GH4 Lots of tests with the new GH4

8 stops DR? I don't care if the camera is 8k, I'd prefer camera manufacturers prioritise thing like DR and lowering ISO noise over increase in resolution. 1080p with 12+ stops DR and a 10bit 422 codec or RAW is what I would prefer.


if this 8 stop DR is true, this is a huge blow for the GH4.
 
vtwiz said:
8 stops DR? I don't care if the camera is 8k, I'd prefer camera manufacturers prioritise thing like DR and lowering ISO noise over increase in resolution. 1080p with 12+ stops DR and a 10bit 422 codec or RAW is what I would prefer.
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And for those requests you will be paying $8K plus. I mean really its a sub $2K DSLR what were you expecting?

Thanks for the tests Bruce & MacGregor.
 
Bruce...I find your real world tests incredibly useful...thanks for sharing them with us. Please don't be discouraged in posting future tests as you and a few others here do this forum business (and all of us) a great service. And thanks to Macgregor also...I have been reading both of you guy's posts here and elsewhere for a long time.

My GH4 is being delivered tomorrow...you saved me a bunch of work.


Larry Gebhardt, Cinematographer
www.LarryGebhardt.com
 
Awesome job guys, thanks for posting. This beats the hell out of random shots of city streets and people sitting in a park. Care to share your down sampling workflow?
 
The limited DR is quite a problem for me, i can't stand white or shadow clipping, i will have prefered to pay 5000 dollars for better DR and a great 96fps option in 1080.
Not saying this camera doesn't offer a lot but still puzzled with going for it, the intriguing new Sony A7, a BMC cam or well, just wait ... What the effective DN of the C300/C100 using the same method? I will be curious to know...



Thanks for sharing your tests guys, really appreciated...

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Creative Art Director & VFX supervisor / Senior Lighter & DigiMatte Painter / Concept Designer
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A little confused by the DR, it's listed as safely above 11 stops by Panasonic, I wondered, did you pull down your superwhites in post because middle grey just goes completely after 3 stops and it makes me think your NLE is clipping them. Either way thanks for doing these, that's a lot of work!
 
Great tests and thanks for doing all the work. As I was reading down thru the posts I was wondering how long it would be before a negative post. I really hate it when the OP goes to so much trouble doing these tests then there is this type criticism. My opinion is if you are going to post something contrary then you must include your own test.
 
Mark Williams said:
I really hate it when the OP goes to so much trouble doing these tests then there is this type criticism. My opinion is if you are going to post something contrary then you must include your own test.
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I think some and the OP are being far too sensitive. I personally didn't find the tests very helpful given their presentation on YouTube. By the time I've adjusted playback resolution and closed the advert, the clip is finished.

What I am heartened by is that the welterweight placed in the same ring as a heavyweight went for as many rounds as it did.

And before I get slammed, let me add that I have seen some of McGregor's work with the F35 and it is indeed stunning.

Thanks for sharing regardless.
 
Hi

We only have one test with the conclusion of limited DR and another test by someone else may produce a different result. Panasonic claim 13 stops of dynamic range, and with a camera this high profile competing with others in the market place would Panasonic dare make exaggerated and false claims? On a video shoot write up at Eoshd they are suggesting 12 stops of dynamic range.

While it is great that we have people taking the time to test and share their experiences and conclusions, the more information the better really, we also need to question if a test result seems odd or out of line with other information. This was already attempted in this thread but that poor person got a lot of stick for suggesting the testing methodology might not have been the best or could do with someone else collabrating the results.

Regards

Phil
 
Not only on F35... I still remember his brillant short with the good old time of our DVD100x cam... True respect



stoneinapond said:
I think some and the OP are being far too sensitive. I personally didn't find the tests very helpful given their presentation on YouTube. By the time I've adjusted playback resolution and closed the advert, the clip is finished.

What I am heartened by is that the welterweight placed in the same ring as a heavyweight went for as many rounds as it did.

And before I get slammed, let me add that I have seen some of McGregor's work with the F35 and it is indeed stunning.

Thanks for sharing regardless.
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Thanks a lot for the test, Bruce!!

