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Filed under: *VIDEO* •Cameras •Editing •Post Production •

Lumix GH1 camera: surprising responses from Panasonic

As I anxiously await the Lumix GH1 review unit, I want to keep all of you ProVideo Coalition readers up to date with the surprising responses I just received from Panasonic’s public relations department. A few weeks ago, I asked Panasonic several detailed questions which were not covered in any of the published material. I know many videographers who are quite curious about this US$1499 camera with humongous sensor and interchangeable Micro Four Thirds lens mount. The kit lens [14-140mm (35mm camera equivalent: 28-280mm)] is the one Panasonic recommends for video, since it is the silent one, with the very fast autofocus. Although Canon recently satisfied their 5D Mark II owners with a firmware upgrade to allow for manual ISO, aperture, and shutter speed, the 5D Mark II is still stuck at 29.97p (“30p”), with no flexibility to use the variety of extreme framerates that the Panasonic Lumix GH1 offers, i.e. 23.976p (“24p”) and 59.94p (“60p”)... or 25p and 50p in the European version. That’s why many people are still quite intrigued with the GH1, given its framerate flexibility and attractive price. So here come my questions and Panasonic’s surprising responses, which arrived today.

Live HDMI output?

Tépper asks: In GH1’s video mode, is the HDMI output active before recording video… and during the video recording also… or is the HDMI output active only when playing back video? (I asked this both for external monitoring, as well as with potential use with AJA’s KiPro or Convergent Design’s nanoFlash.)

Panasonic responds: HDMI is active only on playback.

Tépper evaluates: This is disappointing, but not a deal breaker. I really hope that Panasonic will enable this via a firmware update, but I do not know the internal design, so I don’t know whether it is feasible or not.

Manual audio recording level?

Tépper asks: Is there a manual audio recording level mode… or at least a fixed audio level setting, or is the audio level recording always automatic?  Manual audio recording level… or at least a fixed audio level control is very desirable for video professionals.

Panasonic responds: Audio recording level is automatic only. There is no manual mode.

Tépper evaluates: This is disappointing, but not a deal breaker:

I suppose that Beachtek is going to sell a lot more of their DXA-5D converters, which can defeat the AGC (automatic gain control), add two balanced inputs with optional phantom power, VU meters, and manual controls for each input… or for really serious productions, many producers will use a separate audio recorder at 48KHz.

25p/50p in the USA?

Tépper asks: Will the version of the GH1 sold in the USA offer the 1080p25 and 720p50 modes?  Or are those functions only available with the European version? (See my article: When 25p beats 24p.)

Panasonic responds: North American model offers 1080/24p and 720/60p only. 1080/25p and 720/50p is for PAL system region.

Tépper evaluates: This is a shame. Today I talked to two of my colleagues who shoot 25p and 50p in 60Hz countries, and based upon Panasonic’s response, they plan to import the European version of the GH1 instead of buying the USA version. Especially because of the next question/answer.

Native 23.976p recording?

Tépper asks: When recording in 23.976p (“24p”) mode, does the GH1 always record over 59.94i (“60i”) or is there also a mode to record 23.976p natively, without pulldown?  (The native mode has many advantages for professionals.)

Panasonic responds: At FHD mode of NTSC version, it records only in 60i (sensor output is 24fps).  It doesn’t offer 24p native recording.

Tépper evaluates: What a waste of bandwidth! The maximum available 17 megabits per second is divided up among 59.94 fields, instead of only 23.976 progressive frames… not counting the broken 4:2:0 chroma (through unnecessary interlacing), let alone an extra step in post to extract the 23.976p frames! I really hope Panasonic will add the native 23.976 option to the GH1 via a firmware update. Native 23.976p recording is no longer reserved for very expensive cameras! Even Canon’s HV40 (US$999 list price) offers native 23.976p (“24p”) recordings, and was announced months before the GH1 was announced. While Panasonic fixes this, perhaps the best band-aid for GH1 23.976p footage recorded over 59.94i will be to use CineForm’s NeoScene (US$129) to reverse telecine and (according to CineForm) even fix the broken interlaced 4:2:0 chroma. NeoScene will deliver the corrected intermediate copy in one of the three following options: CineForm AVI (for Windows users), CineForm MOV (for Mac users of iMovie ‘09, Final Cut Express, or Final Cut Pro), or ProRes422 (mainly for Final Cut Studio users. or others who have installed the ProRes422 complete QuickTime component manually).

