There’s a right way and a wrong way to clean your camera lens. Naturally, we’re going to show you the wrong way.
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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Note: This is an updated version of an article originally published in Fall 2019. Assessments of print quality and delivery times have been carried over from that article.
Believe it or not, there are still people that like to print out their photos and create photo books to send gifts to family members. There seem to be more options than ever when it comes to online printing services, which makes choosing one a bit overwhelming.
We tested out five popular online printing companies and assessed them based on their ease of service, price, turnaround time and most importantly, print consistency/paper quality.
We placed an order for three 8×10 and three 4×6 prints on the same day (October 23rd, 2019) from Snapfish, Amazon Photos*, Shutterfly, MPix, and Printique (formerly known as AdoramaPix). We used the automatic ‘smart crop’ feature on each website when preparing the prints and, when it was possible, requested that the image be printed on Lustre paper. All prints were shipped with the economy shipping option.
Now let’s take a closer look at each of these print services including the process of ordering, the speed of delivery, the condition prints arrived and the overall quality of our purchase.
*FULL DISCLOSURE: DPReview.com is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Amazon. We are editorially independent of our parent company.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Oh hi, didn’t see you there! Welcome to the DPReview Virtual Camera Museum.
Feel free to look around, we have an impressive collection. Down this hall you’ll find Unique Cameras from the Dawn of Digital Photography. And beyond that is the Samsung NX1 Memorial Garden – it’s really lovely this time of year. But you’re probably here to see our special exhibit: the Digital Camera Hall of Shame.
Please note that the museum is not responsible for any emotional damage caused by this exhibit, and the curators would like to stress that it is meant in good humor. At least the manufacturers featured here were trying to do something different with their cameras – not just the usual black-or-silver-rectangle with a lens on the front. They just missed the mark, in our opinion.
As you navigate the exhibit you’ll notice a progression from what we consider minor infractions – mere lapses of judgement – at the beginning, to the most egregious transgressions in camera design history towards the end.
Take your time, and please fill out the survey at the end and let us know if you’d rank them differently!
Here you’ll find a range of design missteps from manufacturers trying to break free of the mold. Don’t worry, they’re harmless.
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These cameras dared to do something different and look different. They aren’t all-out abominations, they’re just a little… unusual.
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As Werner Herzog once said of WrestleMania, “A poet must not avert his eyes.”
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Thanks for visiting! Do take a moment to answer the survey below, and fill out a comment card to let us know what exhibits you’d like to see us host in the future. Our curators are always listening!
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Nikon has announced a new ‘Creator’s Kit’ for its Nikon Z50 camera system that’s designed to create an all-in-one solution to get shooting, streaming and recording right out of the box at a price less than the sum of its parts.
The Nikon Z50 Creator’s Kit includes the Z50 camera body, the Nikkor Z DX 16–50mm F3.5–6.3 VR lens, a SmallRig Vlogging Mounting Plate, a Joby GorillaPod 3K and a Rode VideoMicro microphone, all of which comes in a Nikon-branded travel bag. Along with the hardware, Nikon includes free access to its ‘Creator’s Mindset: Creating Video Content with the Z 50’ online class.
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If all of the items were purchased individually (not including the bag or course), the total would add up to roughly $ 1,400, give or take for taxes and other additional costs. The Nikon Z50 Creator’s Kit costs $ 1,149.95 and is currently available to pre-order on Nikon’s store, with an estimated shipping date of Thursday, May 21.
Nikon also notes this kit (alongside its other camera systems) can be used as a webcam setup with various third-party hardware and software. To help get you started, Nikon has created a dedicated page to using your Nikon camera system as a webcam rig.
Press release:
Today, Nikon Inc. announced the new Nikon Z 50 Creator’s Kit – an essential toolkit for creators, bloggers, vloggers, DIYers and travelers who want to explore the limits of their creativity and share their stories in a unique way.
The Nikon Z 50 Creator’s Kit pairs the versatile Z 50 mirrorless camera with must-have video accessories to create an all-in-one bundle to match user’s creative potential:
The Nikon Z 50 Creator’s Kit will be available starting on Thursday, May 21 for $ 1,149.95.
