GH4 GH4 has "entry level" 4K?

R

ralfmouth

Well-known member
Tech Tips found the GH4's 4K and 1080p modes identical when shown on a 4K TV, therefore branding it an "entry level" 4K camera.
In contrast they found the FS700's "professional grade" 4K easily apparent in the same test. Somehow it is different.
I don't have a 4K TV so just wondering if that's generally true.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NFmpJNvd4k
 
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Wow, lots of liberties taken with comparing the resolutions. They down sampled the fs7 to 1080 in their recorder because their computer couldn't handle it, and the annoying split files that their editor didn't seem to automatically join like most other editors when they see a split file.

No offense, when I see this kind of stuff at the beginning of a review, I chalk it up to extreme BS and click away. I don't care if they may actually be correct, they are really just comparing ease of use and YouTube playback to real ultimate quality. I've deemed it a trash review based on their opening set up, others are welcome to form their own opinions.
 
I couldn't watch past a few minutes because those guys sounded like such jerrys!
 
Greg_E said:
they are really just comparing ...YouTube playback to real ultimate quality.
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Sounds like they factored out You Tube compression during their local network test (whatever that means, not sure).
I usually like their videos, they cover a LOT of topics, but this one surprised me.
 
The portion of their video that doesn't compute is that they saw no improvement in visual quality between GH4 at 1080p and GH4 at 4k. My personal tests and experiences with the Gh4 show that shooting at 4k and downrezzing to 1080p yields a sharper picture than Gh4 footage shot at 1080p. This is the general consensus among Gh4 users. Not to mention the improvements in color tonality, lack of moire and aliasing, and better results with color grading and greenscreen.
Also, I am currently shooting with an FS700 (still trying to figure out how to make it look its best) and I cannot make its 1080p look as sharp as a GH4.
 
4k better or fat placedo?? I do have a 4k monitor and 4k looks way better than HD to me. not sure if I want to bother watching this whole thing.... ...probably made for controversy ONLY, to get clicks, thus ad revenue... boring truth doesn't profit, but controversey sells
 
dvbrother said:
The portion of their video that doesn't compute is that they saw no improvement in visual quality between GH4 at 1080p and GH4 at 4k.
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Maybe their 4K TV has such a good scaler, both modes look the same. But that should have also appled to the FS700.
 
wwjd said:
I do have a 4k monitor and 4k looks way better than HD to me
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That's what I figured. By the way I don't think they were comparing cameras as much as discussing the validity of shooting 4K in general. The comparison just got me wondering.
 
I watched the video twice and jeez probably have to watch it again. These guys move so fast! My takeaway is if you are posting to Youtube and shooting with the GH4 in UHD and using a high quality ProRes codec downscaled during capture to HD with the 7Q+ then edited and exported upscaled to UHD is just as good as capturing internal UHD with the GH4 plus it doesn't tax your systems resources and storage.
"When delivering to Youtube" Thats the big factor.

This could be the case and if it is in fact that way content creators going to Youtube would benefit on smaller files and easier editing and exporting with that work flow for Youtube.

The 7Q+ does a very impressive job in downscaling the GH4 from UHD to HD.

Prores HQ and Cineform are pretty dang good. Interesting stuff to say the least.

A sidenote. I'm having a hell of time with larger GH4 UHD projects in Premiere Pro. Playback is really bad and exporting causes crashes. Very frustrating.
 
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I just want my nine minutes back. Is this guy Andrew Reid's doppelganger because he's channeling the same thought process.

Get a proper 4K capable NLE and create and distribute whatever resolution you want. Upscale, downscale, ring a ring o' roses, jeez, let's make it all complex again. It's not.

I understand they may have network issues. All solvable with some research.
 
stoneinapond said:
I just want my nine minutes back. Is this guy Andrew Reid's doppelganger because he's channeling the same thought process.

Get a proper 4K capable NLE and create and distribute whatever resolution you want. Upscale, downscale, ring a ring o' roses, jeez, let's make it all complex again. It's not.

I understand they may have network issues. All solvable with some research.
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Yeah, I saw Andrew's post (WTF?). So you mean to tell me that YouTube's compression is so bad that if I capture a 2MP image then scale it back up to 8MP, that it will look better than capturing in 4K in the first place, all to trick Google into broadcasting your content at a higher bitrate that very few have access to, which then causes the user experience to suffer, which is what you were trying to solve in the first place?

Straight garbage.
 
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estarkey7 said:
Yeah, I saw Andrew's post (WTF?). So you mean to tell me that YouTube's compression is so bad that if I capture a 2MP image then scale it back up to 8MP, that it will look better than capturing in 4K in the first place, all to trick Google into broadcasting your content at a higher bitrate that very few have access to, which then causes the user experience to suffer, which is what you were trying to solve in the first place?

Straight garbage.
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I've been touting this since youtube started allowing 4K content. 1080p on Youtube is very heavily compressed. 4K and 2K and so on are less so. So whether it's 4K content shot on my GH4 or not, if it's something I want to show off, I scale it up to 4K, and then usually suggest that people play it back at 1440p, as 4K content always seems to have to buffer, but 1440p plays without much buffering and definitely looks better.

As to the video review in question posted above, I didn't watch it, but I can tell anyone that 4K, on my computer is much more detailed than 1080p. I can clearly see it. Whether it's worth it in the end, is up to the user. I certainly think it is well worth it to shoot in 4K, but some might not, especially depending on workflow capabilities.
 
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