Using the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000

Steve Burkett · August 26th, 2015, 10:31 AM

I do wonder filming closer to the speakers that you're blocking the view of the people speaking to the guests. Not to mention off putting to those who are nervous. How do you stay unobtrusive yet close?

What about Ceremony in dimly lit churches. Don't you zoom in when the Bride comes down the aisle, or keep on wide. Surely you zoom in on guests during the service, get reactions from them. Close ups on Bride and Groom. Some churches I have had to stand at the back and used a 35-100 zoom at maximum to get a medium shot of the couple. Some even standing at front, I'm behind the choir stalls some distance from the couple.

Running a day at wide angle to keep the aperture down sounds like my idea of hell.

Nigel Barker · August 26th, 2015, 12:54 PM

If I were still shooting weddings I would be very tempted to go with a bunch of RX10M2s (or FZ1000s if I was being cheap:-). We started off with 5D2s with primes & eventually got fed up with changing lenses & latterly using 5D3s either had a 24-70mm F/2.8L or 24-105 or F/4 70-200mm F/2.8L zoom. I bought a Panasonic G6 that had no recording limit plus the Panasonic 14mm F/2.5 prime to use as a locked off wide camera to replace the XF100 & was very impressed with how lightweight the MicroFourThirds cameras are so ended up with a couple of Olympus OM-Ds with some fairly crappy but convenient zooms. The later weddings shot with a GoPro Hero 3 plus Panasonic G6 & 2 x OM-D were a delight in terms of minimal gear to lug about as it all fitted in one small camera bag.

The G6 was always a little too small for my hands as was the GH2 I previously owned. The OM-Ds when fitted with the add-on battery grip were chunkier & felt better in the hand but the RX10M2 feels perfect. The grip is great the weight is light but not too light so it feels substantial. The controls all fall to hand & it's the first camera that I have used that really seems like it's been designed as a proper hybrid of stills & video
It's a shame that Sony don't put that beautiful Zeiss F/2.8 constant aperture on the AX100.

Steve Burkett · August 26th, 2015, 01:23 PM

I can understand the appeal of minimum gear, how a hybrid camera can give you flexibility and ease of use. Mind you, a recent thread, Roger spoke of 3 trips with gear upstairs to one venue, a trip that I'd only need to make 1 of and that's with a jib and slider too, so maybe it doesn't help after all.

To be honest Roger and Chris are much into Photography, whereas I have little time for it. So I pour my creative side into video only and that influences my gear choice, image quality and service in general. To me all those primes are a joy and pleasure to use and not a hindrance. I love popping on a different prime and grabbing shots from a different focal length. When you can't fiddle with a zoom, it forces you to look at your shots more carefully. I like it, others don't.

Like all cameras, the FZ1000 serves a particular market, and if that includes yours then get it, use it and enjoy it. If not, plenty of choice elsewhere.

Roger Gunkel · August 26th, 2015, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Burkett

I do wonder filming closer to the speakers that you're blocking the view of the people speaking to the guests. Not to mention off putting to those who are nervous. How do you stay unobtrusive yet close?

What about Ceremony in dimly lit churches. Don't you zoom in when the Bride comes down the aisle, or keep on wide. Surely you zoom in on guests during the service, get reactions from them. Close ups on Bride and Groom. Some churches I have had to stand at the back and used a 35-100 zoom at maximum to get a medium shot of the couple. Some even standing at front, I'm behind the choir stalls some distance from the couple.

Running a day at wide angle to keep the aperture down sounds like my idea of hell.

I usually take a position between tables near the front and use my super charm to get the cooperation of anyone whose view I may block. Never had any difficulty or moans and the speakers are always too nervous to worry about me. I have a little joke just before the speeches where I put the camera right up against the head table infront of the first speaker and say "Ok are you ready then?" They are initially shocked, then laugh when I wink, and visibly relax when I pull back.

I've never found churches to be low light in the way some venues can be, and haven't had any difficulty with my video cams. As the FZ1000 has better low light capability, it's not something I've even thought about. Like you, I use telephoto during the ceremony, but don't use full telephoto as I don't find it necessary, nothing to do with low light.

Running a day at wide angle sounds like my idea of hell as well, so I am not sure where you got that idea from unless you have used some really crap cameras!

Roger

Roger Gunkel · August 26th, 2015, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Burkett

I can understand the appeal of minimum gear, how a hybrid camera can give you flexibility and ease of use. Mind you, a recent thread, Roger spoke of 3 trips with gear upstairs to one venue, a trip that I'd only need to make 1 of and that's with a jib and slider too, so maybe it doesn't help after all.

