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G2 Vs. GH2 Video Quality?

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SteveNunez

SteveNunez

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Video Quality G2 vs. GH2?

Hey guys- was wondering aside from the 1080 sized h/d video the GH2 will produce- is there supposed to be an aparent upgrade in image quality of the videos?

I have the G2 and have spent a small fortune on lens adapters, accessories, batteries and a few m4/3 lenses and I'm slightly disappointed in the video quality of the G2. It produces good video quality but not what I'd call great!

I've been researching the Sony NEX series of cameras and the NEX VG10 camcorder and I'm seeing much better video from those cameras and am starting to wonder if I jumped on the wrong platform in going after the Panasonic m4/3 series. I like the form factor of the Panasonic's as well as the DSLR-like appearance but the video quality isn't as good as I had hoped.

I'd be willing to buy the GH2 but I don't want the same level of video quality just in a higher res of 1080- I'm looking for more latitude and better low-light video performance as well as sharper video- are my expectations too high for the GH2?
(I'd like it to match the NEX series if possible~ )
[email protected]

--
Steve Nunez~New York City
http://www.stevenunez.com
 
Show us some links of videos you think are good from the Sony cameras. Then we can show you some better videos from the Panasonic cameras.

The Sony cameras are good but I haven’t seen anything that is better than what my hacked GF1 can do even at 720p. The biggest difference between your G2 and my hacked GF1 are the manual controls in video that the hack adds. With those you can optimize ISO, shutter, and aperture. It makes all of the difference.

Check out the first segment in this video. This is just about the sharpest 720p I have encountered. That was shot with a very sharp but inexpensive($135) Nikon 85mm F1.8 lens.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BV0bQWjg8II

The G2 should get the hack in about 2-3 weeks when Panasonic issues new firmware. If that happens then your G2 will be transformed into a whole new camera.

Otherwise the better ISO performance, added bit rate, 1080p, extended teleconversion feature, and lower FPS(24) of the GH2 video will definitely add to the video quality.

If you don’t have any really fast lens for your G2 yet then get some. Fast lenses make a huge difference in video quality if those lenses are of high quality as well.

--
GF1 & ZS3 Sample movies
http://www.youtube.com/user/mpgxsvcd#play/uploads
http://vimeo.com/user442745
GF1 Pictures
http://www.dpreview.com/galleries/4222674355/albums
 
Steve,

I have neither the G2 nor the GH2. And I haven't seen enough video from the GH2 to warrant a strong opinion. That said, the GH2 video that I have seen looks very promising. At Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/videos/search:panasonic%20gh2/e76737c3 .

Where it gets interesting is when you look at the new Panasonic AF100 video camera. There is a high probability that the AF100 and GH2 use the same imager, with the AF100's imager being optimized for video (according to the AF100 Product Manager). However, they won't admit that and I think it's because they believe it will hurt AF100 sales.

So how good is the AF100's imager? Check out the Vimeo AF100 channel: http://vimeo.com/channels/af100 . My favorites are the third one on the first page and the first one on the second page. The third one, first page is interesting because the crew used an AF100 and a Canon 5D2. I'll let you be the judge on which one produced better video.

I looked at the Sony Nex and A55 cameras. The Nex is way too much point and shoot, with virtually no external controls. In it's review, DPR wrote, "The NEX-5 and 3 might well win an award for the lowest number of external controls of any camera." And it does NOT have a touch screen.

The A55 looked promising, but it has an overheating problem when shooting video. Also, like the Nex, it's crippled by too much automation.

Supposedly Sony will provide more manual control in an upcoming firmware release. How much? How well will it work? Open questions.

The Sony VG10 produces nice video, but it's definitely a consumer camera. A $2,000 consumer video camera that lacks many of the features you would want on a video camera. Overall, while a nice camera, it doesn't have the flexibility of a combo cam like the A55 or GH2, and it lacks the features of the AF100 that most video Pros want in a camera.

Dan.
SteveNunez said:
Video Quality G2 vs. GH2?

Hey guys- was wondering aside from the 1080 sized h/d video the GH2 will produce- is there supposed to be an aparent upgrade in image quality of the videos?

I have the G2 and have spent a small fortune on lens adapters, accessories, batteries and a few m4/3 lenses and I'm slightly disappointed in the video quality of the G2. It produces good video quality but not what I'd call great!

I've been researching the Sony NEX series of cameras and the NEX VG10 camcorder and I'm seeing much better video from those cameras and am starting to wonder if I jumped on the wrong platform in going after the Panasonic m4/3 series. I like the form factor of the Panasonic's as well as the DSLR-like appearance but the video quality isn't as good as I had hoped.

I'd be willing to buy the GH2 but I don't want the same level of video quality just in a higher res of 1080- I'm looking for more latitude and better low-light video performance as well as sharper video- are my expectations too high for the GH2?
(I'd like it to match the NEX series if possible~ )
[email protected]

--
Steve Nunez~New York City
http://www.stevenunez.com
Click to expand...
 
