GH2 gh2 vs 5dmark2 video(not still picture) which has better image quality in low light ?

A

amanieux

Member
the canon 5dmark2 having a bigger sensor has better low light image from the sensor than the gh2 but when it comes to the final compressed video stream, who wins ?
the supersampling method used in the gh2 that reduces antialisaing and moire effect should also reduce visible noise in low light (by doing a better job at averaging the noise than the line skipping method used in 5dmk2) also if we add in the equation the higher video bitrates coming from the gh2 firmware hack it should also keep more color information in the shadows - in the end who has a better image quality in low light ? any video comparison available ?
 
amanieux said:
i have seen a lot of comparisons between these 2 cameras but not specifically on low light, do you have a link, please ?
Click to expand...

Check their comparisons at high ISO instead.
Or search for their noise comparisons.

The phrase "low light" in this context is an inaccurate term, as it involves lenses, lighting setup, and post production in addition to camera bodies. For example, you can shoot a night scene (low light) with a f1.2 lens without boosting a lot of noise as long as you don't raise ISO and don't boost exposure in post production. Or, you can shoot a bright daylight scene (not low light) with ISO = 3200 (use ND to make this possible if necessary) and see how noisy it can be.

In terms of noise and high ISO performance, there has not been a cheaper camera body that can beat 5D Mark II. To beat 5D2 in that at the time, you'll need a body that costs at least about 2x the price of 5D2.

I'm petty sure there will be one and more cheaper bodies with better ISO performance within a few years, but GH2 is not one of them.
 
For the love of all things visual please use some darn lights and stop worrying about shooting in pitch dark. I don't care how sensitive a camera is. Without proper lighting your video will be flat and lifeless. I wish as much time was spent on learning lighting then it was trying to figure out how to shoot without any lights. If this is for weddings I can understand but anything else you should really use lights. Instead of buying a $1,000.00 lens for shooting in low light buy a $1,000.00 light kit. Your shots will thank you.
 
Very nice example of the gh2 in color at 10 000 iso, with a combination of the hack and some NR.Somehow I am no big user at these level, but it is interesting to know. As indie budget users it will be very handy when you can't light a whole house block.

 
Wow, the one with the kids is awesome, I don't care if he used a noise reduction plugin, with this hack the GH2 has become 2011's King of the night. Cheers. :)
 
Anyone interested in the low light abilities of the GH2 needs to see that one with the kids. Unbelievable. The shooter was smart to use the vibrant setting to get the most color out of such low light. Neat Video is also incredible. Filmmakers just have no excuse anymore hah.
 
Believe me, there is always an excuse. :)

The thing (as already mentioned) is that good ISO sensitivity is no substitute for good lighting. It is a routine procedure in Hollywood productions to light sets way over the level than you see in the end product. Substracting light is simple. Retrieving detail from underlit subjects is impossible to do once the threshold for detail loss has been crossed, and before then it has issues. If you don't know what I'm talking about take a look at the Special Features from the "Descent" DVD.

I understand the lust for ISO sensitivity to a point, don't get me wrong. Just not as an excuse to moan that you can't produce good crap due to technological shortcomings. LOL.
 
Very nice. I figure in a year or two I'll upgrade my GH1. I am gonna take some tips though and work on lighting myself.
 
Danielvilliers said:
Very nice example of the gh2 in color at 10 000 iso, with a combination of the hack and some NR.Somehow I am no big user at these level, but it is interesting to know. As indie budget users it will be very handy when you can't light a whole house block.

Click to expand...

Some NR is an understatement. It's just the best plugin for NR available, not really an easy tool to use (several settings) and it must take a nice time to render. But the results are worth it.

I wasn't aware you could use ISO 10.000 in video mode. However when I was testing my camera I was surprised at how good stills are at ISO 5000.
 
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