Steve, the three trips were on a solo video and photo shoot, where I also brought in backdrop and stands, umbrellas and lights etc all into the one venue for ceremony and reception. The point is that at a church I have one bag to take in and while I am filming at the venue I have little to carry with me during the course of the day. Of course if I am setting up a portrait studio with lights, that has little to do with speed of filming and movement. Perhaps you have one box to take all of your equipment in one go, but as I have different types of video or video and photo shoots, I don't want to take a much larger box with everything in if I just need one backpack for a video only shoot. Mind you a bigger wheeled box is probably a good idea for the joint package where I have more backup gear :-)

Roger

Steve Burkett · August 26th, 2015, 03:16 PM

So Roger, you position yourself in front of the table for Speeches; wow that's close. I prefer to keep a distance and not be too much on show - guests want to see the speakers not me. Unobtrusive means just that. Nice to see you picked up bad habits from the Photographers who feel they own the room and walk up and down the front table as if 'hey look at me'.

As for churches, even my GH4 and 2.8 lens has struggled with some, so you must be blessed with well lit churches. Or buttering the bread of your cameras a little too well. Or maybe you just don't see the noise, the grain the way I do.

As for gear, just got back from London, where I took minimum gear. I transferred my GH4 and some primes to a smaller backpack, and took my gimbal and monopod. However I have this vast backpack for all my gear and a golf type bag for all my tripods, jib and sliders. I've done a couple of Weddings where a 5-10 minute walk to the venue was in order such as Worthing Pier. Those bags paid their investment in one go with that one.

Anyway, I feel another 'this thread is about the FZ1000' lecture is forthcoming, so I better stop now. :)

Noa Put · August 26th, 2015, 04:27 PM

Roger, what camera(s) have you been using before the fz1000? Just curious to know what dslr's and/or videocamera you used prior to the hybrid camera you are using now.

Roger Gunkel · August 26th, 2015, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Burkett

So Roger, you position yourself in front of the table for Speeches; wow that's close. I prefer to keep a distance and not be too much on show - guests want to see the speakers not me. Unobtrusive means just that. Nice to see you picked up bad habits from the Photographers who feel they own the room and walk up and down the front table as if 'hey look at me'.

As for churches, even my GH4 and 2.8 lens has struggled with some, so you must be blessed with well lit churches. Or buttering the bread of your cameras a little too well. Or maybe you just don't see the noise, the grain the way I do.

As for gear, just got back from London, where I took minimum gear. I transferred my GH4 and some primes to a smaller backpack, and took my gimbal and monopod. However I have this vast backpack for all my gear and a golf type bag for all my tripods, jib and sliders. I've done a couple of Weddings where a 5-10 minute walk to the venue was in order such as Worthing Pier. Those bags paid their investment in one go with that one.

Anyway, I feel another 'this thread is about the FZ1000' lecture is forthcoming, so I better stop now. :)

LOL, I think I've got you pretty well sussed Steve, you love throwing in these little wind ups, then followed up with "Just having a bit of banter" So just for your pleasure, let me reassure you that I don't walk up and down the head table saying hey look at me, I do exactly what I said before, which is to move back from the head table between tables that are near the front.

I don't need to butter up my cameras although I am beginning to think that you are perhaps promoting the superiority of your own setup. I have been using the same cameras for hundreds of weddings and only recently added the FX1000s to the toolkit and don't suffer from quality problems. Perhaps if you are really struggling at times with your GH4 and collection of lenses in churches it may be worth looking at whether you are using your equipment correctly :-)

The idea of your equipment bag is a good one and may well be one that I will investigate for days when I need to take a lot more gear.

Regarding your comment on a lecture about this thread being about the FZ1000, I think that it is a lost cause as you can of course say whatever you like on an open forum, but I think I have lost the will to keep it on subject.:-(

Roger

Steve Burkett · August 26th, 2015, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roger Gunkel

LOL, I think I've got you pretty well sussed Steve, you love throwing in these little wind ups, then followed up with "Just having a bit of banter"
I don't need to butter up my cameras although I am beginning to think that you are perhaps promoting the superiority of your own setup. I have been using the same cameras for hundreds of weddings and only recently added the FX1000s to the toolkit and don't suffer from quality problems. Perhaps if you are really struggling at times with your GH4 and collection of lenses in churches it may be worth looking at whether you are using your equipment correctly :-)

All good banter is a distortion of the truth, though often to different degrees. For instance, to answer your jibe, I do use my gear correctly. However I never accept anything, even my gear as solutions to every scenario and problem. Some churches just don't give me the same quality of footage as others do. I accept it, but don't like it. There have been many churches where 2.8 at maximum zoom still yields some noise. Okay, not a great deal, not enough to spoil the image. Noticeable to me.

