Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?

[Noa Put]

the FZ1000 is a mere $900

I"m not saying you must get a gh4 or that the fz1000 would be the "wrong" camera to shoot weddings with, certainly not pricewise but would you be OK with the nex-ea50 shooting with the stocklens all day long? Because that is what you more or less are getting with the fz1000, if that is ok for you then it's not a problem but I do recall you saying you needed the fast sigma f1.8 to even be able to cope with the darker receptions, don't expect the fz1000 to be much better or equally good and I"m sure that under the same circumstances where your f1.8 sigma is just able to handle it the fz1000 will be unusable. And adding a led light onto your camera will only help for anything you shoot up close and those people will be blinded, for anything far away you need a strong enough light and you kill the mood. But if that all works for you then you can save some money, thats for sure.
My experience is that f2.8 is just too slow for most venues if you are not able to go past 12800 iso to compensate.

[Chris Harding]

I think what Roger said in the previous post must also be taken into account. New technology and noise reduction has enabled us to use cheaper cameras for weddings and will the FZ1000 do the job? Well the older and less sophisticated FZ200 that Roger is using does a pretty good job (he tossed in a few frame grabs on the Sony NEX forum for me) and his brides are pretty happy. My previous cameras to the EA-50's were Panasonic HMC82's with tiny 1/4" sensors and brides still didn't complain about their videos so I think it's purely a matter of choice and budget. An FZ200 will do the job ...two Canon 1D 4's will also do the job a bit better but do you really need to spend $20K on cameras when a more practical amount will suffice.

My current EA-50's do a good job and yes they LOOK impressive to commercial clients too but plenty other cameras will do the same job and achieve the same results.

Roger has ordered an FZ1000 already so let's see the results direct from him after he shoots a wedding or two

[Colin Rowe]

I have been amazed that the FZ1000 has not been the subject of more discussion on the forum. I used mine on weddings for 9 months, it always perfomed admirably, delivering stunning footage time after time. Without having to lug about half a dozen lenses. This camera is most definately up to the job

[Roger Gunkel]

That's good to hear Colin, and I do think that forums like this are fantastic for ideas and opinions, but they also emphasise that many are constantly searching for technical perfection and sometimes losing sight of the point of it all - a happy client and earning a living.

There are always going to be cameras that are better in very low light, have a shallower depth of field, deeper depth of field, greater telephoto, better slomo or pick your own preference. There is also always going to be an even better one just about to be released, at least until people start buying it and find that the audio is rubbish, it overheats, it's out of balance, you can't see the screen in sunlight, but at least there is a newer version out in two months on pre order :-)

Roger

[Colin Rowe]

Frame grab from FZ1000, taken at my daughters house in Wales, earlier today, cropped, but otherwise untouched. My grandaughter was moving at a fair pace

[Roger Gunkel]

Hi Colin,

Looking at your frame grab, the action is frozen well, but the picture you have posted doesn't actually look any sharper than the ones I posted in Chris's new camera thread from my FZ200. I assume that is down to the resolution of the JPEG that you uploaded, or is it exactly as you grabbed it?

Roger

[Chris Harding]

Hi Roger

I would say the format limits the JPEG ..of more interest is the fact that the bigger sensor and processor should be better in low light . Did you see the videos Tom posted on the Sony EA-50 forum ?? They are crisp and sharp and the 120fps slomo video is awesome!! For me that alone is worth the price!!!

Every time I talk about low light I get shouted down that a camera of this level cannot possibly be used at wedding receptions .... My SonyEA-50 's can go up to a max of 6400 ISO in 25P mode but the image is simply shocking and totally unusable ..... I thought some of the YouTube samples of video at 6400ISO from the FZ1000 were pretty good .... Maybe a request here to Colin to test the camera indoors at 6400 ISO and see if the image is usable (or even comments from either of you are good enough?)

When is your order arriving Roger??? I still think these could be quite viable to use at receptions IF the image can hold together fairly well at even 4000 ISO

Chris

[Colin Rowe]

Can't comment on the FZ200, never used one. I do know that the frame grabs from the FZ1000 are the best I have seen from any camera that I have owned, and I have owned and used an awful lot. The pic above now sits in my daughter's cabinet, printed out on A4 glossy and it looks superb

[Colin Rowe]

Chris. I will take some high iso shots tomorrow. I have never gone beyond 2000 before, in anger. Should be interesting

[Chris Harding]

Hi Colin

It certainly is way, way better than most I have seen ..and it's a frame grab too!! Quite amazing!!

I still would like to see what the ISO does and where it's limit is on indoor shots. I have already decided that the video side of the camera in good light is quite stunning


Would you maybe have any reception video clips around that you could post a grab from??

Chris

[Roger Gunkel]

@Colin, yes I think it is the limit of the upload to the forum rather than the actual still you grabbed.

@Chris, my FZ1000 is likely to be another week as it is coming from Holland.

Roger

[Chris Harding]

Dunno if you have watched this review and footage but it's very comprehensive and tells you more than others ..like I never knew that slomo also disables autofocus

Chris

FZ1000 Detailed Review with 8 Minutes of Footage - YouTube

[Colin Rowe]

I'm on holiday at the moment, and only have access to my daughters laptop. We are having a BBQ tonight, or tomorrow. I will take some high iso shots then. I think I have some shots of my nieces babies christening on the card thats in the FZ1000, church service etc. Will post them later

[Chris Harding]

Much appreciated Colin ... just do a couple of seconds of darkish scenarios and make a note of what ISO the camera called for. All I really need to know is how it would handle wedding receptions ..I don't expect it to perform like an A7S ... I can always use a light but it would be awesome if I can get away without a light under the general lighting in a venue without the camera trying to ramp up to 12800 ISO when it get turned on!!

Seriously, enjoy your holiday ..no big rush at all!!

[Noa Put]

Chris, I think it's best that you just get the camera and shoot with it, to me it looks you are waiting for anyone to tell you "yes, it's great to shoot at low light receptions", even the last video you linked to the guy says the camera is noisy at high iso, he wished it has a faster lens, he says the stabilization is not that good and neither is the autofocus, only under the right circumstances it shoot really good video but shooting in the dark is not a part of that. But it can very well be that it works for you, just like some people who say a gh4 is not a good lowlight performer and prefer using a 5dIII, c100 or a7s, yet I am perfectly fine with it's performance and I don't have to use a extra light during dark receptions. I also would say the fz1000 would not be a good low light performer because of it's f2.8 to f4.0 lens but like I said, that might be perfectly fine for you. Just click on that order button, you can always sell it again or use it as a b-cam in good enough light. :)