Panasonic GH2 general and hack info base

[yeehaanow]

My hdmi converter works for every mode, and has been flawless. (except you can't use it for 60p [50p too?? I don't know] but you'll still get an image- this is a camera issue, not converter)
It's this one- http://www.ebay.com/itm/HDMI-to-3RC...ltDomain_0&hash=item519f031a99#ht_1558wt_1165

If you want a camera that works 100% with no quirks then it sounds like you don't want to be hacking it. You have to be willing to jump through a few hoops to get the better video quality. Me personally, it's such a huge difference that I'm willing to do whatever it takes.
Also, be aware that due to the way the camera works, 24p is able to achieve a higher quality than any other mode. There are some nice settings for 30/60 and 25/50 but they can never be as good as 24, and when at the high settings they are less stable than 24.

Even the lowest of the hacks make a significant improvement, so for you, Mombasa, I suggest going with Sanity 5 and be done with it. It will work on 'lowly' cards too. http://personal-view.com/talks/discussion/2642/sanity-4-and-5/p1
Once you start to get into the higher range the differences become a lot less pronounced.
There are plenty of tutorials on how to hack and once you do it once, you'll kick yourself because it's easy!

 

[MombasaFlash]

My hdmi converter works for every mode, and has been flawless...

Dammit! This is the second GH2 and this HDMI issue is identical to the first GH2. I'll have to buy another converter in case that is the problem. The converter I have looks absolutely identical to yours.

None of this really explains why the 5D and the NEX HDMI outputs function without issue, regardless of the mode, and the GH2 only works for playback.

Thanks for your comments re: hack options.

 

[MombasaFlash]

It seems I am not alone with my GH2 HDMI issues. I noticed a mention of it somewhere on the 'personal-view' pages and again here on a NAB 2012 report:

"... Panasonic are in major trouble if they don’t release a camera in the next year that has better performance than the GH2 (ideally that would be the GH3). There have been rumors that they are going to end the AF100 product line, and if they do that, the GH3 should have a fully recordable and working HDMI output.

 

[Benjamin Rowland]

Just bought one of these on eBay based off your recommendation. I'll let you know how it works on our GH2.

Thanks!
-Benjamin Rowland

My hdmi converter works for every mode, and has been flawless. (except you can't use it for 60p [50p too?? I don't know] but you'll still get an image- this is a camera issue, not converter)
It's this one- http://www.ebay.com/itm/HDMI-to-3RC...ltDomain_0&hash=item519f031a99#ht_1558wt_1165

If you want a camera that works 100% with no quirks then it sounds like you don't want to be hacking it. You have to be willing to jump through a few hoops to get the better video quality. Me personally, it's such a huge difference that I'm willing to do whatever it takes.
Also, be aware that due to the way the camera works, 24p is able to achieve a higher quality than any other mode. There are some nice settings for 30/60 and 25/50 but they can never be as good as 24, and when at the high settings they are less stable than 24.

Even the lowest of the hacks make a significant improvement, so for you, Mombasa, I suggest going with Sanity 5 and be done with it. It will work on 'lowly' cards too. http://personal-view.com/talks/discussion/2642/sanity-4-and-5/p1
Once you start to get into the higher range the differences become a lot less pronounced.
There are plenty of tutorials on how to hack and once you do it once, you'll kick yourself because it's easy!

 

[MombasaFlash]

I'll be looking out for your report.

It would not surprise me to learn that I have bought the one-in-five-hundred-thousand lemon converter !

 

[Mactadpole]

I am mostly using my GH2 for stills and use a separate mini-cam for lining up shots. I think I am going to get one of the HDMI/composite converters to get a more accurate view for the stills and to use for video. I am just curious if the hacks have any affect on shooting stills or are they just for the video? Looks like I would just follow Tim's suggestion and use the Sanity 5 hack for now.

