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Official Panasonic GH3 topic, series 3
  • This is continue of topics

    http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/4733/official-panasonic-gh3-topic-series-2#Item_1018
    http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/4592/official-panasonic-gh3-topic/p1

    and


    Also check

    DR - http://www.digitalcamerainfo.com/content/Panasonic-Lumix-GH3-Digital-Camera-Review/Dynamic-Range.htm


    Direct manuals links


    image


    Short Specifications

    • Effective Megapixels - 16.05 Megapixels (17.20 total)
    • Live MOS/17.3 x 13.0 mm (in 4:3 aspect ratio), not multi aspect
    • 200 - 12800 ISO
    • 3.0" 640k OLED Monitor with static touch control
    • 1.74Mp OLED EVF
    • Video - AVCHD 2.0 1080p50 (PAL), 1080p60 (NTSC), 1080p24 (with slow and fast variations, like 12fps and 50fps).
    • Three containers (AVCHD, MOV and MP4) and large bitrate modes, bot intraframe and interframe.
    • Shutter Speeds - 60-1/4000
    • Flash modes - Auto, Auto/Red-eye Reduction (when iA, iA+), Forced On, Forced On/Red-eye Reduction, Slow Sync., Slow Sync./Red-eye Reduction
    • Battery - Li-ion Battery Pack (7.2V, 1860mAh), old or new?
    • Continuous Shooting Speed - 6 fps
    • Weather Proof
    • WB - Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Shade, Incandescent, Flash, White Set 1, 2, Color temperature setting
    • SD, SDHC, SDXC cards compatible
    • Dimensions - 132.9 x 93.4 x 82.0mm / 5.23 x 3.68 x 3.23 in
    • USB 2.0
    • Weight - 550g
    • Price - $1299 (body only!)

    Available at:

    Check other topic below for other countries and other US options:

    http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/4641/gh3-preordering-and-availability-topic


  • 1137 Replies sorted by
  • Lumix Link App Update: The current WIFI Lumix Link App was designed for one of the fz cameras - a new and updated version of the software for the GH3 is expected imminently - Source 01.12.12: Panasonic Sales Director. This should offer the full range of advertised facilities of the GH3 in the manual. The official launch date of the GH3 is Tue, 4th Dec. Lets hope they have something ready for then.

  • Fantastic news! Fingers crossed. I'm hoping they will cave and release a firmware update with peaking in 6mths.

  • Im impressed with slow motion, but I like see more slow test.

  • Sorry Driftwood, you just wrote "Its no worse than the Gh2 I'm afraid to say" about the moire of the Gh3. It also depends on the lenses of the camera, so can we certainly say that the GH3 is not less than the GH2 hacked in terms of moire, even with the same lens mounted on it? I would like to try with the Leica 25mm f1.4.

    Then excuse me if I repeat myself, maybe the question does not make much sense, given at this time (I know it's too early), but really, a chance prediction: there is a good chance that the GH3 can be hacked? Would I be here ready to give, for the result! And i'm here losing my mind on what i have to buy for my video shorts: gh2 or gh3.

    Thanks.

  • @Manu4Vendetta : Keep in mind that twixtor was used in this.

  • my gh3 just came. is all-i 72 better quality than 50 mov?

  • Maybe this has already been discussed but: 30 minute time limit, is it only a limit on paper? (like does it span on a new set of files after that?)

  • Is the GH3 capable of producing sharp images like my GH2's? "Soft artistic mush" seems to be the operative term in describing GH3 files.

  • More creative control mode recordings coming soon.

  • Hi folks with new babies. I was wondering about auto focus - the hunt and punt factor. When it's on continuous AF does it hunt for dear? Beer?

  • Hi All. Been busy all day with family chores. I just posted a clip to Vimeo that was shot in 1080/60p. I also exported it as a 1080/60p mp4 file, but Vimeo automatically converts the version they display to 30p. But, you can download the mp4 that is 60p. For the mp4 version, I used the default VBRs in PP for 1080/30 (Max 48, Target=32).

