Panasonic GH3 real-world test (pre-production firmware)

[Ernesto Mantaras]

I got a chance to use the GH3 too. I did a very limited test, and I didn't see any moire, see the guy's sweater at the end. I'm confused like larrys, in what situations does the moire show up? I guess I won't really know until I have a GH3 in my hands.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTXo1HLOX6o[/media]

I know YouTube compression will hide it a bit, but that video looks really clean for a 1250ISO video. Also kinda flat (but there's always crushed blacks in the very low end, unlike Canon's Cinestyle), yet it lacks a bit of detail. Perhaps it's about finding a balance in the custom settings.

As for moiré, I watched it twice and didn't find anything, but then again you didn't encounter any difficult textures.
Still, this is getting a bit pointless to me. I want to see a final version of the GH3 head to head against a GH2. I'm tired of looking for ghosts.

[hoodlum]

One of the better quality GH3 videos so far. Review coming soon.

[Axel]

The same filmmaker has uploaded a lot of city portraits, and all that's clear is, that this is by far the best. He has also filmed with the GH2 (Lisboa), and guess what? It's full of moire. In this video, you see moire occasionally on the cupola of Sacré-Cœur and on some bricks. But you would'nt notice it, were you not looking out for it. The overall sharpness ist stunning. The skin tones are EOS-like, the dynamic range seems to be good. Are we all barking up the wrong tree?

[MaxAperture Films]

The same filmmaker has uploaded a lot of city portraits, and all that's clear is, that this is by far the best. He has also filmed with the GH2 (Lisboa), and guess what? It's full of moire. In this video, you see moire occasionally on the cupola of the Montmartre and on some bricks. But you would'nt notice it, were you not looking out for it. The overall sharpness ist stunning. The skin tones are EOS-like, the dynamic range seems to be good. Are we all barking up the wrong tree?

I came to the same conclusion comparing his videos, dynamic range is better for sure - probably a 1 stop increase shared between highlights and shadows. I really like the skin tone rendering. The shot of the accordian girl at 2:28 is simply beautiful. If I had to guess, I'd say this camera comes in around 11 stops of dynamic range based on overall landscape detail. That's still 2 stops shy of the BMCC, but very respectable considering the price point and portability of the shooting kit. The one negative I noticed is that ETC mode still generates noticeable noise in the blue band at base ISO, which is probably to be expected without any pixel bin or averaging during image processing.

[sanveer]

The guy has shot the video damn well. The composition and shots are amazing. Seriously talented guy.

The sky banding seems to have greatly reduced (or gone, completely ??). Or maybe, its party cloudy, and the contrast isn't so much. I dunno ...

Also, the colour and tone, seem greatly improved, from the GH2.

Now, all I am looking for, is a completely face-off between the 2, shot under all test conditions (lab and actual) :D

[Zach]

I still am not sure about the skin tones. I'd love to see a lit and unlit interview shot with it.

Otherwise, I'm pretty sold. For the price of a GH3 and 1 or 2 lenses I'll be at the same price as a 6D or 5D with 1 or 0 lenses. Can't wait to see more footage

[nahua]

I know YouTube compression will hide it a bit, but that video looks really clean for a 1250ISO video. Also kinda flat (but there's always crushed blacks in the very low end, unlike Canon's Cinestyle), yet it lacks a bit of detail. Perhaps it's about finding a balance in the custom settings.

As for moiré, I watched it twice and didn't find anything, but then again you didn't encounter any difficult textures.

Still, this is getting a bit pointless to me. I want to see a final version of the GH3 head to head against a GH2. I'm tired of looking for ghosts.

I understand and I agree with you. I wish I had more time, but I was really limited. I want the camera too, and my B&H preorder said delivery will be around Dec 5. I hope it comes in, I can't wait to have it in my hands!

[Dr. John R. Brinkley]

The video in Paris blew me away. It made me believe the GH3 can deliver great images. However, I'm still completely flabbergasted how different people, sometimes in the same location at the same time can get some varying degrees of images, from excellence to complete rubbish.

Is the difference all in settings and post processing?

[Andrew Reid]

You shouldn't be surprised by that John! Get a bunch of guitar players together, give them the same model and see if they all make the same noise. Comes down to talent in the end, and avoiding the kind of shot that the camera is poor at. Unless you are showing it for testing purposes, you wouldn't use a camera at wide angles which was bad at resolving lots of fine detail.

[JR Lipartito]

Panasonic says GH3 final production models will have a new AA filter. Sounds like this is a direct response to complaints of moire and aliasing we've been seeing videos shot with the pre-production models. We'll have to see footage from a real production model to know for sure, but sounds like Panasonic's really has been listening since Photokina!

Interview below, queued right up to where they talk about the AA filter:

http://youtu.be/ptUUEkWv6YQ?t=37m57s

[Dr. John R. Brinkley]

Andrew,

Good points. Overall, I'm excited that the GH3 can be shown to deliver great quality. So, as long as it can be done, then I'm sold. Now...I just hope I'm not one of the bad guitar players, so to speak, Ha.

[big phill]

I am going to get the gh3 base don the fact that my gh1 is on its last leg. My main concern is the stills, I know its going to have great video. I am also concenred about the price of the battery grip (and the lack of any info dealing with the grip). How much is the battery grip going to cost and how good are the stills going to be? Does anyone have any idea?

[sanveer]

Panasonic says GH3 final production models will have a new AA filter. Sounds like this is a direct response to complaints of moire and aliasing we've been seeing videos shot with the pre-production models. We'll have to see footage from a real production model to know for sure, but sounds like Panasonic's really has been listening since Photokina!

Interview below, queued right up to where they talk about the AA filter:

http://youtu.be/ptUUEkWv6YQ?t=37m57s

Maybe, something on the lines of the Nikon D800E. The difference may be very minute, especially, for smaller sized images. But, if it helps, why not:

http://www.ephotozin...lr-review-19764

and this (this even have a moire comparison):

http://kenrockwell.com/nikon/d800/vs-d800e.htm

[Julian]

The D800E has no AA filter.. The GH3 already has. If they will put in a stronger AAfilter that's also going to result in less detail. I kinda doubt that Panasonic will.. Panasonic has been telling reviewers the preproduction firmware is representative of the final version. I'm curious if there will be a visible difference after all.

[sanveer]

The D800E has no AA filter.. The GH3 already has. If they will put in a stronger AAfilter that's also going to result in less detail. I kinda doubt that Panasonic will.. Panasonic has been telling reviewers the preproduction firmware is representative of the final version. I'm curious if there will be a visible difference after all.

I know that the GH3 has a filter, already (and that the D800E doesn't). But, the filter on GH3 is apparently, not effective enough. Also, since the removal of the filter, as in the case of the D800E, only cause a very slight increase in detail (mostly noticeable in RAW, I am assuming), and that too, only for extremely high resolution pictures, a better AA Filter on the GH3, is not such a bad idea, after all. That is all, that, I am saying.

[sanveer]

Hey, I quite like the video, that comes out of the GH3. Its damn neat.

[galenb]

All I can say about that video is the Leica 25mm is a really nice lens!

[Dan Keeble]

some nice GH3 footage shot recently