Pros and Cons -- GH1 vs Canon 7d

I''ll do some audio tests on both the GH1 and 7D later on but an external recorder is preferd if AQ is of essence.

The tossing between these cameras got me to get both and use them with their individual strengths. I have not gotten to shot video yet with the 7D because I'm kinda short of time and have a bunch of GH1 material waiting to be edited...
 
When the flash unit is popped up the GH1's mic points backwards towards the operator's throat. Real genius design there.
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Hitherto I've not personally felt moved to open the flash when shooting video as it only works with stills, but each to his own.
 
Why would you open the flash while shooting video?

I've found that the 7D is slightly less susceptible to getting 'finger noise' and movement in the audio while adjusting the camera. They both sound better than I expected, and suffice for situations where the subject is relatively close. It's still not great, but I think with a shotgun mic on there it could be very usable for documentary stuff with either cam.

I mounted the two side-by-side, did a bunch of shooting at 1080, Int, Ext, low light, bright sun. The 7D won it pretty easily for me. I would post the video but I have too many jobs with the 7D already. :) The major difference was the flexibility in post, especially with low light footage. The banding/ macroblocking on the GH1 in combination with the mud and difficult post workflow killed it for me. It's at it's worst in low light of course, and daylight footage was much better. It's still a great camera and I was able to shoot lots of stellar footage on it.

1 disclaimer- I found that a side-by-side test is not simple to do and the results should be taken with a grain of salt because there are so many settings to adjust the image that can affect the outcome greatly, not to mention the post workflow. I tried to adjust them so they both looked similar and at their best for the scene. I just found it easier to get a good image out of the 7D. If I can find any time, I'll post stills.
GH1-vs-7D.jpg
 
How did the GH1 compare at the same ISO? I have found it brighter than the 5D at the same ISO, is the same true against the 7D?

I see you have a Nikon lens on the Canon and a Canon lens on the Panasonic :)

I'd be interested to see footage shot at F2.8 on both, at 1/60 and to see relative image brightness
 
Yes, at the same ISO, shutter and aperture (different lenses though) I would guess that the GH1 was about 1/2 stop brighter.

I was able to get a much lower contrast on the 7D and hence, better dynamic range. The controls for contrast, sharpness, and saturation do a lot more than the gh1's adjustments.
 
Kellar42 said:
So far I like my GH1 and am curious if the 7D would be a huge leap. From what I'm hearing, and the best online 7D video I've seen vs the best online GH1 videos, maybe it won't be as huge as I thought when it was announced. But very curious to hear from those whom have both. Perhaps they compliment one another.
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They do compliment each other excellently, which is why I bought both at around the same time. I'd recommend getting both if you can afford it.

I'd say that if you're talking in very broad, general terms, the 7D is not a "big leap" over the GH1. In fact, I'd say that if you could only have one camera, and you already have the GH1, then you should probably just stick to it instead of flipping it. That is unless image quality is the most important consideration above all others.
 
filmbuff81 said:
Couldn't you also use cine lenses on a 7D?
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You could theoretically use Panavision-mount lenses, as well as some PL-mount lenses without protruding rear elements.

I read somewhere there's an option to lock the mirror up buried in the menus. Probably a question better off in it's own thread.
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I haven't heard of that, and I certainly haven't seen the option in the menus. But I have found that after the camera "locks up" the mirror in live view, very little force is needed to hold the mirror in the "up" position after deactivating live view. So a possible solution for using an adapter would be to simply mount the lens after live view has already been activated.
 
Ozpeter said:
Hitherto I've not personally felt moved to open the flash when shooting video as it only works with stills, but each to his own.
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Neither have I. I was merely describing its location to those that may not be lucky enough to have a GH1 in their hands. You must admit that my description gave a pretty good visual as to exactly how stupid the pana design is with regards to mic placement.
 
There's nothing wrong with that design!

It's a feature if you're narrating a POV thing of your cat or something, which after all, is what we consumers use these cameras for. No need for pro features Panny! Keep on doing what you're doing. I'm buying a Gh1 for my grandma!

Actually the AVCHD workflow would destroy any consumer so I don't really see why these devices are considered consumer devices...I know pros that have been reluctant to adopt AVCHD not because of IQ but because of workflow.

Should I get my Grandma CS4 or Vegas? She'll probably get Vegas confused with the city all the time and wonder why no quarters ever come out of the computer...

Actually the more tech saavy of my grandmas is on a mac and could probably handle the FCP workflow for AVCHD if I wrote it down for her lol.
 
ydgmdlu said:
You could theoretically use Panavision-mount lenses, as well as some PL-mount lenses without protruding rear elements.


