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Pany Lumix GH4

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Pany Lumix GH4

Postby _Paz_ » Sun Nov 08, 2015 10:07 am

My GH4 is here!!!

I've played around some and found some things I'm happy about and some I'm not so happy about.


Here's to hoping those not so happys can be changed and I just don't know it:

Immediately I thought I got a lemon because every time I tried to change a setting in the menu the screen went black. A little online searching revealed the 'EYE' sensor was kicking in every time my hand moved over the sensor, so I could look through the viewfinder instead of the screen on back. Got that one fixed!

I've recorded - and eventually deleted - some video I took on the Cinema 4k setting. The numbers, 4096 x 2160, don't match any sequence I found in Premiere Pro CS6. I know I've created a custom setting in PrePro before but I don't remember how. Lots of online searching but I never did get it right. It won't downscale to 1080. The numbers I need to change are greyed out. I've now set the camera at 3840 x 2160, which I've just read is 4X 1080 and hopefully that will work. I did find some RED settings at 24p with the 3840 number but I'm not sure they're going to be the best processing choices in PrePro.

What I've recorded so far won't play in Windows Media Player. It will play, slowly, with jerks in Bridge.

The place on screen to zoom in on the far right side of the screen. My left hand blocks the view every time I try to use it.

The red light that indicates recording is happening blinks. Blinking lights give me nausea and headache. I wish it would stay on as a solid red dot. Also, sometimes after recording has been going on for a while, the red dot is gone completely. Maybe it is covered up by something else. I'm not sure yet. You think you're not recording any longer and turn it off thinking you're turning it on.

Closing the view screen does not stop recording if you have mistakenly turned it on when you thought you were turning it off. I got about 6 just short of 4 GB sessions of the inside of the car yesterday. Ran the battery down too.

When in the only mode I've found so far that allows 4k recording it isn't possible to take a still pic.

====================================================

Things I LOVE !

So tiny and lightweight at first it looks like a toy. I can hold it with lens in one hand without pain!

The level indicator can be on viewscreen all the time. It helps hold it steady when hand holding.

There are many ways to auto focus. I've gone through a bunch of them and so far the results have been very good. Not perfect but VERY good. It did a great job of following ducks and keeping them in focus, every bit as well as my camcorder does, which also is not perfect, but does a better job than I can do.

I think I have it set so that if I touch the screen, the subject underneath will be both focused and exposed correctly.

The picture quality is excellent. I love the soft background in out of focus areas and the way flowers seem to be 'floating' above the surface of the background.

Some stills:

Image

Image

Image
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Re: Pany Lumix GH4

Postby Bob » Sun Nov 08, 2015 4:50 pm

The numbers, 4096 x 2160, don't match any sequence I found in Premiere Pro CS6. I know I've created a custom setting in PrePro before but I don't remember how. Lots of online searching but I never did get it right. It won't downscale to 1080. The numbers I need to change are greyed out...


Don't forget, with Premiere Pro CS6 you can import the footage and drop it on the "new item" icon in the project panel and it will create a sequence that matches the footage. You can also create a new sequence (ctrl+n) and drag and drop the footage onto that and it will offer to change the sequence properties to match.

If you want to create a custom preset, do this: Create a new sequence (file>new>sequence or keyboard shortcut ctrl+n). When the New Sequence dialog box appears, select one of the standard presets available. I'd choose one that matches the frame rate and pixel aspect ratio and not worry about the frame size yet. AVCHD 1080p should be fine. Now, click on the "settings" tab. Find the "editing mode" dropdown menu (should be the first line) and select "Custom". This unlocks the frame size boxes. Enter the width and height. Click the "Save Preset" button to save the custom preset.

4k_sequence.JPG


FYI: There are two common 4K sizes -- 4096x2160 and 3840x2160. The 4096x2160 version is the Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) standard. This is the dominant format used in digital cinema and the current standard for theatrical digital projection. The 3840x2160 version is the Ultra High Definition (UHD) TV standard. This is what your 4K HDTV uses. Unless you have a reason to do otherwise, you should probably be using UHD 4K (3840x2160).

Should you wish to export at 3840x2160, change the profile and level from Main 4.2 to High 5.1 and don't go over 29.97 fps.
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Re: Pany Lumix GH4

Postby _Paz_ » Tue Nov 10, 2015 9:29 am

Thank you for these instructions, Bob.

I have saved the very first Cinema 4K footage I took and I would like to see it. I'll try to create a custom setting for that and continue to use the regular 4K that can be downsized to 1080 from now on.
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Re: Pany Lumix GH4

Postby Ron Hunter » Tue Nov 10, 2015 3:11 pm

Congrats on joining the GH4 club Patrice! I think you will be very pleased with your new toy.

3840 x 2160 is the way to go. I haven't bothered with "Cinema 4k".

Taking a picture from 4k footage...a "4k Photo" mode was made available in a firmware update. I've never used it though.

You can adjust the "eye sensor" sensitivity, and the Fn5 button on back of camera allows you to toggle through LVF/Monitor.

I don't understand what you mean by "The place on screen to zoom in on the far right side of the screen. My left hand blocks the view every time I try to use it."

You can enable the histogram to help with focusing, and you can enable "focus peaking" to provide a visual indication of in-focus areas. You can also enable zebras at any exposure setting you want.

