more confused everyday...

Lake Films

Lake Films

Veteran
Ok, so I own the gh1 (GH13), shot 2 films with it and loved it. I originally bought it to experiment to see if I would like shooting with a dslr, and i do of course. So, now I want to 'upgrade' and I do not know which way to go. Here's the cameras on my wish list:

Panasonic GH2
Canon 5d
Canon 7d
Canon 60d
Any suggestions for filmmaking primarily?

Thanks guys!
 
It seems like Canon is the 'king' of the hill. Everywhere you turn, read etc, it's always canon. I thought the 5d etc.. would have better overall quality for filmmaking...You know better then anyone Barry, does the GH13 rank right up there with the best of them? With the hack of course.

PS: Idea, keep the gh13 and invest in more lens'? I have the kit, and the 20mm. Along with various canon's..
 
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The Canon has definitely gotten the most press. As far as technical image quality, sharpness, lack of artifacts etc., the GH2 is far superior to the Canon. But, the GH2 doesn't have the "buzz". Take that for what it's worth. I had a Canon, I had a 7D, and man was I glad to see that thing go. I also had a GH1, modified to a GH13. I definitely preferred many things about it over the Canon, but what I really didn't like was the hack instability. I sold off the GH13 and got a GH2 and so far have been absolutely delighted with it. No way in hell would I want to try to undertake some actual filmmaking venture with the Canons, but then again, I wouldn't want to do that with any of the DSLRs, I'd want to use something like the AF100 for that purpose. But if I had a gun to my head and someone said "you must shoot cinematic-style stuff and you can only use a hybrid stills/video camera", then I would grab the GH2 and be thankful for it.

Again -- are you wanting to upgrade just because you've heard others are using something else? I wouldn't spend money based on that! To me the reasons to spend money are:
1) the product you're using no longer does what you need, or
2) your clients are demanding something different than what you already have.

If one of those applies, let us know which; otherwise it's like you're chasing after something new just because it's "fashionable". Right?
 
You are correct Barry, and I think either I'll stick with my gh13 or look into the gh2. I already have extra batteries, lens' and a few more accessories. It would be crazy to start from scratch again. Thanks, I can rest! You hit it on the head all of the press including Philip Bloom talking up Canon's so highly I thought I'd investigate... Don't fix something if it's not broken right!!
 
I also say wait for the next generation of cameras, there's not much to gain by swapping your GH13 for any camera on your wishlist (well, apart from stability, if, as Barry said, it's a problem with the GH13 hack... I've never used one, so I wouldn't know)
 
I shot a film with the hack and class 10 panasonic cards and did not have a problem, so I'm glad for that!

PS: So, who has the best deal on a GH2?
 
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Lake Films said:
I already have extra batteries, lens' and a few more accessories. It would be crazy to start from scratch again.
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Batteries are not compatible from the GH1 to the GH2, unfortunately. Lenses are, of course.

You hit it on the head all of the press including Philip Bloom talking up Canon's so highly I thought I'd investigate...
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Philip does great, beautiful work with the Canons. But people don't always hear what he says; they frequently only hear what they want to hear. Philip said "I love the image from my 5D. And I hate the image from my 5D. Aliasing and moire are the bane of my existence." But you never hear anyone quote that part, do you? He loves his 5D and shoots a lot on it, but he's not blind to the problems, he's painfully aware.

It is possible to make beautiful pictures with all these products. It is also possible to make awful pictures with some of them, that wouldn't happen on the others. You will find varying opinions from different folks, there are some who love and actually prefer the SLR workflow and building up these preposterous rigs and frankensteining things together and adding finders and separate audio recorders and handheld rigs and cineroids and just piece after piece after piece... I am not one of them. But what I like, or what they like, are largely irrelevant -- it's what YOU like, and how YOU shoot, that matters. You may very well be better off with a Canon, maybe there would be something about its imaging or workflow that you would prefer. That's why I was asking the questions. There is no one single "right" product for every scenario, that's for darn sure. Some will be better than others in some ways, and worse in others.
 
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Lake Films said:
You are correct Barry, and I think either I'll stick with my gh13 or look into the gh2. I already have extra batteries, lens' and a few more accessories. It would be crazy to start from scratch again. Thanks, I can rest! You hit it on the head all of the press including Philip Bloom talking up Canon's so highly I thought I'd investigate... Don't fix something if it's not broken right!!
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The one thing that will most likely make me buy a GH2 is the hdmi live output for focussing which the GH1(3) still hasn´t and never will have I guess.
 
JackBayer said:
The one thing that will most likely make me buy a GH2 is the hdmi live output for focussing which the GH1(3) still hasn´t and never will have I guess.
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Agreed. That, plus the stability, plus the ETC mode, plus the slight overcranking in 1080p mode, were my main reasons.
 
I have the T2i and was really excited about the quality - for awhile. It like the 5D & 7D can make beautiful video.
But the moire & aliasing can get out of control. If you are shooting your own videos then it may not
matter to you. I wanted something that could be a b-camera and do interviews with in conjunction
with my HVX200 until the "next" be all end all camera shows up. Heh.

I was using the T2i to shoot some wide angle interiors and the aliasing just made the clips
unusable.

Any camera will moire here & there but the GH2 is much cleaner and I like the
controls. The flip out LCD with the EVF make it killer. Now you can shoot outside
without the $350 add on DSLR viewer.....
 
Dan_Kanes said:
I'm a GH2 fanboy now. :)
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Heh....yeah well....I keep looking to see if they are in stock
so I can buy another one. Yipes!!
See, if I have two of the same camera, my wife will never
figure it out....as it is she thinks I have one camera
anyway. They all look the same to her.:grin:

Tonight she said: "See you didn't need that RED camera":Drogar-Dum(DBG):

Nah, but I may check out Scarlet.....:Drogar-Love(DBG):
 
HVXguy said:
See, if I have two of the same camera, my wife will never
figure it out....as it is she thinks I have one camera
anyway.
Click to expand...

I get my clients to pay me in cameras and gear sometimes so it doesn't come on the books :) Hopefully she won't notice the massively increasing sprawl of kit.
 
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