[Swissboy]

Originally Posted by Marys1000

...... Typically I am zoomed out to 24x or almost. .....

Looks like we can still learn a lot by reading these discussions. But aside from what has been suggested, I also wonder whether you have sufficient contrast. I notice that the camera often has problems at close to max zoom, and it might be that it loses some contrast as the picture tends to get darker due to the long zoom setting. You might also try focusing on a lower zoom setting and then increase the zoom. That is, if the bird keeps sitting still for a long enough period.
Let us know when and how you manage to solve the issue. Good luck, and happy 2013!

[J.D]

Originally Posted by J.D

Making the autofocus centre weighted, page 117 of the manual and at the bottom of page 2 of REC settings in the camera. If you have the setting on the "23 area focusing" it will take readings all over the picture.

Did these suggestions sort out your problem Mary?

[Old but not wiser]

Hi All,
I have just acquired an almost new FZ150 via ebay and am finding these tips and advise really useful.
I hope this thread continues as I am sure people are still buying the camera.The main attraction for me is it's smaller size which means I can have it with me most of the time so as not to miss those golden opportunities that crop up unexpectedly now and then!
Cheers for now but I will be back .
Mike 2

[Tehidyman]

I have recently changed from a FZ-38 to a FZ150. I use a Panasonic 1.7X converter but the adapter tube for the FZ 38 was the wrong size for the 150 so I purchased a new one. However I bought the wrong one ( I found that I'm not the first ). The solution offered was to use a 58 to 55mm step down ring. My query is - will fitting a thin adapter ring affect picture quality or should I buy the correct tube (and check more carefully)

[jmepler]

I wouldn't think that a step-down ring would affect picture quality at all, but I would be concerned with the strength of it. Adapter rings are primarily designed for the use of other sized filters and can be quite light-duty. I have one that has just a single male thread. I would not trust using this to hold something with the weight of the 1.7X converter. It may work, but why risk it.

Mike

[Tehidyman]

Originally Posted by jmepler

I wouldn't think that a step-down ring would affect picture quality at all, but I would be concerned with the strength of it. Adapter rings are primarily designed for the use of other sized filters and can be quite light-duty. I have one that has just a single male thread. I would not trust using this to hold something with the weight of the 1.7X converter. It may work, but why risk it.

Mike

Thanks for that advice. That was a potential problem I had not thought of. Will get a Panasonic tube now.

Terry

[ChrisKten]

I upgraded my FZ45 to the FZ150 a few days ago, and it's looking like I made the right decision.

I'm dealing with poor light in my garden, and taking the pics through double glazing doesn't help (though it doesn't really hurt much either), so I needed a camera capable of higher ISO that I was happy with. I limited my FZ45 (and the FZ28 before it) to ISO 400, which meant I missed some shots if the bird moved at the wrong time (fellow Superzoom users will know that you need to cancel out the slow response times by anticipating movement, well lack of it)

Here's two pics from earlier today taken at ISO 800, that gives an idea what this camera is capable of in rubbish light.

Through the double glazing - hand-held @ 600mm - Jay was taking nuts, so moving constantly. I used the 5.5 fps with continuous AF, which is my default now.

Shot in JPEG, selective noise reduction applied to the BG; relevant settings that aren't in the EXIF:

Contrast -1
Sharpening -1
Noise Reduction -2

ALL Intelligent modes disabled

EXIF

Camera Maker: Panasonic
Camera Model: DMC-FZ150
Image Date: 2013-01-15 11:48:40 (no TZ)
Focal Length: 108.0mm (35mm equivalent: 600mm)
Aperture: f/5.2
Exposure Time: 0.050 s (1/20)
ISO equiv: 800
Exposure Bias: -0.33 EV
Metering Mode: Center Weight
Exposure: aperture priority (semi-auto)
White Balance: Auto
Flash Fired: No (enforced)
Orientation: Normal
Color Space: sRGB

[scodgerott]

Excellent images Chris. Even more impressive when you take the conditions into consideration.

[Hobbes2]

Originally Posted by ChrisKten

I upgraded my FZ45 to the FZ150 a few days ago, and it's looking like I made the right decision.

<snip>

Hi Chris
Nice to see you on this thread . They are superb shots - really nice and clean. Was the only post-processing you did to the background? Any chance you could post an original, please? Also, is your rationale behind turning down the noise reduction to reduce the artifacts that the software can produce? If so, it's worked a treat!

Like you, I shoot on the 5.5 fps. It seems to achieve the best results and it's fast enough to mean you don't miss much.
All the best
Hobbes

[ChrisKten]

Hi Hobbes,

No noise reduction to the subject, just the BG. I reduce the NR in-camera as I don't trust it to decide what's detail and what's not. I can't remember the last time I felt noise reduction was needed on the subject, though I might have done it for under exposed shots.

