Panasonic GH4 Gets HDMI Timecode Out. Will Trigger Record on Atomos and Convergent Design Recorders

It came to me in a tweet.

That pretty much sums it up! I’m very excited to see Panasonic add timecode out via HDMI. Now we can trigger record from the camera and the Atomos and Convergent Design external records will also start recording. I was hoping this would be the case before the Shogun shipped and it looks like it is going to be close to delivery date.

Here is the official Panasonic statement.

• With this firmware, time code and RSS(Recording Start/Stop) signal can be embedded to the HDMI output signal*.
  * Available when DMC-GH4 or DMW-YAGH are connected with the products of Atomos Global Pty. Ltd. or the products complying with the extended specifications of Atomos Global Pty. Ltd.
• FHD at 30p/25p native output via HDMI is available while recording video in FHD at 30p/25p.
• FHD at 30PsF(Over 60i) / 25PsF(Over 50i) output via SDI is available while recording video in FHD at 30p/25p.
  * When DMW-YAGH is used for SDI output.

The “extended specifications of Atomos Global Pty. Ltd.” is the new open format protocol that Atomos is giving away to any camera manufacturer to use that will make RSS easy to implement. This could really make it much more reliable too.

UPDATE 11-19-2014

This wasn’t mentioned in the December update but at Inter BEE in Japan someone took this picture and it ended up on a Facebook post that has now been deleted this image appeared.

As you can see in the left top corner on the LCD screen a new profile has been added. V-LOG. I heard a a while back that Panasonic was toying with the idea of giving the GH4 a true LOG profile so it looks like V-LOG might just be in the December update too. Now if Panasonic wants to really get crazy make V-LOG a 4:2:2 internal option. Man that would really be great! As is It could be tough on the codec to do a heavy grade, but cant wait to bend it and see when it breaks!

Here is what Panasonic says about the V-LOG profile for the VariCam 35

To maximize the dynamic range of the recorded images, Panasonic has developed a new log curve (V-Log) which elegantly maps the 14+ stops of image data to the recorded file. The VariCam 35 permits the assignment of various LUTs to individual recording channels and camera outputs. For example, shoot UHD and record non-destructively with the V-Log LUT, but assign a ”baked-in” 709 LUT on the HD / proxy recording for a real-time normal contrast look for editing and pre-grading. The camera’s monitor, EVF and EVF outputs have similar selectable LUT capabilities. The VariCam 35’s In Camera Grading feature is fully flexible, with the camera able to record an ungraded 4K master (with associated metadata grading information) and graded (baked in) HD image simultaneously.

So what this means for the GH4 isnt really clear. Maybe Panasonic has more plans for the profile than just a long curve.

UPDATED 11-20-2014

GH4 Beta Firmware Sneek Peak from Matthew Allard ACS on Vimeo.

Matthew Allard from newsshooter.com went over to the Panasonic booth to check this out and he reports that the V LOG profile is being shown as BETA and wont be in the new firmware. I’m fine with that. This at least confirms that Panasonic is testing the log profile and probably will release it when it’s ready.

Let’s see what other fixes and upgrades get added. I really want to see a fix for the messed up audio sync when monitoring via HDMI with the YAGH. It’s way off! Super annoying.  Bring it Panasonic! The GH4 is really a fun camera to use and the image is outstanding. I wanted Panasonic to add record trigger on the AF-100 and that never happened. Times have changed.

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Filed in: 4K • Atomos • GH4 • Micro Four Third Lenses • Micro Four Thirds • Mirrorless • Recorders
Tagged with: Convergent Design • GH4 • LOG • Lumix • Panasonic • V-LOG