Panasonic lumix g6, wow

[Bruce Foreman]

Nigel,

I wrote this a week or so ago.

Originally Posted by Bruce Foreman

You'd likely be better off with the 25mm f1.4 rather than the 20mm f1.7 for the OMD EM5, I'm seeing multiple references to banding issues with the 20mm at high ISOs on that camera. So far I've seen nothing like that but all I have right now are Panasonic Lumix bodies.

The Olympus 45mm f1.8 is an outstanding performer, you'll love it!

Last night I shot a test with the 20mm on the OMD at ISO 12,800 just to see how visible any banding might be. In a badly underexposed portion of wall I could see a banding pattern I've seen associated with the GH1, but I really had to "look" for it. So I wouldn't be afraid of using the Panasonic 20mm f1.7 with this camera. The degree of underexposure it would take to show banding is unlikely in most high ISO exposures.

I've also read on the old e-p1.net that firmware update 1.5 drastically reduced the banding anyway, that's the version I have on my camera.

The 5 axis IS is absolutely amazing, like you said.

The GH3s remain my primary video equipment but I'll put this OMD to good use.

With video limited to a high ISO of 3200 I really see no reason to avoid this lens, although the OMD E-M5 is "crazy light" and "tiny" with the 20mm mounted on it.

[Noa Put]

I guess the OMD E-M5 would be only limited to the use of creative footage for users living in PAL land? Since we have to convert 30 to 25p that should slow down footage, not so sure what that would do to a talking person?

[Nigel Barker]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

I guess the OMD E-M5 would be only limited to the use of creative footage for users living in PAL land? Since we have to convert 30 to 25p that should slow down footage, not so sure what that would do to a talking person?

I have only done a couple of weddings with the OM-D E-M5 & haven't converted anything. I just drop it all on the timeline & Premiere Pro does the right thing. FCP X will do all necessary frame rate conversion too. Here is a link to a Handfasting (Neo-Pagan New Age thing) that I shot the other week. It's a mixture of 30p, 25p & 50p. Danny and Nyssa - Handfasting Highlights Video @ Alice Barker ImagesAlice Barker Images

I think that people make too much of the problems of mixing frame rates when a good NLE will handle it for you. I do shoot at 1/50 rather than 1/60 when using 30p to avoid the flickering lights with 50Hz mains problem.

[Noa Put]

Correct me if I am wrong but that is not entirely correct, I do mix all kind of framerates as well, like 50i, 25p and 50p in a 25p project, I don't have to do one thing either as Edius handles this all behind the scenes, when I make a 25p project and Edius will output a 25p file for me, no matter what source footage framerate was. Only 30p will be changed to 25p as well but here the speed will change slowing the footage down, it's not the same as going from 50p to 25p when you output the file as far as I understand as the speed remains the same, that's why I wanted to know what this will do with 30p footage from someone giving a speech and you output to a 25p file.

[Nigel Barker]

Premiere & FCP both fix the frame rate by dropping frames or interpolating frames anyway they do some sort of magic. If I drop a 30p clip onto a 25p timeline it plays normally just the same as a 50p clip does. If I wanted to slow down a 30p clip I would use Cinema Tools to conform it to 25p but that is a different operation.

I haven't tried adding 30p footage when doing a multi cam sequence but where I have used it with cutaways & just mixing with other footage it all seems to work quite seamlessly (with Premiere or FCP X anyway).

[Noa Put]

Interesting, I haven't tested with 30p footage yet, so you are saying going from a 30p to a 25p file doesn't affect speech at all in Premiere?

[Bill Bruner]

As of this post, the G6 with the kit lens is on sale for $498 at Amazon. This camera is a steal at this price, in my view.

Bill
Hybrid Camera Revolution

[Noa Put]

I only find prizes back in the 650-700 range?

[Bill Bruner]

Sorry, Noa. I had the wrong link posted. I fixed it in the post above, and here it is again:

Panasonic G6 - $498 at Amazon US as of this post (sadly, they are now on backorder - but you can order at the sale price and they won't charge your card until the camera ships).

Best,

Bill
Hybrid Camera Revolution

[Bruce Foreman]

$498 at B&H today (Thanksgiving).and in stock. With 2 GH3s, an OMD E-M5 and a GX1 I'll pass on this but whatta deal it is!

[Noa Put]

Bruce, can I ask how your OMD E-M5 is holding up compared to your gh3's? I have seen some very mixed results from that camera, some images from a wedding shot with the camera I recently saw had some very beautiful colour/skintones but others with lots of finer detail where I saw the image falling apart due to the codec. Is that your experience as well? I"m thinking on getting that camera for beautyshots because of it's build in stabilization where I should be able to shoot with a 75mm unstabilized prime lens handheld.

[Bruce Foreman]

I haven't had a chance to really "wring it out" yet. But quick and crude handheld and walking tests are very encouraging. I plan to use it mainly for shots where I have to have the camera in motion and won't be concerned about leaves and tall grass waving in the wind. I envision camera motion being fast enough to where background elements would be indistinct with any camera, but I'll try to do a few slower to see if I can answer your questions.

The GH3 footage will definitely be superior but in most cases the GH3's will be locked down on a tripod. I'm going to try to get an "actor" and test out some "concepts" involving camera in motion (trying to keep up with actor walking) in low light environments with "fast glass" on the OMD. The Oly 75mm definitely qualifies as "fast glass", but my first tests will likely be with the Pan/Leica 25mm f1.4.

The menu system on the OMD is a "mess" and there is a learning curve unless you have dealt with the menus on other Olympus cameras. I had a Pen E-P3 and that led me around "by the nose" for several days, the OMD menu only took me about 3 days to begin to have some idea where to "hunt" for a configuration item.

I'll definitely let you know how I feel about the results when I get to do it.

[Noa Put]

Thx Bruce.

[Colin Rowe]

I have just ordered a G6 with 14-140 3.5 to 5.6. Going for a very good price in the UK at the moment. £649 and a £100 cashback. looking forward to seeing just how good it is

[Noa Put]

That's a good price considering the lens is the same price as the body, around these parts at least. After selling my ea50 with stocklens including one nex mount and one canonmount lens I invested that money in quality m4/3 glass, like the 12-35mm f2.8, the leica 25mm f1.4, the olympus 75mm f1.8, the olympus 12mm f2.0 and one just for fun lens and for that one odd shot, the samyang 7,5mm f3.5 and last the 14mm f2.5 pancake which was the first lens I had. The gh3 will be equiped with the 12mm f2.0 on a steadicam, all the other lenses will be used on the g6, I like the fact that I can use etc mode in 25 and 50p mode, there is a slight resolution loss but with the glass I got you hardly notice that, especially with the oly 75mm which is very sharp and that becomes a 187mm f1.8 lens in etc mode or a 375mm f1.8 lens in full frame terms, great for those on the other side of the venue talking head shots. :)
In my case I got 2 camerabodies (a gh3 + g6) incl 6 quality lenses for a price of one canon c100 body excl lens, I consider that a good price as well :) As a bonus these m4/3 lenses are 1/3th the size and weight of aps-c or full frame lenses meaning my backpack has more space and weighs less, that difference I feel at the end of the day.