Native 25p recording?

Tépper asks: When recording in 25p mode, does the GH1 always record over 50i or is there a mode to record 25p natively, without pulldown?  (The native mode has many advantages for professionals.)

Panasonic responds: At FHD mode of PAL version, it records only in 50i(sensor output is 25fps). It doesn’t offer 25p native recording.

Tépper evaluates: This is almost as bad as the lack of native 23.976p recording, although 25p over 50i is much easier to deal with in post than 23.976p over 59.94i. But come on: It’s still a tremendous waste of bandwidth!

Languages available in the USA version

Tépper asks: What are the possible language modes in the GH1 sold in the USA?

Panasonic responds: There are four languages for the LUMIX DMC-GH1 sold in the United States: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese.

Tépper evaluates: Either they meant to say English, French, Castilian, and Portuguese… or the Spanish option leads to a submenu, where the GH1 then offers us Castilian, Catalán, Euskera (Basque), and Galician (at least)!

Recap

I know videographers who planned to monitor the GH1 externally via HDMI, and others who planned to record the live output to a nanoFlash or KiPro. However, I don’t think that will be a deal breaker for them. At least two HDV producers I know who have chosen the 25p path have stated that they will import the European version of the GH1, given the fact that the USA version of the GH1 doesn’t currently offer 25p (unless Panasonic quickly releases a firmware update to add this capability to the USA version), since many of them are already used to shooting 25p over 50i. Many professional tapeless videographers I know who are already used to native 23.976p recording and native 25p recording (including several models from Panasonic and Sony) are stunned by the lack of native recording on the GH1. However, other people I know are mostly interested in the 720p50 mode or 720p59.94 (“60p”) mode, so the native issue doesn’t throw them. I’ll keep you posted with any changes… and stand by for the official review when I receive the camera.

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That sucks. I really felt like buying one, but more and more it looks like a bad idea. Why would a company make a product that could sell like water in the desert and screw up like this.
Now people will think twice before buying it (including me) and the sells will be alot smaller than they could.
There are some Canon point and shot cameras for which were released hacked firmwares, maybe that will be the solution for the GH1.

Posted by Ivan Oliveira  on  06/09  at  03:49 AM

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Iván,

Thank you for expressing your opinion. Hopefully, Panasonic will see both your words and mine, and correct everything possible via firmware updates. It is a very exciting camera… and it will be almost perfect if Panasonic corrects some of these issues.

Allan Tépper

Posted by Allan Tépper  on  06/09  at  06:22 AM

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This does suck. For me, having no live HDMI out is a complete deal breaker. Yes, having full uncompressed out would be ideal, but I didn’t really expect that. However, to not be able to use an external monitor makes this useless to me. It sucks on the 5dmii that it doesn’t do full HD on recording, but at least I can still see a picture for a directors monitor or framing for jib or steadicam shots. Oh well, I’ll just wait for scarlet.

Posted by npoz1  on  06/09  at  06:33 PM

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npoz1,

I believe that the downconverted composite video (SD) is active constantly. Although it’s not ideal, this will probably solve that issue for you.

Allan Tépper

Posted by Allan Tépper  on  06/09  at  06:37 PM

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Great hard hitting article Allan.  I have the original G1, thought of upgrading, but clearly, there’s no need at this point…

Anyone own that beachtek audio converter and can talk about it?

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  on  06/09  at  11:11 PM

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No live HDMI output is certainly a deal-breaker for me. Now, I don’t have to waste any time at all even considering this for video work.

Thanks for getting these responses from Panasonic.

Posted by wsmith  on  06/10  at  10:08 AM

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Panasonic needs to get with the program and offer:

1. Manual control. The 5D has that now, along with precise control over color/saturation/contrast etc, which can easily emulate some “film” looks.

