I ordered the Fotga 62mm one also on Colin's recommendation.

Roger

Excellent! At least we have a common goal towards solving the lens hood issue ..but the inside of the hood needs to be an absolute minimum of 70mm otherwise the lens will most definitely see the hood edges at full wide so if we use a filter conversion ring is will probably need to jump up quite a bit and be as slim as possible ...at least 67mm to 75mm or even more. Otherwise I guess there is no real harm in using the camera without a hood surely???

Otherwise I guess there is no real harm in using the camera without a hood surely???A bit of a moot point I would say Chris.

I believe in always using the correct hood for any lens for the reasons you will already know, but with modern zoom lenses and wider and wider angles of view, a hood can only be correct at min. zoom. Three questions I ask myself 1) Is the hood doing any good at any focal length other than minimum, 2) At what angle is light considered extraneous and 3) Is it a fixed angle.

Maybe modern lens design and coatings have changed things, but the answers I have to my questions are 1) No, 2) It's different for each focal length and 3) No. So if I were to guess at an answer to your question it would be probably not, give it a try.

Dave

Hi Dave

Apart from sunsets and such we usually don't purposely shoot with light coming into the lens! It always open shade if we can and stray light sources off to the side or behind us ... the real problem with a variable ND is that you have to get your fat fingers around the outer ring to adjust it so a close fitting hood doesn't allow this anyway. The more correct question here is can I find a hood that will do it's job AND allow me to get into the filter to rotate it?? Rails and a matte box is an overkill

Chris

I agree with Dave, that for most normal circumstances a lens hood is really superfluous, most of the time. Along with a big flash, it just makes you look more professional than Uncle Bob with his expensive camera but no accessories :-)

Roger

I don't tend to use a lens hood as the ND filter I have makes adding one very difficult. However reading this thread and mindful of some situations where I have used my hand as one to limited effect, I have just purchased a rubber lens hood that extends larger than my nd filter. I'm thinking, though can't be sure if it'll work, that I can somehow glue the hood to the front piece that rotates. As I have a very wide nd filter - 77mm thread with my lenses 58mm, I feel vignetting won't be a problem, especially as I shoot 4K and theres a higher crop factor than for HD. Of course, how secure this bit of glue work will make the hood, remains to be seen.

Before I attempt this I shall have to decide whether the inconvenience of having this hood permanently attached is greater than the few occasions where light has been a problem. There maybe other ways to adapt it, but I'll see when it arrives.

As my new collapsible rubber lens hood is of no use at the moment, I think I will try taking a pair of sharp scissors to it to see if I can cut it back. If I screw it up it won't be any more useless than it is now!

Roger

..........we usually don't purposely shoot with light coming into the lens! Really Chris? Don't you want to think about that a bit more?:-)

As I understand it extraneous light, as opposed to superfluous light sources, is any light reaching the lens that is not used in forming the image, light from outside the field of view which reflects off the front element and which bounces around inside the lens tube, however well designed it is, reducing the contrast of the image. Hence the need for the correct lens hood.

That is now impractical due to the almost universal use of the zoom lens. A hood which is correct at, say, 25mm minimum zoom is totally useless when the lens is zoomed to 200mm. A matte box and French flags would be OK.

Here's a new DIY project for you Chris, make an electronically controlled lens hood that extends as you zoom the lens and stays correct all the way through the zoom range!

Dave

DIY auto hood zoomer???Yeah right!! I have petal hoods on my Nikons and I still had a bit a stay light coming in from the right when I did my DVD cover shots. The problem with the Nikons is that the viewfinder is optical via the mirror so quite often you never see any flares so I might get them on stills. On video the Panasonics are all electronic so what you see is what you get and if a flare is likely you will see it!! That's why I'm far less likely to get any flares because I can see and avoid them. I definitely need hoods on the Nikons but they still don't work that well..I consider them more lens protectors .. I'd rather bust a hood than a lens!

