Ever talent cinematographer Pat Darrin (PatDarrin.com) invited me over to check out his new Panasonic GH2. By the way, Pat shot one of my favorite music videos, "Ms. Jackson" by OutKast.
We were joined by Douglas Glover, cinematographer for "Dirty Jobs" and Thomas George of Soitis4u.com. All of us have used DSLR cameras for professional gigs, so our curiosity made a lot of sense. The GH2 is Panasonic's answer to the hugely popular Canon cameras, so what better way to check out the Pany then pit it against a 5D.
The Pany's HDMI output allows for an external monitor that works in conjuction with the rear display instead of turning it off. During record, something definitely happens to the HDMI signal because the display changes slightly.
I'm going to take a closer look at the footage that came out of both cameras before deciding anything, but I can see how the GH2 can be useful. In the end, it's the story that dictates which tool I use. It's just nice to see yet another viable option on the market.
Stay tuned for my more info about the image in post.
Snehal Patel
Director/DP