Color/Exposure Shift on GH2 at DVinfo.net

Willis Chung · February 14th, 2011, 01:35 AM

Anybody else having problems exposing for GH2 because once you hit record, the exposure and white balance shifts?

Apparently the histogram shifts to the right, and the camera would be getting a greener and darker tint.

Solutions please.

Guy McLoughlin · February 14th, 2011, 09:51 AM

How are you setting your exposure and color balance ?

I shoot with everything on manual, and I set my color balance via degrees Kelvin. I haven't experienced any problems with this.

Gediminas Sulcas · February 14th, 2011, 01:00 PM

i just wana say that you not only one with this problem. But still i cant help u now. If ill find something, i will share with u.

Waldi Krasowski · February 14th, 2011, 03:31 PM

Same with my GH2. The more so: the higher ISO - the bigger shift towards green. Probably some bug in a firmware, as it seems it happens only on LCD or LVF, because when I play it on my laptop it looks fine.

Jeff Harper · February 14th, 2011, 04:00 PM

If you're talking about what I brought up in another post, it is referenced in the manual but I can't find it.

When shooting a f/4.0 this morning the screen looked fine...but hit record and it appeared dark. I took a photo and it was dark also. Not sure what this is about.

My first reaction is "How do I work in a run and gun situation with this issue?".

Waldi Krasowski · February 14th, 2011, 05:26 PM

Jeff, I just don't rely on what I see after pressing record button, but what I see BEFORE that. At least it works for me. I was trying to play with some presets, like "constant preview" or "My color profile" etc. but none worked out. As far as I know - no one has found solution as yet, therefore people just live with it. I must admit I am already quite used to my screen (LCD and LVF) going darker and greenish-tinted after I hit the button...

It is also true that after you start to record, the histogram shifts a bit to the right. I have not measured yet if it really reflects the change in video being recorded, or it is only strange histogram window behavior. Just in case I keep my eye to the lights - to not overburn the lights.

User Manual is rather useless, It is written in very awkward manner, so most of what I have learned so far is just the result of "hit and miss" :) However I find GH2 to be reliable when I record in manual mode, using mostly Cinema or Smooth presets. Both render colors similar, but Cinema handles the lights better, while Smooth is better if you care about blacks/shadows details.

Hope it helps.

PS
Similar thread
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread...ht=color+shift

Jeff Harper · February 14th, 2011, 10:10 PM

Yes, I admit in Cinema mode, from the few minutes I've had with the camera, does seem to work well.

Conditions change while shooting, lighting changes, people move into areas with different lighting conditions, what do we do when following someone, stop the camera, check the picture, reset it, then start back up? In the meantime our subject has moved and we've either lost them or we have to catch up with them? This is particularly troubling for outdoor shoots following a bridal party around outdoors in the park, etc.

This is not good for wedding videography. One minute after the first dance begins, the lights are then lowered, so during the first dance I stop the camera, check my settings, and restart?

Maybe I don't have full understanding, but at first blush it sounds like a nightmare.

I can't tell you how many reviews I read, posts I read, before purchasing the camera. This is the first I've heard of this. Live view should mean as it is being recorded.

I'm not sure if manual control of shutter speed, exposure are available during 24p cinema mode.

The manual should be divided into two main sections, Photo and Video. I find myself going back and forth from front to back with these incomplete explanations and it is crazy.

For example, does the camera have auto gain for the audio when in some modes? I suspect in iauto it might, but it is not clear.

Waldi Krasowski · February 15th, 2011, 04:28 AM

Jeff, I do agree - color shift on displays may be a bad issue for your type of work. Before or after pressing Record button - it should stay all the way the same. But do you change any settings during action/recording? I doubt it, so you better stay with what you see before recording starts, otherwise the the LCD screen/LVF may cheat you.

I am not sure whether GH2 is "more WYSIWYG" before or after your recording starts (..?) In my opinion it is more WYSIWYG before you start recording, because when I playback my footage on a PC, it never goes as dark/green as LCD/LVF shows it during recording. I was also trying to adjust/calibrate GH2 displays (LCD/LVF) using Monitor presets (Menu>Setup>2nd page), so it would match reality and colors I see after pressing Record, but then you get GH2 displays too bright and too much magenta tinted. I was not able to calibrate LCD/LVF so It would work well in both cases - before recording starts and after it has started. So I rely on what I see BEFORE (monitoring eventual clipping of lights) and it works fine to me. Anyway, I hope it will be fixed soon by Panasonic on FW upgrade, as this is important, and it is not a feature, but what the Live View really means. So far we have to live with it...

