Photos taken with FZ30

[olesja]

I've recently aquired a FZ30 (for the zoom, mainly), but quickly realized that it's not an indoor camera .... oh well, back to saving up for a camera with better aperture and lower noise levels. Anyway, I've put some pictures I liked up on a website: http://olesja.port5.com/nikulin.htm

Comment are more than welcome, also tips on improving my images.

Olesja

[genece]

There are some very nice photos there ...and there are very few cameras outside a DSLR that will handle the low light without a flash.
perhaps the Fuji f10,,,,or the Soney R1, but they will not do the other things the FZ30 can do.
I can understand ...but an external flash would be an option to consider.

[olesja]

Thanks. I am in the process of 'upgrading' the camera by buying a tripod and external flash ... I just feel tired already by the thought of carrying all of that around with me! Oh well, the sacrifices one makes for art. Or something.

Olesja

[mbbin2]

I have had good results handholding outdoors with the fz5, fz20 and fz30. I sometimes use a monopod instead of tripod in situations where extra support is needed because it is much easier to carry while doing a lot of walking. Also sometimes I use a cord wrapped around my foot and pulled taut with my hand to help steady the camera. This is the easiest to carry.

[JLV]

I have had good results handholding outdoors with the fz5, fz20 and fz30. I sometimes use a monopod instead of tripod in situations where extra support is needed because it is much easier to carry while doing a lot of walking. Also sometimes I use a cord wrapped around my foot and pulled taut with my hand to help steady the camera. This is the easiest to carry.


I have been experimenting with something similar. I use a 1/4 x 20 bolt inserted in the tripod
socket on the camera. To that I have attached a one foot wire. (I am using fishing leader wire. I
think twisted picture hanging wire would also work). To the loop I made at the outer end of the
wire, I attach a shock cord. I step on the end of the cord and pull up. The pressure helps steady
the hand.

[LoveLife]

I've recently aquired a FZ30 (for the zoom, mainly), but quickly realized that it's not an indoor camera .... oh well, back to saving up for a camera with better aperture and lower noise levels. Anyway, I've put some pictures I liked up on a website: http://olesja.port5.com/nikulin.htm

Comment are more than welcome, also tips on improving my images.

Olesja

The FZ10 and FZ20 do a better job.

http://lovelife.smugmug.com/gallery/352484/1/14003721/Large

[genece]

I could not disagree more the FZ30 handles all situations better than the FZ 10....at least for me.

[jcon]

Forgive me if I sound harsh but, you didnt realize it wasnt an indoor camera until AFTER you bought it? There are many places, this one included, that couldve informed you prior to laying down your hard earned cash. Three words of advice for your next purchase....

1. Research
2. Research
3. RESEARCH!!!

You do have a nice camera, enjoy it for what it can do. You wanted a long zoom, you deffinatly got one:D Like Gene said, the best and really the only way to get indoor photos without flash is DSLR. If you add the previously mentioned Sunpak flash, I think you will be fine.

[LoveLife]

I could not disagree more the FZ30 handles all situations better than the FZ 10....at least for me.

Hi Gene,

I am interested in how the FZ30 is going to out perform a FZ10 or 20 for available light work. Their ISO 50 and up is cleaner with less noise and they have access to F2.8 at all zooms.

BTW, How is everything? I loved that mountain goat shot where was that done? How come you never comment on my pictures?

I stiffen my lightweight tripod with the same bolt and bungee cord.

[genece]

I just did see the red head and she looks like my daughters did at that age.

You just do not remember the nice things I say.

You are a photographer ...I am only a picture taker.

I really expect your shots to be nice and steet photography is not my cup of tea.



I don't know Lovelife ...I was just going thru some vacation shots from last year and as soon as I try to touch up a FZ10 shot the noise just leaps out....Do not get me wrong it was a great camera and I have seen a lot of great photos you have posted with one but for me... just point and shoot.. I believe the FZ30 is twice the camera.

I did think the FZ20 was an improvement over the FZ10 but if I was to replace the FZ10 I just gave to my daughter, it would be with another FZ30.....
Most of the up close Mt Goats were from Glacier National Park on the GTSR.
There are some from Mt Evans and a couple from Banff but they were not real close.

If I look back at photos I took at home, at gatherings over the last few years, the shots from the FZ10 lag behind the shots from the FZ20 which do not stand up to the photos I have taken this year with the FZ30. And thats the only low light stuff I do.

Its just a smarter camera and I need that.