I'm still going Steve's route so if I have to superglue a hood to the rotating part of the ND, so be it!! It will also make the ND easy to turn!!! however I'm still contemplating alternatives ..Outdoors I seldom, if ever shift from full wide and if we do have a ceremony with the sun in the lens I just shift camera position

I'm really not sure how or why the tax is applied. I would certainly be prepared to pay extra tax if it enabled the lifting of the 29 min limit. Alternatively, why can't Panasonic and the other manufacturers just have two different versions, one inhibited and one not. It is then up to the purchaser to choose whether they want to pay more for the uninhibited version.

Roger
European camcorder import duty is only 4.7% on the wholesale price so probably not even £25 on an FZ1000 or £50 on an RX10. However 99% of the customers who buy these cameras are not wedding videographers so don't give a toss about a 29'59" limit.

Hi Nigel,

I think you are missing the point here as it applies to all digital stills cameras that shoot video, so anyone using a DSLRs for video in the EU will have the same restriction, including those that use them fior weddings, theatre productions, seminars and any continuous sequences of video greater than 30 mins. Given that quite a lot of photographers are also now shooting video for weddings, I am not sure where you got your figure of only 1% of all digital camera purchasers wanting more than 30 mins video, but I would be interested to see the source, as I am somewhat dubious.

I'm pretty certain that any camera purchaser knowing that his camera had been intentionally inhibited for recording time in just the EU, would opt for it being removed given the choice.

Roger

99% is just my guesstimate. The vast majority of people buying these cameras are buying them to shoot stills & won't ever shoot video. Apart from wedding videographers nobody uses locked off unattended cameras except wedding videographers when they are shooting theatre shows or dance recitals. The point is that it's only low end single shooters who will ever be troubled by a 30 minute clip length.

99% is just my guesstimate. The vast majority of people buying these cameras are buying them to shoot stills & won't ever shoot video. Apart from wedding videographers nobody uses locked off unattended cameras except wedding videographers when they are shooting theatre shows or dance recitals. The point is that it's only low end single shooters who will ever be troubled by a 30 minute clip length.

Who said anything about locked off cameras? you still get 29' 59" where locked off or manned ! We'll just have to agree to disagree :-)

Roger

99% is just my guesstimate. The vast majority of people buying these cameras are buying them to shoot stills & won't ever shoot video. Apart from wedding videographers nobody uses locked off unattended cameras except wedding videographers when they are shooting theatre shows or dance recitals. The point is that it's only low end single shooters who will ever be troubled by a 30 minute clip length.

Okay take a camera like the GH4, what percentage do you think have purchased it for video compared to photo. How many have purchased it for both. I agree with canon and Nikon its more likely photo, but there are other brands which are I'd say are more for video than photo. The GH4 I know was used by Top Gear for aerial shots. Don't you think the clip limit bothers them. They're hardly low end shooters. I've also seen GH4 footage in other TV productions that use drones for aerial shots. It's high codec and small size making it ideal for such productions. Now I suppose it can be argued that for aerial drones, a clip limit isn't an issue as most flights would be done by then. However I know one production company that purchased abroad for the very reason to remove the clip limit from the camera. So I'm afraid your comments aren't quite supported by genuine facts.

Hey Guys, don't want to sound rude, but I started the other thread on the 29 minute clip limit as the discussion was starting to take over this USING THE FZ1000 thread.

Your comments on the clip limit would be excellent, very much in context and better placed on the other thread :-)

Roger

Received the Fotga variable ND filter today. and testing it in the garden seems to be a useful addition to the kit. The only problem at the moment is that I can't get my circular polarising filter off the camera, it has a very narrow serrated grip about 1.5mm wide and it has just jammed onto the filter thread. I even tried forcing it round with a tiny screwdriver but it is jammed solid. Any suggestions?

Roger

I'd reply, but I'm worried further down the line you'd decide this topic isn't related to 'Using the FZ1000' and tick me off for it. :)

But to take the risk; all I can think of is some WD40. Apply it around the edges and leave it to soak in, then gently turn back and forth to see if it dislodges itself. Failing that you may have to remove the glass and apply the WD40 within the circular chamber. That's all I can think of to remove something like this.