William Hohauser · February 15th, 2011, 07:01 AM

The manual is possibly the most disjointed manual I've had the displeasure to read. My one and only shoot with the camera so far has been my manual. Just got the camera Friday.

Using Cinema preset, I did not experience any shift and the footage looks as much as it did in the LCD. One question: in manual mode I couldn't get control over the aperture while shooting. Shutter yes, ISO yes, but I could only set the aperture before hitting record. Is this correct?

Waldi Krasowski · February 15th, 2011, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by William Hohauser

Using Cinema preset, I did not experience any shift and the footage looks as much as it did in the LCD

As much as it looked after you've pressed the record button..? Didn't you observe any change before and after hitting the red button? William - take a closer look again ;) And observe how the histogram also shifts to the right...

PS
You can change aperture while recording, but you have to press/click the rear dial first as it switches you between shutter and aperture (in Exposure mode = M). However I wasn't able to change ISO during recording. How did you get it???

Jeff Harper · February 15th, 2011, 09:03 AM

Ok Waldi, or anyone, can you explain, if you know, what is the Exposure compensation thing? It seems to be some kind of exposure setting, but I'm not sure how it takes the place of setting the exposure, or what.

Waldi Krasowski · February 15th, 2011, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Harper

Ok Waldi, or anyone, can you explain, if you know, what is the Exposure compensation thing?

Where did you get it, in User Manual? I can't see it in a menu...

But if you talk about the small thing at the bottom of the screen, next to ISO value - it is a simply indicator showing your current exposure correction, in EV steps (EV is a photographic term). So it shows you how far (how many EV steps) u are from "correct" exposure - in relation to what GH2 thinks is correct exposure... When your exposure is "correct" (I mean EV = 0) the histogram will confirm it turning into white, instead of orange. This indicator shows a range from -3EV steps through 0 to +3EV steps.

Jeff Harper · February 15th, 2011, 09:19 AM

It might apply only to photos, I don't know. It's on page 132 of my manual...near the bottom. it is referenced in other sections of the manual also, very confusing.

I've seen it on my screen a time for two, but forget when and where it happened.

It is also reference here in the second image from top, lower right. http://dpreview.com/previews/panasonicdmcgh2/page3.asp

Waldi Krasowski · February 15th, 2011, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Harper

It might apply only to photos

No Jeff, it apply to both: photos and videos. It helps you find out how far you are from "correct" exposure. One EV step is the same amount of light like one F-stop. So when you set up your camera for shooting video, first of all you observe how the image/scene looks on LCD or LVF, but observing this "exposure compensation" indicator helps a lot as well.

Jeff Harper · February 15th, 2011, 09:58 AM

Thanks Waldi. I'm going to play with the camera tonite.

February 14th, 2011, 01:35 AM	#1
Willis Chung New Boot Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 15	Color/Exposure Shift on GH2 Anybody else having problems exposing for GH2 because once you hit record, the exposure and white balance shifts? Apparently the histogram shifts to the right, and the camera would be getting a greener and darker tint. Solutions please.

February 14th, 2011, 03:31 PM	#4
Waldi Krasowski Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Poland Posts: 106	Same with my GH2. The more so: the higher ISO - the bigger shift towards green. Probably some bug in a firmware, as it seems it happens only on LCD or LVF, because when I play it on my laptop it looks fine. Last edited by Waldi Krasowski; February 14th, 2011 at 05:26 PM.

February 14th, 2011, 04:00 PM	#5
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	If you're talking about what I brought up in another post, it is referenced in the manual but I can't find it. When shooting a f/4.0 this morning the screen looked fine...but hit record and it appeared dark. I took a photo and it was dark also. Not sure what this is about. My first reaction is "How do I work in a run and gun situation with this issue?". __________________ "The horror of what I saw on the timeline cannot be described."

February 14th, 2011, 05:26 PM	#6
Waldi Krasowski Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Poland Posts: 106	Jeff, I just don't rely on what I see after pressing record button, but what I see BEFORE that. At least it works for me. I was trying to play with some presets, like "constant preview" or "My color profile" etc. but none worked out. As far as I know - no one has found solution as yet, therefore people just live with it. I must admit I am already quite used to my screen (LCD and LVF) going darker and greenish-tinted after I hit the button... It is also true that after you start to record, the histogram shifts a bit to the right. I have not measured yet if it really reflects the change in video being recorded, or it is only strange histogram window behavior. Just in case I keep my eye to the lights - to not overburn the lights. User Manual is rather useless, It is written in very awkward manner, so most of what I have learned so far is just the result of "hit and miss" :) However I find GH2 to be reliable when I record in manual mode, using mostly Cinema or Smooth presets. Both render colors similar, but Cinema handles the lights better, while Smooth is better if you care about blacks/shadows details. Hope it helps. PS Similar thread http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread...ht=color+shift Last edited by Waldi Krasowski; February 14th, 2011 at 05:56 PM.

