GH2 Resolution. Is it enough for my otherwise perfect film?

mpgxsvcd

@Vitaliy_Kiselev

Just curious why you didn't include the 14-140mm in the list of the sharpest lenses. Wide open @ 14mm it is the single sharpest m4/3 or 4/3 lens on center. At around 25mm it is as sharp as almost any lens across the full lens.

The dpreview lens comparisons can be used to show this. If you want sharp then you want the 14-140mm.

Ian_T

Can't find the source but I've read a few times in the past that the GH-2 has up to 850 lines of vertical resolution. It was also said to have more than the AF100 and the FS100.

EDIT: Here's the German site that did a test a while back. You'll see the obvious differences between the two cams. I remember someone brought this up with Barry Green on DVXUser and he replied with a snapshot of the AF100 HDMI out vs the stock GH-2's codec. Then he swore he would do an official test of the two (but that never came). I thought that was funny (I'm not Barry Bashing because I think he's a cool guy....but...????). Anyways...the GH-2, with the hack, has come a long way since that German test. If it was considered good then (which is obvious in that test) then it has to be somewhere near spectacular now.

http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.slashcam.de%2Fartikel%2FTest%2FPanasonic-GH2---der-kompakte-Ueberflieger--Aus-dem-Messlabor.html&act=url

http://nofilmschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/panasonic_af100_gh2_charts.jpg

proaudio4

I own an EX1. Great camera, but one downfall is it's horrible CA.
Forget shooting someone in a white shirt under high contrast, especially on the tele end at its fastest f-stop. Also it tends to go soft in the corners on the tele end of the lens.

The rez is excellent and under right light conditions it's simply amazing.

The XDCAM 35Mb/s codec is OK, but no where the level quality of the high bitrate GOP1 we're shooting on the GH2. Now using EX1 SDI OUT video capture, a different story since you can capture raw 4:2:2.
But, the fixed lens with its issues is a problem, which is a fucking bummer.

But for long event footage. No doubt a good choice.

Vitaliy_Kiselev

@mark2929

If you really fan of sharpest picture, use such lenses: 12mm F2, 45mm F1.8, 25mm F1.4.

smsjr

@mark2929 I suggest renting some lenses from lensrentals.com or other such places and do a series of tests. Some people want a less sharp image and use lenses that get them that look. Others may want a crisper look. This can be achieved with very sharp lenses. Some lenses just nail both worlds such as the Cooke S4s.

Keep in mind that the EX1/EX3 has been shown to have a lot of edge enhancement, even with sharpening turned down. That could be a contributing factor. The key with the GH2 is to determine if you can get the images to look right to your eyes on a calibrated display. If the color, resolution, motion, etc look good to you, then it is good. Time to film the movie. If it doesn't, double check that you have got the most out of the GH2 image, and then look elsewhere. Next step up is a Red One, Epic, Scarlet, or Alexa. You will have plenty of resolution with those cameras. Throw on some Master Primes and you will have tack sharp images on a 40' screen no problem.

RRRR

@mark: Don't know how the letus adapter stacks up, but whenever I've compared footage off the EX3 (1080p) and the GH2 has looked sharper, and cleaner (no fringing e.t.c). This, even with very modest patches.

Driftwood has more experience of the Ex3 though, so he propably knows what he's talking about.

One thing to think about: The same lens will look different on both setups. A lens that has a nice sweet spot on the crop of the letus adapter might not have such a sweet sweet spot on the gh2 and vice versa. Not to mention what an adapter can do..

Don't worry about the resolution of the camera, which is more than good enough. Worry about what lenses you use. I suggest you try out a bunch of optics to see what will work for your project.

P.s. No visitor in the cinema that I know of, have counted the lines of the projected image.

blofeld

@mark2929 Are you using a good quality adapter between that Pentax 50mm and GH2? Cheaper adapters might cause issues with slighty tilted mounts and/or wrong flange distances.

mark2929

Thanks Driftwood. Thanks to yours and Vitaliy and others hacks which have made it possible. Thanks Vitaliy. Sorry if I seemed to be starting a flame war Not my intention at all.