    At about time=50 seconds I repeated the prior few seconds slowed down to 40% of the original speed. I did this in post. That's what's nice about shooting at 1080/60p, you can slow it down in post and it looks much better than something shot at 30 or 24. I lost the ability to shoot 720/60p in my GH1 when I went with the lpowell 75 Mhz Peak Performance patch. But, now. Wow: with the GH3, I get 60 fps back, but, also at 1080 resolution! Hurrah!

    There was zero other grading done to the clip. It is straight out of the camera (and, slightly degraded since I encoded it into an mp4).

    I think I really love the GH3 already, and all I've been able to shoot was a pretty dimly lit stage.

    Keep in mind that I used all manual exposure, and that this clip was shot at ISO 1000 (so it's probably over-exposed)?

    Also, I made an error in titles in the clip. The first clip was shot with a Sigma 30mm/1.4 at f=2.0. The second clip was shot with the Lumix 20mm/1.7 at f2.0

    f2.0 might give too shallow of a depth of field...but...

    And Tex: I'm perfectly fine with the sharpness that I'm seeing out of my GH3. And...keep in mind, we have only scratched the surface. This was shot in Standard Mode {0,0,0,0}. Maybe you would be happier with clips shot with sharpening set higher? Time will tell if the GH3 can match the incredible resolution of a GH2 running one of driftwood or powells hacks?

    Here's the vimeo link:

  • As for turning off the "Continuous AF" function in the Menu for Movie shooting: I think you'll want it OFF unless you are using a fast focusing LUMIX lens designed for "HD Video"? I have not shot anything with my only fast-focusing Lumix lens (the 14-140). But, at my daughters karate demo, I started with the Sigma 30mm/1.4. That's really a 4/3rds lens that gets put onto a u43 body via an adapter. The auto-focus did not work on a GH1, and it is pitifully slow on a GH2 or GH3. I deleted the first two clips where I started withe Continuous AF ON, and that lens. It was out of focus most of the time and continually hunting. I guess I could have saved some as examples? But, the files off of the GH3 are huge, and these were worthless, so I deleted them.

    I then switched to the Lumix 20/1.7, which is pretty notorious for slow and noisy focusing, but set the Continuous AF back to ON. That was a mistake. Again..focus hunting during filming. I think I deleted all those ruinedd clips but I might have an example?

    However, I expect different behavior using the 14-140? It was designed for auto-focus video use on the GH series. But...chores all day today, more chores tomorrow, so I can't test.

    Happily, since so many folks are getting their GH3s, I think we'll we'll know the answer soon. My guess is that the 14-140, 12-35, and 35-100 might do pretty well with continuous focus in video mode? But...I'll never know about the 12-35 or 35-100 until they begin to show up used and much less expensiveon Ebay. :-) And...they sound so nice that may be never. :-)

    I should edit this to say that I had the physical switch on the camera body set the AFS/AFF. Maybe I should have had that set to AFC before setting the "Continuous AF" menu to ON for video? Hmmm. The GH3 manual is not very complete nor clear...

  • i personally love the upgrade to the GH3

  • Someone asked about the time-lapse function. Whether it shuts the camera off at the end of a programmed sequence. Yes, it does. It is very easy to use. You set the time duration between shots, the number of shots, and then hit start. I tested with 6 shots with 10 seconds between. After you hit start in the menu and exit the menu system you get a message to tell you to press the shutter button to begin the sequence. I did that. It took 6 pictures 10 seconds apart, and then shut itself down. When you power back up there is a message the N pictures were taken. You can play back the saved time lapse as if it were a movie on the camera OLED panel, or, single step through the shots if you want. Very easy. No more intervalometer needed!

  • only thing is that its not raw, shame though

  • @swaneon The timelapse function also works with RAW, or even RAW+JPEG and with electronic shutter if you would shoot long sequences and like to save your shutter :)

    Two short clips using the timlapse function I shot RAW in the middle of this:

    @Driftwood That's what I've heard too about the Lumix Link app in Sweden, according to some very reliable sources :)

    In terms of moire, I would like to say that the GH3 is nothing worse than our GH2:s and in that regard, it shows the very slightest colouring of 45 degree detail on a chart at close to 1000 lines. But I've done the same tests on a Canon C100 (same 4K RGB-readout sensor as in the C300 but with the crappiest AVCHD codec on earth ;) on the very same chart and it renders worse moiré than the GH3.