Some venues, even at 2.8 have resulted in an image that was too noisy and quite unpleasant and only a fast prime has kept me from turning to Neat Video. A true last resort for me as I hate using the software. Unless the FZ1000 handles noise better than the GH4, I have to take your evidence as from someone who judges image quality less harshly than myself.

August 26th, 2015, 10:31 AM	#181
Steve Burkett Trustee Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Romsey, UK Posts: 1,261	Re: Using the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 I do wonder filming closer to the speakers that you're blocking the view of the people speaking to the guests. Not to mention off putting to those who are nervous. How do you stay unobtrusive yet close? What about Ceremony in dimly lit churches. Don't you zoom in when the Bride comes down the aisle, or keep on wide. Surely you zoom in on guests during the service, get reactions from them. Close ups on Bride and Groom. Some churches I have had to stand at the back and used a 35-100 zoom at maximum to get a medium shot of the couple. Some even standing at front, I'm behind the choir stalls some distance from the couple. Running a day at wide angle to keep the aperture down sounds like my idea of hell.

August 26th, 2015, 12:54 PM	#182
Nigel Barker Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Norwich, Norfolk, UK Posts: 3,531	Re: Using the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 If I were still shooting weddings I would be very tempted to go with a bunch of RX10M2s (or FZ1000s if I was being cheap:-). We started off with 5D2s with primes & eventually got fed up with changing lenses & latterly using 5D3s either had a 24-70mm F/2.8L or 24-105 or F/4 70-200mm F/2.8L zoom. I bought a Panasonic G6 that had no recording limit plus the Panasonic 14mm F/2.5 prime to use as a locked off wide camera to replace the XF100 & was very impressed with how lightweight the MicroFourThirds cameras are so ended up with a couple of Olympus OM-Ds with some fairly crappy but convenient zooms. The later weddings shot with a GoPro Hero 3 plus Panasonic G6 & 2 x OM-D were a delight in terms of minimal gear to lug about as it all fitted in one small camera bag. The G6 was always a little too small for my hands as was the GH2 I previously owned. The OM-Ds when fitted with the add-on battery grip were chunkier & felt better in the hand but the RX10M2 feels perfect. The grip is great the weight is light but not too light so it feels substantial. The controls all fall to hand & it's the first camera that I have used that really seems like it's been designed as a proper hybrid of stills & video It's a shame that Sony don't put that beautiful Zeiss F/2.8 constant aperture on the AX100.

August 26th, 2015, 01:23 PM	#183
Steve Burkett Trustee Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Romsey, UK Posts: 1,261	Re: Using the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 I can understand the appeal of minimum gear, how a hybrid camera can give you flexibility and ease of use. Mind you, a recent thread, Roger spoke of 3 trips with gear upstairs to one venue, a trip that I'd only need to make 1 of and that's with a jib and slider too, so maybe it doesn't help after all. To be honest Roger and Chris are much into Photography, whereas I have little time for it. So I pour my creative side into video only and that influences my gear choice, image quality and service in general. To me all those primes are a joy and pleasure to use and not a hindrance. I love popping on a different prime and grabbing shots from a different focal length. When you can't fiddle with a zoom, it forces you to look at your shots more carefully. I like it, others don't. Like all cameras, the FZ1000 serves a particular market, and if that includes yours then get it, use it and enjoy it. If not, plenty of choice elsewhere.

August 26th, 2015, 03:16 PM	#186
Steve Burkett Trustee Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Romsey, UK Posts: 1,261	Re: Using the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 So Roger, you position yourself in front of the table for Speeches; wow that's close. I prefer to keep a distance and not be too much on show - guests want to see the speakers not me. Unobtrusive means just that. Nice to see you picked up bad habits from the Photographers who feel they own the room and walk up and down the front table as if 'hey look at me'. As for churches, even my GH4 and 2.8 lens has struggled with some, so you must be blessed with well lit churches. Or buttering the bread of your cameras a little too well. Or maybe you just don't see the noise, the grain the way I do. As for gear, just got back from London, where I took minimum gear. I transferred my GH4 and some primes to a smaller backpack, and took my gimbal and monopod. However I have this vast backpack for all my gear and a golf type bag for all my tripods, jib and sliders. I've done a couple of Weddings where a 5-10 minute walk to the venue was in order such as Worthing Pier. Those bags paid their investment in one go with that one. Anyway, I feel another 'this thread is about the FZ1000' lecture is forthcoming, so I better stop now. :)

August 26th, 2015, 04:27 PM	#187
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,510	Re: Using the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 Roger, what camera(s) have you been using before the fz1000? Just curious to know what dslr's and/or videocamera you used prior to the hybrid camera you are using now.