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Official Panasonic Lumix FZ-150 owners thread

post #1 of 91
4/22/12 at 7:43am
Thread Starter 
Both dpreview and digitalcamerainfo have completed full reviews. This camera is getting good ones.

"Video can be captured in either AVCHD or, for easier editing, MP4. With AVCHD, you can record in full HD (1920 x 1080, including one option in AVCHD progressive) at 60fps, as well as AVCHD Lite at 1280 x 720 at 30fps. In MP4, choices are 1920 x 1080, 1280 x 720 or 640 x 480, all at 30fps."

For photos, it can do RAW and has selections for burst modes to 60 frames per second.

The lens goes from (35mm equivalent) 25 to 600. Anyone a bird watcher?

I'm not sure about the extent of manual control.

Digital Camera Info.com: Panasonic-FZ150

Digital Photography Review.com: Panasonic FZ150

CNET too.

I'm tempted. Should I edit the title to "Official Panasonic FZ-150 Owners Thread"?

Bill
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post #2 of 91
4/22/12 at 8:01am
600 lw/ph even in 1080p60 mode, while the "600", "700", "800" and "900" series of camcorders resolve about 1000 lines?
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post #3 of 91
4/22/12 at 9:04am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ungermann View Post

600 lw/ph even in 1080p60 mode, while the "600", "700", "800" and "900" series of camcorders resolve about 1000 lines?

Aren't you the guy that says 1080p60 does not work as well as 720p30 for general purpose shooting and editing? (grin)

My 700 series Panasonic does not do well at capturing birds or other "wildlife". Even fuzzy ones. The zoom is good, but it would be fun to have more. The 600mm (equivalent) is the appeal to me.

Don't think this fits in a a replacement for the "600", "700", "800" and "900" series. But, maybe as a supplement for my Sony HX9V.

Of course, I should be shooting with a monster lens on a BlackMagic but I don't think I can steal that much from DW's grocery budget. It will be tough enough convince her she needs a new camera with a long zoom.

Bill
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post #4 of 91
4/22/12 at 9:45am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bsprague View Post

Aren't you the guy that says 1080p60 does not work as well as 720p30 for general purpose shooting and editing? (grin)

Um, no. I do like 720p and I think that 720p60 has plenty enough resolution and less artifacts considering low bitrate AVCHD uses (CCInfo several times referred to gargantuan file sizes, seriously? It is only 28 Mbit/s, not 100 Mbit/s or 220 Mbit/s). But 720p30 is not a standard mode, it is not officially supported by Blu-ray and AVCHD and neither in broadcast, so it should be packaged into 720p60 with frame repeat. What is the point then? I'd rather have 720p60 from the get go and convert it to 30p if I wanted YouTube-friendly frame rate.

Anyway, my point was that if the camera offers 1080p60 it better show some serious detail, and if I read the review correctly, it does not. The 5-year old HV20 has higher resolution in interlaced mode recorded as HDV. It may be better than many other still cams and DSLRs in this regard, so if one wants a single camera both for video and stills it may be a way to go.

P.S. I would seriously consider this camera if it had manual focus ring and 24p. But apparently Panasonic does not want to hurt its other models, including the professional ones by offering pro features on a consumer digicam.
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post #5 of 91
4/22/12 at 9:58am
This looks pitiful on my computer, maybe I need to update Flash Player? But other YouTube videos look fine. This one stutters, horizontal lines shimmer, resolution is low by HD camcorder standards, and look at the edge enhancement. Also something is wrong with stabilization, for handheld it looks too stable, for locked off it looks too wobbly. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2h4tKsfQ63M

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post #6 of 91
4/22/12 at 11:24am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ungermann View Post

.....P.S. I would seriously consider this camera if it had manual focus ring and 24p. But apparently Panasonic does not want to hurt its other models, including the professional ones by offering pro features on a consumer digicam.

