GH4 How is the rolling shutter on the GH4?

V

vcfilms

Well-known member
Just wondering if anyone has run any tests on this? How does the rolling shutter compare to some of the other cameras you've used?

Thanks!
 
in 4k mode it's bad, back to a level probably similar the the 5d2. But the resolution is SO good it's worth it for most shots we're finding.

In 1080 mode it's great, very fast.
 
Wait a minute, you're saying that the rolling shutter is depends on what mode you are shooting with?? Damn, this is a big minus, as UHD and then downscaling to HD is what is best about this camera! 5D2 had a unacceptable rolling shutter for me.

Could somebody please do a test in UHD and HD?
 
The tests have already been done by andrew at EOSHD and believe me, it couldn't be clearer when you're shooting. The 4k rolling shutter is not good.

Everything is a compromise. I personally LOVE the GH4 because it does so many things very well, but nothing's perfect.
 
I agree completely, it's not really an issue at 1080P, but in 4K mode its pretty nasty. I switched from an FS100, so having to worry about this is pretty jarring.
 
Damn. Not what I was wanting to hear but appreciate the fast responses. I was looking at using this in 4k on a movi and cinestar. Guess I may have to second think that!
 
4k reallly does have terrible rolling shutter, but the question is whether you will really be affected by it. If you are going handheld, then yes, it is completely unusable. However.. If you are on a tripod/slider/anything-other-than-your-hands, the rolling shutter is not an issue. Interviews in 4k are great. I hate the modern 'keep the camera moving on the tripod all the freaking time' look, so hopefully this limitation will force cinematographers/DOPs to find a good shot and lock it down!

1080p is gorgeous. This camera is not for everyone but I am certainly thrilled with it so far.
 
vcfilms said:
Damn. Not what I was wanting to hear but appreciate the fast responses. I was looking at using this in 4k on a movi and cinestar. Guess I may have to second think that!
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HotConductor is exactly right, it looks great on a tripod or with any kind of support. I imagine with a Movi you would be fine. The really small movements on handheld though, even with a stabilized lens, seem to wreck things in 4k.
 
HotConductor said:
4k reallly does have terrible rolling shutter, but the question is whether you will really be affected by it. If you are going handheld, then yes, it is completely unusable. However.. If you are on a tripod/slider/anything-other-than-your-hands, the rolling shutter is not an issue. Interviews in 4k are great. I hate the modern 'keep the camera moving on the tripod all the freaking time' look, so hopefully this limitation will force cinematographers/DOPs to find a good shot and lock it down!

1080p is gorgeous. This camera is not for everyone but I am certainly thrilled with it so far.
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Albeit I do appreciate your optimism but not everybody wants to shoot locked from a tripod all the time. Shooting stile is a storytelling element and should be chosen based on the requirements of the stories formal system and not by the cameras limitations. That being said this is a budget camera and with budget come compromises. I was just really surprised to hear this + your arguing that everybody will be forced to shoot locked down on a tripod is kinda funny and needed to be addressed;)
 
I've found that the OIS lenses (Panasonic 12-35 and 35-100) help dramatically with the rolling shutter. You will likely have more problems with vintage lenses, etc.
 
Is the amount of 4k rolling shutter baddness altered, at all, by any 4k shooting settings? Like, is 30p better/worse than 24? I imagine the LESS processing it has to do (smaller, lower Frame Rate) the faster it can deal with sensor info?
 
