Panasonic GH2 - Any one have one

Are you talking about WB for video? For stills, everyone would want raw...

 

I dunno, it gives manual control of everything else in video mode.. It may well do MWB.

 

I note that the gh2 does 1080 24P, but lacks 30P in 1080 mode..

Yes, I was talking about MWB for video as I prefer taking video to still. I just bought a GH2 and a 14mm pancake lens, I think it is a good idea to use it for WA shot and ETC for macro.

Cool! So does it allow MWB for video?

Cool! So does it allow MWB for video?

Yes it does on land but I have yet to try its performance underwater, awaiting for housing by Nauticam or RecSea.

I am also looking to buy a new set –up . Been looking at the (EPL2,NEX5,)GH2 & D7000.

D7000 + 10-17mm+60mm; Cost=$2539, Weight= 1559 g

GH2 + Lumix 8mm fisheye + Lumix 45 mm macro; Cost=$3070 , Weight= 784 g

Guessing the Nauticam housing for the GH2 will be similar to the canon 550 as they are similar dimensions, Cost=$2500 Weight=2500 g

Nauticam D7000 housing, Cost=$3200 Weight =2600 g

Underwater set up excluding ports/strobes/arms that will be similar for both systems.

GH2 = $5570, 3.3 Kgs

D7000=$5740, 4.1 Kgs

Unfortunately the Panasonic lens are very expensive(ebay prices), the fisheye($1080) & macro($940) are more expensive than their Nikon & Tok counterparts.

The lumix 7-14 mm wide angle is even more expensive than the fisheye.

Panasonic system will be 1-2 Kgs lighter than the Nikon. No real difference in price.

GH2 much better for video & liveview, D7000 likely to be better for stills???

The GH2 movie samples on the Panasonic website are really fantastic.

I will be looking forward to see the Nauticam GH2,EPL2 & Nex7??? housings.

If the GF2 had similar specs to the GH2, the smaller GF2 would be perfect & i would definately buy one.

I had a play with Peter Rowlands GH2 last week and saw some of the files he has shot. They were very impressive.

Looking forward to seeing some underwater results from this camera.

Alex

I'm dying for one. The best live view auto focus available. So you have more flexibility underwater...

 

I'm still waiting for some more reviews. The micro 4/3rds certainly is not quite as good IQ as dx. But not far off.

 

I'm betting the the sony nex 7 will be released within a few months, and it will be a gh2 killer - same functions, EVF & live view, and great contrast detect auto focus, all on a dx sensor. Likely the same sensor as the nikon d7000 and sony a580.

 

But then there are even fewer E lenses, than micro 4/3rds... What to do?

Well Don,

Thom Hogen has a "good" prognosis for Sony and the NEX(*) future. Scroll down to "State of Mirrowless" for his musings. You might just win your bet. That said, lenses, lenes, lenses, AND defunk the UI.

Bob

STATE LINK

Panny 7-14/4 is not a fisheye, it is a super wide rectilinear lens with 114deg diag fov at 7mm. Tokina 10-17 has a 180deg diag fov at 10mm, two very different animals.

We tested 7-14 behind the 100mm hemisphere we use for DP-100, and I wasn't pleased with the corner sharpness.

panasonic 7-14 fisheye...

 

I see this lens and it looks like about the same as the tokina 10-17.

 

But the closest focus is 9.6 inches, rather than 5.5.

 

Does that mean it will not work well with a small dome?

 

Are domes available for the gf1 and gh1 housings already out there?

Thanks Ryan.

Yeah, the prices they are charging for m4/3 lenses is kind of incredible. Especially given their less than stellar image quality. They are charging as much as a nikon or canon lens.

Nuts.

Another year before there will be enough sony E mounts

Guess I'm stuck with a d7000 or t2i or lx5.

Thanks Ryan.

 

Yeah, the prices they are charging for m4/3 lenses is kind of incredible. Especially given their less than stellar image quality. They are charging as much as a nikon or canon lens.

 

Nuts.

 

Another year before there will be enough sony E mounts

 

Guess I'm stuck with a d7000 or t2i or lx5.

I got my 10Bar GH2 housing yesterday and will have it in the water this weekend. I look forward to seeing what it can do.

The 7-14 is a nice lens and sharp in the corners concidering how wide it is. The 10bar port is a different story and because it is a small port is prone to edge distortion. Here are a couple of shots from the 7-14 on my GF1 and you can see the edges are not sharp but some of that has to do with focal distance as well so take it for what it's worth.