[olesja]

The FZ10 and FZ20 do a better job.

http://lovelife.smugmug.com/gallery/352484/1/14003721/Large


Holy Moly, I might have been there when you took that picture! I worked for the Big Apple Circus during their Picturesque tour!!

Awesome pic, btw, how close were you?

Olesja

[LoveLife]

Holy Moly, I might have been there when you took that picture! I worked for the Big Apple Circus during their Picturesque tour!!

Awesome pic, btw, how close were you?

Olesja


Big Apple Circus NYC:
About 48 feet Date Taken:2005-01-01 14:54:08
Aperture: f/2.8 ISO: 400 Focal Length: 45.9mm (275mm 35mm) Exposure Time: 0.0166s (10/600)JPEG Quality:fineFlash:Flash did not fire, compulsory flash modeExposure Program:Aperture priorityExposure Bias:0LightSource:4White Balance:manualDigitalZoomRatio:0/10Sharpness:2SubjectDistanceRange:3SensingMethod:O ne-chip color sensorColorSpace:sRGB

Thank you Olesja, here are some more http://lovelife.smugmug.com/gallery/352484 (http://lovelife.smugmug.com/gallery/352484)

[jcon]

You are a photographer ...I am only a picture taker.

Gene, I think youre too hard on yourself. I have seen some amazing shots from you!;)

[olesja]

Big Apple Circus NYC:
About 48 feet Date Taken:2005-01-01 14:54:08
Aperture: f/2.8 ISO: 400 Focal Length: 45.9mm (275mm 35mm) Exposure Time: 0.0166s (10/600)JPEG Quality:fineFlash:Flash did not fire, compulsory flash modeExposure Program:Aperture priorityExposure Bias:0LightSource:4White Balance:manualDigitalZoomRatio:0/10Sharpness:2SubjectDistanceRange:3SensingMethod:O ne-chip color sensorColorSpace:sRGB

Thank you Olesja, here are some more http://lovelife.smugmug.com/gallery/352484 (http://lovelife.smugmug.com/gallery/352484)

Did you not use the flash because it wasn't allowed or did you chose not to use it?

Btw, I went through my old pictures of the Picturesque show and found a few that are uploadable. The light in the Big Apple was better than what I am dealing with now, the circus is small and pretty well lit. Nikulin Circus is HUGE (the cuppola is some 40 feet high, and much of the light comes from up there) so the light is much more diffused. Still, you got some great shots.

Here's one pic I took with my Olympus C700 (2.1 Megapixels)
http://photobucket.com/albums/f298/circusworld/?action=view&current=P7010037.jpg

Now is it reasonable that I should get a clearer, less noisy picture with such an old camera as compared to the "superior" FZ30???
The ISO in that shot was 320, 1/30 sec exposure, F/3.5 aperture, 49mm focal length, no flash. Apart from the ISO, all specs I could find when shooting with the FZ30 but I would not get a picture this clear. And the FZ30 has 8 megapixels over the Olympus' 2.1!!! This is ridiculous.

[LoveLife]

Did you not use the flash because it wasn't allowed or did you chose not to use it?

Btw, I went through my old pictures of the Picturesque show and found a few that are uploadable. The light in the Big Apple was better than what I am dealing with now, the circus is small and pretty well lit. Nikulin Circus is HUGE (the cuppola is some 40 feet high, and much of the light comes from up there) so the light is much more diffused. Still, you got some great shots.

Here's one pic I took with my Olympus C700 (2.1 Megapixels)
http://photobucket.com/albums/f298/circusworld/?action=view&current=P7010037.jpg

Now is it reasonable that I should get a clearer, less noisy picture with such an old camera as compared to the "superior" FZ30???
The ISO in that shot was 320, 1/30 sec exposure, F/3.5 aperture, 49mm focal length, no flash. Apart from the ISO, all specs I could find when shooting with the FZ30 but I would not get a picture this clear. And the FZ30 has 8 megapixels over the Olympus' 2.1!!! This is ridiculous.

Flash: I did not use flash because of the distance to subject is greater then 8 feet. It would have been useless. I tried to make sure that the spotlight was on my subject and there was ebb in the action.

Juggler shot: Your shot of the C700UZ juggler is better then my FZ10 one. You were closer or had more light.


The FZ30 is a superior camera in many ways but not available light work. There are two main reasons for this. The FZ30 because of pixel packing has much more noise at all ISO settings. The FZ30 cannot shoot at F2.8 except at 1-1.5X. The FZ10 and FZ20 outperform the FZ30 in this area of photography. The extra megapixels only come into play when cropping. 5MP is good enough for out of the camera 11x14.