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G3 hack plans?
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  • I'm so itching to get the hack. The G3 has really grown on me. For the most part its like a GH2 in a smaller package. Also the build feels rather nice. Only the firmware is dumbing it down for no reason. Thanks for your great work Vitaliy!
  • Hy,how its project going?
  • The G3 lacks manual shutter and aperture control in video, that's a huge drawback for all videographers. Hope Vitaliy can make it possible. Any news on this?

  • There is a limited degree of control over shutter speed via anti-flicker function. You can set shutter to 1/50, 1/60, 1/100, 1/120. That's quite enough for everyday use.

  • Vitaliy :-) we know how much you do not like lcd-soupers, but I desperately need hack on G3.. YOU keep silence, but meanwhile we trying to film on this camera without manual control...Any news?

  • I already told you that it is next in line after GF3.

  • That order we understood, but I was asking for more news on timing. We all here are willing to donate for smooth working process with the same passion, as asking for the hack. G3 - outstanding camera which is offended by panaprogrammers...

  • Just wait for G3 topic to appear.

    I am too busy with other cameras now.

    As soon as we'll finish most thing for them, we move to G3.

  • SUPPORT SUPPORT to Vitaliy~~~ great team here and let us know how to faciliate your work, i'm sure folks in here will agree :)

  • I dont get why the G3 seems to be the stepchild of the m43 family. I'm not to much into this retro design that has become hip lately, and I for sure wont pay extra for it. The G3 is the most capable m43 camera right after the GH2. Having used it for half a year now for fun and semi pro foto shooting (website quality) and the occasional video, I have never found myself regret buying it. Ergonomics are rather good, with the lack index finger wheel hampering it very little. Hardware wise its everything one needs as densly packed as can be without making handling fiddly.

    The only frustrating part are the dumbed down video controls. Guess it is panasonic being afraid of the G3 wildering in GH2 territory.

    Though when reading news and forums it seems nobody really likes it. Well, I never belonged to the IPhone crowd.

    Im my mind the G3 still stands as the best value in mirrorless / entry level dsl category.

    • Rant off

    Really hope Vitaliy will bless us with a firmware worthy the hardware. I hope I can add to the funding of that project soon.

    Actually this gives rise to a correlation: People who buy the G3 are most likely very price concious, probably because of limited funds, therefore money to spend on the firmware may be tighter as with buyers of other cameras. Its the same with IPhone buyers spending more on apps than android customers...

    I better step of the soap box now and get back to work to aquire said funding ;)

  • Despite the crowd's opinion I was quite enthusiastic about G3 before Panasonic introduced 25p update for GH2. I'm PAL and 25p is critical for my needs. G3 having 25p in stock version was a robust alternative or addition to GH2 IMO. But now I see only one point that justifies G3 purchase - smaller size. You can get GH2 body for as litlle as $700+ while G3 is about $600+. Even if there were a hack for G3 to unlock the manual controls - it still would be just a hundred bucks cheaper. However, for smaller size you pay with shorter battery life, no ETC in 1080 and some other crippled hardware features that the hack does not affect. Does it justify $100 difference? I would go GH2 route anyway.

  • I understand what you are saying zigizigi, but i think you're underestimating the value of some of the points you made, mainly price and size. Firstly, in the US at least, I've only seen the GH2 drop down to a $700 price point a single time. It might've at other points, but as of now, a google shopping search leaves me at nearly $900 dollars as the cheapest option for a GH2, and 600 dollars for the G3. For many of us, that's a huge difference. Even the difference between 600 and 700 can be large, particularly if you need the kit package(as was my case, this is my first real camera purchase, let alone micro four thirds cam). Also keep in mind that any closing of this price gap is only recent. Some people purchased the G3 before the two ever started being considered in the same price category. In fact, I purchased my G3 kit for only 504 dollars, new.

    Secondly, in my opinion, the size difference between the G3 and GH2 is significant, if not the same jump from SLR to mirrorless. It basically is the difference between always-portable and not always portable, to me. I carry my G3 with me almost every single day. I usually have the body in one coat pocket, a lens or two in another. This seems less feasible to me with the G3. I also prefer the construction of the G3. It's smaller, but imo feels a lot more solid, given the metal construction. And for my hands(admittedly small for a guy), the size is just right.

    I am a lot with Nils here. I feel the G3 easily has the best balance of price, features, and performance of the entire mirrorless camera category. It's also quite possibly the best reviewed one, at least among the ones that aren't intended as top-shelf models. Yet it seems to be forgotten by the community. Oh well.

    In any case, I appreciate Vitaliy's work here and will gladly contribute to this project once it gets going. There's a lot of potential for this cam.

