Using the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000

Chris Harding · August 10th, 2015, 07:18 AM

Steve ? That was my fault entirely as I left the variable ND's in the case! We got to the Church in freezing weather and black rain clouds so I figured I wouldn't need them outside the Church. Soon after the bride came out the sun came out but was didn't have time to get back to my case to get the ND. If only ND's could be turned down to clear I could leave them on!! The other issue is they walk out the Church and start congratulations straight away!! No time to change anything.

Roger? The speeches were far from ideal as they announced they would have a "roving mic" I managed at the last minute to convince them to stand next to the bridal table so the best I could do was stick a gooseneck mic on the table .. you can see it on the right I think but far from ideal ..I had that into a transmitter on the table going back to the camera's receiver ... Remember these are clips directly from the card so nothing has been touched in post.

I was quite pleased that the camera can handle a dingy reception venue too .. sheesh with my big Sony's I would have needed my 2 125W CFL's and still would have seen some noise on the black curtains.

Chris Harding · August 10th, 2015, 07:26 AM

Steve? were you talking about the slight stutter outside the Church? I remembered I was shooting that in MP4 25P not 50P which could account for the illusion of a high speed shutter as it wasn't THAT bright outside!! What did you notice that looked like overly high shutter??

Steve Burkett · August 10th, 2015, 07:40 AM

The Bride's arrival with the car moving behind it. Fast motion tends to amplify the effect. Yes after the church you can see it also, when one person passes in front of the camera. Minor stuff really, but I seem to have an eye for it. I can spot it in others work too.

Roger Gunkel · August 10th, 2015, 07:51 AM

I haven't noticed any motion artefacts in my footage, but I have seen them on footage that I have converted to a lower res for uploading. I also sometimes notice movement jitters when streaming from YouTube.

Roger

Chris Harding · August 10th, 2015, 07:56 AM

Cool Steve.. appreciated !! I would say the 25P frame rate probably made it worse too. I'll have to use the ND's next time as we are almost into Spring which means bright light and sunny weather.

Apparently if you don't use Creative Video mode you can move into a NIght Shot mode on these cameras for video as well as photos ..I wonder what that will do ? I haven't played with even a quarter of the features yet. First camera I have seen where you can put in your own colour curve profile so you can adjust contrast at any level between 0 and 255 ...it actually has features way past it's price point!!

If I watch it in the NLE there is a bit of blur when the taxi zooms past ..more than likely 25P blur!!

Roger Gunkel · August 10th, 2015, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

Apparently if you don't use Creative Video mode you can move into a NIght Shot mode on these cameras for video as well as photos ..I wonder what that will do ? I haven't played with even a quarter of the features yet. First camera I have seen where you can put in your own colour curve profile so you can adjust contrast at any level between 0 and 255 ...it actually has features way past it's price point!!

I don't use the creative video very much for video, preferring the photo modes, although for longer shots, you can't change the settings while you are videoing unless you are in creative video mode. There seem to be a lot more options and flexibility otherwise in photo mode. I do find the sub record button tricky to find at times, and it is easy to think you have pressed it when you haven't. I do like the fact that when you are using the photo modes to take video, you can still use the main shutter button to take stills at the same time.

Roger

Chris Harding · August 10th, 2015, 08:22 AM

Thanks Roger

I was under the impression that if you are in Photo Mode you can shoot video (even with most scene files too!) but you have to use the shutter button to focus and then use the sub button to start video (that's the red one right?) In Creative Mode the shutter button focuses and then starts and stops video and with my grip I can easily reach the shutter with my finger BUT cannot quite get to the sub button!!

I must really try a few scene modes ..they might be useful !

Anyway at this stage I am satisfied I can shoot a wedding comfortably with just two FZ1000's and an extra SJ4000 at the ceremony for a wide top shot so I'm happy

BTW: a few guests were confused when asked to say "congratulations" but having a nice black furry deadcat on the mic does help them realise it's video. I'm starting to gravitate to maybe another two FZ1000's for stills as the Nikons are getting a bit old in the tooth and only 12 mp! The Pannys are a lot sharper!! Still trying to find a decent TTL flash that has a "backlight" mode so it doesn't try and light the background ..only the foreground. I could do a lot more stills without flash actually as the ISO is way better than my Nikons!!

