GH1/2 Overheating Problems?

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Dan Clark

Active member
On another forum, Sony A55 (combo-cam wannabee) users are reacting defensively about A55 sensor overheating problems. (They overheat after taking 6 minutes of video at 84 degrees f.) The consensus of Sony users seems to be "Hey... ALL DSLRs overheat when taking video for long periods of time (and therefor it's normal)." Apparently "long periods of time" seems to be clips of more than something like 10 minutes.

I'm pretty biased about the GH2 - I like it! Unless some major issue pops us with the final production camera, I'm buying one! (It's damn near the perfect camera for me.) However, bias is dangerous to rational thinking. Given my bias and given that I haven't heard about GH1/2 overheating problems, I decided that it was time for a sanity check with current GH1 users. So...

Do GH1's overheat when taking long clips? If so, how long will it take for the GH1 to overheat. Any indication that the GH2 will have this issue?

Thanks and regards,

Dan.

p.s. I understand that it's normal not a good idea to take long clips. However, in some situations (like event video), it seems important to me that users can take long clips. When shooting Aikido testing, it's normal for some tests to go 30 to 60 minutes. It's not like I can tell the students and sensei, "Cut!!! Let's take a 10 minute break while my camera cools down!" Of course, I'm sure this doesn't affect more normal event video like shooting a political speech or a nice riot. :smile:
 
I own a GH1 and never had any issue with overheating problem and i live in Asia, quite warm temp. Oso, never heard of anyone have this problem.
 
I think the short answer is no. I've certainly never encountered it, nor ever heard of anyone encountering it. 4/3 sensors are smaller and should not generate as much heat as larger sensors. Beyond that, there's likely some other factors at play. Panasonic designed the cameras AND the sensors with video in mind. They may be doing some more heat-efficient things with their electronics, or just reading out the sensor slower, or maybe there's even a heat-sink in there. I'm sure others have more definitive answers to that.
 
Thanks for the quick replies. I've never heard of any overheating either, but like I said, I'm biased. What's the longest clip you've taken with your GH1?

Thanks,

Dan.
 
I have bought the GH1 in July of last year and I have constantly used it like a camcorder and the mode I shot with the most is 720 60p. When the 7D was first out, a lot of users were reporting heating issues when shooting in that mode for a long time. If your going to be constantly using it like a camcorder the same way I do than you might as well play it safe and get the GH2 and that's assuming it'll be as solid as a GH1 and chances are, I'd expect the GH2 to be better. Before the GH1 came out, their were reports that Panasonic tried to make sure overheating was under control when they were designing it.
 
Just back from a shoot in East Java - 10 back breaking days in intense heat. A typical day starts 7am, ends 8pm. I used almost 3 batteries per day, recharge in the night. Used the hack in 720p, clips bit rate can go up to around 23 mbps. Never had even one hang! Temp easily in the mid nineties. But I gotta say, I will get the AF100. Using the GH1 as the only cam.... well, that's another story. But heat wise, it is the champion!
 
One thing I will say is that I've had some problems with a Transcent class 6 which I believe might have been a bad card out of the factory since everytime I'm recording something with a lot of detail(out of a non hacked GH1), the card would sometimes stop writing. I had far less issues with a PNY class 4 and I recently purchased PNY class 10 and haven't had any problems since at leasst not yet. Combine the frustration that card have given me and add heating issues, I would have gone crazy! I'm very glad their isn't heating issues because my GH1 might have gone back to the factory a long time ago because of prolonged usage and that also includes picture taking.
 
shot in 100F heat, in direct sunlight for 2x 15 hour days with no overheating problems. Cameras were barely warm.
 
Gh2 + af100???

Gh2 + af100???

Great information! Whatever overheating issues there might be with other cameras, it looks like they don't extend to the GH1/2.

Regarding the AF100, I'd love to get one but the GH2 is a better form factor for me. That said... Same imager. Same lenses. I wonder how well they would work together? :smile:

Thanks and regards,

Dan.
 
