The Panasonic G1HD | GH-1 Video Mode : A Real Video Mode

Kholi said:
The GH-1, as it stands-- unless the camera is locked @ 17mbps in 1080/24-- is a 720P camera.
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I think you're in error to blame the VBR for the issue in 1080. The variable mitigates the issue you are seeing, allowing frames with more motion to use more bandwidth.

The thing is, both the 720 and 1080 shooting modes are 17Mbps. So, for whatever reason (lower differences between frames, lower resolution) the quality is holding up better to your eye at 720 than 1080.

But its not VBR that's the problem.

Lobbying for the 1080 to be at 24Mbps would be fine... but VBR can only lessen the issue you're seeing, I believe, its not the source of the issue.
 
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Most of the 1080 footage looks to be coming in at around 10mbps. Just about all of my 720/60 stuff floats right around 17mbps.

If that's not the issue, cool. I'm JUST SAYING FROM MY EXPERIENCE SO FAR that 1080/24 doesn't hold up well.

You're welcome to conjur your own theory on why it doesn't work.
 
Let me add to that:

• This was Sony F-900 HDCAM 30p footage moving fast over a city with lots of fast moving detail

• If going to ProRes in Compressor you MUST type in "23.976" in the QT Video button settings before going to the Frame Controls tab. Even though FCP and QT player report it as 23.98, Compressor has to have 23.976 typed in for best results (shrug).
 
I am so glad and relieved that after calling my camera dealer I was assured that Panasonic will apply its long standing digital video camera policy to the GH1 in the USA. It guarantees you THE OPTION OF NOT HAVING TO BUY ONE OF THEIR CAMERAS IF TO YOUR EYES THE FOOTAGE DOESN'T LOOK "FILMIC" AND IN CONSEQUENCE TOO "VIDEO". They give you the choice of being able to go out and buy a real FILM CAMERA and all thats needed to operate it. I think that is very generous on their part. Really. Because if you want a real "film look" out of the box there is nothing more satisfying than to get a real film camera and shoot with it. That way you'll be guaranteed the beautiful "film look". I love democracy and the companies that sponsor it.
 
somebody suggested a few posts back that the footage doesn't look filmic due to a lack of motion blur. What are your thoughts on that Kholi?
 
squig said:
somebody suggested a few posts back that the footage doesn't look filmic due to a lack of motion blur. What are your thoughts on that Kholi?
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I have no thoughts on it. I'm tired of "filmic" versus "video". If you want film, get a Film Camera. Period.

The essentials for me are as they stood when the HVX Adapter Combo came into fruition:

24P
Interchangeable Lenses
Decent Compression
Hi_Definition

The rest is trivial. If it looks like 24P, that's all I care about. People have done much better with much worse.

And if you know me? you know I HATE the HVX200 and HPX170's image. The 200A was my favorite. This camera satisfies me, regardless of the 1080/24 not being up to my own personal snuff, I am totally satisfied with it and it'll be the one I shoot with when I can, right alongside shooting RED.

The last thing to figure out is Audio, then it's a wrap.
 
I was pleased to see your post in the GH1 to features thread. At the end of the day thats all that matters
 
That's a true story. I have to remind myself about what I saw on that screen and remember that the tools have been there for years. It's only my lack of coordinating a shoot that's standing in the way.

AT the moment, I'm in the office ingesting HD Cam tapes and looking through casting submissions.
 
Ian-T said:
The new 24p (23.976) version using method from Denver Riddle
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OK Ian, this is going to take a while. I wanted to include the original file for a "before" comparison. They are zipped together and uploading. This will take a LONG time because the two 12 second files are 580MB in total. In the meantime, let me make a few points.

1.) I chose this footage because its a 'worst case scenario' for 24p-anything: a fast pan over hard white lines. There will be SOME motion artifacting but this is EXACTLY the same as as any 24p source. The motion artifacting I'm NOT seeing with this new method (that can show up in Nattress FCP plug-in, or Compressor alone) is when frames are blended during the frame rate conversion. That is 99.99% gone now.

2.) The footage is a little flat because it is ungraded. It is simply Sony F-900 1920x1080 clips captured to ProRes HQ. The first file will be 30p that lives in a 29.97/60i world, not unlike what we used to shoot on the original DVX. The second is the converted 23.98 (23.976).

3.) The camera was in one of those amazing 'Planet Earth' style smooth mounts on the helicopter.

4.) View out an HD capture card and FCP to an HDTV if you can. I dont think QT Player is good at presenting all frames. For example, its impossible for QT Player show show 60p on my big editing computer screen smoothly, but it plays out FCP to the TV beautifully.
 
Kholi said:
And if you know me? you know I HATE the HVX200 and HPX170's image. The 200A was my favorite. This camera satisfies me, regardless of the 1080/24 not being up to my own personal snuff, I am totally satisfied with it and it'll be the one I shoot with when I can, right alongside shooting RED.
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Hi Kholi, I'm currently using an HVX201AE (the PAL equivalent to the 200A I believe) both for short fiction films and for events (including weddings).
For fiction, I usually end up using a Brevis and Nikon glass (but I don't like the added difficulty to focus using the lcd and it also hampers my mouvements).
Considering those parameters, would the GH1 be better, similar or worse ?
Could it replace my HVX, or would I be losing more than I gain?
My biggest fear are the codec issues (I really like DVCPROHD, a very solid codec thats reacts kindly to color grading/correction) - AVCHD looks a bit frightening to me...

Looking forward to seeing your test footage and awaiting your full review.
 
christophersj said:
4.) View out an HD capture card and FCP to an HDTV if you can. I dont think QT Player is good at presenting all frames. For example, its impossible for QT Player show show 60p on my big editing computer screen smoothly, but it plays out FCP to the TV beautifully.
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Unfortunately I'm unable to get to Mac at the moment.
 
live monitor

live monitor

I emailed Panasonic USA pre-sales about live HDMI during recording and got this response:

Thank you for your email.

Yes you can have this connected to a TV to monitor what you are recording.
Thank you for contacting Panasonic.

Thank You,
Panasonic Consumer Support
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No idea if this will actually be true when the US model is released.
 
Ian-T said:
Unfortunately I'm unable to get to Mac at the moment.
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Oh then I might need to make an h.264 version of these because I don't think the ProRes HQ codec is cross-platform.

This may take until tomorrow, as I am about to tend to some other issues here. Check back.
 
HDMI out would be really nice, but from what they say, if there is just anyway at all to monitor your footage while recording other than the LCD, that would be good news based on the current assumption.

Hopefully we can all laugh about Kholi not knowing he merely had to turn that function on due to the Japanese menus.
 
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