KINOKS said:
Albeit I do appreciate your optimism but not everybody wants to shoot locked from a tripod all the time. Shooting stile is a storytelling element and should be chosen based on the requirements of the stories formal system and not by the cameras limitations. That being said this is a budget camera and with budget come compromises. I was just really surprised to hear this + your arguing that everybody will be forced to shoot locked down on a tripod is kinda funny and needed to be addressed;)
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funny, most of normal budget productions I worked on do not mind tripod at all. As the matter of fact it is probably a preferred method and has been for decades, unless you were trying to repeat Blair Witch Project style. It's only with arrival of "know it all DSLR style don't tell me how to shoot old man" crowd, that hand held is even considered of any value.
 
snowblindfilm said:
funny, most of normal budget productions I worked on do not mind tripod at all. As the matter of fact it is probably a preferred method and has been for decades, unless you were trying to repeat Blair Witch Project style. It's only with arrival of "know it all DSLR style don't tell me how to shoot old man" crowd, that hand held is even considered of any value.
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There are so much instances in which you would want to shoot mobile and not locked down that I wont even go into them. And all those instances are by yours logic apparently not "normal"?:) As I said shooting stile is a storytelling element and should be chosen based upon that. Saying that shooting from a tripod is what the true and old man DPs and directors are doing is nothing else but being dogmatic. I will chose the shooting stile that best fits the film, period. I wont wont be swayed by some dogma that you need to shoot from the tripod, that all the pans and moves need to be motivated by the subject, etc. These are all just tools and nothing else that need to be used according to the format and storytelling needs of film/video you're shooting. However I do agree that the mobile camera is way way over used and mostly it is used solely as stylistic choice and nothing else.

As for me personally, I've never owned a DSLR before. We are considering purchasing the GH4 primarily for our documentary work. And the docu format that I had in mind needs a mobile camera not a slow, locked down to a tripod camera. The GH4 seemed perfect in this regard, small body, smaller chip (need the extra DOF), ability to shoot UHD and the crop in post for re framing purposes (great for shooting docs) and because of UHD no need for an external recorded so overall a small package. Now I hear that UHD has terrible rolling shutter, precisely the reason why I never shoot with the early DSLRs (that and the terrible moire/aliasing and codec issues). So this kinda ruins our plans:(
 
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snowblindfilm said:
As the matter of fact it is probably a preferred method and has been for decades, unless you were trying to repeat Blair Witch Project style. It's only with arrival of "know it all DSLR style don't tell me how to shoot old man" crowd, that hand held is even considered of any value.
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This statement shows complete ignorance & lack of experience.
 
Hi

I hate those shaky camera shots where they make things look like a fake documentary, we just can't watch it, you end up with motion sickness. Add in the quick zoom in then out, what is that all about, horrible...

Regards

Phil
 
Ryan Lightbourn said:
This statement shows complete ignorance & lack of experience.
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Agreed. What about the THOUSANDS of non fake doco style 'walk and talk' interviews that 60 Minutes has done over the years. There is a place for everything. And although I find the jello at 4K to be rather high I do not think it makes handheld a non-starter. You just have to be careful. Also I have only been testing vintage lenses, so I imagine like Nick said above the IOS lens will help a bunch.
 
KINOKS said:
As I said shooting stile is a storytelling element and should be chosen based upon that.
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First off, it is STYLE not STILE, unless you are discussing farming. :cheesy:

Secondly, I had no idea that an offhand joke would start into a war on handheld vs stabilized. Gordon Ramsey's shows, for example, feature tons of handheld shots. Compare the first season to later seasons, and you will see that as production value increased, the handheld shots decreased and improved in stabilization.

I agree with you completely on the project and operator dictating the style and method for acquiring footage. Good friends of mine did a documentary in Guatemala over the past few years. It has gained great traction as was mostly shot on Canon gear. I am a huge Panny fan and am not connected with the project, except to say they are friends from church and view every project they do as a ministry to whatever segment of the population they are documenting... Link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDrnHe7-pF8

The film DOES featured handheld shots, but all of those shots are incredibly well-composed aside from a few nighttime 'running around with drug gangs' shots which can be seen in the trailer above.. The point? If they had shot the whole documentary on a few GH4s in 4K, the vast majority of their footage would not be affected by the rolling shutter, due to the WAY they are filming.

There are certain instances where I could see some real issues with the rolling stutter, such as filming a drummer... The drumsticks end up looking like silly putty.
 
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