Finding a wide angle fast lens for the GH1 is a problem. There are simply none available. Vivek from GetDpi played around with the Fujinon 12.5mm f1.4 and modified it to get full coverage. This is my attempt to do the same.

This attempt was referenced in these places.

http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showpost.php?p=230992&postcount=39

http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showthread.php?p=234790#post234790

I have a non-working iMac G4 that a friend left with. Since its not working, and I have some mini-ITX boards lying around, I decided to install a mini-ITX system inside as a Media Centre to playback my movies. Especially the videos I have recorded. It uses a TMDS connector for the LCD and the inverter is right behind the LCD.
First, Google research. Here are details of similar projects.
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=224698&page=8
http://dremmeljunkie.blogspot.com/2010/02/completed-mod.html
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=11348961
http://forums.dealmac.com/read.php?4,2870386,2870386

Interestingly, this is a mod to convert the TMDS connector to DVI so it can go directly into the mini-ITX board.
http://hidekyan.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/2009/08/imac-g4-dvi-4-9.html?cid=68274206#comment-68274206
http://gifuken023.blog122.fc2.com/blog-entry-18.html

From this post, http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=9950054&postcount=207
I got the pinouts to connect the inverter and TMDS to a DVI-D cable and power. I copied the pinouts for archival.

Since the indie film world has moved onto DSLR videos, I have been looking extensively for low cost lenses.
The best value is available from m42 mount lenses and some of them have a peculiar swirly bokeh. These are also called Adaptall mount, Pentax Screwmount, Exakta mount and screwmount.
The biggest attraction is the price – as many of these lenses are available for less than 10 bucks.
Here is a list of ultra wide and fisheye m42 lenses mainly from here http://www.camerapedia.org/wiki/M42

< 24mm. These lenses are often the more expensive types in the DSLR world.

• 20/2.8 Flektogon (V MC, V MC electric)]
• 20/4 Flektogon (IV, V), there is a version (finish IV) with special diaphragm transmission for the Pentacon Super
• Tamron 18mm
• Tokina 17mm f3.5 RMC
• Pentax Takumar 20/4.5 (II, III)
• Mamiya-Sekor SX 14mm f/3.5 Fisheye
• Mamiya-Sekor SX 21mm f/4.0
• MC Zenitar 16mm F2.8 Fisheye
• MC Mir-47 20mm F2.5 made by VOMZ
• MC Mir-20 20mm F3.5
• 19/3.5 EBC Fujinon SW wide angle
• Sigma 20mm f2.8
• Spiratone (Sigma) 18mm F3.2
• Spiratone (Sigma) 18mm F3.5
• COSINA 20MM F3.8 m42

Hudson has a similar mod here, but no description and the pictured lens is a Leitz.

EDIT: He is simply using a Leitz hood – lens is the same.
http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showpost.php?p=189529&postcount=29

I got help from Vivek and Hudson. Check these posts.

http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showpost.php?p=229372&postcount=2

http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showpost.php?p=229547&postcount=8

Another excellent resource for lenses on the GH1/GF1 is Ayton.

http://www.ayton.id.au/wp02/?p=3540

This resource indicate how much the rear element can extend safely into the camera.

http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showpost.php?p=63735&postcount=209

The Panasonic GH1 debuted last year with a sensor in between 16mm and 35mm Academy size. It is approx a 1.9x crop sensor related to SLR terminology. The short focal distance allows the usage of any lens built for cameras – except the CS-mount lenses. On the dvxuser forums, a Russian hacker tester13 figured out a way to modify the firmware to give custom recording rates – among other goodies. At this point in time, the GH1 has the best recorded image out of ANY camera less than 10K. Here is my article about installing the firmware for noobs.
The article also appears here.
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=215526

This is a very simple tutorial that will attempt to organize everything for first time users. If you have an older copy of ptool i.e. v3.37d use the tutorial here.
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showpost.php?p=2040847&postcount=28

This is for the latest version of ptool 3.40d. If the menu items seems different and you do have 3.40d, then download again as tester13 has changed the firmware but kept the same version.

