info here www.mikekobal.com
Video Rating: 4 / 5
Posts Tagged ‘LUMIX’
Rode Videomic Pro on Canon 5D mark II, 7D, 60D and Panasonic Lumix GH2
24
Oct
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5
16
Oct
The G5 slid out of the review basket just as this baby fell in!
Talk about comparing apples with oranges. More like comparing melons with mandarins. Or, sizewise, potatoes with peas.
Incredibly tiny, even for a mirrorless digicam, the review DMC-GF5 came equipped with the same lens as the review G5: the Lumix G Vario f3.5-5.6/14-42mm pancake lens, a lens that I came quite to like over the few days that I used it, notwithstanding its not-so-wide end of 28mm as a DSLR equivalent.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5 Features
Using the Micro Four Thirds System, the CMOS sensor can capture a maximum image size of 4000×3000 pixels, or 34x25cm as a print. Effective pixel count: 12.1 million.
Movies: again, like the G5, this one can take Full HD 1920×1080 video with 1920×1080 pixel resolution in either AVCHD or MPEG: the latter has many followers who indulge in post production. You can shoot video and capture stills at the same time without interrupting the movie’s flow.
The 7.6 cm LCD is the same size but does not swing out, up or down. A pity. But the $ $ saving is significant.
External controls are minimal: top deck has the shutter button, power on/off, video record, Intelligent Auto; rear has the four way control dial (white balance, burst shooting, exposure correction, AF area); plus replay, display options, Q menu/trash. And that’s about all. Unlike the G5, I found it quite easy to get around in my early hours with the camera.
The Contrast AF system is quite fast and, via the touch screen, quite accurate. Once you get used to it.
I missed the on-body zoom lever. Ho hum, guess I’ll have to make do with the lens-mounted lever, set just above the lens’ manual focus. But having said that, I discovered that when you shut the power down, the lens retracts. And … you can drive the zoom via the touch screen.
Continuous shooting is on tap: 4 fps at full size, or two other speeds: 2 and 3 fps.
As with the G5, the Scene Guide helper has 23 sample pro quality pictures to help you choose the one closest to your current needs: the settings will be made automatically by the camera.
In Creative Control mode there are now 14 filters: soft focus, monochrome, art, etc. Each is adjustable. Additionally, in iA or iA Plus modes there are recommendations as to what filters to use.
To my mind these features make the GF5 an excellent camera for the photo beginner.
I have to admit that, at first, I had a little difficulty in wrangling the various ISO settings for my ISO Tests and, I never thought I would say this, the touch screen came to the rescue: made it dead easy!
A level gauge detects the horizontal/vertical angle of view while shooting and shows this on-screen, as well as indicating a camera tilt forwards or back.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5 ISO Tests
I figure you could (just about) use ISO 6400 if you had to! But avoid ISO 12800! I’m sure this spec is in the camera just to please the marketting people!
Then, by chance I shot this lawn trimmer at ISO 12800. Wow! The noise.
Compare it to the same shot taken at ISO 800.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5 Verdict
Quality: Excellent quality, far above many fixed lens compacts.
Why buy it: if you can make do with just 12.1 megapixels of capture, this is a great camera.
Why not: too simple for some.
An excellent starter camera.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5 Specifications
Image Sensor: 12.1 million effective pixels.
Metering: Multiple, centre-weighted and spot.
Effective Sensor Size: Four thirds 17.3×13.0mm CMOS.
Lens Factor: 2x.
Compatible lenses: Micro Four Thirds.
Exposure Modes: Auto, Program AE, shutter and aperture priority, manual.
Shutter Speed: Bulb, 60 to 1/4000 second.
Burst Speed: 4, 3, 2 fps.
Memory: SD/SDHC/SDXC cards.
Image Sizes (pixels): 4000×3000 to 1440×1440. Movies: 1920×1080, 1280x720p, 640×480, 320×240.
Viewfinders: 7.6cm LCD screen (920,000 pixels).
File Formats: JPEG, RAW, AVCHD/MPEG4, MPO (3D).
Colour Space: Adobe RGB, sRGB.
ISO Sensitivity: Auto, 160 to 12800.
Interface: USB 2.0, AV, HDMI mini, DC input.
Power: Rechargeable lithium ion battery, AC adaptor.
Dimensions: 108x67x37 WHDmm.
Weight: Approx. 267g (inc battery).
Prices: Get a price on the Panasonic DMC-GF5KK DMC-GF5 or Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5 with 14-42 Power Zoom Lens.
Post originally from: Digital Photography Tips.
