I have a GH3 and have been unable to get the quality of video out that I expect. I have a Canon 5D Mk3 which is often compared to the GH3. In my experience there is no comparison. The Mk 3 is far superior.

I use FCPX for editing. I shoot with the Natural Color Profile in Mov 30p at a shutter speed of 60, with a SanDisk 95mb/s SD card. Import into Final Cut and convert to ProRes. I have Panasonic lens, 28-280, 100-300 and 20 1.7. The wide shots are acceptable but tighter scenes with motion and detail are lacking quality. Longer focal lengths exasperate the problem.

Any suggestions?

On another note. Is there anyway to back focus with the GH3?

I love this camera. The size and compactness make it a joy to shoot with. I just gotta make it work.

Thanks and Enjoy

Kent

What exactly does "lacking quality" mean? It would help if you explain a bit more what the problem is you see with your footage, is it lack of resolution?

Hi Noa and thanks.
By lacking quality I mean detail resolution especially in outdoor shots that contain leaves for example. The problem is worse if there is movement. Muddy might be another way to describe it. Large objects that are stationary or move slowly look fine but as movement increases or size of objects decrease picture deterioration increases.

Kent

This is not what I am experiencing, my gh3 resolves a lot of fine detail at any focal length and with or without movement in the image, eventhough I don't own a 5dIII I have seen many comparisons where the difference in resolving resolution is easily visible in favor of the gh3. So I can only imagine something is going wrong during the converting part to prores? Here I can't give you any suggestions as I edit without conversion in Edius.
What is the bitrate you are using when you shoot in 30p?

The bit rate is 50mb/s in MOV

Do you also see those issues if you view the files in their native format in a player like quicktime?

Maybe post some of the unprocessed files. My GH3 captures a lot of detail, nearly as much as my 4k camera at 1080p so it should be something that can be corrected. I don't have a 5d but have a Nikon d800 and the gh3 video is superior.

Leaves and water are the real world AVCHD compression test.

I have recently filmed hand-held with the GH3 in natural settings (trees, grass, dancers, audience) with mainly wide angle shots. Now that should really put the compression to the test and I got great results at the standard 24mb/s. When I use 50mb/s it's usually great, I have to zoom in the image to see artifacts. The camera regularly gets reviewed as comparing to much better cameras although the exposure latitude is more compressed compared to a Blackmagic or high end Canon. You should consider that your camera might have a problem that needs servicing or replacement.

Here is a piece shot for a PBS doc with a GH3 in a wide variety of lighting conditions, the broadcast version is 50mMXF and it has been downsized for YouTube Pewabic Pottery - YouTube
My only complaint is the moiré at 2:48. The camera IMO is equal to if not better than the Canon offerings.
Shot at 50/.mov 30p. * Note the use of 'wheelchair cam' :)

This problem has been discussed before somewhere on this forum but can't remember where. It's a compression or export or timeline problem in edit - it has nothing to do with the camera if you're settings are correct. The poster spoke about grass being blown by wind and being "muddy". You'll find your camera originals are fine.

Kent, you did not mention the lenses you use on the Canon; it's hard to compare two cameras properly and not include lenses as part of the equation. The lenses you choose are more important than the camera oftentimes, I'm sure you know this.

The 20mm is not a bad lens, but was not my favorite. . If you try for example, the 12-35 F/2.8, the 45mm F/1.8, the 12mm F/2.0 on your camera I think you would be pleasantly surprised and see a marked improvement in your shots.

Don't know what you're shooting, but the zoom lenses you listed are not suitable for wedding work, at least not for the typical dark churches and reception halls that I shoot in.

"I have Panasonic lens, 28-280, 100-300 and 20 1.7. The wide shots are acceptable but tighter scenes with motion and detail are lacking quality. Longer focal lengths exasperate the problem."

Tripod shots or hand held? Those are some long focal lengths potentially that are available with the zooms and at 2 times crop factor on top of that. Maybe it's motion?

On the GH3 I have a 14-140, 100-300 and a 20mm. With the Canon I shoot mostly 24-105, 100-400, 100, and a 50. Motion does exasperate the problem. I expect more than I am getting and wonder if there is a flaw in my workflow. If I down load directly from the card and watch via QuickTime I have the same criticisms. I usually shoot looked down on a tripod, a shutter speed of 2X the frame rate and keep the exposure on the right side of the histogram without blowing out the highlights. I shoot with a color profile of Natural with no modifications. I use FCPX and optimize to ProRes 422 on import.

The camera is still under warranty and I am will send it to Panasonic. This is my first MFT, I like the size and the plethora of features. I wish the manual was better written and that Panasonics customer service was better.

On another note; Has anyone written a aftermarket instructional manual?

Thanks for all of the opinions and advice.


kent

You say you are shooting at two times the frame rate, so if you're shooting at a shutter speed of 1/60th or so then you will get blur with motion objects. Try faster frame rates over 1/250th.

Hi Kent,
What is the aperture you are using in the faulty footage?
You say that the shots are taken outside, do you use ND filters?
Do you have the same results when you shoot interiors?
You may have a classical difraction problem if you shoot with the aperture closed down.
Best,
Eugen