This bridge camers is definitely great value for 20x zoom, but what I as a playful filmer am missing is being able to do quick manual zooms, which some (admittely extra-expensive) lenses can do without losing focus. And the zoom motor noise even in its slowed style for video mode is probably hard to not pick up even with an external mic unless one positions it really far away from the camera or the general environment noise situation drowns it out. (The motor noise suppression function definitely is no improvement since it severely alters the sound, but I turned it off and it's still on. Dunno, maybe it only works for external mic.) There are various things that bother me with this camera, but I haven't found the motivation to write Panasonic and probably get utterly unsatisfying answers yet. I also wish the internal motor would stop rumbling if I disable everything that could necessitate it - autofocus and OIS. Would also be great if this camera could be used in webcam mode via USB. Instead I would need a separate, expensive capture card.
I fully agree you comments about the stunning telephoto end. Exactly this was one of the main reason that I picked the FZ2000. I'd prefer the Sony RX10iii, but it has no touch screen and it is a deal breaker to me. I think the FZ2000 is good enough vs the (superior) RX10iii, and the FZ has excellent touch screen. Thank you very much for your videos.
Can you tell me will WiFi to Android provides large viewing live-view screen in landscape modes? And any TTL flash available for this? Profoto B1 & Phottix Indra500 did not work on Sony DSC-RX10 III. Thank you for sharing to us.
May I ask you one question: What do you do to avoid noisy footage when you shoot with 20x zoom? And do you have any suggestion to nail focus in manual mode? Especially using zoom (10x plus / daylight / focus peaking enabeld). Thanks
I enjoyed watching your informative video. Well explained and a clear and honest opinion. I liked that. Just subscribed as well - keep up the great work !
Hi! Can this camera record on its SD card while using the clean HDMI OUT? I'm asking this because on the Panasonic FZ1000 and 1000 II you cannot record internaly and output over the HDMI. Thanks!
What the! proper variable frame rate from 1fps to 120. Never realized this little camera was so powerful. Does the auto focus work in variable frame rate mode?
In Movie mode you can use the shutter button to start video recording, actually I never use the red movie button. BTW, what is your microphone and light kit on top of the camera? I want something similar. I've just ordered a Varavon Zeus Uni cage to mount mike, light and optionally monitor.
Might make sense to make a habit out of using the red movie button for video and the shutter button for photo, because you can cross modes. When I am in photo mode but quickly need a video of the moment, I know to press the red button. When I am recording a video in movie mode but quickly need a still picture of a frame in proper quality and resolution, I know to press the shutter button. This feature wouldn't even be available when deactivating the red button, so I guess that function is there just to avoid accidental presses.
Thanks. What features will you recommend to #Panasonic #Lumix if they want to upgrade this camera: #Panasonic #Lumix #FZ2500MII / #FZ2000MII: The #FZ2500 or #FZ2000 Mark 2 =>>> a #G90 / #G95 or #GH5 with fixed lens? This Bridge is pretty popular one for video content. I think all bridge superzoom cameras should be a good Hybrid tool for stills and videos.. The reason why you will buy a bridge to have a bit of all in one body. Thanks.
You can connect a Davinci recorder-monitor (some 700 dollars) in the hdmi output and you can have recording in Prores 422 and recording in ssd disk taken in by a usb C output
How does the 100Mbps 1080p compare to the 4K down-sampled to 1080p? There the same bit rate, but you'd think the high bit rate 1080p might save some hassle... could you comment on this?
Oversampling is worth it, and 100 Mbps should still be sufficient for 4K even with fast moving scenes especially if you intend to reduce it to 1080. Also, 4K is 30 FPS only, so that makes the 100 Mbps limit even less of an issue. Speaking of bitrate options, what disappointed me severely is the all-intra option's implementation, because while it's great for easy editing and 200 Mbps should suffice for preserving quality, the camera in praxis actually doesn't seem to make use of it at all! Which is insane, since all-intra should have a more predictable bitrate requirement than IPB, yet what I filmed in all-intra so far had something like 90-110 Mbps. There are various things about the FZ2000 that really bother me and seem unnecessary. (As a casual user I also have to wonder what moron decided to make the info texts in the menu scroll in slowmotion, with no scrolling speed adjustment option available.)