I would need to see some resolution tests before making a feature. I noticed on my 22" monitor the picture from the GH2 lLOOKS tack sharp and as good as an EX1 but the intra 176 isn't recording it as well as the monitor shows in my opinion.

I know the GH2 HDMI is 10 bit out but that is lost in the transfer using avisynth. I imagine that could change.

should also mention the above frame grabs were made using the EX1 10 bit out to pro res 220 mb prores files and colour corrected in after effects before being rendered out as DPX files and then frame grabbed. I should also say I had to sell my EX1 earlier in the year and later switched to a GH2 after being disillusioned by the panasonic AF101 and the Sony FS100 Both dont match up to the GH2 now.

driftwood

You'll have no probs with the GH2, I swear. Youre right nobody has conducted h/v line tests yet. People are already making features with the GH2. Google away or look here on this site.

mark2929

Hi driftwood

The above pics are 1920x1080 I'd love to show you a pic from my GH2 but for some reason can't upload it. This picture is almost as good as the EX1 with a letus but a little soft

Right the shutter speed on the EX1 is 50 and the lens used was a pentax f1.4 50mm The same lens I used on the GH2 that show its a little softer so actually apples with apples.

I'm not trying to say this better than this one at all. I just wondered if someone knew the resolution using charts etc. Funny I cant find any chart tests for the GH2 anywhere and really for the level of performance the GH2 gives I'd have though there would have been loads. The reason I wanted tests was to satisfy myself I did nothing wrong and be happy making a feature with a GH2.

Mark

mark2929

This picture is a frame grab from an EX1 Another with just an EX1

driftwood

@mark2929 I have an EX3 - you're talking about horizontal line resolution in interlace mode of 1000 lines and around 700 if you use the letus extreme (which I also have).
But its still 1920 x 540 each field. Keep to the correct shutter speed roughly x2 =50 shutter and its very hard to tell any difference. Of course there are so many differing variables, ie lens, shutter being used, and the codecs themselves but to keep it fair - measure sxs pro card recordings against gh2 sdcard recordings. The GH2 doesnt have SDIHD out. But youre talking apples and oranges again.
I would take VK's advice, forget measuring. Film away and enjoy the many benefits of this tiny lil' beast of a camera.
And yes, GH2 footage blows up spectacularly on a 40ft projection. I promise :-)

mark2929

Vitaliy

Both my films were shown in Londons west end on a 40' screen and resolution was very important. They both looked spectacular with the EX1 Letus combo looking slightly better.

I want to make a feature film and looking for a cheap camera that can do this. I'm thinking maybe the GH2 can and so far it does look a little soft in my opinion and want to know what resolution it is. Now that doesn't mean its a bad thing to be a little soft as its kinder on faces etc But I do want to be able to project this on a 40 foot screen and know it will work so I know my camera's weaknesses as well as its strengths.

That's why I sent you a donation and thats why I bought both EOSHD's books.

Mark

Aria

I've read articles that did tests and the GH1 was up around 750. Just with my own eyes I would tend to concur with that. Most agree that the GH2 resolution is a bit better than the GH1 so there you go. Most who talk about the GH line tend to agree that it has very good resolving power.

I also don't care much about what the actual final number is, since I LOVE the look of the GH line. Everything i've see from GH1 and GH2 has looked amazing!!! Resolution should be the least of your problems.

itimjim

LOL!

That's right boys and girls....put the dicks down, and go shoot something.

bannedindv

watch this and tell me that you could get footage that looks this good from the EX-1:

Vitaliy_Kiselev

If you ask me, I do not care.
Many cocksuckers like to measure resolution from morning till night.
Go and shoot something meaningful, be it GH2 or any old and purely resolving camera.

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