I have had this happen with many filters, on countless cameras. Try gently pushing in, or pulling out the filter, very lightly, and unscrewing at the same time. As you probably know when fitting a filter always twist into the thread anti clockwise until it seats, then screw in, never overtighten

NO NO NO on the WD40, the possibility that it would get drawn into the "works" via capillary action and ruin something is quite high (IIRC the FZ1000 is not "weather sealed"?)

They make grips for kitchen use for jars, that's one option, a suction cup that was about the same diameter as the filter glass might work (just spitballin' that option). ANY camera shop will have wrenches specifically for this, it's not uncommon... and you need to get a grip around as much of the diameter as possible, depending on the jam.

Where you can't get a grip with bare hands, you've got to get a "little" better grip one way or another - not a lot, just enough to get the filter loose... "lubrication" is not a good answer, grip IS.

You won't get ticked off Steve, well not unless you use five pages to discuss filter removal when there is another filter removal thread :-)

Thanks for the tips though guys, I think a camera shop with the proper grips would be best, the trouble is finding one anywhere near here :-(. The filter I have jammed on is one of those rotatable ones, so I can't get grips on the front part, only the narrow serrated big between the outer bit of the filter and the front of the lens. I put it on with gentle finger pressure to make it easy to get off, so why it jammed I have no idea.

Roger

Try using a rubber band to give more grip? CP are a little trickier since half spins!

Agreed, NO to WD40!

If you can get hold of a cable tie, try fixing one around the filter to give extra purchase. Otherwise, try some gentle heat, no more than a hair drier on low.

Have you tried Campkins camera shop in Cambridge?

Dave

Agreed, NO to WD40!

If you can get hold of a cable tie, try fixing one around the filter to give extra purchase. Otherwise, try some gentle heat, no more than a hair drier on low.

Have you tried Campkins camera shop in Cambridge?

Dave

Hi Dave,

The cable tie is a good idea :-) If not it will have to be Campkins or Wex in Norwich, unfortunately since we have now moved to South Lincolnshire they are both about 90 minutes drive.

Roger

Use a zip tie with a rubber band for grip, not sure you could "build" a better "un-monkey" wrench! Gives you "360" contact, and a bit of something to lever on to crack it loose (hopefully figuratively on the "crack" part!)

We had a wedding rehearsal today so it was an ideal opportunity to zap out a few stills while I had a bunch of people around to not only shoot video but also stills.

Roger? you are right ..this camera truly amazes me regardless of what anyone else says... I shot a few stills just using IA+ mode so in full auto and they look magical .. I honestly think they totally outclass the same shots from the Nikons!! Ok admittedly my Nikons are 12 mp cameras and I was producing 20 mp images on the FZ1000 ...You can put these into the editor and blow them to 400% and the sharpness is STILL perfect. I think it's time to replace the Nikons now .. just got to find a decent flash that will work in TTL auto for Church and Reception shots ..outdoors is fine as they are and I'd rather use a reflector if I need fill than use flash outdoors!!!

Has anyone used the fancy scene files or filters to create in-camera special shots at weddings???

This one is totally untouched and a 400% zoom on a tight already zoomed shot .. brilliant lens!!!

Thanks Chris for confirming that I am not talking out of my backside :-)

I can't believe how good the stills on Ai+ setting are coming out. When I have to shoot very quickly on the run, it stays on that setting because I know it won't let me down and I use manual when I have a little more time to plan shots.

Claire and I unusually had no wedding last weekend so had a couple of days on our little boat. I had the opportunity to use the camera for shots that I wouldn't normally have the time to take, so learnt a lot more about it. The circular polarising filter came in very handy to cut out glare and reflections from the river and there were plenty of opportunities to use the telephoto capabilities on wildlife pics.

I left the camera in the sun for about 10 minutes on Sunday and as it was warm when I picked it up I tried to undo the circular polariser filter. It unscrewed very easily and chuckled at me mischievously as it came free!!! That gave me the opportunity to put on the variable ND filter which also worked extremely well, so thanks Colin for the recommendation :-)

I tried some shots in video and stills as the sun was getting low, using the creative sunset modes and they worked very well. Also took some video shots of an angry swan in telephoto on high speed mode. Although there is no stabilisation in HS, when played back the slow speed damps down the movement and looks pretty impressive.

