GH2....A little more pro looking at DVinfo.net

Tim Akin · September 16th, 2011, 11:22 AM

When I got my hands on the GH2 I couldn't believe how small it was and the 20mm pancake lens didn't add any size to it. So I went in search for a lens hood and this is what my outdoor setup looks like.

I will be buying another hood (since there so inexpensive) to use indoors and I will leave the nd filter on one....I figure it's alot easier and quicker to swap the hoods out with filter already attached.

Now if I can just learn to use this cam like a pro.

Jeff Harper · September 16th, 2011, 01:33 PM

Very cool Tim, I love it. It looks great. What is that on top, a foam mic cover mounted on the flash pop up? I can't make it out.

Mark Slade · September 16th, 2011, 01:40 PM

Can you pm me where you got that. I could use one that size.

Now if you want to truly try to impress the un-knowing client....spring this on them!!

nevermind on the pm....just saw the link in your other post....

Jeff Harper · September 16th, 2011, 01:45 PM

You guys are insane! Well, as a I always say, "If you can't dazzle 'em with brilliance, baffle 'em with bullshit!" Seriously, I love Tim's get up, but Mark, your camera scares me! What kind of lens do you have on there?

Mark Slade · September 16th, 2011, 02:08 PM

it's a Sigma 28-70 that I've been trying out. You should see it with the follow focus and 5 inch monitor on top! I do a lot of stuff outdoors and when I switched to the GH2's it became a nightmare with different size lens and needing ND filters and the front of the lens turning with focusing and step up/down rings and changing all that stuff out every time I needed to change a lens that it made sense to go this route. What really drove me to it was one day I had a lot of flare with the sun hitting the lens and couldn't move the setup. So I taped a piece of cardboard to the top of the lens. Looked like a fool, and didn't notice that the cardboard had sagged after a few minutes and was now in the top of my shot(noticed it when I got home though!!). I DO NOT use it for weddings.
Baffle them is right. Even though my ultimate reason was to make things better....I've had more than one client come on set and say "holy sh!#$...look at that" So it does have it's wow factor.

Mark

Jeff Harper · September 16th, 2011, 02:11 PM

Yeah, I'm sure it impresses folks!

Tim Akin · September 16th, 2011, 03:13 PM

Yeah Jeff that's the foam mic cover that came with one of the Yamaha recorders.

Mark that is awesome!! I could see myself setting that up at weddings. LOL One of my goals has been to try and downsize my equipment inventory......don't think that would help much.haha

Jeff Harper · September 16th, 2011, 05:00 PM

With my lenses and no lens hoods most the time I don't impress anyone, but I can get some awesome shots. The cameras are so inconspicuous, it is cool. On the other hand if I think about it while I'm filming I feel like a dork walking around with these stupid looking toys.

Brian Luce · September 22nd, 2011, 02:36 AM

Mark,
I have a similar set up. I think that's the Shrig Jig and rail system right? I think they're great and transform the GH2 in to some way better looking and far more functional. It's a great deal guys for $149. American Made!
Your hand held shots will no longer have micro jitters, on sticks you can securely mount any accessory you want and perhaps best of all, you can anchor your HDMI cable which is one of the weak spots of the GH2 in that the HDMI port is flimsy and shoddy as heck, I was always losing my signal, but not now, it's rock solid thanks to the cage. When people first started using cages I thought it was gimmick and waste of money, needless to say, I don't feel that way now.

For filters I just use the cheap Cokin faux matte box. Works.

Brian Luce · September 26th, 2011, 03:49 PM

Try some of the Cages, they'll make you look more pro.

Mark Slade · September 30th, 2011, 01:28 AM

Yep....it's the Shrigg. I'm not too happy with the design of the rails system. It doesn't allow for mounting on a tripod in a way that you can balance the whole thing. But I have used it all handheld and it's amazing how much more steady it is with the added weight.
Yeah I didn't really get the idea of a cage until trying to mount a monitor and stuff on it.
For $99 it can't be beat. It may not be as sexy as the rewo (or whatever it is) but why spend $350+ for something that works just as well for $99!!!

Mark

William Hohauser · September 30th, 2011, 02:34 PM

Is that a Shrigg as is or adapted in some way? The Shriggs are advertised for upside-down mounting of a camera.

Brian Luce · October 1st, 2011, 04:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by William Hohauser

Is that a Shrigg as is or adapted in some way? The Shriggs are advertised for upside-down mounting of a camera.

William, it takes a little fiddling, but it's not too bad to adapt. You'll never get tech support from the seller though, that guy has his hands full.

Best thing for me about the shrigg is you can easily lock down your hdmi which tends to wobble and lose its signal. A chronic issue for most gh2'ers.

