Suggestions for FZ20 Add-Ons

[ShoobieRat]

Tri-State Camera is selling the FZ20 with a set of add-ons that you can purchase along with the camera. Now I'm not sure if I'll be buying from Tri-State, but I wanted to post the list of add-ons and maybe get some feedback from you folks on what you think would be worth my buying when I bought the camera.

128MB SECURE DIGITAL (SD) MEMORY CARD $22.99
256MB SECURE DIGITAL (SD) MEMORY CARD $29.99
512MB SECURE DIGITAL (SD) MEMORY CARD $46.99
Raynox - RT5264P ADAPTER TUBE FOR PANASONIC DMC-FZ10 DIGITAL CAMERA $19.99
72MM UV FILTER $19.99
Vidpro - 7.3V 800MAH LITHIUM-ION REPLACEMENT BATTERY FOR PANASONIC CGA-S002A1B BATTERY $39.99
SanDisk - 1GB SECURE DIGITAL (SD) MEMORY CARD $79.99
Tiffen - 72MM CIRCULAR POLARIZER FILTER $59.99
Tiffen - 72MM DELUXE ENHANCING FILTER KIT $159.99
Tiffen - 72MM BASIC FILTER KIT $119.99

If you need to go to the page where I got this from, here's the link: http://www.tristatecamera.com/lookat.php3?refid=14&sku=PANDMCFZ20K

[genece]

There is no "good deal" among what you posted & do yourself a favor and check out that company on RR.
resellerRatings (http://www.resellerratings.com/seller2622.html)

I would avoid them.

[eben@flmodelsearch.com]

get high speed lexar media or sandisk ultra II, dont mess with anything else its way to slow

get a sunpak 383, it has full swivel capabilities and compensates for the semi decent built in flash, also it can create a bounceback effect assisting you with that whitewashing problems any camera gives with direct flash

get an extra Li-Ion battery because you should carry at least 2

get a good bag from Lowepro, Tamrac, or whoever you like i got the Lowepro which is a pretty massive bag to fill in all the goodies im hoping to buy after i do a couple of shoots (hahah models think TFP work is always available to them because they are beautiful)

STROBES, STROBES, STROBES

Guess how im paying for strobes and boxes? thats right i just made a 6 month contract with a model, they usually get charged 100 per hour by most photographers so instead i worked out a deal with her to get me a set of 400 dollar strobes for a 6 month whenever she needs me and im available ill shoot her contract.

go to your local auto parts store and get yourself some inexpensive foils (gold is elvis and then theres silver reflection) the visors are good to bounceback normal sunlight and with the crinkles it gives a cool water effect. so the foil coupled with some wire hangers can get you some cheap bouncebacks plus you dont have to pay 120 bucks at a camera store

filters,filters, filters UV filters are good along with an adapter theres some good stuff in this forums about step down, step up, and aftermarket sleeves Paremaal i hear is pretty good along with Chen and Phayee.

[ShoobieRat]

LOL

I think you think I'm some kind of pro-wannabe or something.

Look. This is my camera-philosophy.

1. Walk.
2. See pretty building/mountain/thingy/etc.
3. Rip out camera and take picture of pretty building/mountain/thingy/etc.
4. Walk.

I'm going to buy an extra battery, a pair of 512k memory cards, and most likely a bag. I ain't gonna buy an external flash. I don't have a studio (or even what surmounts to a studio). And I definately don't want to be a slave to my camera. I just want to take great shots of the stuff I see when I'm on vacation.

I suppose I should get a UV filter, right?
What other filters should I get? If any. Probably a filter for the sun, I suppose.

[eben@flmodelsearch.com]

colored filters are cheap and can give you a good effect whilst still maintaining your

1. walk
2. pull camera out
3. shoot
4. put camera in bag and walk

also an external flash is good for ANYTHING not just studio work or traveling or companion work... your carrying a pretty big camera as it sits so to carry maybe 4 inches more on top aint that hard.

if you do get a couple of 512MB cards get high speed... even if you are just a hobbyist it makes the difference.

