Constraints of FZ20

[Zenten]

Faced with 2 situations:

The thing about the FZ20 is that you still get over-exposure at in harsh sunlight (even with polariser) at F8 1/2000 or under-exposure for night shots at f2.8 8secs (and you can't set higher ISO than 100 for fear of noise).

Anyone encountered these problems. Funny, I don't remember having these problems when I was using the other long zoom cameras. (KM Z3, Canon S1) :bigeyes:

Upgrade to DSLR??? :dunno:

 

[acetylcholine]

Faced with 2 situations:

The thing about the FZ20 is that you still get over-exposure at in harsh sunlight (even with polariser) at F8 1/2000 or under-exposure for night shots at f2.8 8secs (and you can't set higher ISO than 100 for fear of noise).

Anyone encountered these problems. Funny, I don't remember having these problems when I was using the other long zoom cameras. (KM Z3, Canon S1) :bigeyes:

Upgrade to DSLR??? :dunno:

how abt lowering ISO for yr first situation?

either way get a ND filter

 

[mpenza]

maybe use -EV for the first situation. and for the second, don't use flash.

 

[spiderman]

that all his shots from the Mandai zoo were overexposed using the FZ20. Is it reaLLY THAT BAD? Cos I will be getting the FZ20 soon. In fact I had ordered already and waiting. I was choosing between the FZ20 and Fujifilm S7000, and it the end I chose the FZ20. I hope I did not made a bad move!

I read a few review articles on the FZ20 on the net and they claimed that it was able to overcome the minor constraints. Here is the link to it:

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/panasonic/dmc_fz20-review/index.shtml

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2004_reviews/fz20.html

I can't say who is right or wrong, I guess I have to get my hands on it and take many shots to try out at different setting. Anyway too late to turn back on the FZ20 now since I have ordered. The FZ20 is the best price and features in its category to me after doing tons of browsing.

 

[acetylcholine]

maybe use -EV for the first situation. and for the second, don't use flash.

dun use flash ? he already under-exposed and dont use flash ? err maybe i am abit slow today..

anyway f8 1/2000s is the slowest his cam can go.
the only other variable is use ISO50..

 

[Zenten]

maybe use -EV for the first situation. and for the second, don't use flash.

Yup, used EV in the first but not using flash in the second.

However for the first, bright spots will still be over-exposed. Anyway ISO already down at 80.

 

[Zenten]

that all his shots from the Mandai zoo were overexposed using the FZ20. Is it reaLLY THAT BAD? Cos I will be getting the FZ20 soon. In fact I had ordered already and waiting. I was choosing between the FZ20 and Fujifilm S7000, and it the end I chose the FZ20. I hope I did not made a bad move!

I read a few review articles on the FZ20 on the net and they claimed that it was able to overcome the minor constraints. Here is the link to it:

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/panasonic/dmc_fz20-review/index.shtml

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2004_reviews/fz20.html

I can't say who is right or wrong, I guess I have to get my hands on it and take many shots to try out at different setting. Anyway too late to turn back on the FZ20 now since I have ordered. The FZ20 is the best price and features in its category to me after doing tons of browsing.

Don't worry Spidey, I am highlighting common problems associated with using most consumer cameras.

 

[Event_Horizon]

For the the overly bright situations use a ND filter ... learnt that from an old Yashica MG1 That one only had f/2.8 45mm, 1/500 sec. to about 2 seconds.

What is the typical scenario that requires more/longer than 8s F2.8?

 

[lightning69]

I realise that it is really partly the FZ20's faults and partly the photographer's fault.

I notice that the FZ20 will do alright in normal contrast situation, but in high contrast situation, the metering will very often result in over expose shots.

So in high contrast situation you really have decide what you want i.e leaving some very bright subject overexpose as you would see with your eyes and therefore have the darker areas properly expose. Or you could lower you exposure therefore leaving the bright areas properly expose will the darker area looking really dark.

One very useful feature of the FZ20 is that you can actually review your shots for over exposure which appear as a black and white blinking patches.

 

[ETboy]

For the the overly bright situations use a ND filter ... learnt that from an old Yashica MG1 That one only had f/2.8 45mm, 1/500 sec. to about 2 seconds.

What is the typical scenario that requires more/longer than 8s F2.8?

ND filter refers to ? (so many short cuts so blur )

 

[donkuok]

ND filter refers to ? (so many short cuts so blur )

It's a filter to reduce light coming in to your camera lens. It allows u to increase shutter speed to creata new creativity of camera shots like water fall with silky water flow.

