First look - Olympus OM-D E-M1 vs Panasonic GH3

[nigelbb]

Does anyone know of a good program that can change frame rates from 30fps 24fps without artifacts or changing speed of film basically converting em1 footage into a 24fps

Drop it onto a 24p timeline in Premiere Pro or FCP.

[mike_tee_vee]

Does anyone know of a good program that can change frame rates from 30fps 24fps without artifacts or changing speed of film basically converting em1 footage into a 24fps

 

I haven't found a satisfactory way to accomplish this.  Most methods introduce a studder, particularly on panning shots.

 

Olympus really needs to wake up on the frame rate issue, just as Canon did when the 5D mk II only had 30p.

[jurgen]

I haven't found a satisfactory way to accomplish this.  Most methods introduce a studder, particularly on panning shots.

 

Olympus really needs to wake up on the frame rate issue, just as Canon did when the 5D mk II only had 30p.

Agreed, but from a creative standpoint I really don't think it's that big a deal. Frame rate deviations between 24/25/30p play far less of a role in making something look "cinematic" than do things like lighting, camera movement, lens quality, and, shit, editing.

I'd rather not have to make the concession, but if given the option between one or the other, I'd take built in stabilization over 24p any day.

[Re-up Flms]

Yes but if im not mistaken , you cannot send most features Indies to film festivals in 30p , 24fps is very essential

[jurgen]

Yes but if im not mistaken , you cannot send most features Indies to film festivals in 30p , 24fps is very essential

Absolutely, hence why I agreed with mike_tee_vee and qualified by saying, "From a creative standpoint" :)

24/25p is a must have for loads of reasons, the limitations on where you can send your footage certainly being one.

[Dean]

Hello Andrew. Can I ask what picture profile you are using on the E-M1? Are you still using Vivid with the contrast down to -2?

 

I tried Muted with everything down to -2 which seems to be very flat. Natural with -1 contrast seems to be a nice happy medium for everyday shooting.

 

I'm a complete newb as far as video goes, but I am absolutely loving the E-M1 for video. The IBIS is incredible !! Just having a cam and a lens on the street with no other gear and filming away is so much fun.

 

This was the first clip I made. I'm usually into street photography but want to start doing some street clips :)

 

Trying to teach myself FCPX.

 

[fuzzynormal]

I'm a complete newb as far as video goes, but I am absolutely loving the E-M1 for video. The IBIS is incredible

 

You got it.  Even for a "pro" like myself I can see how this little cam is worth the other tech shortcomings, just 'kuz the killer feature it has is truly that.

 

I was playing with one today, shooting rock solid hand held... with a prime @150mm.  Now c'mon, that's some serious production value.  it's not ALL about the pixel math.

[Vesku]

 

 

I'm a complete newb as far as video goes, but I am absolutely loving the E-M1 for video. The IBIS is incredible !! Just having a cam and a lens on the street with no other gear and filming away is so much fun.

 

This was the first clip I made. I'm usually into street photography but want to start doing some street clips :)

 

 

 

Sorry but this video is soft. Nothing like GH3 or RX10 level.

[wilco73]

When are you doing the full review Andrew? I am shooting a full documentary in Alaska next month and need a good drone/back-up camera.

Need to carry a lot of gear and space is limited. In now have the FS700 and the Canon 5DMKIII with me. I am looking for the GH3 but the Olympus sound good to.... Mmmm which one should i choose ;-) Any advice?

[fuzzynormal]

Sorry but this video is soft. Nothing like GH3 or RX10 level.

 

A new camera owner is shooting video on the default settings.  So it's a bit soft to start with.  Big deal.  If you know what you're doing you can make images from this camera look fine.  

 

Besides, all this worry about what sensor tech is best is ridiculous.   These days it's all pretty dang impressive.  If you want to shoot motion pictures to tell a story I doubt having a sensor with 5% less resolution than a competitor's camera is going to matter all that much.

 

Either you can shoot and edit or you can't.  Extra pixels are nice, but they're not going to give someone film making skills.

[Dean]

A new camera owner is shooting video on the default settings.  So it's a bit soft to start with.  Big deal.  If you know what you're doing you can make images from this camera look fine.  

 

Besides, all this worry about what sensor tech is best is ridiculous.   These days it's all pretty dang impressive.  If you want to shoot motion pictures to tell a story I doubt having a sensor with 5% less resolution than a competitor's camera is going to matter all that much.

 

Either you can shoot and edit or you can't.  Extra pixels are nice, but they're not going to give someone film making skills.

 

… and it was filmed on a 14-42 PZ at about f/22 and then had a film effect put over the top as well as other effects :)

[Dean]

Sorry but this video is soft. Nothing like GH3 or RX10 level.

 

 

I understand that a GH3 is sharper and I had one for a few months but I hated carrying around a tripod. I had it with me in Italy for two weeks and used it about 3 times. In the end I just couldn't be bothered and just used my Nikon DSLR and forgot about video.

 

The E-M1 is a amazingly fun to use for video and therefore I want to actually take it out and shoot with it. I think cameras like the E-M1 will actually get people like me who have been into photography for years but never bothered pushing the record button on their DSLR's, to actually start getting into video.

 

 

[Vesku]

 

I understand that a GH3 is sharper and I had one for a few months but I hated carrying around a tripod. I had it with me in Italy for two weeks and used it about 3 times. In the end I just couldn't be bothered and just used my Nikon DSLR and forgot about video.