[Jesuswon]

I suggest to watch ebay as you can get some good deals if you are willing to wait until they get to your door ...

You can save up to 50% off of retail ...who pays retail?

Also if you are in Europe buy from Nomatica they beat everyone by 10-20% if buyinga new FZ20.

[FZ20knowitall]

Ok, first off this 72mm bullcrap is ridiculous, primarily because the filter is too far from the lens. you need to get a different adapter than the one from Panasonic. Here is something that a friend of mine posted on another site, and he is more of a professional photographer than people w/thousands of dollars worth of equipment:
I can only talk through experience.

This is what I would recommend.

Buy the Phayee FZ10/FZ20 Tube adapter from Ron Jin (China)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=43441&item=3850204139&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

Its an incredible product. Very Very high quality adapter.
It has a 62mm front thread, with an 72mm front threadextension adapter which you can add on a hood such as a hama.

I believe you pay what you get and since you only will buy only one pair of everything..might as well pay good money.

I suggest the 62mm Hoya Pro1 Super HMC Multi-coated UV-Haze filter. It will cost around 40 dollars on ebay.
This is also act as your lens protector. It is super slim only 1mm thin...and the ring is only 3mm thin. The thinner the better. Multi coating makes a big difference.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=67353&item=3849440199&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

Then I would get a high quality "linear" NOT "circular" polarizer. Hoya, Heliopan, Tiffen, B&W make high quality ones. I got a high end polarizer, because that is one of the most..if not ..the most important lens you will carry around, and kept on the most time.



got the B&W Kaesemann Linear Polarizer for around 100$.
Like I said, you probably won't see the difference between the one I got and a 50$ filter. I just wanted this one, because its air tight and I may be going to extreme climates.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=10921&is=REG

Do get a hood. Very important. If you get the Phayee adapter tube from ron jin (jinfinance) then get this hood.

http://www.adorama.com/LNHZ72.html?searchinfo=72mm%20lens%20hood&item_no=1

Why? Because you can adjust the length of the hood based on what kind of photography you do..(macro versus tele)

I have bought from all these dealers and recommend them highly. Especially Ron Jin for the adapter tube. this is his email if you have any questions.

rongjin@phayee.com

I will post a picture of my setup soon.

wish you the best.

By the way, never ever get a 72mm filter on these cameras for the distance between the lens and the filter is too far, most converters such as the Tcon 17..B-Macro... B-300 are 55mm and you really can't step down from 72mm to 55mm. Not recommended. You want everything to be as close to the FZ10/20 as close as possible.

I hope I helped you out a little bit.

If you want to see pics of his set up (including his suggestions posted above) go to this site:
http://www.stevesforums.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=38263&forum_id=23

Set the fz series up correctly and they are amazing cameras w/ lots of capabilities. Also check out the Nikon 5T + 6T close up lenses, Raynox also makes a close up lens that has decent quality (not as high as Nikon) you can find it on bugeyedigital.com.

Lastly, you can get a 1 gig SD card from Kingmax. It looks like crappy quality, but this is the only card I own and it works great. The ultra II and Exreme cards from Sandisk are amazing products (way better than Panasonic cards-I sent one back b/c the preview of the pics were coming out black on my LCD screen, although they did appear on the card when I downloaded). The disadvantage of the Sandisk is that they are more expensive and only come up to 512mb. The Kingmax card you can get for under $99, I think it went down to $82 but I am not sure. hope this helps!

[slitman]

FZ20knowitall, are you Rezajune on http://www.stevesforums.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=38263&forum_id=23&page=2? as your posting seems like the exact same verbage?


Ok, first off this 72mm bullcrap is ridiculous, primarily because the filter is too far from the lens. you need to get a different adapter than the one from Panasonic. Here is something that a friend of mine posted on another site, and he is more of a professional photographer than people w/thousands of dollars worth of equipment:
I can only talk through experience.

This is what I would recommend.

