GH2 Native GH3 I-Frame 72Mbs Video

Barry_Green said:
I'll probably do a book and DVD and everything, as I think the GH3 has a real chance to be the no-budget DVX replacement we all wanted the AF100 to be
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Fantastic. I'm putting in an order for the book right now - I hope you're keeping an order list, and if so, I'm #1 on that list.
 
Could stand with a touch less exposure, but some of us odd ducks still like color and contrast. The "Genesis" short seems flat enough in its palette.

...but no, it's no BMCam. Different capabilities and applications altogether.
 
The extensive use of 8x8 matrices (as well as 4x4) in both AVCHD and H.264 GH3 files indicates a major upgrade to its encoder. If it works as efficiently as H.264 encoders used in other DSLR's, the GH3 encoder should be able to produce high quality images using significantly less bitrate than a hacked GH2 requires.
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There you go. What people seem not to understand is that software AND hardware are evolving all the time. The codec that couldn't work yesterday gets developed further and further until it works better and more efficient. The same goes for hardware. When an engineer gets a visit from an space alien, with knowledge thousandths of years ahead, who pumps more data into his/her brain, new things happen, (well that's my theory about how geniuses work, lol!). The people working behind closed doors are remarkable at what they do and we are just at the very early stages of the digital revolution.
 
I honestly love what they've done. It honestly looks like Panasonic paid attention and put together a nice little cam. I definitely plan on renting one for a week, trying it out, then deciding whether I really want to get one. I love my GH2s. Great tool, great camera.

However, the ONLY feature I don't see mentioned, and it might not be included is synchroscan!!! I'm probably spelling that wrong but who cares. The GH2 just isn't the best for dealing with difficult LED lights/screens. That is the only feature I will truly miss from my HMC150. Rolling shutter kills me, but trying to find the right shutter speed to deal with on-stage lighting can be insane. If Panasonic puts synchroscan, even a basic feature, in this cam, it would make a world of difference to me. The I-frame codec already speaks volumes to me.

I can't wait for the influx of GH3 operators to say 'it doesn't do this'.
 
...If you're not impressed by the GH3 so far, take another look at the “Genesis” film that Philip Bloom was DP for. The BTS video explains that the night "police" scenes were shot using only available street lights and the lights from the police cruisers. I know for a fact that my GH2 would die a thousand horrible deaths trying to shoot good footage under these conditions. I would have to add tons of fill light to lower the contrast to get something usable with my GH2. Right here, this tells me that the new GH3 is going to be a very good low light camera, with much better contrast control than my very contrasty patched GH2 beastie is. This alone is worth $1,300 to me. ( much cheaper than a $2,100+ Canon or Nikon body for low-light work )
 
We still haven't seen the GH3 using its optimal profile picture settings. There's a high dynamic mode now and the sharpness/contrast parameters now go down to -5 instead of just -2.
 
One thing that impressed me was the night scene in the "Genesis" video and how the camera handled the DR of those lights from the Police cars and the brake lights etc. For one thing those are so bright that if you pushed the camera to be able to expose for the darkness on a GH1/2 that would've made it almost impossible to contain those Police car lights !!! That is a huge test of DR right there. You could actually see into the lights some detail on many of the shots. They weren't all blown out as I would expect with my GH1.

I'm really looking forward to this camera. They added most of the features I had on my wish list. In particular giving us more adjustment range on settings. I'm so tired of -2!!! Being able to go beyond that will be so much more liberating.
 
lpowell said:
4x4 macroblocks are better-suited to encoding rapidly moving objects. 8x8 macroblocks are better-suited to encoding smooth gradients. A sophisticated H.264 encoder will use both types of macroblocks to achieve the finest quality at the lowest practical bitrate. The GH1 and GH2 AVCHD encoders can only use 4x4 macroblocks, and this impairs their ability to handle gradients without noticeable banding and posterization, even when they have access to bitrates of 100Mbps. The GH3's ability to use both 4x4 and 8x8 macroblocks indicates that Panasonic has made a major upgrade to its H.264 encoder.
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This sounds like a dream come true.
 
After shooting first with the AF100 then going for the hacked GH2, I have yet to see anything from the GH3 that warrants a purchase. I find the images to be incredibly similar to the point that I feel that any visual difference would have to come down to comparing things side by side, in which case, that's pixel peeping, so I'll probably hold off on the GH3. At the very least, if there is a marginal difference, the want for the upgrade will be greater than the need. Which i think will apply to many.

