Using the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000

[Roger Gunkel]

Originally Posted by Steve Burkett

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

[Roger Gunkel]

[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

[Steve Burkett]

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

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. :)

[Roger Gunkel]

Originally Posted by Steve Burkett

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

[Noa Put]

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.

[Chris Harding]

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 !!

[Darren Levine]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

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...

[Chris Harding]

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

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

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.

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

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.

[Steve Burkett]

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.

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Darren Levine

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.

[Chris Harding]

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!!!

[Chris Harding]

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???

[Noa Put]

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 :)

[Steve Burkett]

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

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. :)