What' s truly great about the GH2 is the great quality/video modes *and* the opportunity to use the lenses on AN AF100.

It really depend of what you shoot, but managing video and sound takes seperatly (i use an H4N for this) as you have to do with the GH2 can be time consuming and a pain. In these situations, i rent an AF100. But you'l not have a motorized zoom in either cases.

The other benefit if you buy a Panasonic AF100 as a main camera is the possibility to have a backup or special take 2 nd video camera for almost nothing (say $900) using the same lenses.

This doesn't really address the issue of what Pro Video camera is as good as a DSLR, but I like this guys blog and his review/gear pages.

http://blog.vincentlaforet.com/mygear/

I've read that Canon is announcing two new large format (APS-C) EOS video/cinema cameras on Nov. 3rd (canonrumors.com), one with an EOS lens mount, the other with a PL mount. Might be just the Sony/Panny killer that us 5D and 7D folks have been wishing for since 2009.

I've read that Canon is announcing two new large format (APS-C) EOS video/cinema cameras on Nov. 3rd...

Do you mean the EOS-1D X?
Canon Announces New EOS-1D X with Full Frame Sensor and Faster Processing
Canon EOS-1D X

Mike

No, I'm sure he means the cams on Nov. 3rd. Canon is expected to release two videocameras based on large sensors in Hollywood at a big event packed full of LA A-listers. I'm driving up to LA for it. Not that I'm an A-lister - I can only get into the exhibit - not the announcement. But it will be fun to see the new cams at least.

Also, RED, on the same day, will be announcing their Scarlet cam, which they claim will beat both Canons, specs-wise.

Should be an interesting day for filmmakers.

This is very interesting...

Philip Coltart's : RED Epic verus Panasonic GH2 Comparison
http://vimeo.com/30751603

Marcel,

If you can have a hands on with the FS100 then I think you will find it much more appealing then you first thought. I have been using one for about three months now and I personally would not go back to DSLR. I have heard (but not use) the F3 is a great one too but its basically the same super 35 sensor like the FS100.

*No, I'm sure he means the cams on Nov. 3rd.*

Correct. Thanks Mark, for clarifying! I should have referred to the new cameras as "camcorders." Sorry for confusion. I'm chomping at the bit myself waiting for latest word on 11/3, as I already have a 7D and a whole bagful of "L" lenses.

And in advance of any comparisons to Sony, Panasonic, RED, Panavision, et al., wherever these new Canons may reside on the the whole "Super35" spectrum, I have no doubt they will comport themselves admirably.

"If you want autofocus during moving shots you need to make sure that the autofocus is phase rather than contrast sensing. Contrast sensing autofocus kind of overshoots then comes back into focus, making it quite useless for moving shots. The Sony cameras use phase sensing like camcorders. I don't know about the GH2.

Actually, many camcorders use contrast detection. All top DSLRs use phase detection when in DSLR mode, though pretty much never in video or "live view" mode.

The phase detection system works via a beamsplitter in the reflex mirror. Sony's Alpha 33 and 55 cameras use a pellicle mirror -- the whole thing is a beamsplitter full-time, just like in my old Canon RT. So they no only do phase detect autofocus, they do it full time. Some camcorders do this too, via a beamsplitter... the downside, of course, is that the light sent to the phase detection hardware isn't sent to the sensor.

Most of the new compact EVIL cameras, like the micro Four-Thirds and Sony's NEX system, don't leave enough room for a beam splitter, so these will not have an option for phase detection autofocus.

But that's NOT the whole story, anyway. A huge part of it's simply the autofocusing algorithm, regardless of the detection type. The job of a still camera's AF system is to determine the focus as quickly as possible, then snap that one shot. Phase based autofocus on a DSLR pre-dates inclusion of a full field sensor anyway ... prior to going digital, it was the best option for AF SLRs anyway. And at the same level of technology, it's faster. But even with contrast sensing, as used in virtually every non-SLR digital still camera, the algorithm runs the same: find that focus as quickly as possible. So there's lots of fast seeking, focus is found, and the shot is snapped.

For video, you really don't want a fast seeking algorithm. Focus needs to change gradually enough so as not to be obvious in the video. This was obvious to camcorder makers early on. It hasn't always been obvious to still camera makers adding digital video options.

The first still camera I had with video option was a Panasonic DMC-TZ5, a nice little pocket travel camera with an almost usable 720p MJPEG video mode. The huge problem was that, initially, the autofocus worked exactly the same in video mode as still mode, rendering the video kind of useless -- the camera was always over-seeking and correcting (continuous phase detection would prevent the overseeking, but not the choppy seeking itself -- that's the critical software part). They released a software update that addressed this.. a little bit. You could tell that the video and still divisions at Panasonic didn't share much, at least back then.

