Filters for FZ3/5

Hi!

I was wondering whether the converter ring that is supplied with Panasonic
FZ3/FZ5 is something standard? Could I use other manufacturer's filters of
the passing diameter, or need it be a Panasonic filter? I don't have
any objections to Panasonic, I actually don't know much about it, but it
seems quite difficult to get one in NL withpout paying double price for
delivery...

I have polarized glasses and they are cool in the sunlight, so if I could
get a polarized filter on my camera, that would be nice.

cheers,
Mila

Mila Boldareva wrote:
Hi!

I was wondering whether the converter ring that is supplied with
Panasonic FZ3/FZ5 is something standard? Could I use other
manufacturer's filters of the passing diameter, or need it be a
Panasonic filter? I don't have
any objections to Panasonic, I actually don't know much about it, but
it seems quite difficult to get one in NL withpout paying double
price for delivery...

I have polarized glasses and they are cool in the sunlight, so if I
could get a polarized filter on my camera, that would be nice.

cheers,
Mila

Mila,

I don't know the answer to this, but the "55" in the filter name (for the
FZ5) suggests it /might/ be a 55mm filter. In which case, probably any
maufacturer's filter could be used. Perhaps you have a camera shop mearby
where you could check this?

Cheers,
David

"David J Taylor" wrote in message
. uk...
Mila Boldareva wrote:
Hi!

I was wondering whether the converter ring that is supplied with
Panasonic FZ3/FZ5 is something standard? Could I use other
manufacturer's filters of the passing diameter, or need it be a
Panasonic filter? I don't have
any objections to Panasonic, I actually don't know much about it, but
it seems quite difficult to get one in NL withpout paying double
price for delivery...

I have polarized glasses and they are cool in the sunlight, so if I
could get a polarized filter on my camera, that would be nice.

cheers,
Mila

Mila,

I don't know the answer to this, but the "55" in the filter name (for the
FZ5) suggests it /might/ be a 55mm filter. In which case, probably any
maufacturer's filter could be used. Perhaps you have a camera shop mearby
where you could check this?

Cheers,
David

Both the FZ3 and FZ5 hood adapters are threaded for 55mm filters.
Any brand filter will do and there is no need to buy the panasonic
branded filters.

On Wed, 27 Apr 2005 03:54:41 GMT, "Ken" wrote:


"David J Taylor" wrote in message
.uk...
Mila Boldareva wrote:
Hi!

I was wondering whether the converter ring that is supplied with
Panasonic FZ3/FZ5 is something standard? Could I use other
manufacturer's filters of the passing diameter, or need it be a
Panasonic filter? I don't have
any objections to Panasonic, I actually don't know much about it, but
it seems quite difficult to get one in NL withpout paying double
price for delivery...

I have polarized glasses and they are cool in the sunlight, so if I
could get a polarized filter on my camera, that would be nice.

cheers,
Mila

Mila,

I don't know the answer to this, but the "55" in the filter name (for the
FZ5) suggests it /might/ be a 55mm filter. In which case, probably any
maufacturer's filter could be used. Perhaps you have a camera shop mearby
where you could check this?

Cheers,
David

Both the FZ3 and FZ5 hood adapters are threaded for 55mm filters.
Any brand filter will do and there is no need to buy the panasonic
branded filters.





With the zoom ranges these new cameras are capable of, I would suggest
getting a decent filter, at least a Hoya or better, a B&W.
-Rich

thank you guys for your help!

It's also good to know which brands of filters are good.
Once I have the camera delivered, I'll take it to the local store
to try some of the filters out!

Cheers,
Mila

On Wed, 27 Apr 2005, RichA wrote:

On Wed, 27 Apr 2005 03:54:41 GMT, "Ken" wrote:


"David J Taylor" wrote in message
.uk...
Mila Boldareva wrote:
Hi!

I was wondering whether the converter ring that is supplied with
Panasonic FZ3/FZ5 is something standard? Could I use other
manufacturer's filters of the passing diameter, or need it be a
Panasonic filter? I don't have
any objections to Panasonic, I actually don't know much about it, but
it seems quite difficult to get one in NL withpout paying double
price for delivery...

I have polarized glasses and they are cool in the sunlight, so if I
could get a polarized filter on my camera, that would be nice.

cheers,
Mila

Mila,

I don't know the answer to this, but the "55" in the filter name (for the
FZ5) suggests it /might/ be a 55mm filter. In which case, probably any
maufacturer's filter could be used. Perhaps you have a camera shop mearby
where you could check this?

Cheers,
David

Both the FZ3 and FZ5 hood adapters are threaded for 55mm filters.
Any brand filter will do and there is no need to buy the panasonic
branded filters.





With the zoom ranges these new cameras are capable of, I would suggest
getting a decent filter, at least a Hoya or better, a B&W.
-Rich

I got a filter from B&W

Have to warn that the Panasonic lens cap doesn't sit on it anymore.

There is a warning about that in the manual, concerning the native
Panasonic filters (discovered too late) but apparently this holds for more
brands, so you may end up protecting the lens from dust at a risc of
scratching the $30 filter glass (not to mention a more expensive polarizer
filter).

Come to think of it, it's not quite practical to go filters on FZ3/5. The
converter makes the camera cumbersome, it is no more a "smallest superzoom
camera".

If you are ready for all that fuss with carrying the filter kit and the
flower attachement, either strapped on the camera (= much bigger carrying
case) or in the bag (= lotsa movements before you take a shot), you may be
willing to carry a bigger (and better) camera, starting with FZ20....

Greetings,
Mila


On Fri, 29 Apr 2005, Mila Boldareva wrote:


thank you guys for your help!