I'll upload an unprocessed picture later if I remember

[Hobbes2]

Originally Posted by ChrisKten

Hi Hobbes,

No noise reduction to the subject, just the BG. I reduce the NR in-camera as I don't trust it to decide what's detail and what's not. I can't remember the last time I felt noise reduction was needed on the subject, though I might have done it for under exposed shots.

I'll upload an unprocessed picture later if I remember

Hi Chris
Good point about the NR. I always turn mine down by -1 because of the artifacts it can produce. I hadn't thought to turn it right down. I shall give it a try.

Ok, will look forward to your upload later although I know you've got the docs today etc, so no worries if you forget
All the best
Hobbes

[ChrisKten]

Here's the untouched image, Hobbes; although I think general sharpening is applied during resizing:

And the 2 after are also @ ISO 800 and through the window etc, but these have had no noise reduction applied, just sharpened etc, the last is full frame.

You'll notice that I've cloned out the red string in the original, as I found it distracting. I should add that the windows weren't very clean for the first shot, so some of the "noise" could be dirt

All images have EXIF embedded

[Hobbes2]

Originally Posted by ChrisKten

Here's the untouched image, Hobbes; although I think general sharpening is applied during resizing:

And the 2 after are also @ ISO 800 and through the window etc, but these have had no noise reduction applied, just sharpened etc, the last is full frame.

You'll notice that I've cloned out the red string in the original, as I found it distracting. I should add that the windows weren't very clean for the first shot, so some of the "noise" could be dirt

All images have EXIF embedded

Hi Chris
Thanks for uploading those. I am seriously impressed with the clarity of the images. I think turning down the NR is the way forward!
All the best
Hobbes

[ChrisKten]

I think RAW would be the way to go if you had the time, Hobbes, as even at -2 there's still noise reduction applied to the JPEGS.

Failing that, you could also try -2 for Sharpening, as that helps with noise. It all depends on what Sharpening you apply in processing. I only use free software (Photofiltre) to edit, so I'd assume others will have a different system/approach using Photoshop etc.

ATM, after taking 3597 pictures (I've been good, and showed restraint since I got the camera last week ), I'm surprised at just how good the FZ150 is. I really don't want it to do anything else. I've even taken pics at ISO 1600 that I'm pleased with.

TBH, we're not selling our pics to magazines, and we're not printing them at A3 and hanging them on a wall (although, I'd guess the pics might look good as you're not sticking your nose against the picture to look at it on a wall ); so even a small sensor is enough for our needs, well it is for mine

[amelia1730]

Would someone be kind enough to explain the zoom function on the FZ150 please and how to set it up. I have only had the camera one day and despite reading the full manual thoroughly and viewing You Tube video tutorials I am still in the dark. Every setting I try only gives me X24 zoom. I must be doing something wrong. How do I get more please?

Many thanks
Amelia

[J.D]

Originally Posted by amelia1730

Would someone be kind enough to explain the zoom function on the FZ150 please and how to set it up. I have only had the camera one day and despite reading the full manual thoroughly and viewing You Tube video tutorials I am still in the dark. Every setting I try only gives me X24 zoom. I must be doing something wrong. How do I get more please?

Many thanks
Amelia

x24 is the full optical zoom at 12mp. You can use the digital zoom but i wouldn't recommend it.

[amelia1730]

I would still like to know how to select/set it please.

A

[Jabberwocky]

Originally Posted by amelia1730

I would still like to know how to select/set it please.

A

Select the menu, scroll down until you see I.R Resolution, go right then select I Zoom. this will give you 32X. If you really want digital zoom its the next one down the menu from I. R Resolution but as J D says its not much use.

Lewis

[scodgerott]

Originally Posted by amelia1730

I would still like to know how to select/set it please.

A

I did comparisons with izoom and digital zoom on my FZ150 and found that digital zoom actually gave a slightly better result than the izoom. You can see the result here.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/6243466...in/photostream

Its not supposed to be like that but that's how it turned out on my camera. If you change your picture size to 8mp, the the izoom will go out to 39x. That's a pretty handy zoom range. I have found that the 39x gives quite reasonable results, certainly better than the Sony teleconverter I was using. In fact it was so much better than my TC, that I stopped using it. There are better TCs around and they give better results than I got with mine.

[amelia1730]

Thank you Jaberwocky!

[jacqui2]

Hi, I have tried using silkypix for raw but find it very complicated (although, never really done much raw shooting before, so it doesnt take much to confuse me :) ) just wondered if anyone could recommend software that can take raw files from the fz150, something nice and simple would be good :) I have corel photoimpact x3, that I use normally for jpg's but it doesnt accept the raw files from this camera. Thanks, jacqui.

[njlarsen]

I use ACDSee Pro6 for raw images from my GH2, and just checked that FZ150 also was supported. In addition to the editing options you will also get a great photo manager. http://www.acdsee.com/en/products/acdsee-pro-6 (Hint: if you download the trial version (full featured for one month without paying) you will almost certainly get offers during that time that are cheaper than the price on the website.)

Niels

[jacqui2]

Thanks for that Niels, I will check it out, jacqui.