2. True 24p and 25p recording, without pulldown addition. Pulldown should just die. I hate it with passion, since I am a Canon HV20 user and the PF24 thingie it has (same as in the GH1) is a pain in the rear. Unnecessary.

3. 24 mbps AVCHD, rather than 17 mbps (which has VISIBLE artifacts in a 1:1 screen). When the 5D can offer 40 mbps bitrate, Panasonic should at least max out their AVCHD bitrate in that cam, which is 24 mbps.

Then, we are talking. I am not interested in the live HDMI thing btw, as I won’t be dangling a whole PC in the field to capture from it. The 3 points I made above are in my opinion more basic and more needed than live HDMI.

Posted by Eugenia  on  06/10  at  12:28 PM

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I’m not talking about recording to my PC in the field. 

Unless it has live component out, I would need live HDMI output to connect my field monitor which is a Sony LMD 2030W and has component and HDMI input.

Does this camera have live component out? I doubt it. Without the ability to allow external monitoring it isn’t ready for pro work. 

I wasn’t aware that the 5D has a 40Mbps encode rate. What compression scheme does it use?

Posted by wsmith  on  06/10  at  08:09 PM

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wsmith, I understand the need for a field monitor. However, I would never dangle along a 15” LCD monitor that simply “happens” to have an HDMI-in connector, because from what I see from the model you are mentioning, it is not battery-powered. Of course, I am talking about non-pro setups, where a single person has to do all the work.

Therefore, in the few times I am using my 35mm adapter with my HV20, I use this one, which is a high-res (800x480) portable DVD from Sony: http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/07/15/sony-dvp-fx820-as-an-external-video-monitor/ Sure, it’s only composite, so quality sucks, but if you just want to check your focus, it works admirably well. In that case, HDMI is not really needed. I find this little DVD player more useful for outdoors shooting, since it has 6 hours battery life, it’s small, easy to carry, and easy to mount on a tripod!

So I am not sure that live HDMI is really, really needed. I mean, if you are the kind of pro who has a crew and so he wouldn’t mind plugging in and using that 15” HDMI monitor, I don’t see why you would be bothering with a camera like the GH1 in the first place!

Posted by Eugenia  on  06/10  at  08:19 PM

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As for 5D’s format, it’s straight h.264 and AAC in the .mov container. Not a big problem if you are using a fast Mac, but a huge problem for PC editors (slow to edit, AVCHD is many times faster). This is why just about everyone I know on the PC side, is using Cineform’s NeoSCENE ($130) to transcode the files to Cineform .AVI which is very fast.

Posted by Eugenia  on  06/10  at  08:22 PM

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I am planning on using a DSLR for professional use. Yes, I hire a crew and when required will use a battery powered monitor. The reason I plan to bother with a camera like the GH1 is because these cameras produce perfectly suitable images for web spots, the emotional effect of 35mm dof, and unmatched low light capabilities. I hope to use this camera for a personal documentary project, but being able to use it for paying work as well would have made it all that much more worthwhile. For bigger jobs I just rent a Red package, but it’s not always necessary for smaller work and wherever I can put more money in my pocket the better.

Posted by npoz1  on  06/10  at  08:37 PM

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HI Eugenia,

The LMD 2030W is a 20” monitor. It’s a true NTSC production monitor that can be also be used in the field if you’re willing to lug an APC UPS unit. It has a battery inside in case of power failure but I find I can use it all day long if not turned on all day.

The other thing I like about the newer UPS units by APC is that they allow defeat of the warning beep to prevent ruining a shoot. For that reason I always use them for lights in Florida where storms make AC power less than 100% reliable. Having them on hand for lights anyway, I can use one for monitoring and away from AC power too.   

(I’d rather monitor via component and not HDMI if available, by the way.)

But I digress. I see lots of creative reasons on why I’d like to try the new DSLRs that shoot video. There’s nothing non-pro about the results you can get. I’ve seen the results by friends of mine.