Still very crunchy and contrasty. Surprised they haven't introduced some type of log curve or at the very least parameters for lowering sharpness more than + or - 2, and having to run things through 5DtoRGB is not that fun and lengthens the post process.
 
PaPa said:
After shooting first with the AF100 then going for the hacked GH2, I have yet to see anything from the GH3 that warrants a purchase. I find the images to be incredibly similar to the point that I feel that any visual difference would have to come down to comparing things side by side, in which case, that's pixel peeping, so I'll probably hold off on the GH3. At the very least, if there is a marginal difference, the want for the upgrade will be greater than the need. Which i think will apply to many.

Still very crunchy and contrasty. Surprised they haven't introduced some type of log curve or at the very least parameters for lowering sharpness more than + or - 2, and having to run things through 5DtoRGB is not that fun and lengthens the post process.
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But you can adjust detail with a finer amount on the GH3. The GH3 has a -5 to +5 for each of the options instead of -2 to +2. We just don't know yet how that will translate into the final image. It could mean a lot more control or more subtle increments. I personally am hoping for more control which makes sense since the way it currently works on the GH2 is already kind of subtle.
 
There's no way we really know what the GH3 is fully capable of yet. From what i've read from those few who used it, the adjustment settings weren't working so they couldn't dial things back as we would normally do. We already know the firmware isn't a finished version on any of the review cameras. However, I do trust the comments that several have made that the DR and noise have been improved from what they could see. It seems to be pretty established that low light handling is better and there seems to be more DR. Those are some key things we've all wanted.

Now i'm just hoping that the aliasing and moire aren't going to be a problem on the production models. What I find funny is that most are actually comparing the HACKED GH2 to the Pre stock GH3 and not even realizing that this is what they're doing. It's well established just how far the image has been improved since the GH2 1st came out. Plus most have had years to get used to the GH2 and learn how to achieve the best image. None of that is possible with the yet to be released GH3! Also there's bound to be some bias towards the image you're used to already verses something new and different. Heck many didn't like the early BMC footage and now many feel it's one of the best images out there.
 
PaPa said:
I have yet to see anything from the GH3 that warrants a purchase. I find the images to be incredibly similar to the point that I feel that any visual difference would have to come down to comparing things side by side, in which case, that's pixel peeping, so I'll probably hold off on the GH3.
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I've heard a couple people say something similar to this. So even if the image was exactly the same as the GH2, you're still getting a bigger magnesium alloy weather resistant body, mic jack, headphone jack, clean HDMI out, higher resolution OLED screen, higher bitrates without hacking, MOV option instead of the crazy AVCHD file structure and wifi capability. To me that's a huge difference.

But if the image quality is improved as well, which is said to be, then bonus.
 
roxics said:
I've heard a couple people say something similar to this. So even if the image was exactly the same as the GH2, you're still getting a bigger magnesium alloy weather resistant body, mic jack, headphone jack, clean HDMI out, higher resolution OLED screen, higher bitrates without hacking, MOV option instead of the crazy AVCHD file structure and wifi capability. To me that's a huge difference.

But if the image quality is improved as well, which is said to be, then bonus.
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Even if the image quality is the same, it's a better camera. You have an official battery grip, better body build, headphone , better lcd display and most importantly for me 1080p at 60fps + other in camera slow mo..... I can't wait till this camera is released!
 
Even if the image quality is the same, it's a better camera. You have an official battery grip, better body build, headphone , better lcd display and most importantly for me 1080p at 60fps + other in camera slow mo..... I can't wait till this camera is released!
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Exactly! It is a more robust camera. Which is want I like to hold in my hands and work with. Not too big, certainly not too small. I have absolutely no doubt that the image is going to be excellent. I mean, really, do anybody think that Panasonic would just do a Blah update knowing that the GH line is developing into a prime DSLR contender? I don't think so. And if a hack will improved what is already improved, fantastic.
 
PAVP said:
Now i'm just hoping that the aliasing and moire aren't going to be a problem on the production models.
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Same here it looks like they are using a weak LP filter as I am seeing moiré for the first time in GH footage. I hope that they can tweak that before it ships.
 
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