High ISO on FZ7?

[Threecurl]

In my obsessive poring over camera reviews the last day or so, I read somewhere along the way that the FZ7 has a high ISO mode that unlocks 1600 and 3200 ISO. I can't find anything to corroborate that information, so I was wondering if one of you Senators could confirm or deny that rumor.

[Elisha82]

In my obsessive poring over camera reviews the last day or so, I read somewhere along the way that the FZ7 has a high ISO mode that unlocks 1600 and 3200 ISO. I can't find anything to corroborate that information, so I was wondering if one of you Senators could confirm or deny that rumor.

its would be 800/1600. GO to the Scn mode and select High Sensivity mode i believe.

[Threecurl]

Thanks, Elisha. Are those ISO levels usable?

I am currently deciding between an FZ7 and a Fuji S6000. The Fuji's excellent performance at high ISO levels has it in the lead right now, but if I can get some usable high ISO performance from the FZ7, I will probably go that direction. I just came off an FX01 that I really liked, and I love Leica glass.

[Elisha82]

Grainy but usable even it almost pitch black with no flash.

[Threecurl]

Awesome. Thank you, this has been a big, big help.

I would guess that 75% of my prints are at 4 x 6, 24% are at 5 x 7 and I may print three or four 8 x 10's in a given year. It sounds like the "noise problems" a lot of the pro reviewers complain about with this camera might be overblown. Would you agree?

[John_Reed]

Awesome. Thank you, this has been a big, big help.

I would guess that 75% of my prints are at 4 x 6, 24% are at 5 x 7 and I may print three or four 8 x 10's in a given year. It sounds like the "noise problems" a lot of the pro reviewers complain about with this camera might be overblown. Would you agree?You should be aware that the "High Sensitivity" ISOs available with the FZ7 are done by "pixel binning" the original image. Kind of an "averageing" of each pixel with its nearest neighbors to smooth the noise. So the images lose sharpness that way. I do have to say that Jeff Keller shot a "High Sensitivity" mode shot of his cat in one of his reviews. (Don't remember which camera) He said it was "terrible," but I downloaded the image and printed it at 4X6; it looked fine at that resolution anyway.

On the general subject of noise, though, much ballyhoo is made of high-ISO shots, as if that's the only meaningful way to distinguish cameras. I do a reasonable amount of shooting, mostly outdoors, but some indoors, and I'd say that the large majority of my shots are taken at the camera's minimum ISO. (That'd be 80 for my FZ30 & TZ1, 100 for my FX50) Of course, indoor shots push up the average. Moreover, if I do see that noise is degrading a photo, I'll use my NR program on it, but this doesn't often happen.

[Elisha82]

here's an ISO 800 image:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v701/elishajesudason/P1020500.jpg

# File date: 2007:01:17 11:00:49
# Camera make: Panasonic
# Camera model: DMC-FZ7
# Date/Time: 2007:01:04 01:40:28
# Resolution: 1024 x 768
# Flash used: No
# Focal length: 6.0mm (35mm equivalent: 36mm)
# Exposure time: 0.200 s (1/5)
# Aperture: f/2.8
# ISO equiv.: 800
# Whitebalance: Auto
# Metering Mode: matrix
# Exposure: program (auto)

[Threecurl]

I just bought an FZ7 for $264.99. Shhhhh... don't tell the Fuji people.

[Elisha82]

and ISO 1600:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v701/elishajesudason/P1020053.jpg

# File date: 2007:01:17 11:06:46
# Camera make: Panasonic
# Camera model: DMC-FZ7
# Date/Time: 2007:01:02 17:49:02
# Resolution: 1024 x 768
# Flash used: No
# Focal length: 66.7mm (35mm equivalent: 400mm)
# Exposure time: 0.067 s (1/15)
# Aperture: f/3.3
# ISO equiv.: 1600
# Whitebalance: Auto
# Metering Mode: matrix
# Exposure: program (auto)


both pics right from camera and untouched.

[Threecurl]

It looks, on the screen at least, like those would produce perfectly acceptable 4 x 6 prints, and that is essentially all I am after. Thanks for the sample pics.

[Elisha82]

they are also both hand held shots.
took them before i got my tripod.

[John_Reed]

they are also both hand held shots.
took them before i got my tripod.I always believe that good examples are great to show. Your images look great, proving the point very well.

[Elisha82]

good for emergency shots anyway....if detail is not important.
also they were level on my knees.....my hands are steady but not that steady.

[tim11]

I just bought an FZ7 for $264.99. Shhhhh... don't tell the Fuji people.
You really meant the guy who backs the Fuji S6000? But this Panasonic Forum is his first home in DCRP. :D
Sure I didn't back FZ7 for your case but that's not to say it's not a good camera, and certainly not to say it won't give you the type and standard of photos you want. And you have chosen a camera in your own light. I, like any sensible members here, am happy to give you the information you need to choose a suitable camera for yourself.
Good luck and have fun with your new camera. Do share some pix with us.

[Threecurl]

Will do, Tim. I really had a hard time deciding between the S6000 and the FZ7. My last camera was a Panny, and I liked everything about it. After playing with both cameras at a local store, reading tons of reviews of both cameras, and re-evaluating whether or not I might be overstating how bad the light is I work with, I just decided the FZ7 is likely capable of pulling off anything I ask it to do.

The camera will be here today, so I should be able to post some photos pretty soon.

Thanks again for everyone's input.