Indoor Concert Video - Lens for SONY ZV-E10

Probably not allowed either, but should I set stabilization to Active instead of standard? I'll most probably use the Sony 35mm F1.8 prime lens - which has built-in optical image stabilization already.
It's the way the image roams over the subject that makes it look so much like a home movie on a phone.
Not sure I get it. You mean I am waving the camera around too much?
Are you just recording these for your own viewing?
Yes, for the most part. Also for my (very modest and amateur) YouTube channel.
Do you know the band?
Nope
If you have an in with the band I'd just have them talk to the venue to get you permission to bring whatever equipment you want. When I film for bands I just go in with them at load in and they'll usually introduce me to the folks at the venue who are more than happy to give me the access I need.
Good for you - not sure I will have as much success or influence. But then, I'm just a casual videographer who likes to keep things simple and can't devote much time and effort. But I'll keep what you said in mind just in case things change in the future.
 
I had earlier used a Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 for indoor concerts and the results - (both video and audio as below) exceeded my expectations, even though I shot it in FHD only and did not utlilize its excellent 4K capabilities.

I have since acquired a ZV-E10 (which does 4K as well) and it has done well during the day in bright light with the 18-135mm lens, but I am now planning to record videos of an indoor concert this Friday night and am not sure if any of the below camera / lens combinations will do any better than the FZ1000.

Apart from the aforementioned 18-135mm superzoom and the ZV-E10 kit lens (Sony E PZ 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS) I have another lens - the Sony 35mm F1.8 prime for low light, but the fact that it has no zoom is putting me off - even though I believe I will be pretty close to the stage at this smallish indoor vanue (Black Cat in Washington DC).

Will the APS-C ZV-E10 with one of the above lenses be better or should I just stick with my tried and tested 18x 1" sensor bridge camera FZ1000 with 4K? In fact, I had even used a Samsung S22 Ultra with 3x and 10x optical zoom indoors, and I thought it did very well per this video below.

Your advice / recommendations will be appreciated!!
If you're looking for a new lens, get the Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8. It's the best bang-for-your-buck video lens out there IMO.
Yes, I had it on my wish list already - but it's $700 - so not all that cheap.
Also IMO you should never use a variable aperture lens for video, as the lighting and DOF will change as you zoom (you could use auto ISO to compensate, but I wouldn't recommend that either). So if what you listed are the only options, I would go with the 35mm f/1.8 over everything else. If you are filming in 4k but outputting to 1080, you get a free 2x "zoom" to work with anyway.
I did, last night. The lighting was challenging, and all my cameras struggled. Here is the 4K video shot with the ZV-E10 and the SEL35F18 prime





And below is a video (likewise, 4K) I recorded with the FZ1000 variable aperture (F2.8-F4) fixed lens camera:
 
In a pinch, a neck strap can be used to help stabilize your camera by giving it a third point of contact, if you hold the camera outstreched (sorry if that is not a word) far enough that the strap provides tension.

I don't know if there is a DIY version of the CineSaddle that you can make and take in to a concert. They probably have prohibitions against bags / shoulder slings and such.

Good luck whatever you do!!!
Thanks!
If you post on youtube, then be sure to link to it from here.
Here are two videos - the first one with the FZ1000, and the bottom one with the ZV-E10 + SONY SEL35F18.
 
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In a pinch, a neck strap can be used to help stabilize your camera by giving it a third point of contact, if you hold the camera outstreched (sorry if that is not a word) far enough that the strap provides tension.

I don't know if there is a DIY version of the CineSaddle that you can make and take in to a concert. They probably have prohibitions against bags / shoulder slings and such.

Good luck whatever you do!!!
Thanks!
If you post on youtube, then be sure to link to it from here.
Here are two videos - the first one with the FZ1000, and the bottom one with the ZV-E10 + SONY SEL35F18.
Good job for what is obviously a tough situation.

Ok, so my vote is for...

Manual focus (at least when you got a bunch of people jumping up and down in front of the camera). But even if you don't have people jumping up and down in front of the camera, I think you have enough depth of field to set focus on the singer and just leave it there.

On the other hand, if you are going to be zooming in and out a lot (I know you weren't, but in theory if you do), thenhaving good af-c will help a lot.

Ok, so the Sony is "cleaner" but the rolling shutter is more annoying than on the FZ1000.

The biggest "win" would come from finding some way to keep the camera more stable. Unfortunately, I don't have a suggestion for you. It appears at this show that you were standing, so some kind of shoulder rig would be great. Just... don't think the club would let you bring it in.

But thanks for posting the videos and keep enjoying the live music (and supporting musicians!!!)
 
Here's another approach. Film a song that's sort of a signature for the band - a song with a similar groove to other songs they play. Then shoot close details from other songs - hands, faces, feet tapping - and splice them in here and there over the full length song you chose for your edit. It's really easy to take a 5 second clip of fingers on a guitar and use the mouse to stretch or shrink that clip to match the tempo of a different song, The only problem with this approach is that you never actually get a close up of the singer singing, which is why you need a dedicated telephoto shot of the singer.