Hello. You have great reviews and instruction videos, I really like it. And I am surprised how good is the panasonic fz2000/2500 is I am interested for this Panasonic camera. Could you tell me how usable is when you plug in to the external monitor? I mean how much is the latency the lag through hdmi? Could you make a latency test video? Thank you! Best regards.
Hi thanks for your comments. You ask a very good question, I will do a video and try several monitors to see how good it is. I have never tested this before so I will find it interesting as well.
Hello Bob, Had a quick question regarding selecting my next video camera. I am trying to decide between Panasonic FZ2000/25000 (hybrid cam) vs dedicated camcorder like Sony AX33 or Panasonic HC-WXF991K. I am using Panasonic's FZ1000 as still camera. I tried to use it as video cam but results were mixed (it had issues like focus hunting, bad quality audio recording due to motor noise). From what I see, Panny improved video recording aspects in FZ2000/2500. So I am interested to see if I can buy that and replace my FZ1000 and an old sony camcorder. I do recording of few stage performances for family and friends for 3 or 4 times a year plus usual family trips etc. Video recording is mostly done in handheld mode. This is the primary application. So what do you recommend: 1. Keeping FZ1000 and buying Sony AX33 or Panasonic HC-WXF991K as dedicated camcorder. (Slight hang-up I have is Sony and Panasonic are not coming out with updated models for these to include touch focus, new sensors etc. They are focused on hybrid/bridge cameras) 2. Buying FZ2000/2500 as all in one hybrid/bridge camera that can do video and still photgraphy. Please let me know your personal experience and preference. Other viewers, if you have any input on this, please let me know as well
Thanks for the reply. Time code is listed under panasonic's FZ2500 specs page though Count Up: Rec Run/Free Run selectable, Time Code Mode: Drop frame/Non-drop frame selectable (When system frequency [59.94Hz] is selected.) www.panasonic.com/africa/consumer/cameras-camcorders/lumix-digital-cameras-point-shoot/dmc-fz2500.specs.html
The 36mm 4K "wide" end t=really sucks and could be a deal breaker. I've just ordered a $30 67mm 0.43x Wide Angle Lens. I don't have high hopes for the image quality, but I'll see soon. BTW, You make very interesting and joy to watch and learn videos.
I don't even know why it is necessary. I mean, the resolution happens after the optics, high-res photos are possible in widest angle and 4K mode doesn't even have electronic image stabilization! The lack of the latter really makes this puzzling.
It is very important for avoiding experiences of great regret when you record some messed up sound situation and have no clue about it until you watch the recorded footage. Imagine you're filming someone talking into the camera on a busy street and you can understand them well but on the audio recording their voice is drowned out. Also good for checking out sensitivity levels, I'd imagine, otherwise you'd have to guess it and maybe fall into a habit of never changing it anyway.
I am an owner of the FZ2000, too, my first camera with fully articulated screen. Hmm, I am not sure if I prefer this to the tilting screens of my Sony cameras. The articulated screens on video cameras are perfectly designed along with cable jacks. But the articulated screens on Panasonic cameras is not really perfectly designed. the HDMI cable is in the way, too, what a bummer. Honestly I feel much more natural to look the image on a tilting screen rather than on a screen that is protruding to the side. I am sure I'll get used to it, nevrtheless.
If only articulated had some clever mechanism that also allowed tilted. But as the compromise goes, I couldn't live without full screen mobility. I'm doing odd perspectives sometimes where the lighting situation makes certain screen angles not feasible since I wouldn't see anything on it.
Yeah, the the display-headphone jack crash is so much annoying. I also thought that why couldn't they put the connectors on the other side. There's no need to have that much large SD card slot flap though.
One can never have enough reach, haha. I begrudgingly use digital zoom a lot during nature filming. But I'd probably still sacrifice a little of that for some wider angle. Especially I don't know why the hell the angle is narrower when recording in 4K (and too narrow for my taste), especially when this camera specifically does NOT have electronic image stabilization in 4K.
