GH1 For Wedding & Event Video - Pros & Cons after 5 Weddings

W

weismangroup

Active member
Hello All:

We have been using 2 GH1's to film weddings over here in Israel, and thought I would take a moment and post some links and thoughts as to the pros and cons of using the GH1 for weddings and live events.

Here is a link to our footage on exposureroom:

http://exposureroom.com/members/972Media/videos/

Pros (in no particular order):

-Amazing image quality - we shoot everything in 720P (SH), and then use Cinema Tools to conform to 25P timeline for nice slomo. We edit everything on a 25P timeline. Clients and the photographers we work with are AMAZED at the quality.
-Lightweight
-Flys nicely on our Blackbird Stabilizer mounted on a Merlin Arm & Vest
-Also works very nicely with our DVTec Multi-Rig
-Low Cost

Cons:

Kit lens is very slow, and a real handicap as almost all Jewish wedding occur right at sunset. Requires either accepting a slightly underexposed image, or switching to the 20mm 1.7 before the ceremony begins at the wedding canopy (called the "Chuppah" in Hebrew). Changing lenses takes time and requires a bit of juggling amidst all the action around you.

Autofocus on kit lens and 20mm lens is OK in good light, but crappy in low light due to low contrast conditions. When manually activating the Autofocus by pressing the shutter release 1/2 way when shooting, the focus "hunts" in and out making that bit unuseable.

Controls are not at professional standards, and things like changing white balance, iso, etc require stopping the camera, and navigating the menus.

Have to be very careful not to move shutter speed off of 1/50 when adjusting aperture - again, relates back to "consumer" menu based controls.

Conclusion:

All in all, we have been very happy with the results we're getting out of our GH1's. We are however going to be picking up a used Sony EX1 to make up for those times and situations where the GH1 comes up short.

Your comments and feedback are most welcome!

--Michael
www.972media.com
 
Nice vids. Good use of steadycam especially in th Silverman wedding preview. I am awaiting the 20mm pancake myself...seems like a great lens.
 
I have found that the 20 1.7 hunts in sometimes even on auto focus without depressing the button, it has ruined some good shots.
 
Did you already upgrade the lens firmware? I think mine came with the latest, but havent tested it enough to determine if there are issues..
 
weismangroup said:
Changing lenses takes time and requires a bit of juggling amidst all the action around you.
Click to expand...

The Wife and I use to have several camera bodies with 'reasonable' lenses already setup, even though we typically used zoom lenses, some where faster than others, and they also had different zoom lengths, so there wasn't a one lens serves all, hence the multiple bodies.

At the prices a GH-1 is, one could have several bodies with lenses set up.
 
Hmmm - I have the 1.1 firmware. i find that the lens hunts all the time if it is low light or you are close to the subject. But pressing the button half way does NOT force the lens to focus... it just does its own thing?
 
j1clark@ucsd.edu said:
The Wife and I use to have several camera bodies with 'reasonable' lenses already setup, even though we typically used zoom lenses, some where faster than others, and they also had different zoom lengths, so there wasn't a one lens serves all, hence the multiple bodies.

At the prices a GH-1 is, one could have several bodies with lenses set up.
Click to expand...


True, in fact we actually just took delivery of a 3rd GH1. There is still the drawback though, that to get a faster longer focal length we're using a set of Nilkon primes, like a 50mm 1.2, and 35mm F2. These are great lenses and work very well with the GH1, but following a fast moving, unpredictable event is a bit crazy with a manual focus lens. Also, if the Manual Focus assist function would operate while the camera was rolling, that would make sharp focus in low-light situation much better as well.
 
Does the lens have it's own firmware upgrade, or is part of the body firmware. Our 3 GH1's are all hacked to be Pal cameras with the 30 minute limit removed.
 
