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BBC approved cameras list
  • GOODEMPIREGOODEMPIRE

    I spent a day on location with a crew shooting with 7D. I found 7D very inconvenient and weak if compared to the hacked GH2 in almost every respect. But the sad fact is that 7D is on the BBC's list of approved camcorders (although partially), while the GH2 is not. I understand that nothing could be done about it, but just out of pure curiosity — is there any scientific way to distinguish a GH2 shot from the one by 7D at the end of the production cycle?

  • 16 Replies sorted by
  • AlexAlex

    You best belief! At first glance!! :-)

    I Remember that in forensic terms every Camera has its own finger print

  • JDNJDN

    As long as you remove the avchd wrapper to give you a .mov file (using clipwrap) and then basically make sure you import/conform/etc to the .mov not the avchd, the EDLs would hide the fact that you have an avchd source, which would be the giveaway that it came from a gh2 (given the fact that is is also 420).

  • LPowellLPowell

    @GOODEMPIRE — is there any scientific way to distinguish a GH2 shot from the one by 7D...

    Sure, just look for the multicolor 7D moire...

  • joesivjoesiv

    ... aww don't do it, you're really put a spin on the whole canon dslr versus GH2 battles... Canon fanboys would have some real ammunition once they can start using GH2 footage to convince others that their HDDSLRs are the bestest...

  • GOODEMPIREGOODEMPIRE

    I didn't mean to cheat or anything. Just curious how are they going to enforce their own limitations. Which are indeed stupid.

  • AlexAlex

    Its unlikely that they run some "source camera identification algorithms" on your footage.

  • RamboRambo

    If the content is good they will take it.

  • ShaveblogShaveblog

    It's my understanding that the BBC's approved camera list is limited to cameras which have gone through evals by the Beeb's boffins and been found to meet certain technical criteria. Among other minimum specs, the BBC requires a minimum nitrate of 50Mbps, and since the stock GH2 tops out at 22 it doesn't make the cut. I can't imagine they'd officially give the green light to a hacked GH2, but as previous posters indicated, if the footage was rewrapped to MP4 and looked good, I'd expect no questions would be asked.

  • L1N3ARXL1N3ARX

    Well since the 7d doesn't have a bitrate of 50/mbps they'd probably be ecstatic over what they'd find coming from even a mildly hacked gh2. I read recently about a field reporter for bbc out in Afghanistan who does this, submits his footage as 5d, but it's actually the gh2 haha. Kind of sad really.

  • bwhitzbwhitz

    @GOODEMPIRE "is there any scientific way to distinguish a GH2 shot from the one by 7D..."

    Yes. One camera's footage will look like it's half the resolution of the other. ...that will be the 7D's footage.

    ...and I'm a Canon fan. :)

    Well, I guess that's not really scientific... but what is, is the bit-rate. With the right hack, the bit-rate from the GH2 will be 100mbps+. 7D will be around 45mbps usually.

  • GOODEMPIREGOODEMPIRE

    @bwhitz I mean if it's melted into a long multiple format project — edited, graded — how would one know? Again, I'm only theorizing... And yes I heard people were using the GH2 for professional reporting. But I assume it was Sky, not BBC

  • bwhitzbwhitz

    @GOODEMPIRE

    Oh ok... yea I don't know then. The GH2 does resolve more detail... but I don't know if you can scientifically measure resolution after something has been shot.

    But like someone else has already mentioned, the lack of colored moire on patterns is probably a good give away. Also, there is a lot more line aliasing on the 7D. I've seen it on the GH2... but it is very FINE. Only occurring on lines where the detail is maybe 1 pixel wide, it's much more pronounced on the current Canon cameras... happening in what seems like 4 pixel wide lines.

  • onlocationonlocation

    A guy made a nature movie for the BBC, sold it fully edited and finished. He used a 60d for a lot of remote/risky camera work, he told them it was all filmed on his $40,000 varicam (some of it was). The movie got picked up so I assume they either believed him or didn't care. All of the footage was stunning, but we all know that has little to do with the camera. ;)

  • mrbillmrbill

    I think you're allowed 20% non-approved camera content for BBC HD delivery anyway

  • alcomposeralcomposer

    @mrbill

    The thing is that with 5DtoRGB it is becoming harder to tell the difference!

    Personally we should all write to BBC and partition them to accept the GH2 as an approved camera. :-D

  • mpgxsvcdmpgxsvcd

    The discovery channel aired the lion, croc, deer encounter from youtube in its entirety. It was probably filmed with a cheap 1080i camcorder.

    If the content is good enough they won't care how it was filmed.

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