GH2: Blue horizontal banding?
- Thread starter cordvision
- Start date
True what you say about ETC and 720p over HDMI during recording, but I wonder if with a nice monitor I might be able to see banding issue pop up in 24p mode before I hit record so that I might be able to fix them on the fly.
On another note, I know that if you jack up the shutter speed you can check to see if you are going to get banding issues under certain iights but I'm not sure if there is a similar trick for ISO settings.
Ragnar
On another note, I know that if you jack up the shutter speed you can check to see if you are going to get banding issues under certain iights but I'm not sure if there is a similar trick for ISO settings.
Ragnar
Camera Expert
Well-known member
Here's a bunch of low light scenes that I've shot during New Year's Eve. Over 95% of the shots have a shutter of 30 and the ISO was as low as 400 to as high as 3200.
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?233553-New-Year-s-Eve-video-shot-with-a-GH2-20mm-lens
It's best to watch it until the very end and keep in mind that at the 10:04 mark the audio stops. It seams like a glitch in Vimeo's compression and it's best to download it.
The bit rate was exported to only 10Mbps but it still looks pretty good nonetheless.
I hope everybody feel free to find ever picture defect there is and tell me if my GH2 has serious issues.
OK, maybe I'm getting a bit carried away with the colors.
Last edited:
himynameisnathan
Active member
I recently got a GH2, which is my first "SLR", stepping up from a Canon G9 for photography. I've only got the 14-42mm kit-lens but plan to get the 20mm 1.7 asap (God bless student loans)
Anywho, I've not had any problems apart from the colour shift when you start recording, however I've heard people talk about banding and how commonly it appears. I ordered mine from mathers on the 30th so im not sure if it's a new batch or not, but I was just wondering if anyone knows what circumstances to use for banding to most clearly appear, as every video I've seen that has banding I've not been able to see, unless someones actually taken a capture and highlighted it. Im fairly new to video, so it might be that I don't know precisely what I'm looking for, and I'm only watching the vimeo/youtube links on my MBP, however i still can't see any, so if anyone could tell me how to get it to appear, i would be really grateful, and report back here.
Thanks
Anywho, I've not had any problems apart from the colour shift when you start recording, however I've heard people talk about banding and how commonly it appears. I ordered mine from mathers on the 30th so im not sure if it's a new batch or not, but I was just wondering if anyone knows what circumstances to use for banding to most clearly appear, as every video I've seen that has banding I've not been able to see, unless someones actually taken a capture and highlighted it. Im fairly new to video, so it might be that I don't know precisely what I'm looking for, and I'm only watching the vimeo/youtube links on my MBP, however i still can't see any, so if anyone could tell me how to get it to appear, i would be really grateful, and report back here.
Thanks
memphishills
Active member
Just thought I'd post an update, as I was the first to point out the issue. I've now tested 7 different bodies, and some of those were post christmas batch, and each one has shown the same problem of the band noticeable at shutter speed of 1/40th or higher.
Just an update.
Looks like we'll have to wait and see if Panasonic firmware fixes it, or whether or not we just have to live with it. I'm going to wait until the summer and then likely send mine in for servicing for the issue, see if it gets any better then.
Just an update.
Looks like we'll have to wait and see if Panasonic firmware fixes it, or whether or not we just have to live with it. I'm going to wait until the summer and then likely send mine in for servicing for the issue, see if it gets any better then.
jascination
Member
A couple of comments on one of the Vimeo links mentioned that it might not occur with Japanese GH2s. I'll try to replicate it with mine - what's the best way to go about this?
memphishills
Active member
Shoot at 1/50th, in lower lighting, at iso 1600-3200. If it gets to be around 2 stops underexposed you should see the line appear about 1/4 of the way up from the bottom of the screen. You'll only see it in a recorded clip, not in preview.
So I ordered my camera on Jan 31 from a California company who said they just got 4 in on Jan 26. I am supposed to get it on Feb 8.
Now, the other company I pre-ordered with just called me today and said they are getting cameras in next week (Im not canceling my other preorder until I receive this camera to make sure it's right and it works).
SOOO ... should I just keep the one that I am going to get in 4 days or should I pass to receive a model that would have cleared shipped from Panasonic in Feb 2011?? What do you guys think the odds that the Feb shipment would have fixed the banding issue are?
I just don't want to shoot myself in the foot here, but I definitely don't want a camera that messes up when you shoot at 1/50 in low light. 1/50 is the standard speed and shooting in low light in the purpose of SLR cameras. I seen just about every piece of footage on the internet and it all looks great. TONSSS of footage in low light with no banding issues, but it only takes a handful of band videos to freak you out.
Do you guys think I should just be fine with shooting at 1/30 or 1/40 in low light? (I know I plan to experiment immediately, but just wanted your expert opinions.)
Thanks.
Now, the other company I pre-ordered with just called me today and said they are getting cameras in next week (Im not canceling my other preorder until I receive this camera to make sure it's right and it works).
