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Panasonic G2 is it possible to record video in 4:3
  • JemRaidJemRaid

    Hello all,

    I am going to combine still images of which I have 1,000's at 4:3 with videos from my G2 I make digital art montages and use video software to make them into slowly merging cross fades I now want to incorporate some video footage but at 4:3 and not 16:9 My idea is to take some video footage, of say a river with the camera in a fixed position on a tripod and then add some still images from the same position, I do not want to start making still image in 16:9.

    May I ask if this is possible please?

    Cheers - Jem

  • 6 Replies sorted by
  • yskuntoyskunto

    I do not think that it is possible. Unless you hack the camera and modified the MJPEG mode to record in 4:3 frame ratio just like the anamorphic patch that available for GH1/GH2/G2/GF1/GF2/GF3/GX1. I am not sure! Not every G2 is hackable. Only those which produced before November 2010.

    The safest way to do is to cut your video frame into 4:3 or do photo 16:9

  • JemRaidJemRaid

    Hello YS,

    Many thanks for the info.

    I could buy a GH1 but the word 'anamorphic' bothers me a bit would it mean that the 4:3rds video image would be different to the 4:3rds still image from the same viewpoint.

    Using 16:9 cuts so much off the top and bottom of a scene and looks very poor and unrealistic when compared with a 4:3rds image, that's just my personal opinion of course :-)

    Cheers - Jem

  • CFreakCFreak

    Anamorphic refers to the lens having a barrel squeeze (oval) effect in it. A traditional (round) lens is referred to as spherical.

    4:3 and 16:9 are aspect ratios. So what you are looking for is a camera that can record in 4:3 (high def, I presume) and you will put a spherical lens on it for your work.

    The confusion comes in because this 4:3 in video mode is today used by people who want to get the max definition out of their anamorphic lens/camera combo, hence it is called anamorphic mode. But just know it's only anamorphic, if you put an anamorphic lens on the camera.

    I recall the GH1 hack had a way to do 4:3 in MJPEG mode. I recall @Lpowell wrote something up on it, using it for anamorphic shooting purposes.

  • yskuntoyskunto

    I think MJPEG Anamorphic Patch is only to make it possible to customize the aspect ratio. Your recording will not be anamorphic if you do not use anamorphic lens. But I am not sure.

    See your G2 third and fourth digit serial number. If it is 0E, 0F, 0G, 0H, 0I, 0J, then it is hackable. Try one of the anamorphic MJPEG patch but do not use anamorphic lens and see if you like the result. If you do not like it, then it means you should buy a camera that natively could record 4:3 aspect ratio in video and it is sure will be bloody expensive.

  • JemRaidJemRaid

    Hello CF and Hello YS,

    Many thanks for your informative replies, I'm grateful to you both.

    I understand now how the 4:3rds hack works I have found the LPowell hack and the 960 x 720 MJPEG will do me fine I can upscale it then to 1440 x 1080 in Any Video Converter, that does a really good job with AVCHD 1920 x 720 from my G2. I will buy a GH1 there's a nice one for sale on eBay.

    Really great forum thanks.

    Cheers - Jem

  • JemRaidJemRaid

    Hello,

    I forgot to say thanks for the G2 serial letters, sadly mine two G2's are 0S and OM That's why I've bought the GH1

    You might want to know what I do it's arty vids and I've got vid of the week at the Video Dance Center of Burgundy: http://www.numeridanse.tv/en/collections/116_video-dance-center-of-burgundy/4070_the-last-vestiges-of-hope

    Cheers - Jem

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