GH2 Hacked GH2 Impressed in the new Zacuto shootout

Wolfenbarg said:
If the DP and the colorist sucks, then that image will suck. In essence, it's not about the cameras, it's about the people using them and how they got the best possible image out of them.
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And I think this is why part 1 is completely useless. I don't care which of those DP's was the best, I want to know what the differences between the cameras are. Just watching the clips now I saw many subtle differences in the lighting - some were good choices and some were definitely not. But they all render the test totally useless for comparison purposes.
 
@Jester2138 I am looking forward to the other tests more as well, but Part 1 does show that you are more limited in your DOF options with an iPhone than the other cameras. I bet almost everyone here could pick it out of the line-up based on that alone.
 
Jester2138 said:
And I think this is why part 1 is completely useless. I don't care which of those DP's was the best, I want to know what the differences between the cameras are. Just watching the clips now I saw many subtle differences in the lighting - some were good choices and some were definitely not. But they all render the test totally useless for comparison purposes.
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That's exactly what this documentary is trying to dispell. The camera is not the be-all end-all tool that determines quality. If I had a GH2 with the same lenses and same hack as someone like Kholi, would I be making the same images? No, not even close. Experience and knowledge inform how well a camera is employed and how good the image is more than the camera itself. A series that shows more veneration for the DP and their craft over the gear they use is pretty welcome, in my opinion. Zacuto already did two shootouts for comparison purposes, and last year's was basically the perfect test.
 
@Jester, I guess it depends on what you're looking for. There are lots of different ways to compare things. One is to put all of the cameras into the exact same environment, but change that environment about 10 different ways to mimic different situations. To me that form of testing is pretty useless since it doesn't reflect anything real-world at all. I think the point of the shootout is to showcase the current crop of tools out there.
 
I too was at the London Screening at Soho Screening Rooms (4pm session). On the bigger screen I found it incredible how all of them looked pretty darn close on the 'Empirical' screening and then the 'Creative showing' revealed the quality of the cinematographer, lighting choice and grading between the shootists. I have to say I was mighty impressed how my Quantum 9B Intra setting on the GH2 held up in both tests to the 'big boys'. Obviously, I know the results but will not spoil it for anyone. However, I can say I chose F, B, and A, as my first three ranked favourites. Guess you'll have to see how I got on... :-)

And Oh my God, one of my fav all time director's chose the GH2 as his fav! :-) (No tellin' sorry!)
 
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Dont tell me F was the GH2? (see why in next statement). The part we've seen thus far is pretty much based on how its lit, though one big factor that came to mind were skin tones. This is also very much effected by the light / light controls that strike it and how its graded.

My top 3 - F, H and then B/C/E all around the same - others I didnt rate too highly.
 
I'm almost certain H is the GH2, almost solely based on the motion cadence; I'll be pretty surprised if it isn't!
 
Well.... Although it's necessary to watch the video, I put together some some grabs to make it easier to compare certain things side by side. I choose these two shots in each because I thought they gave the best representations of the scene.

These image are actually too large to embed here, so I put links to them on my server:

Download: shot-1.jpg
shot-1.jpg

Download: shot-2.jpg
shot-2.jpg


B was definitely my favorite. Followed by... uh, F? No guess on which GH2 was. But the iPhone had to have been D.
 
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The fact that we even have to ask about the iPhone is insane!
It's a CELL PHONE!
This Zacuto test might be one of the last of its kind - ya know?
A couple of years from now we'll all have some kind of device that gives accurate 4K video for the price of T.V.
I'm not the oldest guy around here by far...but this crazy-fast advancing still kind of spooks me a little bit - even though I love the tools.
In 10 more years the whole technological landscape is probably going to be completely.....something I can't even guess.

Scoop my jaw up off the floor please.
 
Did watch the test and Iam actually curious about the results. Iam not a serious filmmaker just using the cam sometimes as a hobby.

Which I did like most without any order:

A
C
F
H

I almost bet that B is the GH2, the sharpness is quiete intense..but Iam probably wrong. I would say the image quality was the best of all, little bit too sharp.
My bet for the Iphone is D.
 
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Regardless of what camera they were shot with, most people agree that the result of D and G (regardless of how they were achieved) look the worst against the others, right?

Or is this just a case of my aesthetic overriding my objectivity? :)
 
Per Lichtman said:
Regardless of what camera they were shot with, most people agree that the result of D and G (regardless of how they were achieved) look the worst against the others, right?

Or is this just a case of my aesthetic overriding my objectivity? :)
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I agree, D and G were by far the worst for me as well. My favorites were (in no particular order): A, F, E, H. I honestly can't tell which is better. They all look good to me.

Oh, and thanks for posting the stills, Keylight! Very helpful to see them all side by side. I don't think I can pick out the GH2 footage specifically, but as long as it's not D or G, then I'm happy with the results because that means the GH2 compares favorably with Epic, Alexa and F65!!!
 
B and D are pretty much on the level to me. They're both super ugly, and I don't know if it's just the lighting or the over sharpening, but those are gross. lol
 
I put videoy for B and plastic/soft for D this afternoon when I watched it. I thought those were the worst too !!! I thought C and G where the nicest and per my usual disclaimer, not the sharpest :)

Cheers,
Pete
 
Fell asleep before it hit the half mark. Just put the cameras name next to the letter, that's all. Wonderful how a cinematographer is born with a tiny camera in his hands. This Zacuto guys put together really funny stuff, no doubt.
 
It's tough to say which I liked best but def D & G were the worst. But even then, they were good enough in the final close up of the guy and girl that they could be used to make some good footage. The playing field is pretty level out there.
 
I think it was clear which one was the red epic, very stuttery and strange motion.
 
The most stuttery motion in the test should have been rendered by the camera shooting at 1/60 instead of 1/50, 1/48 or "180 degrees". We've seen repeatedly in other tests that iPhone 4s is much weaker in its ability to render motion than some of the other cameras and we are seeing it again here - example D.

Note - I have not been to the screenings and I have asked the people that have not to tell me, so I am just offering my observations as well.
 
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