Those are indeed my YouTube videos but none of those were shot with the G2- those were mostly shot with a Sanyo Xacti.
--
Steve Nunez~New York City
http://www.stevenunez.com
 
I'll hold out for a possible G2 hack- if we can achieve high bit rate videos like the GH1 has been able to attain- the G2 might be the keeper I was hoping for initially!

I'm keeping my fingers crossed- I really hope Panasonic embraces the enthusiasts and allows them to continue hacking without disabling in the future.
--
Steve Nunez~New York City
http://www.stevenunez.com
 
SteveNunez said:
I have the G2 and have spent a small fortune on lens adapters, accessories, batteries and a few m4/3 lenses and I'm slightly disappointed in the video quality of the G2. It produces good video quality but not what I'd call great!
Click to expand...
Boy do I agree. I have exactly that experience. The video of panasonic has been hyped to a degree that the G2 is quite a let down. Its ok but far far from great, and for sure not usable for any serious use.

Now I do expect the GH2 to be great though all the reports and the samples i have seen suggests this. Unfortunately that does also make my rather new investment into the G2 a mild waste of money.

So in short the G2 is mediocre, the GH2 will propably be great.

Best wishes

Jakob
 
85mm F1.8 lens.
mpgxsvcd said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BV0bQWjg8II

The G2 should get the hack in about 2-3 weeks when Panasonic issues new firmware. If that happens then your G2 will be transformed into a whole new camera.
Click to expand...
Where do you get that info from ? That would make me SO happy and propably shut me up regarding the G2 mediocre video :0). Is that an A or B rumor.

Best wishes

Jakob
 
There are so many things that can make video look bad.

For example, shutter speed. If it is not close to frames per second, then things are going to look wrong.
Lighting is another extremely important thing.

I guess the main thing is for the best video you can never just point and shoot.
 
jagge said:
jagge said:
I have the G2 and have spent a small fortune on lens adapters, accessories, batteries and a few m4/3 lenses and I'm slightly disappointed in the video quality of the G2. It produces good video quality but not what I'd call great!
Click to expand...
Boy do I agree. I have exactly that experience. The video of panasonic has been hyped to a degree that the G2 is quite a let down. Its ok but far far from great, and for sure not usable for any serious use.
Click to expand...
Really? It doesn't even shoot a full 720p format. It shoots at 30fps not 60fps. It has no 1080 mode at all. And its sensor isn't as good as the GH1s. What were people hyping?

Mind you, I think its a nice addition and a logical upgrade from the G1. Also, the camera represents a tremendous value. But the target audience is clearly different than the GH2 target audience.
jagge said:
Now I do expect the GH2 to be great though all the reports and the samples i have seen suggests this. Unfortunately that does also make my rather new investment into the G2 a mild waste of money.
Click to expand...
If you bought it primarily for video, then yeah it might have been a mistake. I don't think it offers the best video in the m4/3 group. Though it is still a nice camera with high value and I'd expect the video at 720p to be quite good. I'd probably shoot that camera in MJPEG mode most of the time, and only in AVCHD when I needed long clips.
jagge said:
So in short the G2 is mediocre, the GH2 will propably be great.
Click to expand...
You never say what exactly about the video you find disappointing. The camera may be better than you realize and you may be overlooking the faults in other cameras.

--
Jay Turberville
http://www.jayandwanda.com
 
Comparing the G2 to the GH2 is not even a fair evaluation. The G2 has video glued on it for the heck if it since you really have to add video to all cameras nowadays. The GH2 on the other hand is an entirely different story since it has to compete against the cameras such as the Nikon D700 and the Canon 60D.

Besides what was already mentioned here, theirs a slow motion feature in which the chips outputs 60p and gets recorded as 24p, theirs a crop feature in which you get 2.6x in 1080p/i and 3.9x in 720p. The low light capabilities are infinite better and the auto focusing is much better. Again it's really not a fair evaluation. It's almost like comparing an average looking house to a very expansive mansion.
--
My Vimeo videos: http://vimeo.com/pauloteixeira/videos
My Flickr photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pauloteixeira/
 
Aren't you getting a GH2? If you fully went by your example, you wouldn't be upgrading your camera at all. It's true that the talent behind the camera as well as the lenses used is very important but the the type of camera being used is also very important especially if it'll make your life much easier with certain features and give you better picture quality with the same amount of effort.

--
My Vimeo videos: http://vimeo.com/pauloteixeira/videos
My Flickr photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pauloteixeira/
 
Maybe I'm misunderstanding what your trying to say and your directing those words more to someone else.

It's just that I've experienced how much easier certain things can be just by using another camera, The good example I use sometimes is comparing a camera with an articulating screen verses a fixed screen. I get a heck of a lot more freedom that way.
--
My Vimeo videos: http://vimeo.com/pauloteixeira/videos
My Flickr photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pauloteixeira/
 
I am adding the GH2 to my collection mainly for pictures. I could probably get the same quality video out of a GH13 for half the price of the GH2.

