Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?

[Dave Blackhurst]

Noa makes a good point, sometimes there is no substitute for "hands on". I've bought and shortly thereafter sold a "few" cameras that had raving reviews and user accolades... some I even researched in more detail, because of a specific feature that caught my eye... but they didn't "click" (or in the case of one particular model, the shell "clicked" and squeaked constantly!) when I had them in hand. The FZ1000 is actually one I've considered, as well as the LX100...

I don't hesitate to recommend or take recommendations, with the caveat that YMMV! Certain people on this forum have definitely "enabled" my purchasing decisions, and I've probably caused a few to indulge their GAS (Gear Aquisition Syndrome) urges...

I personally like my Sony "stuff", but I am not adverse to other brands, I tried the FZ200 for instance, and it just didn't "fit" with my other gear or do anything special enough to justify keeping it around, though others like it well enough. If you stuck one in my hands, I could shoot well enough with it, but I'd always be conscious that the skin tones would be a bit cool, the stills would not be as good as my Sonys, and there would be blockiness in some of the video footage... I've seen it firsthand with other Panasonics, seen it in posted shots/footage from others, and to my eye, I can't "unsee" it... it may only affect SOME shot scenarios... but in the back of my mind, it would affect how I felt about shooting with the camera, and the resulting "product".




For the price, the FZ1000 looks like and probably is a "bargain", but I would rather have my RX10 that didn't cost THAT much more, and will upgrade to a RX10m2 when the price is right (NOT initial MSRP...) and the initial "reviews" are in on the new sensor and features... Why? Because I prefer the "look", the menus are familiar, and to my eye the overall quality of the camera and the output are "better". It's a better fit with my AX100 and other cameras. I also have compatible accessories, so upgrade costs are a bit less painful. I consider alternative "systems", but when I start adding up extra batteries and lenses (on the still side) and so on, my "old" gear often has a new luster! BUT, I too prefer to keep my gear "current", as resale values are better in the first year or two, and the tech changes SO rapidly that the upgrades are often well worth the small differential costs of selling the "old" and buying the "slightly used".

In the end, you CAN shoot with pretty much anything in theory, but there's a certain comfort (or "fun") factor that can make it easier to shoot, or harder... how a camera handles and how quickly and easily you can shoot "on the fly" are things that you can only find out when it's actually in your hands. Whether the output meets your or your customer's expectations, again, you have to try it in your workflow, see if there are any "gotchas", or if it just works for you.

Acquisition cost is really a small part of the equation in the end. Some cameras/gear can make you smile, some can make you spit...and you'll only REALLY know when you have it in your hands!

[Kyle Root]

This is a great discussion.

I found a YT video where a user went through 5 major problems with the FZ1000. The main one was the battery compartment is covered up by the tripod plate on the bottom of the camera. It makes changing batteries much less convenient. I see this as a problem for sure, but not a deal breaker.

After my main wedding season is over, I'll assess and see what's out. Maybe the FZ1000m2 will be out. lol

As far as low light, I'm probably less particular. I shot for 10 years with a GL1 and XL1 and would crank those guys up to +15 db or more regularly at receptions. No one ever said anything bad about it. Even now, I'll crank my NX5 up to +15+ when I need to.

Whatever I do next, my plan is to get 4 of the same model!

[Chris Harding]

Dave and Noa

Absolutely correct .. the ONLY way to see if a camera is going to work for you is to get one and use it at weddings. Will it be good enough without a light, is a light going to upset guests ..there are so many questions and the easiest way is to just use it! I have been a Panasonic users for over 20 years and "jumped ship" when they brought out the AC series .. I simply upgraded my HMC cameras for new AC-130's and jumped into my next set of weddings eagerly! They were worse than useless and I struggled for 3 months with them ...everything went wrong and it was difficult to believe that they were the same brand even!! Had I had great people to discuss, chat to and evaluate those cameras I'm sure I would have been less eager to buy two of them but I never had any decent discussions about them so I had to take the chance and assume they would be good.

The reason I love this forum is that I CAN get comments from existing users and make an informed decision on whether it will suit my wedding style. Yes, I will grab one and as Noa says you can always sell it ..Thank goodness for eBay !! It MIGHT work for me it might not! If not it can go on eBay. However in the interim I see no harm in getting comments from people who have the camera already.

Chris

[Dave Blackhurst]

@Chris - If I weren't contemplating the budget and transition on my RX's (10M2 and maybe the 100M4), I'd probably look at a used FZ1000 if I ran across one cheap enough <wink> - never hurts to try new things (at least not too much!).



There are some very nice and cheap import LED's out there that can be dimmed to the point of being mostly unobjectionable, so if I NEED a light, I am not afraid to use one, they're in the bag just in case! I didn't like lights without dimmers, and some have better dimming circuitry than others, but a little usually goes a long way with the ones that you can almost turn completely off, and it's easy enough to dial in what one needs. I've actually been "noticed" because my lights are helpful to photogs and don't bother the guests or talent. I'm very light sensitive myself, so I want something I can stare into comfortably on "low', that's my "litmus test"!

