Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Got notification yesterday that my FZ1000 is now in the UK at the Parcelforce central hub, so hopefully it will arrive Monday or Tuesday :-)

Also had a hot bright sunny day for the wedding I was filming yesterday and used the FZ200 a lot more for outside footage to practice what should be pretty much the same with the FZ1000. Results look very good, I'm surprised I haven't used it more, although that's partly because the zoom speeds up and slows down in use.

Is the Zoom smooth on the FZ1000 Chris?

Roger

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

I was filming yesterday and the sun was punishing - how did you find the little eyepiece held up?

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Hi Guys

The sun was punishing?? You want to come here in February when it's 42 degrees C and the sweat is running down your face as you film outside!!! Never mind OK, it was hot I'm sure and bright!! We actually had sun too today and nice and bright.

Roger, sorry to tell you this but the zoom has a delay as you turn the ring on the lens barrel ..you twist and nothing happens then it zooms ..once it starts it's smooth as silk but we warned there IS a small delay before it actually starts the zoom ...I'm sure there is a work around for it?? I only zoom during cake cut and register signing to get a close up of the knife and the register ... I haven't looked at the digital zoom though ..that might work //I'm not to phased about it as 99% of the time I only frame with the zoom. I will investigate further though. I only tried the zoom ring not the one around the shutter button.

Roll on Monday or Tuesday for you!!!

My modded Hoodman was perfect in direct open sun with no issues so it's an easy fix Pete ... I wonder if the cup on your loupe would work better??

Chris

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Hi Guys

Here is the zoom (and focus) ring issue video. However if you turn it a decent amount zoom is smooth ..I just had to get used to twisting the ring a lot further than expected otherwise it doesn't do anything or stutters

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

I tend to like to use a slow zoom from time to time, especially during the vows for more impact, so I am going to have to play around to see if I can get that. The Panny video cams do it very well and with variable speed, so it will be something to look at carefully. I will at some point soon be replacing the video cams with probably the Panny 970, so hopefully the zooms will be smoother on that, although I will try one first.

Roger

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Here's one that's a little cheaper for anyone still in the market - bet it's got the same components under the hood

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Saramonic-SR...microphone+xlr

Pete

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Hi Pete

I ordered this one

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

Reason was it's an active circuit not passive so you can add a bit of gain ..It also has an AGC defeat circuit which is important but most of all the FZ1000 has no headphone jack and this unit has a headphone amp built in! Here it's a tiny bit cheaper than the Beachtek too

Mine should be here in the next day or two (coming airfreight !) and I promised Roger that I will give him a review of it too!! A passive mixer WILL work but it does need a mic that can push out at least -39db otherwise you lose unity gain

I'll update you guys on the progress

Chris

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Camera arrived from HK this morning :-( :-( :-(. I ripped open the package on a slightly small box, only to find that they had sent me a Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G5 even though the paperwork was for the FZ1000 #*%#*%****
I now have to wait for a returns form to send it back before they will send another, or get a full refund.

Roger

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Not cheaper in the UK Chris - £114 over here or even £176 on ebay.co.uk! - I think If I'm going to outlay that much I might as well get this
Tascam unit - probably mainly for corporate work though as my rig is bulky enough now for weddings and i think the Rode Videomic will do a good enough job for me

TASCAM DR-70D Portable recorder: Amazon.co.uk: Camera & Photo

Pete

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Hi Roger

What a let down! I would have been fuming!!! Do you HAVE to buy from Asia ? I found that the FZ1000's in HK were actually $940.00 on eBay and I got my from my favourite camera store just 15 minutes down the road for $899.00 I could see the point in buying from overseas if there was a massive price difference ?? Hopefully they will sort it out fast for you but another wait is really frustrating!!

Maybe get a refund and find another dealer???


Wow Pete that's quite a machine ..I think Noa has one of those on his GH4 shoulder mount rig ...at the small price difference I would have gone for that too I think!! Over here that unit I'm getting is $140 and the Tascam is $499.00 so there is a marked difference but it's still awesome ...Maybe the 114 pound price was with their smart mic???

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

OK, I'm confused with ordering from Asia compared to buying local!! Apart from warranty issues, I found that buying from Hong Kong the FZ1000 would be roughly 450 pounds .. then you have shipping cost and I assume you would pay VAT when it hits customs as well?? Looking at a local place like Jessops .. an FZ1000 is 600 pounds less 50 cashback so you are looking at 100 more only for a local purchase. Is your VAT from local dealers already in the retail price or do they still put VAT on top of that ??

We have a 10% general sales tax here on goods but retailers MUST include it in the price so my cameras were $899 each and that included the 10% tax already added. I have bought from Global Media Pro overseas but here if the item is under $1000 you don't have to pay tax otherwise customs charge you an extra 10% on what you have already paid (and the 10% is on the price and the shipping too!!)

