Panasonic GH5S - 2 New Audio Features
The Panasonic GH5S has two new audio features which make this camera a little easier to work with from an audio standpoint: Timecode input and line level inputs. What does this mean? First, with timecode, you can simplify the process of syncing your video clips to audio clips recorded with a separate audio recorder. This means you can get higher quality audio and still sync quickly and effortlessly in post. Second, you could instead use your audio recorder or mixer to capture sound and then from your mixer, send the audio to the GH5S at line level which also results in higher quality audio but in this case you don’t have to sync in post - it is already baked in to the video clip!
Let’s have a look at how well each of these new features work.
Links to gear discussed and used to record this session:
Panasonic GH5S Camera
Panasonic XLR1 Microphone Adapter - so that you can use XLR based microphones with the GH5S
Sound Devices MixPre-10T Audio Recorder - we used the MixPre-10T as the mixer/preamp but all of the audio was recorded with the GH5S in this episode
Oktava mk-012 Microphone - great budget microphone for indoor dialogue recording
Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 OIS Lens - incredibly versatile lens that is on the GH5S most of the time
Lupo Superpanel LED Light Panel - Dual Color. Decided to try a harder light look just to see how it went. Not always my favorite look, but you never know unless you try!
Rosco 1/2 Soft Frost Diffusion gel - slightly diffuses the light, taped to the LED panel
Ambient Recording NanoLockit Timecode Generator with Wireless Sync
Ursa Mini Pro Cinema Camera - only for the shots of the GH5S, everything else shot with the GH5S
Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 OS ART Lens
Copyright 2018 by Curtis Judd
Ursa Mini Pro: Impressions After 6+ Months
After 6+ months of use on various projects, here are the impressions on the Blackmagic Design Ursa Mini Pro cinema camera from two Ursa Mini Pro shooters: My brother Cary Judd and me. This is not a traditional in-depth review, but more of our overall impressions.
The wide shot of both of us was done with the Panasonic GH5 and the two single shots were shot on Ursa Mini Pro.
Find Cary Judd at The Wormhole Boise.
Links to gear discussed and used to record this session:
Ursa Mini Pro Cinema Camera (body only)
Ursa Viewfinder (we didn’t talk about this but I really like this viewfinder - clear, clean image with effective focus peaking, false color, and zoom buttons)
Ursa Mini Pro SSD Recorder (allows you to record to standard, affordable 2.5” SSD drives)
Anton Bauer 90Wh Battery (about 2 hours of life with viewfinder and SSD recorder)
95 Wh V-mount Battery (Same as above but with a different mounting mechanism for cameras)
Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 OS ART Lens (used on the single shot of Cary on my Ursa Mini Pro)
Panasonic GH5 (used to shoot the wide interview shots and product shots)
Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd
3 Gimbals Compared: Zhiyun Crane 2, Feiyu a2000, Gudsen Moza Air
Motorized three-axis gimbals have become incredibly popular and can help add some nice movement to your video projects to help tell your story. If you’re shooting with a hybrid mirrorless or DSLR camera, you can even work with a single-handle, pistol grip style gimbal. In this episode, we compare three of the most popular gimbals for DSLR and smaller hybrid cameras.
I would have a hard time saying that one is the best. If pushed and I could only keep one, I'd probably keep the Crane 2. But the Moza is probably more innovative in terms of software (motion time-lapse) and the Feiyu is more innovative in terms of hardware (controls on both the pistol grip and dual handle).
Links to gear discussed and used to record this session:
Zhiyun-Tech Crane 2 - This is the largest payload capacity option of these three, good for larger cameras
FeiyuTech a2000 - dual-handle or single handle gimbal, good for mirrorless hybrid cameras
Gudsen Moza Air (Innovative dual-handle or single handle gimbal, good for mirrorless hybrid cameras)
This episode shot with the following:
Panasonic GH5 Hybrid Camera - my main camera for gimbals
Panasonic 12-35 f/2.8 OIS Lens - My go-to lens with the GH5
Sennheiser MKH 8050 Supercardioid Boom Microphone
Aputure C120d LED Light
Aputure Light Dome Soft Box
Blackmagic Design Ursa Mini Pro Cinema Camera - This is my main camera for corporate video work
Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd
C200, Ursa Mini Pro: Workflow & Choosing a Cinema Camera
In this episode our special guest is Jacob Fenn, a filmmaker and colorist. We discuss workflow and how your workflow can help you choose a cinema camera like the Canon C200, the Blackmagic Design Ursa Mini Pro, or the Sony FS5.