Additionally, the Z 50 Creator’s Kit can be used as a webcam using optional third-party video capture software. For more information and to learn how to do this, please visit here. For those looking to explore the endless possibilities of what they can create with the Nikon Z 50 Creator’s Kit, check out Nikon’s selection of ever-changing and inspiring content on NikonUSA.com/CreatorsHour.
If you have any questions or need more information, please let us know.
Sincerely,
Your Friends at Nikon Inc.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Sony has informed DPReview that it will be extending its Sony Imaging PRO Support platform for all members for an additional six months due to the ‘current global situation.’
No press release was issued, but in an email shared with DPReview (embedded below) via a spokesperson, Sony says PRO Support members will have an extra six months of service added free of charge, immediately and automatically. These services include dedicated U.S. Phone support, expedited repair turnaround time, repair loaners, evaluation loaners, camera maintenance and more.
Sony says its PRO Support members ‘are among [its] most loyal customers [and it wants] you to know how much [it] values you being a part of Sony’s Imaging family.’
Email:
As a PRO Support member, you are among our most loyal customers and we want you to know how much we value you being part of Sony’s Imaging family.
With the current global situation, we are taking steps to ensure we are supporting all of our customers during these difficult times. For all Pro Support members like yourself, we are automatically extending membership for an additional 6 months, free of charge.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Fuji X-Photographer Kim Farrelly recently published a video explaining how to use a mirrorless or DSLR camera as a webcam with Zoom without using a capture card. The tutorial is only applicable to macOS, enabling photographers who are now working from home to utilize the camera hardware they already own rather than having to purchase a standalone webcam, which are increasingly hard to find.
Though the tutorial may seem a bit intimidating to users who are less tech-savvy, it’s fairly simple. Firstly, users are advised to check whether their camera supports tethering and live view, something that can be done on the Capture One website.
Assuming the camera does support these functions, the user must first download Zoom followed by XCODE from Apple onto their computer using the following command in the Terminal application:
After Xcode is installed, use the following command in terminal to open up access to use external cameras with Zoom:
The path in the second line of code must be the same as the path where Zoom is installed on the Mac. By installing Xcode and executing these two lines of code, Farrelly explains that Zoom will be able to use external webcams — or, in this case, a mirrorless or DSLR camera.
The process requires two additional applications called Camera Live and CamTwist, in that order, as well as a USB cable for tethering the camera to the computer. Farrelly explains that Camera Live version 13 works “100%” with his Fuji X-T2, but it’s unclear whether this version is needed for every camera model.
Farrelly walks viewers through this entire process, including some notes and links in the video’s description on the processes that will ‘piggyback’ each application so that the camera can ultimately be used as a webcam for Zoom video calls. Viewers who experimented with the process also dropped some additional tips, such as adding a zoom effect in CamTwist in order to remove the black bars from the video feed.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Nikon Corporation has issued a statement to investors warning the company ‘expects to post extraordinary losses’ for its 2020 fiscal year (FY2020) that ended on March 31, 2020, and has subsequently made a revision to the financial forecast ahead of the upcoming release of the results on May 28.
If Canon’s latest financial results were anything to go by, it was inevitable Nikon’s were going to look even worse. While we don’t have the exact numbers yet, Nikon has preemptively warned investors that it won’t be pretty. In a document titled ‘Notice Regarding Recognition of Extraordinary Losses and Reversal of Deferred Tax Assets in Non-Consolidated Financial Statements,’ Nikon says the following:
‘Using the future plan that reflects the impact and more caused by the spread of COVID-19 to business activities, the Company has assessed an indication that fixed assets may be impaired, performed valuation of financial assets, and examined the recoverability of deferred tax assets.’
Put more simply, Nikon is saying the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused much of its business to slow or stop production in its facilities and dramatically reduced sales, leading to a drop in value of its production line and equipment. In turn for reducing the value of these departments, Nikon will be able to reduce its taxable income equal to the amount it’s decreased the value of these divisions. Nikon specifically references its Imaging Product Business, saying it is posting a 5.7 billion yen impairment loss.
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| A worker pieces together a custom sensor rig for testing in Nikon’s Sendai factory. |
In addition to the above notice, Nikon has also published revisions to its projections for the forthcoming FY2020 results. As you might expect, the numbers are down dramatically.
