Convince me to dump my DSLR gear.

I realize the arguments for NOT doing such a thing is very strong, and few of you would probably advise this. But...my results with the FZ-30 are every bit as good in the IQ dept. as results with the DSLR, making me constantly entertain the thoughts of "traveling light" and going with this wonderful Panny only. The only real areas of concern ly in the lower light shooting, and the capturing of sports/action images. Actually, putting both of those concerns together into one, that would mean youth hockey games.

I can match a couple of the camera setting on my FZ-30 that I use for reasonably successfully capture images from my DSLR. Those are: an aperture of f3.5/4, 1/200 shutter speed, and a zoom of around 100mm works for me. BUT.....the ISO is where we part company. I set the DSLR to ISO400 or even ISO800. From what I read here, an ISO of even 400 on the Panny would, would destine my shots to the trash barrel. I have yet to actually try this, but isn't that what I should likely expect under such circumstances?

AND..................have any of you actually given up(and I mean totally rid your selves)your DSLRs?
Bob

I have taken ISO 400 shots with the FZ30, and they hardly need to be trashed! Here's one example:



Here's another one I shot in RAW of my cat at ISO 400:



Just to prove it's real, a 100% crop:



Don't believe everything you read in a review! Gary R. has a whole series of night shots all taken at ISO 400, pretty nice stuff.
--
Just cruisin' ...



EffZeeOneVeeTwo, EffZeeThirty, Tizzy (who captured the Eagle)

If you are not happy with the SLR..then give it up. Its a personal choice..not my place to convince anyone one way or the other.

I see many advantages of a smaller pannie camera..and some disadvantages too...same for an SLR.

We all know the pros and cons..

For myself being a high contrast exposure kinda guy..my fz-5 struggles with the DR and lattitude...so that is the winning argument for me...as it the wide angle advantage on the SLR. But my needs are not yours..

Use what you are comfortable with after all taking good shots is what its all about..
--

I love my FZ30 but if as High as you will go is ISO 800 on a dslr (at least a D50) then 80 is as high as you will go with the FZ30.......My self I use 1600 quite a bit with a DSLR and will use ISO 400 on my FZ 30.....but we all look at this differently.Noise does not bother me but when it effects the cropping ability then it does.
--
------------------------------------------------------------
Gene
From Western PA.

Panasonic FZ 20 and FZ30
D50 and lenses.

http://imageevent.com/grc6



Just trying to learn and it's slow going!

BobT said:

AND..................have any of you actually given up(and I mean
totally rid your selves)your DSLRs?

Click to expand...

Yup sure have, and a lot of others have too

Once you realize the quality of the FZ 30 is every bit as good, and in my case the image quality of the FZ 30 was BETTER than my dSLR, you just stop using the dSLR and keep using the FZ 30.

At that point theres no real good reason to have an expensive dSLR collecting dust.

I know my future will involve a dSLR and my FZ30. I do find that ISO has little effect for me because I fill the frame and don't plan to do much cropping to get the shot. I also have just set the FZ for ISO 80 and live with it and a mono or tripod. I would likely just find the sweet spot for a dSLR and use it very similar, but be able to do much larger prints.

Fortunately I know how and what I like to shoot. Now before I get too stuck in the rut, I look forward to a dSLR and trying new ideas and styles.

All depends on what you use the cam for. Good luck.
--
Shoot to the Max
Tom



http://www.flickr.com/photos/talk2cpu

I have a Canon 20D and a FZ30. The 20D is better than the FZ30 in all areas except weight, ergonomics, and cost. I enjoy the dynamic range and clean images of the 20D.

I still use the FZ30 sometimes hiking or when I want something lighter. It's a nice camera.

Use whatever suits your needs. A camera is a tool.

--
My gallery- http://www.unnecessarybeauty.com/

Why are so many people in the forums on this site obsessed with making it a choice between a DSLR and an all-in-one? There is no reason that you have to limit yourself to just one or the other.