Did you test HL -5, Shadows +5 and contrast -5 together in cinelike D? Any gains in DR?
 
vtwiz said:
8 stops DR? I don't care if the camera is 8k, I'd prefer camera manufacturers prioritise thing like DR and lowering ISO noise over increase in resolution. 1080p with 12+ stops DR and a 10bit 422 codec or RAW is what I would prefer.


if this 8 stop DR is true, this is a huge blow for the GH4.
Click to expand...


vincent thomas said:
The limited DR is quite a problem for me, i can't stand white or shadow clipping, i will have prefered to pay 5000 dollars for better DR and a great 96fps option in 1080.
Not saying this camera doesn't offer a lot but still puzzled with going for it, the intriguing new Sony A7, a BMC cam or well, just wait ... What the effective DN of the C300/C100 using the same method? I will be curious to know...
Click to expand...





sounds like you both prefer an A7s Sony. Only 8 bit but very gradable 8 bit, like Canon Cinema EOS.
 
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Showman Media said:
A little confused by the DR, it's listed as safely above 11 stops by Panasonic, I wondered, did you pull down your superwhites in post because middle grey just goes completely after 3 stops and it makes me think your NLE is clipping them. Either way thanks for doing these, that's a lot of work!
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RAW still DR is always more than video gamma DR. RAW beats gamma curves for DR every time.
 
Everyone, just relax please :)

I've also seen McGregor's work (I loved that DVX100 short), and it's quite good. That he took the time to try and do some quick tests for us is commendable (and his conclusion about the camera is positive, remember). But questioning a test isn't a bad thing... it's called the scientific method. And if he's saying there is 8 stops of DR when Panasonic is claiming 13 and EosHD is claiming 12, asking questions in order to get to the bottom of the discrepancy only benefits everyone. I'm curious as to the testing methods-- specifically how were the clips recorded? Were they both to an external recorder? Internal codecs? Maybe I missed that part.

[EDIT] Correcting my own misinformation... Panasonic claims 11, not 13 stops of DR
 
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lrgebhardt said:
Bruce...I find your real world tests incredibly useful...thanks for sharing them with us. Please don't be discouraged in posting future tests as you and a few others here do this forum business (and all of us) a great service. And thanks to Macgregor also...I have been reading both of you guy's posts here and elsewhere for a long time.

My GH4 is being delivered tomorrow...you saved me a bunch of work.

Larry Gebhardt, Cinematographer
www.LarryGebhardt.com
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Same here. Please don't let a few ungrateful posts discourage you from sharing. It really is very helpful to see these tests. Thanks so much for taking the time to do this.
 
Mike,

You're totally right and are approaching it like a gentleman. It's not the asking, but the manner in which it is asked.
 
Encouraging. Resolution, DR, and color looks better than every other camera I own (AF100, GH2, HMC150). May not kill a $12K cinema camera, but close e-dang-nough.

As to the 'validity' of seeing material like this on YouTube... well, there and Vimeo and similar online outlets are exactly where 99% of the work I'd do with this camera would wind up.

I don't see the 96p as "really bad." Plenty of M/A for certain, but not readily worse than a FS700 at 240... useable for plenty of applications and as good or better than anything else in its class. It's very easy to pick and find fault when one's expectations are already set too high.
 
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Panasonic never claimed 13 stops of DR on the camera. That was a fake posting that was later taken down but the false information lingered. On the Zacuto chat with the Panasonic rep he said the conservative estimate was 11 stops.
In terms of DR with the GH4, consider a few things:

1. With Cinelike-D, the recommended approach is to expose about 1/3 to 2/3 stop lower than other Picture style settings because adding back the curve in post will lift the midtones. This recommendation appears in the manuals to all Panasonic cameras that feature Cinelike-D.

2. On the DR test by the OP, I don't think the tone curve was set to flatten the highlights or lift the blacks, which might eke out a bit more DR.

3. When the camera is connectd to an external recorder, 10-bit output should allow a bit more DR than 8-bit.

Given all three of these factors above, I'd say the GH4 probably has at least 1 stop more useable DR than indicated in the test. When mine arrives, I will do my own test.
 
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