I haven't heard of that, and I certainly haven't seen the option in the menus. But I have found that after the camera "locks up" the mirror in live view, very little force is needed to hold the mirror in the "up" position after deactivating live view. So a possible solution for using an adapter would be to simply mount the lens after live view has already been activated.
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That's what I figured. It was simply a brief early review/preview before that said buried deep within the menus is a mirror lock-up option.

I've been fiddling through the settings and it doesn't seem to be specifically called a mirror lock-up, but there's an option regarding live-view auto-power off with settings from 1min-30min and then "off". So I am thinking that's what was being referred to when the reviewer mentioned the mirror can be locked.

But still that's a pretty handy option. You don't have to worry about the mirror coming down in between shots while focusing, so attaching a lens after putting it in live view and then detaching it every so often if a battery died isn't the worst thing in the world, or just power it by AC if in a house or studio situation.

Granted some people have had heat issues, but so far I've shot a bunch of stuff without any warnings yet *knock on wood*. I just wish I had some cine lenses to try out on this puppy now.
 
filmbuff81 said:
You don't have to worry about the mirror coming down in between shots while focusing, so attaching a lens after putting it in live view and then detaching it every so often if a battery died isn't the worst thing in the world, or just power it by AC if in a house or studio situation.
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You don't have to keep the camera on live view all of the time. As long as something is holding the mirror in place (such as the protruding rear element of a PL lens), then you can turn off live view, or even the camera itself. When you detach the lens after the camera or live view is off, then mirror simply moves back to the "down" position.
 
Ben_B said:
Actually the AVCHD workflow would destroy any consumer so I don't really see why these devices are considered consumer devices...I know pros that have been reluctant to adopt AVCHD not because of IQ but because of workflow.
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AVCHD was designed specifically for consumer camcorders. That's why AVCHD camcorders, at least the early ones, are considered "consumer devices." The workflow issues are more the fault of the developers of NLEs rather than that of Sony and Panasonic (the creators of AVCHD). There should be no surprise that first NLE to offer smooth, easy AVCHD editing was Sony Vegas.

Pros have had to deal with workflow issues at least as bad as AVCHD. Working with XDCAM EX and REDCODE in the early days wasn't exactly a walk in the park. No, the reasons why pros have been "reluctant to adopt AVCHD" are:
1) Lack of prosumer/professional camcorders that recorded AVCHD, until very recently
2) Lack of native support in professional NLEs, until very recently; this was because the software developers didn't feel an urgent need to support a codec found only in consumer handycams (again, until very recently)
 
ydgmdlu said:
You don't have to keep the camera on live view all of the time. As long as something is holding the mirror in place (such as the protruding rear element of a PL lens), then you can turn off live view, or even the camera itself. When you detach the lens after the camera or live view is off, then mirror simply moves back to the "down" position.
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I thought that if mirror only popped down slightly you had to turn the camera off and let the mirror reset, before you can activate live-view again.

At least this is what I found with my 5D2.

Whenever I would pop my 35mm Zeiss on it would interfere with the mirror when focused to infinity and would require me to detach it slightly to have the mirror drop back into place, so I would use it solely in live mode.

However, lets say I turned the camera off and then decided I wanted to shoot something else a moment later. If I turned the camera back on and tried to activate live view it wouldn't work, I still needed to reset the mirror into it's "default" position for live view to work properly again, otherwise I'd just get a blank screen as if the camera had a brain fart.

I don't have clearance issues with the 35mm on the 7D, so I don't know if it would be the same situation in regards to having to detach the lens so the mirror could reset in order to activate live view again.
 
PappasArts said:
Personally; I don't have the audacity to preach what is and what's not modern or acceptable. However it seems to work for him..... :-D

REALFILMMAKER.jpg
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Real Filmmaker gets the chicks because he has a GH1. The girls love it. Comes in multiple colours. Is small and sleek. Makes a small lens look big. In fact on a 7D, your small lens will look stupid. That is reason enough alone to buy a GH1 instead.
 
commanderspike said:
Real Filmmaker gets the chicks because he has a GH1. The girls love it. Comes in multiple colours. Is small and sleek. Makes a small lens look big. In fact on a 7D, your small lens will look stupid. That is reason enough alone to buy a GH1 instead.
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Though, once you go black ( GH1 colors ) you never go back is what "they" say; who ever, "they" is, or are..... That's chicks for ya! With the money he saved buying the GH1, he could get implants and contacts.........


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