I know I adjust the GF1's WB for video all the time and it is the same process for the GH2. It is quit easy but remember to switch it back because it's the same for photo's and will mess up your shots with the strobe.

Very nice photos! For (leaked) info, the Nauticam GF2 will be released shortly.

Have you tried stopping down the 7-14? I would shoot it at mid or higher aperture at the 7mm zoom. I can't tell from your photos. But to be honest it doesn't look much worse than some of the other rectilinear lenses like the Nikon 12-24 or Canon 10-20.

Jack

Have you tried stopping down the 7-14? I would shoot it at mid or higher aperture at the 7mm zoom. I can't tell from your photos. But to be honest it doesn't look much worse than some of the other rectilinear lenses like the Nikon 12-24 or Canon 10-20.

 

Jack

I'm not sure of the fstop on these shots because I'm at work. I would guess it was 6.3 or less and most likely 4. The lens is fine out of the housing and you have to pixel peep to see anything. I will do some experimenting with it and see if it changes with the port stopped down. I'll have it on the GH2 in the morning to take it on it's first dive. If I remember correctly, the article I read on here about small dome ports says this is inherent and only a larger port can correct it.

I love this lens and use it a lot both above and below the surface.

Very nice photos! For (leaked) info, the Nauticam GF2 will be released shortly.

Any news on a nauticam housing for the GH2?

Unfortunately the Panasonic lens are very expensive(ebay prices), the fisheye($1080) & macro($940) are more expensive than their Nikon & Tok counterparts.

The lumix 7-14 mm wide angle is even more expensive than the fisheye.

These prices seem high to me. I know you're in a different country but I paid less then $900 US for the 7-14 and the 45 macro is on Amazon for $700. This is still a lot of money but I dive almost exclusively with these 2 lens's and they are worth it to me. I recommend both highly.

Hi Mark.

Yeah, the thing is, the most popular WA zoom, on the dx sensors, is the tokina 10-17. Pretty much the equiv focal length. It is $590... Much cheaper than the pany.

It is fisheye, and it focuses much closer than the 7-14. Part of this means the corners are sharper, at a given f-stop, for small domes.

And it does better at CFWA, for getting the subject close and large.

The bulk and weight of the gh2 and housing, does not seem much less than a canon t2i, or nikon d7000. And it costs as much as the nikon.

Now that the oly epl2 is out, with much faster autofocus and shutter lag, maybe that is the way to go for low size & weight, at reasonable cost..

Around and around I go...

These prices seem high to me. I know you're in a different country but I paid less then $900 US for the 7-14 and the 45 macro is on Amazon for $700. This is still a lot of money but I dive almost exclusively with these 2 lens's and they are worth it to me. I recommend both highly.

Yeah the prices i listed are based on a typical ebay store in Hong kong with delivery into Australia.

I had a look at B&H USA and the prices for panny lenses are typically cheaper by approx $200.

Buying gear in Oz is expensive. The high street prices for the Gh2, fisheye & macro lens are really expensive.

I hear you on the money thing. I have to have things shipped to a friend in the states and then forwarded to me. The fisheye looks nice and I want one but I like the strait lines of the 7-14 better. There are times I'd like to get a little closer and some day I'm sure I'll get it but for now the 7-14 was higher on my list.

I don't think you can go wrong with any of these cameras. As long as you can trigger a strobe they are all quiet capable. I like M4/3's because the lens's are smaller then the larger sensor cameras but the sensor is still large. That said if the nex had been out when I got my GF1 I might have gone that route. I don't have any grand expectations of the GH2 being a lot better then the GF1 but the wife took over the GF1 so I needed to upgrade... I went with 10Bar because they are inexpensive and my last 2 Ikelite housings cracked so I needed to get something more robust without breaking the bank. I've been very happy with the GF1 10Bar housing and I love my Ikelite strobes.

Weather is not great this weekend but I did get out and take a few shots with the GH2 in a 10Bar housing. The housing worked perfect and all the controls were easy to get to. The shots are not that good. There was a lot of surge and vis was bad but there's always next week. I knew it would be bad so I took the Macro 45 today.

The Nauticam GH2 housing is in the works, but will probably be a couple of months. Initial retail price I've seen was $2000, not sure about ports. First 10Bar GH2 housings should be into the US later this week, price the same as the GH1, includes 14-45/7-14 zoom port, carrying case, spare parts kit and gear set.

Jack

Latest price list I have received puts the GH2 housing at $1550. We will be showcasing this new housing, alongside new housings for the Panasonic LX5 and Canon D60 at the London Dive Show next weekend.