FZ20 & Lowlight Problems...

[Acoustic Brad]

I bought the FZ20 the other day and just returned it cause I find it practically impossible to shoot in lowlight, the EVF or LCD are both black with no viewing possible at lower light levels.

I love everything else about this camera and was very, very disappointed taking it back and am wondering if this problem is common to all digital non SLR cameras? I noticed the new Canon S2 is mentioning something about a brighter screen so you can shoot in lowlight settings. I don't imagine this camera will be as good as the FZ20 overall but am hoping it will push Panasonic to copy them in correcting the screen problem on the next model to follow the FZ20.

Any thoughts...

[genece]

That is the worst part of a great camera but it is not as bad as you describe.
If you are shooting in program mode the viewfinder does not go black unless it is about pitch black.
You did not have something set correctly. Most likely you had the ISO locked on 80 and the viewfinder is just showing you what the picture is going to look like.
And if you were using manual mode you can set the Exposure Compensation
to plus 2 and that helps.
The camera works fine in low light but is a problem in no light.

[Acoustic Brad]

The camera was set to Program mode and Auto ISO setting, the light reading was about 1 second at 2.8 and I couldn't see a thing through the LCD or EVF.
Not the most common lighting situation but common even for shooting pictures of friends outside at night, I'd use a flash but even then fact is you would have to take a number of shots until you got the framing right as nothing was visible until the picture was taken then you would see how far off the framing would be to adjust.

I took my wife's point and shoot Canon film cheapy camera and used it instead and could see exactly what was viewable and framed the shot spot on.

Is it possible this was a defect in the FZ20 I brought home? I'm curious cause I hated taking it back, an otherwise brilliant camera...should I try again?

[genece]

I am confused.. in program you should be able to see pretty good until you 1/2 press the shutter. Then that is where the problem is.
And you really do not want to use a minus exposure for those type photos.

I am sorry you did not like the camera I am crazy about mine but I would like the EVF to gain up.

[Comp625]

I agree with the other posters. As long as you have the camera set on "P" mode, the LCD/EVF does not reflect what your actual picture will look like UNTIL you press the shutter halfway down. The reason (according to Panasonic) as to why the LCD/EVF does not gain-up in low-light situations is because they utilize a WYSIWYG (What you see is what you get) system.

What I do in these situations is, I set it to Program Gram and frame my shot. Then set it back to one of the Manual Modes (A,S,M) to take the picture. The mode dial is sensitive enough so that it doesn't require me to "unframe" the shot in order to change the camera mode.

[60mm]

If you are into low light photography, wait till the D50 comes out. Im sure youll be able to grabe the body for about $700, then grab a 50mm 1.8 for about $100. Now thats shooting low light. I switched from the FZ20 to a D70 as the FZ20 just cant do low light.

[Balrog]

:) yeah but being stuck with only a 75mm equivalent focal length instead of 36-432, and for about $200 more, is kind of a high price to pay for the low-light capability...

[genece]

If you are into low light photography, wait till the D50 comes out. Im sure youll be able to grabe the body for about $700, then grab a 50mm 1.8 for about $100. Now thats shooting low light. I switched from the FZ20 to a D70 as the FZ20 just cant do low light.


yep you got one part covered pretty well ...now just get a 75 to 300mm F2.8 lens and a 2.8 wide angle and then do something abouut The IS and you have it covered. It might be a little more expensive than the FZ20 but so what!

[aiglobulles]

Hello,

I'm a little french who just register on this forum because I was searching some answers about the EVF/LCD problems on the FZ20.
I have exactly the same priblem than Acoustic Brad and I think that's isn't normal for an expensive digital camera than the FZ20. My FUJI S5000 don't has this problem.

I asked me if it's possible that panasonic accept to generate a firmware update to corrige this bug ? What you think about this ?

Please, accept my apologies but I'm not the best in the practice of english language ;)

Bests regards

aiglobulles

[Balrog]

I believe people have already asked Panasonic for a firmware fix for this, and it doesn't look like they're going to make one...

[genece]

The Panasonic rep at Steves Forum says that can not be fixed with firmware.
And while I can not find that thread here is a poll that formed after that was said.
Go here and vote

http://www.stevesforums.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=54923&forum_id=23



Found it.
here is the response
http://www.stevesforums.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=54543&forum_id=23

It is about the 10th one down the page





.

[aiglobulles]

hi,

thank you for the link, I ll go yet see them.

bests regards

aiglobulles

[Acoustic Brad]

Thanks folks for writing back regards this problem. I went to the store and tried another FZ20 in a lowlight room they had and the LCD & EVF were totally dark even in Program mode with or without pushing the shutter halfway down.
I've been out of photgraphy a number of years and looking to get back so I'm waiting for the FZ30 which should have this problem corrected. I figure if the Canon S2 has corrected this problem, Panasonic will have to keep up and do the same with the next model.
Store rep told me it is expected in September.