Hello. I recently bought a panasonic fz2000 and I found an annoying thing. When I zooming in and after that zomming out, the image shakes slightly until the zoom starts. This video shows the problem: ua-cam.com/video/2OGiLmdrSxg/v-deo.html Can you help telling me If your camera does the same or this is only my camera problem? Thank you! :)
Hy, I have talked with other fz2000 users, and they sent me some sample videos with zooming, and the conclusion is this is the fz2000/2500 camera issue. Their cameras does the same. The zoom is smooth when zooming, but when changing the direction of the zoom, it shakes the image a little.
Ian Beveridge - I thought it has full optical and just not digital. I wasn't aware 5-axis is a separate mode or something. Why would it need to have restricted optical stabilization in 4K?
Thanks for making this video on the FZ2000, it was very informative and helpful to me.
Great job.
The wide angle vs telephoto is a personal preference. I prefer the zoom. So that's not a design flaw, just personal desire.
Thank you for a great review. Looks like you are true Video Man! I see the professional gear on your desk!
This bridge camers is definitely great value for 20x zoom, but what I as a playful filmer am missing is being able to do quick manual zooms, which some (admittely extra-expensive) lenses can do without losing focus. And the zoom motor noise even in its slowed style for video mode is probably hard to not pick up even with an external mic unless one positions it really far away from the camera or the general environment noise situation drowns it out. (The motor noise suppression function definitely is no improvement since it severely alters the sound, but I turned it off and it's still on. Dunno, maybe it only works for external mic.)
There are various things that bother me with this camera, but I haven't found the motivation to write Panasonic and probably get utterly unsatisfying answers yet.
I also wish the internal motor would stop rumbling if I disable everything that could necessitate it - autofocus and OIS.
Would also be great if this camera could be used in webcam mode via USB. Instead I would need a separate, expensive capture card.
I fully agree you comments about the stunning telephoto end. Exactly this was one of the main reason that I picked the FZ2000. I'd prefer the Sony RX10iii, but it has no touch screen and it is a deal breaker to me. I think the FZ2000 is good enough vs the (superior) RX10iii, and the FZ has excellent touch screen. Thank you very much for your videos.
Can you tell me will WiFi to Android provides large viewing live-view screen in landscape modes?
And any TTL flash available for this?
Profoto B1 & Phottix Indra500 did not work on Sony DSC-RX10 III.
Thank you for sharing to us.
May I ask you one question: What do you do to avoid noisy footage when you shoot with 20x zoom? And do you have any suggestion to nail focus in manual mode? Especially using zoom (10x plus / daylight / focus peaking enabeld). Thanks
Find picture settings and turn up noise reduction I would say. I dont have this camera but on my LX15 and TZ100 thats what I do.
very good review, just purchased one so look forward to your follow up reviews
True 20mm to 400mm would be ok with most shooters. Most shooters have a 70-200 mm and can only dream of a good 400 mm option. good review...
Hi, thanks for the video. I’m certainly going to go for this camera now as opposed to some of the others I was looking at. Cheers
I enjoyed watching your informative video. Well explained and a clear and honest opinion. I liked that. Just subscribed as well - keep up the great work !
Hi! Can this camera record on its SD card while using the clean HDMI OUT? I'm asking this because on the Panasonic FZ1000 and 1000 II you cannot record internaly and output over the HDMI. Thanks!
Great review sir. I'm a Canon user myself, but it's always nice to see other cameras. Thanks!
thanks for sharing your thoughts!
How do you shoot in RAW video format on this camera? what settings do you go to because I know you can change the record format you want to shoot in.
What the! proper variable frame rate from 1fps to 120. Never realized this little camera was so powerful. Does the auto focus work in variable frame rate mode?
In Movie mode you can use the shutter button to start video recording, actually I never use the red movie button. BTW, what is your microphone and light kit on top of the camera? I want something similar. I've just ordered a Varavon Zeus Uni cage to mount mike, light and optionally monitor.
