GH2 New A-cameras to match GH2...

HotConductor

HotConductor

Well-known member
I currently have a small army of GH2s with tons of great lenses. I simply love the look/feel of the GH2 footage, with the same minor gripes as most people here. I am getting to the point where I need two new cameras. These will mainly be used for events in the coming months..

I am leaning toward the AC130/160, but I have not gotten any hands on time with the camera. I sold my two HMC150s due to the soft image just not cutting it anymore, and I fear the same issue with the AC160. The videos online vary from great (snow skiing outside) to mediocre (fuzzy tour videos/documentaries).

Any thoughts on a 'step up' on the GH2? My primary needs are synchroscan, clean hdmi out and an image that will complement the GH2. Note, I am also thinking about picking up a GH3 but since it does not have sychroscan it would not solve that particular issue for me.

Thank you in advance for your feedback!
 
Black Magic Cinema Camera? That's the next logical step up as far as image quality is concerned. The GH2 produces a ridiculous image for the price, so unless you sidestep to a GH3, which isn't really that much better than a GH2, you are looking at few options.

A BMCC is one.

A second hand Red One is another to consider.

F35's can be had for around £6-8K in the UK, I don't know about elsewhere.

FS100?
 
After several years struggling with my GH2 and having to use a tripod always if M & A is to be avoided i have gone back to to a cam ,XA10,Far better video footage,no M & A worth speaking of,different colour look with superior greens,i was going to sell my GH2 but i will probobly keep it for stills and video backup because it can take good video with hard work.
 
sorry for the off topic here but - flinty - you keep spreading this misinformation about m&a as you call it on the gh2 - despite many folks telling you that you're not interpreting your footage correctly (25p in hbr) you have somehow decided to ignore all this and continue to fill other threads with the same misinformation.
Learn how to interpret your footage as progressive and you wont keep seeing the interlaced artifacts you continually complain about.

back on topic i would also recommend an af101
 
flinty said:
After several years struggling with my GH2 and having to use a tripod always if M & A is to be avoided i have gone back to to a cam ,XA10,Far better video footage,no M & A worth speaking of,different colour look with superior greens,i was going to sell my GH2 but i will probobly keep it for stills and video backup because it can take good video with hard work.
Click to expand...

You either have a faulty GH2, or you are a faulty cinematographer. If you are consistently getting good footage with an XA10 and poor footage with a GH2, I'd guess at the latter.

I'd suggest taking some time to re-learn your processes when using the GH2, most notably your post workflow. Interlaced wrappers and gamma issues and stuff can really ruin GH2 images if you aren't aware of them.
 
Will Turner said:
A second hand Red One is another to consider.
Click to expand...

I would never suggest someone look into a second hand Red One. You need all kinds of support accessories, and more than likely he doesn't have a tripod that supports 40-ish pounds, so the money starts to add up real fast.

A BMCC or an AF100 (used, not the "A" model, save your money) are two viable options for an "A" camera.
 
I have a feeling your gonna miss the sharpness of the gh2, there's not many cameras that produce a level of sharpness the gh2 does. Idk, it doesn't sound like a BMCC will be the right choice for what your looking for. The Canon xf100 has a pretty sharp image, not sure about the synchro scan, or an af100 like others suggest.
 
Will Turner said:
You either have a faulty GH2, or you are a faulty cinematographer. If you are consistently getting good footage with an XA10 and poor footage with a GH2, I'd guess at the latter.

I'd suggest taking some time to re-learn your processes when using the GH2, most notably your post workflow. Interlaced wrappers and gamma issues and stuff can really ruin GH2 images if you aren't aware of them.
Click to expand...
So i am faulty cinematographer despite getting good M & A free footage from the Canon and all previous camcorders.
Well if my XA10 which does 25P in a wrapper like the GH2, does not have it in 25P or interlaced and the GH2 does in both including 24P as well,regarding your strange post work flow suggestion,are you saying all GH2s have moire and ailising and post processing is needed to get rid of it,its on any non tripod clips,as i have said before http://vimeo.com/57369071 looks exactly the same playing raw clips direct to tv or monitor.

JIM SIMON it is true if that had been filmed with a tripod it would not have been there to any noticeable degree,any movement of the camera exagerates it.
 
Last edited:
flinty said:
So i am faulty cinematographer despite getting good M & A free footage from the Canon and all previous camcorders.
Click to expand...

Quite possible, because most of us get artifact free footage out of our GH2's, even when handheld.

(And you definitely did something wrong with that house fotoage. That ain't normal.)
 
Jim Simon said:
I don't believe that's true. Moire and aliasing are a function of the details in the scene, not whether or not you're on a tripod.
Click to expand...

I thought the same thing, if your shooting a fence that produces moire, your gonna see it whether your on sticks or not. I'm guessing a CMOS camcorder will have some sort of optical filter to reduce moire/aliasing. But usually at the cost of sharpness.

