highest possible careful tweaked settings for very high image quality with enough stability for short takes up to 5 - 8 minutes.

Improved for best low light noise and textures in all modes, perfect for high iso, and excelent image texture in good light.

Arri Alexa image quality inside the GH2, (just missing the Alexa dynamic range of course)

default version:

*SH and H slots are better for good light in low iso and for more detailed scenes in good light

*SH slot is higher quality and more stable with manual focus legacy lenses

*H slot more stable with native lenses with electronic contacts

*H slot also better for use with image stabilization

*hbr is better in good light than in low light

*default version is more stable in SH and H 720p and in HBR than the boson version

*24p 24H and 24L are the same of boson

*great quality in all modes

boson version:

*SH slot improved for low light textures and noise

*H slot better for good light in low iso, better for more complex details scenes in good light

*H slot is more stable for native lenses

*HBR does the low light / good light balance automaticaly for better noise in low light or better detail in good light

*24p has same noise quality in both good light or low light for constant image texture this keeps same random noise in all light conditions, good for intercut with SH

*a little less stable in 720p and HBR than the default version

*best quality in all modes

seta = workhorse default

setb = workhorse boson

setc = workhorse default lower datarate in SH and H for more stability in 720p and hbr

setd = workhorse boson lower datarate in SH and H for more stability in 720p and hbr

sete = same as seta, but the 24H and 24L are optimized to deliver sharpest image for steady complex detail scenes, it does the automatic adaptation in 24p for low light noise or good light steady complex detail scenes

setf = same as setc, but the 24H and 24L are optimized to deliver sharpest image for steady complex detail scenes, it does the automatic adaptation in 24p for low light noise or good light steady complex detail scenes

all tests performed in NTSC with the Sandisk 32GB SDHC Class 10 U1 45Mbps card.

transcode the original mts files to Apple ProRes 422 full range using the 5DtoRGB free software before editing to avoid the diagonal pattern rain problem. Try the ProRes HQ, normal and LT versions to perceive the best balance between quality/file size.

as of september 05 2014 all versions are modified flowmotion 2.02 with extensive careful tweaking

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I did some research in the forum about PTools settings but I did not find the answers I need...

What happens is:

Only GOP which works good for 720p 60p are GOP 30 and GOP 3, all other GOP gives diagonal pattern (rain) in computer monitor. But the GOP 3 in 720p always stops recording and it seems the card is not the problem, I am using Sandisk 45mbps and other people says the Sandisk 95mbps also stops recording in 720p hacks... The GOP 6, 12 and 15 works for some shoots, but they are unstable (sometimes stops recording) and gives diagonal pattern (rain) in computer monitor. GOP 3 stops recording all the time, no matter the bitrate (I tested GOP 3 from 40 to 200mbps). So GOP 30 is the only option.

Problem is: when using the GOP 30 the camera encoder always keeps the bitrate very low when the camera is quiet, when there is no motion in the image, and this gives lots of macroblocking and texture lost in low light. Even when I set the bitrate to 48mbps or 64mbps in PTools the camera does not record 48mbps or 64mbps, StreamParser shows only around 23mbps... (for static low light shoots)

The auto quantizer all to motion or all to details did not make any difference. So I did some try to change settings in TESTER options of PTools. I fount the TOP and BOTTOM bitrate limits and I enabled it with 48000 and 42000 for top and bottom 720p, but this makes no effects in encoding, bitrate is still very low for static shots no matter the bitrate I type in PTools...

Only thing I found to make the bitrate encoding keep high is the GOP 3, but camera stops recording in all 720p shoots, the GOP 3 just works for 1080p.

So I am wondering if there is a way to keep the bitrate high using GOP 30 in 720p...

Any suggestion welcome, thanks.

The way we were using the "Beginner's Rig" was different than typical shoulder rig. The camera operator often pressed the shoulder padding into her stomach or chest area, and that combined with 2 hands on the handles, gave us 3 points of contact for stability. I needed to replicate that. What you'll see in the picture below is the final Weightless Rig, which I covered with black gaffers tape. It consists of 3 parts: a cheap quick release plate ($7 on amazon.com), a sponge typically used for painting ($3 at Home Depot), and 2 round/cylindrical wooden sticks ($2 at Home Depot). I tied the sticks to the bottom of the quick release plate with duck tape. I then used scissors to cut holes in the sponge and inserted the sticks. Then taped everything with gaffers tape. The whole thing weighs maybe a 1/2 pound max, and really worked to give us stable shots without adding any weight that a rig typically does with it's metal parts.

I'm sure we're not the first to do something like this, but I hadn't seen anything like it, and thought it might help someone who needs something really super lightweight for stabilizing shots. Hope this is helpful.