Nikon expects revenue and operating profits to be 591 billion yen and 6 billion yen, respectively, a decrease of 4.7 percent and 70 percent, respectively, compared to Nikon’s previous forecasts. Nikon notes these figures are amplified due to the ‘recognition of impairment losses of 11.1 billion yen’ mentioned above. Nikon specifically notes the 7.5 billion yen in impairment losses for its Imaging Products Business is ‘mainly for property, plant and equipment and intangible assets.’
Summed up, Nikon is expecting much less revenue from its Imaging Products Business and other divisions due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and as a result, it’s devaluing the assets of those divisions to account for the income said divisions won’t be making in an effort to reduce its tax liability. Put even more simply, Nikon is being clever with its accounting to help cushion the financial blow from what is shaping up to be a rough year.
Just how rough remains to be seen, but we’ll know for certain on May 28, when the full results are released.
Notices:
NIKON CORPORATION (hereinafter “the Company”) expects to post extraordinary losses and to reverse a part of deferred tax assets in its non-consolidated financial statements, which are prepared in accordance with Japanese GAAP, for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020.
Using the future plan that reflects the impact and more caused by the spread of COVID-19 to business activities, the Company has assessed an indication that fixed assets may be impaired, performed valuation of financial assets, and examined the recoverability of deferred tax assets.
As a result, the Company has decided to post an impairment loss of 5.7 billion yen for the fixed assets held by Imaging Product Business. And for Nikon Metrology NV, the Company’s consolidated subsidiary, a loss on valuation of the investments in subsidiaries and affiliates and provision for loss on business of subsidiaries and affiliates will be recognized 6.7 billion yen and 9.2 billion yen, respectively. The Company has also decided to reverse a part of deferred tax assets and post deferred tax expenses of 20.6 billion yen. However, the losses associated with the subsidiary mentioned above will have no impact on the consolidated financial results, as those losses will be eliminated in the consolidated financial statements.
This is to announce that the consolidated financial forecast announced on February 6, 2020 is revised as below, reflecting our recent business performance trend, and to disclose that impairment losses are expected to be recognized.
1. Revision of the Consolidated Financial Forecast
Revised Consolidated Financial Forecast for the Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2020 (From April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020)
2. Reason for Revision of the Consolidated Financial Forecast
Decrease in revenue is expected due to factors such as the delay in installations of FPD lithography system, affected by the spread of COVID-19. In addition, operating profit, profit before income taxes and profit attributable to owners of the parent are also expected to be lower than the previous forecast due to the recognition of impairment losses of 11.1 billion yen for non-current assets, as indicated below in “3. The Recognition of Impairment Losses.”
Based on these situations, the consolidated financial forecast announced on February 6, 2020 is revised as above.
3. Recognition of Impairment Losses
For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020, indication of impairment for non-current assets was examined based on its future utilization and the impact caused by the spread of COVID-19 on business operations. As a result of measuring the recoverable amount of the cash-generating units in which impairment was indicated, a sufficient recoverable amount was not estimated in the Imaging Products Business and the Industrial Metrology Business and Others. Therefore, impairment losses of 11.1 billion yen are to be recognized. In the Imaging Products Business, impairment losses of 7.5 billion yen mainly for property, plant and equipment and intangible assets are to be recognized. In the Industrial Metrology Business and Others, impairment losses of 3.6 billion yen mainly for goodwill, property, plant and equipment and intangible assets are to be recognized.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
The post Non-Photographic Activities To Improve Your Photography Without Leaving Home appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.
What makes a good photograph? Is it more about the form or the content? The great photographer Cartier Bresson once said, “to photograph: it is to put on the same line of sight the head, the eye, and the heart.” So, here are some suggested activities to improve your photography by exercising your mind.
There are lots of things you can do to improve your photography without leaving home – from getting inspiration and exercising your analytical perception to gaining introspection to focus your mind. In this article, you’ll find some ideas to get you going.
Being stuck at home doesn’t mean you can’t visit a museum anywhere in the world. Using Google Arts & Culture, you can take virtual tours of some of the biggest museums. Also, you can zoom into the masterpieces; seeing details you could never appreciate in person.
If virtual museums aren’t enough for you, check out a library. They also hold valuable heritage and have much of it available online. One of the biggest ones is the World Digital Library from UNESCO. Here, you can get free access to thousands of books, documents, and photos from all over the world.
