My FZ1000 has arrived at last.

[Roger Gunkel]

I don't think the point here is to suggest that the FZ1000 is the perfect wedding video camera, rather to look at the positives and negatives of what is a low priced but well specified camera that can be used alone or alongside other cameras in a wedding and small event environment.

Chris, I am slightly puzzled by your comment about the manual shutter working in conjunction with the aperture. Perhaps I am not seeing something correctly, but when I set to M on the top dial, the thumb wheel enables the selection of aperture or shutter. Setting the exposure for instance to F4 and then shutter at 50, doesn't result in a change of aperture if I then change the shutter to 100, so I am not sure what you mean.

Roger

[Chris Harding]

Hi Roger

My mistake! I was reading the manual rather than working with the camera and became confused on my post between A and M modes ...yes M works as it should although I tend not to use it and the camera seems to do a pretty fair job with exposure and with my Sony's I got into the habit of using EV to juggle my exposure ..that way I let the camera set the exposure and then use the thumb wheel to "fine tune" depending on the scenario so it acts like an iris wheel for me!

Have you used it on any official shoots yet?

Chris

[Roger Gunkel]

Still experimenting with different modes at the moment. I like the video only mode, where the main shutter button is used for stop start and the ability to adjust aperture and shutter while filming. On normal manual mode though, I really like the fact that I can take stills with the usual shutter button while I am taking video although it is easy to not press the secondary video button properly. The stills are very useable and you haven't got to stop filming plus they are totally silent, so no dirty look from the vicar. Of course if you are shooting in 4k, you can just lift stills afterwards :-)

I will be using the camera in the coming week on several schools shoots, in various lighting conditions, mainly as a backup camera to see what it can do. I will also be using it at the wedding next weekend to take some serious footage, so there should be plenty to report on soon.

Roger

[Chris Harding]

Thanks Roger

Although the manual mode is manual, it's still fairly idiot proof ...If you choose a shutter/aperture combination that is out of range of the sensor it lights up in red so one doesn't need to be a brain surgeon to expose correctly. Also you can "push to auto expose" by assigning the function to the AE button which might be quicker for run 'n gun situations. If I'm going to use Manual I'll have to get out of the habit of using the EV wheel to correct exposure. At weddings where things are happening in an instant I still like a camera where I can grab and shoot ..even if it's not perfect at least I get the shot ... The USA guy that does photography for the big names Joe Buissink has a great saying "P is for Professional amd M is for Master" "The only difference is that the M shooter is still fiddling with settings and the moment is gone already but the P shooter gets the shot"

BTW: If you are thinking of trying 100fps slomo be careful ... there is no autofocus in that mode so if you change position refocus first .. most of my stedicam slomos are in bright light so I have tons of DOF plus my position from the couple even when moving is pretty constant.

Look forward to your comments next week too!!

Chris

[Chris Harding]

Just one more thing I found on the 100fps mode that needs to take care is the fact that exposure is fixed. At weddings I do "roundie rounds" with my stedicam which often creates changing lighting for the image ...I did a dummy one this morning starting with my back to the sun and as I went around in a circle the exposure just blew out totally because I started with the exposure set in the shade and of course the moment I went into the sun lit area everything went crazy! Important then to know if you are doing a slomo stay in one place for each clip and don't move with the camera.

[Roger Gunkel]

Hi Chris,

Been editing flat out for the last couple of days so not much time to play. At the moment I am waiting for some 62mm filters to arrive, I really want to stick a JV on the lens as there is a lot of lens to scratch.

First new schools job in a theatre tomorrow, so I have no idea what the lighting or positioning will be. Also a chance to see if the radio mic clashes with the theatre ones as they will be using quite a few..

I'l report back after I've had a quick look at the footage.

Roger

[Steve Burkett]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

It all comes down to that, a dslr has many advantages but practicality is not one of them.

Part of the problem is people trying to film with dslr as if they're large video cameras, rather than adapting their filming to the dslr. I find dslrs quite practical to film with, but then I use a video monopod, which for larger cameras wouldn't be practical, but for cameras like the GH4 is more so. For Wedding work I've tried filming with larger cameras like the AF101a and found it very restrictive, especially in crowded rooms. I do own a shoulder mount for a dslr, came with a follow focus setup, but never used it.

Originally Posted by Noa Put

I could live with the f2.8 to f4 aperture as that is still a lot better then the stocklens the nex-ea50 had.

I used the 14-140 lens with the GH2 when I first got it - that had a variable aperture and it was really annoying. If I get a bridge camera, it's primary use would be for moments when I have to switch between the 12-35 and 35-100 2.8 lens. With the 1" sensor I'm losing some low light ability as it is, without sacrificing even more. Shame as the FZ1000 ticks a lot of other boxes really well. Lack of ND is a pain but for me easily worked around, as I already do with the GH4.

[Chris Harding]

Hi Steve

I have done a fair amount of Real estate shoots with the FZ1000 so far (It's Winter so no weddings until next month) and if I had to film with my Nikons I would agree with Noa. However, with the FZ1000 I have made a simple aluminium tube bracket that goes under the camera and has two foam grip handles either side to hold onto so I don't touch the body at all ...the top of each handle has a cold shoe for mic and light (if needed) and I find it quite comfortable to grab both handles and use the EVF to film with ...Doesn't feel like a DSLR at all and my right finger easily makes it to the shutter button for focus and start stop and also zoom ring too. I can also move it away from my eye and use the LCD and it all feels quite normal ...With my Nikon bodies, I could never film with them holding them conventionally ..it's just feels weird!!