Buy the Phayee FZ10/FZ20 Tube adapter from Ron Jin (China)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=43441&item=3850204139&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

Its an incredible product. Very Very high quality adapter.
It has a 62mm front thread, with an 72mm front threadextension adapter which you can add on a hood such as a hama.

I believe you pay what you get and since you only will buy only one pair of everything..might as well pay good money.

I suggest the 62mm Hoya Pro1 Super HMC Multi-coated UV-Haze filter. It will cost around 40 dollars on ebay.
This is also act as your lens protector. It is super slim only 1mm thin...and the ring is only 3mm thin. The thinner the better. Multi coating makes a big difference.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=67353&item=3849440199&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

Then I would get a high quality "linear" NOT "circular" polarizer. Hoya, Heliopan, Tiffen, B&W make high quality ones. I got a high end polarizer, because that is one of the most..if not ..the most important lens you will carry around, and kept on the most time.



got the B&W Kaesemann Linear Polarizer for around 100$.
Like I said, you probably won't see the difference between the one I got and a 50$ filter. I just wanted this one, because its air tight and I may be going to extreme climates.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=10921&is=REG

Do get a hood. Very important. If you get the Phayee adapter tube from ron jin (jinfinance) then get this hood.

http://www.adorama.com/LNHZ72.html?searchinfo=72mm%20lens%20hood&item_no=1

Why? Because you can adjust the length of the hood based on what kind of photography you do..(macro versus tele)

I have bought from all these dealers and recommend them highly. Especially Ron Jin for the adapter tube. this is his email if you have any questions.

rongjin@phayee.com

I will post a picture of my setup soon.

wish you the best.

By the way, never ever get a 72mm filter on these cameras for the distance between the lens and the filter is too far, most converters such as the Tcon 17..B-Macro... B-300 are 55mm and you really can't step down from 72mm to 55mm. Not recommended. You want everything to be as close to the FZ10/20 as close as possible.

I hope I helped you out a little bit.

If you want to see pics of his set up (including his suggestions posted above) go to this site:
http://www.stevesforums.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=38263&forum_id=23

Set the fz series up correctly and they are amazing cameras w/ lots of capabilities. Also check out the Nikon 5T + 6T close up lenses, Raynox also makes a close up lens that has decent quality (not as high as Nikon) you can find it on bugeyedigital.com.

Lastly, you can get a 1 gig SD card from Kingmax. It looks like crappy quality, but this is the only card I own and it works great. The ultra II and Exreme cards from Sandisk are amazing products (way better than Panasonic cards-I sent one back b/c the preview of the pics were coming out black on my LCD screen, although they did appear on the card when I downloaded). The disadvantage of the Sandisk is that they are more expensive and only come up to 512mb. The Kingmax card you can get for under $99, I think it went down to $82 but I am not sure. hope this helps!

[FZ20knowitall]

No, Slitman this is what I wrote within my first paragraph, "Here is something that a friend of mine posted on another site" - then I copied and pasted Rezajune's post. I also provided a link to his post, so that people could se the pics of his set up. But I was just re-iterating about the lens distance from the filters b/c Panasonic screwed up by designing it that way, and people shouldn't use the Panasonic tube. Also 72mm filters are more expensive

[slitman]

Great...thanks for the clarification :)


No, Slitman this is what I wrote within my first paragraph, "Here is something that a friend of mine posted on another site" - then I copied and pasted Rezajune's post. I also provided a link to his post, so that people could se the pics of his set up. But I was just re-iterating about the lens distance from the filters b/c Panasonic screwed up by designing it that way, and people shouldn't use the Panasonic tube. Also 72mm filters are more expensive

[eben@flmodelsearch.com]

No, Slitman this is what I wrote within my first paragraph, "Here is something that a friend of mine posted on another site" - then I copied and pasted Rezajune's post. I also provided a link to his post, so that people could se the pics of his set up. But I was just re-iterating about the lens distance from the filters b/c Panasonic screwed up by designing it that way, and people shouldn't use the Panasonic tube. Also 72mm filters are more expensive

hehe he said everything that i wasnt willing to write... GJ wish you were around orlando... buy you a beer or something talk bout cameras...