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Panasonic G7 topic, 4K castrate monster or GH4 for poor
  • 719 Replies sorted by
  • DrDaveDrDave

    @smetvid an unlocked G7 (from PV) is a no brainer, it's cheap and it's 4K. Like all cameras, it will soon be obsolete.

  • mrbillmrbill

    @Ezzelin - for back up

  • AriaAria

    @DrDave, only slight disagreement is the obsolete part. The GH1 you sold me is on TV here every week :) It's still going strong and I suspect my G7 will have a long and useful life as well. I mean HD still hasn't even run it's course yet. It'll be a while before everything is 4k in the way HD is fairly ubiquitous right now. So Vive la G7!!!

  • smetvidsmetvid

    @Ezzelin - Some people want the best of both worlds. ProRes HD for a reduction in compression artifacts in high motion (and maybe 4:2:2) without any post effort but they also want to have a 4k version to archive for future use. Typically the external method also gives 10bit but with the G7 this is not the case. Some also like to have the external for higher quality but the 4k version to use in emergencies to reframe the shot.

    Interesting thing about the GH4 is if somebody does want 10bit output the camera can't record internally either. So in that situation there really isn't a difference between the GH4 and G7 and only being able to use external recoding. I would argue that if somebody is going to bother with external recording from the GH4 they are likely doing so to get 10bit and therefore using the camera the same way they would the G7. Yeah I know the G7 is only 8bit, I'm talking forced workflow.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    image

    Panasonic's video capabilities on all of their ILCs goes above and beyond what you will find on all others, and the G7 is no exception. As a true Hybrid camera, the G7 offers just as much control over its video as it does over its still images. As one of the few cameras on the market to offer full control over the 4K and Full 1080p HD video, this camera is perfect for anyone that wants the best of both worlds. Various recording formats are available to meet your needs, along with full manual control over the camera settings. Playback allows for frame-by-frame playback of all captured videos with the ability to export frames as JPEG images at any point. All of our sample videos play back smoothly, either on a computer, the camera or on an HDTV with an optional HDMI cable. Sound from the onboard microphone is not great, as the mic is very sensitive and picks up all of the sound around the camera.

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  • DrDaveDrDave

    It's not the best of both worlds, because it really isn't the best camera. But it is a great value (I have two).

  • AriaAria

    If you're like me and coming from a GH1 or G5 you will appreciate the improvement in Photo capabilities of the G7. It's IMO a significant improvement in most every way. I'm gonna be looking to get another G7 as well. I'm also considering an NX1, despite the end of life. There are also the very enticing Sony Alphas. G7 is a no brainier at the price tho.

  • mrbillmrbill

    So - the end of my first week using the G7 as a close up b-cam to my GH4, shooting interviews. Both are recording ProRes LT to atomos recorders, both using the same white balance, same ISO, both using contax zeiss glass - 50mm f1.7 and the 85mm f1.4, and finally both set to cine-d. Resolution wise, they're a perfect match. Color wise, the GH4's flesh tones are pinker and not as natural as the G7. However, it's a pretty simple lowering of the red channel in post to make the two cameras match. Going to try both cameras set to natural next week and see how they line up on that color profile.

  • DrDaveDrDave

    @mrbill If you have time, post you settings (including0-255, etc) and post your lut for CineD TIA. I'm going to be doing some comparisons in a few weeks and any info much appreciated.

  • reanrean

    As a video camera, G7 is the winner in my list of currently supported 4K cameras by Windmotion. Second camera is GH4. Third camera is Samsung NX-1.

    G7 produces beautiful film-grain like noise and the same picture quality as GH4. After 4:4:4 Full HD conversion we can get a technically perfect 10-bit footage. The same result has GH4. Very cinematic look on both cameras.

    Automatic focusing is very poor, but it is not an issue for manual lens.

    Samsung NX-1 has a technically better design, but has color banding video artifacts and "plastic" frame look (thanks for H.265 compression).

    So, if you have money - get GH4. If you have less money - get G7. Samsung is for technical geeks.

  • mrbillmrbill

    @DrDave - both cameras are set to cine-d, all flat except for noise reduction, which is -2. Luminance 16-235, everything else is left as is. I use Avid software for editing, but do not use a lut for cine d.

  • VeskuVesku

    As a video camera, G7 is the winner in my list of currently supported 4K cameras by Windmotion. Second camera is GH4.

    Does anyone know the rolling shutter amount of G7, GX8 and GH4. When using e-shutter in photos the GH4 has fastest sensor readout about 1/30s compared to 1/20s of GX8 or G7. Is that related to 4k rolling shutter?

    GH4 has the best rolling shutter of small cinema cameras. https://www.cinema5d.com/sony-a7rii-rolling-shutter/

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  • reanrean

    @mrbill all modern Panasonic consumer cameras have luma range 16-255. Using 16-235 we get overexposured highlights. I know no camera that records in 16-235.

  • EzzelinEzzelin

    What's the best luma range setting to use on a G7? We only have 0-255 or 16-255, and no 16-235.

  • JayB38JayB38

    @Ezzelin, I wanna know too. I been using only 0-255. My international version only has 0-255 and 16-235

  • EzzelinEzzelin

    @JayB38 Check that again, you should only have 0-255 and 16-255, not 16-235.

  • reanrean

    @Ezzelin Use the maximal possible range, if you have settings, to get more exact color reproduction. Also, if a camera has a tendency to overexposure, a +/- compensation for a highlight headroom would be a great idea. Modern NLE have import settings and level compensation using lift/gain controls.

    But a resulted video film should be 16-235 Y for maximal compatibility. It is a default range. For example, youtube truncates whites, if video has 16-255 Y levels, so areas 235-255 will be destroyed. Sunny footages with clouds will be destroyed.

  • JayB38JayB38

    @Ezzelin, thanks I stand corrected. It is 0-255 and 16-255. I may have confused it with the luminance of the GH-4

  • mrbillmrbill

    @rean - not really sure what you're talking about. I shoot with my luminance levels mapped to 16-235, because my nle maps to those values as well.

    http://blog.josephmoore.name/2014/10/29/the-three-most-misunderstood-gh4-settings/

  • reanrean

    @rean the article you posted has this text: "All settings record the exact same information. One does not give more dynamic range or protection than another."

    It is not correct in mathematical sense. 16-235 luma has less information than 0-255. It has 14% difference. Many users cannot see 14% Y-channel quality loss, but it may be important for color grading for non-ideal lighting. It is 8-bit domain, not floating point, that lossless. Any level manipulation in 8 bit gives a small rounding error. Level manipulation for not ideal image can give a posterization, where this 14% difference may be important.

    But, of course, if we have noised video, this difference is really small, because all these small differences will be covered with noise.

  • omega1978omega1978

    this is the difference on NX1 between in camera luma level or after in Premiere CC

    16-235 in post.jpg
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    16-235 internal NX1.jpg
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  • samuelcabralsamuelcabral

    Can anyone recommend a good (on budget) cage for my g7? Could any of these half cages be a solution? Thanks

  • mrbillmrbill

    I just bought a ViiGim cage on ebay. Looks ok, $70, not arrived yet

  • ScotScot

    Here is a small internet video I've been working on shot almost entirely with the Panasonic G7 and the 14-140 zoom. Yi action camera was used over the shredder. The G7 is not a multi thousand dollar workhorse that being said I think overall it delivers. It was shot in UHD and delivered in HD.

  • Dreadlord95Dreadlord95

    Nice @scot

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