I remember using my GH1 a little while back but I just held the camera like a stills camera and it just didn't work for me!! A simple little rig only adds a tiny bit of extra weight to the camera (with a shotgun mic and battery and camera it's 1400 grams all up) Works pretty well for me as a handheld B-Cam this way!

I know Pete Rush has a fancy shoulder rig for his A7S but at this stage it doesn't seem to be necessary and I could, of course use a monopod too but this seems pretty flexible the way I have it!!

Chris

[Roger Gunkel]

Originally Posted by Steve Burkett

Part of the problem is people trying to film with dslr as if they're large video cameras, rather than adapting their filming to the dslr. I find dslrs quite practical to film with, but then I use a video monopod, which for larger cameras wouldn't be practical, but for cameras like the GH4 is more so. For Wedding work I've tried filming with larger cameras like the AF101a and found it very restrictive, especially in crowded rooms. I do own a shoulder mount for a dslr, came with a follow focus setup, but never used it.



I used the 14-140 lens with the GH2 when I first got it - that had a variable aperture and it was really annoying. If I get a bridge camera, it's primary use would be for moments when I have to switch between the 12-35 and 35-100 2.8 lens. With the 1" sensor I'm losing some low light ability as it is, without sacrificing even more. Shame as the FZ1000 ticks a lot of other boxes really well. Lack of ND is a pain but for me easily worked around, as I already do with the GH4.

Completely agree that people are trying to use DSLRs as a video camera without realising the downsides that have to be allowed for and understood. I would never use a DSLR or bridge camera only for the work that I do, rather take the best from both alongside my video cameras.

Your comments about the 1" sensor reducing your low light ability is also interesting, because for me it is moving to a larger sensor. I've never really have a problem in the vast majority of lower light scenarios and just use a simple light in stupid lighting situations. I'll be interested to see how the FZ1000 handles lower light, although I seem to be far less concerned about the low light performance than most here, and more interested in what I consider other more important capabilities. If I have low light I'll add more, if I miss a shot because I am faffing about changing something I would consider it unforgivable and my expectation of the FZ1000 is to extend my flexibility in more areas.

Roger

[Roger Gunkel]

I have been running one of my FZ200s alongside my video cams for quite a while now, and on recent weddings, have taken more footage with the FZ200 than I have with the other cameras during the outside shots. It's not so good in low light, but in every other area it has been very useable. The FZ1000 should extend the possibilities and quality way beyond the smaller camera and I will need little time to get used to it as the basic functions and layout are very similar to the FZ200.

As I have said before, the live filming will be the only way to get a real positive feel for what the camera can do in a variable environment.

Roger

[Steve Burkett]

Originally Posted by Roger Gunkel

Your comments about the 1" sensor reducing your low light ability is also interesting, because for me it is moving to a larger sensor.

Well my comment was that in using the 1" sensor camera, I'm losing some low light performance from my GH4 and didn't want to lose any more via an f4 aperture at tele end. I suppose its down to what you're use to. Since shooting 4K I find HD very soft, whereas once I found it very clear and detailed coming from SD cameras. Same with low light performance - I've been spoilt by fast primes :) .

Mind you, I may have to put on hold my plans to buy the RX10 Mark II and get a 2nd GH4 instead. My new gimbal has arrived and already I can see the pain in the neck it'll be to remove my primary GH4 from its cage and onto the gimbal, already pre-calibrated for the GH4. I need more money. Still it'll give time for the RX10 to price drop. A Christmas purchase perhaps.

[Chris Harding]

Hi Steve

I know how you feel! I shot some 4K in the garden today and man, that footage is so sharp you feel reluctant to go back to 1080 ...This Panasonic has very sharp footage even in 1080 and I had to re-edit a short stedicam sequence shot on my EA-50 last month for a bride and I was horrified at the IQ!! It's looked like VHS after just coming away from the stunning footage I had been playing with!! It's going to be tough to go back to 1080!!!

My i7 struggles with the 4K files so my excuse for now is "I'll move to 4K once I upgrade my computer"

Chris

[Roger Gunkel]

My editing system is struggling with 4k although I can make up proxy files if need be, trouble is it takes forever to make up the proxy files. I have to agree though that the HD footage looks very good!

Roger

[Colin Rowe]

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

My i7 struggles with the 4K files so my excuse for now is "I'll move to 4K once I upgrade my computer"

Chris

I edit on an i5 laptop with Vegas 12. On long projects I let it produce proxy files overnight, its not a problem on short projects. Must upgrade the computer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have some frame grabs that I would like you guys to see. For some reason I keep getting the message "upload failed" any ideas what I can do about it ?

[Roger Gunkel]

Originally Posted by Colin Rowe

I edit on an i5 laptop with Vegas 12. On long projects I let it produce proxy files overnight, its not a problem on short projects. Must upgrade the computer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have some frame grabs that I would like you guys to see. For some reason I keep getting the message "upload failed" any ideas what I can do about it ?

Maybe the frame grabs are too high resolution, I don't know what the upload limits are for the forum, but you could always upload to Flikr or similar if needs be and do a link.

Roger