If traditional searches aren’t giving you what you need, look for some innovative thinking. Thanks to current technology, you can get inspired using an unusual starting point. For example, with “Color Palette” you can look for artworks that share the same colors.
Another favorite of mine is “From a picture to a thousand stories.” It helps you find books through words or concepts.
If you prefer the behind-the-scenes to the artwork itself, follow podcasts with artist talks. For example, Dialogues where “Each episode pairs two exceptional makers and thinkers.”
Also, look for the different initiatives museums around the globe have launched during this time, like #StayAtHomeStedelijk, that features mini-documentaries.
Artistic disciplines often complement each other because of the different skills you develop by practicing them. One of the most direct links is between drawing and photography.
Learning to draw is an activity that improves your photography because it teaches you to actually see what’s in front of you. It also allows you to analyze how light interacts with objects of different shapes and materials.
For example, this will come in handy when you’re setting up studio lighting.
Understanding shadows also helps you when you’re making photo-composites. That is because you need coherent shadows to fully integrate the subject into the background. You also need to consider how it will affect the other subjects to get a realistic result. Drawing can help you understand all of this.
There are many techniques and traditions for meditation. There’s no right or wrong way to do it in this case. Just choose the one that works for you.
Some of the benefits of meditation include self-awareness, a decrease of anxiety, and therefore increased perception.
All of these are good things for you to focus on your photographic practice and unleash creativity.
Sometimes you can’t even think of a good idea for your next project; other times you can’t find the right angle for a certain topic. This is often the result of a busy life that won’t give you time to reflect because it requires action.
If you work at uncluttering your mind, you may find it easier to overcome these blocks. A related activity that covers both mind and body is yoga, so you can consider doing that as well.
Artistic and intellectual gatherings have taken place to fuel some of the greatest movements throughout history. So, why wouldn’t it be a good activity to improve your photography? The idea is, that through conversation, you can exchange knowledge and refine ideas.
Thanks to current technology, you don’t have to leave your house to meet like-minded people or receive feedback on your projects.
Even reflecting on current events with other artists may influence your work.
Look for Facebook groups, discussion blogs, or even host your own salons with your colleagues via video conferences. The possibilities are endless.
There’s a number of activities to improve your photography that don’t necessarily imply making a photograph. If you find yourself without the possibility of leaving the house or picking up your camera, use this time to exercise your mind. You’ll notice the difference the next time you go out to shoot.
Share in the comments section any other activities to improve your photography that you find useful.
The post Non-Photographic Activities To Improve Your Photography Without Leaving Home appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.
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All product photography by Dan Bracaglia
The Panasonic FZ1000 II is a 20-megapixel long-zoom bridge camera aimed at enthusiasts. With snappy performance and a bright, far-reaching 16x optical zoom lens, it offers a lot of versatility in a fairly compact, travel-friendly package. And for bonus points, it can also record 4K video.
The Panasonic FZ1000 II is available at an MSRP of $ 899.99 USD. Street prices at the time of writing are in the region of $ 800 USD.
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Having 400mm of reach on tap gives you plenty of opportunities to capture the details as well as the overall picture. Out-of-camera JPEG. |
The FZ1000 II aims to provide a one-size-fits-all solution yielding tons of versatility and excellent image quality, but without the bulk and hassle of an interchangeable-lens camera and lenses. And without a bulky camera bag full of extra lenses, the idea is that you’ll be able to get the shot in almost any shooting situation.
As a good all-rounder, it’s a solid option for the family documentarian
From a generous 25mm-equivalent wide-angle all the way to 400mm-equivalent telephoto – and whether shooting distant subjects or macros from as close as one inch or 2.5cm (at the widest end of the lens) – the FZ1000 II’s bright F2.8-4 stabilized lens caters to all manner of subjects and shooting styles. And since it’s paired to a swift and relatively large 1″-type image sensor, you can expect good burst performance and good image quality, even in low light.
The Panasonic FZ1000 II’s combination of versatility and portability make it a great choice for travel, nature and casual sports photographers. As a good all-rounder, it’s also a solid option for the family photographer or documentarian. It has relatively few rivals, with the nearest of these being its predecessors and Sony’s popular RX10-series, although they differ in some important ways.
