Horrible sensor output! Is it a bug in GH2 implememntation of AVCHD?

Waldi Krasowski · February 10th, 2011, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corey Graham

Have no worry -- your source file is fine.

Thanks mate, you make my day. I was really worrying that my newly bought camera is faulty. And I was worrying about sending it back and forth, servicing, waiting for weeks - simply wasting my time...

Jeff Harper · February 10th, 2011, 04:00 PM

Actually Corey, if I had read your post, really read it, I would've seen that!

I've been evangelizing about better svchd cards. I guess I'm trying to feel good about my purchase and looking for any excuse to justify it.

Waldi Krasowski · February 10th, 2011, 04:16 PM

Well my friends, it is just great to have opportunity to listen to somebody else. I simply went nut and I was blind that I did not take into consideration my SDHC card as well as my poor graphic card... Tomorrow I will find out what is causing that pulsation. Thank you once again.

Jeff Harper · February 10th, 2011, 04:25 PM

It's great to have a place to take these problems. I couldn't survive without this place!

Guy McLoughlin · February 10th, 2011, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waldi Krasowski

GH2, settings as in first post, no post processing, as mentioned above.

Hi Waldi,

There are too many unknowns here. When I say "post processing" I mean what software/hardware did you use to import / view / edit your footage ? Lots of NLEs have problems with AVCHD footage, especially Final Cut Pro.

Downloading your source-file, I am not seeing anything unusual when I bring it in to Sony Vegas Pro. The footage is a little noisy, but that is likely related to your camera settings. Which I have no idea what your camera settings were...

I have no idea what lens? What color mode? What format? What white-balance? What lens? What shutter speed? What aperture ? that you shot your video with, so it's hard to make recommendations on how to improve your video.

Corey Graham · February 10th, 2011, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Harper

Actually Corey, if I had read your post, really read it, I would've seen that!

I've been evangelizing about better svchd cards. I guess I'm trying to feel good about my purchase and looking for any excuse to justify it.

Haha, no worries . . . the word "card" has about a dozen meanings when it comes to computers.

I've promised myself that I'll stick to only Panasonic cards . . . I'm too paranoid. I've only lately ventured into the realm of tapeless acquisition, and I have yet to shake that little bit of nervousness about not having tapes.

Jeff Harper · February 10th, 2011, 09:43 PM

Chad, I agree. I've seen posts from folks that have had issueswith cheaper cards...things get hairy enough without worrying about the media I'm using.

Waldi Krasowski · February 10th, 2011, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guy McLoughlin

Hi Waldi, There are too many unknowns here.
[...]

Guy - many thanks for your attention, but finally my problem solved! First of all newest VLC plays it badly, causing pulsation. There was also a misconfiguration of my graphic card too (shame on me), so the other players could not play it correctly as well... You were looking at a source file that was correct, but my pc wasn't, so you did not know what I've been talking about... I have spent whole night on reinstalling and configuring my computer. Well, to be short: now the same footage plays as expected (except of VLC), even on Windows Media Player it goes smoothly. Just dark and noisy, because of such settings on a camera, but pulsation is gone (as it never existed :))

Oh men, I wouldn't resolve it without you. I was already sending back my brand new GH2 to the service center... You made my day. Thank you all once again. Waldi.

Waldi Krasowski · February 10th, 2011, 10:18 PM

One more question guys - I find the LVF gives a bit... jerky image. When I move a camera looking at the viewfinder the image is a tad late to what you would have seen with naked eye and it stutters a bit. Is it OK? And does my settings of video (frame rate, format, resolution, quality etc.) affect the view in a LVF? It looks good on LCD, is butter smooth, but in a LVF looks worse. Or is it my impression as I am used to DSLR cameras with optical viewfinder..?

Chris Soucy · February 10th, 2011, 10:22 PM

Plays good on my (antique) system even using VLC (still set as my default as I don't see a lot of that sort of footage), bit noisy and a lot of background movement which I take to be foliage in wind.

[Matrox AVPe Dual Head graphics card, Dell 24" 2000 X 1080 screen, DVI]

Tell me, what, exactly, is in the (mesh?) bag hanging from a branch, top quadrant right of screen?

CS

Jeff Harper · February 10th, 2011, 10:28 PM

Waldi, I don't have my camera yet...but I wonder are you looking at the EVF while live view is on? Can LCD be turned off? Would that help? I don't know.

