Example video capture, GH1+Lumix 45-200mm

This recording was done in Union Square Park using a Panasonic GH1 and a Panasonic Lumix G 45-200mm f/4-5.6 zoom lens.





In this example capture, you can see that the camera jogs the focus back and forth now and then, probably to verify the correctness of the focus. Also, while zooming, the focus is lost for a short period. The newer Lumix G 100-300mm f/4-5.6 lens is said to have some technology to prevent the loss of focus during zooming.

The recording was done in 720p, and converted/edited using HandBrake and Kdenlive.

Of course, one should be very careful with zooming during video recording. It is almost impossible to get the zooming smooth and undistracting. When zooming is done by professional videographers, the usually use a dedicated zoom motor, which attaches to the zoom ring and rotates it smoothly.

This video example illustrates how you can achieve a nice background blur using one of the cheapest lenses available. The possibility to blur the background to enhance the foreground subject is one of the reasons why some people like using Micro Four Thirds for filming.

Here is another example video capture:





This was filmed using 720p, 50 fps. I set the focal length to 120mm, which corresponds to 240mm on a traditional 35mm film camera.

The camera was not on a tripod, but I rested it against a fence for extra stability. Still, it was difficult to keep it entirely stable. You can see that there is some camera shake.