Panasonic premieres Lumix DMC-FZ100 high-speed superzoom camera (1 Viewer)

scodgerott · Aug 20, 2010

Craig S said:
I am thinking it goes black while the image is written to the memory card, it is more of an annoyance than anything. I put in a better SDHC card this morning and hope it will shorten the write time to the memory card. One reason for blacking out the viewfinder could be that at least you know when the picture has finished writing to the memory card. I could see myself happily clicking away while the image was still being written and thinking I had many more pictures than I actually had.
I consider that this is basically a higher end P&S camera and I will put up with its "shortcomings" as compared to the price of the DSLR I was considering.
I am quite pelased with the camera and will be heading to a Provincial Park today to get some more pictures and see how it performs in bright daylight. Will try out burst mode and shooting with manual settings today as well.
Overall I am pleased with the FZ100, price versus features and results are quite acceptable when compared to a DSLR and lens kit to get 600mm and even better if you consider the price of this camera to get 1020mm with the 1.7 teleconverter as compared to a DSLR with the same reach.

Craig,

Your images look really good and I would be very happy if I got that quality. The Prairie Dog is exceptionally clear and so is the squirrel. All the other shots you have got are better than what I have be able to achieve so far. Keep up the good work.

Craig S · Aug 20, 2010

I used the sports scene setting for most of the shots, and macro, with the macro auto focus selected. I try to be very gentle on the shutter as I find the camera and grip to be quite small and more affected by the shutter activation.
I took a few pictures this afternoon at a park, but there was not much about though, will post a few later.
Getting birds on the fly or a quick shot are pretty difficult as you have to find the subject in a blurry EVF, wait for it to focus and hope your subject doesn't leave the frame otherwise you have to start all over. This is one thing that I will miss about a DSLR.

Craig S · Aug 21, 2010

Was out today and got some pictures from Stephenfield Park.
I have also captured a very brief video of a Ruby Throated Hummingbird through a window at about 10 feet. Video can be found here: http://www.birdforum.tv/action/viewvideo/2239/
If you place your mouse over the pictures you should see a little box which will tell the approximate distance to the subject.
Just watched the video on birdforum tv, it seems a few seconds were clipped from the end of the video when it uploaded.

Craig S · Aug 21, 2010

A few more pictures from today.
Mouse over picture for more info

scary-canary · Aug 21, 2010

Craig S said:
Was out today and got some pictures from Stephenfield Park.
I have also captured a very brief video of a Ruby Throated Hummingbird through a window at about 10 feet. Video can be found here: http://www.birdforum.tv/action/viewvideo/2239/
If you place your mouse over the pictures you should see a little box which will tell the approximate distance to the subject.
Just watched the video on birdforum tv, it seems a few seconds were clipped from the end of the video when it uploaded.

Craig
None of the bird pictures are quite sharp enough for my liking. It might be that you need to sharpen them a bit in some software before posting them, or maybe they're just not focused. Which might be the camera at full zoom. Either way I, personally, would want to sort it out if I was using your camera. The pictures of scenes are fine in comparison.
Chris

Hobbes2 · Aug 21, 2010

scodgerott said:
I'm attaching a full zoom shot of a female Scarlet Robin. It was taken in Aperture Priority and ISO 200. Not the greatest shot and some of the other shots I took look almost as though they were taken through frosted glass. I am going to try and compare some shots with my FZ18, once it gets light again.

Many thanks for posting this.
Hobbes

scary-canary · Aug 21, 2010

scary-canary said:
Craig
None of the bird pictures are quite sharp enough for my liking. It might be that you need to sharpen them a bit in some software before posting them, or maybe they're just not focused. Which might be the camera at full zoom. Either way I, personally, would want to sort it out if I was using your camera. The pictures of scenes are fine in comparison.
Chris

Here's a picture I took this morning on full zoom with a panasonic fz38. Other stuff I took in dull light comes out very grainy sometimes. I haven't done anything to it in editing software.
Chris

Musoman · Aug 21, 2010

This thread kicked me into taking some shots with my FZ18 + TCON14b - although i would acknowledge that the best comparison would be the same photographer with both cams with same set up, so take these with a pinch of salt

And where are all the birds when you need them?

Reg. plate shot 1 is uncropped, but reduced
Reg. plate shot 2 is 100% crop

Street Lamp ( there was a bird on top when i started - honest ) is the same, 1 uncropped, 2 100% crop

No tripod, but body and window used as brace, ISO 200, 'P' setting, IS mode 2, AF macro, .JPG only, no sharpening at all, no noise reduction

Last pic showing FZ18 with 14b mounted on pemeraal

Craig S · Aug 21, 2010

Those are some nice sharp photos Musoman.
I had intended using a monopod yesterday but when I got to the park I realized I had left the part that attaches to the camera at home so all shots so far have been hand held. I have been tweaking a few settings and hope to get better, I think the monopod will help also. The IS for the FZ100 seems to be pretty good. I still don't think they are to bad, the worst ones are the longer shots, most at or close to 600mm, and I'm not all that disappointed with them. I am quite pleased with this little camera and think using a monopod will help. I'll also try the IS mode 2 setting. I think i might just try using the macro mode for some shots along with macro af and see how they turn out.
The TCON is quite a bit larger than I expected, I've ordered a TCON 17 should get it late next week, but have to wait until the converter tubes are available before I can use it. I'm also thinking of getting a remote shutter release.
Hope to have the teleconverter and remote shutter release before the end of September for the fall migration.
Thanks for the samples and the tips. The samples give me a rough idea of what I should be trying to achieve.

