Sky news cameraman uses Panasonic GH2

Sky News cameraman Andy Portch has been using a GH2 to make news videos for over a year

A Sky News camera man has been using a Panasonic GH2 alongside his professional Panasonic video camera for over a year.

Andy Portch, a senior camera for Sky News based in Beijing had been looking for a smaller camera to use alongside his main professional film camera, which is a Panasonic AF101.

Having previously experimented with using a Canon 5D Mark II, he settled on the GH2 because of its smaller form factor and the fact that lenses could be swapped between it and his video camera, along with shooting in the same AVCHD format.

Portch uses accessories, such as the Manfrotto 394 quick release plate, which are compatible with both cameras.

Pros

The main advantage Portch has found for using the GH2 has been for capturing quality video in what he describes as "sensitive" locations. Writing on the DSLR News Shooter website, he says "We did every dodge in the book and over a couple of days managed to get images of temples and monks to tell this story."

While there were of course some drawbacks to using the GH2 in this scenario, such as an increased likelihood of camera shake, it's a telling indication of just how far video technology has developed in DSLRs and compact system cameras in recent years.

The Canon EOS 5D Mark II is well known for its film-making qualities, with several adverts, television programmes and even films being made with it, but it's interesting to see a CSC being used in the same way.

More on Portch's experiences of using the GH2 can be found on the DSLR News Shooter website, along with video examples of its footage.

Via DSLR News Shooter

Amy Davies

Amy has been writing about cameras, photography and associated tech since 2009. Amy was once part of the photography testing team for Future Publishing working across TechRadar, Digital Camera, PhotoPlus, N Photo and Photography Week. For her photography, she has won awards and has been exhibited. She often partakes in unusual projects - including one intense year where she used a different camera every single day. Amy is currently the Features Editor at Amateur Photographer magazine, and in her increasingly little spare time works across a number of high-profile publications including Wired, Stuff, Digital Camera World, Expert Reviews, and just a little off-tangent, PetsRadar.