Lumix GH1 Good Enough for Commercial Production

Christopher Ruffell · January 8th, 2011, 12:45 PM

Hi Jim - thanks! Note: all the audio in that piece was recorded from a Lav Mic into the GH1! I recorded to a Zoom H4 as well, but as of yet for the YES project, haven't used the audio from it.

It was all 1080P 24P, on a white screen. Worked well! I've never done green screen with the GH1.

Christopher Ruffell · August 15th, 2011, 09:57 PM

That's right - a promotional video shot with all natural (practical) light with the stock GH1 lens! Risky - sure, perhaps. But it worked well. And in the HUGE expanses I was shooting it, I didn't have access to the film-lighting I would have needed. And I needed the wide-angle lens on the GH1, despite it being slow. Let me know if you think it worked..

Jeff Harper · August 17th, 2011, 06:12 AM

Christopher, thanks so much for your post. I've been scared to use my 14-42, I guess I just have to learn how to shoot with it. You're very talented.

What do you use for your exceptionally great looking moving shots?

Christopher Ruffell · August 17th, 2011, 09:07 PM

Jeff, thanks for chiming in! The device was the indi-slider pro - there are plenty of options like it around, they're quite handy! It was tough to shoot - my GH1 has the back enabled, so I'll bet that helped a bit in post when bringing the level's up higher. I recommend giving the lens a shot - outside I bet it looks terrific. The built-in chromatic aberration correction (CRC) that the Panasonic software uses with the lenses it knows works great!

Chip Thome · August 17th, 2011, 10:12 PM

Christopher,

I'd say it worked! That clip is fantastic, at least it will be to 99.56% of the population. The last .44% that might want to beech about it in some way....just slap 'em !!! :-)

I watched it through twice and am hard pressed to come up with any glaring error, anywhere in it.

Corey Graham · August 19th, 2011, 05:42 AM

Christopher -- that's fantastic work. Thanks a lot, now I'm considering that slider again . . . :)

I love the 14-42. You certainly made great use of it!

Christopher Ruffell · August 19th, 2011, 06:39 PM

Ah - I was using the 14-140mm - no experience with the 14-42! I bet the latter is a much faster lens, yes?

The Panasonic lenses are great IMO - with 'CAC' as well, they deliver a super sharp image. Faster would be nicer, naturally, but with such a great range, it's great value. Body-only would be great, but the lens really helps make the package in my opinion. How does that 14-42 fare?

Corey Graham · August 20th, 2011, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Christopher Ruffell

Ah - I was using the 14-140mm - no experience with the 14-42! I bet the latter is a much faster lens, yes?

It's not that much faster -- 3.5-5.6. Great outdoor lenses!

Jeff Harper · August 21st, 2011, 03:34 PM

I just put my 14-42 up for sale, but I do love the lens, it is SO sharp in good light. Because of the 14-42 I ordered the 12mm Zuiko, which while not a zoom, will be so handy for weddings.

I was able to try the 14-42 out at a wedding last night and I loved it. We were surrounded by windows on top floor of hotel, it was extremely bright, and the lens was amazing, if focused so fast!

As soon as the sun went down I was screwed, lens was no good, even with on camera lighting. But for that short while it was amazing.

Actually, I just realized I should keep the lens for outdoor use! I can only get around $125 for it anway, it's worth that much just to have as a spare!

Christopher Ruffell · August 23rd, 2011, 02:18 PM

That sounds like a great lens. I'm really glad that Micro4/3rds exists - I look forward to the many lenses to come!

Here's another video I shot with the stock lens (all but the first shot which was shot a few years back with an Canon HV20 and a Brevis adapter and a Tokina zoom lens) - all interior shots and last exterior shot are with the GH1 and the 14-140mm!

Jeff Harper · August 24th, 2011, 09:05 AM

Nice stuff again Christopher, gorgeous moving shots.

Christopher Ruffell · October 11th, 2011, 12:18 AM

I would love to see other's GH2 and GH1 professional footage posted here.. the camera is really really making a name for itself! I felt we were a small bunch, the GH1 users, but with the GH2, these cameras are really pushing it.. great work everyone! And Panasonic, thank you, thank you!

I've got two new projects - shot at the same time - to share! What an incredible camera, it really was pushed to it's max (note the interior shots with open windows in the frame, with the foreground lit and the outside not fully blown out and still visible) and delivered!

