Panasonic GH4 firmware update V2.2 due to be released April 22nd

[John Palmer]

does anyone know why once Im in anamorphic mode regular 4k not c4k when i hit record it somehow disables to anamorphic mode and the screen loses the 4:3 aspect ratio and goes back to the 16:9? it still keeps recording though.

EDIT: nevermind, i was in 24hz cinema mode

 

[raf702]

Which hertz mode are you suppose to be in?

[John Palmer]

the ntsc one i guess. 59.94 hz?

Heres some footage I shot right after i updated, ungraded. 4k downscaled to 1920x818. all shot wide open (2.8) except a few that were at 3.5, had a ND 8 on though, with an old FD mount sigma 35-70mm with a dyaliscope junior 16.

 

[levisdavis]

Have been shooting with the PhotoMode vs. 4:3 anamorphic. It appears that the anamorphic has "film-grain" whereas the PhotoMode has a different looking grain pattern. Seems wise to stick with the 4:3.

Also, FYI, image resolution is the same in both PhotoMode and 4:3 anamorphic. Accessing 4:3 in 24Hz, 50, and 60HZ does not affect the image resolution. In 24Hz there is an option for 4096x2160. 4096X 2160 equals an 8.8MP image. However, the 4:3 anamorphic, in 24, 50, and 60 only equals an 8.3MP. I was seriously hoping they would increase the image resolution in 24p, but they didn't. For example, one of the PhotoMode options includes a 2880x2880. Anyway, makes me wonder if they could have gone taller and wider.

[raf702]

I know how to update the firmware done it before the previous versions. But for some reason when i press the play button it won't display the update firmware mode. Did this just like 3 times right now, and nothing. Am I doing something wrong? I know it's a simple thing to do. Lol

[John Palmer]

Strange. I assume you have double checked that the .bin file is in the correct place (in the root folder where DCIM and MISC folder is)

I format the card in the camera before i copy the file, instead of formatting on my computer. did you do that?

Is your battery 100% full?

 

[raf702]

triple checked, I place the .bin file in the root where the DCIM, MISC, folder is. I formatted sd card in camera too.

I also dont have an lens on it, and I dont have Panny lens either i use nikon if that matters.

And Im using a fully charged 100% battery too

[raf702]

I just found out I downloaded the wrong file, apparently there's a AH4_V22 and a GH4_V22, and I used the AH4_V22 which was on the panasonic website. Don't know why, but I some how found a different page that had an exe. Either way, I finally got it updating right now

[John Palmer]

oh ok, gotcha, that's good. glad you figured it out!

[levisdavis]

Panasonic has a "PhotoMode" button assign option, but no 4:3. Hmm? With drones there are open source flight controls systems. I wonder if anyone can ever open up something like that to every day Panny / Mirrorless users? Panny could design a website and let it's own users scope out "all the specs" and then have the file sent to the user like user-firmware.

[DamienMTL]

does anyone know why once Im in anamorphic mode regular 4k not c4k when i hit record it somehow disables to anamorphic mode and the screen loses the 4:3 aspect ratio and goes back to the 16:9? it still keeps recording though.

EDIT: nevermind, i was in 24hz cinema mode

 

​Hi John, I have the same issue. I spin the dial to "creative cinema mode" then > setup > Anamorphic -> Yes

Once everything is selected [4K  | 100Mbs | A ], and I press the trigger the display jumps from 4:3 to 16/9 and the file recorded is in 16/9. I can't find a way to keep it in 4K anamorphic.

How did you fixed this issue?

thanks

[pietz]

i read the changelog and i understand whats in it, but what exactly is now possible with the 2.2 firmware that wasnt possible before?

im asking because to my understanding the new anamorphic recording is not destreched in live view nor is the actual recorded footage. so whats better now than shooting in 4:3 photo mode or just using 4k and cropping the sides?

i feel extremely stupid. i must be overlooking something because everybody is so psyched, but what?

[John Palmer]

damien: what is your camera's system frequency set to?

