Smallest m43 Z Camera E1

Tom Caldwell wrote:

I thought my first thoughts might be useful.

It comes in a well presented quality packing which is a good start. About as innovative as the camera itself - diagonal opening box. So it starts off well. There were an assortment of plug ends for the adapter - US, UK and EU general but no AU plug which is a bit odd as the Chinese plug is none other than an AU plug that fits upside down in the socket. Maybe this was not made for the Chinese market? In any case the EU plug fitted into my "universal adapter" easily enough but the US and UK plugs were not that interested - but no matter it charged the batteries ok.

The batteries were a surprise - they were much larger physically than I had expected.

Compared to the standard Panasonic BLH7E for the GM series cameras

The battery takes up a large slab of the body space:

Compared to the GM series there is not a lot of difference in it:

w x d x h (mm) my measurements

Z E1: 75.5 x 27.5 x 56.0 But the mount tube protrudes a further 21.0 mm

GM5: 98.5 x 23.5 x 59.5 The mount tube only protrudes a further 6.8mm

Therefore the displaced volume of the Z E1 is not that much less than even a GM5, but the shape is probably friendlier for a gimbal mount. And chunkier for those that wish to use it by gripping it.

In use it was quite friendly once I started to get used to the button controls. The firmware upgraded to v0.30 easily. I could set up date and move around the menu system within a short learning process. It always defaults to video recording at startup but a click on the toggle mode dial swaps to stills instantly. A nuisance in not remembering "last used". Focus seems adequate and the DR of actual captures looks better on the finished product than it does on the screen.

I finally fund that playback was a long press on the mode button.

Not sure what was going on but 6 captures produced 83 images - I think that as there is not a lot of feedback on the shutter button a short press and release will be enough. Unless there is an issue with button bounce as I had it set for single capture and not burst.

I does start to get noticeably hot in use, not enough top bother me in my little stills and minor video test but it would obviously get hotter if used extensively for video.

There is no mount for a wrist strap so I have attached one via the (seems like a plastic thread) tripod mount.

So far I have just used the camera with the Panasonic 12-32 kit lens. Seems to work well - I am probably a little more unusual as I am more interested in it as a stills camera.

It certainly only shares a size category with the GM series - it is such a different experience as to have a niche of its own - once I figure out exactly what it is

Am I happy I bought one - yes of course and I will get some fun trying out more lenses on it. This is day one and I have hardly had a real chance to explore beyond figuring out how to set it up.

A neat touch is that when you press the menu button a row of the essential controls are presented as icons. When selected by the function button they then retire to the foot of the screen but the selected function remains highlighted in red and and can be adjusted by the adjustment keys. Somehow this feels quite natural for a little camera that has no wheels, 4-way controller or touch screen. Somehow a quite intuitive interface has been thought out for such a few basic button controls. For someone who gets quite spitty over poor user interfaces the control structure is basic but well thought out. I have not minded it so far on my first day's wrestle.

Thanks for that detailed update, Tom.  I am looking forward to get mine... and this post helps greatly.

Cheers
Chumby

I bought the Z-E1 for it's video capabilities, and of course, because it uses the MFT mount.

I bought the camera with a very well defined intention for it's use.  I will use it as a C or even D camera in a multicam video shoot.  It's very small size is important as it will allow mounting in difficult locations (I hope ).

At it's original price of $500 plus, it was not even a starter.  At $250 it was a, well maybe.  But at $200 it really became a no brainer.

Mine was delivered yesterday, but I won't actually receive it until near the end of February.  It will be hand delivered when my ex-wife comes for a visit then.

Oh well.  We are off to Singapore for a week on the 16th.  I will be taking the GH5, 8-18mm and 12-60mm.

Tom Caldwell wrote:

I thought my first thoughts might be useful.

It comes in a well presented quality packing which is a good start. About as innovative as the camera itself - diagonal opening box. So it starts off well. There were an assortment of plug ends for the adapter - US, UK and EU general but no AU plug which is a bit odd as the Chinese plug is none other than an AU plug that fits upside down in the socket. Maybe this was not made for the Chinese market? In any case the EU plug fitted into my "universal adapter" easily enough but the US and UK plugs were not that interested - but no matter it charged the batteries ok.