1. Create a GH13 Hack folder on your desktop – and all downloads/files go into this folder.

2. Download Ptool - http://www.gh1-hack.info/ptool3d.zip The version described here would be v3.40d

3. For Mac users only – Download wine and winebottler and install it.
http://winebottler.kronenberg.org/
The easiest way is NOT to make a Wine APP – just let wine startup everything ptoold.exe is executed since ptool keeps on changing regularly.

4. Download the latest firmware for GH1 here – http://panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/dsc/download/fts/dl/gh1.html
and for GF1 here – http://panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/dsc/download/fts/index2.html
After unzipping, you will end up with a *.bin file.

5. At this time, you can refer to the thread here for a visual Getting Started Guide
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=212263
and here for a Ptool manual
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=213692
Alternatively, you can continue -
Start Ptool and Click on Load Firmware.
For GH1 select the *GH1*.bin file and for GF1 select *GF1*.bin file.

For the first firmware upgrade ONLY
Click on Version Increment. Select it and in the entry box at the bottom enter 3. (See Step 6. why I suggest this. It is easy to remember your increment this way)

Click on Prevent Version Compare -

ptool 3.40d has two regions – one for testers and one for end users. Double Click the Patches for End Users.

Click on Battery -> Third Party Battery
Click on Interface -> Interface Language in case you bought a grey market product and select your favourite language.
Select Movie Related Restrictions -> 30min limit removal if you bought this camera in the Euro zone and cannot record more than 30 mins.
Select Movie Related Restrictions -> PAL->NTSC menu this allows you to switch between PAL and NTSC in the menu. Select NTSC or PAL from the Video Out section of the menu.

*Optional* Select Movie Related Restrictions -> Manual Movie modes if you have a GF1 model and want to shoot with full manual control in video.
From this post.
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showpost.php?p=2064162&postcount=2
>>
1. switch the top dial on the camera not to M, but to the icon with the movie camera with the P

2. go back into the menu and change Exposure Mode from M to something else, and then back to M again

3. go back to take the video, and the settings will show up not

You’ll have to do this every time you turn on your camera!
>>
For the settings – look at this thread.
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=213486

This is 1 setting that works on a 16GB Patriot Class 10 card as well as a 8GB Sandisk Extreme 30MBps Class 10 card. If it does not work, buy a Class 10 card and stop whinging.
Here is what I use.

Click on MJPEG Size Restrictions.

Select 720p30->1080p30
Select 720p30 width. In the box at the bottom enter 1920
Select 720p30 height. In the box at the bottom enter 1080

MJPEG Settings :- Click on MJPEG Compression.

Click on MJEG E1 Quality. In the box at the bottom enter 384
Click on MJEG E1 Table. In the box at the bottom enter 24
Click on MJEG E2 Quality. In the box at the bottom enter 330
Click on MJEG E2 Table. In the box at the bottom enter 24
Click on MJEG E3 Quality. In the box at the bottom enter 300
Click on MJEG E3 Table. In the box at the bottom enter 24
Click on MJEG E4 Quality. In the box at the bottom enter 276
Click on MJEG E4 Table. In the box at the bottom enter 24

Click on MJPEG Color
*optional* Click on 720p30 420->422 color sampling. (*NOTE* THIS IS KNOWN TO CAUSE PROBLEMS)

AVCHD Settings :-
Click on AVCHD Movie Mode

Click on AVCHD Compression
Click on Video Bitrate FHD/SH. In the box at the bottom enter 50000000 (*NOTE* COUNT THE ZEROES. ITS 50 million)

Click on Video Bitrate H. In the box at the bottom enter 50000000. (*NOTE* COUNT THE ZEROES. ITS 50 million)

Click on Video Bitrate L. In the box at the bottom enter 32000000. (*NOTE* COUNT THE ZEROES. ITS 32 million)

Click on Overall Bitrate. In the box at the bottom enter 60000000. (*NOTE* COUNT THE ZEROES. ITS 56 million)

Here are additional options to allow the Gf1 to act more or less like a GH1.
Click on Patches for Testers -> Middle Level Research -> Menu Related -> FHD Mode
This gives 1080p 25P with 1/50 shutter ONLY on GF1. No other settings work at this moment.