Thanks,

Shawn

 

[MombasaFlash]

I used the HDMI converter with the NEX-5n not so long ago for a photo job and discovered that the gentLED i/r shutter release would not work if the camera was set to auto-focus. It would release the shutter once and any subsequent attempts produced a mild focus-hunt but did not release the shutter. If the HDMI cable was unplugged then the gentLED worked normally with auto-focus. But if the NEX-5n was set to manual focus then the gentLED shutter release was okay with the HDMI connected.

It may well be that I have a screwy HDMI converter and that this is just more of its weirdness, along with not functioning with the GH2.

I am just going to have to buy another HDMI converter to find out. I have set up a separate mini-cam for monitoring in case I cannot resolve the HDMI coonverter business but I hate doing that. It is fine for fairly indiscriminate wide-angle landscape type shots but my main beef is that you have no warning that something is up with the camera. Particularly when taking stills. You can never be 100% sure that the shutter has just released or not without the comforting momentary black screen.

 

[yeehaanow]

The hack is for video only. Doesn't affect stills side of things. I have yet to try my hdmi converter when in stills mode. Will do ASAP, but I don't foresee any problems.

 

[benbigdude]

I am mostly using my GH2 for stills

Shawn - What remote shutter trigger setup do you use?

 

[Mactadpole]

Shawn - What remote shutter trigger setup do you use?

I am using the CAMremote which I really like a lot for the intervalometer settings but am currently having trouble getting it to trigger via the MK SV2 outputs. I have ordered a pcb extension board to try and Linnar at CR has been super helpful trying to troubleshoot the problem. Hopefully we get it worked out because I now want to be able to have the camera trigger via waypoint events.

Shawn

 

[benbigdude]

What kind of trigger does it need? I was hoping to rig the shutter up to a spare channel on the dx8.

 

[yeehaanow]

GentLED makes a cable called GentFocus that will trigger the shutter from an RC channel.

 

[Benjamin Rowland]

I ordered a trigger here and it has worked great with our GH2 and Futaba receiver. It was easy to set up too. We've used it to trigger video and stills.

http://www.mikrokopter.us/shop/came...ed-f-pana-18b-gentled-focus-for-panasonic-18b

 

[benbigdude]

GentWIRE Focus just arrived.

 

[Benjamin Rowland]

All shot on a hacked GH2:

 

[MombasaFlash]

All shot on a hacked GH2.

Which hack and is it reliable?

 

[Benjamin Rowland]

Which hack and is it reliable?

Orion v4b, I believe. It has been reliable.

 

[Vojec]

Dammit! This is the second GH2 and this HDMI issue is identical to the first GH2. I'll have to buy another converter in case that is the problem....

My hdmi converter works for every mode, and has been flawless. (except you can't use it for 60p [50p too?? I don't know] but you'll still get an image- this is a camera issue, not converter)
It's this one- http://www.ebay.com/itm/HDMI-to-3RCA...ht_1558wt_1165

Have the same video converter and it work great with my GH2 with no issue at all.

 

[Vojec]

I ordered a trigger here and it has worked great with our GH2 and Futaba receiver. It was easy to set up too. We've used it to trigger video and stills.

http://www.mikrokopter.us/shop/came...ed-f-pana-18b-gentled-focus-for-panasonic-18b

Where exactly you plug servo jack on Futaba Tx? If so which port?

Thanks.

 

[MombasaFlash]

Have the same video converter and it work great with my GH2 with no issue at all.

It should be so simple! I have been through all the GH2 menus and I do not find anything weird there. What is baffling is that the HDMI output works fine when connected to an HDMI equipped TV or monitor but not with the converter during record. All I get during record is a blue screen. The same blue screen was replicated today with the NEX-5n until I realised the camera was not turned on.

It is the same if the HDMI converter is powered with batteries or its mains adapter. I did not get around to buying another converter yet.

I have a second framing camera for now but I do not like working with it. There is no camera info, no confirmation that the shutter has released or record light etc. and the framing is only approximate.