    Another thing I like about the GH3, sharpness seem to be able to turn down COMPLETELY to a level almost without any in-cam sharpening at all (except image processing itself of course). That also applies to the Lumix/Leica 25/1.4 which looks almost identical to the Nokton 25/0.95 on the chart. Sharpness level -5 is quite different to -4 and up, which clearly applies sharpness. I know a lot of you guys are sharpness freaks, but personally I absolutely LOVE the look that the GH3 produce at -5. Initially, I prefer to shoot at Natural -5 -5 0 -5.

    Another tip is to look for CrumplePop's plugin 'Finisher' for FCPX which seems to be match made in heaven for the GH3's All-I footage at sharpness -5 if you care for a sharper look with nice fimic grain to it... I know CrumplePop has some love for the hacked GH2, they'll likely keep on coding nicely for the GH3 as well. I was PM'ed by the crew a while ago to try out Finisher with my GH2 footage, they seemingly pretty much had the GH2 in mind during when developing the plug. :)

    Will post some samples and more info later, specifically some positive info on how the GH3 works at high ISO night photography, lengthy exposures etc... and my thoughts on the OM-D vs GH3 sensor... have to feed my wee daughter now!

  • Martin: Wow. Your video on Vimeo is beautiful. It takes professionals like you to really show what can be done with these 'consumer' level cameras. I have no qualms in stating I'm just a hobbyist/parent who happened to get fast delivery from Amazon. Seeing your work is inspiring as it shows what can be done with the GH3. I know I'll never get the kind of results you (and other real pros can), but, it is inspiring to know that it is possible to get such results out of such an affordable camera. Thanks for posting a link here.

  • @cablefreak76 Beautiful work and example to all. Excellent.

  • Is this GH3? If it is then the moire is as bad as the 5n I have aleady!

  • Wow! It just keeps getting better! :-). I just did a quick hand-held test of the Continuous Auto Focus using a lens designed for that (the 14-140). The performance was FANTASTIC! I used a small central area as the focus point and swept between some points (hand held). The focus locked on INSTANTLY and IT DID NOT HUNT AT ALL. I'm loading a MOV directly from the raw footage to Vimeo. It is very rough and shaky since I shot hand-held. I used 1080/60, since 60 fps should allow the fastest focus. It is GREAT!

    I can't stay around to see if the conversion of the raw MOV straight from the camera works on Vineo or not.

    I know Pros say you should never use auto-focus in video. But...at 60 fps, and based on this little test, as an amateur parent filmer, I expect I will use continuous auto-focus a lot (with a lens that is made for it, like the 140-140). :-)

    I'll add the link to this fast test after it loads it Vimeo (and if Vimeo will accept the raw MOV file from the camera. If Vimeo chokes on the high bitrate and rejects it (as usual) I can't transcode to mp4 and upload till 2nite. But...I am happy as a clam. It looks FANTASTIC. It focuses so fast you can;t even see it happen. And...it doesn't hunt once it's focused! WOW! What a camera.

    I have to get my daughter rousted and fed and ready for Mass, so I hope the upload of the raw MOV file to Vimeo works, since I won't be able to do anything else till this evening.

    IF it works, the clip will be here:

    PS: With my limited experience the stills ARE better than my old GH1...

    Here is a link to the same clip converted to mp4 before uploading.:

  • @cablefreak76

    the 5D markiii also isn't sharp (straight out of the camera) and needs sharpening in post(but give great detail when you do), do you think it is better to record with sharpness at -5 and then doing sharpening afterwards with the GH3? I mean not just because of the look but would that yield better results and perhaps give more detail?

    and do i understand you correctly if I say that you think that the camera handles the 25mmPL differently when having sharpness dialed down to -5? Does the PL25mm have extra sharpening in its lens firmware or something like that?

    (great video by the way!!)

  • @Mimirsan I have a hard time believing that is the GH3. I haven't been concerned at all with Moire or Aliasing through any of this, but that looks quite unusable, and on a not an inconceivable wide shot rather than a test chart or something. Perhaps something in the way he scaled or transcoded it? It's BAD.