All the shots here (other than the stills) are GH1 (hacked) shooting AVCHD at 60P (in a 24P timeline). The footage was converted to ProRes 422 edited in FCP7:

The Lumix GH series.. what a camera. I'm so impressed, that even with 2012 approaching, I'm still not seeing a 'better-enough' camera to compel me to upgrade! What pro-GH-camera sourced footage have you seen that you can share here..!

Jeff Harper · October 11th, 2011, 11:27 PM

Christopher, I do not post my work much, for several reasons, but will post something out of fairness to others, such as you, that do. I have shot many weddings with the GH2s and GH1s, but am pretty much not pleased with most of my efforts. I have many weddings not yet edited that promise to give me some great samples, but as of now, what I post to Vimeo are sneak peeks for the couples themselves. Anyway, here's a video shot exclusively with the Olympus 12-60mm, which is without question my favorite outdoor lens.

Christopher Ruffell · October 12th, 2011, 07:37 PM

Hey, thanks for sharing that Jeff! Do you have a new reel montage (or one coming) of GH1 footage you've shot? :)

Jeff Harper · October 13th, 2011, 04:34 PM

Christopher, I do not, but I should. I am currently working on a wedding and am planning to create something to post on Vimeo in a day or two. What is funny is that my videos on my sites are all between 2 and 6 years old, and the business keeps rolling in. I am so overwhelmed with current work I don't know how to keep up. I have three weddings Saturday for example.

For next year, now that I'm getting close to finding a consistency in my product, I will be raising prices to cut down on the number of weddings. I currently have about 15 weddings to edit, its all too much.

August 15th, 2011, 09:57 PM	#47
Christopher Ruffell Major Player Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Victoria, BC Posts: 202	All-Natural Light Promotional Shoot.. with Stock Lens That's right - a promotional video shot with all natural (practical) light with the stock GH1 lens! Risky - sure, perhaps. But it worked well. And in the HUGE expanses I was shooting it, I didn't have access to the film-lighting I would have needed. And I needed the wide-angle lens on the GH1, despite it being slow. Let me know if you think it worked.. This is a password protected video on Vimeo

August 17th, 2011, 06:12 AM	#48
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Re: Lumix GH1 Good Enough for Commercial Production Christopher, thanks so much for your post. I've been scared to use my 14-42, I guess I just have to learn how to shoot with it. You're very talented. What do you use for your exceptionally great looking moving shots? __________________ "The horror of what I saw on the timeline cannot be described."

August 17th, 2011, 09:07 PM	#49
Christopher Ruffell Major Player Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Victoria, BC Posts: 202	Re: Lumix GH1 Good Enough for Commercial Production Jeff, thanks for chiming in! The device was the indi-slider pro - there are plenty of options like it around, they're quite handy! It was tough to shoot - my GH1 has the back enabled, so I'll bet that helped a bit in post when bringing the level's up higher. I recommend giving the lens a shot - outside I bet it looks terrific. The built-in chromatic aberration correction (CRC) that the Panasonic software uses with the lenses it knows works great!

August 17th, 2011, 10:12 PM	#50
Chip Thome Major Player Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Green Bay Wisconsin Posts: 553	Re: Lumix GH1 Good Enough for Commercial Production Christopher, I'd say it worked! That clip is fantastic, at least it will be to 99.56% of the population. The last .44% that might want to beech about it in some way....just slap 'em !!! :-) I watched it through twice and am hard pressed to come up with any glaring error, anywhere in it.

August 19th, 2011, 05:42 AM	#51
Corey Graham Major Player Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Erie, PA Posts: 390	Re: Lumix GH1 Good Enough for Commercial Production Christopher -- that's fantastic work. Thanks a lot, now I'm considering that slider again . . . :) I love the 14-42. You certainly made great use of it! __________________ http://coreygraham.me http://coreygrahamweddings.com

January 8th, 2011, 12:45 PM	#46
Christopher Ruffell Major Player Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Victoria, BC Posts: 202	Hi Jim - thanks! Note: all the audio in that piece was recorded from a Lav Mic into the GH1! I recorded to a Zoom H4 as well, but as of yet for the YES project, haven't used the audio from it. It was all 1080P 24P, on a white screen. Worked well! I've never done green screen with the GH1.

August 19th, 2011, 06:39 PM	#52
Christopher Ruffell Major Player Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Victoria, BC Posts: 202	Panasonic Lumix G Vario HD 14-140mm Lens Ah - I was using the 14-140mm - no experience with the 14-42! I bet the latter is a much faster lens, yes? The Panasonic lenses are great IMO - with 'CAC' as well, they deliver a super sharp image. Faster would be nicer, naturally, but with such a great range, it's great value. Body-only would be great, but the lens really helps make the package in my opinion. How does that 14-42 fare?

