FZ30 - Birds (UK) (1 Viewer)

advid · Oct 8, 2005

..has anyone used the FZ30 for bird pics in the UK yet ???

...I've just been out down our local field with my FZ30 (and Olympus B300 1.7 telephoto lens attached).... The only way I can 'freeze' anything is by putting the Exposure Compensation to max (+2) - using ISO 80 and Shutter Priority at 200+.... At this time of year its low light/greyday...

The pics I managed to take (1 blue tit) are simply horrible.... no detail / full of noise / not really focused at all well - using centre spot focus ) - the FZ30 is a toy for this type of pic.... absolutely NOT recommeded... All you 'birders' out there take heed....!

I'd like to see some samples please of UK bird pics with the FZ30 (note : not close ups of swans at 2 paces..taken is bright sunlight - I'm talking of 10-15 feet and a small bird...on a grey UK day)...

IanF · Oct 9, 2005

I must admit that when I saw the early reports of the sensor being 'noisier' than the FZ20 I didn't take too much notice of the FZ30 after that.

I think you'll find that most compact digital cameras are poor performers in lower light conditions - they really do need bright days to give their best. Bright with high cloud I find is better than brilliant sunshine and preferably with the sun somewhere behind you - even on cloudy days!

On cloudy days give it a go using flash. It's seldom that I use flash but it can produce keeper shots. The Blue Tit attached was c.20' with full flash on a cloudy day - FZ20+Tcon17.

ermine · Oct 9, 2005

using ISO 80

I'm not familiar with the camera but this seems very slow to me - wouldn't you have faster ISO setting available to you? Okay, so you get more noise with the higher gain. I'd guess the noise would be better than shooting at ISO80 with exposure compensation and pushing the result, since you're not then amplifying the distortions of the jpeg compression.

RAH · Oct 10, 2005

I agree with ermine. If you want to freeze the action, why are you using such a low ISO? Yes, the noise will worsen, but you can remove a lot of it later with image tools like Noise Ninja, or even the tools built into your image editor. It's better to get a noisy frozen shot than a blurry one, I think.

mcapper · Oct 30, 2005

The principle of the above suggestion is sound but one of the key criticisms of the FZ30 is that at any other ISO above 80, noise is just horrible. Noise Ninja will help but I think this camera needs bright days. Happy to be told otherwise by a user of the camera though - I'm just going on reviews

Matthew

RAH · Oct 31, 2005

Matthew, yes, the reviews do say that the noise on the FZ30 is horrible even at a moderate ISO like 200. So it comes down to practicality. If it isn't a bright day, what do you do? What we need is super-zoom cameras with better small sensors - i.e. small, light-weight, moderatey priced cameras with big zooms that still do a good job at high ISOs. Seems to me we probably WILL see this in a few years.

glazzers · Nov 2, 2005

Fz30

Just had mine one week now, still learning the settings. This picture taken yesterday, horrible grey overcast with drops of rain day. I agree autofocus needs trial and error for best setting but very happy with quality of pictures.

solentbirder · Dec 19, 2005

glazzers said:
Just had mine one week now, still learning the settings. This picture taken yesterday, horrible grey overcast with drops of rain day. I agree autofocus needs trial and error for best setting but very happy with quality of pictures.

Any updates from anyone on how the FZ-30 performs in real life ? Is the noise as bad as the reviews say ?
Cheers
John

glazzers · Dec 19, 2005

No dont have a problem with the noise. camera working well for know. still learning all features, but very pleased so far.

Perca · Jan 3, 2006

Is a very nice camera, at 80-100 ISO no disturbing noise.

mikesimpson · Jan 4, 2006

I have added my Olympus Tcon-17 teleconverter to my Z30 (no adapter needed, it just screws in). I have only had it for a week, but so far results have been quite good, although with the teleconverter, you must use a tripod or at least a monopod to get decent pictures.

Mike

garry1366 · Jan 6, 2006

Can anyone/everyone please advise best settings for this camera. A friend has just bought one and leaves for Antarctica on Sunday so any help very much appreciated. He's away from his computer now but I can text him the settings.

Ta
G

Pie Face · Jan 6, 2006

Hi Garry

Not sure this is any use, but I have the FZ20 and tend to use it in aperture priority, white balance auto, centre spot metering and focus, mode 2 stabiliser and at the lowest ISO setting (80).

It wouldn't be Andy (Street Shed

) that's off on Sunday would it?

Regards

Mark

garry1366 · Jan 6, 2006

Deja-vu said:
Hi Garry

Not sure this is any use, but I have the FZ20 and tend to use it in aperture priority, white balance auto, centre spot metering and focus, mode 2 stabiliser and at the lowest ISO setting (80).

It wouldn't be Andy (Street Shed ) that's off on Sunday would it?

Regards

Mark

Hi Mark,
No he goes in a few weeks. It's a mate from Shetland who has gotten a freebie (with a girl he obviously made an impression with :eat: ) on a survey ship.

Cheers for settings I'll pass them on

G

Pie Face · Jan 7, 2006

garry1366 said:
Hi Mark,
No he goes in a few weeks. It's a mate from Shetland who has gotten a freebie (with a girl he obviously made an impression with :eat: ) on a survey ship.

Cheers for settings I'll pass them on

G

I think I know the bloke you mean, I met him very briefly up there (at the Black-throated Thrush) in October.

Mark

•Andres · Sep 10, 2006

I can't believe the bad press for the fz30 here..... with technology as it is atm....you either cart around a dslr with a few lenses and take a few minutes to set up each shot or you get an fz30 ( fz50 now ) . I've taken loads of pics with a tcon17 on -on a grey drizzle uk day and got grand results.
........ The panasonic (leica) lens is sharper than any sub £1000 dslr i rekon.......but yes, best results are on a bright day.

UK weather is not grey and drizzley, its mostly sunny periods........but if you really want to wait for that grey day, then go and get a bigger sensor camera.

........why not tell it how it is. the panasonic fz30/fz50 are what they are......they have their faults but they do also provide

FZ30 - Birds (UK) (1 Viewer)

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