GH1 or 5D MK II

vx1kOrnot

vx1kOrnot

Active member
Hello , i am in abit of a pickle ... right now i am not sure what to get. The funds for the GH1 are there but not sure how the image quality will do.. should i wait a bit more and buy a 5D ?.

Or the other option is that i could upgrade my d90 to a D300s and use the Gh1 for slowmo's.

Sounds kinda vague i know... but i am not really sure.

whats your ideas with the GH 1 would you trade it in for a 5D.
 
Having used both I can say that I would not trade my GH1 in for a 5D mkII unless you wanted to do a lot of photo work.

The 5D mk II is difficult to use for video, with a clumsy interface, no viewfinder, it's massive size, and non-articulating LCD.

The GH1 does a great job with video. It is very easy to shoot with and reminds me of using a standard prosumer video camera (or at least more so than the 5D does,) in terms of interface and overall experience. The image quality is excellent, and the price is unmatchable.

Because it's so much easier to shoot with you're going to be getting shots with it you'd never get with the 5D, and you're going to have a much better time shooting.

Here's the way I think of it: with the 5D mk II your theoretical maximum image is going to be of better quality than with the GH1, however with the GH1 you will get a consistently better image than the 5D...even if it at it's best can't match the 5D...all with less headache

That said, it doesn't do photos nearly as well as the 5D does. Taking photos on the 5D, which is really what it is designed for, is a joy, and they look great.

If you're more into video work get the GH1, use extra money to buy some nice lenses and accessories. If you're more into photo work with video as a side thing get the 5D.

I am a filmmaker and don't really do any photography except as hobby(ish) so the GH1 was perfect for me. It meant that I didn't buy an HVX-200 with a Letus, etc for really really expensive (which I could never afford anyway.) My friends that have the 5D are all photographers.

If you're a photographer in the market for a new SLR and want to do video go 5D, a filmmaker in the market for a new video camera go GH1.
 
I would, but only because the 5D MkII still costs quite a bit more. After the trade I´d sell the 5D, use the money to buy another GH1 and use the rest of the money for some accesoires and lenses.
 
Ben_B said:
Having used both I can say that I would not trade my GH1 in for a 5D mkII unless you wanted to do a lot of photo work.

The 5D mk II is difficult to use for video, with a clumsy interface, no viewfinder, it's massive size, and non-articulating LCD.

The GH1 does a great job with video. It is very easy to shoot with and reminds me of using a standard prosumer video camera (or at least more so than the 5D does,) in terms of interface and overall experience. The image quality is excellent, and the price is unmatchable.

Because it's so much easier to shoot with you're going to be getting shots with it you'd never get with the 5D, and you're going to have a much better time shooting.

Here's the way I think of it: with the 5D mk II your theoretical maximum image is going to be of better quality than with the GH1, however with the GH1 you will get a consistently better image than the 5D...even if it at it's best can't match the 5D...all with less headache

That said, it doesn't do photos nearly as well as the 5D does. Taking photos on the 5D, which is really what it is designed for, is a joy, and they look great.

If you're more into video work get the GH1, use extra money to buy some nice lenses and accessories. If you're more into photo work with video as a side thing get the 5D.

I am a filmmaker and don't really do any photography except as hobby(ish) so the GH1 was perfect for me. It meant that I didn't buy an HVX-200 with a Letus, etc for really really expensive (which I could never afford anyway.) My friends that have the 5D are all photographers.

If you're a photographer in the market for a new SLR and want to do video go 5D, a filmmaker in the market for a new video camera go GH1.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that nifty bit of information , looks like i will go down the GH1 road because the 5D mkII is kinda out of my league. I still have my DVX100B for now.

DVX100 and GH1 is like a HVX200 mashup for half the price :)

But yes it does boil down to a filmer or a photographer , since i do more filming The GH1 does sound like the most logical choice.
 
Okay, with the 5DMII you trade video usability for a bit more video quality.

But I think there are several reasons why it's not worth the trade off.

The lens adaptability on the GH1 is incredible. Why pass up on that?
The 5DMII is a pain in the ass to use for video
The price is much higher... and the price of lenses.
Size & weight disadvantage

Also bare in mind that image quality is not always perfect with a 5DMII either. Depth of field can be unmanageable with fast lenses, there is more jello, more aliasing and the recording format limits you to 12 mins per clip and HUUUUGE files which are a pain to edit.

Usability is a big issue for me. I shoot faster with a GH1 for several reasons:

Lens one-shot AF is useful for setting up shots
The kit lens has some tricks up it's sleeve regards AF
The articulated flip out screen is a MAJOR plus
It has a live preview of exposure and frame rate
You can use the viewfinder whilst recording
It has better manual control

Then I would add yet more in favour of the GH1, which the 5DMII simply doesn't do. 60p 720p, 24p, slow shutter speeds for timelapse sequences and AVCHD.

The worries about the GH1's image quality only really crop up with ugly whip pans (mud, where the codec breaks up the image) and underexposed dimly lit even areas of colour (CMOS fixed pattern noise shows up), so if you can avoid shooting badly you'll be alright with the GH1 as far as image quality goes :grin:
 
vx1kOrnot said:
Hello , i am in abit of a pickle ... right now i am not sure what to get. The funds for the GH1 are there but not sure how the image quality will do.. should i wait a bit more and buy a 5D ?.

Or the other option is that i could upgrade my d90 to a D300s and use the Gh1 for slowmo's.

Sounds kinda vague i know... but i am not really sure.

whats your ideas with the GH 1 would you trade it in for a 5D.
Click to expand...

Wait until the 7D arrives September 1.
 
Everything I've read is the 5D MII is good for stills & if you want a video feature to use on the side. The GH1 is a good still camera, but a GREAT video camera compared to the 5D.

The only thing the 5D has going for it is the larger chip & a wider selection of lenses. There are is a lot more used Canon glass than micro 4/3" glass out & about in the world. But you can easily pick up an adapter on ebay for Nikon or Canon to micro 4/3".
 
What I don't like about the 5D is:
- 30 fps
- very difficult to controll/maintain the focus by your self without the help a VERY SKILLED focus puller (hiring one for a week will pay for at least another camera)
- it samples every third line out of a 21 mpx sensor to deliver 1080p video. A lot of great glass that can be put in front of it is wasted by antialiasing artifacts :-(
- non articulated LCD

Otherwise a great stills camera.
 
Not that I'm an expert, however

Not that I'm an expert, however

I believe the GH1 takes fantastic stills, especially with the right right kind of glass. Couple that with the previously stated video capability, and it's a wonder why anyone serious would consider anything else right now.

The only drawback I see with the GH1 is its lack of availability. I had a heck of a time finding an NTSC one, but was finally successful.

I don't think anyone buying one, after evaluating its full capabilities, would regret purchasing the GH1.
 
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