Just took delivery of a used Panasonic GH2 from fellow photog John Griggs, aka Entropic Remnants. He’s moving away from Micro Four Thirds to Fuji X, so I took the GH2 off of his hands for a fair price. I now have two GH2s and will use them primarily for video. I thought a lot about getting a G6 or GH3 instead, as they both offer arguably better video quality, particularly in low light and even when compared to a hacked GH2. I even thought about a BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera with what many are saying is game-changing IQ.
But I’ve made a number of decisions that swung the decision in the GH2’s favor. One, I wanted two cameras for a typical interview shot that I do. Last time out I had a Panny GH2 and LX7 and it worked out pretty well. The LX7 was challenged by the strong hard light, the GH2 did much better. Two, I want two of the same camera. That simplifies batteries, user controls, accessories, etc. This is critical for a single person crew; any time or brainpower saved can be applied to other parts of the creative process. And in those one camera situations, it’s good to have an identical backup. Three, I accepted the fact that my videos end up on computer and tablet screens, not at Sundance. I was convinced that the GH2 was good enough for my needs just by looking at some of my own footage with the camera. It is still pretty darn good and more than enough for my current needs.
So with these factors in mind, getting a second GH2 was less than a $500 purchase, versus the price of two G6s ($1400+) or two GH3s ($2000+) or two BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Cameras ($2000+). Plus, I didn’t have to buy extra batteries because I’ve got a backup and John sent me three more! Things like that add up quickly. My plan is to shoot with these GH2 for at least another year, hopefully more. By that time, the price for used GH3 or Blackmagics will have come down enough that I can pick up a pair for a good price. It’s good surf just behind the bleeding edge.
And now, some stills, tests to make sure the new to me GH2 works. It does.
until spring when the cycle will begin once again.