[Chris Harding]

Hi Dave

At our weddings it's hard NOT to have to use a light as brides specify how they want the room to look. For general going around tables it's nicer not to use a light but once they do the first dance you have no option as they dim to a crazy low level .... Yes, I have all Sony at present but for some reason I do like the sharpness of the Panasonic cameras and their colour. It's not really suited for weddings as it pops and is quite vivid but my doc style suits it well. The FZ1000 is rather new at present so I haven't found any used ones .... I guess I'm being tempted by not only the 4K facility, but also the rather good slomo they provide and the idea I don't need to change lenses either. I think I had just one guy who refused to do a guest interview/comment in the last 15 years. Using a dimmed light does also brighten up the image if used correctly so I'm not afraid of using a light to get better shots!! If I can get sharper shots using a light with the FZ1000 than my EA-50 gives me without one then I'm happy ... AS you say buy it and try it..!!

Thanks for you input!!

Chris

[Chris Harding]

Sorry, but I have to post this for Kyle as he started this thread!!

Kyle? You have a Nikon D750 and you obviously have a selection of Nikon lenses too. May I ask why you are looking at the FZ1000 bridge camera when all you really need is something like a used D610 body which could use your FX lenses

Is Nikon video really that bad for weddings? It seems crazy to go to a bridge camera when you already have Nikon lenses!!

I'm of course in the same boat ..I have piles of DX lenses (I use them already on my EA-50) but I'm hesitant to use Nikon for wedding video

Is there a reason why you simply don't get another Nikon body ???

Chris

[Kyle Root]

First, I absolutely LOVE the video footage that I'm getting from my D750 w/ 24-120 F4 and 70-200 F2.8. It is phenomenal in to me.

My main issue revolves around the wedding ceremony. I like to shoot that with a minimum of 4 cameras.

Two of these I run from the back... which in some cases can be VERY far away. This is where the 600mm equivalent of the NX5 and XA20 come in very handy for getting close ups.

In theory, I could pick up a couple of Tamron 150-600 zooms and some D5500s for a cheap solution... but that goes against my idea of wanting to go smaller with those monster lenses.

A camera like the FZ1000 offers a 400mm zoom which is I think almost adequate to allow me to continue operating in the same manner I have now. Plus with 4K crop on 1080, I'd be at about the same range I'm getting now.

-- The other thing is, I'm probably doing a wedding out in Los Angeles in 2016, and I'm starting to think about how I'm going to get my stuff out there and I want to basically carry all the main gear with me in a backpack onto the plane... Hence something like 4 FZ1000's in a backpack with my Sennheiser wireless kits, and Tascam audio recorders would work.

[Chris Harding]

Thanks Kyle

I was just asking as I have a fairly comprehensive collection of DX lenses so my logic says use the lenses and just buy something like a couple of D7100 bodies and stay the same brands as my still cameras. However when I see video quality like the clip below in 4K I know I will never get it like this on a DX Nikon so I'm pretty much convinced the FZ1000 is a good buy .... Watch this clip in 4K res on YouTube it is staggering !!!

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ 1000 4K IMAGE STABILIZATION test - YouTube

[Noa Put]

Here Chris, I think you might find this one interesting, a wedding shot entirely on the fz1000 with some gopro footage in between.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...&v=kqB5dGVCGCw

[Roger Gunkel]

Well that answers a few questions Noa. I was impressed with the stabilisation apart from a couple of his dodgy quick position change shots, given that it was all filmed handheld, . Difficult to draw conclusions from the dancing shots as it was odd lighting and I would have closed the aperture up more to darken it down a bit.

I liked the end shots in the dark with the venue lit up and the overall clarity and sharpness of the video. Can't wait for mine to arrive :-)

Roger

[Chris Harding]

Thanks Noa

From around your part of the world too!! Yes I have seen that one amongst many more. It's a pity the guy never had the camera on a monopod ...would have made it a lot nicer but the camera seems to handle weddings fine so definitely worth downsizing to!!

Give us your comments Roger when your package arrives. Will you still keep the FZ200??

Chris

[Dave Blackhurst]

RE: the wedding link:
Hey I want the "bunny phone" (cell phone case) as she walks up the aisle!! Interesting Gn'R violins, and looked nice, though I wasn't a big fan of the grading, but it's a "look"... definitely saw those things that lean me away from Panasonic, but I'm being TERRIBLY picky, it looked good. I'm sure it would pass muster for most clients!

The zoo video had a few weird pulsing spots, but overall looked quite good - that 4K definitely "pops", and that was one of the cleaner videos I've seen, so they've probably got down how to get best results with the camera. 4K is definitely coming in fast.