The extended teleconversion feature will allow me to turn my fast wide angle prime lenses(14mm, 20mm, and 30mm) into longer primes in video though. That feature basically will add 6 new lenses to my collection. Like I said before lenses are more important than camera bodies for video.

The manual video controls is the only feature that the G2 really needs to be a good video camera if you also have the right lenses. However, most people wouldn't know how to shoot proper video with manual controls anyway. That is probably why it is not included in the lower cameras in the first place.

Bottom line: A hackable GF1 is an outstanding video camera and probably more than any no-pro needs. The G2 will be on its level if not above it because of the EVF if it becomes hackable.

The GH1 is even better than the hacked GF1 straight from the factory(1080p @ 24 FPS, manual video controls, better ISO, and 720p @ 60 FPS). However, most people don't even know how to get the most out of those extra features it has.

The GH2 just refines on the GH1 but doesn't even do some of the things a hacked GH1 does(no 25p, no high bit rate MJPEG or AVC-HD, true 1080i is worthless). However, some of the new features that the GH2 does have could be very interesting in the right hands(Extended Teleconversion, usbale ISO 3200 in video, still images can be taken during video, and 40 FPS still images).
Paulo Teixeira said:
Aren't you getting a GH2? If you fully went by your example, you wouldn't be upgrading your camera at all. It's true that the talent behind the camera as well as the lenses used is very important but the the type of camera being used is also very important especially if it'll make your life much easier with certain features and give you better picture quality with the same amount of effort.

--
My Vimeo videos: http://vimeo.com/pauloteixeira/videos
My Flickr photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pauloteixeira/
Click to expand...
--
GF1 & ZS3 Sample movies
http://www.youtube.com/user/mpgxsvcd#play/uploads
http://vimeo.com/user442745
GF1 Pictures
http://www.dpreview.com/galleries/4222674355/albums
 
I haven't really missed the articulating screen much. I am 6' 4" and I zoom with my feet most often so I rarely find the situation where I am trying to video above my head or around a corner.

I do want the EVF though. It is hard to manually focus in bright sunlight with the LCD.
Paulo Teixeira said:
Maybe I'm misunderstanding what your trying to say and your directing those words more to someone else.

It's just that I've experienced how much easier certain things can be just by using another camera, The good example I use sometimes is comparing a camera with an articulating screen verses a fixed screen. I get a heck of a lot more freedom that way.
--
My Vimeo videos: http://vimeo.com/pauloteixeira/videos
My Flickr photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pauloteixeira/
Click to expand...
--
GF1 & ZS3 Sample movies
http://www.youtube.com/user/mpgxsvcd#play/uploads
http://vimeo.com/user442745
GF1 Pictures
http://www.dpreview.com/galleries/4222674355/albums
 
Jay Turberville said:
Really? It doesn't even shoot a full 720p format. It shoots at 30fps not 60fps. It has no 1080 mode at all. And its sensor isn't as good as the GH1s. What were people hyping?
Click to expand...
Actually I was wrong in a way. You are right that the G2 might not have been hyped but other Panasonic Cams where including the GH1, that paired with the fact that the G2 has a very simiar sensor, AND a compact like the tz10 actually has very descent video let me to have higher expectations. I had the impression that Panasonic are serious about hybrid cams.
Jay Turberville said:
If you bought it primarily for video, then yeah it might have been a mistake. I don't think it offers the best video in the m4/3 group. Though it is still a nice camera with high value and I'd expect the video at 720p to be quite good. I'd probably shoot that camera in MJPEG mode most of the time, and only in AVCHD when I needed long clips.
Click to expand...
Ok that is interesting would you expect that to give better quality ? I was of the understanding that AVCHD would give higher IQ, I might very well be wrong.
Jay Turberville said:
Jay Turberville said:
So in short the G2 is mediocre, the GH2 will propably be great.
Click to expand...
You never say what exactly about the video you find disappointing. The camera may be better than you realize and you may be overlooking the faults in other cameras.
Click to expand...
Several aspects. Sharpness is not very good. The picture just isnt crisp to me.

Best wishes

Jakob
 
Are you serious when you're saying the NEX provide good quality video?

They fake 1080i60 from a 30p sensor output, for crying out loud. That might be "okay" (not really) for a cheap camera like the NEX-5, but it's entirely unacceptable (more like sleazy) for VG10, which is allegedly a "serious" video camera. They only get away with it because the people who are likely to buy these cameras are typically uninformed about video.

GH2 is going to be the first large-sensor camera ever that will be able to provide video from a sensor truly capable of 60p. My cheap old HD camcorder was able to do that several years ago, which is why I never considered the large-sensor cameras (DSLR, m4/3, NEX) even for a second as valid HD video cameras. Until now, that is.

If the GH2 reviews turn out right, I may consider putting my G1 and HD camcorder on eBay and getting the GH2 instead. Otherwise, no thanks, the current setup is just fine for me.

--
Florin Andrei
http://florin.myip.org/
 
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