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Panasonic FZ200 topic, 24x zoom with constant F2.8 aperture
  • 350 Replies sorted by
  • haribabisharibabis

    Just received mine before 10 minutes. Happy because of the same batteries with GH2 !Also didn't notice any noise when zoom in -out. I test the video in afternoon

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @haribabis

    I see few remarks same as mine about zoom. Mine is noisy.

    It can be that Panasonic has quality control issues.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    From FZ200 manual:

    Reddish horizontal streaks appear on the LCD monitor during recording.
    This is characteristic of MOS sensors which serve as the camera’s pickup sensors. It appears when the subject has a bright part.
    It is recommended that you take pictures while taking care not to expose the screen to sunlight or any other source of strong light.

  • haribabisharibabis

    first test 800ISO (how do make them links ?)

  • PatrickGFPatrickGF

    Added a ZoomNoise folder with MTS files from Internal and Rode VMP in silent room. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/tfr83z5xbe671sa/EsWJWtULJ1

  • oscillianoscillian

    @Vitaliy_Kiselev So never expose the LCD screen with light when taking photos. XD They seriously need better translators! On a serious note: I thought sensor streaking was more of an CCD issue?

  • trevmartrevmar

    My FZ200 displays remaining battery from the BLC12 Chinese clones, shutting the film down cleanly (if quickly) when the battery is exhausted. The Chinese batteries all seem to give only about 850maH, 75% of the Panasonic BLC12E...

    Attached is a screen shot from the presentation I filmed yesterday in St Petersburg. No exposure problems with projection screen. It is washed out cleanly... I had contrast at -2, sharpening 0, sat =0, NR=-2 with i.Dynamic High (i.Resolution OFF). This is without processing, except by the VLC AVC codec.

    I used perifocal manual focusing. Camera was in Shutter preferred Creative Video, manual focus, f2.8, EV=-1/3, ISO about 400 (on auto, ISOmax 1600). Shutter 1/30. The Focus depth indicator was showing from 3m to infinity at this zoom. PSH with Sandisk 64GB UHS-1 micro SDXC memory card.

    vlcsnap-2012-10-18-20h07m52s23.png
    1920 x 1080 - 3M
  • MelihOzbekMelihOzbek

    I actually like the camera, it is the quickest compact camera I've ever used. And to be honest, the power ois works fantastically while shooting movies. I wish it has a video out function while shooting, but HDMI out disables itself in recording mode. If you use RCA connection for video out, there is a workaround, if you press trash icon and hold, you hear two beeps and you can see live view on TV, but it doesn't work with HDMI out.

    As a high speed camera (12 fps burst and 120 fps HD movie), it needs some extra features like the great Casio EX-F1.. It had the ability to record loops into the buffer, and when you press the record button, it records starting from a couple of seconds before you pressed the button. I don't know why they didn't put that feature on FZ200.

    I am glad you decided to hack FZ200, i am sure with this lens, it has a great potential if the bitrate can be increased, and I don;t know, if the frame rate can be pushed a bit more, but it might be a hardware limitation.

    Thanks again,

    melih

  • Alfi666Alfi666

    @MelihOzbek : So is the camera recording 120FPS only for a short time?

  • PatrickGFPatrickGF

    @Alfi66 - It record HighSpeed (NTSC 120fps or PAL 100fps) in MPEG not AVCHD, So the file size is limited by the PLAYBACK time of the clip. Sorry I have not check how long that is in real world recording. There is an example of the video quality in my dropbox folder link above.

  • haribabisharibabis

    in HPS HighSpeed the limit is 4gb. It means about 1 minute recording time, playback time is X4

  • MelihOzbekMelihOzbek

    Actually high speed recording time is more than you can watch, it is 30/4 = 7:30 minutes. But you don't want to record more than a minute, as it is too long to watch high speed scenes if longer. But if you want to catch a moment, then you must wait, as it doesn't have a 'pre shutter recording' feature.

    By the way, one a nice thing is, although there is a dedicated movie record button, when you switch to "movie manual" mode (which includes high speed modes, but for high speed there is no manual control, just exposure compensation) the shutter button also starts and stops recording. This allows you to use cable remote to start a recording.

  • TraumManufakturTraumManufaktur

    Interesting video. "The Lumix FZ series of cameras have in the manual focus mode a scale which indicates the depth of field when using the camera with a specific aperture and focal length (achieved by using the zoom control) I have adapted this concept to artificially set the hyperfocal distance by using the focusing scale to achieve the correct maximum depth of field for a given aperture and focal length. I have tested the setting over hundreds of images and everyone has maximum foreground and infinity sharpness "

    More by Graham. Photography and some video

    Low light testing

  • tiredtired

    Just got mine but it seems locked on MP4 - is there a way to select AVCHD?

  • trevmartrevmar

    @TraumManufaktur

    Lumix FZ series of cameras have in the manual focus mode a scale which indicates the depth of field when using the camera with a specific aperture and focal length

    This is what I used in my video on Tuesday (frame shot above). I called it "Perifocal focusing." It is invaluable.

    Another tip is to switch off the large meter scales when in manual exposure mode. Then the tiny EV scale takes over to tell you what your exposure is. Much less screen estate used for an identical result.

  • haribabisharibabis

    @tired try to change it from the menu. Also, if you have not insert a memory card, you can record but only in MP4, maybe this is the problem ? x48 with i.ZOOM ON @

  • Alfi666Alfi666

    @PatrickGF Thanks for info ;)

  • PatrickGFPatrickGF

    Not sure if any of this is going to be news but I just finished a wedding and wanted to share some thoughts. For the main service I used my GF2 (fixed tight shot), GH2 (Fixed wide) and FZ200 w/ monopod and then moved and setup the cameras the rest of the night. The FZ200 battery life is MUCH better then the GH2 (using the same battery type), I think the Miniature Timelapse mode rapidly drains the battery though. My biggest compliant with the FZ200 is the total lack of any audio control or monitoring, making dual system a requirement for even the simplest job. Also not being able to change ISO on any of the cameras WHILE recording was a real issue tonight (I know..."buy an fader ND"). Using the IS and AF (even manuel focus with one button auto) on FZ200 is so nice after dealing with full manuel lens, makes event work so much easier!

    Okay, sorry if that was just a ramble and let me know if you have any questions.

  • Alfi666Alfi666

    Thanks Patrick, I'm doing weddings as well and considering FZ200 - however, I'd like to see that camera in some "PRO" body - as people tend to judge based on size :)

  • trevmartrevmar

    @PatrickGF

    not being able to change ISO on any of the cameras WHILE recording was a real issue

    I set Creative Video mode, Shutter preferred, with manual perifocal focus. One can then set ISO to "Auto" with ISOmax set to limit noise. The FZ200 then adjusts the F-stop to widest (2.8) and adjusts autoISO for you. You can set the ISO manually, and the FZ200 will adjust exposure by changing the aperture. Sure, it is a little loss of control, but you are probably fully occupied driving your GH2 A-roll, in any case :-)

    If you set AE-lock before you start rolling, the exposure will stay constant. You still have the option to switch it back to auto while the film is rolling. but you can't switch on AE-lock while the film is rolling, only off...

  • PatrickGFPatrickGF

    @Alfi666 - Yes, wish it looked more like an EX3 or EA50. I had it setup on an L-Bracket with Rode VMP, LED light and Zoom H2n, people still asked if I was taking pictures.

    @trevmar - Thanks for the tip. I didn't know that trick, I'll have to try it out. And actually I was using the FZ200 as my A-roll (kinda). Trying to play to the strengths of each camera. GF2 as a fixed tight because it looks best closeup. GH2 fixed wide because it has the resolution to still get details and manning the FZ200 to use that awesome IS 600mm lens.

  • trevmartrevmar

    Yes, the AF at 600mm is awesome. I got my obligatory tiny squirrel shots yesterday - the cam is so quick to figure out what you want to focus... Hunts a bit, but, oh well .. I wouldn't notice if the lens wasn't so darn sharp...

  • rooksrooks

    Thanx a lot for all your work, vitaliy, very impressive indeed. Now I'm pleasantly surprised that you are considering to take on the FZ200. Been waiting for the GH3, but looks like it is gonna be way to expensive for us the poor mortals. So FZ200 seems an alternative tills i win the lottery. Pity you seem to have got one FZ200 with some issues. Maybe you should consider to exchange to a better one, at the place you purchased, on your guarantee.

  • QuinEtiamQuinEtiam

  • jcmrjcmr

    How are you guys liking the camera so far? I want to jump and buy it, but I still not sure. So many talk about artefacts on photos or noise around the net that scares me a bit. I only owned point and shoot cameras and I'm a real newbie, but now I want to get a camera that I can mess with the manual controls and take good pictures or video without being a hell of an experience. The constant 2.8 aperture, the 12 frames per second shoot and the slow motion 720p are some of the feature I like on this camera. By the way is the 12 frames per second constant or when we press the shutter it gives a burst and then stops? Would a hack be able to give slow motion to the 1080p video? Is it hackable? I think I would easily buy it if it was possible to hack it. I read allot about the GH2 and how the hack transformed it into an epic camera.

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