Do you really save that much buying overseas compared to local in the UK???

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

The cheapest I have found in the UK Chris, is from Wex Photography in Norwich which is £609 at the moment and was £629 when I ordered from HK and those prices don't include delivery. The Jessops price is the same and was also more when I ordered. The price I am paying is £484 including taxes and delivery which when I ordered, was still almost £100 less even allowing for any cash back offer. The cash back is only from some main retailers and some of those don't have it in stock. So even if I could get cash back, I would still have to pay 20% more and considerably more without it. The nearest store that may have it in stock even at full price, is 140 miles return journey, so collecting one and saving postage is not possible as the fuel alone would be nearly £30

The camera that I did receive was delivered 6 working days from order and they quoted 4-7 working days, so it is just a pity that some **** in HK put the wrong one in.

There is no urgency, but I was getting excited about testing it out, so I will just have to wait. I even went back to my original Dutch company, but they still have no delivery dates to offer, so there seems to be a shortage of them.

Roger

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Having followed your posting here I'm surprised that someone of your experience is buying important kit outside the UK, even if it does provide an initial saving. As a business item surly any additional cost is simply nullified over useful earning life of the thing and anyway can be set off against income tax. With you number of weddings surly you are not desperate for a £100 saving.

After so many years in business I'm also surprised that you don't have a working relationship with a local supplier. My experience has been that by cultivating a relationship with a local outlet often means that you can negotiate discounts and also can be helpful in trying a range of cameras before committing to one and may also help out in the case of equipment breakdown. The company I used in UK were always competitive on price or prepared to negotiate; could nearly always source items within a day or two and send items when necessary by next day courier. They have let me borrow cameras to try and on quite a few occasions have given me replacement cameras, batteries and chargers while problems with mine were sorted out.

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Hi George

Nice to hear from you! I must admit I have bought cameras from Global Media Pro based in New Zealand and they were actually shipped from Singapore but I never had an issue and even with tax payable on entry they saved me a bundle. With the FZ1000's There were on eBay between $940 and $980 but my local guys had then for $940 as well and they are 10 minutes down the road so it would be instant delivery. I asked if they could match an East Coast dealer who was selling for $899 and they said no problem and gave me both cameras at $899 each ... I would have had to pay shipping from over East and of course wait so the local pickup was the winner

100 quid over there is equal to $200 here and I think I would also do the same as Roger if I could save that much.

Roger? you are taking this a lot more calmly than I would! I would be ranting by now because you have to pay for return shipping (even if they give it back to you) then wait a week for it to get back to them and then another week to send you the correct model! I admire your restraint!!!
BTW: My little mixer unit arrived today...just making up new cables for the receivers as they had XLR plugs on them and I'll test it and let you know the results

Chris

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Hi Chris.

I have been reading this thread with interest as my wife has been using older versions of the FZ series cameras for a long time for her holiday stills and has also shot some reasonable video so I'm curious as to how seasoned video camera users judge the results of this latest version. I must admit that despite the convenience I'd never had the courage to use one in a paid for job. If would make life easier if I could travel back to UK with a couple of those rather than the HM700's.

We are experiencing some of the heat you are no doubt use to, so as it nears 40degrees here in southern France it's more comfortable to have a session on the computer during the long leisurely lunch time which often runs from 12 till 4pm.

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

@George, I suppose it depends on what you consider local, I don't consider 140 miles journey as local and I don't see saving £100 on an item at the price of the FZ1000 as being minimal no matter how many weddings I have. A big saving is exactly that. I do buy equipment in the UK if I consider import savings marginal, and both my FZ200 cameras were bought from Wex Photographic in Norwich as there wasn't a lot of price difference, but they weren't interested in offering any discount to me as a regular customer. I have also never had any problem with buying abroad apart from the odd delays on occasion.

As regards using other cameras, I frequently use an FZ200 alongside the other cameras and have got some excellent video footage and stills. If in doubt, try it for less important shots and judge the results alongside other footage.

You mentioned travelling back to the UK with a couple of the cameras from France, what would be the diffence in servicing, to me buying in HK, can't you use your friendly local UK supplier? ( Sorry a bit tongue in cheek there)

@ Chris, I'm calm about it because it is probably a simple packing error, there is no immediate urgency and they have been on the ball with timing and communication, both via email from HK and Phone with UK customer support. They have sent confirmation that the wrong camera will be picked up by parcel force and as it is their mistake there will be no returns or carriage charge.

Roger

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Hi Roger.

The footage from my wife's FZ 100 is ok but I find it fiddly to us. I'm use to shoulder mounted video cameras, though now mostly used on tripods (I no longer do weddings having retired from them a couple of years ago). I now only shoot the occasional business videos at working sites in England from a base in my home town so I would only ever need to call on my long term supplier (H Preston) for help whilst I'm there. I don't shoot anything in France as it's not as straight forward to run a part-time video business here as it is in UK.