Waldi Krasowski · February 10th, 2011, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Soucy

Tell me, what, exactly, is in the (mesh?) bag hanging from a branch, top quadrant right of screen?

Chris, this is a fat-ball with seeds, feeder for the birds in my garden. I am a birder, addicted to birds :)

By the way - I am very impressed with a great video capabilities and stunning image quality of GH2. Finally can see it on my laptop... Awesome! Had no idea this tiny camera is so good.

Waldi Krasowski · February 10th, 2011, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Harper

are you looking at the EVF while live view is on? Can LCD be turned off? Would that help?

Jeff, there is a sensor than turns off LCD when your eye is close enough to the EVF. You can also switch between LCD and EVF pressing a button. So probably both can't be turned on at the same time. There is also "CONSTANT PREVIEW" in a menu, I did not find out what it really does. I have to play with it a bit more as I am getting lost sometimes in a maze of the combination of buttons and menu...

I am sure you will love your GH2, despite of fact that the buttons are for dwarfs :)

Waldi Krasowski · February 10th, 2011, 11:25 PM

I am sssso happy as all my crappy-test-footage plays now as I would have put a pint of grease to my laptop! And I think I deserve to get some sleep now... But stay tuned - I may encounter another problem soon :))))

Brian Luce · February 11th, 2011, 09:38 AM

I haven't had a chance to download it, but it sorta sounds like you're seeing the camera adjust to ISO, is the ISO set at "Auto"? If so, pick a fixed value and it might solve it.

February 10th, 2011, 04:00 PM	#17
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Actually Corey, if I had read your post, really read it, I would've seen that! I've been evangelizing about better svchd cards. I guess I'm trying to feel good about my purchase and looking for any excuse to justify it. __________________ "The horror of what I saw on the timeline cannot be described."

February 10th, 2011, 04:16 PM	#18
Waldi Krasowski Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Poland Posts: 106	Well my friends, it is just great to have opportunity to listen to somebody else. I simply went nut and I was blind that I did not take into consideration my SDHC card as well as my poor graphic card... Tomorrow I will find out what is causing that pulsation. Thank you once again. Last edited by Waldi Krasowski; February 10th, 2011 at 10:16 PM. Reason: Added one question

February 10th, 2011, 04:25 PM	#19
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	It's great to have a place to take these problems. I couldn't survive without this place! __________________ "The horror of what I saw on the timeline cannot be described."

February 10th, 2011, 09:43 PM	#22
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Chad, I agree. I've seen posts from folks that have had issueswith cheaper cards...things get hairy enough without worrying about the media I'm using. __________________ "The horror of what I saw on the timeline cannot be described."

February 10th, 2011, 10:22 PM	#25
Chris Soucy Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Fairfield, Dunedin, New Zealand Posts: 3,691 Images: 18	Hey Waldi............. Plays good on my (antique) system even using VLC (still set as my default as I don't see a lot of that sort of footage), bit noisy and a lot of background movement which I take to be foliage in wind. [Matrox AVPe Dual Head graphics card, Dell 24" 2000 X 1080 screen, DVI] Tell me, what, exactly, is in the (mesh?) bag hanging from a branch, top quadrant right of screen? CS

February 10th, 2011, 10:18 PM	#24
Waldi Krasowski Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Poland Posts: 106	One more question guys - I find the LVF gives a bit... jerky image. When I move a camera looking at the viewfinder the image is a tad late to what you would have seen with naked eye and it stutters a bit. Is it OK? And does my settings of video (frame rate, format, resolution, quality etc.) affect the view in a LVF? It looks good on LCD, is butter smooth, but in a LVF looks worse. Or is it my impression as I am used to DSLR cameras with optical viewfinder..?

February 10th, 2011, 10:28 PM	#26
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Waldi, I don't have my camera yet...but I wonder are you looking at the EVF while live view is on? Can LCD be turned off? Would that help? I don't know. __________________ "The horror of what I saw on the timeline cannot be described."

February 10th, 2011, 11:25 PM	#29
Waldi Krasowski Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Poland Posts: 106	I am sssso happy as all my crappy-test-footage plays now as I would have put a pint of grease to my laptop! And I think I deserve to get some sleep now... But stay tuned - I may encounter another problem soon :))))

February 11th, 2011, 09:38 AM	#30
Brian Luce Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,290	I haven't had a chance to download it, but it sorta sounds like you're seeing the camera adjust to ISO, is the ISO set at "Auto"? If so, pick a fixed value and it might solve it.