 

[spiderman]

Don't worry Spidey, I am highlighting common problems associated with using most consumer cameras.

comes with the standard accessories doesn't fit right? I do not really know, just want to find out. Cos will the lens hood help in that? If not, what is it really for? Extra load of bulk FDPO(for display purpose only) :think:

I had some similiar problems with my compact snapshot digicam too. So I tried to change diff spot where I stand and sometime diff angle of shooting. And before you took those over exposed shots, what the LCD actually showed? Over exposed or normal?

 

[LifeWorld]

For scene with different lighting conditions, I would use Spot metering. With this, you would have to decide which part of the scene to meter. Usually I would choose the part of the scene that I want to highlight. Can't have best of both world, though. Let me know which camera could. Tip: if you are shooting on subject closer to you, Spot metering the background, and use forced-flash on subject. You would need to pre-focus the subject manually, if required.

As for night scene shot, I do not activate the flash!!! It's useless, and the camera will not meter properly. For me, I would set camera to Manual mode, flash off. It's usually trial and error setting. First set to ISO 80, F2.8 and shoot at 8s, 6s, 5s, 4s, 3.2s, 2.5s, 2s, 1.6s, 1.3s, 1s, etc... till you get a good shot. I use EV compensation if I need in-between shutter time. Tip: At 8s, you still can increase exposure by using the +EV compensation or the ISO. Check the noise though!

We are now sharing ideas for life. Keep it coming! :thumbsup:

For more on night shot, check here

 

[ParkertR]

hi guys... i've got 2 threads with photos and it's either i'm really not good at all with taking pictures (which could very possibly be the case) or the camera cannot handle indoor situations very well... especially in low lighting conditions. The images also come out rather flat when i use an external flash... (im not familiar with using ext flash... first time using one yesterday). Any tips?

 

[LifeWorld]

hi guys... i've got 2 threads with photos and it's either i'm really not good at all with taking pictures (which could very possibly be the case) or the camera cannot handle indoor situations very well... especially in low lighting conditions. The images also come out rather flat when i use an external flash... (im not familiar with using ext flash... first time using one yesterday). Any tips?

Which thread?

Sometime, longer exposure without flash for indoor low light works wonder! Like this one:
Without flash, 1/4s, handheld

 

[ParkertR]

the "Faces and Poses" series and "More Faces". I used ext flash to shoot... but i can't use longer exposure... or else u'll see the movement etc... want to freeze the moment. mmmm? btw, that airport shot was a hell of a shot

 

[LifeWorld]

the "Faces and Poses" series and "More Faces". I used ext flash to shoot... but i can't use longer exposure... or else u'll see the movement etc... want to freeze the moment. mmmm? btw, that airport shot was a hell of a shot

Thought those shots were ok? Unless you are comparing with studio shots!
It's quite difficult to avoid human motion blur! Other than using flash with fast shutter, you would need to get subject to stay still....... In your case, suggest using higher ISO to allow faster shutter. Just be aware of noise.

 

[ParkertR]

hmmm... alrighty. i just realized that it's the flash problem... its a really old flash and its not even sigh, no wonder my shots looked pretty bad. i've gotten nicer shots with my S5000!!! haha :X indoor thats why i was complaining

anyone have a nice flashgun to sell me? hehehe

 

[Zenten]

I realise that it is really partly the FZ20's faults and partly the photographer's fault.

I notice that the FZ20 will do alright in normal contrast situation, but in high contrast situation, the metering will very often result in over expose shots.

So in high contrast situation you really have decide what you want i.e leaving some very bright subject overexpose as you would see with your eyes and therefore have the darker areas properly expose. Or you could lower you exposure therefore leaving the bright areas properly expose will the darker area looking really dark.

One very useful feature of the FZ20 is that you can actually review your shots for over exposure which appear as a black and white blinking patches.

That's the highlight function in the setup menu. You can enable or disable it.
I personally feel that the FZ20 can't handle the high contrast shots very well. At F8 1/2000 I still experience over-exposed shots. Didn't have this problem with the KM Z3 in the past, and KM Z3 highest shutter only 1/1000 sec. Is it a fault in the metering system of the FZ20?

 

[lightning69]

That's the highlight function in the setup menu. You can enable or disable it.
I personally feel that the FZ20 can't handle the high contrast shots very well. At F8 1/2000 I still experience over-exposed shots. Didn't have this problem with the KM Z3 in the past, and KM Z3 highest shutter only 1/1000 sec. Is it a fault in the metering system of the FZ20?

Try setting the contrast to low.