So today I put my GH2 on my Jag35 shoulder rig and connected it to my Jag35 monitor. The ETC mode was grayed out in the camera menu, as was the ability to switch to 720p when in Manual Movie Mode. Thinking maybe I had a problem I went online and found out sure enough these modes cannot be used with an external monitor. Anyone know why that is? That's a huge downer. I hope there's a firmware update or hack to undo that. Also, for anyone using an external monitor, why is it when you hit the record button all the display information (battery life, exposure, etc.) disappears on the external monitor?? I can't find a menu function that makes it stay visible.

Patrick it IS beyond belief. Ok, so the camera doesn't shoot in 1080p, fine. I will deal with it. You can't use a monitor with the GH1, but they don't tell you, you have to find out by hearing about it. Whatever.

Furthermore, the camera actually changes to 1080i without telling you it has left 720p mode when you hook up a monitor.

720p is a most desirable shooting mode, I believe, for many practical reasons, and it is the one mode you cannot use a monitor.

Ok, I guess I'm shooting in 1080i then. Or I won't use a monitor. Lovely.

Jeff, what do you mean the camera doesn't shoot in 1080p? I don't know about the GH1, but the GH2 does in 24p mode.

60p is what I am referring to, sorry. I don't even think of 24p as an option.

I have only used my GH2 in 1080p24 mode. If I want to shoot 1080p60 I use my TM700.

I just tried my Leadstar monitor in HDMI mode to confirm your findings and it appears you are correct. This is a MAJOR problem for me, because my workflow is based on 720P 60 and 30 . Can Interlaced 108i be made to look look like 720P without seeing the butt ugly jaggies?

I'm really steamed about this. The manual does not explicitly say this is going to happen. If someone comes out with a decent video tutorial on this cam, I'm the first to buy.

Does anyone know where we can send in a comment/suggestion/complaint form to request a firmware update to correct this? I sent an email via this form just now: Panasonic USA Support - Contact Us (http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-electronics/support/Contact-Us.2)

Not sure if that's the right place, so we'll see.

Dan, you'll just need to convert the footage properly.

I just tried my Leadstar monitor in HDMI mode to confirm your findings and it appears you are correct. This is a MAJOR problem for me, because my workflow is based on 720P 60 and 30 . Can Interlaced 108i be made to look look like 720P without seeing the butt ugly jaggies?

I'm really steamed about this. The manual does not explicitly say this is going to happen. If someone comes out with a decent video tutorial on this cam, I'm the first to buy.

Dan
Can you see an image if you are in 1080p 24?

Jim, you didn't ask me, but I'll confirm that monitor works fine in 1080i. 720p no. 1080i reportedly converts to 720p just fine, so it's just another step needed in order to use monitor, which I'll have to do since my other cameras will be in 720p mode.

Oops, don't know how I missed it, but you specifically asked about 1080 24p, didn't check that, but I bet it does.

@Jeff
Did you buy the Sony monitor? If so how is it?

It's very nice. Crisp and clear. You must use Sony batteries. At $350 it seems to be a bargain. You can easily calibrate the monitor to the LCD just by turning a dial. It's a piece of cake.

You just have to run in 1080 to use it.

Dan
Can you see an image if you are in 1080p 24?

Yes it works fine in 1080p 24 mode. It seems that this camera is really limited to 1080p 24 for serious work.

Dan

I got an email response:

"Thank you for sharing your feedback with us here at Panasonic. We will send your recommendations to our research and development division to be considered. It is very important to our company that we listen to our customers and provide the products and features that they desire. Thank you for your input and your time in letting us know of your concerns"

I just put my monitor up for sale in the classifieds. It kills me to sell it. It is the single biggest disppointment with the GH2 system. I will run, not walk to the next decent alternative to this camera system. What is going on at Canon? I can't believe how far behind they are! The camera gathers great images, and it will serve me well for a while. Overall it will work as is, but man, focusing using the LCD on the run is no fun, but we already know that, don't we?

Jeff, Canons aren't much better. The 5D when hooked up to a monitor drops its HD output to 480p via HDMI. Lame. This last weekend I did a music video shoot with my Jag35 shoulder rig and monitor using the director's camera, a Canon T2i. First off, what a pain in the ass it is to do ANYTHING. You have to menu surf for every little adjustment. Need to white balance?...grab a Snickerz. Secondly, before you hit the record button the view in the monitor is tiny, it only fills the monitor about a 1/3 of the screen. Then when you hit record it maintains the vertical space, but stretches the footage horizontally. When you hit the record button the camera takes like 5 seconds before it starts actually recording. I now much more appreciate my GH2. I wouldn't sell your monitor if I was you. I'd be very surprised if Panasonic don't release a firmware update to resolve the 720p monitor issue. Just box it in the closet for a bit and wait it out I say.

Patrick, what you experienced is why I said Canon's are so far behind. The t3i was rumoured to be a revolutionary camera, instead it was a slightly updated t2i.

For the money, the GH2 is a great value and I'm pretty pleased with it.

How very disappointing this thread is.
There's a good chance that if I had discovered it before I made my purchase, I wouldn't have done so.
I fully planned on shooting 720/60 for the majority of my projects, since the format is so versatile. But I largely shoot with Nikon primes, manual focus is hyper-critical, and without a good HDMI monitor (I was planning on buying SmallHD), life will be insanely difficult.

Is there any chance the problem is with the monitor accepting the 60p signal, or is it that the GH2 simply doesn't output 60p?

Issue is documented across web, it's not a monitor issue.

It's not just 720p60, but also ETC and display information. We need everyone to contact Panasonic so they hear our frustration and do something about it.

Absolutely nutty.
I'm not SURE I wouldn't have purchased the camera if I'd know, but I do with I'd found this bit of info a few weeks ago.

Is the best place to contact Panny here:
Panasonic USA Support - Contact Us (http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-electronics/support/Contact-Us.2)

Is there a best choice of words to use, or just lay it out in my own? I want to be as effective as possible.

Now I wish i was going to NAB so I could talk to them there too.

Well, looking at the options, I'd rather work with no monitor than to have to restart cameras every 12 minutes.

I ran four of these puppies last night, and it was hard enough as it was! Of course I'm one of the few idiots not using a conventional video camera along with it. A monitor would be nice, but I'm learning to get by without it. You learn to adapt to your circumstances.

Wait, so let's say I want to output 24p or 30p at 1080p to my 8" Lilliput external monitor (800x600 resolution). You're saying that my Lilliput will literally show the image only (basically as if it were a really small TV playing back a movie?), no display info whatsoever?

Does the LCD stay on in live view while preserving the display info when the camera is outputting to an external monitor? What about the EVF?

The display information will be on the external monitor until you hit record, then it all disappears. Yes, you can view the info in the flipout lcd/evf while hooked to an external monitor while recording. This isn't an option for me because I use the monitor on my shoulder rig, and the lcd/efv are too far from my face. I'd have to strain my neck.

The EVF and LCD stay on. If you are running in a mode where the monitor works, it is fine as it is, IMO.