February 14th, 2011, 10:10 PM	#7
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Yes, I admit in Cinema mode, from the few minutes I've had with the camera, does seem to work well. Conditions change while shooting, lighting changes, people move into areas with different lighting conditions, what do we do when following someone, stop the camera, check the picture, reset it, then start back up? In the meantime our subject has moved and we've either lost them or we have to catch up with them? This is particularly troubling for outdoor shoots following a bridal party around outdoors in the park, etc. This is not good for wedding videography. One minute after the first dance begins, the lights are then lowered, so during the first dance I stop the camera, check my settings, and restart? Maybe I don't have full understanding, but at first blush it sounds like a nightmare. I can't tell you how many reviews I read, posts I read, before purchasing the camera. This is the first I've heard of this. Live view should mean as it is being recorded. I'm not sure if manual control of shutter speed, exposure are available during 24p cinema mode. The manual should be divided into two main sections, Photo and Video. I find myself going back and forth from front to back with these incomplete explanations and it is crazy. For example, does the camera have auto gain for the audio when in some modes? I suspect in iauto it might, but it is not clear. __________________ "The horror of what I saw on the timeline cannot be described."

February 14th, 2011, 09:51 AM	#2
Guy McLoughlin Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Posts: 287	How are you setting your exposure and color balance ? I shoot with everything on manual, and I set my color balance via degrees Kelvin. I haven't experienced any problems with this.

February 14th, 2011, 01:00 PM	#3
Gediminas Sulcas New Boot Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Vilnius, Lithuania Posts: 22	i just wana say that you not only one with this problem. But still i cant help u now. If ill find something, i will share with u.

February 15th, 2011, 04:28 AM	#8
Waldi Krasowski Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Poland Posts: 106	Jeff, I do agree - color shift on displays may be a bad issue for your type of work. Before or after pressing Record button - it should stay all the way the same. But do you change any settings during action/recording? I doubt it, so you better stay with what you see before recording starts, otherwise the the LCD screen/LVF may cheat you. I am not sure whether GH2 is "more WYSIWYG" before or after your recording starts (..?) In my opinion it is more WYSIWYG before you start recording, because when I playback my footage on a PC, it never goes as dark/green as LCD/LVF shows it during recording. I was also trying to adjust/calibrate GH2 displays (LCD/LVF) using Monitor presets (Menu>Setup>2nd page), so it would match reality and colors I see after pressing Record, but then you get GH2 displays too bright and too much magenta tinted. I was not able to calibrate LCD/LVF so It would work well in both cases - before recording starts and after it has started. So I rely on what I see BEFORE (monitoring eventual clipping of lights) and it works fine to me. Anyway, I hope it will be fixed soon by Panasonic on FW upgrade, as this is important, and it is not a feature, but what the Live View really means. So far we have to live with it... Last edited by Waldi Krasowski; February 15th, 2011 at 09:38 AM.

February 15th, 2011, 07:01 AM	#9
William Hohauser Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: New York City Posts: 2,650	The manual is possibly the most disjointed manual I've had the displeasure to read. My one and only shoot with the camera so far has been my manual. Just got the camera Friday. Using Cinema preset, I did not experience any shift and the footage looks as much as it did in the LCD. One question: in manual mode I couldn't get control over the aperture while shooting. Shutter yes, ISO yes, but I could only set the aperture before hitting record. Is this correct? __________________ William Hohauser - New York City Producer/Edit/Camera/Animation

February 15th, 2011, 09:03 AM	#11
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Ok Waldi, or anyone, can you explain, if you know, what is the Exposure compensation thing? It seems to be some kind of exposure setting, but I'm not sure how it takes the place of setting the exposure, or what. __________________ "The horror of what I saw on the timeline cannot be described."

February 15th, 2011, 09:19 AM	#13
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	It might apply only to photos, I don't know. It's on page 132 of my manual...near the bottom. it is referenced in other sections of the manual also, very confusing. I've seen it on my screen a time for two, but forget when and where it happened. It is also reference here in the second image from top, lower right. http://dpreview.com/previews/panasonicdmcgh2/page3.asp __________________ "The horror of what I saw on the timeline cannot be described."

February 15th, 2011, 09:58 AM	#15
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Thanks Waldi. I'm going to play with the camera tonite. __________________ "The horror of what I saw on the timeline cannot be described."