New Panasonic GH4 v2.1 firmware update is great for Shogun & 25p shooters - everyone else, not so much

As you have probably read elsewhere, Panasonic released firmware updates v2.1 for the GH4 and v1.1 for the YAGH last night.   You can download these updates here.

Along with a couple of other minor fixes, the headline updates add timecode and a start/stop command to HDMI out when the camera and/or YAGH are connected to the Atomos Shogun.

Panasonic has also added 30p and 25p native output to HDMI at 1080p - a big deal for 25p shooters.

This is great news for owners (and potential owners) of the $1995 Atomos Shogun - and for shooters in PAL areas, especially Europe.

But it is a little disappointing for the rest of us.

While Panasonic fixes the GH4's compatibility issues with Shogun, other 4K camera manufacturers (e.g., Blackmagic and Samsung) are moving ahead with more substantive fixes and upgrades.  And the Sony A7s remains the only camera in this class with a LOG profile.

To stay competitive, Panasonic might want to aim the next GH4 update at fixing more fundamental problems for the entire user base - such as:

• Lack of a LOG profile.  GH4 shooters need a flat, gradeable profile we can dial in without having to memorize a bunch of sharpness, saturation, contrast and master pedestal settings. Without a LOG profile, the GH4 is less competitive with the Sony A7s and S-LOG2.


• Single, fixed 4K/24p frame rate. Blackmagic added 4K/80p to the URSA after release. 4K/60p for the GH4 would be nice, but I'd even take UHD/60p.


• Single, fixed autofocus speed. The GH4 needs a variable video autofocus speed control to make autofocus plane changes less jarring. Samsung added this feature to the NX1 after release.

In my view, firmware update strategy has become an arms race.  The manufacturer that can match or outpace its competitors in this race over time will maintain leadership in the marketplace.  Those that are slow to respond are likely to lose out to more agile companies.

The GH4 is a great camera, and still a very good value for the money, but Panasonic needs a more competitive firmware update strategy.

If the company isn't careful, the GH4 could become this era's "AF100" - a camera that invents a whole new category - and is then eclipsed by more agile competitors.

As always, if anything here has helped you to make a purchase decision, please shop using the links above or the displays below and in the margins. And even if you're not in the market for a new camera, please comment and make suggestions below. It won't cost you anything extra, and it will help to keep these posts coming.

And for the latest deals, news, tips and techniques, please follow HCR on Blogger, Twitter and YouTube and circle us on Google+.

How to Record 4K with the Sony A7s - Without Waiting for the Atomos Shogun!

A lot of the excitement surrounding the introduction of the $2498 full frame video-centric "4K" Sony A7s at NAB a few months ago was a little muted when we discovered that the camera could only record 4K externally. But, we were told, the new $1995 Atomos Shogun 4K HDMI recorder was coming soon - and for just $4500, we would have an awesome 4K low light machine.

Well, filmmaker Yoshihiro Enatsu was unwilling to wait. He lashed up a $280 Blackmagic Design 4K HDMI-6G SDI converter and an $1895 Blackmagic Design HyperDeck Studio Pro, and created this incredible 4K video:



The setup is a lot bulkier than a Shogun, but the results speak for themselves. If you need 4K full frame right now, can get AC power into the field - and you don't want to spend the money for a $3495 Aja Ki Pro Quad - this looks like a workable solution.

If anything here has helped you to make a purchase decision, please click on the links above or the display ad below - it won't cost you anything extra, and it will help keep the information in these posts coming. Thanks for your support!

Record 10-bit 4:2:2 ProRes with a $295 Atomos Ninja Star Recorder and $160 Atomos CFast 1.0 Card!

When Atomos announced their new 1080p ProRes recorder, the $295 Ninja Star, at NAB 2014, it was seriously overshadowed by all the hype surrounding their new 4K HDMI recorder, the $1995 Shogun. But, over the last few months, excitement has built over the Star - principally because of its price point.

But the catch has been Atomos' choice of the Star's recording medium - CFast cards, the 2.0 versions of which have been priced in the thousands of dollars. But Atomos has just fixed that with the announcement of an Atomos-branded CFast 1.0 card.

Here's the announcement from Jeromy Young (CEO and founder of Atomos) to Nate Weber over at newsshooter.com - shot last week at CineGear 2014 in LA (I wanted to drive down, but the CEO here is cutting back on my expenses :)):





This is really exciting news. Until now, the least expensive "field" recorder has been the bulkier $327 Blackmagic Hyperdeck Shuttle. I put "field" recorder in quotes because powering the Hyerdeck requires an AC outlet or generator.

The Ninja Star, on the other hand, will be just $295 and battery powered - with HDMI pass-through; an audio level monitoring display, a time remaining indicator and large, readable controls.  With a $159 64GB CFast 1.0 card, you'll be able to record 10-bit 4:2:2 Pro Res to a CF card for a total of $455!  For those who don't need the monitor built into the $695 Atomos Ninja 2, that's a big deal.

The other exciting news in the video is Atomos' custom micro HDMI to micro HDMI cable. With this cable, Panasonic GH4 shooters will be able to record 1080p 10-bit 4:2:2 ProRes straight to a tiny external recorder without the additional hassle and weight of a micro HDMI to HDMI adapter.  This will be ideal for aerial or run and gun shooters, who need a compact and lightweight solution.

If anything here has helped you to make a buying decision, please click on the links above or the display ads below.  It won't cost you anything extra, and it will help to keep these posts coming.

And please follow us on Blogger, YouTube and Google Plus. Thanks for your support!