In short: map out your production and post production workflows. This will make choosing a camera easier.
See Jacob Fenn’s work over at FennWorld.
Links to gear discussed and used to record this session:
Canon C200 Cinema Camera (Jacob’s main camera for corporate, commercial, and short film work)
Blackmagic Design Ursa Mini Pro Cinema Camera (This is my main camera for corporate video work)
Sony FS5 Cinema Camera
Sennheiser MKH 8050 Supercardioid Boom Microphone - The mic was farther away than I would have liked, probably 1.5 meters. But it did pretty well
Aputure C120D LED Light - this is my corporate video workhorse light
Aputure Light Dome Soft Box - this is almost always on my COB120d to soften the light for talking head video.
Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd
Sound for Video Session: Q&A Safety Track vs Limiter, Which Camera, Which Mic and More
In this week's Sound for Video Session we discuss several questions submitted by you!
Safety track or limiter?
Clipping at -2dB?
Is there a better way to rig a Zoom H5 to camera?
What’s a good camera for video and photo with a 3.5mm mic input and headphone jack?
Which other microphones should I get?
When should I use a hyper-cardioid mic instead of a shotgun mic?
AT4053b outdoors?
Why is my Zoom F8 picking up an FM radio station?
“Homeless” recorded outdoors with an Audio Technica AT4053b Hyper-cardioid microphone:
Session on how to match levels on audio recorder and camera so you can monitor levels from camera:
Audio Adapter comparison
Links to gear we discussed or used to record this session:
Sennheiser MKH416 Shotgun Microphone - Perhaps the quintessential pro shotgun microphone
Audio Technica AT4053B Hyper-cardioid Microphone
Schoeps CMC641 One of the most commonly used super-cardioid microphones by the pros for indoor dialogue
Rycote Cyclone Wind Shield & Shock Mount
Zoom F8 Audio Recorder
Shure SM58 Vocal Microphone
beachtek DXA-Micro Audio Adapter for DSLR and Mirrorless cameras
Panasonic GH4 Camera
Panasonic GH5 Camera
Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd
Timecode Demo with NanoLockit from Ambient Recording
What is timecode and when does it help make things easier for finishing your video or film project? When you’re shooting a project with a LOT of clips and you’re recording your sound separate from camera to get the highest quality sound, syncing can be a lot of work. Using the timecode generators like the Ambient NanoLockit can save you a lot of time. Here’s how it works at a high level.
Links to Gear Discussed and Used to Record This Session:
Ambient Recording NanoLockit Timecode Generator (2 pack)
Sound Devices MixPre-6 Audio Recorder
Sound Devices 633 Audio Recorder/Mixer
Blackmagic Design Ursa Mini Pro Cinema Camera
Panasonic GH5 Camera
Olympus 45mm f/1.8 Lens
Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd
Photos of the Ambient Master Lockit are copyrighted by B&H Photo and used here with permission.
Atomos Recorders: Why do I Use Them?
Will an Atomos Ninja Inferno or Shogun make your video footage look 10 times better? Probably not, but I have found that the Atomos recorders are great tools which make getting better footage easier, more efficient, and in some cases you really can get better footage. In this episode we cover how Atomos recorders help filmmakers.
