Interview with Yoshiyuki Inoue, Senior Engineering Planner for the Panasonic GH3

[Georg Williams]

[quote name='MattH' timestamp='1348142087' post='18678']

We had interlaced to make progressive – not so good.

Translation:
You thought you were getting progressive video from the GH2. but you weren’t. It was interlaced that was converted to progressive. This is one of the reasons the GH2 had such a strong video look. Plus we spent so long doing that, we forgot to add peaking

Is the HDMI output 4-2-2?

No its 4-2-0. Why would we spend so long designing and optimising a stable high bit codec in camera if we wanted you to use a fucking ninja?
The output is perfectly suitable for a field monitor, but you won’t be recording shit out of it.


Is it a Sony sensor? No comment.

Translation: Yes it is it’s the same sensor from the EM5. We saw Olympus taking all the glory for having better quality so we decided to sacrifice the multi aspect sensor for the slightly better dynamic range of the Sony one.

This will have an effect on the overall video quality as well. The footage will look less like the old Panasonic video-like look and more of a Sony video-like look. So if you want a more film like look you will have to save up and either put up with the artificially crippled detail of the 5dmk3 which should be sharp as a tack due to the 4*4 pixel binning, or put up with the rainbow moiré of the BMC because they skipped putting in an optical low pass filter in this version to get the camera out the door.

One more question. Electronic follow focus....?

Response: (Gets notepad out.)
Remember when I said There are over a 100 members researching all over the world? I Lied!!
[/quote]

@MattH:

Inoue would probably say: Ahh, MattH ... you are very difficult ... but funny man :-)

[TJB]

Thanks for posting the interview Andrew....well done.

Whatever you do, don't ask him how he liked Michael Reichmann's review of the Panasonic L1 over at
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/Panasonic-L1.shtml
He said the L1 has "a viewfinder that verges on the unusable."

Moire and aliasing are top concerns with the GH3. I'm hoping it's not as bad as the Nikon D800 and the latest Sony offerings. Yoshiyuki Inoue probably thinks moire and aliasing are things we should live with considering it's a consumer camera. If that's true, then it may have been a case of dumb luck with the GH2.
No XLR. For me that would have been a slam dunk....shame.

[QuickHitRecord]

Thanks, Andrew.

[QuickHitRecord]

Here is the interview that the Personal-View team conducted with a Panasonic Senior Project Manager Matthias Matthes (unable to embed):

https://vimeo.com/49831263

[johndoe]

Great, 4-2-0 its exactly what i need to record high quality trash on my ninja. Btw why do they crippled they sales like that! They could have done billions from professionals. And is there anybody besides me that will die the day they resolve global shutter obstacle? Just saw the post before mine....why so many contraddiction between people of the same corporation? Like the wifi usability for example.

[QuickHitRecord]

Too many of the posts about this camera end with some variation of "I hope I'm wrong about this", but based on my observations I am beginning to feel that way too. Bluntly put, the GH3 seems like a downgrade from the GH2 in terms of usability. Unless there are some radical changes made between now and the GH3's release, I'll just hang onto my GH2 and wait for another viable MFT camera to be released. The good news is that these days there are new cameras announced almost every other month.

[sanveer]

Does it matter that the Panasonic GH3 has a Sony Sensor. Anyways, maybe Sony offered a great deal to Panasonic, and since the GH2 produced insane video, but, average stills, it was a good idea, to go with a better sensor. Whats the Big Deal????
I am guessing, that, due to the China mayhem, the delivery of the GH3 may be substantially delayed. Maybe, its High Time, the world moved out of China, And, worked upon Quality Control, now that, they are at it. :D

[Mirrorkisser]

I just got my gh2 6 months ago and will keep it for sure, too. The step does not seem big enough. Even comparing gh1-gh2 footage, the step is not gigantic (less macroblockin in flowing water etc. and some nice add ons), although it is a step. the next model after the gh3, gh4 or gh5 (4 is like 13 in western culture?!) i will be on board again, unless bmcc2 or something else is better by then.

[AdRath]

[quote name='QuickHitRecord' timestamp='1348153016' post='18701']
the GH3 seems like a downgrade from the GH2 in terms of usability.
[/quote]

How so?
I see far more pluses than negatives from the gh3.

-better reliable rec formats all span.
-highspeed 1080p
-Real progressive not the interlaced wrapper crap
-headphone jack
-Better lcd screen
-Superior build and weather proofing.
-Wifi for monitor support (still to be confirmed) lots of potential with apps.
-better dynamic range
-better low light performance

[QuickHitRecord]

[quote name='AdRath' timestamp='1348154452' post='18704']
How so?
I see far more pluses than negatives from the gh3.

