Best GH5 settings for FILMING UNDERWATER

[@TeamTurpin]

Matthias, it's been a while since you dropped this video. In your color profile segment (4:18), you lowered both contrast and saturation settings and I'm considering doing this as well. But, I'm wondering if this four year old advice still stands. Would this still be your recommendation today?

[@MatthiasLebo]

Hey John Thanks for your question. Yes I would absolutely do still lower contrast and segura toon in order to try to capture an image that is as flat as possible, coz this will give you much better options when it come to color correcting and especially grading your footage. The only time I wouldn’t do this is if you don’t intent on grading your footage in post. Hope this helps?

[@Sharkman_Dan]

The Bit Rate vs Frame Rate compromise is something I've been thinking about a lot in the last few weeks. I also shoot with GH5 in Nauticam. For me I think I would struggle to film at less than 50fps, as so much of the drama in underwater life comes when slowed down. It also helps with a steady image. But I have made a note of these settings and will give it a try!

[@MatthiasLebo]

I totally get what you're saying Dan and I do agree. The drama is much better shown when slowed down. I think it very much depends on what you're filming and how you plan on using the footage. I've found that 24fps works fine for me in a lot of instances. But if I know I'm going to slow down the footage, I'll definitely switch over to 60fps and sacrifice the 10bit. 😉

[@Sharkman_Dan]

Have you considered getting the Atmos inferno & housing to be able to keep the 10bit at 50fps?

[@diveivanov]

Hello, Matthias 🤗 May you answer my question please 🙏 I use GH5 for uw videography and I have 30mm, 45mm, 60mm and 8mm fisheye lenses. So may you recommend me a best / good zoom lens, please 🙏 Panasonic Professional 12-60 Leica? Sigma 18-35 F1.8? Or maybe another good one is on the market now? Many thanks in advance 🙏

[@MatthiasLebo]

I would go for the Leica 12-60mm lens. That was my standard lens when using the GH5 system for underwater video. It's a high quality zoom lens, which makes your system very versatile, making you capable of recording wide angle as well as close up shots during the same dive. 👍🏻

[@diveivanov]

Many thanks, Matthias 🙏

[@underwatermarvels3206]

Hi! Recently I upgraded from a gopro to a Gh5 II. Soon i'm going to dive in Cabo de Palo but i didn't have oportunity to take the camera underwater to make some tests. In order to have some decent footage in my first time shooting with mirrorless underwater do you recommend to shoot manual or shutter priority mode?

[@MatthiasLebo]

Personally I would shoot full manual. What housing do you use? If it is a Nauticam, it's pretty easy to adjust aperture and ISO through the housing. Ideally you have your shutter speed set to 180 degrees, decide for the aperture you want to use (i.e. f8.0 for wide angle shots) and then simply adjust the ISO and check on your histogram that your exposure is fine. That's how I do it when filming with my GH5S. Enjoy! 😊

[@underwatermarvels3206]

@@MatthiasLebo Hi Mathias! Recently I was reviewing my first videos... as expected the results were not the best. How to make the white balance with artificial light without red/ambient filters? Set the same kelvins as the video light? or use the white card while the light is on or off?

[@MatthiasLebo]

For macro shots set the WB to the kelvin output of your dive lights. For wide angle shots us a white or grey card to perform a manual WB with your lights on.

[@underwatermarvels3206]

@@MatthiasLebo thanks for reply!

[@xasthenia]

Thank you very much for your videos !! I just got the Dji osmo 5pro to mount on top of the LUMIX housing , as in my last dives I had issues to focus while UW with the lumix, this way I have a good backup. May I please ask you what would be your apr/ iso recommendation for the LUMIX for a very low depth but very dark situation please ? Shooting orcas and humpbacks in Northern Norway in the winter and it is impossible to play with the settings UW with the thick diving gloves 😂 (I also have the same Leica lens) so I need to pre set everything while on the big boat .. many thanks in advance :):)

[@MatthiasLebo]

Which LUMIX camera do you have? Depending on the model and its base ISO I would choose the ISO setting for that situation. On most LUMIX models I personally wouldn't go higher than 3200. Regarding aperture, shooting wide angle big wildlife scenes I usually use f8.0 or higher to get as much in focus as possible, as these animals are moving fast and the distance between them and yourself is likely to be changing a lot. Hope this helps.

