Just ordered a GH1. Any user advice?

C

cmd

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I've been wanting one since it was announced. I've always been impressed by their TZ line. iA is actually quite smart as AUTO goes and the IQ quite good for a compact. I finally gave in on the GH1 -- wasn't much more than the 18-200 lens I was considering and FAR lighter as a package. I'm just going to be using the camera for family video/stills. Nothing professional. I'm hoping will replace the need to carry my D60 or HD camcorder (I'm constantly torn which to carry). It will be nice to have more than 3 focus points.

Any tips?

I plan to shoot in 720/60p for smoother action. When shooting video do I need to do anything to get the correct shutter speed in brighter/dimmer light or will iA/MOVIE mode take care of that automatically? (trying to keep everything as simple as possible for starters)
 
Sounds like you got the perfect camera for the job.

As for shutter -- for video, just leave it on 1/60th and forget about it. (unless you're in a PAL territory, in which case you should use 1/50th). The only time you should have to go anywhere near the shutter would be perhaps bright daylight conditions, if the footage is overexposed at f/22. Other than that, just leave it at 1/60th.
 
Barry_Green said:
Sounds like you got the perfect camera for the job.

As for shutter -- for video, just leave it on 1/60th and forget about it.
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Thanks. I realized since I starting buying nicer cameras/SLRs, I rarely shoot video now. Favoring stills, the HF100 gets left behind. I'd like to change that and have both high quality photos and HD video (with acceptable AF). Hopefully the GH1 will work for me.

Should I set the MOVIE mode to 1/120 in bright conditions so the lens doesn't have to stop down as far?
 
The GH1 does nice HD video in most circumstances, but there are situations where it's taxed beyond its capabilities. We actually have a film premiering in SXSW that was shot on a GH1, it looks great -- but I wouldn't try shooting "the blair witch project" on it, it'd fall apart. So get to know it, and if you stick mainly to the 720p mode you shouldn't have any issues.

For outdoors start out in ISO 100, and if you need to stop the shutter down more for acceptable exposure, go ahead. But indoors or in any scenario where there's fluorescent or HMI lighting, put the shutter on 1/60th and leave it there.
 
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