SOOO ... should I just keep the one that I am going to get in 4 days or should I pass to receive a model that would have cleared shipped from Panasonic in Feb 2011?? What do you guys think the odds that the Feb shipment would have fixed the banding issue are?
I just don't want to shoot myself in the foot here, but I definitely don't want a camera that messes up when you shoot at 1/50 in low light. 1/50 is the standard speed and shooting in low light in the purpose of SLR cameras. I seen just about every piece of footage on the internet and it all looks great. TONSSS of footage in low light with no banding issues, but it only takes a handful of band videos to freak you out.
Do you guys think I should just be fine with shooting at 1/30 or 1/40 in low light? (I know I plan to experiment immediately, but just wanted your expert opinions.)
Thanks.
I would keep both cameras.
Anyway - shooting 1/30 or 1/40 should be no problem except when shooting under flo lighting.
You will get more motion blur at 1/30 but the alternative would be to shoot at higher ISO
and get more noise & grain.
I still shoot many videos with my HVX200 and inside it seems like I am always
adjusting the shutter to shoot at 1/24 - in most cases the added motion blur
is more acceptable than a darker or noiser picture.
goodgoings
Well-known member
I have an opportunity to pick up Japanese version of the GH2. Are more people really confirming that Japanese version owners are not experiencing the horizontal banding? Any confirmation would be appreciated.
I seriously doubt there is any difference between the Japanese and other GH2. There wouldn't be any reason to have different builds for different countries. That leaves only software, and the GH1 hack shows that the software is all the same with the ability to change languages in camera.
goodgoings
Well-known member
Then it seems you're saying that either all of them have a problem or all of them don't.
I have a Japanese GH2, I do get the banding on mine as well, though it isn't anywhere as obvious as what I've seen on other people's clips here, I had to go out looking for it. Haven't seen the blue streaks that some people have, only the wider band that is of a different shade. And the Japanese GH2 are made in Japan if that makes any difference. There is no english option for the menus though.
goodgoings
Well-known member
Is the wider band like in ^smith148's picture above? I thought that was because of florescent lighting and shutter rate. When do you see the wider band?
How about this one:
http://vimeo.com/18320768
I have filmed in 1080/50i (PAL of course) and all was ok.
But when you have a closer look at 7:10 - 7:34 (and only there) you see some kind of banding in the picture.
I think it was due to the fact, that I intentionally filmed with 1/60th and 1/80 during these takes.
It does not occure with 1/50th, at least iI have not seen it up to now.
Some other slight strange behaviour when the other ballon in the air is large or during the deer/rabbit shots comes from post stabilisation, for it was filmed from the balloon free handed with the Extended Tele Converter with the 14-140.
Sometimes even in the 720 mode, so it was quite shaky.
But there was no way to use a tripod in the balloon.
http://vimeo.com/18320768
I have filmed in 1080/50i (PAL of course) and all was ok.
But when you have a closer look at 7:10 - 7:34 (and only there) you see some kind of banding in the picture.
I think it was due to the fact, that I intentionally filmed with 1/60th and 1/80 during these takes.
It does not occure with 1/50th, at least iI have not seen it up to now.
Some other slight strange behaviour when the other ballon in the air is large or during the deer/rabbit shots comes from post stabilisation, for it was filmed from the balloon free handed with the Extended Tele Converter with the 14-140.
Sometimes even in the 720 mode, so it was quite shaky.
But there was no way to use a tripod in the balloon.
No it isn't like the banding in Smith148's picture, it is far slimmer, but a similar in the respect it is a lighter tone.
It is only at 1600-3200 ISO, and moves up the screen as I go from 1/40 shutter speed and upwards, to be honest I can't see it at all on any of my footage at least on my monitor or TVs.
I only found it when I did when I played around with contrast, saturation, gamma trying to get it to appear.
For me at least on my camera it is a non-issue
sir_danish
New member
The same problem with my GH2. I bought it in Austria, one month ago.
http://www.vimeo.com/22885158
I´m quite unhappy with this GH2 behaviour, because I really need at least ISO 1600 in some situations. On sunday I spent many hours in a giant aquarium with my camera and I did not have any possibility to light the scene properly. Now I have some pictures of big fishes and seahorses, with a really stupid line on the lower third of the all these images.
http://www.vimeo.com/22885158
I´m quite unhappy with this GH2 behaviour, because I really need at least ISO 1600 in some situations. On sunday I spent many hours in a giant aquarium with my camera and I did not have any possibility to light the scene properly. Now I have some pictures of big fishes and seahorses, with a really stupid line on the lower third of the all these images.
It's a current limitation of the camera, so until new firmware is released that fixes this, our options are: Faster lenses or Rent/Buy an AF-100
FYI: Samyang ( sold under many brands ) lenses are a fairly cheap way to buy fast prime lenses. A new 35mm f/1.4 should be here in May and I expect to see it priced under $500.
Samyang 35mm f/1.4 Review
B&H Photo Bower Brand Samyang Lenses
Last edited: