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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Panasonic FZ150 (2 Viewers)

Hi Hobbes, You can turn off the zoom return its called "lens resume" and its on page 4 of the setup menu. Strangely, there seems to be no option for this in iA mode. With regards to the camera shutting off the stabilisation at 23x and 24x, mine doesn't do that. The stabilisation stays on all the way to 24x and even further if you are using any sort of digital zoom. Sounds like you need to take this one back as well. You can't do anything about the lens retracting after 20 secs or so in review mode. It just happens and is annoying.
 
Hi Hobbes, You can turn off the zoom return its called "lens resume" and its on page 4 of the setup menu. Strangely, there seems to be no option for this in iA mode. With regards to the camera shutting off the stabilisation at 23x and 24x, mine doesn't do that. The stabilisation stays on all the way to 24x and even further if you are using any sort of digital zoom. Sounds like you need to take this one back as well. You can't do anything about the lens retracting after 20 secs or so in review mode. It just happens and is annoying.

Hi Roger
Thank you for replying. You've become something of the in-house expert on this camera ;).

I actually want the "lens resume" to be on but the messaging to be switched off but I don't suppose that's possible. Not to worry.

Regarding the stabilisation. May I just clarify that in the "menu/set" options, when you set the "conversion" function to 'teleconverter', your camera's stabilisation remains on past x22 zoom? On my camera it's fine at x23 and x24 as long as I don't have the "conversion" function switched to 'teleconverter'.

I shall be rather annoyed if this is a second faulty unit, lol!
Thanks
Hobbes
 
Mine appears to turn off with conversion selected Hobbes... Not noticed it before, and not used the setting either - I just attach the Oly 1.7 and shoot.
Sean
 
Mine appears to turn off with conversion selected Hobbes... Not noticed it before, and not used the setting either - I just attach the Oly 1.7 and shoot.
Sean

Phew, thanks for checking that Sean - much appreciated :t:. I shall do the same and not bother with the "conversion" setting.
All the best
Hobbes
 
Hi Hobbes, hate to be a spoil sport, but I did set my camera to tele conversion lens "on" and the image stabilisation stayed on.

I don't know of any way you can turn off the lens resume message.
 
Scodge - are you sure it is actually on though? It SAYS it is on, but the image is less stabilised when looking at it through the EVF or on the LCD.
Sean
 
Hi Sean, I have checked again and it the "tele" conversion is definitely on. I also tried using the "close up" conversion and the anti shake symbol stayed on no matter to which point I zoomed out to.
 
Thanks Roger and Sean for checking on this. I reckon it's just a quirk of the firmware on some (or all?) models so I shall just not bother using the "conversion" function.
Thanks
Hobbes
 
Some impressions

I have not really reported about my impressions with this camera yet, I think. I have had this camera now for around five months. At the beginning, I kept using my FZ35 because it is more compact. But I have then gradually switched over to the FZ150. It still is not as easy to hold for me. Somehow, that grip is a bit too small for my liking, considering the weight of the camera. However, I am so amazed by the improved performance of this camera, compared to the FZ35 that I am now using it almost exclusively. I have not used it much for birds yet, more for fighter jet airplanes. And it is there that I see an incredible improvement both in capturing the object in a not so contrasty situation, and in the speed of reaction. I can only say WOW, and I have experienced the same with birds, though without concentrating to get a good shot. It was more a test of the performance of the camera. Anyway, to all FZ users who ask whether it might be worth switching to the FZ150, I can only say yes, very much so. My original purpose to get the camera was to be able to take videos without the smear lines in bright light spots or reflections. Meanwhile, I have come to realize the virtues of this camera for just taking pictures. I think the burst mode 5.5 fps is also working unbelievably well. Things I had always envied DSLR owners for.
 
Hi, yes I agree, I have only had my fz150 about a week or so but am thrilled with the speed of it. Also I have taken a few lower light photos and they are not bad at all. I take a lot of bird photos, mainly in my garden and its very easy to focus and get the shot. I am still practising with birds in flight but have managed a few reasonable photos. I tend to make the focus point bigger for birds flying against the sky and that seems to work better for me. All in all I think its about the nearest you can get to dslr speed in a superzooom.
 
I haven't posted any new photos for a while, so here are some of my more recent efforts with the FZ150.
 

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A few from today. Weather was overcast, but as i just got the 1.7x converter i had to go out and try it. Also tried BIF with red dot sight.
 

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Hi Jim, the pics look good, although the heron appears a little soft. Was that taken with the teleconverter? The red dot sight is a great investment and I wouldn't be without it now, although it seems to love going through batteries.
 
Hi Jim, the pics look good, although the heron appears a little soft. Was that taken with the teleconverter? The red dot sight is a great investment and I wouldn't be without it now, although it seems to love going through batteries.

They were all taken with the 1.7x converter. I think this may become permanently attached to the camera. The Heron was a fairly large crop and I may have overdone the noise reduction.

I also won't be without the red dot sight. It really does make it easier to get birds in flight shots.
 
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