Comparison between the "Venerable Master" and the GH4

[Michael Thames]

Interesting.

[kgv5]

There are many comparisons like this but always only in terms of detail. GH4 has twice amount of resolution so it is not a suprise that it better resolves small details. In such comparisons clips ale always graded to match themselves, (usually mark iii is pulled down to match gh4 colors) I am waiting when somebody makes a comparison of grading abilities of the two (and of course give the  title "which is better" ;). Remember that the biggest advantage of raw video is not detail resolving but almost complete control over your footage. White balance which you can change on the fly, huge shadow/highlight recovery abilities, no banding even after heavy grading, NO compression artifacts at all. And people always shows STATIC shots. Show us some fast moving scenes. I would like to see some glidecam walking shots, Ive seen some moving scenes out from GH4 and they are decent at most. When camera is moving and there is motion blur, most of the details are not visible and motion artifacts/macroblocking comes really visible

like here (see the boat scene)

I dont know if you saw this, this is a very nice explanation

 

 

Mark iii with Magic Lantern and GH4 are both great cameras and i would like to have both. When i see next "which is better" video focused only on sharpeness and nothing more it is not fair at all. And remember that ML gives optional 3x crop without any binning, there is also fully usable 2,5K raw if somebody need more details in certain scenes.

[Quirky]

There are many comparisons like this but always only in terms of detail. 

Mark iii with Magic Lantern and GH4 are both great cameras

 

When i see next "which is better" video focused only on sharpeness and nothing more... 

 

...I'll dismiss it as yet another piece of nerdytainment. "Better" is subjective. Depends on one's needs, goals and resources.

 

The typical A vs. B comparisons tend to turn into efficient fanboy traps. Some of them may deliver actual info beyond the usual deliverance of opinions, but quite a few, if not most, don't. One might as well watch a classic Monty Python sketch instead.

 

Camera A is better than Camera B is because the Lady of the Lake, her arm clad in the purest shimmering samite, held aloft camera A from the bosom of the water, signifying by Divine Providence, that camera A was to be the One, would be as good a reason as any to choose between A and B, wouldn't it.  ;)

 

Seriously.  :P

[pietz]

hard to believe that the default video of the mark 3 was once considered good :D if i recall correctly that wasnt all that long ago...

[hmcindie]

I still use h264 from the 5d a lot. Usually on paid gigs funnily. I never shoot interviews with RAW or stuff that I have to give to someone else. It's soft but sharpens well and almost no compression artifacts. It makes talent look great, isn't over sharpened and just works.

[Michael Thames]

I'm in the market for an additional camera I'm considering another 5D3 or perhaps the GH4.  99.999 percent of my videos are indoors, so the low light advantage is a must.  Perhaps I'm wrong but the smaller señsor on the GH4 seems to give landscapes more detail due to the lack of shallow depth of field. 

 

As far as future proofing, looks like 4K won't hit the mainstream for another 4 years. If my experience with technology is correct, I really have no faith that 4K will even be around then.  Four years is like 40 dog years in this day and age. 

 

I remain open minded.  I keep hearing that GH4 is the cheapest camera for 4K, but it seems by the time you buy all the essential goodies it's a bit more than the "Venerable Master".  Price isn't the issue for me I want what is best for my needs.  

 

KGv5, I shall study those videos later tonight, I must take leave to do a music video in an old western town today, it's going to be hard, if not impossible to integrate the old west and an all Bach concert!  

[Michael Thames]

I still use h264 from the 5d a lot. Usually on paid gigs funnily. I never shoot interviews with RAW or stuff that I have to give to someone else. It's soft but sharpens well and almost no compression artifacts. It makes talent look great, isn't over sharpened and just works.

 

Yes, so far in my considerations the over sharpness of the GH4 in an issue for me, making the image look digitalized, as opposed to cinematographic. I'm also favoring the RAW format more than the 4K, so far, but I need to see more.

 

 I got slammed here recently for bring this up and was told I was nuts!  As I investigate my options, reading through the comments of the comparison video I posted, many others feel the same way about the over sharpness. 

 

I guess I could get the GH4 and if I don't merge with it spiritually, I can always sell it.  

[Andrew Reid]

GH4 is as sharp as you want it or as soft as you want it.

 

It is however, more detailed than 1080p, because it's 4K. This is not hard to figure out is it!?

 

 

Download the above 1080p file Michael and take a look at the resolution from both cameras.

 

5D3 actually has a little bit more aliasing on high contrast edges.

 

Sharpness between the two is identical. The GH4 does not look 'over-sharpened' and those sloping edges are actually softer on the GH4 (top) to 5D3 (bottom, more jagged).

