GH2 GH2 and Atomos Ninja - focusing issue

Maukka

Maukka

Member
I have a focusing issue with the GH2 and Atomos Ninja combo.
As soon as I power on the Ninja, I lose the ability to magnify the view on the camera LCD, which I usually do by pressing the thumbwheel of the camera (when using a manual focus only lens)
This ability to magnify the image on the LCD is a highly useful feature as the GH2 does not offer peaking or other focus assist features.
Does anyone know if there is a way to maintain this magnification ability, when using a MF lens and while having the Ninja connected?
(I have the 1.1. firmware installed on the GH2 and the latest firmware 2.03 in the Ninja. The MF lens use is the Voigtländer 25mm. I shoot in 25p.)
Thanks
 
Plugging anything into the HDMI cripples that feature I believe. Also seem to remember that you lose the ETC function as well. It's so long since I've even tried. Usually just swap out lenses if need be. And the LCD is marginal for attaining critical focus anyway. You might try using the viewfinder in these situations as the resolution is much better. Or consider using an HDMI loop-through splitter with an HD monitor for getting critical focus.
 
Maukka said:
I have a focusing issue with the GH2 and Atomos Ninja combo.
As soon as I power on the Ninja, I lose the ability to magnify the view on the camera LCD, which I usually do by pressing the thumbwheel of the camera (when using a manual focus only lens)
This ability to magnify the image on the LCD is a highly useful feature as the GH2 does not offer peaking or other focus assist features.
Does anyone know if there is a way to maintain this magnification ability, when using a MF lens and while having the Ninja connected?
(I have the 1.1. firmware installed on the GH2 and the latest firmware 2.03 in the Ninja. The MF lens use is the Voigtländer 25mm. I shoot in 25p.)
Thanks
Click to expand...

Yep, when you connect anything to the HDMi you loose that ability but most monitors have a 1:1 feature which is a substitute for that ability. Usually cant move the mag point around but better than nothing.
 
This doesn't show up on most of the GH3 wish lists (at least not as much as 'clean, uncompressed HDMI out'), but is something that really needs to be fixed.
 
Thanks to everybody for good info.
I did not expect GH2 to cripple essential features during HDMI output because GH2 is mentioned by Atomos as one of the few DSLR type cameras that work well with the Ninja.
Why on earth would Panasonic disable a feature like this during HDMI output? I don't quite get it.

Well, I guess I need an external monitor then. SmallHD DP4 has loop-through HDMI and is currently sold for 449 USD. Has anyone here used the DP4 with GH2 (and Ninja)?

Hopefully this issue will be be fixed either by GH3 or a firmware fix for the GH2.
 
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Maukka said:
Has anyone here used the DP4 with GH2 (and Ninja)?
Click to expand...

I use a DP6 with my GH2 and love it. Granted, not having the LCD magnify feature is a bit of a pain, but the peaking and focus assist tools on SmallHD monitors are excellent. One thing I do, if it's basically a locked down shot, is quickly pull the HDMI cable out of the camera and set my focus using the GH2's magnify feature. Then quickly plug the monitor back in before rolling.

One thing I learned by accident: If you have the ETC mode set to "On", it is disabled, of course, when using an HDMI monitor BUT...if your monitor's battery dies while rolling video, at that moment it makes the camera create a new clip in the ETC mode.
 
> Why on earth would Panasonic disable a feature like this during HDMI output? I don't quite get it.

It could be a processing issue - it can't manage to output two different views to the LCD / HDMI? Just guessing?

Apprently Atomos are planning to add peaking to their screen which would wonderful.

Other than the focussing issue, how does the GH2/Ninja combo perform?
What framerate are you using? I'm curious if anyone has tries the Ninja with the new 25p mode.
 
Maukka said:
I did not expect GH2 to cripple essential features during HDMI output because GH2 is mentioned by Atomos as one of the few DSLR type cameras that work well with the Ninja.
Click to expand...
That's what Atomos says. In reality, the GH2's HDMI output is compromised in numerous ways, including frame rate, color accuracy, and broken chroma. Using an external recorder with a GH2 (or any DSLR) is a questionable proposition, period.

Why on earth would Panasonic disable a feature like this during HDMI output? I don't quite get it.
Click to expand...
Because it costs $700. You simply cannot have everything for nothing, you can't even really get something for nothing. Make a cheap camera, and you have to use cheaper components, and something's gotta give somewhere.

The GH2 does some amazing things for its price tag, but it can't do everything.
 
Barry_Green said:
That's what Atomos says. In reality, the GH2's HDMI output is compromised in numerous ways, including frame rate, color accuracy, and broken chroma. Using an external recorder with a GH2 (or any DSLR) is a questionable proposition, period.
Click to expand...

I know that the GH2 HDMI output has frame rate and pulldown removal issues when shooting in 24p, but that does not seem to be an issue with 25p (and the resulting 25i HDMI output). Color accuracy may be an issue, but probably can be fixed in post.

Because it costs $700. You simply cannot have everything for nothing, you can't even really get something for nothing. Make a cheap camera, and you have to use cheaper components, and something's gotta give somewhere.
The GH2 does some amazing things for its price tag, but it can't do everything.
Click to expand...

Ok, fair enough. I understand that with the low price come also some limitations. (In Europe the GH2 is quite a bit more expensive than that - the body only is about 1000 dollars).
My experience with the Ninja has been mostly with the Panasonic AF101, and I am very happy with what it does. Recording directly in ProRes 422 is wonderful and it seems to work quite ok also with GH2, except for the magnification/focusing issue.
 
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