But the possibilities of a hacked gf2 has got me thinking.

I think that the gf2 is worth buying just because of price. Even minor hacks not on the level of the gh2 would only be better.

Any and all comments would be appreciated

Irondiver
 
The GF2 has essentially been replaced by the GF3, so I expect the GF2's days are numbered. ( it's possible that the same fate awaits the GH-2 if the GH-3 ships this year )
 
I doubt the hack would end up coming to the GF2 because of the major set backs that it faced when compared to the GF1. I'd look at getting a GH1. The video quality with the hack is better than the GF2 and it's in the same price range (may even be cheaper). It also has more manual controls on the outside of the camera so you won't have to dig through menus to get to manual settings like you would on the GF2.
 
Irondiver,

twotonepunkkid is uninformed - the GF2 hack is coming, so it's a viable option to purchase the GF2 + 14-42 lens kit (which is considerably cheaper than the going rate for a used GH1). Also, the GF2 has a number of quality features lacking in the GF3, so in many ways the GF2 is the better camera.

My suggestion is to go ahead and purchase a GF2 kit from Amazon or Newegg and wait for the hack. If the hack doesn't offer enough quality, then you can always send the kit back for a refund or sell it for profit on forums such as this. Keep in mind that once the hack arrives, the price for these cameras will increase.
 
The gf3 according to the straight specs and reviews seemed to be a set back. They omitted various features or did not improve some, which is why the gf2 is still on the market even though the gf3 has been out for a while. I always wondered why panasonic does that, I don't want to get off topic but I have seen them do this in there camcorder line since miniDv.

As far as the hack coming or not. Mr V is in receipt of two bodies and as of the last post I saw mid January is hard at work on doing that wizardry that he does. So I had to guess I would say it's coming, more an issue of when and what will be implemented. Because I have seen some incredible request.

I took the plunge and just purchased a gf2 on b&h the price was too good. And even if the hack never materialized it was cheaper than a dof adapter(at least one from letus) and now I will teach my self all about focus pulling and blurring background (hopefully without overdoing it).

Thanks to all for comments. I am more than willing to be informed. I want to learn

Cheers
 
With the hack the GF2 might be a good b-roll camera where you want to cut to a wide / high-angle / low-angle / unusual perspective shot to go with your main footage.

I am guessing that this camera only shoots 1080 60i and 720 60p ? ( conforming this to 24p or 30p might be a nuisance )
 
Don't guess and don't be a downer. You're making assumptions about a camera in it's current state and not how it will be post-hack.

Why do so many people feel compelled to offer information based off their assumptions and not established facts?
 
The GF2 already shoots 1080p @ 30 FPS. It is the same mode that they added to the GH2 with the V1.1 firmware. I still wouldn't get anything but a GH2 for video. There are so many things that the GH2 does that can't be added with a hack(ie: ETC, Clean high ISO because of the sensor, 3 custom modes, 720p @ 60 FPS). None of those things have ever been added by the hack and they are all critical in my opionion.
 
Ye, a better "future" investment would be the GH2. Already, these sub $1000 cameras are shooting amazing stuff. I dont think spending a little more money for something TONS better, would be wasteful.
 
pinger007 said:
Why do so many people feel compelled to offer information based off their assumptions and not established facts?
Click to expand...

Looking at the info from Panasonic it appears that GF2 was designed to record 1080 60i and 720 60p. Can you point me to "established" facts for other frame rates ?
 
mpgxsvcd said:
The GF2 already shoots 1080p @ 30 FPS
Click to expand...

From what I've read of the GH2 info it appears that the sensor captures at 1080 30p but that this gets recorded as a 1080 60i stream, which means that it has to be converted back in to 1080 30p to edit it as 30p. ( I know that many modern NLEs will automatically take care of this, but given the choice I would rather a camera that records native progressive without the stupid 60i wrapper )
 
The 43rumors.com site has a new article stating the the GF3 has also been discontinued like the GF2, and that something new is coming soon.
 
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