August 21st, 2011, 03:34 PM	#54
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Re: Lumix GH1 Good Enough for Commercial Production I just put my 14-42 up for sale, but I do love the lens, it is SO sharp in good light. Because of the 14-42 I ordered the 12mm Zuiko, which while not a zoom, will be so handy for weddings. I was able to try the 14-42 out at a wedding last night and I loved it. We were surrounded by windows on top floor of hotel, it was extremely bright, and the lens was amazing, if focused so fast! As soon as the sun went down I was screwed, lens was no good, even with on camera lighting. But for that short while it was amazing. Actually, I just realized I should keep the lens for outdoor use! I can only get around $125 for it anway, it's worth that much just to have as a spare! __________________ "The horror of what I saw on the timeline cannot be described."

August 23rd, 2011, 02:18 PM	#55
Christopher Ruffell Major Player Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Victoria, BC Posts: 202	Re: Lumix GH1 Good Enough for Commercial Production That sounds like a great lens. I'm really glad that Micro4/3rds exists - I look forward to the many lenses to come! Here's another video I shot with the stock lens (all but the first shot which was shot a few years back with an Canon HV20 and a Brevis adapter and a Tokina zoom lens) - all interior shots and last exterior shot are with the GH1 and the 14-140mm! The Fairmont Empress, Victoria BC, Canada on Vimeo

August 24th, 2011, 09:05 AM	#56
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Re: Lumix GH1 Good Enough for Commercial Production Nice stuff again Christopher, gorgeous moving shots. __________________ "The horror of what I saw on the timeline cannot be described."

October 11th, 2011, 12:18 AM	#57
Christopher Ruffell Major Player Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Victoria, BC Posts: 202	Re: Lumix GH1 Good Enough for Commercial Production I would love to see other's GH2 and GH1 professional footage posted here.. the camera is really really making a name for itself! I felt we were a small bunch, the GH1 users, but with the GH2, these cameras are really pushing it.. great work everyone! And Panasonic, thank you, thank you! I've got two new projects - shot at the same time - to share! What an incredible camera, it really was pushed to it's max (note the interior shots with open windows in the frame, with the foreground lit and the outside not fully blown out and still visible) and delivered! All the shots here (other than the stills) are GH1 (hacked) shooting AVCHD at 60P (in a 24P timeline). The footage was converted to ProRes 422 edited in FCP7: The Crest Hotel Video Tour, The City of Prince Rupert, BC, Canada on Vimeo Crest Hotel 50th Anniversary Film, Prince Rupert BC Canada on Vimeo The Lumix GH series.. what a camera. I'm so impressed, that even with 2012 approaching, I'm still not seeing a 'better-enough' camera to compel me to upgrade! What pro-GH-camera sourced footage have you seen that you can share here..!

October 11th, 2011, 11:27 PM	#58
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Re: Lumix GH1 Good Enough for Commercial Production Christopher, I do not post my work much, for several reasons, but will post something out of fairness to others, such as you, that do. I have shot many weddings with the GH2s and GH1s, but am pretty much not pleased with most of my efforts. I have many weddings not yet edited that promise to give me some great samples, but as of now, what I post to Vimeo are sneak peeks for the couples themselves. Anyway, here's a video shot exclusively with the Olympus 12-60mm, which is without question my favorite outdoor lens. Josh and Clarissa Parker at Ault Park on Vimeo __________________ "The horror of what I saw on the timeline cannot be described."

October 12th, 2011, 07:37 PM	#59
Christopher Ruffell Major Player Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Victoria, BC Posts: 202	Re: Lumix GH1 Good Enough for Commercial Production Hey, thanks for sharing that Jeff! Do you have a new reel montage (or one coming) of GH1 footage you've shot? :)

October 13th, 2011, 04:34 PM	#60
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Re: Lumix GH1 Good Enough for Commercial Production Christopher, I do not, but I should. I am currently working on a wedding and am planning to create something to post on Vimeo in a day or two. What is funny is that my videos on my sites are all between 2 and 6 years old, and the business keeps rolling in. I am so overwhelmed with current work I don't know how to keep up. I have three weddings Saturday for example. For next year, now that I'm getting close to finding a consistency in my product, I will be raising prices to cut down on the number of weddings. I currently have about 15 weddings to edit, its all too much. __________________ "The horror of what I saw on the timeline cannot be described."