Using the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000

[Steve Burkett]

I don't tend to use a lens hood as the ND filter I have makes adding one very difficult. However reading this thread and mindful of some situations where I have used my hand as one to limited effect, I have just purchased a rubber lens hood that extends larger than my nd filter. I'm thinking, though can't be sure if it'll work, that I can somehow glue the hood to the front piece that rotates. As I have a very wide nd filter - 77mm thread with my lenses 58mm, I feel vignetting won't be a problem, especially as I shoot 4K and theres a higher crop factor than for HD. Of course, how secure this bit of glue work will make the hood, remains to be seen.

Before I attempt this I shall have to decide whether the inconvenience of having this hood permanently attached is greater than the few occasions where light has been a problem. There maybe other ways to adapt it, but I'll see when it arrives.

[Roger Gunkel]

As my new collapsible rubber lens hood is of no use at the moment, I think I will try taking a pair of sharp scissors to it to see if I can cut it back. If I screw it up it won't be any more useless than it is now!

Roger

[Dave Baker]

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

..........we usually don't purposely shoot with light coming into the lens!

Really Chris? Don't you want to think about that a bit more?:-)

As I understand it extraneous light, as opposed to superfluous light sources, is any light reaching the lens that is not used in forming the image, light from outside the field of view which reflects off the front element and which bounces around inside the lens tube, however well designed it is, reducing the contrast of the image. Hence the need for the correct lens hood.

That is now impractical due to the almost universal use of the zoom lens. A hood which is correct at, say, 25mm minimum zoom is totally useless when the lens is zoomed to 200mm. A matte box and French flags would be OK.

Here's a new DIY project for you Chris, make an electronically controlled lens hood that extends as you zoom the lens and stays correct all the way through the zoom range!

Dave

[Chris Harding]

DIY auto hood zoomer???Yeah right!! I have petal hoods on my Nikons and I still had a bit a stay light coming in from the right when I did my DVD cover shots. The problem with the Nikons is that the viewfinder is optical via the mirror so quite often you never see any flares so I might get them on stills. On video the Panasonics are all electronic so what you see is what you get and if a flare is likely you will see it!! That's why I'm far less likely to get any flares because I can see and avoid them. I definitely need hoods on the Nikons but they still don't work that well..I consider them more lens protectors .. I'd rather bust a hood than a lens!

I'm still going Steve's route so if I have to superglue a hood to the rotating part of the ND, so be it!! It will also make the ND easy to turn!!! however I'm still contemplating alternatives ..Outdoors I seldom, if ever shift from full wide and if we do have a ceremony with the sun in the lens I just shift camera position

[Nigel Barker]

Originally Posted by Roger Gunkel

I'm really not sure how or why the tax is applied. I would certainly be prepared to pay extra tax if it enabled the lifting of the 29 min limit. Alternatively, why can't Panasonic and the other manufacturers just have two different versions, one inhibited and one not. It is then up to the purchaser to choose whether they want to pay more for the uninhibited version.

Roger

European camcorder import duty is only 4.7% on the wholesale price so probably not even £25 on an FZ1000 or £50 on an RX10. However 99% of the customers who buy these cameras are not wedding videographers so don't give a toss about a 29'59" limit.

[Roger Gunkel]

Hi Nigel,

I think you are missing the point here as it applies to all digital stills cameras that shoot video, so anyone using a DSLRs for video in the EU will have the same restriction, including those that use them fior weddings, theatre productions, seminars and any continuous sequences of video greater than 30 mins. Given that quite a lot of photographers are also now shooting video for weddings, I am not sure where you got your figure of only 1% of all digital camera purchasers wanting more than 30 mins video, but I would be interested to see the source, as I am somewhat dubious.

I'm pretty certain that any camera purchaser knowing that his camera had been intentionally inhibited for recording time in just the EU, would opt for it being removed given the choice.

Roger

[Nigel Barker]

99% is just my guesstimate. The vast majority of people buying these cameras are buying them to shoot stills & won't ever shoot video. Apart from wedding videographers nobody uses locked off unattended cameras except wedding videographers when they are shooting theatre shows or dance recitals. The point is that it's only low end single shooters who will ever be troubled by a 30 minute clip length.