I fixed my issue by putting it into 59.94Hz mode instead of the 24.00 cinema Hz

Pietz: you are now able to shoot 24p in anamorphic mode where as before you were limited to 30p or 25p. Im not sure but this new mode may use more of the sensor than the previous version too

I personally do not find the firmware update very exciting either, but it is still a nice addition. I will be much more excited when v-log comes around but it may be a while

[pietz]

damien: what is your camera's system frequency set to?

I fixed my issue by putting it into 59.94Hz mode instead of the 24.00 cinema Hz

Pietz: you are now able to shoot 24p in anamorphic mode where as before you were limited to 30p or 25p. Im not sure but this new mode may use more of the sensor than the previous version too

I personally do not find the firmware update very exciting either, but it is still a nice addition. I will be much more excited when v-log comes around but it may be a while

​thanks for your time john and no, the crop seems to be native pixels, just like the regular 4k mode. even for anamorphic shooters, this just doesnt sound like big news at all then. sorry, i dont wanna spread bad attitude, but seriously whats all the fuzz about? we were able to shoot 4:3 video in the same resolution before. i challenge everybody to see a difference between 25p and 24p. like one of us is shooting a hollywood picture with the gh4 that needs to be 24p... and even it you needed 24p it was all there you just needed to crop the 4k width from 3840 to 2880. and since you need to adjust the footage in post eitherway, its not a big deal at all.

Panasonic could at least given you anamorphic shooters destreched live preview and footage...

[bunk]

Panasonic could at least given you anamorphic shooters destreched live preview and footage...

As an option maybe. I don’t have any anamorphic lenses but do like to use this new mode without having to look at a stretched live preview.

I don’t know where it comes from but the grain pattern of the new mode seems to hold more information than any other mode. Extra DR ?
The Photomode is some kind of jpeg in a mpg container. The result is some smeared footage. Not so in the new Anamorphic mode.

Do some tests in ISO 6400 and you will find that in all modes the noise is clearly visible but in Anamorphic mode it behaves the least erratic. I think it’s because there is more information for the grain pattern to work with.
Hopefully all others modes will get the same new codec(?) before Vlog will be implemented as otherwise there is not much for Vlog to work with.

Come to think of it ….might be the reason that Vlog is postponed.

[Zak Forsman]

​thanks for your time john and no, the crop seems to be native pixels, just like the regular 4k mode. even for anamorphic shooters, this just doesnt sound like big news at all then. sorry, i dont wanna spread bad attitude, but seriously whats all the fuzz about? we were able to shoot 4:3 video in the same resolution before. i challenge everybody to see a difference between 25p and 24p. like one of us is shooting a hollywood picture with the gh4 that needs to be 24p... and even it you needed 24p it was all there you just needed to crop the 4k width from 3840 to 2880. and since you need to adjust the footage in post eitherway, its not a big deal at all.

Panasonic could at least given you anamorphic shooters destreched live preview and footage...

here in the states, ​in 25p, you'd set the camera to PAL which results in severe rolling bands under many types of artificial lights. also HDMI was entirely deactivated while shooting 4:3 before this update, so you couldn't monitor or record it in 10bit 422 externally.

[j.f.r.]

 

Take this footage for example https://vimeo.com/125389854   this could have been shot on an Alexa or anything else, its great!!

 

​

Looks great, but in all reality the credit needs to go to the  set/art design, wardrobe, makeup and lighting as that's what really gave it production value. A GH1 would have looked great capturing this well produced video. Now I would love to see the GH4 in not so great settings, poor light, natural skin tones, etc, you know more documentary style stuff where you really don't have all the extra hands helping you to capture the best image, this is what I need from a camera.

[DamienMTL]

damien: what is your camera's system frequency set to?

I fixed my issue by putting it into 59.94Hz mode instead of the 24.00 cinema Hz

​Thanks John, I did what you adviced.

1. I setup NTSC > oFF/On and it worked.

2. I set it back to Cinema 24 and it's now working and the Anamorphic preset is ok even in 24.

I am quite disappointed by the fact it's not unsqueezing in-camera. I'll test everything tomorrow when the sun will be back in Montreal and post some footage.