fz-20 night & time lapse photography

[mrmortal]

I'm new to the digital realm and pretty interested in the fz-20 as my first.

But I'm also looking at the Canon Pro-1 and have to sayI think it looks much better at capturing night photos and time lapse by eveidence of these sample photos from the gallery: (much sharper than the fz nightshot and picked up more light on the water)
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/canon/powershot_pro1-review/nightshot.jpg

and this one is great from the pro-1 (a 15 second exposue)
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/canon/powershot_pro1-review/IMG_0024-pp.JPG

Can you do time lapse or 15 second exposures on the FZ? And anyone have better results with night shots?

thanks

[jcon]

To answer one of your questions, the FZ20 has a max of 8 seconds. As for night shots and time lapse, I have seen some outstanding night shots and time lapse shots posted on here taken with the FZ. If you are leaning towards something other than the FZ20, I suggest doing more research before laying down the cash!

I have found some links with some example pictures with the FZ...

This one has some great night shots...

http://www.dcresource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8361&highlight=night

And these next two are pictures that were posted by Kuroneko...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/kucingitem/SungaiCahaya.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/kucingitem/highwaylight.jpg

[StanStan]

I would like to shoot time lapse photos with the FZ20. Take a series of photos with a preset time period between. I have seen plants "grow". I would like to do the same.
Any ideas out there?

Thanks

Stan

[emalvick]

I would like to shoot time lapse photos with the FZ20. Take a series of photos with a preset time period between. I have seen plants "grow". I would like to do the same.
Any ideas out there?

Thanks

Stan

Before I give my suggestion, I know very little of electronics, but it seems that one could wire up something similar to a remote (for the FZ20) and set it to go off at specific intervals perhaps using capacitors. I guess it would depend on what interval you'd want. You could probably some how wire a timer to the remote so that every so many seconds, minutes, hours (you name it) the shot would go off.

The trick would be to make sure the camera doesn't turn off, or to wire a way for the camera to be taken out of its sleep mode.

I don't have an FZ20 or a remote, so I'm not sure whether triggering the remote would wake the camera like pressing the shutter release does.

Of course, you'd have to be sure to have the camera on a tripod.

Again, that is my conceptual idea. I don't think it would be too terribly hard given some electronics background. It wouldn't even suprise me if someone hasn't come up with something (perhaps in other forums on this site) like this idea or even other ideas. Google could be a good resource too.

If you find out anything, keep us posted. I'm curious now.

Erik

[meillana]

@ mrmortal
fz20 doesn't have time lapse photography function out-of-the-box

[philmorley]

Hi

considering that you made the two remotes, it probably would be that hard to add a simple timer circuit to it to trigger it at a specified interval, would it?? (then you could post another circuit diagram :)

(I could see you could get really carried away with the remote, especially someone's comment on the tv sender through video out, motion detectors spring to mind, :)

Regards
Phil

[mrmortal]

Thanks all, and thanks for the link to those night pics. Pretty good.

So I chose the FZ20 over the PRO1--- for starters the place I found selling the PRO1 for as cheap as the FZ was a bait and switch shop. Seen some superb shots off the Pro1 but it too may be discontinued as it's a weird mix of consumer and pro tools that doesn't seem to please many.

So I got the FZ for 450 from buydig. I'm sure I'll like it. If not i'm selling and gettin a Rebel XT.

So what do you mean that time lapse is not availble out of the box?

And are there any options available for a wide angle lens add on --- aside from the panasonic one? Or is that the way to go?

Thanks much!

[jcon]

For the wide angle lens, search the panasonic forum, you will find many, many threads asking about, suggesting and comparing WA lenses. Type in WCON in the search and I think that will lead you to a few threads as it is one of the better WA's out there.

[StanStan]

Before I give my suggestion, I know very little of electronics, but it seems that one could wire up something similar to a remote (for the FZ20) and set it to go off at specific intervals perhaps using capacitors. I guess it would depend on what interval you'd want. You could probably some how wire a timer to the remote so that every so many seconds, minutes, hours (you name it) the shot would go off.

The trick would be to make sure the camera doesn't turn off, or to wire a way for the camera to be taken out of its sleep mode.

To keep the camera on the battery internal or external has to be left on. Hitting the focus button will wake up the camera but zoom is at 1x. I take pictures with my wireless but use the DPS9000 external battery. If 100/200 VAC is available I use a Walmart porer supply. When wireless I set the camera on manual.

I don't have an FZ20 or a remote, so I'm not sure whether triggering the remote would wake the camera like pressing the shutter release does.

Will wake but camera is at 1x zoom

Of course, you'd have to be sure to have the camera on a tripod.

Yes!

Again, that is my conceptual idea. I don't think it would be too terribly hard given some electronics background. It wouldn't even surprise me if someone hasn't come up with something (perhaps in other forums on this site) like this idea or even other ideas. Google could be a good resource too.

If you find out anything, keep us posted. I'm curious now.

Thanks!!!

Erik

I am hoping someone knows about how to sequence a time lapse control.

STAN

[Richard Scott]

Go here and look for DigiSnap2000. From the sound of it, it will do everything that you were looking for in controlling camera functions for time lapse photography.


www.harbortronics.com/

[emalvick]

I am hoping someone knows about how to sequence a time lapse control.

STAN

See, that is where I think capacitors can be useful. You somehow wire a remote that is triggered by a certain amount of voltage or current... again my knowledge of electronics is limited... You can then choose a size of capacitor or current such that the time it takes the capacitor to fully charge corresponds to the time between shots. Once the capacitor is full can completes the circuit, it should pass the current triggering the remote. It seems like that should work. The problem maybe that the capacitor may not discharge (i.e. it may only work once). However, if a switch could be made to turn off once the capacitor is fully charged and turn back on once it is discharged.

Unfortunately, my mind thinks of electronics more complicated then it may really be, especially if there is a special divice that may work out of the box already.

Erik

[StanStan]

See, that is where I think capacitors can be useful. You somehow wire a remote that is triggered by a certain amount of voltage or current... again my knowledge of electronics is limited... You can then choose a size of capacitor or current such that the time it takes the capacitor to fully charge corresponds to the time between shots. Once the capacitor is full can completes the circuit, it should pass the current triggering the remote. It seems like that should work. The problem maybe that the capacitor may not discharge (i.e. it may only work once). However, if a switch could be made to turn off once the capacitor is fully charged and turn back on once it is discharged.

Unfortunately, my mind thinks of electronics more complicated then it may really be, especially if there is a special divice that may work out of the box already.

Erik

A simple 555 timer circuit will do that but almost impossible to preset the time with any accuracy.

Doing Google searches I came across the info that a analog electronic watch puts out a 1 HZ clock pulse, 1 cycle per second. Thus preset a large down counter with desired time in seconds and step down 1 second per step to zero. Then release shutter. The timer can be auto resettable.
Simple?
Stan