The batteries were a surprise - they were much larger physically than I had expected.

Compared to the standard Panasonic BLH7E for the GM series cameras

The battery takes up a large slab of the body space:

Compared to the GM series there is not a lot of difference in it:

w x d x h (mm) my measurements

Z E1: 75.5 x 27.5 x 56.0 But the mount tube protrudes a further 21.0 mm

GM5: 98.5 x 23.5 x 59.5 The mount tube only protrudes a further 6.8mm

Therefore the displaced volume of the Z E1 is not that much less than even a GM5, but the shape is probably friendlier for a gimbal mount. And chunkier for those that wish to use it by gripping it.

In use it was quite friendly once I started to get used to the button controls. The firmware upgraded to v0.30 easily. I could set up date and move around the menu system within a short learning process. It always defaults to video recording at startup but a click on the toggle mode dial swaps to stills instantly. A nuisance in not remembering "last used". Focus seems adequate and the DR of actual captures looks better on the finished product than it does on the screen.

I finally fund that playback was a long press on the mode button.

Not sure what was going on but 6 captures produced 83 images - I think that as there is not a lot of feedback on the shutter button a short press and release will be enough. Unless there is an issue with button bounce as I had it set for single capture and not burst.

I does start to get noticeably hot in use, not enough top bother me in my little stills and minor video test but it would obviously get hotter if used extensively for video.

There is no mount for a wrist strap so I have attached one via the (seems like a plastic thread) tripod mount.

So far I have just used the camera with the Panasonic 12-32 kit lens. Seems to work well - I am probably a little more unusual as I am more interested in it as a stills camera.

It certainly only shares a size category with the GM series - it is such a different experience as to have a niche of its own - once I figure out exactly what it is

Am I happy I bought one - yes of course and I will get some fun trying out more lenses on it. This is day one and I have hardly had a real chance to explore beyond figuring out how to set it up.

A neat touch is that when you press the menu button a row of the essential controls are presented as icons. When selected by the function button they then retire to the foot of the screen but the selected function remains highlighted in red and and can be adjusted by the adjustment keys. Somehow this feels quite natural for a little camera that has no wheels, 4-way controller or touch screen. Somehow a quite intuitive interface has been thought out for such a few basic button controls. For someone who gets quite spitty over poor user interfaces the control structure is basic but well thought out. I have not minded it so far on my first day's wrestle.

Looked closely at the mount, it's in the magnesium body, not plastic..which is good.
I agree the button use is pretty simple, the shutter button however is..well, will take some getting used to it.
It can take nice stills it seems, the colours of the jpeg engine are good, nice and sharp but to me really isn't a still camera, at least not a responsive one. If needed to be pressed into duty would suffice for some uses but..  Back focus is obviously something the design team felt was a great thing (and it is) but so far I back focus then upon depressing the shutter it will refocus before taking the shot... maybe I need to delve into turning off CAF or something.
Video however is a different matter, and what I got the two I got for. I am confident they will do exactly what I need of them.
I'm trying to understand all the earlier posts regards external power, they work fine with no battery in them and on the power charger that came with.  I will likely use in studio sans battery on external power.

cerich wrote:
I'm trying to understand all the earlier posts regards external power, they work fine with no battery in them and on the power charger that came with. I will likely use in studio sans battery on external power.

For me the issue is can I run the Z/E1 for all day use without having access to A/C power.  If you have A/C power, the included cord works fine.

One of my uses is disguised with a steampunk shell at steampunk events.  I walk around with it, and take pictures.  For an example, here is my E-m5 mark 1 in a box made to look like an old bellows camera:

Picture of me at Watch City in Waltham, Massachusets, USA

Close up of me at Watch City in Waltham, Massachusets, USA

These events last all day.  Having only 2 batteries and no charger means I can probably only last for 4 hours.  So for me, I want to be able to have it run all day.  Hence wanting to plug the camera into a USB charger that puts out 5 volts and 2 amps.  If need be, I can just switch to using a different USB charger battery during the day.  In this setup, I might use a cell phone or tablet as the screen, and I likely would power the phone/tablet with the same USB charger battery.  I'm coming up on an event next weekend that is indoors at a hotel, and I might be running all day.