[Roger Gunkel]

Originally Posted by Nigel Barker

99% is just my guesstimate. The vast majority of people buying these cameras are buying them to shoot stills & won't ever shoot video. Apart from wedding videographers nobody uses locked off unattended cameras except wedding videographers when they are shooting theatre shows or dance recitals. The point is that it's only low end single shooters who will ever be troubled by a 30 minute clip length.

Who said anything about locked off cameras? you still get 29' 59" where locked off or manned ! We'll just have to agree to disagree :-)

Roger

[Steve Burkett]

Originally Posted by Nigel Barker

99% is just my guesstimate. The vast majority of people buying these cameras are buying them to shoot stills & won't ever shoot video. Apart from wedding videographers nobody uses locked off unattended cameras except wedding videographers when they are shooting theatre shows or dance recitals. The point is that it's only low end single shooters who will ever be troubled by a 30 minute clip length.

Okay take a camera like the GH4, what percentage do you think have purchased it for video compared to photo. How many have purchased it for both. I agree with canon and Nikon its more likely photo, but there are other brands which are I'd say are more for video than photo. The GH4 I know was used by Top Gear for aerial shots. Don't you think the clip limit bothers them. They're hardly low end shooters. I've also seen GH4 footage in other TV productions that use drones for aerial shots. It's high codec and small size making it ideal for such productions. Now I suppose it can be argued that for aerial drones, a clip limit isn't an issue as most flights would be done by then. However I know one production company that purchased abroad for the very reason to remove the clip limit from the camera. So I'm afraid your comments aren't quite supported by genuine facts.

[Roger Gunkel]

Hey Guys, don't want to sound rude, but I started the other thread on the 29 minute clip limit as the discussion was starting to take over this USING THE FZ1000 thread.

Your comments on the clip limit would be excellent, very much in context and better placed on the other thread :-)

Roger

[Roger Gunkel]

Received the Fotga variable ND filter today. and testing it in the garden seems to be a useful addition to the kit. The only problem at the moment is that I can't get my circular polarising filter off the camera, it has a very narrow serrated grip about 1.5mm wide and it has just jammed onto the filter thread. I even tried forcing it round with a tiny screwdriver but it is jammed solid. Any suggestions?

Roger

[Steve Burkett]

I'd reply, but I'm worried further down the line you'd decide this topic isn't related to 'Using the FZ1000' and tick me off for it. :)

But to take the risk; all I can think of is some WD40. Apply it around the edges and leave it to soak in, then gently turn back and forth to see if it dislodges itself. Failing that you may have to remove the glass and apply the WD40 within the circular chamber. That's all I can think of to remove something like this.

[Colin Rowe]

I have had this happen with many filters, on countless cameras. Try gently pushing in, or pulling out the filter, very lightly, and unscrewing at the same time. As you probably know when fitting a filter always twist into the thread anti clockwise until it seats, then screw in, never overtighten

[Dave Blackhurst]

NO NO NO on the WD40, the possibility that it would get drawn into the "works" via capillary action and ruin something is quite high (IIRC the FZ1000 is not "weather sealed"?)

They make grips for kitchen use for jars, that's one option, a suction cup that was about the same diameter as the filter glass might work (just spitballin' that option). ANY camera shop will have wrenches specifically for this, it's not uncommon... and you need to get a grip around as much of the diameter as possible, depending on the jam.

Where you can't get a grip with bare hands, you've got to get a "little" better grip one way or another - not a lot, just enough to get the filter loose... "lubrication" is not a good answer, grip IS.

[Roger Gunkel]

You won't get ticked off Steve, well not unless you use five pages to discuss filter removal when there is another filter removal thread :-)

Thanks for the tips though guys, I think a camera shop with the proper grips would be best, the trouble is finding one anywhere near here :-(. The filter I have jammed on is one of those rotatable ones, so I can't get grips on the front part, only the narrow serrated big between the outer bit of the filter and the front of the lens. I put it on with gentle finger pressure to make it easy to get off, so why it jammed I have no idea.

Roger