I think the appeal for super zoom models like this is that they can be in a small package, go everywhere and capture a lot of what's good. There is a difference between setting your day's goal to shooting near perfect video, with absolute control over everything and without distraction compared to spending the day with wife, family and friends while you try to get some good shots without disturbing the social situation too much.

We all deserve at least two cameras! This one seems to apply to one of those situations, not the other.

Bill
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post #7 of 91
4/22/12 at 11:43am
[quote=Ungermann;21937422]This looks pitiful on my computer, maybe I need to update Flash Player? But other YouTube videos look fine. This one stutters, horizontal lines shimmer, resolution is low by HD camcorder standards, and look at the edge enhancement. Also something is wrong with stabilization, for handheld it looks too stable, for locked off it looks too wobbly.

U-mann, agreed. That's a terrible clip. This is a much better example of what the camera can do, compared with m4/3 and APS-C sensors:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn3Vd8zbGbM

Bill - you might find this useful - when my wife wanted to stop carrying around a DSLR (Nikon D50) and wanted to add video to her repertoire, I was able to convince her that the FZ150 was what she needed. The great thing was that I was telling the truth :-)

And yes, the camera has full manual control of stills and video.

Cheers,

Bill
Hybrid Camera Revolution
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post #8 of 91
4/22/12 at 4:42pm
Thread Starter 
Bill (brunerww),

Your picture/link doesn't come through. Broken link or something.

Bill (bsprague)
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post #9 of 91
4/22/12 at 7:29pm
Thanks, Bill S.!

Bill B.
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post #10 of 91
4/23/12 at 1:33am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OK7uoV5OtfU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGVqkvnJqnY
mm i have one as well as a GH2 and the FZ150 takes good stills but moderate video,the low resolution is a pain,the the camera is good for wildlife with its 600mm lens plus 1.3x i zoom which on video seems pretty lossless and with the 1.7 add on lens i have thats a total of 1350mm i think.
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post #11 of 91
4/23/12 at 7:53am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by flintyplus View Post

..... with its 600mm lens plus 1.3x i zoom which on video seems pretty lossless and with the 1.7 add on lens i have thats a total of 1350mm i think.

That's exactly what my DW (dear wife) needs!

And, since this thread seems to have an owner or two on it, as OP I changed the title.

Bill
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post #12 of 91
4/23/12 at 12:15pm
Quote:


as OP I changed the title.

Glad to see the new title!

Here I am , One more happy owner of this cam
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post #13 of 91
4/23/12 at 12:50pm
Yahoooo!!!
I will be a regular here I have traded TM700 to FZ150.
Here is a couple of test videos:
Outdoor - https://vimeo.com/37031159
Indoor - https://vimeo.com/37124272

I have FZ150 for a few month already.
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post #14 of 91
4/23/12 at 1:07pm
Quote:


Indoor - https://vimeo.com/37124272

The video looks good. Did you use the iauto mode or manual ??

The cam does great for me in good light but i had one indoor video that turned out very bad even though the light was fairly good. What settings do you recommend for indoor shooting ?
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post #15 of 91
4/23/12 at 4:18pm
Thread Starter 
I count four owners and a couple of lurkers so far! Would I count as an owner if I bought one for my DW?
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post #16 of 91
4/24/12 at 12:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bsprague View Post

I count four owners and a couple of lurkers so far! Would I count as an owner if I bought one for my DW?


Sure - that's the only reason I qualify
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post #17 of 91
4/24/12 at 1:40am
No one comented on my Deer film using the 1.3x i zoom and 1.7x add on lens miserable lot
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post #18 of 91
4/24/12 at 5:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by techspark View Post

The video looks good. Did you use the iauto mode or manual ??

The cam does great for me in good light but i had one indoor video that turned out very bad even though the light was fairly good. What settings do you recommend for indoor shooting ?