  • @zigizigi I would never argue that the GH2 isnt superior in technical terms to the G3, however its only a slight margin. Unfortunalty EU prices for body are about 720 € for the GH2 versus 440 € for the G3. That 280 can buy you the Oly 45mm or the Samyang fisheye. Something to consider when just starting out. Actually I don't think Panasonic will keep its middle of the line camera so close to the flagship with future releases.

    Battery life wise I haven't yet been hindered by it. It goes well beyond the half hour video limit ;) I recorded over 1 11/2 h video with display on and still had plenty juice left. As I'm not a heavy flash user I haven't managed to shoot a battery empty yet.

    When being out to buy a new cam I didn't have a chance to actually get my fingers on a gh2, just got hold of a g2. With the lineup of cameras in question being: Canon Rebel T3i, Nikon D5100, Panasonic G2 and Panasonic G3, the G3 felt most solid to me. All others seeming eerily "emtpy". Guess thats because I came from a Panasonic FZ50, with its aluminium barel giving it a nice heft. Thinking of it, all kit lenses of aforementioned cameras feel like toys compared to it, and the craptastic mechanics of the 14-42mm gets me into rage occasionally when trying a manual "zoom".

    Damn, I'm ranting again. My main point is that the G3 is kinda unfairly treated in regards to the more retro looking stylish cameras as the GX1, while its being the little camera that could.

    Go G3 go! ;)

    [And besides I'm trying to keep the topic alive to show that there is a deman for a G3 hack ;o) \

  • Love my G3 much better solid "feel" than the GH2 and combining it with the leica 25mm lovely combo. 720p mode seems to have more detail than 1080i codecs pretty good. Just need a hack to eliminate the auto aperture in videomode with m43rd lenses.

  • Just remembered one thing that irked me and proves my point: DPreview gave the GX1 a overall score of 77% while the G3 got 75%. Afaik the electronics are the same between both. Given that the GX1 has the better build quality, loosing the EVF would result in a lower overall value in my mind... I think its people valueing expensive things higher... Now I need to raise my prices ;)

  • waiting patiently for the hack.love the g3, weight and the new sensor. will definitely donate once this hack is out.

  • Hi all. First post here. After a very shaky start with the G3 , (not loving the rear dial) . After 8 months i'm slowly getting the hang of it. And becoming very fond of it. As far as any future hack for video is concerned, i would be happy to get manual iso (and perhaps some way of locking buttons). Manual iso +flicker red and legacy glass would give me all control i would need. Anything else would be a bonus. Give me manual iso and donation would wing its way to you asap ! Cheers

  • sorry, n/t

  • @zigizigi. I don't think gh2 would be a good deal for me for the simple fact I already own a G3, so a I wellcome the video hack (if it will be released). I'm ready to make a 15e donation for it as many of us will do....

  • I hope we get a G3 hack before the G4 comes out. I love the camera but it's getting really frustrating not being able to have some manual control with video. I'm sure lots of us here will make a donation if this can be done in the next few months but after that, I will lose interest.

  • Just wanted to add that the collecting for buying a G3 and/or? GX1 body has officially begun, in case some of you only subscribed to this thread:

    http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/2570/collecting-for-g3-and-gx1

  • Also enjoyed Kirk Tucks expirience with the G3 http://visualsciencelab.blogspot.de/2012/02/small-camera-ive-been-playing-with.html.

    Seems quite a few people disagreed... (http://visualsciencelab.blogspot.de/2012/02/kirk-tuck-swung-and-missed-this-time.html)

    I don't know it these ads aired somewhere else but Germany, but I can't help but relate them. Dacia - Status Symptoms -

    (not driving a Dacia, nor wanting to promote their products in any way)

    For those from abroad: Dacia makes "budget" variety cars, the TV spots are about people driving expensive cars and cant stand that "cheap car" getting so close in quality.... kinda

    I really can see that some people get ofended that "consumer stuff" is getting so close to "pro gear".

    [Edit] woho - didnt know the forum does automatically embed youtube stuff, didnt mean to put it here so broadly...

  • The hack sounds like a really good idea, I've had nothing but good things to say about this camera since I upgraded from a DMC-FZ100. I wonder if the remote shutter jack can be changed into an external mic socket, like it is on the FZ100. It's a 2.5mm jack, and since this works on other Panasonic cameras it might be possible to do with with only software.

  • i dont thing g3 has the hardware to accept mic in, just like the gf1. lets hope im wrong.

  • i dont thing g3 has the hardware to accept mic in, just like the gf1.

    Yes, of course, you can't have that is absent :-)

    It's a 2.5mm jack, and since this works on other Panasonic cameras it might be possible to do with with only software.

    No, it is not possible.

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