Check out our more Photography Tips at Photography Tips for Beginners, Portrait Photography Tips and Wedding Photography Tips.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5
Just Posted: Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 35-100mm F2.8 hands-on preview
16
Oct
Just Posted: our preview of the Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 35-100mm F2.8 OIS. The 35-100mm F2.8 is Panasonic’s second constant aperture zoom for Micro Four Thirds and is designed to cover the classic 70-200mm equivalent range. It does so in a relatively compact lens that matches the company’s existing 12-35mm F2.8 bright standard zoom. The lens we have isn’t ready for the rigors of studio testing, so isn’t part of the relaunch of lens reviews just yet, but is ‘final’ enough for us to be allowed to publish a full-resolution samples gallery.
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Just Posted: Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7 review
16
Oct
Just Posted: Our Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7 review. The latest of our collaborative reviews with Jeff Keller of The Digital Camera Resource Page is of Panasonic’s enthusiast compact. The LX7 retains the bright lens and small body that have become the hallmarks of the series but adds more direct control than its forebears, including a dedicated aperture ring. Underpinning it all is a new 10MP CMOS sensor – moving on from the CCDs used in the LX5 and 3. Do all these changes help restore the Lumix to the top of the enthusiast compact pile? Read our review to find out.
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 and DMC-FZ200 previewed, DMC-LX7 with samples
01
Aug
We’ve had a chance to use Panasonic’s latest models, and have prepared previews of the DMC-LX7, DMC-G5 and DMC-FZ200. The LX7 is the company’s latest pocketable enthusiast model, featuring an impressive F1.4-2.3 lens covering a 24-90mm equivalent range. We’ve included a real-world samples gallery, to show how it performs. We’ve also taken a detailed look at the G5, seeing how it compares to the G3 and what its more comprehensive feature set offers for photographers. Finally we look at the most interesting superzoom we’ve seen in quite some time – the DMX-FZ200 – a camera that puts lens brightness (and hence usability) ahead of offering the biggest possible zoom number. Click here for links to our previews
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Pro shooter to cover London 2012 using Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5
01
Aug
Panasonic has announced that Getty Images sports photographer Dean Mouhtaropoulos will be covering the London 2012 Olympic Games exclusively using its recently-announced Lumix DMC-G5. His images will be displayed both at the Getty Gallery next to London’s Olympic Park, and on Panasonic UK’s homepage. With sports photography traditionally the preserve of large SLR cameras, the company is hoping to showcase the capabilities of its mirrorless model in this notoriously-demanding field. We suspect the press release has more to do with making the most of its Olympic sponsorship than swaying other pros, but it should be interesting to see the results.
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Panasonic reveals Lumix DMC-FZ150 12MP 24x 1080p60 MOS superzoom
29
Aug
Panasonic has announced the DMC-FZ150 CMOS-powered 24X superzoom. The FZ150 is a replacement for the slightly unloved FZ100 and incorporates a lower-resolution 12MP sensor thatthe company says will outperform its predecessor’s 14MP chip. The camera retains a 25-600mm equivalent lens but now incorporating ‘Nano Surface Coating’ to mitigate the effects of internal reflections. And, just like its predecessor, the FX150 retains the ability to record Raw images. The FZ150 also shoots 1080p60 HD movies in the recently-created AVCHD Progressive standard.
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Panasonic launches Lumix G X Vario PZ 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 OIS pancake
27
Aug
Panasonic has announced the Lumix G X Vario PZ 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 OIS collapsible power-zoom lens. The pancake zoom represents a series of firsts for Panasonic and the Micro Four Thirds system – it incorporates a lever-operated powered zoom and similarly controlled manual focus system. It is also the first lens to gain the company’s ‘Lumix X’ branding that it will use to denotes high-end performance. The power zoom design with quiet focus and zoom motors joins the stepless aperture design to help optimize the lens for HD video shooting. The company will be pairing the lens with its diminutive DMC-GF3 camera body, or selling it separately for around $ 399. We’ve been using one of the first pre-production examples of the lens and have prepared a preview that demonstrates its behavior.
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Just Posted: Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 in-depth review
08
Aug
Just published: Our in-depth review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3. With the touchscreen-equipped GF3, Panasonic goes further to embrace compact camera upgraders, but makes yet another break from the chunky, enthusiast-friendly ergonomics of the GF1. The smallest Micro Four Thirds camera yet introduces some new features, including all-area AF system and slightly improved JPEG image quality at high ISO settings. We have also taken the opportunity in this review to publish studio comparison shots from the Sony NEX-C3 and Olympus PEN E-PL3, both of which will be reviewed in the coming weeks.
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Panasonic posts firmware update for Lumix DMC-FZ100 superzoom
30
Oct
Panasonic has released a firmware update for the Lumix DMC-FZ100 superzoom compact. Version 1.1 is intended to address occasional banding or shadow noise that can occur in specific shooting conditions. The firmware is available for immediate download from Panasonic’s website.
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)