What should be in future firmware updates for the GH6?

BobKo

BobKo

Well-known member
I've been enjoying my GH6, and appreciate the firmware updates that have been done so far. However, I have a couple suggestions for future updates -- no idea if anyone from Panasonic will read this and consider my suggestions, but I thought I'd put a couple thoughts down and encourage others to add theirs.

Here are my two suggestions to be included in a future firmware update for the GH6:

1. Most of the encoders in the GH6 record 4 channels of audio -- but two of those channels only record audio if you have a Panasonic audio interface attached (the XLR1, I think). So when you shoot without an XLR1 and edit that clip, there are four audio tracks. Two of the tracks have nothing on them, and they just clog up the editing timeline. It's a pain in the neck in Premiere to strip the unused tracks away. So my firmware suggestion is to have a menu item to enable/disable the two audio tracks that require the XLR1 interface. Probably only a small percentage of GH6 owners also have an XLR1, and not everyone who has an XLR1 will use it every time s/he shoots with the GH6. Let the two unused tracks be turned off, and let the camera automatically turn them on if it senses an XLR1 is attached.

1a. A little more on this same subject of four audio tracks. It would be really excellent if the camera's built-in microphones could record to two tracks, and whatever is plugged into the 3.5mm port record to the two additional tracks. This way (at a concert, for example) you could get the crowd sound on the camera's built-in mics, and get a feed from the mixer into the 3.5mm port. So a firmware update would allow GH6 owners to assign the camera's built-in mics to two channels and the 3.5mm port to the two other channels. That would be audio nirvana.

2. Now that the GH6 can work with external storage plugged into the camera's USB-C port, the camera should automatically recognize when the external storage is removed. Right now (using firmware version 2.2), the camera stupidly does not work if you unplug the external storage from the USB-C port. You have to go into the menu and tell it to turn off the USB-C port in order for the camera to work. Really? Yes, really. That should be automatic, just like the camera automatically knows to use the CF Fast card if I remove the SD card.

Those are my two suggestions for future firmware updates for the GH6. Feel free to discuss these or share your own.
 
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BobKo said:
I Two of the tracks have nothing on them, and they just clog up the editing timeline. It's a pain in the neck in Premiere to strip the unused tracks away. .
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Actually, it is very simple. I don't have a GH6, but I'm sure getting rid of the unwanted tracks from that camera is just as easy as it is for the S1H and every Sony camera.

1) Import your clips into a new bin.
2) Select all the clips in the bin . . . then right-click on any clip . . . and choose “Modify > Audio Channels.”
3) A dialog box will appear that allows you to configure the audio channels however you want. You can even strip off all the audio tracks if you don't want them. I usually choose “2” for the number of tracks . . . and “Mono” for the channel format.
4) Click “OK,” and all of the clips in the bin that were selected will be instantly changed with no re-rendering or other hassles. And since it’s non-destructive, you can always restore the missing audio channels if you change your mind later.
5) Drag the clip(s) to the timeline.
6) Commence editing.
 
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NorBro said:
Just wondering for #2...do you have to turn the USB-C 'ON' for external recording?
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Yes, you have to enable the USB-C port, then format the attached memory (if it has not already been formatted by the camera). I show this in my video on using a flash drive with the camera, starting around 1:30 into the video. You can see the video here: Using a flash drive with the GH6.
 
Doug Jensen said:
Actually, it is very simple. I don't have a GH6, but I'm sure getting rid of the unwanted tracks from that camera is just as easy as it is for the S1H and every Sony camera.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip, Doug!

It would still be nice if the camera allowed you to turn off audio channels that you don't need. And to automatically sense when the XLR1 is attached and turn on the extra channels. I like having 4 channels, but the camera would be just a little friendlier if it let me use them the way I want.
 
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BobKo said:
Yes, you have to enable the USB-C port, then format the attached memory (if it has not already been formatted by the camera). I show this in my video on using a flash drive with the camera, starting around 1:30 into the video. You can see the video here: Using a flash drive with the GH6.
Click to expand...

Right, right...pretty standard with everything, so in this case I don’t think you can really expect an auto-detect feature to change it, you know? If you have to turn it on, you'll have to turn it off.

It’s similar to manually choosing which slot to record to, or HDMI vs. SDI outputs, or enabling external 4:2:2 recording via HDMI with some mirrorless’ which you’ll have to turn off if you want to go back to internal recording (it’s disabled automatically), etc. etc.

It’s a manual process that needs to be turned on or off.

Now if the camera automatically chose external USB-C recording when a drive was plugged into the port then I would def agree that it would be silly to have to then turn it off when unplugged (it should revert back to the last chosen media format or SDXC card slot if there are two identical ones).
 
NorBro said:
Right, right...pretty standard with everything, so in this case I don't think you can really expect an auto-detect feature to change it, you know? If you have to turn it on, you'll have to turn it off.

It's similar to manually choosing which slot to record to, or HDMI vs. SDI outputs, or enabling external 4:2:2 recording via HDMI with some mirrorless' which you'll have to turn off if you want to go back to internal recording (it's disabled automatically), etc. etc.
Click to expand...
I respectfully disagree. Many things automatically sense what is connected and adjust themselves for the new connection. For example, plug your big screen TV into your computer's HDMI port, and 9 times out of 10 the big screen display is set up properly automatically (with audio!). It even works that way with an old Win7 computer I have.

I'm suggesting that a future firmware update make the USB-C port more automatic. If it can't be done, then it can't be done. But if it *can* be done, then that would be a useful feature... one that would make living with the camera easier.

For example: I plug memory into the USB-C port, and the camera's CPU thinks "Oh, something is plugged in. I will alert the operator to format it." Or, "Oh, something is plugged in and it is already formatted. I will tell the operator that the memory is ready to use. Meanwhile, I will use the current memory until the operator tells me otherwise."

Likewise when the memory is removed from the USB-C port. If you have two cards in the camera and you take one out, the camera does not require that you instruct it to use the other card. It just uses it.

Sorry... I got more wordy than I expected. :-)
 
Hey, I agree with your idea...I just meant [because you sounded confused by it when you said: "You have to go into the menu and tell it to turn off the USB-C port in order for the camera to work. Really? Yes, really."] that it's exactly the way it should be because it's currently a manual process.

But if they make it automatic - both ways - via firmware then that's even better.

However, with all of that said, I do wonder how many record externally on the GH6. To me, on that camera, I'd assume almost no one because the internal recording is already so good.
 
Panasonic should enable the phase detect auto focus. (if it's a Sony made sensor ... it may not be).
 
I'd love the ability to record 4 tracks of audio without the XLR mic adapter. 2 from the internal mics, and two from the 3.5mm jack.
 
We need more control on the noise reduction, I can see a loss of details in low light compared to GH5, the new temporal noise reduction is great to reduce noise but sometimes I prefer to preserve more details even if it is at the cost of noise.
 
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