A similar usage case is putting the Z/E1 on a tripod/pole/etc. to record video.  There again, I likely don't have a convenient A/C power out.  I don't record much video, but on 1 or 2 weekends a year, I record something like 6 to 8 hours of video per day at a firends small renaissance faire.  At the faire, I do not have access to A/C power when I'm recording video (I do have power backstage).

If we had a charger, I could at least consider charging one battery while using the other.  However, normally that is a hassle, and I like to have enough power to last me 6-8 hours.

Michael Meissner wrote:

cerich wrote:
I'm trying to understand all the earlier posts regards external power, they work fine with no battery in them and on the power charger that came with. I will likely use in studio sans battery on external power.

For me the issue is can I run the Z/E1 for all day use without having access to A/C power. If you have A/C power, the included cord works fine.

One of my uses is disguised with a steampunk shell at steampunk events. I walk around with it, and take pictures. For an example, here is my E-m5 mark 1 in a box made to look like an old bellows camera:

Picture of me at Watch City in Waltham, Massachusets, USA

Close up of me at Watch City in Waltham, Massachusets, USA

These events last all day. Having only 2 batteries and no charger means I can probably only last for 4 hours. So for me, I want to be able to have it run all day. Hence wanting to plug the camera into a USB charger that puts out 5 volts and 2 amps. If need be, I can just switch to using a different USB charger battery during the day. In this setup, I might use a cell phone or tablet as the screen, and I likely would power the phone/tablet with the same USB charger battery. I'm coming up on an event next weekend that is indoors at a hotel, and I might be running all day.

A similar usage case is putting the Z/E1 on a tripod/pole/etc. to record video. There again, I likely don't have a convenient A/C power out. I don't record much video, but on 1 or 2 weekends a year, I record something like 6 to 8 hours of video per day at a firends small renaissance faire. At the faire, I do not have access to A/C power when I'm recording video (I do have power backstage).

If we had a charger, I could at least consider charging one battery while using the other. However, normally that is a hassle, and I like to have enough power to last me 6-8 hours.

Hmm..maybe a small 12 volt battery and inverter to 110 will work. Probably come in about 4-6 lbs however.

cerich wrote:

Hmm..maybe a small 12 volt battery and inverter to 110 will work. Probably come in about 4-6 lbs however.

That would be too heavy and the inverter would waste energy, first converting the power from 12 volts D/C to 110 volts A/C, and then using the builtin cable which converts the 110 volts A/C back down to 5 volts D/C to feed into the camera (*).

Instead, you can just use a 5v battery directly, once you make sure it can deliver enough amps and you get the right plug (**).

The key in the previous discussions about power was making sure the battery can deliver enough power in order to power the camera and lens when recording 4K video.

* It is likely that inside the camera there is a step-down voltage regulator reduces the 5v down to 3.3v or 1.8v.  This is needed because the smaller electronics cannot run at 5v, but due to USB, 5v is the universal current for small devices.

** Any 5v battery that you have is likely either a 3.7v volt single cell battery or a 7.4v pair of batteries and an appropriate boost/step-down regulator is used. But those regulators are quite efficient, unlike going to A/C and back to D/C.

cerich wrote:

Michael Meissner wrote:

cerich wrote:
I'm trying to understand all the earlier posts regards external power, they work fine with no battery in them and on the power charger that came with. I will likely use in studio sans battery on external power.

For me the issue is can I run the Z/E1 for all day use without having access to A/C power. If you have A/C power, the included cord works fine.

