Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

@Colin, yes I think it is the limit of the upload to the forum rather than the actual still you grabbed.

@Chris, my FZ1000 is likely to be another week as it is coming from Holland.

Roger

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Dunno if you have watched this review and footage but it's very comprehensive and tells you more than others ..like I never knew that slomo also disables autofocus

Chris

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

I'm on holiday at the moment, and only have access to my daughters laptop. We are having a BBQ tonight, or tomorrow. I will take some high iso shots then. I think I have some shots of my nieces babies christening on the card thats in the FZ1000, church service etc. Will post them later

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Much appreciated Colin ... just do a couple of seconds of darkish scenarios and make a note of what ISO the camera called for. All I really need to know is how it would handle wedding receptions ..I don't expect it to perform like an A7S ... I can always use a light but it would be awesome if I can get away without a light under the general lighting in a venue without the camera trying to ramp up to 12800 ISO when it get turned on!!

Seriously, enjoy your holiday ..no big rush at all!!

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Chris, I think it's best that you just get the camera and shoot with it, to me it looks you are waiting for anyone to tell you "yes, it's great to shoot at low light receptions", even the last video you linked to the guy says the camera is noisy at high iso, he wished it has a faster lens, he says the stabilization is not that good and neither is the autofocus, only under the right circumstances it shoot really good video but shooting in the dark is not a part of that. But it can very well be that it works for you, just like some people who say a gh4 is not a good lowlight performer and prefer using a 5dIII, c100 or a7s, yet I am perfectly fine with it's performance and I don't have to use a extra light during dark receptions. I also would say the fz1000 would not be a good low light performer because of it's f2.8 to f4.0 lens but like I said, that might be perfectly fine for you. Just click on that order button, you can always sell it again or use it as a b-cam in good enough light. :)

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

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!

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

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!

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

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

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

@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"!

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

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

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

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

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

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.

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

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 !!!

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

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

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

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

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

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

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

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!!

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

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?

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

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

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

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

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Chris, I read through these forums and see all the discussions about Primes and shallow DOF, close up and telephoto lenses, focussing problems, plus all the discussion of highly priced cameras, difficulty shifting all the gear and I sometimes think 'Am I doing it all wrong?' Then reality kicks in and I remember that I have been doing this successfully for 32 years, working fast and light and with never any doubt from clients. I deliver usually on DVD and often get comments on the quality and clarity of the picture. I also get asked who the other camera person was to get the different angles, even though I invariably work solo.

What I am now wondering is whether others here are also looking at how I and a few others work and what you are proposing, and are also quietly asking themselves 'Am I doing it all wrong?'. A lot of the discussion on this forum is about higher and higher quality and striving to match cinematic style and impact using ever increasing amounts of equipment. We have companies using 5 cameras, several operators,, multiple sound recorders on everything to capture cinema quality sound and techniques learned from film school and blockbuster movies.

Weddings are not film sets with actors, they are constantly ebbing and flowing events, sometimes unpredictable and sometimes requiring quick reactions, and lateral thinking. They are days full of real emotion and an unfolding story, that is exciting to capture and a real challenge to reflect the atmosphere and emotion. In my opinion you cannot do justice to a wedding if you are constantly worrying about whether you have the right lens on or how you are going to set up the equipment in time, or get it moved to the next location. What about the guests being in the way or the photographer in the shot; forget about it it is all part of the day. By all means film the way that you are comfortable with but don't expect to use a wedding as a substitute for ambitions as a blockbuster movie maker.

Chris I am really looking forward to following your progress and thoughts on downsizing and how you get on with new gear :-)

Roger

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Thanks Roger

I will order my first FZ on Monday regardless of whether the Sony's have a buyer at that stage as I want a decent amount of my Winter break time to investigate all the functions anyway.

I'll also be looking forward to your comments when yours arrives next week. Just for interest the 1000 goes for just under $1000 here and the 200 is just under $500 .... Hopefully the flagship model should be worth the extra cost

Chris

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Same here - for next season I need to be able to carry all my gear to and from my car in one trip - If I loose my EA50 and start using the A7s as my main camera (once I decide on the 'right' lens) I might just be able to do it with no hit on the quality of my production :)

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

My local dealer here has a nice Beachtek audio unit that slides on the hotshoe of the camera and gives me two XLR controllable inputs for my audio. The one thing I did discover is once you set the FX1000 audio level and start recording you cannot change it but if you go thru a Beachtek unit it has it's own gain controls so you can raise signal levels ... that would also work well if you need to change a shotgun mic level ... they also make a neat little unit (also hotshoe mount ) that allows you to plug in two audio devices and it splits them via gain controls into the camera 3.5mm input ... the unit also has a couple of cold shoe mounts on it so you don't lose a mic mounting point either!!