Having shot video on a variety of equipment for over 30 years, starting with U-matic in 1985. I have had possibly more than a fair share of equipment problems (even with new cameras) so I do value the understanding of a good supplier who is use to dealing with customers like myself who, when things go wrong need a quick solution. I have a list of occasions when they have got me out of a bad equipment situation: from dead battery charger to jammed tape mechanism and faulty viewfinder.

By the way the supplier is over 70 miles from my UK home but I never considered that a barrier even at a cost for fuel as I often traveled that distance and more for a job. When I know just what I need the phone and nextday delivery is the easiest way (they always check the content of the package).

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Like you George, I have been filming for over 30 years, also from U-matic onwards and have used various suppliers and maintenance companies over the years. Things change though, the Internet makes the whole world instantly accessible and unlike 30 years ago, there is much more freedom of choice and less requirement to be shackled to one supplier. The other difference of course is that good quality equipment is much more affordable and I am able to have backup cameras, batteries, memory etc and little need for reliance on main dealers and service departments.

This all means that I can buy cameras from whoever offers me the best deal knowing that there is far less requirement for maintenance and servicing than in earlier years. I can well remember having a Hi Band U-matic recorder gong down in the middle of an important edit and having to wait 2 weeks to get it collected, fixed and returned by a main dealer at a cost greater than I could buy a replacement PC from my local PC builder today within 24 hours.

As regards a main UK supplier always checking the package, not my experience I'm afraid. I recently ordered some new rubber surrounds for my favourite Senheiser headphones, from a major professional supplier, only to receive ones for a totally different make and type. Apparently there was a mix up in packaging!

Roger

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

I think the days of using one supplier have long since bitten the dust. We live in a more global enterprising World now, where Companies from different continents compete with each other. I've no problem sourcing equipment from multiple companies from different countries.

Furthermore, buying from a UK based company doesn't guarantee quicker delivery or even a good service. A few years back I ordered 3 items from companies in Scotland, Belgium and Hong Kong. The HK item arrived within 5 days, the Belgium item within 6 and Scotland took 11 days.

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Touché. We all have our stories and experiences to support our choices.

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Hi Roger

Sorry to change the subject but I have requested eBay to return this mixer ... Maybe I have the wrong idea but as far as I am concerned I want one mic to feed into the left channel (with a level control) and the other mic to feed into the right channel (with a level control) This unit sends the output from each mic to both left and right which is useless to me ..if you unplug mic one the output from mic 2 is recorded on both the left and the right channels which is useless to me !!

How do you envisage a mixer into a stereo camera input to work .. I really cannot see any point of mixing the mics together and then sending both combined signals to both left and right channels. If a mic goes faulty or is picking up hum/bad signal I need to be able to discard that channel in my NLE and with this setup if mic 2 goes faulty or has hum it will combine with mic one and ruin that too.

Chris

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Chris that Tascam unit also has onboard stereo mics which you could use had you no other option - that does seem a strange thing for your unit to do - pretty inflexible!

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Hi Chris,
Looking at the mixer again, it seems to be a two input mono mixer, but it says the output can be split to two separate outputs presumably pallel mono outputs rather than stereo in and out. That would mean that the input mixing is mono whereas you need two totally independant input paths and two independent outputs. Really you want a stereo mixer with a stereo output, then you can pan the two inputs left and right .

I also noticed on their website that they don't post to the UK.

Roger

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Thanks Roger

Actually that mixer splits the output so you can send one output signal to the camera (still both channels) and another to your Iphone (again left and right are mixed) What their so called "fancy" mixer is really doing can be done with just two resistors. I have a feeling the Beachtek unit also mixes the two incoming signals and places the mixed signal on the left and right tracks not individually but mixed.

I think a very simple passive circuit might just work here ... send mic 1 into a potentiometer and then feed the signal into the camera's left channel and do the same with the second mic input ... each goes to just ONE channel in the camera so if one mic picks up garbage it's not mixed with the other mic signal.

Thanks also Pete for your comments ..the Tascam is a nice unit and built in recording too!!

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

My feelings exactly Chris, all you need is two straight ins and outs with probably a 10k pot in each line for a simple passive two mic system and a very basic pre amp on both lines if you wanted it active. You could even parallel both outputs to a third stereo output with a switchable socket that only parallels them when you want to mix both together and plug a lead into the socket.

Roger

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

My circuit exactly but without the "combine" switch ..This just sends mic 1 to the right channel and mic2 to the left channel and the 10K pots give you some attenuation control in case one mic is getting input from a loud source like a PA system ... At full volume the 10K resistance should give you unity gain as this a passive circuit. It works just as I want it to with a handful of cheap components .. I'll drop the controls into a little plastic box with graduated knobs now and it will look OK.