One of my uses is disguised with a steampunk shell at steampunk events. I walk around with it, and take pictures. For an example, here is my E-m5 mark 1 in a box made to look like an old bellows camera:

Picture of me at Watch City in Waltham, Massachusets, USA

Close up of me at Watch City in Waltham, Massachusets, USA

These events last all day. Having only 2 batteries and no charger means I can probably only last for 4 hours. So for me, I want to be able to have it run all day. Hence wanting to plug the camera into a USB charger that puts out 5 volts and 2 amps. If need be, I can just switch to using a different USB charger battery during the day. In this setup, I might use a cell phone or tablet as the screen, and I likely would power the phone/tablet with the same USB charger battery. I'm coming up on an event next weekend that is indoors at a hotel, and I might be running all day.

A similar usage case is putting the Z/E1 on a tripod/pole/etc. to record video. There again, I likely don't have a convenient A/C power out. I don't record much video, but on 1 or 2 weekends a year, I record something like 6 to 8 hours of video per day at a firends small renaissance faire. At the faire, I do not have access to A/C power when I'm recording video (I do have power backstage).

If we had a charger, I could at least consider charging one battery while using the other. However, normally that is a hassle, and I like to have enough power to last me 6-8 hours.

Hmm..maybe a small 12 volt battery and inverter to 110 will work. Probably come in about 4-6 lbs however.

I am sorry, but there is just too much obfuscation here about external portable power. Not from the above statement but by the multiple posts on cables that make it seem there is some problem. There is not.

The facts:

1. There is an available cable that has the correct barrel plug on one end for the camera power port and a standard male usb plug on the other end. It supplies full power to the camera from any power source supplying 5v 2A enabling unlimited 4K shooting. It works. It works. It works.

2. This means that any external battery pack supplying 5v 2A will power the camera. There are literally hundreds of these available with different capacities. Powering the camera externally without any internal battery and with readily available power sources is a great feature.

I have the cable, I have tested it and multiple power sources. It is less than 10 dollars and I have posted the link to the source in this thread.

There is thus no external power issue. This camera's advantage over many cameras is this external power option with high compatability.

The power issue is having extra *internal* batteries. The Z company seems to be aware of this, and the challenge is known to them. Lets hope they step up.

Michael Meissner wrote:

cerich wrote:

Hmm..maybe a small 12 volt battery and inverter to 110 will work. Probably come in about 4-6 lbs however.

That would be too heavy and the inverter would waste energy, first converting the power from 12 volts D/C to 110 volts A/C, and then using the builtin cable which converts the 110 volts A/C back down to 5 volts D/C to feed into the camera (*).

Instead, you can just use a 5v battery directly, once you make sure it can deliver enough amps and you get the right plug (**).

The key in the previous discussions about power was making sure the battery can deliver enough power in order to power the camera and lens when recording 4K video.

* It is likely that inside the camera there is a step-down voltage regulator reduces the 5v down to 3.3v or 1.8v. This is needed because the smaller electronics cannot run at 5v, but due to USB, 5v is the universal current for small devices.

** Any 5v battery that you have is likely either a 3.7v volt single cell battery or a 7.4v pair of batteries and an appropriate boost/step-down regulator is used. But those regulators are quite efficient, unlike going to A/C and back to D/C.

Again with this irrelevant speculation. There is an available cable that works. Ok? Any usb external battery delivering 5v 2A allows unlimited 4k shooting. I have tested this, I have posted this at least three times here. I have provided the source for the cable. Why do you stubbornly persist on obfuscating? Your problem is solved. Just buy this darn cable and buy a large capacity battery pack supplying 5v 2A.

hindesite wrote:

The E1 configuration is very adaptable - for example, because you can run the camera of the internal battery and an external power source, you could interrupt the external power source (for example to change the battery pack) without interrupting the recording. You can't do that easily or OOTB with Panasonic cameras.

I've seen some electronic devices where it can't recharge the batteries and power the device at the same time.  If there is no battery, the external source would power the device, but if there is a battery, the device would try to recharge the battery while it is being drained.  Maybe the E1 can do this, maybe it can't.  I wouldn't assume that it could do that without somebody testing it.

Panasonic makes it easy to power the camera from an external source (unlike Olympus). Many of the Panasonic cameras support A/C adapters and a fake battery to power the camera.