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| Panasonic’s updated JPEG engine churns out really nice colors and pretty good detail – plus, 400mm of reach guarantees you some subject separation (otherwise known as bokeh-liciousness) even on a 1″-type sensor. Out-of-camera JPEG. ISO 160 | 1/60 sec | F4 | 400mm equiv. |
| Panasonic FZ1000 II | Sony RX10 IV | Sony RX10 III | Panasonic FZ2500 | Panasonic FZ1000 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSRP (at launch) | $ 899 | $ 1699 | $ 1499 | $ 1199 | $ 899 |
| Sensor | 20MP 1″-type BSI- CMOS | 20MP 1″-type stacked CMOS | 20MP 1″-type stacked CMOS | 20MP 1″-type BSI-CMOS | 20MP 1″-type BSI-CMOS |
| Lens (35mm equivalent) | 25-400mm F2.8-4 | 24-600mm F2.4-4 | 24-600mm F2.4-4 | 24-480mm F2.8-4.5 | 25-400mm F2.8-4 |
| Built-in ND filter | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| AF system | Contrast detect | Phase detect | Contrast detect | Contrast detect | Contrast detect |
| LCD | 3″ 1.24M-dot fully articulating | 3″ 1.23M-dot tilting | 3″ 1.23M-dot tilting | 3″ 1.04M-dot fully articulating | 3″ 921k-dot fully articulating |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Burst rate (with AF) | 7 fps | 24 fps | 5 fps | 7 fps | 7 fps |
| Video | 4K/30p, cropped | 4K/30p | 4K/30p | 4K/30p, cropped | 4K/30p, cropped |
| Wi-Fi | Yes, with NFC and Bluetooth | Yes, with NFC and Bluetooth | Yes, with NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Battery life (CIPA) | 440 shots | 400 shots | 420 shots | 350 shots | 360 shots |
| Dimensions | 136 x 97 x 132 mm | 133 x 94 x 145mm | 133 x 94 x 127mm | 138 x 102 x 135 mm | 137 x 99 x 131mm |
| Weight | 808 g | 1095 g | 1051 g | 915 g | 831 g |
Compared to its predecessor, the FZ1000 II is a largely similar camera with some worthwhile control and handling improvements, a more generous buffer and a much more attractive menu system.
The sister model Panasonic FZ2500, meanwhile, is a better choice for movie shooters with an even longer-zooming, albeit slower lens with separate focus and zoom rings and, crucially, a two-stop neutral density filter built in. The FZ2500 also gains log shooting, better quality HDMI-out features and the option for wider Cinema 4K capture for higher-end users. However, its lens underperformed in our testing. For $ 100 less, the FZ1000 II has noticeably better battery life, is a touch lighter and has Bluetooth connectivity for faster pairing to download images to your smart device.
Full-frame equivalent maximum apertures across respective zoom ranges for the FZ1000 II and its nearest peers. Smaller numbers are better.
As for Sony’s Cyber-shot RX10-series, both the RX10 III and RX10 IV are significantly more expensive than the Panasonic FZ1000 II but they have longer zooms which are brighter than the FZ1000 II at their wide ends. Optically, they’re superior overall with sharper results on the wide and telephoto ends and generally more consistent across-the-frame quality (dig deeper with our bridge camera lens shootout on page 2). They’re also smaller and offer better video quality with more video capture tools and features, too. Perhaps most significantly, the RX10 IV comes with on-sensor phase detection autofocus and far higher burst rates; the FZ1000 II’s autofocus is great for general use, but its performance and modest burst speeds aren’t a match for the Sony for sports and action.
If you’re after something more compact and can live without the bright maximum aperture, you may also want to consider the even more compact Panasonic ZS200 / TZ200, ZS100 / TZ100 or Sony RX100 VI or VII instead. Lastly, if you’re after the most zoom you can get, you might look at the likes of Nikon’s P950 or P1000, which give you insane reach but utilize smaller sensors, and therefore outright image quality won’t match what the FZ1000 II is capable of.
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| While the FZ1000 II’s lens isn’t quite a match sharpness-wise for Sony’s RX10 III and IV, it does get you a good amount of detail throughout the zoom range. Out-of-camera JPEG. ISO 125 | 1/400 sec | F4 | 300mm equiv. |
Although it sports a new, modestly-restyled body with several new or redesigned controls, the Panasonic FZ1000 II is largely the same camera as its predecessor in terms of its imaging pipeline. The sensor size and resolution are unchanged, and so too is the lens which sits afront that sensor, in all respects but one: its aperture iris can now stop down to F11 across the zoom range, where that in its predecessor was limited to F8.