Dave Blackhurst · August 10th, 2015, 01:36 PM

If the FZ has a pop up flash, try one of those little "puffer" style flash diffusers (the ones that mount to the shoe and put a half bubble sort of white diffuser in front of the flash - look kinda like you skinned a golf ball and opened it up). They are very cheap (sub $10 from China/HK), but I actually find on my RX10 that they work amazingly well, almost as good as a full bounce/rotate/diffuser type setup. Just don't let any "pro" togs catch you with one <wink>. They look a bit "silly", but as we all know, results count over how it looks! I've used full rotator brackets, diffusers, bounce/rotate flashes... with a little work, the built in flash and puffer seems to do an acceptable job, with far less bulk,weight, and hassle.

I've found much the same setup with RX10's as you are with the FZ1000's, two cameras, with an AX100 to cover "wide" and any dedicated video, though I expect the RX10MkII to nearly replace the AX. It's nice to be able to "lighten up" the kit with these newer cameras!

Roger Gunkel · August 10th, 2015, 04:52 PM

That's a good idea Dave, I wonder whether half a table tennis ball might do the job.

Roger

Chris Harding · August 10th, 2015, 06:43 PM

Dave? that is a brilliant idea ...I've even seen little tents that are designed to fit over the top of the camera. "Don't let any pros see it??" The team I work with now and again have Nikon 810's with SB910 flashes and the guy then puts what can only be described as a "Tupperware hood" over the front of his flash .. it is huge and looks cheap and nasty too and has "amateur" features ..sorta like a child's pair of toy bellows ...however it certainly works!!

I will definitely look at that as with ISO's becoming so good you seldom need flash nowdays except as a fill and the pop up can easily do that!!

Nigel Barker · August 11th, 2015, 01:25 AM

Dave, thanks fr the suggestion. I think that this is what you are talking about http://www.amazon.co.uk/PicknBuy-Dif...Flash+Diffuser

Like Chris I have seen pro photographers using all manner of home brew flash diffusers constructed out of cardboard, aluminium foil, plastic etc. It's not a sign that they are cheap but that photographers are always searching for that elusive perfect flash diffuser. Look how Gary Fong has made a fortune out of selling photographers an overpriced white plastic bowl.

Peter Rush · August 11th, 2015, 01:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roger Gunkel

I just uploaded a clip to youtube from the same wedding as the stills, shot at 1080 50p, taken straight from the camera and converted to Mp4.

Roger that shot of the ceremony room is a perfect example of the extreme lighting we have to deal with at weddings - I get that so often where one half of the room is in darkness and the other half is in bright sunlight - the FZ1000 seems to deal with it ok.

Roger Gunkel · August 11th, 2015, 03:25 AM

Hi Pete,
Yes it was quite extreme, more so than it looks in the clip. I only shot from that point as they were coming back down the aisle. Given more time I could have played around with the contrast range adjustments and other settings that I haven't even tried yet, but the camera seemed to handle it well anyway.

Roger

Dave Blackhurst · August 11th, 2015, 03:48 AM

Yep, that's the one, I have a couple of them stuck in my bags so there's usually one handy. There seem to be two China/HK manufacturers, as I've got two slightly different types, one is a gloss finish on the difusers, the other a satin finish - both seem to work fine, I think the satin ones might be slightly better. Both were cheap as well!

For the price, they give you a more diffused light, and less problems with shadows behind the subject - not quite as good as a fully rotating bounce system, but I found I needed a diffuser with those as well! I intentionally avoided those that looked like a bathroom fixture... Sto-Fen makes a more discrete design, as do many knockoffs of their product. I can still mount a full size type flash with bounce/rotate and a diffuser on the RX10's, but then I have to carry another "thing" with more weight and bulk.

Another handy "thing" you might take a look at is the Sirui brand footed monopods - similar to the better known Bogen/Manfrottos, but bigger/longer feet, making them much closer to a tripod. I noticed a few pros mentioning them, picked up a couple of the older designs (with the fluid system in the base - new ones have it up towards the top/grip) used, and they seem to be a good all-round support setup.

Chris Harding · August 11th, 2015, 04:47 AM

Hmmm I have a couple of plastic diffusers that I used to put on my generic flash heads but stopped as they kept falling off ... If I cut a slot in the bottom they will work really well over the pop up flash .. I'll try one later ... I can also see some potential using a plastic shoe bracket slid into the hotshoe which could also support the diffuser so the pop up flash doesn't take any excess weight! With camera ISO's getting better and better one can also restrict flash to really dark situations ...I see a lot of photogs actually NOT using flash but have a remote LED light with the camera ...one of the biggest issues I have with flash is people instinctively closing their eyes when you say 1- 2 -3 smile. If there is no flash they tend to keep their eyes open so maybe photogs have now seen the "light" ( sorry ..very pathetic pun I know!!)

Maybe flash days are coming to a close with cameras like Pete's A7S which can see in the dark!!

August 10th, 2015, 07:18 AM	#31
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Using the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 Steve ? That was my fault entirely as I left the variable ND's in the case! We got to the Church in freezing weather and black rain clouds so I figured I wouldn't need them outside the Church. Soon after the bride came out the sun came out but was didn't have time to get back to my case to get the ND. If only ND's could be turned down to clear I could leave them on!! The other issue is they walk out the Church and start congratulations straight away!! No time to change anything. Roger? The speeches were far from ideal as they announced they would have a "roving mic" I managed at the last minute to convince them to stand next to the bridal table so the best I could do was stick a gooseneck mic on the table .. you can see it on the right I think but far from ideal ..I had that into a transmitter on the table going back to the camera's receiver ... Remember these are clips directly from the card so nothing has been touched in post. I was quite pleased that the camera can handle a dingy reception venue too .. sheesh with my big Sony's I would have needed my 2 125W CFL's and still would have seen some noise on the black curtains.

August 10th, 2015, 07:26 AM	#32
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Using the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 Steve? were you talking about the slight stutter outside the Church? I remembered I was shooting that in MP4 25P not 50P which could account for the illusion of a high speed shutter as it wasn't THAT bright outside!! What did you notice that looked like overly high shutter??

August 10th, 2015, 07:40 AM	#33
Steve Burkett Trustee Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Romsey, UK Posts: 1,261	Re: Using the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 The Bride's arrival with the car moving behind it. Fast motion tends to amplify the effect. Yes after the church you can see it also, when one person passes in front of the camera. Minor stuff really, but I seem to have an eye for it. I can spot it in others work too.

August 10th, 2015, 07:51 AM	#34
Roger Gunkel Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: LIncolnshire, UK Posts: 2,213	Re: Using the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 I haven't noticed any motion artefacts in my footage, but I have seen them on footage that I have converted to a lower res for uploading. I also sometimes notice movement jitters when streaming from YouTube. Roger

August 10th, 2015, 07:56 AM	#35
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Using the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 Cool Steve.. appreciated !! I would say the 25P frame rate probably made it worse too. I'll have to use the ND's next time as we are almost into Spring which means bright light and sunny weather. Apparently if you don't use Creative Video mode you can move into a NIght Shot mode on these cameras for video as well as photos ..I wonder what that will do ? I haven't played with even a quarter of the features yet. First camera I have seen where you can put in your own colour curve profile so you can adjust contrast at any level between 0 and 255 ...it actually has features way past it's price point!! If I watch it in the NLE there is a bit of blur when the taxi zooms past ..more than likely 25P blur!!

August 10th, 2015, 08:22 AM	#37
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Using the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 Thanks Roger I was under the impression that if you are in Photo Mode you can shoot video (even with most scene files too!) but you have to use the shutter button to focus and then use the sub button to start video (that's the red one right?) In Creative Mode the shutter button focuses and then starts and stops video and with my grip I can easily reach the shutter with my finger BUT cannot quite get to the sub button!! I must really try a few scene modes ..they might be useful ! Anyway at this stage I am satisfied I can shoot a wedding comfortably with just two FZ1000's and an extra SJ4000 at the ceremony for a wide top shot so I'm happy BTW: a few guests were confused when asked to say "congratulations" but having a nice black furry deadcat on the mic does help them realise it's video. I'm starting to gravitate to maybe another two FZ1000's for stills as the Nikons are getting a bit old in the tooth and only 12 mp! The Pannys are a lot sharper!! Still trying to find a decent TTL flash that has a "backlight" mode so it doesn't try and light the background ..only the foreground. I could do a lot more stills without flash actually as the ISO is way better than my Nikons!!

August 10th, 2015, 01:36 PM	#38
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	Re: Using the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 If the FZ has a pop up flash, try one of those little "puffer" style flash diffusers (the ones that mount to the shoe and put a half bubble sort of white diffuser in front of the flash - look kinda like you skinned a golf ball and opened it up). They are very cheap (sub $10 from China/HK), but I actually find on my RX10 that they work amazingly well, almost as good as a full bounce/rotate/diffuser type setup. Just don't let any "pro" togs catch you with one <wink>. They look a bit "silly", but as we all know, results count over how it looks! I've used full rotator brackets, diffusers, bounce/rotate flashes... with a little work, the built in flash and puffer seems to do an acceptable job, with far less bulk,weight, and hassle. I've found much the same setup with RX10's as you are with the FZ1000's, two cameras, with an AX100 to cover "wide" and any dedicated video, though I expect the RX10MkII to nearly replace the AX. It's nice to be able to "lighten up" the kit with these newer cameras!

August 10th, 2015, 04:52 PM	#39
Roger Gunkel Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: LIncolnshire, UK Posts: 2,213	Re: Using the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 That's a good idea Dave, I wonder whether half a table tennis ball might do the job. Roger

August 10th, 2015, 06:43 PM	#40
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Using the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 Dave? that is a brilliant idea ...I've even seen little tents that are designed to fit over the top of the camera. "Don't let any pros see it??" The team I work with now and again have Nikon 810's with SB910 flashes and the guy then puts what can only be described as a "Tupperware hood" over the front of his flash .. it is huge and looks cheap and nasty too and has "amateur" features ..sorta like a child's pair of toy bellows ...however it certainly works!! I will definitely look at that as with ISO's becoming so good you seldom need flash nowdays except as a fill and the pop up can easily do that!!

August 11th, 2015, 01:25 AM	#41
Nigel Barker Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Norwich, Norfolk, UK Posts: 3,531	Re: Using the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 Dave, thanks fr the suggestion. I think that this is what you are talking about http://www.amazon.co.uk/PicknBuy-Dif...Flash+Diffuser Like Chris I have seen pro photographers using all manner of home brew flash diffusers constructed out of cardboard, aluminium foil, plastic etc. It's not a sign that they are cheap but that photographers are always searching for that elusive perfect flash diffuser. Look how Gary Fong has made a fortune out of selling photographers an overpriced white plastic bowl.

August 11th, 2015, 03:25 AM	#43
Roger Gunkel Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: LIncolnshire, UK Posts: 2,213	Re: Using the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 Hi Pete, Yes it was quite extreme, more so than it looks in the clip. I only shot from that point as they were coming back down the aisle. Given more time I could have played around with the contrast range adjustments and other settings that I haven't even tried yet, but the camera seemed to handle it well anyway. Roger

August 11th, 2015, 03:48 AM	#44
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	Re: Using the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 Yep, that's the one, I have a couple of them stuck in my bags so there's usually one handy. There seem to be two China/HK manufacturers, as I've got two slightly different types, one is a gloss finish on the difusers, the other a satin finish - both seem to work fine, I think the satin ones might be slightly better. Both were cheap as well! For the price, they give you a more diffused light, and less problems with shadows behind the subject - not quite as good as a fully rotating bounce system, but I found I needed a diffuser with those as well! I intentionally avoided those that looked like a bathroom fixture... Sto-Fen makes a more discrete design, as do many knockoffs of their product. I can still mount a full size type flash with bounce/rotate and a diffuser on the RX10's, but then I have to carry another "thing" with more weight and bulk. Another handy "thing" you might take a look at is the Sirui brand footed monopods - similar to the better known Bogen/Manfrottos, but bigger/longer feet, making them much closer to a tripod. I noticed a few pros mentioning them, picked up a couple of the older designs (with the fluid system in the base - new ones have it up towards the top/grip) used, and they seem to be a good all-round support setup.

August 11th, 2015, 04:47 AM	#45
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Using the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 Hmmm I have a couple of plastic diffusers that I used to put on my generic flash heads but stopped as they kept falling off ... If I cut a slot in the bottom they will work really well over the pop up flash .. I'll try one later ... I can also see some potential using a plastic shoe bracket slid into the hotshoe which could also support the diffuser so the pop up flash doesn't take any excess weight! With camera ISO's getting better and better one can also restrict flash to really dark situations ...I see a lot of photogs actually NOT using flash but have a remote LED light with the camera ...one of the biggest issues I have with flash is people instinctively closing their eyes when you say 1- 2 -3 smile. If there is no flash they tend to keep their eyes open so maybe photogs have now seen the "light" ( sorry ..very pathetic pun I know!!) Maybe flash days are coming to a close with cameras like Pete's A7S which can see in the dark!!