A better approach would be to bring a friend (or pay a teenager) to hold the Sony camera still for the wide shot while you shoot the details with the FZ. The details bring the viewer "into" the video, rather than leaving them as a distant spectator. Or, if you don't have a dedicated telephoto shot of the singer, shoot the singer with the FZ and then shoot details from other songs. This would mean choosing the signature song before the shoot, which you can easily do by researching the band on Youtube and finding their 'hit' songs that they always play at shows.

Yet another option for a venue that's not too rowdy - get a mini tabletop tripod for a phone (leg spread is roughly 6 inches, height is maybe 3 inches) and place it on the front edge of the stage, aimed at the drummer. Now you have a third angle to use for your edit.

In all these cases, if you're shooting 4k and rendering to 1080p, you can do zooms in post, which helps keep the energy up. In the past, I've taken the wide shot, zoomed in to 200% (in a 4k timeline) or 100% (in a 1080p timeline where you have to reduce a 4k image to 50% in order to see the entire frame) and then start at the left side and do a slow pan across the stage.
 
I like the zoom in the FZ shot. One thing you could try is find a low light situation and zoom in far enough for the equivalent of a portrait on the singer. Put it in MF and set focus while you're zoomed in. Then slowly zoom back out and see if it holds focus. These are not parfocal lenses, so it's unlikely, but you might get lucky. MF would be preferable to dealing with AF losing focus entirely as it did in this shot.

If your FZ1000 works the same way other Panasonic cameras work, you might be able to put it in MF mode with focus peaking, and then set the AF On button on the back to do what it says - push the button and it focuses. Let go and you're back to MF. Or use touch focus instead of the AF button. At least then the camera knows what you want to focus on.

I really like the fact that the FZ is a constant F/2.8. When I first started out, I bought a FZ2500 - because it was "better" than the FZ1000 - but as I recall, it's a variable F stop from 2.8 to. 4.5 which is not ideal for shooting low light situations. Live and learn, ha ha. I gave the FZ2500 to my GF's son.
 
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I like the zoom in the FZ shot. One thing you could try is find a low light situation and zoom in far enough for the equivalent of a portrait on the singer. Put it in MF and set focus while you're zoomed in. Then slowly zoom back out and see if it holds focus. These are not parfocal lenses, so it's unlikely, but you might get lucky. MF would be preferable to dealing with AF losing focus entirely as it did in this shot.
Yeah, the several instances of losing focus was a pain point - but it only happened in low light. Thanks for then suggestion.
If your FZ1000 works the same way other Panasonic cameras work, you might be able to put it in MF mode with focus peaking, and then set the AF On button on the back to do what it says - push the button and it focuses. Let go and you're back to MF. Or use touch focus instead of the AF button. At least then the camera knows what you want to focus on.
Certainly worth a try.
I really like the fact that the FZ is a constant F/2.8.
Actually, it's not. It's F2.8 to F4.0
When I first started out, I bought a FZ2500 - because it was "better" than the FZ1000 - but as I recall, it's a variable F stop from 2.8 to. 4.5 which is not ideal for shooting low light situations. Live and learn, ha ha. I gave the FZ2500 to my GF's son.
You're generous!
 
In a pinch, a neck strap can be used to help stabilize your camera by giving it a third point of contact, if you hold the camera outstreched (sorry if that is not a word) far enough that the strap provides tension.

I don't know if there is a DIY version of the CineSaddle that you can make and take in to a concert. They probably have prohibitions against bags / shoulder slings and such.

Good luck whatever you do!!!
Thanks!
If you post on youtube, then be sure to link to it from here.
Here are two videos - the first one with the FZ1000, and the bottom one with the ZV-E10 + SONY SEL35F18.
Good job for what is obviously a tough situation.
Thanks, TBH I was expecting some brickbats :-) :-)
Ok, so my vote is for...

Manual focus (at least when you got a bunch of people jumping up and down in front of the camera). But even if you don't have people jumping up and down in front of the camera, I think you have enough depth of field to set focus on the singer and just leave it there.
Yes, the focus getting lost randomly was very annoying and I thought of the same for my next attempt.
On the other hand, if you are going to be zooming in and out a lot (I know you weren't, but in theory if you do), thenhaving good af-c will help a lot.
Used AF-C already on these videos.
Ok, so the Sony is "cleaner" but the rolling shutter is more annoying than on the FZ1000.
I didn't find too much difference but I know that my eyes aren't sharp enough which is why I post here.
The biggest "win" would come from finding some way to keep the camera more stable. Unfortunately, I don't have a suggestion for you. It appears at this show that you were standing, so some kind of shoulder rig would be great. Just... don't think the club would let you bring it in.
I thought I can live with the stabilization (or lack of it) here - this is the best I could do holding the camera high above my head in my aching hands. Thaksfully the concert was short.
But thanks for posting the videos and keep enjoying the live music (and supporting musicians!!!)
My pleasure and thanks for the C&C!!
 
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I thought I can live with the stabilization (or lack of it) here - this is the best I could do holding the camera high above my head in my aching hands. Thaksfully the concert was short.
Yikes! That's really tough if ou have to hold the camera above your head.
 

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