It's also good to know which brands of filters are good.
Once I have the camera delivered, I'll take it to the local store
to try some of the filters out!

Cheers,
Mila

On Wed, 27 Apr 2005, RichA wrote:

On Wed, 27 Apr 2005 03:54:41 GMT, "Ken" wrote:


"David J Taylor" wrote in message
.uk...
Mila Boldareva wrote:
Hi!

I was wondering whether the converter ring that is supplied with
Panasonic FZ3/FZ5 is something standard? Could I use other
manufacturer's filters of the passing diameter, or need it be a
Panasonic filter? I don't have
any objections to Panasonic, I actually don't know much about it, but
it seems quite difficult to get one in NL withpout paying double
price for delivery...

I have polarized glasses and they are cool in the sunlight, so if I
could get a polarized filter on my camera, that would be nice.

cheers,
Mila

Mila,

I don't know the answer to this, but the "55" in the filter name (for the
FZ5) suggests it /might/ be a 55mm filter. In which case, probably any
maufacturer's filter could be used. Perhaps you have a camera shop mearby
where you could check this?

Cheers,
David

Both the FZ3 and FZ5 hood adapters are threaded for 55mm filters.
Any brand filter will do and there is no need to buy the panasonic
branded filters.





With the zoom ranges these new cameras are capable of, I would suggest
getting a decent filter, at least a Hoya or better, a B&W.
-Rich

Mila Boldareva wrote:

I got a filter from B&W

Have to warn that the Panasonic lens cap doesn't sit on it anymore.

There is a warning about that in the manual, concerning the native
Panasonic filters (discovered too late) but apparently this holds for more
brands, so you may end up protecting the lens from dust at a risc of
scratching the $30 filter glass (not to mention a more expensive polarizer
filter).

Come to think of it, it's not quite practical to go filters on FZ3/5. The
converter makes the camera cumbersome, it is no more a "smallest superzoom
camera".

If you are ready for all that fuss with carrying the filter kit and the
flower attachement, either strapped on the camera (= much bigger carrying
case) or in the bag (= lotsa movements before you take a shot), you may be
willing to carry a bigger (and better) camera, starting with FZ20....

Greetings,
Mila



I am thinking about getting an FZ5. The FZ20 felt too lens heavy and
the balance was not to my liking. I liked the look and feel of the FZ5
better. Are you saying that you have to get a Panasonic Brand Filter
and Polarizer to be able to use the lens cap?


On Fri, 29 Apr 2005, Mila Boldareva wrote:



thank you guys for your help!

It's also good to know which brands of filters are good.
Once I have the camera delivered, I'll take it to the local store
to try some of the filters out!

Cheers,
Mila

On Wed, 27 Apr 2005, RichA wrote:



On Wed, 27 Apr 2005 03:54:41 GMT, "Ken" wrote:



"David J Taylor" wrote in message
.co.uk...


Mila Boldareva wrote:


Hi!

I was wondering whether the converter ring that is supplied with
Panasonic FZ3/FZ5 is something standard? Could I use other
manufacturer's filters of the passing diameter, or need it be a
Panasonic filter? I don't have
any objections to Panasonic, I actually don't know much about it, but
it seems quite difficult to get one in NL withpout paying double
price for delivery...

I have polarized glasses and they are cool in the sunlight, so if I
could get a polarized filter on my camera, that would be nice.

cheers,
Mila


Mila,

I don't know the answer to this, but the "55" in the filter name (for the
FZ5) suggests it /might/ be a 55mm filter. In which case, probably any
maufacturer's filter could be used. Perhaps you have a camera shop mearby
where you could check this?

Cheers,
David


Both the FZ3 and FZ5 hood adapters are threaded for 55mm filters.
Any brand filter will do and there is no need to buy the panasonic
branded filters.






With the zoom ranges these new cameras are capable of, I would suggest
getting a decent filter, at least a Hoya or better, a B&W.
-Rich

H!

I am thinking about getting an FZ5. The FZ20 felt too lens heavy and
the balance was not to my liking. I liked the look and feel of the FZ5
better. Are you saying that you have to get a Panasonic Brand Filter
and Polarizer to be able to use the lens cap?

Nope. It's more or less the opposite. The Panasonic native filters will
not hold the cap, and *this is written in the manual*. Also using both of
the Panas. filters at the same time is not possible, according to the
manual.

B&W filter that I got, doesn't hold the cap either. Close examination
showed that there is not enough depth in the threading, to hold the cap.
The cap does not need threading per-se, but needs a certain depth to hold
itself.

If you you want to use the cap over the filter, you should probably try it
on before buying (eheh, that's the advice I got in the very first reply
in this thread), to make sure the cap stays on. Perhaps, there are
filters that have enough threading (??), e.g. those that can be stacked
one above the other, who knows.

Greetings,
Mila

measekite wrote:
[]
I am thinking about getting an FZ5. The FZ20 felt too lens heavy and
the balance was not to my liking. I liked the look and feel of the
FZ5 better. Are you saying that you have to get a Panasonic Brand
Filter and Polarizer to be able to use the lens cap?

I've been using a 3rd party 55mm polarising filter on the FZ5 without
problems, but I've never attempted to use the lens cap at the same
time....

(By the way, after a week away taking motor racing and general pictures
with the FZ5 I am even nore impressed with this miniature marvel! You
need to set "A" or "S" mode to get exposures of more than 0.25s, and
having to repeated;y "zoom out" to clear a "zoomed in" image preview is an
irritation, but I've been getting pitcures of Formula 1 cars in action I
would not have dreamed possible!

Cheers,
David