I'm also loving the artificial horizon overlay which makes stabilised handheld video easy to keep level. I even managed to get some very stable and level handheld pans which could have been on a tripod for look. Claire also took her first video shots with the camera and was delighted at how easy she found it, the colour depth and sharpness of the video. She also loved being able to take stills while video filming.

Roger

Hi Roger

An unexpected break in the middle of the busy period is great for recharging your own batteries and it sounds like you took advantage of it too!!
I know using the cameras iA+ mode is bordering on the "enthusiastic amateur" category but sheesh if it works use it.

In fact the very well known photographer Joe Buissink said that on your mode dial "P" is for professional and "M" is for Master ...the only difference is because the camera does the calculations in P mode ..you get all the shots that the master misses because he is fiddling with settings ! If iA+ works and I get the shot I'm happy.

Our real season starts next weekend with two weddings and I'll be using the FZ1000 obviously for video but I'll also use one for the photoshoot too!!! For now I'll still use the Nikons inside the venue as they are equipped with decent flash units.

During last Sunday's rehearsal I also figured that I could use the B-Cam to shoot cutaways during the ceremony in Creative Vide Mode and then while it's doing nothing spin to iA+ mode grab a few stills and then back to CM mode again. Yes, I know I can also just stay in iA mode and do both but my finger is just too short to reach the video button on my rig!!

Glad you got the filter off the camera ....my ND's work very well too and no signs of any IR contamination which my last filters did and turned the image red!!!


Chris

As I get older and slower, electronics and algorithms get smarter and faster... but if they work, all I ask for is a manual override for when they don't! I'll argue that one should have a grasp on the basics of f/stop, shutter and so on, and be able to go into manual settings when needed for best results (such as shooting with 30p 4K cameras... shutter can be critical from experience with the AX100).

When all is said and done, you can't argue with results, and while I lean towards the RX10 and eventually a Mark2 when the price comes down a bit, it's good to see you getting on with the FZ1000's!

In fact the very well known photographer Joe Buissink said that on your mode dial "P" is for professional and "M" is for Master ...the only difference is because the camera does the calculations in P mode ..you get all the shots that the master misses because he is fiddling with settings ! If iA+ works and I get the shot I'm happy.


One Photographers opinion, but not all. That said, giving camera more control when things are happening quite fast in changing scenarios makes perfect sense, as long as you don't get lazy and use the setting when the situation is more controlled and manual would yield superior results.

For video, I use shutter priority when in a rush, manual when I'm not. Manual delivers more consistent results re exposure. Video footage that noticeably adjusts exposure mid scene just looks amateurish.

Hi Steve

He does do weddings like Madonna and such celebs so he is obviously better than I am that's for sure. I would rather get the shot than miss it because I was messing around in manual. I will use manual for stuff like speeches and ceremony when the camera is set up 15 minutes prior and I can optimise settings, adjust for backlighting and such ..with our speeches they are all done from a lectern and quite often against a black curtain or wall so in those cases I have no option but to expose manually otherwise the camera will think .."look at all the black" and over expose so you end up with a washed out speaker at the lectern. I still keep the habit of having my cameras (both stills and video) left in a mode where I can grab and shoot without thinking ... if I have the time then of course I just switch to manual and adjust to my liking.... you have plenty of time to do that on ceremony and speeches but none at all when the groom sweeps the bride off her feet and does one circle of the dance floor ..it would be over before I even started filming. I must admit I really like the FZ1000 fast start times!! On my Sony's I used to often miss the Limo coming around the corner of the venue as by the time it was ready to film the car was in front of me!!

Well if he shoots for Madonna, then he must be right. Ha ha, as if. His is an opinion like anyone else. It's like Ray Roman, yep there's a lot to admire and learn from the guy, but that doesn't mean I take all he says and does as gospel according to Wedding Videography. Same with this Photographer.

I'm not disagreeing that setting to P or S modes isn't necessary, just that it's used correctly when time is against you and not as a lazy option.

