Lumix FZ1000 Questions for John Navas

John, it certainly looks like the FZ1000 is a heck of a camera,
and I can see why you like it so much.

Question -- did panasonic allow monitoring the meter while changing
the ISO on the FZ1000? The manual isn't clear, but I'd guess from
what it says, it's not possible. Also, are EC adjustments possible
for AutoISO in manual mode?

--alan

In article ,
John Navas wrote:
In Article
on Wed, 24 Dec 2014 14:45:02 -0800 (PST), John Navas wrote:

Alan Wrote in message:
John, it certainly looks like the FZ1000 is a heck of a camera,
and I can see why you like it so much.

Question -- did panasonic allow monitoring the meter while changing
the ISO on the FZ1000? The manual isn't clear, but I'd guess from
what it says, it's not possible.

When ISO adjustment is engaged, all other information disappears,
so you would have to go back and forth, although that's easy with
the up rocker control.

Also, are EC adjustments possible
for AutoISO in manual mode?

No.

p.s. Tested with the newer 2.0 firmware.
--

:-( That's too bad. (That, and a few other reasons,
are why I gave up on Panasonic.) Otherwise the FZ1000
certainly looks like a nice package.

Thanks for the answer John.

--alan

How is the continuous focus performance? Can you follow focus on
moving subjects, like runners and cyclists? I read the review in DP
Review and they reported that the "tracking" feature didn't work well,
but I'm not sure how that feature translates into real life use. Have
you tried shooting sports with this cam?

On 2014-12-25 18:02:54 +0000, John Navas said:

In Article
on Thu, 25 Dec 2014 09:25:44 -0500, Bowser wrote:

How is the continuous focus performance? Can you follow focus on
moving subjects, like runners and cyclists? I read the review in DP
Review and they reported that the "tracking" feature didn't work well,
but I'm not sure how that feature translates into real life use. Have
you tried shooting sports with this cam?

Action sports are a big part of my photography. (High performance
racing sailboats reach speeds of 30-50 mph)

I don't use Focus Tracking. It may be good for certain things, but
doesn't seem to work well for the kind of action shooting I do.


With events where I have high speed targets making fast passes across
my acquisition field such as at air shows with planes making high speed
low passes, or at a race track where cars are crossing in front of me,
I use AFC and Nikon’s dynamic 51 point 3D-Tracking. That along with
9fps burst I am able to capture some images which would have otherwise
just been dumb luck to make.
The only thing one has to get used to is the AF point jumping around
the frame as you pan with the moving target.

So with some shots I still manage to get a good AF point even if
somewhat extreme;
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1295663/FileChute/screenshot_1101.jpg
…and that permits me to make something useful out of the shot.
https://db.tt/Go2uk1hs

…but more often than not the center AF point is the one which makes the
lock for exposure.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1295663/FileChute/screenshot_1102.jpg
https://db.tt/Z4Y2JeZQ

What I use instead is continuous focus (AFC), 1-area focus, and a
carefully adjusted AF area, with shutter release set to Focus Priority
(so the shutter won't release until focus is achieved). I usually
shoot in M (7 fps) or L (2 fps) Burst Mode with live view.

FZ1000 focus is really fast, and reliable when the subject is in the
focus area. I've gotten very good results with moving subjects,
although it did take a bit of experimentation and practice (just as it
did with the FZ200).

Does that help?


--
Regards,

Savageduck

On Thu, 25 Dec 2014 10:02:54 -0800, John Navas
wrote:

In Article
on Thu, 25 Dec 2014 09:25:44 -0500, Bowser wrote:

How is the continuous focus performance? Can you follow focus on
moving subjects, like runners and cyclists? I read the review in DP
Review and they reported that the "tracking" feature didn't work well,
but I'm not sure how that feature translates into real life use. Have
you tried shooting sports with this cam?

Action sports are a big part of my photography. (High performance
racing sailboats reach speeds of 30-50 mph)

I don't use Focus Tracking. It may be good for certain things, but
doesn't seem to work well for the kind of action shooting I do.

What I use instead is continuous focus (AFC), 1-area focus, and a
carefully adjusted AF area, with shutter release set to Focus Priority
(so the shutter won't release until focus is achieved). I usually
shoot in M (7 fps) or L (2 fps) Burst Mode with live view.

FZ1000 focus is really fast, and reliable when the subject is in the
focus area. I've gotten very good results with moving subjects,
although it did take a bit of experimentation and practice (just as it
did with the FZ200).

Does that help?

Yes, it does, and it sounds like what I have to do with the GH3,
although I suspect the FZ1000 might be a bit faster.

Thanks!

On 12/25/2014 2:17 PM, Savageduck wrote:

snip

With events where I have high speed targets making fast passes across my
acquisition field such as at air shows with planes making high speed low
passes, or at a race track where cars are crossing in front of me, I use
AFC and Nikon’s dynamic 51 point 3D-Tracking. That along with 9fps burst
I am able to capture some images which would have otherwise just been
dumb luck to make.
The only thing one has to get used to is the AF point jumping around the
frame as you pan with the moving target.

