For the curious - Panasonic GH3 updated hardware and firmware report

[Andrew Reid]

[img]http://www.eoshd.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/IMG_3942.jpg[/img]

Thanks to a chance encounter I was able to very briefly try a GH3 this week in Barcelona. The camera was on loan from Panasonic and not available to the public to try, it was part of the private beta test program but they very kindly let me give my impressions of it after a brief 20 minute play with the camera behind closed doors. Again this was not the final camera but it had some interesting tweaks compared to the models Panasonic brought to Photokina last month.

[MaxAperture Films]

Glad to hear the hardware and firmware continue to be refined in the GH3. Did you happen to notice any moire present in video images with this version of the firmware?

Edit to add:
Panasonic definitely appears to be listening to some of the feedback they have received from the launch event and beta testers... very positive stuff that shows a less insulated approach to product development.

[haarec]

"Codec was the same as at Photokina and once again this was PAL / NTSC switchable between 24/25p"

Did you have a possibility to choose 24, 25 [i]and [/i]30 fps as well as 50 [i]and [/i]60 fps?

[Xiong]

Really hoping moire is fixed, besides that a flatter image would be on my next wish list along with 4-2-2 out, but that has already been confirmed as 4-2-0 :(

[5thwall]

Thanks for the info. In your notes to Panasonic, can you ask if they can allow ETC mode to work through HDMI out? When I use my EVF, I can't use ETC. Would be great if I could.

[Germy1979]

Log type profile, super awesome highlight rolloff and a kickass S/N ratio.... Annnnnnd no moire. Should be good for most of us:)

[domonicwhite]

Thanks for the update! Any comments on the aliasing / moire situation?

[Marco]

Is there a chance to get more dynamic range with the new firmware through HDR using the 50p?

[Francisco Rios]

[color=#333333][font=Helvetica, Arial, FreeSans, sans-serif][size=2]
I am travelling right now and plan to get back to my studio in Berlin next week, EOSHD articles will once again come at a quicker pace. Stay tuned![/size][/font][/color]
Great Andrew,
I check everyday the block and will be great to read more articles when you come back.
Cheers.
Francisco.

[jimbee]

Is there any chance the GH3 could get a live histogram in video mode? I think it would be a great exposure help if you could see a histogram of the scene before you shoot instead of after.

[Xiong]

In case you guys havent seen it yet.

Someone uploaded more test footage of the GH3

here: [url="http://www.photographyblog.com/news/panasonic_gh3_videos/"]http://www.photographyblog.com/news/panasonic_gh3_videos/[/url]

From the post he mentions "[color=#000000][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][size=3]Note that these are fully representative of the Panasonic GH3’s final video quality when it ships next month."[/size][/font][/color]

[Chrad]

Michael Reichmann of The Luminous Landscape had this to say:
[quote][url="http://www.luminous-landscape.com/whatsnew/"]Observant Home Page viewers will note that the new front page image was taken with the as-yet unreleased Panasonic Lumix GH3. I have been shooting with a press review sample and will continue for the next ten days or so. This is a pre-production camera, so it has it foibles. But so far I am extreemly impressed with the build, handling, and especially image quality, both stills and video. This may be the best hybrid camera yet.[/url][/quote]
He's a big GH2 fan and was an early proponent of it as a video camera. He also regularly uses the FS100. I think his endorsement is great news.

[TJB]

Glad to hear it's not stiff or slippery, but what about moire and aliasing? This will be the deal breaker for many.

[John Twigt]

In case anybody is interested, I've had the opportunity to play around with a pre-production model this weekend. Wrote a little report and thrown some shots together. Please be kind, this is not meant as a extensive scientific test, just a personal impression of the GH3

(and please note it's a v0.5 firmware pre-production model)

http://www.workstation.nl/gh3eng.html

http://vimeo.com/51928527