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

An input volume control would be very useful, although I can live without the XLR connectors. I'll do a bit of research.

Roger

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Hi Roger

Beachtek MCC-2 2-Channel Audio Adapter and Bracket MCC-2 B&H

This mounts on your hot shoe and provides 2 channels with gain controls and also gives a few shoe mounts on top. It's great if you want to feed two inputs into the camera as it creates two channels ..one goes to the cameras left input and the other to the right input so when you edit you have the choice of using either channel, whichever sounds best.

Chris

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

That looks kike a useful device Chris that might be worth getting. I'll have a quick search as well for similar devices.

Had a bit of bad news today, my FZ1000 supplier has been over run with orders for the camera and has had to order a new batch which won't be arriving for another 3 weeks, so I cancelled the order and found another company who have it in stock and can supply for £50 cheaper in 4-7 working days. I'll just have to be patient a bit longer.

Roger

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Hi Roger

No local dealers in your area ? I have my local guy here who is prepared to match any price within Australia for me (he was the one that had the Beachtek units too) I can get one for $909.00 which at the moment equates to 445.00 Stirling ... I guess you guys have to pay VAT too on cameras.

I can get a FZ200 here for $449 so that's 220.00 Stirling so the FZ1000 is double the price here but hopefully worth the extra money??

Chris

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

As a 5 camera guy, with 7 Primes, a Jib, Slider and pretensions of capturing stylish looking shots :), am I asking if 'I'm doing it wrong'. Nah, not for a second. Todays Wedding, I'm filming a Marryoke and the Wedding. I shall be using probably all my primes at one point, also my jib, slider and plenty of shallow depth of field :) - wide shots too as I love variety. 5 camera set up for the church, 4 for the Speeches and 3 for the 1st Dance. A lot of gear I admit, but only 2 bags, one on my shoulder, 1 on a trolley. I love the look of Primes and wouldn't shoot a Wedding without them. Downsize ain't for me.

Mind you I'm gonna swing the other way and add more. I plan to get the RX10 Mark II as I lack a good run n gun camera for certain parts of the day like Brides arrival and the couples exit. I would never ever get any fixed lens camera or lens with a variable aperture. Both my zooms have a constant 2.8 and for Speeches the 35-100 is my best choice, but I'll use a Prime for some venues as 2.8 doesn't crack it.

Maybe some of you have been luckier than me, but I've filmed Speeches where even my f1.2-f1.7 prime lens has still pushed the ISO to 1600 or more. The last Ceremony I filmed, the lights were so low, the Photographer was pushing ISO even with flash, the Registrars complained they couldn't see to write the register and my 42.5mm 1.2 Prime lens saved that Ceremony from looking a noisy mess. Yes I have Neat Video, but the results can be varied and time consuming to render.

I'm sure the FZ1000 is a fine camera and with the right approach can get great footage, but I wouldn't even consider it for a B Camera as f4 at the telephoto means I'd never use it for anything other than wide shots, which makes the zoom lens somewhat redundant.

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Hi Steve

If you are happy with your current gear and are getting good results, I cannot see why you would even ask the question ' Am I doing it all wrong' ... Sheesh some of us drive compacts, some drive 4X4's ..it's our choice. If you are driving a huge 4x4 and are struggling to park it and are tired of it guzzling fuel THEN you can think about getting a smaller car ..the reverse is also true of course ...you might want a bigger car.

You are happy with what you have and it works well so why even think about re-evaluating what gear you have ??

Chris

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Steve you already have a thriving business and enjoy the way you work and the gear that you use. My comment was more geared at those who feel it necessary to match your level of equipment to get into the wedding market, or those who feel overburdened with the amount of gear they carry around.

When you read here about the levels of equipment that some people use, I think that in some instances there is a feeling that you have to match that to have any sort of chance. There is also perhaps a reluctance by some to talk about the fact that they use much more cut down equipment to achieve highly successful results. I think an opportunity to enlarge on that side of the business helps to encourage others into seeing that there are other ways to build a successful business.