Same in the Canon EOS 60D, my main still camera these days. At least they know it. If you're in "live" mode, whether shooting stills or video, you get the slower contrast-based focus, but it's also very much a still camera algorithm. When shooting video, you have to half-way press the shutter button, just as when shooting stills. Usually much better to use manual focus, which of course means that I keep my HMC40 for shooting sports.

Of course, Canon DSLR video is limited in other ways, too. You get 4GB worth of shooting, period... which, at 44Mb/s or so, ain't all that much. The new EOS 1DX is the first Canon to offer longer shooting (they say it's chaining multiple 4GB files, camcorder style, but you'd think they'd realize that, at least on an SDXC memory card, there's no 4GB limit anymore), but they're capping it at 29min 59sec. Because of the European tax on camcorders. Even if I buy it here in the states. Not really acceptable, particularly for a $7000 camera. I wonder how much is really a tax thing, and how much of these fairly stupid moves are orders from HQ not to get too close to the camcorder business.

Of course, Nikon, Sony has the same limits on their HDSLRs. Panasonic's doing it right... their HDSLRs and EVIL cameras only stop at 29'59" for European models... they record unlimited for the elsewhere.

With my Nikon D5100, my main focus mode is the facial recognition one. As I point the camera at a person, a yellow box forms around the face. I half press the shutter button and it focuses on that face. I lock in the exposure with another button and I'm ready to shoot video. I can add to the exposure with another button if it is backlit.

Another mode I use is the small focus point in a moveable box. I move the box to the subject and half press the shutter button to lock in focus before recording.

Manual focus may suit other people, but for me with my progressive bifocals looking down at a three inch screen, it is not for me.

There are a few big advantages of the Panasonic GH2 over the Canons, not sure about the Sonys, at this point.

No, it's not sensor size. The APS sensor in the 7D or the Sonys is larger, so you have a bit better light, a bit shallower depth-of-field on a typical lens. And of course, the full sensor on a 5DMkII or a 1DX can't be beat... it's actually a bigger sensor than on the Red One. The 1DX, which crazy pricey, can also do much higher quality recording.

Ok, back to the GH2. Unlike many HSDLRs, the GH2 does full camcorder-style recording.. you can fill your memory card without interruptions.... at least if you buy outside of Europe. There's a camcorder tax on imported "camcorders", which for some odd reason is a video camera recording 30min or more of continuous video. So some HDSLRs, like the 1DX, stop recording a 29'59"... even if I buy it in the US (which has no such limit). Others are limited due to sensor heating. The GH2 only has the 29'59" limit in Europe, not here (true of all Pannys).

The other very cool thing about the GH2: Hacks! The standard GH2 records AVCHD at up to 17Mb/s at 1080/60i or 23Mb/s at 1080/24p. But there's a hack that allows recording of AVCHD up to 50Mb/s, higher than the Canons. And yet another hack that records in AVC-Intra, not the usual interframe AVCHD, at 176Mb/s (some experiements going even faster). That delivers insanely good quality video for a camera of that price point.

And one final thing... focus pull. While none of the HDSLRs except a couple of the Sony Alphas (no NEX) do phase-detect focusing while shooting video, the GH2 does have a reasonably good camcorder style focus algorithm in video mode. And you can shift autofocus target on the touchscreen -- just point to where the focus is going.

I'm currently a Canon user myself, and I bought the 60D for photos mostly, and as an adjunct to my two Panasonic camcorders. But if I were looking at an HDSLR for more serious video work, I'd definitely take a look at the Panasonics.

Here is Philip Bloom discussing "The right camera for the right job".

An impressive plug for the Sony NEX5N, but it was recorded with dual system audio. Around 16:47 he describes just how bad the NEX5N sound is. Basically useless for anything beyond syncing external audio. It is such a shame because visually the camera rocks.

Sony has just released the A77 DSLR, and it looks pretty awesome. It actually has active autofocus.

Here are some tests:

http://vimeo.com/29825160

http://vimeo.com/29090326

I would love to get my hands on that!

I still love my 5D and miss my Z1 -

but having spent about 20 years shooting 35mm film with NO autofocus (on any camera) - let me respectfully remind you of INCREASED depth of field vs. the very lovable Decreased DOF that we all are searching for.

One of the reasons the "old video" cameras could focus so quickly was their small sensors (exactly the opposite of the new DSLR's) - the "video look" had virtually everything in focus - that's what I decried on this very site over 10 years ago.

Now you've GOT the limited DOF and you're bitching again - ha ha.

So shoot your lock-offs any way you like (tight DOF) but when it comes to action, do what we old time film guys ALWAYS did.

Stop down the camera to f8, f11 or even f16.
Then shoot a little wider than you really would love. (35mm vs 150mm)

The footage might not be as sexy - but it will COME OUT - and delivering USABLE footage ALL THE TIME, is what makes a pro. (And that's the way we did it in the old days).

v