Still I'm glad you find working with the FZ1000 agreeable. It wasn't so long ago that if anyone was asking for camera recommendations, you'd be there singing the virtues of the EA50. It was becoming so consistent, I was convinced if someone asked for a camera to be mounted to a bike, you'd have suggested the EA50. Of course your strong arguments then for the EA50 was a larger sensor, interchangeable lens yet in a proper body designed for filming and not for photo taking. Compelling arguments indeed, but one I'm happy to see some flexibility in your new choice of camera. :)

Hi Steve,

You buy a new camera because it gives you improvements in what you can do to what you did. previously. I bought the FZ1000s because they gave me a bigger sensor than my video cams, sharper image, better low light, good telephoto range, great stills, brilliant auto, full manual, high speed filming and 4k, oh and the best stabilisation I have used so far and an amazing price.

I would rate it as the best all round camera I have ever used for the work I do, and enthusiastically recommend it to others with similar criteria to me. At some point, something will come on the market that ticks all my boxes and adds even more like built in ND filter, headphone monitoring, wide ranging smooth zoom speed and easier battery accessibility on tripod, plus a price point that I can justify. When it does, I will equally enthusiastically recommend it, because equipment advances and expectations expand.

Roger

I don't think I've ever recommended a GH4 to anyone, supported some if they have considered it. However those starting out I've suggested a bridge camera like the rx10. It's a good choice for a newbie looking for DSLR like but alas don't have the money for lenses. Plus it keeps a lot more of the basic video functions, though this applies more to the RX10. I didn't realise the FZ1000 lacked a headphone socket. Well it has to justify that low price I guess. It's a feature not always needed but important on the few times that you do.

Hi Steve

OK, you asked for the long story so you are getting it!!

Yes you are right about the EA-50 ..I've been shooting Panasonic for 25 years and I love the look and colour so after my HMC cameras I naturally upgraded to the newer AC-130's ...I think due to the Tsunami Panny had these made under licence somewhere but the bottom line was that they were crappier than any Panasonic camera I had ever used ...everything changed including the look. Sony came out with the EA-50 and I was overjoyed and hopeful that it was a better build than the cheap plastic AC-130 which had the Leica lens gone and a poor alternative added. The Sony's are a good build, high quality and great features plus a shoulder pad to boot so I grabbed them. I was 100% happy with everything on the Sony's except the look ..it really sucked in my opinion but there was nothing else that came near it on the market.
Yes I kept them for 3 years and after seeing footage on the little FZ1000 I discovered that the "look" had come back ..so soft images that needed huge amount of work in post and despite the price and form factor I had to have them. Trust me, if Panasonic had taken the inner workings of the FZ1000 and put them in a shoulder mount camera still with the Leica lens and charged me $4000 instead of $1000 ..I would have bought those in a heartbeat. They didn't bring out what I wanted BUT the FZ had the look and IQ I wanted .... Yes it's a crappy form factor for video so I had to build rigs, yes it has no headphone socket but I'm a DIY fanatic so my A-Camera has dual receivers in a DIY mixer box that sits on the hotshoe and yes I can not only monitor audio but I can monitor left and right or a mix of both. There is no perfect camera as we are all different and have different needs but a few simple mods has fixed the FZ1000 so it works just right for me. OK, it's still not a shoulder mount (I COULD make it a shoulder mount) but at an all up weight of 1400 grams including the mic and rig on my B-Cam I don't need a SM any more.

Chris

One last comment I missed ...I never used the EA-50 for stills ..some have but it never impressed me plus the form factor makes stills very tricky!!

Oh and Roger, the battery access mod was the easiest of all ..just a "T" shaped aluminium plate! I can even change cards and batteries on the tripod!!

I didn't realise the FZ1000 lacked a headphone socket. Well it has to justify that low price I guess. It's a feature not always needed but important on the few times that you do.

It has a mic socket but no headphone out, it does have audio meters on screen though and I use the headphone out on my radio receiver for listening to the audio, so not really a problem for me.

I recommend the FZ1000 as a camera very worth looking at for those whose criteria are similar to mine, although many have criteria that are very different of course.

Roger

[QUOTE=

Oh and Roger, the battery access mod was the easiest of all ..just a "T" shaped aluminium plate! I can even change cards and batteries on the tripod!![/QUOTE]

Hi Chris,

That's a very easy and clever little mod of yours, but because I mount my camera with a simple screw mount to a wide base plate rather than the conventional tripod plate, it only takes two turns to release it to change the battery.