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Instead of being a brand new camera from the ground up, this is a honing of an already-impressive one. On the outside, Panasonic has added a new front control dial, as well as three new function buttons on the left of the lens, which replace the FZ1000’s lens ring and stabilization switches.
The bottommost button defaults to a new ‘zoom compose assist’ function which racks the zoom towards wide-angle while the button is pressed to help you relocate your subject, then zooms back in as soon as you let go. This is handy, but would be even more so if the lens zoomed a little faster, as it takes about 3.5 seconds to traverse the full range in both directions.
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Around back, the viewfinder now has slightly higher magnification, and the tilt/swivel display is the same resolution as before but uses a new panel that should be brighter and more efficient. But neither change is significant enough that you’d notice without comparing both cameras side-by-side.
What you will notice, however, is that the LCD is now a touch-screen, and the menu system is both better organized and more modern looking. And modern niceties like Bluetooth connectivity and in-camera USB charging have been added to the spec sheet.
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| Out-of-camera JPEG. ISO 125 | 1/60 sec | F8 | 400mm equiv. |
The remaining changes are all on the software side. There are two new black and white photo styles we’ve seen on other recent Panasonic cameras – L.Monochrome and L.Monochrome D – and new focus and aperture bracketing functions as well.
Panasonic has also extended its ‘4K Photo’ modes, which grab or generate photos from short video clips. In-camera ‘post-focus’ lets you pick where you want the plane of focus to be after the photo has been taken, and focus-stacking will work in-camera to stack multiple planes of focus so that, particularly with macro work, all is in accurate focus. There are also 30-frame pre-burst functions, as well as auto marking and sequence composition functions, the basics of which we cover here.
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| The FZ1000 II’s JPEG engine deals pretty well with high-dynamic-range scenes, but processing the Raw files is your best bet to really maximize image quality. Out-of-camera JPEG. ISO 125 | 1/80 sec | F3.8 | 25mm equiv. |
I’ve been a big fan of large-sensor, long-zoom cameras ever since I reviewed the first in the category, the Sony Cyber-shot RX10, back in 2013. And when I followed that up with a review of the original FZ1000, I called it an ‘exceptionally fun camera to shoot with’, and said that while the then-flagship Sony RX10 had much to recommend it, including its superior lens and video quality and tools, I’d personally choose the Panasonic of the two if spending my own hard-earned cash.
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After a long five-plus year wait, I’m thrilled to have finally gotten hands-on with the Panasonic FZ1000 II, and doubly so to report that it addresses a couple of key concerns I had with its predecessor. Raw buffer depth and battery life were both areas where I felt Panasonic needed to revisit its design, and it did just that.
Compared to its predecessor, the FZ1000 II doubles the burst depth when shooting in Raw format. And battery life has also improved, with a CIPA rating of 440 shots on a charge when using the rear screen, up from 360 shots on the FZ1000.
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| While the contrast of this image evokes a certain mood, you might be surprised at just how much detail lurks in the shadows if you process out the Raw file. Out-of-camera JPEG ISO 125 | 1/80 sec | F3.8 | 59mm equiv. |
Sadly, you’ll still pay a steep penalty if you favor the electronic viewfinder, as battery life plunges to just 290 frames, down just fractionally from the 300 frame life reported for the FZ1000. Basically, if you’re mainly using the rear screen, you should be able to get through two-ish days of photo-focused endeavors. If you prefer the viewfinder, it’s more around a day and a half. If you’re a keen photographer, we’d recommend keeping an extra battery close at hand.
That said, I’m thrilled to see USB charging added to the FZ1000 II. It makes a lot of sense that a camera aimed at helping you to travel light should free you from the standalone charger, so you can pack even lighter and share chargers you’re likely already carrying for other devices.
It’s a bit of a shame that the arrival of USB charging is accompanied by the removal of the standalone charger from the product bundle, though. If you want to charge a second battery while shooting, you’ll now need to budget an extra $ 30 for the Panasonic DE-A79B charger.