My father owns and old beatup work/cargo van that he drives most of the time and uses whenever he has to haul large items ... and he also owns a Porsche 944 for times when he wants to have fun on the road. (Although the closer he gets to the age of 70 the more I try to get him to give me the Porsche.)

I use DSLRs and expensive lenses for work, but when I need a family/vacation camera to take with me I use the FZ50 most of the time. The FZ50 is just more convenient than a DSLR ... even a DSLR with a 18-200mm or 28-300mm lens.

In my opinion the results from the FZ50 at ISO 400 and 800 make excellent 8x10 and smaller prints ... if (and that's a big "IF") your exposure is correct and your subject fills the frame to a reasonable degree.

One of the problems I've seen in the forums is that a number of people take underexposed photos and boost the exposure in an image editing program ... which makes the ISO noise worse. The other common problem I see is that people don't get close enough to their subjects and the subjects end up small in the frame. If your subject is small in the frame then they are basically made up of fine details ... which suffer under high ISO. The larger the subject in the frame, the bigger the details, which means high ISO isn't as much of a problem.

In general, if I know I'm going to NEED high ISO for my photography then I usually take a DSLR rather than the FZ50. That said, I've used the FZ50 many times at the ISO 400 and 800 setting and have usually been pleased with the results (given the requirements I listed above).

There's nothing wrong with having BOTH a DSLR and the FZ50 in your kit.
--
http://www.jjjphotography.com
See 'The Big Picture' at http://jjjphotography.blogspot.com/

JJJPhoto said:

Why are so many people in the forums on this site obsessed with
making it a choice between a DSLR and an all-in-one? There is no
reason that you have to limit yourself to just one or the other.

Click to expand...

JJJ - I think the simple answer is that most of us are on a budget, we can only afford one or the other.

Yeah just like when I was 15: who do you like...the Beatles or the Stones?
--
My motto: Photographers should be seen and not heard.
FZ50, UZI, B-300

DSLR's are great and give better image quality and all that blah blah blah . . .

But, in a reality, most people don't need DSLR image quality!

Especially when most people rarily blow up bigger than 4x6 prints and the occasional 8x10!

What I find humorous is that in the digital age everyone whines about grainy (noisy) pics, yet back in the film days that is what everyone always tried to get!

And pi$$ed and moaned when they couldn't figure out how to get those grainy B&W's!

That said, I have a FZ50 and FZ10 . . . I love them both and I always get images that are exceptional!

If I were still a full time newspaper photographer (20 years of my life), I'd have several DSLR bodies . . .

But, I no longer do that and have found that I can do almost as much as I could with a DSLR with both of my Panasonic FZ's!
--
John M. Daniels
Denver, Colorado

Two reasons:

1) No lens lust

2) Every single photographic tool you have fits in one small bag that remains prepacked and ready to go.

Sirandar

sigma or kit lenses for it.

One of the advantages of a good dslr is the quality of lens, especially primes but also zooms, which will, with the low noise sensor, produce better quality pics than any fz.

Sometimes.

BobT said:

I realize the arguments for NOT doing such a thing is very strong,
and few of you would probably advise this. But...my results with
the FZ-30 are every bit as good in the IQ dept. as results with the
DSLR, making me constantly entertain the thoughts of "traveling
light" and going with this wonderful Panny only.

Click to expand...

PS You didn't say what brand of dslr you have, or what lenses.

--
Regards

Trevor Ginaus

http://trevorg.smugmug.com

Lens lust? Am I missing something?

Trevor G said:

One of the advantages of a good dslr is the quality of lens,
especially primes but also zooms, which will, with the low noise
sensor, produce better quality pics than any fz.

Click to expand...

Trevor G . . .

Do you have an FZ or any Panasonic digital?

I'm just wondering why you come here to slam a great camera!

While the FZ30 and FZ50 isn't a DSLR camera, for many of us, it does just as good!