Everyone can build their business and equipment to the level that they enjoy and are comfortable with, but to use Chris's car analogy you don't have to have a 4x4 to drive to the shops, but if it suits your needs then great :-)

Roger

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

I can only use the Fz1000 in the early part of the reception - they do NOT cope with low light. I've got two of them now and I'd be delirious is they were better in low light but they aint.

that's my real experience in real receptions - nevertheless one is hanging off my hip all day and I'm happy to use is as a primary camera during bride & groom prep. I use them for pickups during the ceremony and primary camera up till the speeches start, then just for pickups.

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Thanks Paul

I cannot use my Sony's without lighting during speeches either so I'm used to that .. I have a CFL stand with an umbrella blasting the lectern with light for the A-Cam and then an LED light on the B-Cam for guests in the dark during cutaways ..I keep the light on the B-Cam for cake and first dance then I'm outa there. The venue usually has enough ambient light for bridal entry and guest tables but if not I use a light as a fill dimmed right down. I guess the GH4 with a super fast lens can do everything without extra light??

My Sony A-Cam only has a F2.8 lens on it hence the lighting requirement but it works pretty well.

I'm grabbing an FZ1000 next week anyway ..just for me!! If it doesn't work at receptions I'll just use it on the stedicam! My Sonys are a tad too heavy for the rig as the springs in the arm are a max limit so I need a cam for that anyway ..anything else is a bonus plus it's a spare stills camera!!

Chris

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Hi Chris

Just noticed I missed this post. The nearest dealer to me is 90 minutes drive and their price has been reduced to £609, a couple of big department stores the same distance away are showing £649 and £629 and there is no guarantee they are in stock. The Dutch company were supplying me at £528 and now that they have a hold up I have cancelled and ordered from a Hong Kong based company with a UK warehouse for £478 . I did a lot of research on them first especially because of the big price difference and I have spoken to the UK customer support so am as confident as you can ever be online. I have had order and delivery information confirmed from the company and from PayPal.

Now keeping my fingers crossed and awaiting delivery possibly by the end of next week.

Roger

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Hey Roger

Keeping my fingers crossed for you. I have a dealer I'm going right past in the morning so I'll pop in and see if they have stock ... I also found this audio adapter on ebay which is even neater than the Beachtek as it has AGC disable and has an internal headphone amp so that would solve any disputes about the FZ1000 not having a headphone output ..at least with this you can monitor incoming audio and also control the level on each channel during recording.

Brand NEW Mymyk Smartlynk Portable ON Camera TWO Channel Mixer | eBay

Chris

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Hi Chris,

Another interesting link on the Audio box, however I decided to look a bit laterally at the problem of audio volume. With the FZ200, the external mics that I use tend to give a higher volume than the onboard, so I will assume for the moment that the FZ1000 will have similar audio circuitry. I contacted my local music shop that I have used for thirty years and they are going to build me a simple small box with a 3.5mm stereo input socket a rotary volume control and a 3.5mm stereo output socket. Total cost will be no more than £10. I could probably do it myself, but they already have the components.

If it works as expected, I will be looking at a second one with two mono inputs, two volume controls and one stereo output. It should also be pretty straightforward to include a simple parallel battery powered headphone amp for input monitoring. The permutations are endless of course with perhaps one or two xlr inputs. I have also thought about contacting a local company with a view to 3d printing a custom box with hot shoe fitting.

Roger

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Hey Roger ..I will build my own too ..easy peasy!! I'm happy designing mixers, buying components and soldering!! Places like Maplin have nice polycarbonate boxes that you can use too!!

Now the good news .. Just picked up the first FZ1000 ..battery is on charge .. I will give you my thoughts later

Chris

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

If you're using lighting you might be fine - I would love to use them all day - so easy

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Hey Chris I'm jealous :-( Seriously though I\'m looking forward to seeing how you get on with it.

Roger

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

I will do things seriously in the morning ..Just to see if it worked I tossed in a card turned the camera on and hit record !! Wow! I\'m super impressed with the OIS ... I was just holding the cam in my hand and filming wifey in the kitchen and it was amazingly steady ..even my shoulder mount has a few wobbles!

Only afterwards I realised that I was in iA mode not movie mode and it was default 50i at only 17 mbps and the footage in our kitchen was excellent ..sharp as a tack ... I have to now set up the camera correctly ..!!

Paul, do you shoot 1080 in AVCHD or MP4 ?? Just for interest???

Impressed so far and I haven\'t even started!! More later ... Roger? yours will come soon!!