Panasonic GH2 general and hack info base


DMEN

Member
So maybe my question was too vague. I am flying an S800 with Zenmuse Z15 and hacked GH2. I will mostly be shooting video instead of still, and mostly shooting outside during daylight hours. Which patch/hack do you recommend for my setup and what are some menu settings that are suggested with it? Thanks in advance :)
 

Warmupper

Member
Depends on what you are doing. There is no overall best setting.
You have to try different hacks to find the look you desire.
My recommendation to achieve a 'filmish' look.
Hack: AN 444 Nebula GOP 6. Shoot in 24p at 1/50 Shutter
man. focus. Cinema preset or reduce film settings to -2-2-2-2.
 

yeehaanow

Member
With the zenmuse you can probably get away with some of the most demanding/ highest quality hacks, because the camera will be much more stable.
Get a few old sd cards and load each one up with different hacks and fly the same course back to back with each. Would be interesting to see the results.
 

DMEN

Member
That's a great idea Tim. Can you name three patches to start with? Maybe some menu settings to go with please? Thanks! Also, if I am flying at different altitudes in one shoot, won't manual focus be out of focus in certain shots? Wouldn't it be better to have it in continuous auto focus?
 

yeehaanow

Member
Try Sedna A and B. there are some new ones to try but I haven't used them yet.

As for settings use smooth or standard with everything else turned down except saturation at neutral.

Focus to infinity and leave it on manual. Unless you're a foot away from something it will all be in focus.
 

BASICS>>>> How to download the hack to the computer... I would like to try some hacks, but can't seem to figure out how to download the actual hacks from personalview.com I see the zip files for each hack, but I can;t figure out how to download them. No right click option, nothing happens when I double click, etc. I have ptools installed, but need to get the hacks to the file on my computer. I am looking to try Sanity 5 and Apocalypse Now first. I am missing something...
 



I figured it out. I was shown as logged in and even tried re-logging in, but I had not "confirmed my email" from the email they sent me. So, I guess it was not a true login. Links now working. Thanks for the tip.
 

fear4fun

New Member
What an AMAZING thread!! 19 pages of very useful tips, links and general information. I bought a GH2 because of the price drop post-GH3 release and now am starting to drink from the firehose also known as hacking. OYE!! Sounds like I'm leaning towards the Sanity/Sedna or Driftwood. Interesting though, one of the pilots I know swears by the EOSHD44 hack, but that has hardly been talked about.

Irony too, I work in a camera store and get amazing deals on memory cards...but we don't carry Sandisc. Anyone using the 400x Lexar Pros or even the 600x? The 600's give 90MB/s and are affordable. I prefer to have lots of 16gb cards rather than fewer large cards.
 

Ray Bahas

Member
Hello,
I decided to go for the Sony nex5 instead. Could somebody display or indicated what kind of HDMI/Composite cable converter I should use ?
Thanks
 

Skyhook

Member
AV issues

3 months overdue, today I have finally received my Skyjib! (from a company which I will never be using again.)

I've been trying to get the AV link to work, and having some issues.
I have the camera attached to HDMI with HD->SD converter and then to the Stinger pro.

There is a connection as the monitor is showing colour bars, but there is no image coming through. (see pic 1)

I have the GH2 in 24p mode, which from what Mombasa and Tim say, will give me live images.

It will however give me images when i enter playback mode with the camera. (pic 2)


Any suggestions?
thanks View attachment 8760View attachment 8761
 

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MombasaFlash

Heli's & Tele's bloke
3 months overdue,...

I had precisely this problem with the first GH2 I purchased. Everything worked fine with the Sony Nex and the Canon 5D, but the GH2 would only permit playback. I sent it back quickly for a refund. I eventually bought another one (by which time the price had increased £150) and exactly the same thing happened. (insert all sorts of expletives HERE).

It turned out that the problem was caused by the crappy bloody HDMI converter. Once I had swapped that stupid huge great gangling piece of crap board that most people seem to buy (the one that arrives in the 1/2 kg metal box) for the tiny, lightweight plastic-cased MiniHDMI, the problems were solved and the GH2 was able to deliver live video to the downlink.

THIS is the Mini HDMI converter I bought >It has since shown up everywhere, including Amazon I believe. You will find more on this subject on the Sony Nex-5n - downlink thread and there is a tutorial on wiring and stuff HERE.

You have slightly misunderstood the frame rate thing. If the GH2 is set to record 720p25/50 it will automatically change its video record frame rate/resolution setting to 1080i50 as soon as you connect an HDMI cable - even if there is nothing on the other end of the cable. If the camera is set to 24fps then it will remain at 24fps when using the HDMI socket. Video is output in all cases, regardless of the frame rate/resolution setting. After all the hassle of getting a downlink signal and losing £150 on the price of the GH2, all because of that crappy bloody HDMI converter, I ended up using a separate monitor camera next to the GH2 anyway because I wanted to record at 720p50.

The Zenmuse turns all that upside down with its various restrictions but at least the HDMI converter built into that also gives you a pretty neat remote Shutter Release/Record as compensation.
 

Skyhook

Member
Thanks for the info Mombasa. However I'm not using the cheapo-HDMI converter, I have one of the Freefly converters, so I don't think the problem can be with that.

Doing more testing tomorrow, but due to the need to have at least some kind of video link, I have bought a cheapo B&W mini camera to mount next to the GH2, and wired directly to the Stinger Pro.

Will let you know how it goes!
 

MombasaFlash

Heli's & Tele's bloke
Thanks for the info Mombasa. However I'm not using the cheapo-HDMI converter, I have one of the Freefly converters ...

All that glitters is not gold ... and paying more for something does not always guarantee you are getting a better product.

Have you tried connecting the camera's HDMI directly to an HDMI equipped monitor or TV? Do you have or have access to another brand of camera with an HDMI output? Run these tests if possible. If everything works either with the other cameras connected to your downlink system OR with your existing GH2 connected direct to the TV then the HDMI converter is the problem.

It may well be that the GH2 is really the culprit by putting out some weirdo signal that certain HDMI converters cannot handle but as we need the GH2 then we have to find a converter that can take its stick!
 

DMEN

Member
I have the S800/Z15 combo. My issue now is that the color on my monitor is very close to B&W. I have tried other cameras, vTx and even a DVD player. They all show brilliant color. But when I have my GH2 in my copter and running HDMI vTx, the picture sucks. Clarity and contrast are all fine. There is even a little bit of color but not much. I tried monitor controls too. Any ideas? Thanks.
 

Macsgrafs

Active Member
I have the S800/Z15 combo. My issue now is that the color on my monitor is very close to B&W. I have tried other cameras, vTx and even a DVD player. They all show brilliant color. But when I have my GH2 in my copter and running HDMI vTx, the picture sucks. Clarity and contrast are all fine. There is even a little bit of color but not much. I tried monitor controls too. Any ideas? Thanks.

To get things clear in my mind...
GH2+HDMI+vTX = low colour
DVD+HDMI+vTX= normal colour

then the culprit is the GH2's output on the HDMI port.
 



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