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| The FZ1000 II does a decent job of balancing noise reduction with detail retention, but you may want to tweak the noise reduction settings or shoot Raw for best results. Out-of-camera JPEG. ISO 1600 | 1/60 sec | F3.3 | 51mm equiv. |
In-hand, this is a very comfortable camera, even with my larger-than-average hands. It’s got a fair heft to it, about the same as an entry-level DSLR with kit lens attached, but it’s well-balanced and doesn’t feel unduly heavy, especially given the far-reaching, bright zoom lens.
The new front control dial is a welcome addition that makes exposure adjustments quicker. And the three new function buttons on the left of the lens, which replace the FZ1000’s lens ring and stabilization switches, give a positive click when pressed, and are very easy to locate by touch so long as you’re not wearing gloves. (But would be near-impossible to feel if you were.)
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Really, my only complaint about the FZ1000 II’s controls is that you can’t zoom and autofocus at the same time. With fast-paced action like sports, I found this behavior sometimes cost me shots. Thankfully, in most other situations it’s not a concern.
Another thing I’d like to see changed is the location of the metal tripod mount, which sits well to one side of the lens’ optical axis. That’s not the best location for shooting tripod-mounted panoramas, and it’s also very close to the battery/storage compartment door, meaning that if you use a tripod plate you’ll likely need to remove it every time you change the battery or memory card.
Lastly, the FZ1000 II comes with no claims of weather-sealing whatsoever. For such a versatile travel camera that you’re likely to have with you in a variety of situations, it’d be a welcome feature. But beefed-up sealing would increase cost: the latest cameras in Sony’s RX10-series do offer claims (but no rating) of weather-sealing, and they are more expensive.
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| The FZ1000 II’s lens has an effective image stabilizer built-in, but no neutral density filter. Good thing you can now stop-down to F11 for daylight pans. Out-of-camera JPEG. ISO 125 | 1/60 sec | F11 | 65mm equiv. |
As for the on-screen user interface, I’m a huge fan of the FZ1000 II’s overhauled menu system. It’s much cleaner, more modern and less disorienting than the original FZ1000, and now now fits eight items per page, instead of six, and you can tap on any individual item on each screen to adjust it directly. There’s also a new My Menu feature where you can save your own favorites. Although its basic structure is broadly similar to before, it feels more like a night-and-day change from the old menu, and I love it!
I’m a big fan of the FZ1000 II’s output as well. Just as with its predecessor, I found white balance and metering to be accurate the majority of the time, and color was also a nice balance between accuracy and the punchier look consumers tend to favor. Out-of-the-box, JPEGs will look more detailed and have more pleasing color than the older model, though Raw performance is essentially unchanged. If you’re pushing the highest ISO values the camera is capable of, consider switching to Raw instead of just shooting JPEG – we’ll look at this in more depth with our studio scene on the following page.
JPEGs will look more detailed and have more pleasing color than the older model
For an in-depth look at the lens performance vs. its peers, jump to our lens shoot-out on page 2 here. Overall autofocus performance is more than adequate, with the FZ1000 II quick to lock focus accurately in all but the most difficult conditions, and not keeping me waiting as I rattled off burst of shots around my adopted home of Knoxville, Tennessee. The phase-detection autofocus system of Sony’s RX10 IV is far more effective for action, but I found the fast contrast-detection autofocus on the FZ1000 to be fast enough for most subjects.
The FZ1000 II uses Panasonic’s ‘Depth-from-Defocus’ contrast detection autofocus system. It’s very quick and very accurate, especially in single AF (AFS), and works well for a variety of subjects. Eye and face detect generally work well, but they have to be manually enabled separately from the camera’s subject tracking mode. Unfortunately, while you can expect a pretty good hit-rate in continuous AF (AFC), the image will wobble in and out of focus while doing so, and you might find this distracting.
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| Aperture comparison: F8 vs. F11 ISO 125 | 1/5 sec @ F8 (left) vs. 0.4 sec @ F11 (right) | 400mm equiv. |
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I’m also glad to see the minimum aperture has been extended across the board, if only because it expands your options somewhat. (The FZ1000 had an unusually abbreviated lower limit of just F8, which has been extended to F11 for the FZ1000 II.)