The topic starter has already said that he feels the quality of image will suit him . . .

So why continue to trash the FZ's and push a DSLR?

--
John M. Daniels
Denver, Colorado

Bob, please email me with regard to your FZ30.

[email protected]

Thanks,
Otto...

I have a Canon 300D and the following lenses: All Canon's--18-55 (kit), 50 f1.8, 28-105 3.5/4.5 USM MK I, and 70-210 3.5/4.5 USM. Not a bad set-up, but I still can rival the end results with my FZ-30.
BobT

Sounds like we have a lot in common, I was a professional photographer, well I still am but I no longer do it professionally, but l did not try to get grainy photos, it was just that high speed ASA film like 400 and 800 just gave grainy photos, you lived with it and used it to your advantage. I am still amazed at how these newer digital photographers think that the noise they see in ISO 400 or above shots are so bad, I really have not had the problem handling it at all with my FZ30. I love the idea that I can take one camera with me and get just about any photo I want instead of lugging around a ton of camera equipment. I remember taking several camera bodies, camera backs several different flashes and many lenses. My shoulder got very sore all the time until I finally bought a suitcase on wheels that I pulled around. I love my FZ30 and I get wonderful pictures that I can blow up to 11X17 all the time without all the terrible noise these youngsters keep complaining about. Still a DSLR, an expensive one will do a better job at low light high ISO pictures, but unless, like you said they are going to be blowing these up to poster size, I do not see the advantage. In most shots the pana superzooms FZ20,30 and 50 do just fine. Now I want other to know I am not knocking DSLR's at all, I love them, they are wonderful cameras, and if you are into all the lenses and things, fine, but I am happy with what I have as you are.

The only possible way is to go with Fuji, but you loose fps and IS yet achieve higher ISO IQ in a S9100/9600.

The alternative is Panasonic gets their buttocks in gear and releases several firmware upgrades to address internal camera processing on several cameras. Their processing effort past ISO 100 is basically pathetic.

The alternative with firmware is they make RAW improvements in camera and also supply an external computer software update to compliment the improvement.

It won't go too far that you have to buy a next Panny release to get that IQ. The evidence is it did not take me long to get a Fuji immdiately after I got a LX2 after looking at the ISO range IQ.

And that even overcame my disatisfaction that my Fuji E550 cannot be used due to a problem that would require out of warranty service to fix.
I believe these later generations will have improved so not worried.

Yeah, Panasonic better get cracking.

For action beyond hobby use there is little other opportuny to dump your DSLR right now.

BobT said:

I realize the arguments for NOT doing such a thing is very strong,
and few of you would probably advise this. But...my results with
the FZ-30 are every bit as good in the IQ dept. as results with the
DSLR, making me constantly entertain the thoughts of "traveling
light" and going with this wonderful Panny only. The only real
areas of concern ly in the lower light shooting, and the capturing
of sports/action images. Actually, putting both of those concerns
together into one, that would mean youth hockey games.
I can match a couple of the camera setting on my FZ-30 that I use
for reasonably successfully capture images from my DSLR. Those
are: an aperture of f3.5/4, 1/200 shutter speed, and a zoom of
around 100mm works for me. BUT.....the ISO is where we part
company. I set the DSLR to ISO400 or even ISO800. From what I
read here, an ISO of even 400 on the Panny would, would destine my
shots to the trash barrel. I have yet to actually try this, but
isn't that what I should likely expect under such circumstances?
AND..................have any of you actually given up(and I mean
totally rid your selves)your DSLRs?
Bob

Click to expand...

--
Torch

JJJPhoto said:

Why are so many people in the forums on this site obsessed with
making it a choice between a DSLR and an all-in-one? There is no
reason that you have to limit yourself to just one or the other.

Click to expand...

Assuming you've got a spare $2000 sitting around and nothing b
better to do with it...

--
FZ7 + TC-E17ED