I also don't understand why Flinty says you have to work hard to get a good gh2 image? If attaching a lens, turning the camera on, and setting exposure is hard, it could just be your lazy:) The gh2 does have an auto setting for lazy shooters. :) I'm just busting your chops Flinty, cheers
 
flinty said:
Well if my XA10 which does 25P in a wrapper like the GH2, does not have it in 25P or interlaced and the GH2 does in both including 24P as well,regarding your strange post work flow suggestion,are you saying all GH2s have moire and ailising and post processing is needed to get rid of it,its on any non tripod clips,as i have said before http://vimeo.com/57369071 looks exactly the same playing raw clips direct to tv or monitor.
Click to expand...

Well, this was also a GH2 as well.


You'll see plenty of shots that are similar, but don't have that problem.
 
flinty said:
So i am faulty cinematographer despite getting good M & A free footage from the Canon and all previous camcorders.
Well if my XA10 which does 25P in a wrapper like the GH2, does not have it in 25P or interlaced and the GH2 does in both including 24P as well,regarding your strange post work flow suggestion,are you saying all GH2s have moire and ailising and post processing is needed to get rid of it,its on any non tripod clips,as i have said before http://vimeo.com/57369071 looks exactly the same playing raw clips direct to tv or monitor.

JIM SIMON it is true if that had been filmed with a tripod it would not have been there to any noticeable degree,any movement of the camera exagerates it.
Click to expand...

I don't want this to be taken personally, but that is the worst footage I have ever seen filmed with a GH2. In fact I'm finding it hard to believe that was shot with a GH2 at all. My mobile phone shoots better video than that (literally), so I'm not surprised you side with XA10. Have you ever used another GH2 to the one you own? I really think you got a lemon there.

On the subject of aliasing; it is there whether you move the camera or not. You might notice it more when it shimmers with movement, but it's there to exactly the same degree.
 
flinty said:
So i am faulty cinematographer despite getting good M & A free footage from the Canon and all previous camcorders.
Well if my XA10 which does 25P in a wrapper like the GH2, does not have it in 25P or interlaced and the GH2 does in both including 24P as well,regarding your strange post work flow suggestion,are you saying all GH2s have moire and ailising and post processing is needed to get rid of it,its on any non tripod clips,as i have said before http://vimeo.com/57369071 looks exactly the same playing raw clips direct to tv or monitor.

JIM SIMON it is true if that had been filmed with a tripod it would not have been there to any noticeable degree,any movement of the camera exagerates it.
Click to expand...

I'd be willing to bet a lot of things that you are interpreting your footage improperly in whatever NLE you're using. I have NEVER seen anything like that coming out of a GH2 in the few hundreds of hours spent using it. Never.

I think you may need to take another look at whatever NLE you're using to suss that out, or your camera settings. You could never convince me that was done with a GH2.
 
First off, thank you for responding.. Seriously. I generally research for months before making a purchase, and this is part of that process.

BMCC - I like what I've seen but I'd be more inclined to get a GH3. Framerate peaks at 30fps. Most of the time I am shooting 23.98, but I'd love to be able to shoot slo-mo. This camera looks great, but for the price I feel like I'd spend a bit more and get something a bit more capable.

AF100 - Has synchroscan and solid footage. GH2 footage would mix with it nicely. Seems like a decent option for solving the synchroscan issue, but aside from that I think I'd be better off with a GH3. Audio is not a concern and the GH3 has so many new features like the all-I codec, that the AF100 is much less appealing than it was several years ago, to me.

RED anything - I could take out a loan and get into this, but most of my clients would not appreciate the difference. Not to mention the workflow change, insane speed at which one goes through batteries.. etc..

GH3, despite synchroscan being absent, is looking more and more appealing every day. It is also tough but I might just stick with my GH2s. I really love what I am able to get with them! Just really really hard to beat. I keep hoping that I'm missing something, or that the ultimate GH2/HMC/AF hybrid will come out soon. GH2 with less rolling shutter, synchroscan and 60p..... GH3 gets 2 out of 3 right?
 
If you're not concerned about built-in XLRs and ND filters, and you have a limited budget, I would go with the GH3.

Red One, gah.
 
XLR inputs are not worth the extra $2k. Budget is not the issue, but I do need to be wise with this investment. ND filters are a plus, but again, not work the extra $2k difference.

Unless the AF100 offers an extra stop of light, a better image than the GH3, or a frame-rate difference (GH3 shoots 1080p/60fps, hard to beat) then I don't really see the benefit.
 
HotConductor said:
Unless the AF100 offers an extra stop of light, a better image than the GH3, or a frame-rate difference (GH3 shoots 1080p/60fps, hard to beat) then I don't really see the benefit.
Click to expand...

AF100 can shoot 1080p60 if you're lucky to get one with the upgrade, but yeah, sounds like the GH3 is your best bet.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top