Links to Gear Discussed and Used to Record This Session:
Atomos Ninja Inferno (UHD up to 60 fps, HDMI input, HDR)
Atomos Shogun Inferno (UHD up to 60 fps, HDMI and SDI inputs, HDR)
Atomos Shogun Flame (UHD up to 30 fps, HDMI and SDI inputs, HDR)
Atomos Ninja Flame (UHD up to 30 fps, HDMI input, HDR)
Atomos Ninja II (HD up to 30 fps, HDMI input)
Panasonic GH5 Camera
Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 OIS Lens
Olympus 45mm f/1.8 Lens
Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd
Three Tools for Filmmakers
Sometimes little things make a big difference when you’re shooting on location or in studio. That’s what I’ve found with the three tools for filmmakers we discuss here: Leatherman tool, Rabbit Camera Key, and Stand Daddy stabilizers for your light stands and tripod.
Gear used to record and covered in this episode:
Leatherman Wingman Multi-tool
Leatherman Sheath (Be the ninja-nerd on set who can fix anything because your multi-tool is always with you)
Rabbit Key (Camera Key - never struggle to attach or detach a quick release plate or camera cage again)
Stand Daddy Tripod/Light Stand Stabilizer System - For a limited time, exclusive discount for our little community: use coupon code 15MORE to receive 15% off
Panasonic GH5 Camera
Atomos Ninja Inferno HDMI Recorder (simplifies exposing for HDR/LOG and records amazing 4:2:2 10-bit footage from GH4 or GH5)
Sound Devices MixPre-6 Audio Recorder & Mixer
DPA 4017b Shotgun Microphone (my pro-level outdoor mic)
Panasonic Lumix 12-35mm f/2.8 Lens (1st Generation)
Lifecharge USB Battery (for powering the MixPre-6)
Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd
Exposing for V-Log/HDR with Panasonic GH5 and Atomos Ninja Inferno
When I first added V-Log to my Panasonic GH4 a few years ago, I was disappointed with a lot of the V-Log footage because it was so noisy. I was hesitant to add V-Log to my GH5 but went ahead and spent a little more time experimenting with it to see how to get the best possible footage. With the help of an Atomos Ninja Inferno HDMI recorder, I’ve learned that it is really just a matter of making sure that you set your aperture and ISO a little differently to optimize the exposure for V-Log. And with the ATOM-HDR feature on the Ninja Inferno, it is even easier to quickly dial in the exposure for V-Log. So here’s how to shoot great looking V-Log video footage on your Panasonic GH4 or GH5.
Gear used to record this episode:
Panasonic GH5 Camera
Panasonic V-Log Firmware Upgrade
Atomos Ninja Inferno HDMI Recorder (simplifies exposing for HDR/LOG and records amazing 4:2:2 10-bit footage from GH4 or GH5)
Sound Devices MixPre-6 Audio Recorder & Mixer
DPA 4017b Shotgun Microphone (my pro-level outdoor mic)
Panasonic Lumix 12-35mm f/2.8 Lens (1st Generation)
Lifecharge USB Battery (for powering the MixPre-6)
Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd
Panasonic GH5: My Thoughts After One Month
The Panasonic GH5 has gotten a lot of attention among enthusiast filmmakers in the last couple of months. After three years of heavy use, it was time for me to replace my GH4. I’ve been shooting with the GH5 now for about a month and these are my thoughts on who this camera is for, and who it may not suit as well.
Gear used to record this episode:
Panasonic Lumix GH5 Camera
Panasonic Lumix 12-35mm f/2.8 Lens (1st generation)
Olympus 45mm f/1.8 Lens (talking head shots)
Panasonic V-Log Upgrade Code
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2r3giOd
Panasonic DMW-XLR1 Audio Adapter (So that you can use XLR microphones with GH5)
Kyno (Transcoding and Pre-edit App)
Atomos Shogun Inferno 4K HDMI/SDI Monitor & Recorder
Aputure Tri-8C LED Panel Light (Used as fill light on outdoor talking head shots, and back light for blue backgrounds) Review coming soon…
Aputure COB 120T LED Light (Key light on most of the product shots)
DPA 4017B Shotgun Microphone (all of the dialogue audio except Kyno demo, recorded with this mic)
Sound Devices 633 Audio Mixer/Recorder
Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd
