Using the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000

[Dave Blackhurst]

Try using a rubber band to give more grip? CP are a little trickier since half spins!

[Dave Baker]

Agreed, NO to WD40!

If you can get hold of a cable tie, try fixing one around the filter to give extra purchase. Otherwise, try some gentle heat, no more than a hair drier on low.

Have you tried Campkins camera shop in Cambridge?

Dave

[Roger Gunkel]

Originally Posted by Dave Baker

Agreed, NO to WD40!

If you can get hold of a cable tie, try fixing one around the filter to give extra purchase. Otherwise, try some gentle heat, no more than a hair drier on low.

Have you tried Campkins camera shop in Cambridge?

Dave

Hi Dave,

The cable tie is a good idea :-) If not it will have to be Campkins or Wex in Norwich, unfortunately since we have now moved to South Lincolnshire they are both about 90 minutes drive.

Roger

[Dave Blackhurst]

Use a zip tie with a rubber band for grip, not sure you could "build" a better "un-monkey" wrench! Gives you "360" contact, and a bit of something to lever on to crack it loose (hopefully figuratively on the "crack" part!)

[Chris Harding]

We had a wedding rehearsal today so it was an ideal opportunity to zap out a few stills while I had a bunch of people around to not only shoot video but also stills.

Roger? you are right ..this camera truly amazes me regardless of what anyone else says... I shot a few stills just using IA+ mode so in full auto and they look magical .. I honestly think they totally outclass the same shots from the Nikons!! Ok admittedly my Nikons are 12 mp cameras and I was producing 20 mp images on the FZ1000 ...You can put these into the editor and blow them to 400% and the sharpness is STILL perfect. I think it's time to replace the Nikons now .. just got to find a decent flash that will work in TTL auto for Church and Reception shots ..outdoors is fine as they are and I'd rather use a reflector if I need fill than use flash outdoors!!!

Has anyone used the fancy scene files or filters to create in-camera special shots at weddings???

This one is totally untouched and a 400% zoom on a tight already zoomed shot .. brilliant lens!!!

[Roger Gunkel]

Thanks Chris for confirming that I am not talking out of my backside :-)

I can't believe how good the stills on Ai+ setting are coming out. When I have to shoot very quickly on the run, it stays on that setting because I know it won't let me down and I use manual when I have a little more time to plan shots.

Claire and I unusually had no wedding last weekend so had a couple of days on our little boat. I had the opportunity to use the camera for shots that I wouldn't normally have the time to take, so learnt a lot more about it. The circular polarising filter came in very handy to cut out glare and reflections from the river and there were plenty of opportunities to use the telephoto capabilities on wildlife pics.

I left the camera in the sun for about 10 minutes on Sunday and as it was warm when I picked it up I tried to undo the circular polariser filter. It unscrewed very easily and chuckled at me mischievously as it came free!!! That gave me the opportunity to put on the variable ND filter which also worked extremely well, so thanks Colin for the recommendation :-)

I tried some shots in video and stills as the sun was getting low, using the creative sunset modes and they worked very well. Also took some video shots of an angry swan in telephoto on high speed mode. Although there is no stabilisation in HS, when played back the slow speed damps down the movement and looks pretty impressive.

I'm also loving the artificial horizon overlay which makes stabilised handheld video easy to keep level. I even managed to get some very stable and level handheld pans which could have been on a tripod for look. Claire also took her first video shots with the camera and was delighted at how easy she found it, the colour depth and sharpness of the video. She also loved being able to take stills while video filming.

Roger

[Chris Harding]

Hi Roger

An unexpected break in the middle of the busy period is great for recharging your own batteries and it sounds like you took advantage of it too!!
I know using the cameras iA+ mode is bordering on the "enthusiastic amateur" category but sheesh if it works use it.

In fact the very well known photographer Joe Buissink said that on your mode dial "P" is for professional and "M" is for Master ...the only difference is because the camera does the calculations in P mode ..you get all the shots that the master misses because he is fiddling with settings ! If iA+ works and I get the shot I'm happy.

Our real season starts next weekend with two weddings and I'll be using the FZ1000 obviously for video but I'll also use one for the photoshoot too!!! For now I'll still use the Nikons inside the venue as they are equipped with decent flash units.

During last Sunday's rehearsal I also figured that I could use the B-Cam to shoot cutaways during the ceremony in Creative Vide Mode and then while it's doing nothing spin to iA+ mode grab a few stills and then back to CM mode again. Yes, I know I can also just stay in iA mode and do both but my finger is just too short to reach the video button on my rig!!

Glad you got the filter off the camera ....my ND's work very well too and no signs of any IR contamination which my last filters did and turned the image red!!!


Chris

[Dave Blackhurst]

As I get older and slower, electronics and algorithms get smarter and faster... but if they work, all I ask for is a manual override for when they don't! I'll argue that one should have a grasp on the basics of f/stop, shutter and so on, and be able to go into manual settings when needed for best results (such as shooting with 30p 4K cameras... shutter can be critical from experience with the AX100).

When all is said and done, you can't argue with results, and while I lean towards the RX10 and eventually a Mark2 when the price comes down a bit, it's good to see you getting on with the FZ1000's!

[Steve Burkett]

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

In fact the very well known photographer Joe Buissink said that on your mode dial "P" is for professional and "M" is for Master ...the only difference is because the camera does the calculations in P mode ..you get all the shots that the master misses because he is fiddling with settings ! If iA+ works and I get the shot I'm happy.

One Photographers opinion, but not all. That said, giving camera more control when things are happening quite fast in changing scenarios makes perfect sense, as long as you don't get lazy and use the setting when the situation is more controlled and manual would yield superior results.

For video, I use shutter priority when in a rush, manual when I'm not. Manual delivers more consistent results re exposure. Video footage that noticeably adjusts exposure mid scene just looks amateurish.

[Chris Harding]

Hi Steve

He does do weddings like Madonna and such celebs so he is obviously better than I am that's for sure. I would rather get the shot than miss it because I was messing around in manual. I will use manual for stuff like speeches and ceremony when the camera is set up 15 minutes prior and I can optimise settings, adjust for backlighting and such ..with our speeches they are all done from a lectern and quite often against a black curtain or wall so in those cases I have no option but to expose manually otherwise the camera will think .."look at all the black" and over expose so you end up with a washed out speaker at the lectern. I still keep the habit of having my cameras (both stills and video) left in a mode where I can grab and shoot without thinking ... if I have the time then of course I just switch to manual and adjust to my liking.... you have plenty of time to do that on ceremony and speeches but none at all when the groom sweeps the bride off her feet and does one circle of the dance floor ..it would be over before I even started filming. I must admit I really like the FZ1000 fast start times!! On my Sony's I used to often miss the Limo coming around the corner of the venue as by the time it was ready to film the car was in front of me!!

[Steve Burkett]

Well if he shoots for Madonna, then he must be right. Ha ha, as if. His is an opinion like anyone else. It's like Ray Roman, yep there's a lot to admire and learn from the guy, but that doesn't mean I take all he says and does as gospel according to Wedding Videography. Same with this Photographer.

I'm not disagreeing that setting to P or S modes isn't necessary, just that it's used correctly when time is against you and not as a lazy option.

Still I'm glad you find working with the FZ1000 agreeable. It wasn't so long ago that if anyone was asking for camera recommendations, you'd be there singing the virtues of the EA50. It was becoming so consistent, I was convinced if someone asked for a camera to be mounted to a bike, you'd have suggested the EA50. Of course your strong arguments then for the EA50 was a larger sensor, interchangeable lens yet in a proper body designed for filming and not for photo taking. Compelling arguments indeed, but one I'm happy to see some flexibility in your new choice of camera. :)

[Roger Gunkel]

Hi Steve,

You buy a new camera because it gives you improvements in what you can do to what you did. previously. I bought the FZ1000s because they gave me a bigger sensor than my video cams, sharper image, better low light, good telephoto range, great stills, brilliant auto, full manual, high speed filming and 4k, oh and the best stabilisation I have used so far and an amazing price.

I would rate it as the best all round camera I have ever used for the work I do, and enthusiastically recommend it to others with similar criteria to me. At some point, something will come on the market that ticks all my boxes and adds even more like built in ND filter, headphone monitoring, wide ranging smooth zoom speed and easier battery accessibility on tripod, plus a price point that I can justify. When it does, I will equally enthusiastically recommend it, because equipment advances and expectations expand.

Roger

[Steve Burkett]

I don't think I've ever recommended a GH4 to anyone, supported some if they have considered it. However those starting out I've suggested a bridge camera like the rx10. It's a good choice for a newbie looking for DSLR like but alas don't have the money for lenses. Plus it keeps a lot more of the basic video functions, though this applies more to the RX10. 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.

[Chris Harding]

Hi Steve

OK, you asked for the long story so you are getting it!!

Yes you are right about the EA-50 ..I've been shooting Panasonic for 25 years and I love the look and colour so after my HMC cameras I naturally upgraded to the newer AC-130's ...I think due to the Tsunami Panny had these made under licence somewhere but the bottom line was that they were crappier than any Panasonic camera I had ever used ...everything changed including the look. Sony came out with the EA-50 and I was overjoyed and hopeful that it was a better build than the cheap plastic AC-130 which had the Leica lens gone and a poor alternative added. The Sony's are a good build, high quality and great features plus a shoulder pad to boot so I grabbed them. I was 100% happy with everything on the Sony's except the look ..it really sucked in my opinion but there was nothing else that came near it on the market.
Yes I kept them for 3 years and after seeing footage on the little FZ1000 I discovered that the "look" had come back ..so soft images that needed huge amount of work in post and despite the price and form factor I had to have them. Trust me, if Panasonic had taken the inner workings of the FZ1000 and put them in a shoulder mount camera still with the Leica lens and charged me $4000 instead of $1000 ..I would have bought those in a heartbeat. They didn't bring out what I wanted BUT the FZ had the look and IQ I wanted .... Yes it's a crappy form factor for video so I had to build rigs, yes it has no headphone socket but I'm a DIY fanatic so my A-Camera has dual receivers in a DIY mixer box that sits on the hotshoe and yes I can not only monitor audio but I can monitor left and right or a mix of both. There is no perfect camera as we are all different and have different needs but a few simple mods has fixed the FZ1000 so it works just right for me. OK, it's still not a shoulder mount (I COULD make it a shoulder mount) but at an all up weight of 1400 grams including the mic and rig on my B-Cam I don't need a SM any more.

Chris

[Chris Harding]

One last comment I missed ...I never used the EA-50 for stills ..some have but it never impressed me plus the form factor makes stills very tricky!!

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!!