[@xasthenia]

@ many thanks :)! I have the GH5M2

[@deeppassionfreediving]

I noticed that when you were setting the profile, you dialed down only contrast and saturation whereas sharpness and noise reduction you left on 0. Wouldn't you get even flatter profile if you dialed sharpness and NR down as well? Isn't there a better result if you apply fine tune sharpness and noise reduction in the post process? Thank you for your answer

[@MatthiasLebo]

Yes you can do that too and I've experimented with it, but found that the standard settings on the GH5 are quite to my liking and that usually I wouldn't apply them any different in post. But this obviously depends on the camera that you're using a the way their standard settings work. Oftentimes - especially when documenting events - my workflow needs to be as streamlined and quick as possible, so for me leaving NR and sharpness as they are works fine.

[@deeppassionfreediving]

@@MatthiasLebo thank you for the reply. I'm using Panasonic LX-15, a compact camera, so I guess the settings might be similar. Will try your settings to see which one fits my camera the best

[@Oceanpls]

hi, for some reason when I try to select the image quality option to make it 4k 10 bit the camera skips it and goes to the next option, do you know how I could fix it?

[@MatthiasLebo]

If this specific setting is greyed-out and not selectable, it means that another setting you've chosen is interfering with it. Which one that is I can't say without going through all the settings. Sorry.

[@takanishi21071979]

Nice video! Like! What lenses can you recommend for normal and macro shooting?

[@MatthiasLebo]

Thank you 🙏 The Leica 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 is a great general purpose lens for underwater. For macro I like the Canon 100mm f1.8.

[@takanishi21071979]

Matthias Lebo What do you think between GH 5 and GH 5 S? The GH 5 S really better for underwater video? My priority is video....

[@MatthiasLebo]

A little yes, because of the better low light performance. But it doesn’t have in-body stabilization. So it’s depending on what is more important to you.

[@takanishi21071979]

@@MatthiasLebo : Stabilization is important for me.

[@MatthiasLebo]

@@takanishi21071979 then I would go with the GH5.

[@poszukiwaczprzygodrad]

Hey! Quick question, i just got gh5 mk II and trying to find out if all the gh5 housings would work with it? I know nauticam does, but i was looking for cheaper options.

[@MatthiasLebo]

I do think that all housings that work with the original GH5 and the GH5S will also work with the GH5II. As far as I’m aware, the body is exactly the same.

[@poszukiwaczprzygodrad]

@@MatthiasLebo great! Thank you! Ps can't wait for your online course to come out!

[@MatthiasLebo]

@@poszukiwaczprzygodrad thanks buddy, been working pretty much just on finishing it for the past couple of weeks. Release date is August 31. I can’t wait myself to announce and release it. After all this time and work that I’ve put into it, it’ll finally be finished. 🤗😁

[@poszukiwaczprzygodrad]

@@MatthiasLebo that sounds great! I really appreciate your work and i know that course will be a game changer!

[@InternationalScubaDiversClub]

We'll be in Bonaire for that Tek Diving event as well!!

[@MatthiasLebo]

International Scuba Divers Club that’s awesome! I’m looking forward to meeting you and diving with you guys in Bonaire very soon. 😊

[@DiversReady]

Awesome video. I weighing up a GH5 Vs a GH5s. Same Nauticam housing, as per Robin at Backscatter. Would love to know your thoughts?

[@MatthiasLebo]

Thanks mate 🙏🏻 I would go with the GH5S, because if its higher light sensitivity.

[@MJSVisionsVI]

I have both. Gh5 has better stabilization, the s is better with lowlight, although with proper lighting/ white balance, it evens out

[@DiversReady]

@@MJSVisionsVI Yeah, that's what backscatter says also. I'm trying to decide which I'd prefer. The low light performance or the in body stability.