6. Click on Save Modified Firmware and save the new firmware as your increment in the Version Change i.e. GF1__123.bin (for 3 Version Change) or GH1__139.bin (for 9 Version Change) etc. DO NOT OVERWRITE the original firmware.

Save everything the GH1 Hack directory. Note that the modified GH1 firmware will only work on the GH1 and the modified GF1 firmware only works on the GF1.

I would recommend not overwriting the previous firmware versions as the Version Compare hack allows you to use swap between different versions. Once you start playing around, you could have different firmware versions on different SD cards and you could swap between them in the middle of a shoot.

7. Start your GF1 or GH1 and format the SDHC card. Shut down the camera and remove the SDHC card. Copy the GF1__123.bin or the GH1__139.bin to the root directory of the SDHC card.
Eject the card and place it inside your camera. *NOTE* Use a fully-charged battery. Start the camera and press the playback button.

8. Finally, at this time, the cameras work thus.
GH1, 720P at 50p/60p. 1080p at 24p/25p/30p
GF1 1080P at 25P ONLY, 1080p at 30p.

If you are Using the GF1, tester13 has added manual control with a mod. Here is an excerpt from his post.
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showpost.php?p=2053148&postcount=2740
>>
Manual movie modes work now on GF1 same as on GH1 (with latest “Movie modes” patch).
This includes all M, A, S modes.

You need to go to menu and set appropriate mode.
Also if you go to menu in picture shooting mode it’ll convert to corresponding movie mode, just turn wheel one click and return it back to go to back to normal picture mode.
>>

This is being discussed in this thread. http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=217519

You may also consider reading a thread where I organized settings for the GH1 and GF1 for video. Though the GF1 settings are not needed after the 3.40d Manual Control mod.

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=215536

Now save as G*1__1**.bin – Dont forget the double underscores.
Put the card in your camera and press the playback button – if the firmware upgrade window does not come up there is a problem hopefully with the Version Increment.

If the camera does not load the firmware, try again with Version Increment 10.
This explains why -
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showpost.php?p=2057689&postcount=4

9. Finally you want to test stability, download the Star Chart by PappasArt from here
http://www.sendspace.com/file/scn6oz

Open it on your computer and fill up the screen, use the fullscreen or slideshow mode.
Now use your hacked camera handheld and record footage in both AVCHD and MJPEG. MAKRE SURE THAT THE CHART FILLS THE CAMERA SCREEN.
Dont use a tripod as the handheld shake will keep the image changing continuously.

Shoot for a 1 minute – get at least 1 AVCHD and 1 MJPEG at max. bitrate settings. i.e. FHD/SH
Shut down the camera and bring the SDHC card into your computer.

10. Download MediaInfo – http://mediainfo.sourceforge.net/en/Download
Install it. Start it. From MediaInfo open the .mov or .mts file to view the bitrate.

MJPEG .mov file is in SDHC card -> DCIM -> *_PANA
AVCHD .mts file is in SDHC card -> PRIVATE -> AVCHD -> BDMV -> STREAM

Check the bitrates BEFORE you bring it into your editor. For example, before you do a Log and Transfer into FCP as FCP automatically converts the footage into its Intermediate Codec called ProRes. Most HD Editors do the same as the AVCHD codec is not meant for editing.

The .mov file will play in Quicktime. The .mts file will (kind of) play in VLC Player but showing pixelation and blocking artifacts.
Dont worry about the artifacts as they are a problem with VLC NOT your videos.