Tether tools makes the case relay camera power system where you put a fake battery in the camera, attach the case relay system which has an internal battery and then you can supply external power to recharge their battery.  You can get Tether tools for the G85 and GH5 (maybe other Panasonic cameras) and for the mid/high end Olympus cameras (though the E-m1 mark II requires you to buy the HLD-9).

• https://www.tethertools.com/product/case-relay-camera-power-system/

But if you want the ability to rechage the camera's battery in place and have interchangeable lenses, then you have to wait for the G9.  If you don't need to recharge the battery, you could do it in the cameras with an external battery grip (put the internal battery in one spot, and put the fake battery in the grip).

I would say that the E1 could have been more flexible if they took power from the micro-USB port in addition to the power port.

Michael Meissner wrote:

hindesite wrote:

The E1 configuration is very adaptable - for example, because you can run the camera of the internal battery and an external power source, you could interrupt the external power source (for example to change the battery pack) without interrupting the recording. You can't do that easily or OOTB with Panasonic cameras.

I've seen some electronic devices where it can't recharge the batteries and power the device at the same time. If there is no battery, the external source would power the device, but if there is a battery, the device would try to recharge the battery while it is being drained. Maybe the E1 can do this, maybe it can't. I wouldn't assume that it could do that without somebody testing it.

Panasonic makes it easy to power the camera from an external source (unlike Olympus). Many of the Panasonic cameras support A/C adapters and a fake battery to power the camera.

Tether tools makes the case relay camera power system where you put a fake battery in the camera, attach the case relay system which has an internal battery and then you can supply external power to recharge their battery. You can get Tether tools for the G85 and GH5 (maybe other Panasonic cameras) and for the mid/high end Olympus cameras (though the E-m1 mark II requires you to buy the HLD-9).

• https://www.tethertools.com/product/case-relay-camera-power-system/

But if you want the ability to rechage the camera's battery in place and have interchangeable lenses, then you have to wait for the G9. If you don't need to recharge the battery, you could do it in the cameras with an external battery grip (put the internal battery in one spot, and put the fake battery in the grip).

I would say that the E1 could have been more flexible if they took power from the micro-USB port in addition to the power port.

speaking of the new G9, many reviews have stated it's the first MFT camera with a top panel... umm no, the z camera e1 is.

Michael Meissner wrote:

hindesite wrote:

The E1 configuration is very adaptable - for example, because you can run the camera of the internal battery and an external power source, you could interrupt the external power source (for example to change the battery pack) without interrupting the recording. You can't do that easily or OOTB with Panasonic cameras.

I've seen some electronic devices where it can't recharge the batteries and power the device at the same time. If there is no battery, the external source would power the device, but if there is a battery, the device would try to recharge the battery while it is being drained. Maybe the E1 can do this, maybe it can't. I wouldn't assume that it could do that without somebody testing it.

Panasonic makes it easy to power the camera from an external source (unlike Olympus). Many of the Panasonic cameras support A/C adapters and a fake battery to power the camera.

Tether tools makes the case relay camera power system where you put a fake battery in the camera, attach the case relay system which has an internal battery and then you can supply external power to recharge their battery. You can get Tether tools for the G85 and GH5 (maybe other Panasonic cameras) and for the mid/high end Olympus cameras (though the E-m1 mark II requires you to buy the HLD-9).

• https://www.tethertools.com/product/case-relay-camera-power-system/

But if you want the ability to rechage the camera's battery in place and have interchangeable lenses, then you have to wait for the G9. If you don't need to recharge the battery, you could do it in the cameras with an external battery grip (put the internal battery in one spot, and put the fake battery in the grip).

I would say that the E1 could have been more flexible if they took power from the micro-USB port in addition to the power port.

I, unlike you, have tested. With a 5v 2A usb battery pack the internal battery is charged while shooting 4K. It charges and powers at the same time. Any more questions? You don't have to wait for the G9 or get special software. Is everything clear now about external power and the Z?

https://youtu.be/d_Qwy99I0N4

30th Street Station, Philadelphia

DCI 4K Zlog, Lumix 14-140mm.