Full iA. I have tried different settings for indoor and so far iA works the best. In some cases I shoot with -0.3 EV. I am recording planty of youth hockey games and like to set camera to "happy colors", but this is matter of preference and some people find videos over saturated.
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post #19 of 91
4/24/12 at 5:50am
Hi, I have TM700 and FZ150.
Both record AVCHD. File from TM700 comes like *.mt2s, FZ150 - *.AVCHD.
I use PowerDirector 9/10 for editing. My PC is Quad4/2.66, 8GB RAM.

I have no problems editing files from TM700. Files from FZ150 longer then 30 sec. are really hard to process. PD9 just chockes. PD10 takes forever to trim.
Then I do trims and splits and then trimmed/splitted files get rendered - I could get black screens.
Ideas?
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post #20 of 91
4/24/12 at 6:06am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by flintyplus View Post

No one comented on my Deer film using the 1.3x i zoom and 1.7x add on lens miserable lot

I watched it and, as a result, spent a couple hours trying to figure out that 1.7x lens.

I watched it in 1080p and was impressed. The deer themselves were kind of boring. Where I live, many consider them overgrown rats that destroy gardens. The colors and textures displayed on my laptop well.

I found the lens on Panasonic's web site as a listed accessory for the 150. I found it on Amazon for $180, but the 150 was not on the list of appropriate cameras there. I could not find how it is mounted, but there was a "mounting tube" shown with it. How do you attach it to the camera?

Was it attached for the entire video? And, at what parts of the video were you at maximum camera zoom with the 1.7x attached. What did it take to hold it steady at maximum zoom with 1.7x attached.

Thanks.

Bill
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post #21 of 91
4/24/12 at 6:38am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by bobk77 View Post

Hi, I have TM700 and FZ150.
Both record AVCHD. File from TM700 comes like *.mt2s, FZ150 - *.AVCHD.
I use PowerDirector 9/10 for editing. My PC is Quad4/2.66, 8GB RAM.

I have no problems editing files from TM700. Files from FZ150 longer then 30 sec. are really hard to process. PD9 just chockes. PD10 takes forever to trim.
Then I do trims and splits and then trimmed/splitted files get rendered - I could get black screens.
Ideas?

I'm going to guess that the files causing the choking are 1080p60 (or 50) and are huge. Could it be you had the TM700 set on a lesser 1080i setting?

Another guess is the PD project settings. I know nothing about PD10, but on my editing software it is recommended that, at the beginning of a project, you set it so the project is working in a format that matches the input files. Getting the right setting will reduce the real time processing necessary for you to view your clips as you work. The project setting is not the output rendering setting that is used to create the product for YouTube, a DVD, computer file, etc.

Bill
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post #22 of 91
4/24/12 at 7:03am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bsprague View Post

I'm going to guess that the files causing the choking are 1080p60 (or 50) and are huge. Could it be you had the TM700 set on a lesser 1080i setting?

Another guess is the PD project settings. I know nothing about PD10, but on my editing software it is recommended that, at the beginning of a project, you set it so the project is working in a format that matches the input files. Getting the right setting will reduce the real time processing necessary for you to view your clips as you work. The project setting is not the output rendering setting that is used to create the product for YouTube, a DVD, computer file, etc.

Bill

Bill

Bill,

I always record 1080 60p with both. I can trim 5 min. long file from TM and would chock PC with 40 sec. clip from FZ. Weird, isn’t it?
I have to check project settings on PD, but I believe it sets default based on input file.
There is always something
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post #23 of 91
4/24/12 at 7:14am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by bobk77 View Post

Weird, isn't it?

Another guess: You might try changing changing the file name from a *.AVCHD to a *.mts or *.m2ts. I've never had to do it, but once my computer did it for me. I was playing with DOS batch copy from the command prompt and result was different than the source. My editor didn't seem to care.
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post #24 of 91
4/24/12 at 7:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bsprague View Post

Another guess: You might try changing changing the file name from a *.AVCHD to a *.mts or *.m2ts. I've never had to do it, but once my computer did it for me. I was playing with DOS batch copy from the command prompt and result was different than the source. My editor didn't seem to care.