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jtopp said:
Why don't you pick up a HMC-150 to match your gh1's
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Thought about that option, but as we shoot both in Pal and NTSC countries, the HMC-150 does not give us the ability to switch like the EX-1 does. Also, the low light on the EX-1 is pretty amazing, and prices in the used market have come down to around $4,000 - which is a lot of bang-for-the-buck considering the quality and versatility of the EX-1.
 
weismangroup said:
True, in fact we actually just took delivery of a 3rd GH1. There is still the drawback though, that to get a faster longer focal length we're using a set of Nilkon primes, like a 50mm 1.2, and 35mm F2. These are great lenses and work very well with the GH1, but following a fast moving, unpredictable event is a bit crazy with a manual focus lens. Also, if the Manual Focus assist function would operate while the camera was rolling, that would make sharp focus in low-light situation much better as well.
Click to expand...

Do you have a follow focus? I use my GH1 for events with some primes and a FF from IndiSystems with a shoulder rig similar to the Gini rig from China.
It works quite well for quick focusing for live events.
 
Ian-T said:
Also, if the Manual Focus assist function would operate while the camera was rolling, that would make sharp focus in low-light situation much better as well.

This seems like a helpful HACK request.
Click to expand...

I really like this idea too. I was bummed that that camera can't do it.

The other thing I'd love is the ability to do a one-shot AF while in MF mode while recording. Half press the shutter and the cam autofocuses until you release.
 
weismangroup said:
Also, if the Manual Focus assist function would operate while the camera was rolling, that would make sharp focus in low-light situation much better as well.
Click to expand...
+1

dasbin said:
The other thing I'd love is the ability to do a one-shot AF while in MF mode while recording. Half press the shutter and the cam autofocuses until you release.
Click to expand...
+1

I actually thought both these things were possible, I've been trying to figure it out for a few days. Now I know you for sure can't:crybaby:.

After an external monitor output, these are my next two hack requests...
 
Very nice work. I've come to the conclusion that image trumps all the minor shortcomings and I try to anticipate and work around the limitations. As an old still photographer, I love depth of field for escalating events. It's saved my butt many times. I'm sure I'm not telling you anything you don't already know.;)
 
Leaving the camera in autofocus while recording is a really bad idea...on any video camera!

But unlike regular video camera, autofocus on the GH1 is EXCEPTIONAL in comparison...if you "fake" AF-S with it...and lock focus before recording. If you leave the camera in AFC while recording, it will simply hunt continuously like all video cameras do.

Of course, if you need to change focus during the middle of a scene (footage that you will use) you'll need some kind of follow focus setup. The GH1 fits my shooting style pretty well, since I shoot all tripod/stationary shots, and leave all of the movement to the subjects. I use the laser-beam focus assist to instantly nail focus with my Lumix M4/3 lenses, then start recording. (I'm surprised I haven't ripped the focus knob off the camera.) During the middle of a wedding ceremony, I won't stop recording so that PluralEyes will have an easier time syncing to the stationary balcony camera and my 3 audio recorders, so focus without the laser beam is slower...but still faster and more accurate than I can do it manually on a prosumer camcorder.

I've been shooting weddings full time for a year or so on the GH1, full time. The biggest problem is the zoom range of the 14-140 and 45-200 Lumix lenses in combination with the fact they are so pitifully slow. It is NOT a good church ceremony camera. For receptions, I love the 20mm f1.7, but close-ups during the formal dances are not possible...which makes them boring. But, it all pays the same. :D For everything else at the reception, the 20mm rules, and the 45mm Leica-Lumix macro f2.8 is great for "detail" shots.

I'd still like to pick up an HMC40 for the church weddings (which I try to weed out). The HMC150 is still a little short when it comes to the zoom range...not to mention to expensive for shooting cheap wedding videos...when you can get another GH1 for so dirt cheap in comparison.
 
Ian-T said:
This seems like a helpful HACK request.
Click to expand...

I think the best would be , if we can have "peaking" .
Applying Extra Extra sharpening, only to the LCD or EVF to get more edge detect.

focus assist is good for stationary situations and is more of a photographic tool.
While peaking is much better when your object is in the move.

Sassi
 
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