As you can see in my attached samples, the difference in depth of field when you stop down that little extra isn’t game-changing, though, and it comes at the expense of slight but noticeable softness across the entire image due to diffraction. (Diffraction limiting is already kicking in by around F4.5.)
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| Photo Styles: Standard (top) vs. L-Monochrome (bottom left) and L-Monochrome D (bottom right) ISO 125 | 1/2,500 sec @ F2.8 | 400mm equiv. |
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I found some of the new creative options – especially focus bracketing, and the 4K Photo post focus / focus stacking features – to be a lot of fun. There are definitely some limits to bear in mind with the latter beyond its lower eight-megapixel resolution, however.
Firstly, you’re limited to fairly high shutter speeds when using 4K Photo, which means ample light is needed if the results aren’t to become too noisy. And secondly, more than a little subject or camera motion will easily cause rendering issues when images are stacked in-camera. I found that loading the 4K Photo video frames and stacking them in Photoshop can frequently fix these concerns, though, so it isn’t likely due to rolling shutter but is perhaps a limitation of the camera’s processing.
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| 20.1-megapixel, standard full-resolution image ISO 125 | 1/250 sec @ F4.0 | 400mm equiv. |
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| 4K Photo Post Focus: Focused on front flower (left) vs. rear flower (right) ISO 1600 | 1/800 sec @ F4.0 | 355mm equiv. |
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| 4K Photo Focus Stacking: In-camera (left) vs. Adobe Photoshop CC v21.1.2 ISO 1600 | 1/800 sec @ F4.0 | 355mm equiv. |
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As I said at the outset of this review, I was already a big fan of the original Panasonic FZ1000. And that’s just as true of the FZ1000 II. I think it’s quite remarkable what Panasonic has managed to pack in, at less than half the price of the Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV. Heck, even the four-year old RX10 III still costs a full $ 500 more than the FZ1000 II.
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And in fairness to Sony, the FZ1000 II is definitely less camera in some respects, especially when it comes to high-speed burst capture, autofocus and movie recording capabilities. Its lens is also not as sharp or as consistent, albeit still great for most purposes. If you’re aiming to photograph action with any regularity, Sony’s RX10 IV is a better bet in spite of the extra cost due to its phase-detection AF system. If hardcore video is more your thing, you’ll definitely want to consider the FZ2500 or RX10 III / IV thanks to more advanced video features and better quality.
But if you aren’t a big video or peak-action shooter and want the most bang for the buck, the Panasonic FZ1000 II is absolutely worth a close look, just as its predecessor was some five years ago.
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| Shadows recovered in Adobe Camera Raw 12.2.1. See out-of-camera JPEG here. ISO 1250 | 1/80 sec @ F3.8 | 74mm equiv. |
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Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ1000 II
Category: Enthusiast Large Sensor Compact Camera
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Build quality
Ergonomics & handling
Features
Metering & focus accuracy
Image quality (raw)
Image quality (jpeg)
Low light / high ISO performance
Viewfinder / screen rating
Optics
Performance
Movie / video mode
Connectivity
Value
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Conclusion
The FZ1000 II is a great all-around bridge camera with a good zoom lens, capable 1"-type sensor and excellent ergonomics. We appreciate the level of control and customization available, and the image quality is solid. It's not the most capable camera in its class, but it's also far from the most expensive, and is well worth a look.
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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Fujifilm has released a pair of (mostly) minor firmware updates for its X100V and X-A7 camera systems.
We say ‘mostly’ minor because the X100V firmware update does bring a welcomed feature for users who’ve been experiencing overheating issues. In addition to general bug fixes, firmware version 1.10 (previously 1.00) adds a new ‘Auto Power Off Temp setting in the Power Management sub-menu that will automatically turn off the camera if it overheats, something that can when shooting ‘in a continuous manner.’
In the changelog, Fujifilm writes:
‘We would recommend use of the new option when the X100V is used in a continuous manner (such as with continuous video shooting) and so on and a user may feel the grip become noticeably hot.’
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Firmware version 1.20 (previously 1.10) for the X-A7 is even more minor, with the only changes being new compatibility with Fujifilm’s Instax Mini link printer and various ‘minor bug’ fixes.
You can download firmware version 1.10 for the X100V and firmware version 1.20 for the X-A7 on Fujifilm’s respective product support pages.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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