NeedCreative
Well-known member
I'm trying to figure out what I can do. I have a need for a three camera setup this fall and I would like to have three C100's but the budget wont allow that. If I can get the GH4 to work I'll get another one and use the C100 for main with audio and two GH4's as B and C cams. I do wish I can push the GH4 past ISO 800. Even at 800 it;s a bit to noisy but in 4K and not reframing it's doable. Reframe to 100% and boy does the noise get bigger. I would probably shoot in 4K and not do big reframing. The noise seems to be more present in the dark tones. Color seems to hide it well.
Yeah, I wouldn't punch in in low light. I'd film it at 4k and frame in camera, then knock it down. Neat Video seems to handle the noise very well, as it is confined to the blacks for the most part. It just smooths those blocks out, then I actually apply grain on top to equalize everything.
I like the "grain-like" noise of the C300/100. It's mostly luma only noise, whereas the GH4 shows some chroma noise as well.
I would say one can shoot even at 3200 if they light for it and add a touch of NR in the shadows in post. (Whereas you can shoot on the C100 as high as 25,000 and NR it and still have a usable image). An external recorder helps; I find the C100 very noisy in big areas of a single color without one myself. The C300 has no such issues. The Gh4 has those issues too, but in much brighter light.
Bottom line I think the Gh4 will work fine for most situations. I tend to shoot and light for at 850 anyway on the C300/100, and 800 is fine on the GH4 - noise is present but it's not bad. I'll use the C300 or hire on shooters with C100/C300 cameras for very low light situations however. Like night shoots or running around in a train tunnel.
What I haven't had time to do is literally compare both cameras, shooting in a darkened room. I will soon.
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