The $199 Z Camera E1 vs Panasonic GH4: 4K Video

Does using a cage like that help to stabilize the video at all? I am starting to explore steadicams, gimbals and other options for more stable video..

Hi,

Thanks for the comparison. I bought this camera recently and tried it with some Canon lenses with Viltrox M2 adapter. Unfortunately, Viltrox and E1 are not compatible, so all the adapted lenses I tried showed up as manual lenses and I didn't have the option to adjust aperture. Still usable if you are ok shooting wide open.

FTR: I run .30 firmware on E1 and 2.2 firmware for M2.

photos_skital_com wrote:

Hi,

Thanks for the comparison. I bought this camera recently and tried it with some Canon lenses with Viltrox M2 adapter. Unfortunately, Viltrox and E1 are not compatible, so all the adapted lenses I tried showed up as manual lenses and I didn't have the option to adjust aperture. Still usable if you are ok shooting wide open.

FTR: I run .30 firmware on E1 and 2.2 firmware for M2.

Awesome, thanks for sharing - that is really useful information.

hindesite wrote:

photos_skital_com wrote:

Hi,

Thanks for the comparison. I bought this camera recently and tried it with some Canon lenses with Viltrox M2 adapter. Unfortunately, Viltrox and E1 are not compatible, so all the adapted lenses I tried showed up as manual lenses and I didn't have the option to adjust aperture. Still usable if you are ok shooting wide open.

FTR: I run .30 firmware on E1 and 2.2 firmware for M2.

Awesome, thanks for sharing - that is really useful information.

Must try it again - I thought I had it running ok with Metabones adapters - but I forget “for sure”.

I am very intrigued by this camera and I did purchase the z camera just waiting for it to arrive. Around $200 and it does the same thing that the DJI X5 does. Btw, I learned that the X5 cameras utilize the same mft sensor which is coincidentally similar to the GH4 and Z camera e1. The Dji X5 also shoots the same bit rate, 4k, and has around the same dynamic range with it's D Log... I have found the images from the DJI X5 drone footage to be exceptional compared to most cameras. The DJI phantom 4, pro, would be better, but I would venture to say that the E1 camera would be more on the dji mavic (air) level of quality?

Does the Z camera e1 utilize full sensor readout in 4k DCI? I have heard that it keeps the 2.0 crop like gh5 and not the 2.4 like the gh4.

Also, could you confirm the metabones adapter works. I have seen maybe one video of the MB and E1 but no signs of control over lens..

The Quality from the Camera, Photo or Video, seems very pleasing according to the sample clips wich have been posted. For 250$-350$ and the absolut small size ist gorgeous.

I would like to use this cam for a photoproject(video is not that imporant in this case), this includes to control the cam via usb: Set exposure values(ISO, Shutterspeed), read the Card, download images, take a picture. Does anyone of u every managed to find the promised ZCAM SDK?
Or does anyone of u have an idea how i could controll the cam via USB?

I would like to hear from u guys, thanks!

I've said it before and I will say it again: I REALLY wish that Z Cam (or some other case manufacturer) had released some sort of waterproof case/bag for this camera.

I've contacted Dicapak asking them to make one, to no avail, haha. Basically I want one of their camera bags but in a smaller form factor than they currently make.

If I knew enough people would buy one I'd try to get it manufactured myself...start a kickstarter or something.

Such is life.

Isotta an underwater housing for this camera.

http://www.isotecnic.it/en/products/action-cam-housings/zcam-eng/z-cam-e1-eng

Tom St George wrote:

Isotta an underwater housing for this camera.

http://www.isotecnic.it/en/products/action-cam-housings/zcam-eng/z-cam-e1-eng

LOL that's like $1200 US WOWOWOWOW

Mark, I know you mentioned at one point that you have the Panasonic 12-32mm on your zcam. Do you not have terrible "focus breathing" problems with yours? I have tried seemingly every possible combination of CAF settings (near, far, high sensitivity, low , continuous vs. Non, flexible zone vs. Normal) and I can't get the thing to stay locked on a simple video of my hand out in front of the camera. Any suggestions?