I HIGHLY recommend Caleb Pike's GH4 Video Guide. It is over 4 hours of footage that discusses how to use GH4 in video mode, and it also discusses useful accessories and lenses. I've paid for classes from Dave Dugdale and "Michael the Maven", and I've also read through Andrew Reid (EOSHD) e-book on GH4; Caleb's course is much more informative than any of those. It costs $99 but is worth it.

Let me know if you have any questions...
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Re: Pany Lumix GH4

Postby Ron Hunter » Tue Nov 10, 2015 3:11 pm

BTW, your stills look excellent! :tup:
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Re: Pany Lumix GH4

Postby Ron Hunter » Tue Nov 10, 2015 3:14 pm

I've been using 32GB SanDisk "Extreme Plus" SD cards for 4k footage, and they have worked flawlessly. SD card "write speeds" are critical for 4k, but you don't have to get the super expensive SD cards in order for 4k to work properly. The Extreme Plus cards are very affordable.
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Re: Pany Lumix GH4

Postby _Paz_ » Thu Nov 12, 2015 10:49 am

Congrats on joining the GH4 club Patrice! I think you will be very pleased with your new toy.

BTW, your stills look excellent!


Thanks, Ron.

I'm pleased with the detail on the stills, especially considering how far away those ducks were.

Taking a picture from 4k footage...a "4k Photo" mode was made available in a firmware update. I've never used it though.


I didn't know it existed - but it may be exactly what I've been looking for. I began reading about it last night and found this video:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZ1DXUtM3WY[/youtube]

Looks like that may take a really high quality card. I already had a Transcend 64GB 95 write, 60 read SDXC card. I want to try it out but it keeps raining. Amazon has a 285 write, 180 read card. That ought to be able to take anything you throw at it! http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015E8K868?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_4&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

I will check out the tutorials you suggest... but how do you preview your videos without having to open your video editor?
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Re: Pany Lumix GH4

Postby Ron Hunter » Thu Nov 12, 2015 2:47 pm

Yes, that card looks capable. I've had great performance from the SanDisk Extreme Plus.

I don't understand your question, "... but how do you preview your videos without having to open your video editor?" Are you speaking of the videos recorded by GH4? If you press the green arrow button in upper left corner of camera back, you will be able to view your videos and stills in camera. Find the video you want, then press "down" on the circular scroll wheel to start play.
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Re: Pany Lumix GH4

Postby _Paz_ » Sat Nov 14, 2015 8:36 am

Oh, I see. But I won't be able to tell by looking at such a small screen. Maybe I can connect my field monitor and see what I have.

Thanks!
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Re: Pany Lumix GH4

Postby sidd finch » Tue Nov 17, 2015 10:39 am

Wow that looks like a pretty nice camera. It should be interesting to see what cool video you can come up with.

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Re: Pany Lumix GH4

Postby momoffduty » Wed Nov 18, 2015 7:21 pm

Congrats on the new cam Paz! The depth of color on the photos is stunning. Looking forward to your next video project.
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Re: Pany Lumix GH4

Postby TreeTopsRanch » Thu Nov 19, 2015 11:27 am

I am also looking forward to a video shot with this camera. Your stills are stunning.
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Re: Pany Lumix GH4

Postby _Paz_ » Sun Nov 22, 2015 6:22 pm

Re: Congrats

Thanks Everyone!!! Every time I take some new video I get happy about it all over again. :exc:

Your stills are stunning.


Thanks... but I'm not sure I expressed myself well. These shots are not 'stills', they are all individual 'freeze frames' taken from video. I have not yet taken a still image.

It took me a while to figure out how to import the 4k files. Thanks to Bob's help, I can now import 4k to PreProCS6 and either keep it 4k or downrez to 1080p. There are advantages to both. With 4k I can capture a freeze frame...the camellia is one frame of video taken from 4k footage in Premiere Pro CS6. In theory I should be able to crop a desired portion of the image that can later play as 1080. I know how to selectively crop (Ken Burnes Effect) in Premiere Elements. Figuring how to do that in PrePro is on my list...

The two ducks are screen captures taken from viewing in Bridge. Unfortunately, viewing in Bridge doesn't work all that well. (Viewing 4k in Windows Media Player for Win 7 does not work at all.) In Bridge the video will play slowly, sometimes you get audio, sometimes not. Often the audio will keep on going while the image on screen does not change. Often when it is moving the result is jerky.

Solved that by downloading "Media Player Classic - Home Cinema".

https://mpc-hc.org/downloads/

It plays both audio and video more smoothly than importing the 4k footage into Premiere Pro and watching there. There are a few hiccups now and then, but on the whole, it plays 4k footage exceedingly well. I now have it set as my default media player for the GH4's 4k .mov files.

I'm working towards a video now. "At the duck pond" :oops: Naturally!
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Re: Pany Lumix GH4

Postby TreeTopsRanch » Mon Nov 23, 2015 12:14 pm

OK, not stills but video captures. :) Still look better than any stills from my camera.
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Re: Pany Lumix GH4

Postby Ron Hunter » Sun Nov 29, 2015 3:35 pm

Yes, those stills are beautiful. Just think how good they will be when you actually shoot in stills mode! ;)

Looking forward to seeing your GH4 video Patrice!!
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