Roger

Hi Steve

OK, you asked for the long story so you are getting it!!



I don't recall asking for the long story, may have deserved it certainly, but surely didn't ask for it. :)

Don't get me wrong, its nice to see such a stalwart supporter of the video camera form factor embrace something similar in shape to the GH4. Just need to get you and Roger to embrace a 4/3 camera and invest in prime lenses and your conversion to the dark side will be complete. :)

I don't recall asking for the long story, may have deserved it certainly, but surely didn't ask for it. :)

Don't get me wrong, its nice to see such a stalwart supporter of the video camera form factor embrace something similar in shape to the GH4. Just need to get you and Roger to embrace a 4/3 camera and invest in prime lenses and your conversion to the dark side will be complete. :)

Steve if buying a 4/3 camera and lenses would bring me more income and more clients then I would. Possibly also if I was a camera enthusiast I would, but cameras are a means to an end for me and although I love my work, I use what does the job well for me. Where my extra investment comes in is in having at least two of all my cameras, so that I can indulge my passion for 3d video and photography.

Roger

Just curious, how do you shoot candle-lit dinners, do you use light all evening on the fz1000? I need at least a f2.0 lens to get me through the darkest venues, f2.8 or anything slower would be unusable, even at 6400 iso.

Hi Steve

Firstly I did own a hacked GH1 along with lenses and it was an awesome camera. What I found difficult to manage was the form factor and trying to zoom on the barrel. If, of course I had persisted and made a little rig like I have now I probably would have GH4's now!! My GH1 continuous focus was rather poor too ..I used manual focus a lot but it's hard work and got tired of trying to zone focus bridal parties coming down the aisle. On my EA-50's the Sony lenses sucked as they are very slow for weddings so I ended up going full manual with my Nikon mount lenses so had the same issue!!

I know you sent the FZ1000 back but the continuous focus is just like a video camera ...really really good!! I can lock onto a bride walking down the aisle, do a 180 turn as she walks past me and up to the groom and never a focus issue!! That made me decide to buy another one and sell the 2nd EA-50. I actually use my A-Cam just with push to focus (no continuous) and it never drifts ..My B -Cam has continuous so I usually push to focus on the shutter and then let continuous take over ....My GH1 never could do that (Then again the new GH4 would be a lot better I assume?)

Do I want to change lenses or use primes ??? Not really!! more to carry and at the last wedding the FZ1000 did speeches under just 2 tiny ceiling halogen lights above the bridal table..I was amazed.. no noise and the IQ was great ..My EA-50 would have struggled to cope!! I use a video light only during the first dance when they turn all the lights off otherwise despite what people say the F2.8 lens and 1" sensor handle receptions with ease. Why would I want to change lenses ...25 to 400 is more than enough ..25 to 100 would have been enough at our weddings!! I got tired of dust and dirt getting onto my EA-50 sensor ..even grass clippings on one shoot!!

Enough reasons??? I think if you had given it a whirl before sending it back you might have been quite surprised ... I certainly wouldn't swop it for an RX10 .. I don't like the soft and washed out look of SLOG and LUT settings anyway ...I prefer sharp clean footage ...personal taste of course !!

Just curious, how do you shoot candle-lit dinners, do you use light all evening on the fz1000? I need at least a f2.0 lens to get me through the darkest venues, f2.8 or anything slower would be unusable, even at 6400 iso.

even though the 5d2 is full frame, the fz1000 is newer enough that i found that the iso performance not that far off. i never shot an event with the fz1000 but with the 5d2 i had a low light event and for the few shots i had to squeeze iso6400 (really nasty on the 5d2), the red channel was the particular noise offender and dropping those levels in post made the shot a lot more reasonable.

that, and using 1/24 shutter, or even a notch lower if it's people just sitting and not moving much.

and wow, i just realized i filmed a review of the fz1000 and never editing/posted it! i'm losing it...