@Kyle and Chris - I know I jumped on both the RX10 and the AX100 as early as I could find 'em used and reasonable, wouldn't look back, no regrets. There are some simply stunning cameras available that don't require one to bring a huge "kit" everywhere. Feels odd at first, like you SHOULD be missing something, yet I can't argue with the results. Frankly if I were not coming from a place with lots of existing accessories and such, a flock of FZ1000's at $700 would be hard to resist! When a small, light camera can cover 80-90%+ of your "needs", it's not hard to start asking "why am I carrying all this other bulky heavy stuff?"!

One nice thing about going to 4K is one camera can replace several (wide, tight, just crop in as needed... sweet!), but as they come down and 4K takes hold we'll probably have to get more cameras again.... My last trip to the Target store, there were at least SIX 4K TV's on display, out of a wall of around 35-40!! They are COMING in the consumer realm, and FAST!!

[Chris Harding]

I see that wedding was shot with the CineV profile (Panasonic I think still call them scene files) I don't really like the Cine profiles as they seem to be rather contrasty and it does shift colour quite a lot but each to their own. I guess I'm an oldie so I like bright saturated colours but it's not what I like, it's what the bride likes isn't it! The animal clip was what I call good colour .. the Cine colours seem to often overdo the skin tones. Each to their own.

I had the same issues Dave when I started using a GoPro as a wide camera (I actually use an SJ4000 now because it has a built-in LCD display which is useful for framing) and it's weird to put this tiny little box on a lighting stand and find out it captured better footage than your fancy big camera!!

However hopefully the days have gone where you have to have a huge big shoulder mount camera so the client recognises you as the official videographer and I now stop worrying that there is a guest with a Canon 5D3 with a $15K zoom on the front and I'm supposed to be the photographer ... Even my old DX Nikon still cameras are a LOT bigger than still cameras like Kyle's D750. Maybe one day things will come down to weddings done with 6 cameras all with remote pan/zoom/tilt and you sit at the back of the Church with a mini desk and monitors and control everything?

I must admit when I'm lugging my gig cameras into a venue and the photog waltzes in with one camera slung over his shoulder I do think to myself ..do I need all this back and forth carrying?

[Roger Gunkel]

Hi Chris,

The comments from yourself and others about downsizing always makes me smile, because I downsized many years ago and always work fast and light. I have also maintained for years that apart from the odd 'anorak', nobody is the slightest bit interested in the size of your gear, only the end result. I find that I can get much more interesting shots with my small cameras as nobody notices me.

We have two FZ200s as Claire and I both use identical gear when we have two solo weddings on. We will hang on to them for a while to see how we get on with the FZ1000. Claire loves the FZ200 for very quick stills as well and in good light it can take some amazingly sharp pics and ditto with flash. If we both enjoy the FZ1000 as much and find as I expect, it lifts the quality much further, we will get another and ditch some of the other cams. We will also be upgrading our small Panasonic video cams next year even though they have been totally reliable as they are getting battered. Almost certainly to the latest equivalent as we want to stay small. It may cause gasps of shock and horror, from the purists, but we are also seriously considering an FZ1000 for all our joint photo/video packages to cover stills as well as I have been very impressed by the quality of pics I have seen, I love the idea of lifting missed stills from 4K and the fredom of a small single lens camera for the type of work we are doing.

A pair of FZ1000s on my double tripod plate for stills and video, plus a new small Panny video cam, would give me the ability to move fast and capture everything I need as I do now, but to a new level. We also carry 2xSJ4000s each, so just about every eventuality is catered for. A number of quick release clamps and grip mounts also enable us to put any of our cameras almost anywhere instantly, and wiifi monitoring via pad or phone on the new cams will give us remote view and control of everything.

As our Brides already love the quality and unobtrusiveness of what we do, I have absolutely no fears about changing to the other cameras and I have no interest in trying to impress others in the business with size, cost, number of lenses or way of working.

Can't wait for next season, 32nd season and finishing a complete re-equip :-)

Roger

[Chris Harding]

Hi Roger

What can I say except "you are right" ..I think we get totally obsessed about having the biggest and the best ..When I mentioned I was changing cameras the first response was "So you will getting Sony FS7's then" I'm a firm believer in spending no more than 10% of my turnover on gear so buying two $9000 cameras simply doesn't fit into my plan at all. I admit it's nice to boast about your awesome cameras that cost more than your mortgage payment for 3 months but if you find something that will do the same job for a fraction of the price ..why not use it? If people laugh at you because you are using an SJ4000 .. I just ignore them and as you say brides don't care!! Shamefully I have to admit that in a few instances my little $100 SJ4000 actually had way better footage of the ceremony than the $4000 Sony!! I have an 8 week gap now on weddings so it's the best time for me to buy and sell and change!!

Chris