Might make sense to make a habit out of using the red movie button for video and the shutter button for photo, because you can cross modes. When I am in photo mode but quickly need a video of the moment, I know to press the red button. When I am recording a video in movie mode but quickly need a still picture of a frame in proper quality and resolution, I know to press the shutter button. This feature wouldn't even be available when deactivating the red button, so I guess that function is there just to avoid accidental presses.
Hi! Thanks for your useful video. Do you know any gimbal for this camera?
Hi. Where you can download the video to 4k examples?
Thanks.
What features will you recommend to #Panasonic #Lumix if they want to upgrade this camera:
#Panasonic #Lumix #FZ2500MII / #FZ2000MII:
The #FZ2500 or #FZ2000 Mark 2 =>>> a #G90 / #G95 or #GH5 with fixed lens?
This Bridge is pretty popular one for video content.
I think all bridge superzoom cameras should be a good Hybrid tool for stills and videos..
The reason why you will buy a bridge to have a bit of all in one body.
Thanks.
I like your audio interface
thanks for this "after using report", I use the fz1000 and plan to switch to fz2000.I think I will switch....
Looks like an nice camera why use now a canon G3X but why like a 4K camera This one or the sony cybershot mark 3
You can connect a Davinci recorder-monitor (some 700 dollars) in the hdmi output and you can have recording in Prores 422 and recording in ssd disk taken in by a usb C output
How does the 100Mbps 1080p compare to the 4K down-sampled to 1080p? There the same bit rate, but you'd think the high bit rate 1080p might save some hassle... could you comment on this?
Oversampling is worth it, and 100 Mbps should still be sufficient for 4K even with fast moving scenes especially if you intend to reduce it to 1080. Also, 4K is 30 FPS only, so that makes the 100 Mbps limit even less of an issue.
Speaking of bitrate options, what disappointed me severely is the all-intra option's implementation, because while it's great for easy editing and 200 Mbps should suffice for preserving quality, the camera in praxis actually doesn't seem to make use of it at all! Which is insane, since all-intra should have a more predictable bitrate requirement than IPB, yet what I filmed in all-intra so far had something like 90-110 Mbps.
There are various things about the FZ2000 that really bother me and seem unnecessary. (As a casual user I also have to wonder what moron decided to make the info texts in the menu scroll in slowmotion, with no scrolling speed adjustment option available.)
Hello.
You have great reviews and instruction videos, I really like it. And I am surprised how good is the panasonic fz2000/2500 is
I am interested for this Panasonic camera.
Could you tell me how usable is when you plug in to the external monitor?
I mean how much is the latency the lag through hdmi?
Could you make a latency test video?
Thank you!
Best regards.
Hi thanks for your comments. You ask a very good question, I will do a video and try several monitors to see how good it is. I have never tested this before so I will find it interesting as well.
Thank you!
Hello Bob, Had a quick question regarding selecting my next video camera. I am trying to decide between Panasonic FZ2000/25000 (hybrid cam) vs dedicated camcorder like Sony AX33 or Panasonic HC-WXF991K. I am using Panasonic's FZ1000 as still camera. I tried to use it as video cam but results were mixed (it had issues like focus hunting, bad quality audio recording due to motor noise). From what I see, Panny improved video recording aspects in FZ2000/2500. So I am interested to see if I can buy that and replace my FZ1000 and an old sony camcorder. I do recording of few stage performances for family and friends for 3 or 4 times a year plus usual family trips etc. Video recording is mostly done in handheld mode. This is the primary application.
So what do you recommend:
1. Keeping FZ1000 and buying Sony AX33 or Panasonic HC-WXF991K as dedicated camcorder. (Slight hang-up I have is Sony and Panasonic are not coming out with updated models for these to include touch focus, new sensors etc. They are focused on hybrid/bridge cameras)
2. Buying FZ2000/2500 as all in one hybrid/bridge camera that can do video and still photgraphy.
Please let me know your personal experience and preference. Other viewers, if you have any input on this, please let me know as well
What did you do? If it's still in question, FZ2500 for sure.