Hi Noa

This reception had some totally dimmed down domestic lights on the ceiling and then just a bunch of candles ...OK it's not a total candlelit dinner but it was pretty dark. I used the video light only on the dancing dimmed right down and in error during two guest comments and even dimmed it blew out their faces. The only two extra lights were two little halogens high up in the ceiling over the bridal table. I KNOW my EA-50's had bigger sensors that they never would have handled this lighting without a video light ALL the time!!! I guess the signal processing is getting better on new cameras???

Highlight Michael and Kristine 15th August 2015 - YouTube

Chris

despite what people say the F2.8 lens and 1" sensor handle receptions with ease. Why would I want to change lenses ...25 to 400 is more than enough ..

But at 400 it would be f4.0, it looks like your receptions are much better lit then mine, f2.8 without using extra light doesn't cut it for me at almost all receptions I end up. Shooting at f4.0 on the teleside would make the camera unusable.

I certainly wouldn't swop it for an RX10 .. I don't like the soft and washed out look of SLOG and LUT settings anyway ...I prefer sharp clean footage ...personal taste of course !!

Slog is "a" preset you can use but you can use a "standard" one if you want which can make the colour pop from the screen.

Chris, you're confusing me with someone else. Never owned a FZ1000, so never had 1 to return. I think someone started a thread on multiple cameras who returned a FZ1000, which I contributed to. I've never needed to return a camera, I do enough research and know my needs before buying one. The FZ1000 isn't one I'd buy for various reasons I've already gone into. The RX10 maybe if I have the money and only for certain shots relating to church Weddings. However it's lack of continuous recording is a hindrance as I can't use it for a 2nd camera, making its application restrictive.

My quip on converting you and Roger to 4/3s was just that, a quip. Honestly you and Roger coming down on any sentence that ends with the words 'conversion to the dark side' and I can't help feel you're both drinking too much coffee, or not enough depending on perspective.

I prefer sharp footage too, hence my love of 4k. However if the new v log function comes out for the GH4, I'll be giving it a whirl. Theres too many shots outdoors where dynamic range struggles to not feel the benefit of it.

even though the 5d2 is full frame, the fz1000 is newer enough that i found that the iso performance not that far off

The only reason I don't use my rx10 at darker receptions is because the f2.8 lens is too slow, even at it's highest iso settings which is very noisy, the camera is not a bad low light performer either but anything slower then f2.0 needs extra light and that is not what I want at weddings, I want to show it like I can see it with my own eyes without having to go back to my canon xh-a1 years where I had to blind all guests with my videolight. Being able to film people without them noticing me is a very important factor when choosing a camera and/ or lenses, you just cannot use a videolight if you want to capture natural behaviour.

Doh!!!! I sincere apologies mate .. it was Steve Bleasdale who ordered one and sent it back not you ..I'm mixing up the names as you are both Steve B.

My error totally ..the other Steve uses Canon 70D and 6D and then bought an RX10 and FZ1000 and sent the Panasonic back!!!

Hi Noa

I know the limitations so everything is shot at 25mm so I have F2.8 ..I've seen some of your weddings and yes they are crazy ...you would need that fancy Voigtlander F0.95 prime to shoot at some of your venues ..Most of my venues are way better lit than this one ...I was playing with a few table stills on the camera during the night and at F2.8 it wanted a shutter speed of 1/10!!! The image of course was blurry!!!

I think at that reception even your GH4 would have struggled at F4 but should have been better at F2.8 with the bigger sensor ..Funny my EA-50's with the Sigma F2.8 continuous lens and APSC sensor at the very same venue and lighting last year really battled ..I had to use a light all night ..yet it has a much bigger sensor???

I think at that reception even your GH4 would have struggled at F4

That's why I like you can put on any lens on the gh4 depending on the situation, the GH4 would not struglle at that reception but it would have a f1.4 lens on it :)

Doh!!!! I sincere apologies mate .. it was Steve Bleasdale who ordered one and sent it back not you ..I'm mixing up the names as you are both Steve B.

My error totally ..the other Steve uses Canon 70D and 6D and then bought an RX10 and FZ1000 and sent the Panasonic back!!!

I'd have sent the 2 Canons back myself, but there's no accounting for taste. :)