GH2 GH1 vs GH2

S

sean90291

Veteran
I bought a GH1 last year (for the hack). And then it wasn't too many months before the GH2 came out and got hacked too. But I haven't found any discussions comparing the two cameras though. Not since the GH2 was hacked anyhow. Any opinions on how much of a bump the GH2 offers over the GH1? I'm trying to decide if it's really worth upgrading from the GH1.

Also, can you live-monitor from the GH2 via HDMI? I seem to think you can now.
 
This is very, very old. We had this discussion long ago here. It is over. The GH2 of course is the better camera. Why would any company put out a new version of a product without improving on it? The GH2 has a completely new sensor and a host of other improvements. Then the hack happened and the rest is history. Nobody discusses the GH1 around here much if any at all.
 
There are a few diehards who slightly prefer the GH1, and I am one of them. And we are the minority report, for sure. BUT I sold it for a GH2 because I really, really needed the live HDMI feed for studio work. I mean, what good is slightly better noise if the image is off-center, or whatever. Am I happy with the extra noise? No. Will I sell the GH2 within three months? Absolutely. It's just a phase. If you put a really sharp lens on the GH1, like the Olly 45mm, it sings. But you have to have reasonable light.
GH3!!! Can't wait to get rid of the noise.
 
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Well, of course I shot test charts to prove it, but no one could pick out which camera was which anyway, and no one shoots test charts in real life. The tests were good enough for me, but maybe I screwed up the test. Hey, maybe I mixed up the cams! And tests don't prove anything, that's for sure. I mean, no one could pick out the point and shoot that Andrew mixed in with a bunch of high end cams. The GH1 in my testing only hit the sweet spot with what I would call a "super prime" like the 45mm. Then you get the sharpness and the super clean low ISO. You don't get that with 90% of the lenses. Anyone is entitled to find this ridiculous, of course. But the thing is, it absolutely does not matter because cameras are just transitions. If I really liked the GH2 I would keep it for another year. But it has problems, so I will trade it in--when something better comes along with all the groovy features. But if I was using my usual four-six cams they would never all be GH2s, and I would not mind a GH1 in there if I had to shoot 800 ISO. There's lots of vid with both cams, so ppl can pick what they like. Of course everyone has to have the "right" cam, and that is OK as well. Bigger used market. There is no double blind study for these two cams, and there never will be.
 
The elimination of the Fixed Pattern Noise alone makes the GH2 the better camera. No other DSLR in the market has the flexibility and ease of use of the GH2, none. And with the hack, the image quality is superb.
 
So, just OOIC, if I posted thirty videos, ten of the GH1, ten of the GH2 and ten of a control camera (camcorder) you could pick which was which?
Confession: not only could I not pass this test, but I once temporarily mixed up the GH2 footage with the GH1 because the GH1 had less noise.
 
I loved my GH1s, but upgraded to the much more expensive GH2 for the better low light performance and HDMI monitoring.

At 100 ISO, however, the GH1 was absolutely sumptuous - in my opinion, on a bright day it was every bit as clean and sharp and lush as the GH2 and more, but that's only one shooting environment. Overall, the GH2 is the better camera for sure.
 
Well, it was proven that 640 ISO on the GH2 is the least noisy. I would be curious to see GH1 optimal ISO vs 640 on the GH2, because I know that the GH1 is slightly better at certain ISOs.
 
Sorry to be contrary, but 640 is NOT least noisy. It is a great setting with nice noise and still great color, but 320 is less noisy (when you come down to it using the 320 trick and skipping 1250 and 640 along the way) for sure. I'm not saying better. That's for your eyes to judge, but less noisy.
 
1080p25 @ 100Mbps max on the GH1 still beats the new HBR 1080p25 @ 24Mbps on the v1.1 GH2. However, that particular situation may well change at some point...
 
lpowell said:
1080p25 @ 100Mbps max on the GH1 still beats the new HBR 1080p25 @ 24Mbps on the v1.1 GH2. However, that particular situation may well change at some point...
Click to expand...

Apparently it will change for you tomorrow. VK said V1.1 goes to Alpha users then. I guess I just assumed you are an alpha user.
 
A soundproofed room with no equipment in it is the least noisy.

But rather drab and boring.


Based on some of the reviews I've seen, GH2 is vastly superior for video, and has improved (measured/actual) resolution for stills, but the GH1 had marginally better color depth/dynamic range for stills.

Neither one records the full dynamic range for video, so these losses are irrelevant unless using the camera for stills.
 
I found the GH1 to be very noisy past 800.. almost unusable and the lack of HDMI out and the lack of teleconverter makes it a huge oversight and not usable in a lot of situations.... I passed on it even with all of the fan boy adoration but the GH2.. what a friggin lovely camera hacked or unhacked. I can't wait for the Gh2 and if it shoots 1080 60p then that's enough of a reason for me to upgrade....
 
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