GH2 GH2 Ergonomics - make grip bigger?

T

thabo

Well-known member
So I've just gotten rid of my 7D and replaced it with a GH2 and boy the GH2 has really horrible ergonomics. I keep on accidentally pushing buttons and I can barely hold the bugger in my hand. It appears that the right hand side grip was designed for the hand of a man child, why so small?

So I'm wondering if there are any workarounds out there to make the grip part bigger in the horizontal plain, apart from hiring a dwarf or midget to operate the camera.

On a serious note I've started messing around with the hacks and wow, nice stuff so far. I may consider disassembling the camera and putting it in a nice box with a handle on top.

For the politically incorrect among us this skit from The Office should clear up the differences between a dwarf and midget"

http://youtu.be/j1qtsLfZWWQ?t=7m5s
 
HA!
BTW: A "Battery Grip" might be what you need for your size. Not real cheap, but you do get the whole battery part with it.
 
Give it some time.

My hand was cramping up when I first started using the GH2 because it was so small and the buttons were so close together (compared to a full sized SLR). After a few days, I got used to it. Now, after more than a year with the GH2, the compact body is 100% a benefit and the closeness of the buttons make it simple to quickly change settings.
 
rigGH2.jpg
I had the same problem coming from a 5dm2 going to a gh1 and gh2. here's a prototype cage type rig with a gini side handle. it allows access to the controls while supplying enough surface area to grip. made it a whole lot comfortable on my last few shoots. also the top handle is from red....

rigGH2_1.jpg

the adjustable handle grip can be adjusted close enough to reach over with pointer and middle fingers to get to the controls. ...
 
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You get used to it, or at least I did. But then again, I have a bit less caveman in my lineage and perhaps possess better fine motor skills than the next knuckle dragger.
 
gsr400 said:
View attachment 49782
I had the same problem coming from a 5dm2 going to a gh1 and gh2. here's a prototype cage type rig with a gini side handle. it allows access to the controls while supplying enough surface area to grip. made it a whole lot comfortable on my last few shoots. also the top handle is from red....

View attachment 49792

the adjustable handle grip can be adjusted close enough to reach over with pointer and middle fingers to get to the controls. ...
Click to expand...

Nice Rig!

Your hands look to be about as big as my head - remind me never to get on your bad side! ;-)
 
The GH2 is too small? Funny, because I find it a bit too big. I'm still waiting for the day when they cram the heart of the GH2 in a GF2 body.
 
Cheapest option is to stick a generic pistol grip underneath. Use the in-built EVF and you've got a Super 8 feel. I find it stabilises better than just grabbing the grip.
 
It is the little buttons that defeat me & the mad choice of a single control wheel so if you press a little too hard you are suddenly changing shutter speed rather than aperture. I gave up using the GH2 for events as I just couldn't rely on hitting the controls reliably in a run & gun situation. I will still use it for projects when I have the opportunity of a second take. A cage or even a battery grip would help a little as in my large hands it feels a like a little plastic toy compared to my regular camera a Canon 5DII with battery grip.
 
thabo - I suggest giving it a little time. Dealing with the ergonomic challenges is worth it for the 'wow' images you get - and, once you get used to it, the lighter load and smaller size will increase the likelihood that you'll have your camera with you when you need it.

I had a hard time with hitting the wrong buttons on the GH2 at first, but, as jive and Disastronaut have noted, 'practice makes perfect' - and I can now change settings without taking my eye off the viewfinder. I consider my hands medium sized, so guys who shop at big & tall should take my advice with a grain of salt ;-)

That said, I do use a little $5.40 combo pistol grip/tripod to make it easier to hold the camera steady with one hand and access the controls with the other -- without attaching a lot of 'riggery' to it.

P1010488.jpgP1010489.jpg

Interestingly, Sony responded to similar complaints by "super-sizing" the A55 when they designed its replacement, the A57: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xj7zeanvDNo

I sure hope that's not what Panasonic does to the GH3 ;-)

Good luck, and welcome to m4/3.

Bill
 
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Thanks for all the feedback guys, I think I'll try a cheap pistol grip and see how that works.

DPStewart - the Zacuto pistol grip looks awesome but at $304 it's a somewhat out of my budget. I like the idea of having a handle on the top like the my HMC40. I will end up building something I'm sure perhaps a plate on the bottom with a cheap pistol grip that will attach to it more toward the lens to counter balance the 14-140 I'll be using. Nice to have something that can be thrown on a tripod quickly and then taken off.

I'm tying to come up with a run n gun setup for some shooting I'll be doing that involves me being wedged into the back seat of a car for most of the day and then when the heavens obey, running out and shooting some video, aka storm chasing. My HMC40 was great but I figured the higher bit rate of the hacked GH2 will get me much more detail.
 
So my $5 pistol grip arrived and it's really not too bad but because it's plastic and because the base plate can swivel it does have quite a bit of play in it. I'm sure it'd be ok for a go pro or very small camera but not sure if I want to risk it with my $1200 camera but I'll keep it none the less, GOD, it was only $5!
 
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