The A55 issue is worse tha people understand. It has to do with internal temperature and you can never tell when it may shut down. If you are in the sun (and the camera is black) and only film 3 minute segments, it still may shut down after a few if you do not give it long enough to cool off. You can't just say I'll only shoot for 8 minutes, stop for a second and then shoot another 8 minutes.

Also, it is not like you can just replace a battery or memory card. When it shuts down, it cannot be used at all for a while.
 
Dan Clark said:
Great information! Whatever overheating issues there might be with other cameras, it looks like they don't extend to the GH1/2.

Regarding the AF100, I'd love to get one but the GH2 is a better form factor for me. That said... Same imager. Same lenses. I wonder how well they would work together? :smile:

Thanks and regards,

Dan.
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Nobody will know til both cameras are out and someone has actually used them both. Everything else up to that point is simply guessing.
 
m43user said:
The A55 issue is worse tha people understand. It has to do with internal temperature and you can never tell when it may shut down. If you are in the sun (and the camera is black) and only film 3 minute segments, it still may shut down after a few if you do not give it long enough to cool off. You can't just say I'll only shoot for 8 minutes, stop for a second and then shoot another 8 minutes.

Also, it is not like you can just replace a battery or memory card. When it shuts down, it cannot be used at all for a while.
Click to expand...

Sony camcorders are notorious for this, at least to me. I've had a handful of them that have overheated on many occasions and eventually they will just die and always show an overheat error. Maybe I've just had a string of bad coincidences but I think not.
 
Svart said:
Nobody will know til both cameras are out and someone has actually used them both. Everything else up to that point is simply guessing.
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Yep, you're right. Don't count your chickens and all that. Nevertheless, preliminary indications are that Panasonic has two winners on its hands.

Dan.
 
I am shooting right now in the Marshall islands - out in the sun, very hot, humid and salty. Did this for several days, and today I shot footage inside a fish processing plant, including some product shots in cold storage (-40).

No overheating, and no problem in the cold either.

I struggle at times with the GH1, but overheating is not one of the problems of this cam.
 
Dan Clark said:
Regarding the AF100, I'd love to get one but the GH2 is a better form factor for me. That said... Same imager. Same lenses.
Dan.
Click to expand...

Well.... why does everyone assume that it's the same imager? Just because it's 4/3? That's like assuming a Corvette and a Chevette have the same engine because they are both GM / Chevy.
The AF 100 is Panasonic broadcast and the GH2 is Panasonic Consumer different divisions with different agendas and engineering staff.

Up until 2007 JVC was part of this same family - how many of their cameras benefited from Panasonic broadcast components?
 
It's not the same imager. They've said repeatedly that the sensor in the AF100 has been tuned for video. Is there a possibility that some components are the same? Maybe. But the GH2 will have aliasing and moire issues (not purple/orange moire like a Canon DSLR, but still it will have luma moire) and the AF100 won't.
 
I've recorded 2 hours continuously on my hacked GH1 without any problem. The reason I only got two hours out of it was because at that point, the battery died :P. The camera automatically splits the files to maintain a file size of <4.7 GB, but if you line up the files in your video editor, they will match without even one skipped frame.
 
I think we need to post a bulletin to all media that the GH1 is severely limited - no more that two hour of video per battery!!! Disgusting! The nerve of Panasonic! Humph! I expected at LEAST two hours and 3 minutes!!!

Obviously I'm joking... :) What continually impresses me about the GH1 is that it is a tough little bugger. While others (especially our Sony compatriots) complain about overheating, the GH1 just keeps going and going.

Right now, I'm waiting for production GH2's to be reviewed. If GH2's initial positive reports are confirmed and the GH2 retains the stability and toughness of the GH1, it should be one kick ass camera. And one that I'll jump all over.

To all, many thanks for the great feedback.

Dan.

p.s. Don't think that I haven't been watching the AF100 too. If I had even the slightest justification for getting an AF100, I'd grab one. Anyone with some nice juicy rationalizations available?!? Anyone? :happy:

CColton said:
I've recorded 2 hours continuously on my hacked GH1 without any problem. The reason I only got two hours out of it was because at that point, the battery died :P. The camera automatically splits the files to maintain a file size of <4.7 GB, but if you line up the files in your video editor, they will match without even one skipped frame.
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