Re your subsequent post:

I don’t agree with your view that PCs are so much slower than Macs nowadays, when comparing apples-to-apples specifications of course.

Nor do I agree that AVCHD is any faster to edit than H.264 - on a Mac or a PC. My experience is that it will choke one just as much as the other - when not using an intermediate CODEC like Cineform’s (I love Cineform Prospect HD).

In fact everyone I know posting AVCHD on a Mac (new, fast ones) find it expedient, if not necessary, to use ProRes, which is also an intermediate CODEC.

Posted by wsmith  on  06/11  at  09:37 AM

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I am afraid you don’t understand my point or you don’t have tested enough video editors.

>I don’t agree with your view that PCs are so much slower than Macs

Apple editors have optimizations for the MOV container and so they decode its streams faster. Sony Vegas on the PC for example *crawls* on ANY MOV file (regardless of codec), even if the PC used has the same specs as the Mac. Try it.

>Nor do I agree that AVCHD is any faster to edit than H.264

It is. AVCHD’s .mts/m2ts container contains “tricks and helpers” to make editors decode it faster for preview reasons. Files with MP4 containers (and MOV on the PC) are many times slower! Again testing with Vegas, I would get ~5 fps previewing AVCHD on my older PC, while getting 0.5 fps with MP4/MOV h.264 files (e.g. from the 5D, Aiptek, other digirecorders).

The same is true for most other PC editors as well. AVCHD is just supported better by most editors because the NLE engineers took extra steps to optimize it compared to vanilla h.264 implementations.

Posted by Eugenia  on  06/11  at  10:25 AM

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What you left out in your 24 over 60i question is frame size. Just about every Panny camera only records 24pN at the 720p frame size and records 24pA at the 1080 frame size, other than the 300 which i just tested but even then there are a lot of other limitations at the size.

So im wondering if this camera do 24 over 60i at all frame sizes or can it do 72024pN like the others? 

The lack of manual audio control is a real bummer because Panasonic kept pushing this as the camera that gives you controls back, a DSLR designed with video in mind not just tacked on. No HDMI is a real bummer since now i cant use it for professional work but that wasnt quite my intent anyway.

Anyway, kind of disappointed, I will def have to look into the other new Canon options now before making a decision.

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  on  06/11  at  10:50 AM

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Scott,

In the USA version of the GH1, the 23.976p (“24p”) is full raster 1920x1080… and it is currently over 59.94i (“60i”)...

In 59.94p (“60p”), it is 720p59.94 (full raster 1280x720) and there is no pulldown or native issue. In that case it is pure progressive.

Allan

Posted by Allan Tépper  on  06/11  at  11:19 AM

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24p-over-60i: this is not a tape-based system, so constant field/frame and data rate is not a requirement. I don’t know how Panasonic have implemented it, but it could use “soft-telecine” with field repeat flags instead of doing “hard telecine” with actual repeated fields. In the former case there is no bandwidth loss compared to native 24p, though interlaced luma is a huge downer.

In regards to 25p-over-50i: aside of interlaced chroma, there is little bandwidth loss compared to native 25p, just because a whole frame usually compresses better than fields that it consists of.

In regards to implementation of 24p on this particular camera: judging by the sampes that I saw online, it seems that the codec is very weak, and the image breaks apart when the camera moves. This is very surprising, considering that Panasonic makes consumer AVCHD camcorders since 2006, and even at 13 Mbit/s the very first Panasonic’s model, the HDC-SD1, does not show terrible “mud” and macroblocking that the GH1 shows.

In regards to native 24p: Panasonic older consumer camcorders like HDC-SD9, HDC-HS9, HDC-SD100 and HDC-HS100 could record native 1080p24. This is a fact, don’t question me, I can prove it. The latest consumer series, the TM300/HS300/SD300 returns to 24p-over-60i scheme. At the same time the upcoming HMC40, which is basically the SD300 in a DVC30 body, has proper 1080p24 implementation, along with 720p modes. I cannot call it anything else but deliberate market segmentation. Panasonic should be ashamed.

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  on  08/20  at  02:01 PM

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