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First feature film: BMCC or the GH3?
  • 65 Replies sorted by
  • @shian Maybe I've been away the forums for too long, but I thought you liked the GH3?

  • Not after using it in the real world... piece of junk.

  • Not after using it in the real world... piece of junk.

    @shain is always in extremes :-)

    But you must have in your head that for people like @shian, who are good at grading and have all the time, money and skills BM made good present. For many others it is not so.

  • @shian can you please share your issues with the GH3 in detail?

  • can you please share your issues with the GH3 in detail?

    Just, please in GH3 issues topic :-)

    I also think that BM is so love/hate for @shian (if you look back in history) so it can be quite emotional.

  • Ok, no problem VK.

  • GH3 = Crappy sensor that gives you plasticine skin tones (a la all Sony Cameras) and an image that is difficult to grade in that it skews blue in an inordinate amount - and you pay $1300 for the privilege of shooting with a shitty camera and struggling with the footage in post. Still not as good as a hacked GH2.

    BMCC = Blackmagic has essentially said, for if you buy a copy of DaVinci Resolve (the world's most reliable and robust grading package) and a copy of Ultrascope (an invaluable tool for any colorist and anyone who wants to check their cams calibration), for $2000 and we'll throw in a 13 stop RAW camera for free. You'll have to add a quite a few things to make it an amazing camera, but it doesn't matter what you add to the GH3, it's still gonna suck..

    BMCC out of the box last year was junk - they've since added M43 and fixed many of the issues. Would I buy one? Probably not. I have a RED MX, so I don't need it, and I don't like the jello. but if I had to choose between 2 jello cams and the price difference is only $700 - I'm choosing the BMCC.

  • @Shian

    Ahhh. I was curious because I couldn't tell if you meant that the GH3 is that crappy, say, compared to a hacked GH2....

    OR if the BM cameras have risen the bar to the point that the GH3 (and subsequently the GH2) seem like junk in comparison.

  • GH3 = Crappy sensor that gives you plasticine skin tones (a la all Sony Cameras) and an image that is difficult to grade in that it skews blue in an inordinate amount

    Can we make some scientific test to show this? As I am not so good with generalisations (all Sony Cameras) and literature comparisons (plasticine skin tones).

  • I have just remembered a story, when i was at the cinema with a friend watching 300 (the movie about the 300 greeks against the persian army), i was just shocked by the amount of noise that the movie had, they pushed the colors so much that the noise was in almost every shot... nonetheles i enjoyed very much the style, and the plot and art was just great.

    When the movie ended i commented that to my friend, and he couldnt understand what i was saying, he didn´t even get annoyed or distracted by the amount of noise. He is not a filmmaker, as most of the spectators that a movie gets (if it is at least any good), so...

    I repeat myself by saying this, but, worry more about the universe that you are creating and try to find a style of your own with the available resources that you have at hand, and expend the money in what is essential for that art style that you have chosen, art style that must be coherent with the story you are telling

  • re: plasticine skin tones from Sony cameras.

    I see this same quality in GH3 footage.

    This is my observation and opinion - doesn't look like film, or an acceptable film alternative to me. Just my personal view :)

  • if by "plasticine" you mean the yellow tint on the skin that the digital cameras tend to produce, that is avoidable with redish make up

  • no the yellow is just part of it, it's that the skin looks (waxy is not the right word, but it's close)... not like flesh

  • @shian

    How about to make proper scientific test?

  • I don't have a GH3. But you can see it compared to BMCC, 5D, and GH2 here.

  • @shian

    I think it won't be hard to organize you to get GH3 for test from one of members. And I do not mean just visual comparison. I mean planned, scientific color tests with measurements.

  • Tips to improve the plasticine/bluish look using ColorGhear? :)

  • Tips to improve the plasticine/bluish look using ColorGhear? :)

    Do not even start it here.

  • @shian Must agree with you on this. I have worked with Sony fs700 excessively recently and I do dislike their color science. Though some post work can help it a lot, I just love Panasonic color much more. Unfortunately, I haven't found a perfect personal camera for me. For the image and color, I love GH1 the most but it has many technical issues. Gh2 with hack is a beast but can't compare to GH1 in terms of image cleanness and texture reproduction at low iso. Actually I haven't seen any camera with better texture reproduction than GH1. I'm currently waiting for the GH5 as my next camera.

  • Depends on the script / your needs really.. Though it´s good to use a tool you know inside out, having the additional latitude / response e.t.c. can make it possible to light / subtract light more sparingly. But it all depends on the level of control you can assert a.s.o. (your time schedule as well)

    Don´t go into making a feature without extensive testing, with your overall game-plan in mind. Try out all potential options, if possible.

  • @shian I hardly think that what you are saying bothers a normal spectator, as it is even hard for you to define what bothers you

  • The GH3 image sometimes seems strange also to me. The only way I could describe it is that it reminds me of those old b/w photographs that were hand-coloured. http://all-that-is-interesting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/old-images-recolored-lincoln.jpg

    This effect becomes more prominent when using Panasonic lenses

  • I would go with at least one camcorder that has focus lock, tracking, IS and so on as a B cam.

    As V says stick with something you know. The main thing is lighting, doesn't matter what cam you use if the lighting is not right.

  • @DrDave yeah, I'll still be keeping my GH3 handy.