Musoman · Aug 21, 2010

I think you've proved the camera is fine Craig. The exemplary shot of the (prairie dog ?) is your proof.

I think you'll be very happy with it, once you learn its idiosyncracies, like any camera, whether P&S or DSLR.

As you say, its not a DSLR replacement, and taking this into account, its a fine little camera. I'm not positive i would change up from mine, but if i didnt already have the 18, i'd be thinking hard about the 100

I didnt say before but my shots were all at full 18x, 504mm + the 1.45x Oly = 26.1x / 730.8mm FL

the ISO noise at 200 on the 18 is more than acceptable on a light-ish day, and speaking for myself, i dont ever use shots at 100% where even DSLR pics can sometimes ( not always ) be suspect.

Craig S · Aug 21, 2010

Fz 100

Thanks musoman, that little prairie dog is one of my favorites.
Discovered digital zoom today, never cared for it on other cameras but tried it out on mine today.
Have a few more pictures today and one more video. Video is a female hummingbird about 20 seconds. http://www.birdforum.tv/action/viewvideo/2240/
Two pictures of a coke bottle through a window at about 20 feet.
One is about 600mm, 24x optical zoom.
The other is at 127x digital zoom, I'm guessing something like 2500mm.
The bottle is swaying slightly in the breeze.
Although the digital zoom seems better on this camera than others I have tried I am not certain I would use the digital zoom.
Also included a picture of a gaggle of Canada Geese coming in to land, distance about 100 yards, 600mm, panning. Not a good picture but better than I would have gotten with my old E510.
All the above are taken handheld.
If anyone is wondering why we have half a coke bottle hanging in our tree it is because we got rid of our old Oriole feeder, (as it was attracting wasps by the score all of a sudden), which held the fluid in a bottle on top,. This new feeder is a pan type, (no bottle on top). The orioles couldn't seem to find it, we cut a coke bottle in half, filled it with a red plastic bag and placed it on top of the feeder. The next oriole that visited found it right away.
Just watched video on birdforum tv, again they cut of the end of the video so you will miss the hummer flapping its wings a few times before it flies off.

Musoman · Aug 21, 2010

I've never been a fan of digi zoom, I have mine turned off, and i dont think Panasonic have achieved any magic with their digi zoom on the 100 either, Craig. Best left alone i think, unless you simply just have to have a shot of a rare bird for the record, and only the digi zoom will get you there

Stick to a dedicated teleconverter like the TCONS for extra reach. Or if you can find one ( not easy and silly money too ) are the Nikon 17 and 15 ED's

Craig S · Aug 21, 2010

Thanks for the advice musoman, just tried the digital zoom on a bird.
the result was similar to what might be achieved with a 500mm mirror lens on my old E510.
I have a TCON 17 coming, am looking forward to receiving it but, will have to wait for the adapter to be released.
We plan on going to a large marsh next week might try out the digital zoom for a few shots there, then turn it off.
Thanks again

Musoman · Aug 21, 2010

take a tripod Craig

- good luck too. Look forward to seeing you post your results here buddy. Thanks for enlightening us with your tests of the FZ100

Steven Astley · Aug 21, 2010

I don't like digital zoom myself. If I need the extra reach I sometimes switch to 5mp for focusing better on my fz38 but thats the limit

Craig S · Aug 21, 2010

fz 100

Steven Astley said:
I don't like digital zoom myself. If I need the extra reach I sometimes switch to 5mp for focusing better on my fz38 but thats the limit

That is something I was totally unaware of. Thanks for the tip I'll certainly try it out.

Craig S · Aug 21, 2010

fz 100

Musoman said:
take a tripod Craig - good luck too. Look forward to seeing you post your results here buddy. Thanks for enlightening us with your tests of the FZ100

Thanks for your advice musoman, will be taking my monopod at the very least next time we head out.
I'll post a few pictures from our next outing using the monopod.

scodgerott · Aug 22, 2010

More FZ100 pics

I took these pics with my FZ100. One, the Scarlet Robin, looks a bit odd. It almost looks like its been sprayed with an airbrush. I can't figure out why it's happening with this camera, its not the first image to show this effect. Its present in the second picture of a Grey Fantail, but not quite as noticeable. I have never got a result like this with the FZ18.

Its not evident in all my pictures, just the ones I have taken of birds. I have deliberately tried to replicate it, but when I do that it doesn't seem to happen.

Anybody got any thoughts. I used ISO200 and the light was quite good.

Musoman · Aug 22, 2010

There's too little info of your settings and other important factors to give any meaningful answers

What was your metering ? How far was the bird ? Did you hand hold or tripod ? Is that photo a 100% crop ? Did you have IS on ? Did you shoot manual or AF ? If AF , did you use a scene mode or P mode ? etc

Baron Birder · Aug 22, 2010

If when you resize for the gallery you dont strip out the exif data thta would help a lot.

Panasonic premieres Lumix DMC-FZ100 high-speed superzoom camera (1 Viewer)

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