-better reliable rec formats all span.
-highspeed 1080p
-Real progressive not the interlaced wrapper crap
-headphone jack
-Better lcd screen
-Superior build and weather proofing.
-Wifi for monitor support (still to be confirmed) lots of potential with apps.
-better dynamic range
-better low light performance
[/quote]

All good things, but moire and aliasing? I liquidated my Canon camera and lenses so that I could switch over to the moire-free GH2. It was worth not having to worry about it anymore. But now it's back in the GH3? I just don't think that I can do it. If these were fixed, I'd go for it in a heartbeat.

[zephyrnoid]

Excellent Interview! You covered almost all the key questions and I can tell you could have gotten more if the Interviewee hadn't cut you short!

• Since the lenses are electronic "would it be possible to have an accessory that allows an electronic follow focus (USB)"[in addition to the existing external manual ring] ? Looks like it could be in a future firmware option right? I mean if the USB connection is I/O and it connects to the CPU/ROM then its just a firmware tweak and an external control device, right?
•Based on some unhappy reports of the GH3's image colors(CLUT), the lack of 4:2:2 color space is going to make Color Grading hard for serious Color Workers. I notice from the demo Movie, Genesis, a bunch of questionable color palettes in the available light shots.
We'll definitely have to put this camera to the acid tests in post.



Good Job! We are getting there.

[zephyrnoid]

[quote name='QuickHitRecord' timestamp='1348153016' post='18701']
the GH3 seems like a downgrade from the GH2 in terms of usability.
[/quote]
I sure wish people would stop using a term that they don't understand precisely. Usability , Funtionality or the right feature mix? > They are different terms. The GH3 looks to have a higher [b][i]Usability Quotient [/i][/b]than the GH2, though I see that some functionality has taken a downgrade in the inevitable juggling of specifications. [b][i]ONLY[/i][/b] a direct side by side challenge will resolve doubts.

[AdRath]

[quote name='QuickHitRecord' timestamp='1348155862' post='18705']
All good things, but moire and aliasing? I liquidated my Canon camera and lenses so that I could switch over to the moire-free GH2. It was worth not having to worry about it anymore. But now it's back in the GH3? I just don't think that I can do it. If these were fixed, I'd go for it in a heartbeat.
[/quote]

I think we need to get some more footage with final firmware before I would declare moire/aliasing to be huge issue. It didn't seem to be bad in the examples I have seen (all shot with pre-production cameras) but I am also not a pixel peeper.

[andy lee]

I think the GH2 has a unique 'look' that may now be lost forever now the GH3 has an 'alleged' Sony Sensor
I think alot of people will be hanging onto their GH2's for the foreseable future.

[richg101]

[quote name='QuickHitRecord' timestamp='1348151866' post='18698']
Here is the interview that the Personal-View team conducted with a Panasonic Senior Project Manager Matthias Matthes (unable to embed):

[url="https://vimeo.com/49831263"]https://vimeo.com/49831263[/url]
[/quote]

wow that gh2 footage is damn sharp on the interview

[RobertoSF]

Nice bit of journalism there, Andrew, especially on short notice.

Like others, I'd appreciate more clarity on the multi-aspect ratio sensor feature. Sounds like it is not on the GH3, but want to know for sure. It's a feature I really want for 2x anamorphic shooting, and so far as I can tell, no digital camera offers it up to (and including) the BMC and Canon's 4K C500.

[QuickHitRecord]

[color=#222222][font=Helvetica Neue', Arial, Verdana, sans-serif][size=4][background=rgb(255, 255, 255)][quote name='zephyrnoid' timestamp='1348157015' post='18707']
I sure wish people would stop using a term that they don't understand precisely. Usability , Funtionality or the right feature mix? > They are different terms. The GH3 looks to have a higher [b][i]Usability Quotient [/i][/b]than the GH2, though I see that some functionality has taken a downgrade in the inevitable juggling of specifications. [b][i]ONLY[/i][/b] a direct side by side challenge will resolve doubts.
[/quote]

The GH3 has improved [i]functionality[/i], but only clean, moire-free shots are [i]usable[/i] to me.[/background][/size][/font][/color]

[cameraboy]

panasonic lens produce moire/aliasing because distortion correction ...

[ipcmlr]

Thanks! Great interview!

[OverCranked]

[quote name='MattH' timestamp='1348142087' post='18678']
... Response: (Gets notepad out.)
Remember when I said There are over a 100 members researching all over the world? I Lied!!
[/quote]

That comment is not civilized. Only if you knew a bit more about Japanese culture. May be you should consider his action as a noble move from a highest ranking engineer. Perhaps he is the team leader for those 100 members researching the subject.
Yet again, only if you knew a bit more about Japanese culture.