 

The E-M1 is a amazingly fun to use for video and therefore I want to actually take it out and shoot with it. I think cameras like the E-M1 will actually get people like me who have been into photography for years but never bothered pushing the record button on their DSLR's, to actually start getting into video.

 

 

 

I can get steady and pleasing shots handheld with GH3 and OIS. Obviously best in wide end of lens. Difference is that those are tack sharp and with 50/60P motion and feel is much more lifelike than at 30P. I can use higher shutter and there is no blur in motion. I can see details all the time, not only when camera stops moving.

 

Did you try to use GH3 with unstabilized primes or why couldnt you get steady shots?

[Dean]

I can get steady and pleasing shots handheld with GH3 and OIS. Obviously best in wide end of lens. Difference is that those are tack sharp and with 50/60P motion and feel is much more lifelike than at 30P. I can use higher shutter and there is no blur in motion. I can see details all the time, not only when camera stops moving.

 

Did you try to use GH3 with unstabilized primes or why couldnt you get steady shots?

 

I had a 12-35/2.8 and could get reasonably steady footage, but nothing in comparison to the E-M1. The GH3 always looked it's best when mounted on a tripod. Like I said, I think the GH3 is wonderful but it just wasn't for me. I really really hate tripods. I love just wondering around and taking shots ... and now some video... it';s a hobby and a tripod just ruins it for me. Everyone is different I guess.

 

Using unstabilised primes is a huge plus for the E-M1. With photography I mainly shoot with Nikon Ai-S primes and have a bit of a collection. These will work very nicely on E-M1 

 

To tell you the truth, I t=really don't notice a big difference in resolution ... maybe because I never really look for it anyway. Most of the time with my stills I'm looking for mood and feel over and above anything and add grain and do all sorts of things in post so I doubt it will be a factor for me if I persist with video. Video will be the same I guess. It's the feel and the mood of it that gets the message across not the super resolution. IMO anyway.

[Dean]

30p is an issue here in a PAL country like Hong Kong when shooting at night under lights. I shot this random stuff while walking home from work last night. Most of it is in 1/60 where you can see the flickering is pretty crazy. I then remembered to set the shutter to 1/50 which seems to get rid of it.

 

[fuzzynormal]

 

The E-M1 is a amazingly fun to use for video and therefore I want to actually take it out and shoot with it.

 

 

That right there is why, for some people, the Olympus will always be a better camera overall.  I don't care if it's not as sharp as a GH3 or my GX7.  It's a camera that's perfect for some shooting situations.  --And if it's solving a problem or helping you be more creative, resolution is hardly a priority.

 

I'll put it this way:  The best imaging machine isn't always the best camera. 

[tosvus]

That right there is why, for some people, the Olympus will always be a better camera overall.  I don't care if it's not as sharp as a GH3 or my GX7.  It's a camera that's perfect for some shooting situations.  --And if it's solving a problem or helping you be more creative, resolution is hardly a priority.
 
I'll put it this way:  The best imaging machine isn't always the best camera.

The Oltmpus is more flexible in terms of lenses, if you do hand-held. If you use the Gh3 with OIS lenses, that works great for this too. Gx7 has ibis but not as good as the oly of course. The ultimate solution in terms of stabilized footage would probably be Ep5 + a 3-axis motorized gyro gimbal (i got one of those for less than $500 on ebay)

[Vesku]

If you use stabilation in editor with GH3 you can get about as stable results than with Olympus IBIS. Resolution in Gh3 is so much better that the cropped stabilized video is still as good as EM-1 video.

[Michael Ma]

I want to share my experience with GH3 as a photography tool.

 

Coming from a canon prosumer series, I was very disappointed with the GH3.  The midtones are flat, so you end up with pasty saturated complexions on people's faces.  At least in Adobe Camera Raw.

 

So I bit the bullet and bought PS Kiss' GH3 lens profiles which lets me force different camera profiles that are calibrated for the GH3.  And when I apply the 5D Mark 3 profile and bump the exposure by 1/3 stop, the image quality is superb.  Whereas the standard Adobe Camera Raw profile that which is your only option in Adobe Camera Raw, for my standards, makes unusable pictures when it comes to pictures with people's faces being the subject.

 

So the problem is that Panasonic is not working with Adobe to create calibrated lens profiles, not that the camera is not capable.  But you can work around it for now.  It's just one extra step in the workflow.  Sure the raw files in MFT cameras are supposed to magically work in Adobe camera raw, but they only fix distortion.  Colors, which may be fine for people looking for a different color profile than what you normally get from Nikon or Canon, but are not good when you are looking for accurate color.

 

With that said, I feel good about shooting photos with the GH3 now that I know how to get the most out of it.

[Michael Ma]

I think the best 30p to 24-25p conversion you can do is to use Twixtor to increase the framerate by 2.5x to 75p.  It computer generates an interpolated frame that's not there, and it does a remarkable job for the most part.  If you look at a single frame digital videos shot at 24p, you see 2 trailing frames.  The sound of computer generated frames might sound like something you might not want, but since you are blending it together with real frames, any artifacts are really not noticeable unless you are specifically pausing frames and trying to find them.

 

I've done this for footage shot in good lighting with sharp edges around subjects and objects, and it looks very convincing.  May not work as well in lower night or shallow DOF shots.  It might, but I've never tried.