If you post any issues with the recording on these forums, post your settings, screengrab of MediaInfo showing the bitrate and the camera i.e. GF1/GH1
The hacked cameras are now called GF13/GH13 due to the screen name “tester13″ used by the main developer Vitaliy.

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For a flexible dolly track solution, I looked at various options to get the cheapest heavy duty rubber hose I could. The lowest I could work with, seemed to be 2.5 cm or 1-inch O.D. rubber hose. That corresponds to 3/4″ or 20 mm ID black heater hose. I called around for prices and got a really good deal from AutoZone Dulwich Hill (Newtown). I got 60 m total for about 70/- for a reel of 15m. A total of 280/- bucks. All prices in AUD. From experience, irrespective of the exchange rate, Americans get half the price we get. So just divide the price by half, for the price in USD. For Euros, you usually pay the same amount we pay, but in Euros – since Europe is so expensive to live in.

For most people there will be no need for so much hose. However, I need to film 2 dancers waltzing around a fountain for my directorial venture, Fountains. That needed a really long dolly track.

I needed a solution to join 2x 15m hoses to 1 single 30m hose. This was accomplished with garden hose joiners from bunnings for 4 bucks each. There will be a bump when the camera passes over this joint, however that should be easily fixed in post.

I sealed one end with a rubber furniture end cap ( a cheaper solution than the proper end -cap hydraulic seals). I use reducing hydraulic connector to go down to 1/8-inch and then attached a auto tire nipple for inflating the hose. This is the same as a universal bicycle nipple.

I tested the assembly after inflating by immersion in a bucket full of water. When I could not see any bubbles, I left the inflated hose overnight to check if it still was inflated the next morning.

I bought a garden hose storage reel on wheels from Bunnings and took out the wheels.

Finally, I used heavy duty metal twist ties from Aldi to hold down the hose.

Now I have 2 parallel 30m flexible dolly tracks.

Look at my second post about the camera track that goes on this dolly.

You need to get a wheel bearing that has an ID (Inside diameter) of the bolt that threads to the bottom of the dolly. The thread is 3/8-inch. In metric land Australia, that works out to be about 10mm. I got a bearing that is 10mm*30mm*9mm. I paid 33 for 6. However, another guy managed to get them for 1.67$ apiece. So its just a matter of calling around and getting the right price for it.

This is necessary as the alignment of the wheel tracks may need to be changed if the curvature of the flexible rubber track changes. This way, it is automatically realigned.

Step 1: -Take the channel Aluminum and mark a hole that is just larger than the inside track on the wheel bearing. Now use the smallest drill piece you have and drill holes on the periphery of the hole that you have marked. Then take a metal punch and hammer out the Al to get a hole. Take a file and smooth out the holes.

Step 2:- Now use JB Weld on the outer track on the wheel bearing. Place the bearings on both ends of the channel Al. Take care (and this is very important) that the inside track does not touch any part of the channel Al and that the JB Weld only attaches the outer track to the channel Al. This way the outer track of the bearing is couple to the channel Al. We will later attach the wheel track to the channel Al. The bolt will go through the center. Keep the bolt in the middle after applying JB Weld to keep the bearings aligned.

Step 3:- Once it is cured (about 4-6 hours for JB Weld, use a Nyloc nut to tighten the bolt against the inner track of the bearing. The screw on another Nyloc nut until it just touch the first nut. Then screw on the open end of the bolt to the nut inside the dolly until it is snug. Now screw the second Nyloc nut to the dolly so that it tightens against the dolly.

Materials :-

The Davis & Sanford dolly. Also available in Australia from Soldsmart here – http://www.soldsmart.com.au/l3.aspx?goods=TP0150 . 3x 3-inch 3/8-inch bolts with hex head. 6x Nyloc nuts. 6x 3/8-inch or 10mm bearings. Channel Al and angle Al for attaching the wheels to the dolly. JB Weld.

You also need 2 wrenches for fitting the nyloc nuts and a drill with the required drill bits.