GH1 w/kit lens versus HMC40 in low light?

S

swyzlstyx

Well-known member
Anyone have both, and use them in low light (i.e. weddings)?

I've searched the forums/interwebs, and haven't really found any answers/opinions.

The GH1 is less than ideal for shooting wedding ceremonies. The kit lens is WAY slow, and WAY too short. I've got the Lumix 45-200mm lens, which gets me an almost adequate focal length (still not as good as a 20x prosumer video cam), but it's just as slow as the kit lens....AND you lose the wide angle with that lens. The GH1 simply isn't intended for event/ENG/wedding work...but I love it for shooting receptions with the Lumix 20mm and Lumix 45mm.

I've been wanting to try out an HMC40 (not something rental houses carry, obviously), to see how it compares to the GH1+kit lens in low light. Sometimes I shoot in some dark non-church venues where the GH1+kit lens can barely squeeze out an image at all, so I have to mount the 20mm or 45mm and just walk up towards the front row of seats, which looks bad!

The zoom range on the HMC40 would be great for weddings. Not as great as the range on my old Sony FX7, which was amazing, but way better than the GH1 kit lens. Plus, it's small enough not to take up too much space in my bag. I don't wanna carry around a larger/more expensive camera like the HMC150 just to shoot a simple, cheap, wedding ceremony.

My other option is to just buy another GH1, and tripod both of them right next to each other....20mm on one...45-200 on the other. It wouldn't be the first time I've operated two cams at the same time. Right now I use an SD9 palmcorder as my unmanned "balcony cam", but it's absolutely horrible in low light.

Any thoughts?
 
The 40 isn't very fast at all, it's ISO 50. A GH1 can go to ISO 400 very cleanly, maybe ISO 800 if you don't mind some noise.

You can push the HMC40 to 6dB easily, 12dB is about my max for it, so that would give it an effective max of 200 ISO.

So at that point you're talking about two stops faster for the GH1, but the stock lens is two stops slower, so ... yeah, stock lens to stock lens they're probably pretty similar. With the difference being that you'll get much more telephoto out of the HMC40, and much more wide angle out of the GH1. And you can, of course, put a faster lens on the GH1.
 
Barry_Green said:
....stock lens to stock lens they're probably pretty similar..
Click to expand...


Thanks, Barry, that's why I wondering if anyone here as actually used both at a real wedding.

High gain/ISO settings are just part of life when doing weddings, unfortunately. So if the two cams were EXACTLY the same, the HMC40 would be a much better solution for shooting wedding ceremonies...where you need a zoom range that can go from wide to super-telephoto instantly...especially when you shoot by yourself. The "subject" can go from being 1 foot to a whole city block away in a matter of seconds, lol! Some of those church ladies will chase you down if you try to move past the back pew or leave the balcony. :Drogar-Sick(DBG):

I'm guessing the HMC40 might be able to scrape out an image where the GH1 can't, but it's probably going to look really bad.
 
I use both for weddings... GH13 w/kit is still better in low light, but not by much.. GH13 with fast prime... No comparison. If you really want the best, get the GH1 with a fast zoom, or a fast tele and a fast wide lens.. They can be swapped pretty quick. I use a zoom lens with a faster fstop, and use the kit lens for outdoor weddings.
Some side by sides on my vimeo page.
 
ATL Media Group said:
I use both for weddings... GH13 w/kit is still better in low light, but not by much.. GH13 with fast prime... No comparison. If you really want the best, get the GH1 with a fast zoom, or a fast tele and a fast wide lens.. They can be swapped pretty quick. I use a zoom lens with a faster fstop, and use the kit lens for outdoor weddings.
Some side by sides on my vimeo page.
Click to expand...


Thanks a lot, that's helpful. I've been hesitant to drop $2000 on a 1/4" camcorder that is probably only marginally better than my tiny SD9 palmcorder, which I use for a stationary/backup/wide shot. Sounds like it would probably be a waste of money...and unnecessary extra weight in my kit. (I travel REALLY light, so I don't have to leave gear unattended at any time at a ceremony or reception.)

I think I'll just pick up another GH1, and mount my 20mm f1.7 on it for 2nd camera, and use the 45-200 on the main GH1 for churches...and the 45mm f2.8 Lumix for the super dark chapel weddings. Besides...I want one of those red colored GH1's from China, anyways! :D

Selling the brand new kit lens the GH1 comes with, along with my SD9, will damn near offset the cost of the camera. That sure beats $2000 for the HMC40!

Thanks!
 
Panasonic just needs to come out with a 14-300mm constant aperture f1.7 micro-4/3 lens with auto-focus. :D I could wheel it into the church on a dolly.

With no HDMI out for monitoring, I have a VERY difficult time trying to manual focus on the GH1 with my less than perfect eyes...that's why I only use the insanely priced Panny lenses...now I'm po'!
 
For super dark weddings/receptions I use a 50mm f1.4 Canon (it's like night vision!).. Think I'll get the lumix 20mm pancake tho for wider shots.
 
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