Is the T2i's or the GH1's workflow, less taxing / faster / easier?

R

Rising Phoenix

New member
Hi everyone, though I'm a first timer for posting, I've been a reader here for a while now. I've have the Panasonic HPX170 and I am considering getting a DSLR camera to complement my HPX170. I'm trying to decide between the Canon T2i and the Panasonic GH1. I've read a lot already on the advantages and disadvantages of both cameras as a camera, but I'm still not sure which one to get, so I'm trying to figure out the advantages and disadvantages of them in terms of editing workflow for me from those who have experience with these cameras. Though I most likely will use just the HPX170 or the DSLR for some projects, I'm sure there will be projects that I would like to use both cameras together for more coverage. I'll be working with my Macbook Pro 2.33Ghz w/ 2GB of RAM on FCP7.

So my questions are:

1) Can my editing system handle native editing of the T2i's H264 files or the GH1's AVCHD files? Or will I need to transcode the footage from the cameras? Is one or the other easier for my system to handle? Is one or the other faster in terms of workflow?
2) Which camera's (T2i or GH1) footage do you think matches the HPX170's footage best?
3) Do either one of these cameras have an advantage or disadvantage in terms of editing workflow with footage from the HPX170?

I hope I'm posting this in the appropriate forum. Though this post may be more related to the T2i, GH1 and HPX170 forums, there isn't one really to cover them all in terms of editing workflow, so I chose this one. If you feel there is a more appropriate forum for my questions, feel free to move it to the proper forum.

Sorry if these questions seem rather basic, but my experience is with my HPX170's P2 workflow and my DVX100's DV workflow and I'm a newbie to the DSLR world.

Thanks for your input with this. This will help me in determining which camera to get.
 
Answers to 1, 2, and 3 - Test them out. Find a friend or a guy you can throw a few bucks to who already owns one or both of the cameras, shoot some side by side tests, and bring them into final cut and see how they do.

My guess is that you will want to transcode everything to prores to make it easier on yourself. I would imagine you can make a scene file to match those cameras from the HPX as I would bet the HPX's menus for picture control are more nuanced than the dslrs, and workflow for DSLRs, I think, is still in its infancy, so the only true way to be sure would be to test them out, from shoot to edit.
 
Thanks for your response. Yeah, I know testing out each one would be the best way to go to figure it out, but I thought maybe other people on the forum here might be have experience with the same equipment or might have experience with both the T2i and GH1 that would be able to give me their thoughts on the workflow of the 2 cameras and how they well or not well they match with the HPX170 or HVX200a.

I figure transcoding the footage to Pro Res would be the best way to go, but I'm wondering mainly if one or the other 's workflow (T2i or GH1) is faster / easier / or less taxing on the editing system as I'm a little worried about how well my Macbook Pro will be able to handle their workflows.

If someone has experience working with the T2i and GH1 might be able to give me their experience and thoughts on their workflow that'd be great. And if you also have experience trying to match those cameras' footage to the HPX170 or HVX200a, perhaps you could tell me how well they work together, that'd be very helpful.

Or alternatively, if someone has some raw footage (or can point me to some posted somewhere else on the forum) from the T2i and GH1 straight from their cards, I can try them out with my MBP to try determine which might be easier to work with myself.

Otherwise, I guess I will need to try to hunt down these cameras to test them out myself.

Thanks for your help.
 
@ question #1:

Check out this thread. You're eyes might start bugging out and you might get a headache, but there is some info on your transcoding question.

I personally transcode from H264 to Prores in compressor and love it.
 
hi Deepfocus88, thanks for your opinion and the link. I'll go check it out.

Anyone have any experience with the T2i and GH1 or T2i and HPX/HVX or GH1 and HPX/HVX that can let me know about their experience working with them?
 
I have the T2i...and I have shot extensively with the HPX-170. While I LOVE the low light capablities of the T2i, and the depth of field, and the great detail, there are issues.

- You must have a Z-Finder or similar over the LCD so you can shade it from bright sunlight and make SURE you are focusing right.

- The LCD faces one way...period. No way to adjust it for various shooting angles and needs. The Viewfinder doesn't flip around all over like pro cameras do.

- Audio input is sketchy...no way to control volume. You need to get something like a Beachtek to control audio.

- Form factor isn't the best for shooting video...you might need to get a Zacuto rig for long term shooting.

- The zoom lens has an issue I don't like...it brightens and darkens when you zoom. And zooming is something that I do a LOT with a video camera:
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=207756&highlight=Shane

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the T2i. But I use it for home movies. I might think of using the 7D or 5D if shooting a feature, or narrative stuff. But for doc work, which I mostly do...it isn't the best. Unless you need a good secondary camera that you want to not look like a video camera.

Rolling shutter...the wobbliness of the image...is not great either. You have to be careful with the T2i to avoid that. You don't with the HPX-170.
 
I edit all the time on a 2.4ghz MacBook with AVCHD transcoded to ProRez with no problems, it takes a bit of time to Transcode the footage from my HMC150 and T2i but nothing I can't deal with. ProRez is very lean and fast to work with.
 
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