So with some shots I still manage to get a good AF point even if
somewhat extreme;
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1295663/FileChute/screenshot_1101.jpg
…and that permits me to make something useful out of the shot.
https://db.tt/Go2uk1hs

…but more often than not the center AF point is the one which makes the
lock for exposure.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1295663/FileChute/screenshot_1102.jpg
https://db.tt/Z4Y2JeZQ


Focus tracking works reasonably well for me with object flying paralllel
to the focus plane.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/97242118/20140114_Pompano%20buttefly%20%20birds_5639.jpg

But I have not been able to get focus lock with with objects comming
toward me. Have you been able to get such captures? My camera is set for
focus tracking I have tried both 11 points and 52 points.



snip
--
PeterN

On Thu, 25 Dec 2014 15:57:32 -0500, PeterN wrote:

On 12/25/2014 2:17 PM, Savageduck wrote:

snip

With events where I have high speed targets making fast passes across my
acquisition field such as at air shows with planes making high speed low
passes, or at a race track where cars are crossing in front of me, I use
AFC and Nikon’s dynamic 51 point 3D-Tracking. That along with 9fps burst
I am able to capture some images which would have otherwise just been
dumb luck to make.
The only thing one has to get used to is the AF point jumping around the
frame as you pan with the moving target.

So with some shots I still manage to get a good AF point even if
somewhat extreme;
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1295663/FileChute/screenshot_1101.jpg
…and that permits me to make something useful out of the shot.
https://db.tt/Go2uk1hs

…but more often than not the center AF point is the one which makes the
lock for exposure.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1295663/FileChute/screenshot_1102.jpg
https://db.tt/Z4Y2JeZQ


Focus tracking works reasonably well for me with object flying paralllel
to the focus plane.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/97242118/20140114_Pompano%20buttefly%20%20birds_5639.jpg

But I have not been able to get focus lock with with objects comming
toward me. Have you been able to get such captures? My camera is set for
focus tracking I have tried both 11 points and 52 points.

Why should you expect focus lock with objects coming towards you?
After all the distance between you is continuously changing.

I found that when, last year, I was photographing the Mosquito I
managed quite well with the D300 and the 80/200 lens I was
consistently successful using single-point continuous-focusing. The
single point helps me aim and the only problem I had was due to camera
shake.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...3-original.jpg is
a 'before' shot.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...3-original.jpg is
after anti-shake sharpening.

However there are other applications where I might use multi zone
focusing, but not with a single steadily moving object.

--

Regards,

Eric Stevens

In article , Eric Stevens
wrote:

Why should you expect focus lock with objects coming towards you?

because cameras support it.

After all the distance between you is continuously changing.

so what?

autofocus keeps the target in focus even as the distance changes.

On 2014-12-25 20:57:32 +0000, PeterN said:

On 12/25/2014 2:17 PM, Savageduck wrote:

snip

With events where I have high speed targets making fast passes across my
acquisition field such as at air shows with planes making high speed low
passes, or at a race track where cars are crossing in front of me, I use
AFC and Nikon’s dynamic 51 point 3D-Tracking. That along with 9fps burst
I am able to capture some images which would have otherwise just been
dumb luck to make.
The only thing one has to get used to is the AF point jumping around the
frame as you pan with the moving target.

So with some shots I still manage to get a good AF point even if
somewhat extreme;
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1295663/FileChute/screenshot_1101.jpg
…and that permits me to make something useful out of the shot.
https://db.tt/Go2uk1hs

…but more often than not the center AF point is the one which makes the
lock for exposure.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1295663/FileChute/screenshot_1102.jpg
https://db.tt/Z4Y2JeZQ


Focus tracking works reasonably well for me with object flying
paralllel to the focus plane.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/97242118/20140114_Pompano%20buttefly%20%20birds_5639.jpg

But

I have not been able to get focus lock with with objects comming toward
me. Have you been able to get such captures? My camera is set for focus
tracking I have tried both 11 points and 52 points.

Those are two entirely different scenarios.

Consider that when the target is moving across the focus plane
left-to-right, right-to-left, the target is moving through the matrix
of 51 AF focus points and at some time in the capture sequence one of
those AF focus points is going to detect an area of contrast and lock
to permit shutter release. I am not anticipating when the target might
be at the point in space where it is going to connect with an AF focus
point before I trip the shutter. I am shooting in continuous burst
mode, and I am relying on the camera’s micro-processor to release the
shutter once focus is attained. it can do that 5-9 times in a second,
but you have to set things up correctly, and you have to adjust your
shooting technique to accommodate those features.

Now for these action shots are you using AF-S, or AF-C?
For the target moving across the focus plane you might get away with
using AF-S since there is not going to be a radical change of distance
between target and the camera.

If the target is moving directly towards, or away from you the change
of distance is truly dynamic and is where the 3D aspect of the AF
3D-Tracking comes into play and must be supplemented by pairing it with
AF-C. Then you will have continuous focusing as the distance between
the camera and target either closes, or expands. The AF focus point is
less likely to change much in that scenario, but it is within the
capability of the feature to make some adjustment.

Success on having a clear, in focus image is going to depend on going
to depend on the AF-C, &/or AF-S priority selection you have made in
the Custom Setting Bank (a: Autofocus).
Your options are Release (when you trip the shutter), Release + Focus,
or Focus. For AF-S I have my camera set to *Focus* and with AF-C it is
set to *Release + Focus*.


--
Regards,

Savageduck

On 2014-12-25 21:47:52 +0000, nospam said:

In article , Eric Stevens
wrote:

Why should you expect focus lock with objects coming towards you?

because cameras support it.

After all the distance between you is continuously changing.

so what?

autofocus keeps the target in focus even as the distance changes.

Not quite.
Once AF-S is locked any distance changes will result in an out of focus image.
If AF-C is enabled it is going to depend on the AF-C priority setting.
If set to *Release* the shutter will release even if focus is not attained.
Set to *Release + Focus* Priority is given to shutter release, but the
camera gives greater priority to focus than frame rate when in
continuous release mode.
Set to *Focus* the shutter will only release once the camera has focused.

There is no guarantee of capturing a shot in focus with AF-S or AF-C,
the Photographer needs to understand how to use either of them properly.

--
Regards,

Savageduck