 

 

Facts are facts.

 

Personally I find a use for both. Prefer 5D3 for raw 1080p, GH4 for 4K video. Not better. They're different.

 

A7S I am very much looking forward to, for low light.

 

Each has a use!

[andrgl]

Personally I find a use for both. Prefer 5D3 for raw 1080p, GH4 for 4K video. Not better. They're different.
 
A7S I am very much looking forward to, for low light.
 
Each has a use!

Three cameras? But I only have 2 hands!

;)

[Andrew Reid]

2 hands maybe, but there are more than 3 types of customers out there.

 

Seems our troll Michael has gone quiet. Maybe he has had to go out to the shop to buy some more bullshit.

[Guest d5f8611fa423d0e628c016f9d5c93b47]

I don't think he's a troll. He's just a chump with more money than sense.

[Michael Thames]

2 hands maybe, but there are more than 3 types of customers out there.

 

Seems our troll Michael has gone quiet. Maybe he has had to go out to the shop to buy some more bullshit.

 

I told you kind sir, I had to shoot a music video today.  Just got back, and read your wondrous post.  However, forgive me, I I don't find your bombastic post useful, and would kindly ask you to refrain from further engagement, in my threads.  I would like to seek the advice , and wisdom of others on this forum who are less likely to express basis, based on aggression, and name calling.  

 

I am researching all my options to purchase a new camera.  Since I have just returned from an exhausting all day shoot, I will look over the links you provided and consider this in my next purchase.  Yet no further posts by you would be welcome at this point. thank you for your understanding.

[Michael Thames]

I don't think he's a troll. He's just a chump with more money than sense.

  I had a look at your Vimeo site  How creative a blue mask!  Perhaps some day you could provide us with a tutorial on how you achieved these remarkable results. I just want to apologize to you, for any wrong doing on my part,  and tell you I have never seen video more beautiful than yours. 

[Guest d5f8611fa423d0e628c016f9d5c93b47]

  I had a look at your Vimeo site  How creative a blue mask!  Perhaps some day you could provide us with a tutorial on how you achieved these remarkable results. I just want to apologize to you, for any wrong doing on my part,  and tell you I have never seen video more beautiful than yours. 

 

Now that's trolling.

 

Bye bye, somehow I don't think you'll be here much longer ...

[Lasers_pew_pew_pew]

HAHAHA, you have to admit, the blue mask joke was funny.

 

But yeah… insulting the guy that owns the site probably won't get you far.

[hmcindie]

At least in this thread the insulting was not started by Michael.

 

And the blue mask joke was hilarious! Besides how "far" can you go in a forum anyways Lasers_pew_pew_pew? Like when you reach 2000 posts, does something magical happen?

[Guest d5f8611fa423d0e628c016f9d5c93b47]

HAHAHA, you have to admit, the blue mask joke was funny.

 

But yeah… insulting the guy that owns the site probably won't get you far.

 

Might've been funny if I'd ever used a blue mask in my life, but I grade all my footage manually.

 

I put a link to my work in my signature so that people know who I am, what I do and what level I'm at. It helps keep things real for me. Most people respect that. If Michael doesn't like my work that's fine, but I don't see him throwing his films around. Just his ego.

 

Every now and then someone with their head up their own backside comes on this forum, embarrasses themselves until they get bored then disappears for good. This guy is one of them. If he'd taken the time to read through Andrews recent articles and skim the forum threads, he'd have  been able to answer his own questions and not have so many people call him up on his arrogance ...

[Quirky]

Well, looks like you got what you bargained for, the lot of you. For some reason people's egos and their cameras seem to be linked somehow.

 

But I'd like to offer another Pythonesque suggestion. You see, in case you do indeed feel necessary to let yourself slide down to exchanging personal insults, why not doing it with style? 

 

Something like this, for example;

 

"Go and boil your bottom, you son of a silly person! I'll fart in your general direction! Your mother was a hamster, and your father smelled of elderberries!" 

 

After all, you have to admit, that would be much more entertaining for the onlookers trying to read these topics, wouldn't it.  ;)

 

Now, go away or I shall taunt you a second time-mah.

[Guest d5f8611fa423d0e628c016f9d5c93b47]

I'm invincible! 

 

Update: that was my attempt at a Python joke btw. Too subtle perhaps.

[Michael Thames]

HAHAHA, you have to admit, the blue mask joke was funny.

 

But yeah… insulting the guy that owns the site probably won't get you far.

 

I think Andrew likes me here so he can have someone to kick around.  I'm shocked he hasn't pressed the "yer fired" button.