[@MJSVisionsVI]

Divers Ready if you go with gh5, I’d recommend a 2.8 wide angle. These are more expensive, and you’ll need a more expensive port, but having 1 more fstop for that camera helps out. The S kicks the gh5’s ass in lowlight, especially if shooting on land in dark places, or nighttime events. Either way, uw, you need to be as steady as possible, that comes from great buoyancy control and having your rig properly balanced, which is a game in itself. Adding lights, tripods, stabilizing arms all change the buoyancy of the rig. I went from a Gates / Sony ex1r to the nauti/ gh5 rig. I could balance the Gates w one finger. But these smaller housings’ larger lighter ports really make them back heavy, so trimming them is pretty tricky. Also, ditch the white card and buy white fins for white balancing, holding a card in front of that rig is frustrating. Buy decent powerful lights, unless you are shooting shallow, nice viz Caribbean water. Good luck on your purchase, enjoy!

[@MJSVisionsVI]

Divers Ready here’s some gh5 footage, I used some lights also. Most of it was wide angle/ f4/ iso 800-1000 in 60 feet or less kzbin.info/www/bejne/fZbUqHyGdqipqZo

[@Afrotravelers]

Great video! Are you using manual focus or auto focus?

[@MatthiasLebo]

Thanks mate for your comment. I'm actually using a combination of both. I will make a video about how exactly and when I use auto or manual focus. Thanks for your patience.

[@brianolearyphoto]

@@MatthiasLebo Hi, great video. Did you make another video about focusing? I'm using an 8mm fish eye for underwater video. I shoot in slow motion and am struggling to get things in focus. Thanks.

[@MatthiasLebo]

Thanks buddy. This video of mine might help: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l3PEfayMm9FjodU

[@eransalah8844]

Hello Matthias I have a question the gh5 have the option to turn on the I dynamic range to high low or auto do you use this option or do you leave it off by default ?

[@MatthiasLebo]

No, I don’t use that option. I don’t think it’s a wise thing to let the camera decide what to to (I dynamic is an automatic mode) in any given situation, especially underwater. After all the GH5 is not made for the use underwater.

[@eransalah8844]

Matthias Lebo thank you 🙏

[@MatthiasLebo]

You’re welcome mate ☺️

[@jostilburgtitans]

Hello with dome port ?

[@AegeanEpiphany]

Pity he didn't reply but main thing with wide port is f-stop in order to eliminate edge blur. f11 min. James

[@sebastiengyger6931]

Great video and thank you for this helpful video but maybe just change the language for us :)

[@MatthiasLebo]

😂😂 What language would you prefer...? 😉

[@joshuaturner]

Thank you very much! I have watched all of your videos and they've been super helpful for my first time shooting underwater with my GH5 (previously I just had a gopro). I recently got back from a week diving in Kadavu, Fiji and this is the video I put together kzbin.info/www/bejne/n6bZaJuJqNGEndU. I shot everything at 4k 60 because I wanted to always have the option to slow the footage down. A number of the days were very dark and rainy on the surface and I found that I had a much harder time getting a good manual white balance on those days. Any good tips for cloudy days?

[@MatthiasLebo]

Thank you bro for your feedback and I'm very happy I was able to give you some help to set up your GH5 for shooting underwater. Very nice video by the way. 👍🏻 Yeah it can be difficult to achieve proper white balance underwater when it's too dark (as as above water). In situations when it's too dark, try either shooting macro with lights on your rig, so you can have your scene lit up properly and therefore get an accurate white balance or use auto white balance for wide angle shots. Alternatively try to play around by setting the color temperature manually and see what looks best. If there is not enough light, it really turns out to be a trial and error thing and mainly comes down to your experience filming underwater in different conditions. Were you using lights when shooting underwater? You got me on a good idea though...might do a video where I walk you trough the different options of setting your white balance underwater. Would that be of any help to you? Cheers Matthias

[@gearbow]

My experience preferring to shoot 60 fps is that below 40 feet of seawater it is rarely possible because of lack of light. 60fps with shutter angle of 180d will need to high of ISO or high f stop or both. making it very challenging. The high ISO makes the blue grainy and the low f stop make the corners less sharp and rest of image is blurry. In those cases you really need to compromise and shoot in 4k 24p . It makes a huge difference when dealing with ISO. With a dome port you really should not go below f 11 and with a wet wide angle you have much more room to go lower f stop. Like the OP said maybe down to like f 8 or lower if stationary.