Lack of weatherproofing spoiled it for me. Controlling the highlights out of doors can be a pain as well.
Is there a time code function on the newer FZ2000/2500 for syncing of multiple cameras?
No, it does not support external TC syncing. You would need to spend quite a bit more to get this function, otherwise its a great camera.
Thanks for the reply. Time code is listed under panasonic's FZ2500 specs page though
Count Up: Rec Run/Free Run selectable, Time Code Mode: Drop frame/Non-drop frame selectable (When system frequency [59.94Hz] is selected.)
www.panasonic.com/africa/consumer/cameras-camcorders/lumix-digital-cameras-point-shoot/dmc-fz2500.specs.html
if you are in movie mode on the dial the shutter button will start the recording of the camera.
The 36mm 4K "wide" end t=really sucks and could be a deal breaker. I've just ordered a $30 67mm 0.43x Wide Angle Lens. I don't have high hopes for the image quality, but I'll see soon. BTW, You make very interesting and joy to watch and learn videos.
I don't even know why it is necessary. I mean, the resolution happens after the optics, high-res photos are possible in widest angle and 4K mode doesn't even have electronic image stabilization! The lack of the latter really makes this puzzling.
Great video!
Thank you..
Personally I've never worn headphones when recording myself. I use them more to be sure the sound system is actually working.
It is very important for avoiding experiences of great regret when you record some messed up sound situation and have no clue about it until you watch the recorded footage. Imagine you're filming someone talking into the camera on a busy street and you can understand them well but on the audio recording their voice is drowned out. Also good for checking out sensitivity levels, I'd imagine, otherwise you'd have to guess it and maybe fall into a habit of never changing it anyway.
I am an owner of the FZ2000, too, my first camera with fully articulated screen. Hmm, I am not sure if I prefer this to the tilting screens of my Sony cameras. The articulated screens on video cameras are perfectly designed along with cable jacks. But the articulated screens on Panasonic cameras is not really perfectly designed. the HDMI cable is in the way, too, what a bummer. Honestly I feel much more natural to look the image on a tilting screen rather than on a screen that is protruding to the side. I am sure I'll get used to it, nevrtheless.
If only articulated had some clever mechanism that also allowed tilted. But as the compromise goes, I couldn't live without full screen mobility. I'm doing odd perspectives sometimes where the lighting situation makes certain screen angles not feasible since I wouldn't see anything on it.
Yeah, the the display-headphone jack crash is so much annoying. I also thought that why couldn't they put the connectors on the other side. There's no need to have that much large SD card slot flap though.
Use the shutter button to start recording
Personaly i dont agree about the lens,reach is far more important to me than wide angle.
chris hull I'm like you I prefer length to width but we have different preferences
One can never have enough reach, haha. I begrudgingly use digital zoom a lot during nature filming. But I'd probably still sacrifice a little of that for some wider angle. Especially I don't know why the hell the angle is narrower when recording in 4K (and too narrow for my taste), especially when this camera specifically does NOT have electronic image stabilization in 4K.
this is not true. you can trigger atomos gear with the right settings ;)
Hello.
I recently bought a panasonic fz2000 and I found an annoying thing. When I zooming in and after that zomming out, the image shakes slightly until the zoom starts. This video shows the problem: ua-cam.com/video/2OGiLmdrSxg/v-deo.html Can you help telling me If your camera does the same or this is only my camera problem? Thank you! :)
Hy, I have talked with other fz2000 users, and they sent me some sample videos with zooming, and the conclusion is this is the fz2000/2500 camera issue. Their cameras does the same. The zoom is smooth when zooming, but when changing the direction of the zoom, it shakes the image a little.
4k video doesn't work with stabilizer. I return and wait for GH5
Alan Nguyen is there no stabilisation at all when shooting 4K?
Yes there is. Just not the 5 axis version - only normal OIS.
Ian Beveridge oké.. thanks
Ian Beveridge - I thought it has full optical and just not digital. I wasn't aware 5-axis is a separate mode or something. Why would it need to have restricted optical stabilization in 4K?
Get a 90° adaptor