September 16th, 2011, 11:22 AM	#1
Tim Akin Major Player Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Newbern, TN Posts: 414	GH2....A little more pro looking When I got my hands on the GH2 I couldn't believe how small it was and the 20mm pancake lens didn't add any size to it. So I went in search for a lens hood and this is what my outdoor setup looks like. I will be buying another hood (since there so inexpensive) to use indoors and I will leave the nd filter on one....I figure it's alot easier and quicker to swap the hoods out with filter already attached. Now if I can just learn to use this cam like a pro. Attached Thumbnails __________________ Tim

September 16th, 2011, 01:33 PM	#2
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Re: GH2....A little more pro looking Very cool Tim, I love it. It looks great. What is that on top, a foam mic cover mounted on the flash pop up? I can't make it out. __________________ "The horror of what I saw on the timeline cannot be described."

September 16th, 2011, 01:40 PM	#3
Mark Slade Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 121	Re: GH2....A little more pro looking Can you pm me where you got that. I could use one that size. Now if you want to truly try to impress the un-knowing client....spring this on them!! nevermind on the pm....just saw the link in your other post.... Attached Thumbnails

September 16th, 2011, 01:45 PM	#4
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Re: GH2....A little more pro looking You guys are insane! Well, as a I always say, "If you can't dazzle 'em with brilliance, baffle 'em with bullshit!" Seriously, I love Tim's get up, but Mark, your camera scares me! What kind of lens do you have on there? __________________ "The horror of what I saw on the timeline cannot be described."

September 16th, 2011, 02:08 PM	#5
Mark Slade Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 121	Re: GH2....A little more pro looking it's a Sigma 28-70 that I've been trying out. You should see it with the follow focus and 5 inch monitor on top! I do a lot of stuff outdoors and when I switched to the GH2's it became a nightmare with different size lens and needing ND filters and the front of the lens turning with focusing and step up/down rings and changing all that stuff out every time I needed to change a lens that it made sense to go this route. What really drove me to it was one day I had a lot of flare with the sun hitting the lens and couldn't move the setup. So I taped a piece of cardboard to the top of the lens. Looked like a fool, and didn't notice that the cardboard had sagged after a few minutes and was now in the top of my shot(noticed it when I got home though!!). I DO NOT use it for weddings. Baffle them is right. Even though my ultimate reason was to make things better....I've had more than one client come on set and say "holy sh!#$...look at that" So it does have it's wow factor. Mark

September 16th, 2011, 02:11 PM	#6
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Re: GH2....A little more pro looking Yeah, I'm sure it impresses folks! __________________ "The horror of what I saw on the timeline cannot be described."

September 16th, 2011, 03:13 PM	#7
Tim Akin Major Player Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Newbern, TN Posts: 414	Re: GH2....A little more pro looking Yeah Jeff that's the foam mic cover that came with one of the Yamaha recorders. Mark that is awesome!! I could see myself setting that up at weddings. LOL One of my goals has been to try and downsize my equipment inventory......don't think that would help much.haha __________________ Tim

September 16th, 2011, 05:00 PM	#8
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Re: GH2....A little more pro looking With my lenses and no lens hoods most the time I don't impress anyone, but I can get some awesome shots. The cameras are so inconspicuous, it is cool. On the other hand if I think about it while I'm filming I feel like a dork walking around with these stupid looking toys. __________________ "The horror of what I saw on the timeline cannot be described."

September 22nd, 2011, 02:36 AM	#9
Brian Luce Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,290	Re: GH2....A little more pro looking Mark, I have a similar set up. I think that's the Shrig Jig and rail system right? I think they're great and transform the GH2 in to some way better looking and far more functional. It's a great deal guys for $149. American Made! Your hand held shots will no longer have micro jitters, on sticks you can securely mount any accessory you want and perhaps best of all, you can anchor your HDMI cable which is one of the weak spots of the GH2 in that the HDMI port is flimsy and shoddy as heck, I was always losing my signal, but not now, it's rock solid thanks to the cage. When people first started using cages I thought it was gimmick and waste of money, needless to say, I don't feel that way now. For filters I just use the cheap Cokin faux matte box. Works.

September 26th, 2011, 03:49 PM	#10
Brian Luce Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,290	Re: GH2....A little more pro looking Try some of the Cages, they'll make you look more pro.

September 30th, 2011, 01:28 AM	#11
Mark Slade Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 121	Re: GH2....A little more pro looking Yep....it's the Shrigg. I'm not too happy with the design of the rails system. It doesn't allow for mounting on a tripod in a way that you can balance the whole thing. But I have used it all handheld and it's amazing how much more steady it is with the added weight. Yeah I didn't really get the idea of a cage until trying to mount a monitor and stuff on it. For $99 it can't be beat. It may not be as sexy as the rewo (or whatever it is) but why spend $350+ for something that works just as well for $99!!! Mark

September 30th, 2011, 02:34 PM	#12
William Hohauser Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: New York City Posts: 2,650	Re: GH2....A little more pro looking Is that a Shrigg as is or adapted in some way? The Shriggs are advertised for upside-down mounting of a camera. __________________ William Hohauser - New York City Producer/Edit/Camera/Animation