I realised that I don't need a headphone jack either as one exists on both receivers!! Plus the camera also has a level display.

All I need to do is to get the ebay shop to accept the return of the unit that never worked!!!

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

That's exactly how I see it Chris, so good luck returning the mixer and post a pic when you have built your own:-)

Roger

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Thanks Roger

If you make your own and want to have a switch across the left and right outputs to feed both mics into the camera mixed you will just have to also add a 47K resistor from each pot wiper (centre terminal) to each output so they mix correctly!

I have a shoot in the morning here and my electronics shop is on the way back so I'll pick up the hardware tomorrow and assemble it!

Has the incorrectly dispatched G5 left for Hong Kong yet?? I shot a bit of fun footage of wifey watering the garden at 100fps and the slomo is really good! You will love it!!

Chris

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Hi Chris,

Good tip on the 47k resistors, I'll pick up some bits when I go near the Maplin store a few miles away.

The G5 was picked up by Parcelforce at 9.30 this morning with a pre-paid label and is being returned to the UK warehouse rather than HK. They told me this morning that when it arrives, probably tomorrow morning, the FZ1000 will be sent immediately, also presumably from HK so probably end of next week now.

If it arrives by then, I will consider that they have corrected their mistake with no extra charge involved which will be fair enough. The UK phone support has also been very efficient with no endless hanging on hold. The longest wait I have had has been 45 secs. So back to waiting again to try out these things you keep telling me about.

Roger

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Great Roger

That's a relief they have their act together!

Here is a teaser done in 4K with the FZ1000 (I doubt whether the drone had the camera on it though) The IQ and colour is stunning ..even though it's on YouTube it looks amazing on my 23" monitor in full screen!

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Well I see it as a bit of a mixed bag, the colour is very good and it's very sharp, but there is massive burnout on the sky and white shirts and dress at times. My Panny video cams are very good at dealing with those sort of problems, so I am disappointed with the burnout on the video. I would hope that setting the camera up properly would sort that out, but something to experiment with.

Roger

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

I think the burnout is also because he overexposed his shots, the DR of this camera is probably a bit limited so exposing correctly becomes more critical.

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

As Noa said, its over exposed. But you are never going to get everything perfectly exposed in harsh sunlight. It looks like a light was used on some of the interior shots, and not exposed correctly. I find the histogram very accurate on the FZ1000. Maybe it was shot in P mode or ia rather than manual. This camera really needs to be used in manual to get the best out of it.

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

I think you are probably right on the ia mode, as the FZ200 will burn out in those sort of lighting conditions on ia, so I always use the manual settings.

Roger

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Hi Roger

As requested .. here is how I mounted the little splitter and level controls on the camera ...works pretty well but it would have been nicer if I have found a black box not a cream coloured one!!!


Chris

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Now that is exactly how I thought it should be and the same as mine when I get the bits. Can't you just spray it black with an aerosol spray paint?

Roger

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Hey Roger

I think I should have bought the black box! I think paint will peel off the shiny plastic too. They had black boxes but they had tabs at the bottom so it could be mounted to a base and thinking about it now I could have quite easily cut the tabs off!! Total cost (including the box and knobs) was $12.32 so that wasn't too bad an investment.

The "commercial" 2 channel mixer on the other hand was $139.00! but I'm getting a refund!!

I was going to mount the box directly over the hot shoe but then the knobs would have been in the way if I need to use the EVF at outdoor weddings when the sun is right behind me so I made a simple aluminium bracket that not only lifts the box a bit up but also towards the front of the camera so the controls are clear of the viewfinder.

Hopefully your camera should arrive pretty soon??? I have no weddings for 4 weeks but I do have a commercial Real estate shoot on Monday that I will do with the FZ1000 ...

Chris

Chris

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Now, regarding the blown out highlights on that video that Noa, Roger and Colin mentioned..I wonder where the guy set the iDynamic menu option ... it works a bit like my Nikon's D-Lighting and where you have a huge exposure difference between the foreground and background the camera will balance out the shot. I do a lot of Real estate photography so often I'm in an empty room with one or two windows have light streaming in but the rest of the room has indoor lighting. Nikon's D-Lighting works wonders so the exposed windows don't blow out as they normally would ... I must test out some video on my realty shoot next week and see if it works the same

Nevertheless I still would rather have a blown out sky than a blown out wedding dress ...I think he maybe did something wrong there???

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

Colors looked pretty good on that last clip - maybe a bit over saturated for me personally. WB was a little all over the place as well, but overall it looked nice.

Now that Sony has released their new 4K compact cameras, it will be interesting to see if Panasonic does a FZ2000 or 1000m2.

Re: Anyone using the FZ1000 for weddings?
 

You do know the fz1000 is a 4K camera and that is has been released not that long ago?