OK- we have a lacrosse game to play/record Sunday (weather permitted) and I'll try this idea. Thanks
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post #25 of 91
4/24/12 at 8:00am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bsprague View Post

I watched it and, as a result, spent a couple hours trying to figure out that 1.7x lens.

I watched it in 1080p and was impressed. The deer themselves were kind of boring. Where I live, many consider them overgrown rats that destroy gardens. The colors and textures displayed on my laptop well.

I found the lens on Panasonic's web site as a listed accessory for the 150. I found it on Amazon for $180, but the 150 was not on the list of appropriate cameras there. I could not find how it is mounted, but there was a "mounting tube" shown with it. How do you attach it to the camera?

Was it attached for the entire video? And, at what parts of the video were you at maximum camera zoom with the 1.7x attached. What did it take to hold it steady at maximum zoom with 1.7x attached.

Thanks.

Bill

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-DM.../dp/B000HCL6BS
http://www.fotosense.co.uk/panasonic...FUkMtAodSysVZQ
both are needed,the 1.7 lens works with i zoom as well giving another 1.3x 1350mm total zoom,yes it was attached for the entire video the real close ups probobly had i zoom as well.A good tripod like a velbon 600 is best but on this day where i had a lot of walking i only used my lighter tripod,as you say the colors are not bad i just wish it had sharper footage but for long range wildlife it will do me for now.PS i love deer
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post #26 of 91
4/24/12 at 8:23am
I dont know why the lens is never shown as an option for the FZ150 but it is.
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post #27 of 91
4/24/12 at 9:10am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by bobk77 View Post

Hi, I have TM700 and FZ150.
Both record AVCHD. File from TM700 comes like *.mt2s, FZ150 - *.AVCHD.
I use PowerDirector 9/10 for editing. My PC is Quad4/2.66, 8GB RAM.

I have no problems editing files from TM700. Files from FZ150 longer then 30 sec. are really hard to process. PD9 just chockes. PD10 takes forever to trim.
Then I do trims and splits and then trimmed/splitted files get rendered - I could get black screens.
Ideas?

Maybe there is a clue from Panasonic's website: "For higher compatibility with PC, the DMC-FZ150 is capable of recording video in MP4 format in addition to the AVCHD. It is possible to directly play back the video recorded in MP4 on PC or other portable electronic devices without extra conversion. Resolution can be selected among 1,920 x 1,080 (20Mbps), 1,280 x 720 (10Mbps), 640 x 480 (4Mbps), all at 30p (NTSC). "
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post #28 of 91
4/24/12 at 9:11am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by flintyplus View Post

I dont know why the lens is never shown as an option for the FZ150 but it is.

Click the accessories tab at: shop.panasonic.com
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post #29 of 91
4/24/12 at 11:16am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bsprague View Post

Maybe there is a clue from Panasonic's website: "For higher compatibility with PC, the DMC-FZ150 is capable of recording video in MP4 format in addition to the AVCHD. It is possible to directly play back the video recorded in MP4 on PC or other portable electronic devices without extra conversion. Resolution can be selected among 1,920 x 1,080 (20Mbps), 1,280 x 720 (10Mbps), 640 x 480 (4Mbps), all at 30p (NTSC). "

I don't want MP4 to begin with. There is a REAL differnce in video quality.
Also I do slow-mo for hockey/lacrosse videos and final results are much better with 60p.
PD10 allows to render 1080 60p video and PS3 plays them well.
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post #30 of 91
4/24/12 at 11:24am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bobk77 View Post

Hi, I have TM700 and FZ150.
Both record AVCHD. File from TM700 comes like *.mt2s, FZ150 - *.AVCHD.

Seriously, they come with AVCHD file extension? Have Panasonic single-handedly updated AVCHD spec? Anyway, could you upload a short (but reasonably long to choke in PD) native clip somewhere? I am just curious what MediaInfo will say and how Vegas will handle it.
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