'Starter Kit' for FZ5

[WildWinds]

I was curious if there was any equipment that would be a must have for the FZ5? Just a starter kit. Filters, lenses, adapters, step down rings, field equipment (tripod, good pack for carrying camera etc.) anything that I would probably need and use. I currently have circular polarizer, MC UV filter, and fogmaker Quantaray filters. Are there any good brands of filters or lenses that I will probably want to look into for buying? I've heard that Hoya for filters and Raynox for lenses are good brands, is this correct? I'm only really interested in one lens at the moment and that is a WA (Raynox 6600-55) but suggestions for other lenses that I would probably use frequently for outdoor nature photography and landscapes are also appreciated.

[genece]

If your filters are 55mm you are pretty well set in that area.

I would suggest an extra battery from the batterybarn
An extra SD card from newegg they have a 1 gb ridata 66X for about 50 bucks.
That wide angle lens seems to work pretty good on the FZ5 and there are some modifications that will improve that.

The Tcon 17 works pretty well on the FZ5 but you need a modification that I mentioned.
Heres how.
http://www.stevesforums.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=78123&forum_id=23

One thing that I believe is important is a card reader they are available for 10 bucks or less.

[WildWinds]

What's the Tcon 17? The card reader reads the card onto your computer without actually having to plug the camera in right?

[genece]

What's the Tcon 17? The card reader reads the card onto your computer without actually having to plug the camera in right?

The Tcon 17 is a teleconverter lens that can work with the FZ5 with a little modification to the FZ5 adapter.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=278672&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

This is another lens that some say works very well on the FZ5.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=387948&is=REG&addedTroughType=search


And yes a card reader saves wear and tear on the camera by doing just that.
This is the one I use
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?dest=9999999997&product_id=2470623&sourceid=0100000030660804302498

[MoD]

genece, I've got an FZ20, and my neice just got a FZ5. I haven't seen the FZ5, and I'm trying to help her long distance. I'm wondering if the FZ5 has the same filter arrangement as the FZ20 - where the filter screws into the lens hood instead of the lens. I bought an adapter for the FZ20 so that I can use the filter when not using the hood. Would that be necessary on the FZ5?

I've also lost the link to the site where I bought the adapter...?

[genece]

The adapter for the FZ5 is much closer to a good adapter and it has 55mm threads that a filter will screw into.
The darn adapter has about 2 mm of material with no threads that should be sanded off. But many filters have enough threads to catch without the sanding.
If she needs to sand it is not a big deal just remove the adapter and lay a sheet of sandpaper not too rough maybe 200on the table and rub the adapter over the paper.
I think you can get the Idea from this thread

http://www.stevesforums.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=63083&forum_id=23&highlight=adapter+for+FZ5

[MoD]

Just to make sure I'm clear - you're saying that the filter arrangement on an FZ5 is the same as an FZ20? She would need an adapter to use a UV filter without using the lens hood, but the adapter is designed longer than it needs to be and should be sanded down?

[genece]

No I am not saying that, You do use an adapter but the adapter that came with the FZ5, while it is a little too long it is nowhere near as long as the one that came with the FZ20.

Everyone is using the one that came from panasonic with good results.
Most need to at least do the sanding, I mentioned and some are doing Fmoores modification but for just Filters and teleconverters the little sanding trick is all thats necessary.


There is a chance depending on the thickness of the filter she gets that there will be enough threads to work with no sanding but, I would imagine she will need to sand.


You can then use the hood that Pansonic provided either in the stored position or the in use position.

And while it seems there is one aftermarket adapter available no one seems to be able to get it.

Pay close attention to what Fred Moore says in this thread.
http://www.stevesforums.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=63083&forum_id=23&highlight=adapter+for+FZ5

And then this is how he made a really good FZ5 adapter but this is not necessary except for heavy lenses or a wide angle lens.
http://www.stevesforums.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=78123&forum_id=23

[MoD]

I'll bet you get tired of giving the same advice over and over again, don't you, Genece? Thanks for your help, I haven't replied because it still wasn't clear in my mind how the filter was attached (no fault of yours).

I went to the store today to look at an FZ5 and how the filter went on. It's worse than the FZ20 in my opinion, because I doubt anyone would/could make a shorter adapter because of the design of the lens. There's not enough clearance for one.

[MoD]

And here's the link I had lost. It shows the type of adapter I was wanting for the FZ5.

http://www.nextphoto.net/FZ20.htm