Topic: Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200 (edit: mostly about ZS100 though)

[phil_er_up]

Has anyone reset the camera then redid the mod on the camera?

Yes.  And I had no issues re-hacking it and getting it all set up again.

Thanks quitard.

Fixed my first hacked camera with menu's that were improperly set. Pilot Error...ARG!

Also took my second new XS100 camera and set it with the hack. Need a bigger SD card. Tested each camera running for 1.25 hours (Batteries were down to one bar) and looked at video and all seemed correct and both cameras ran the whole time. Nice to have both cameras ready to go.

[guitard]

Tested each camera running for 1.25 hours (Batteries were down to one bar) and looked at video and all seemed correct and both cameras ran the whole time.

Just FYI - the best I've ever gotten with a Panny OEM battery was 1 hr 44 mins.  I mostly shoot in manual focus, so my battery lasts a little longer than it would if shooting in auto-focus mode (because the lens doesn't do any "searching").

[webvan]

I Use this camera all the time. Have a clamp, will put it up on my Mic Stand and capture Full Sets at my fav local vanues.

Here's a few examples with the on board Camera Audio utilized.

Splintered Sunlight - Full First Set

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuZIw4jOJZ4&t=251s

Local SuperJam - Philly Burbs w Ron Holloway

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuZIw4jOJZ4&t=251s

Cabinet - Bluegrass - Full Set

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRstvAG0H5c&t=1769s

Perpetual Groove

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1N5ANiTX4eM

Not bad at all indeed, especially since the last one seemed pretty loud.

In case you're still looking for an answer if you think the ZS100's audio is bad then don't even touch a compact Sony camera, they (HX5, HX20, HX30, HX90, RX100III) distort horribly at even the lowest of sound levels, something I never got on the ZS100 or any other Panasonic camera.

I don't come here often anymore, so just seeing this now.

I did get the Rx100vii.   Audio is way better than the ZS100.  My batteries died in my portable recorder during a show right in the middle of the one song I really wanted to video tape so I used the cameras recording and it was decent.  Decent as in Much better than I could ever get out of the Panasonic.

Well that would mean that Sony finally fixed the crappy audio recording on their super expensive RX series, good news I suppose, do you have an example of such a recording that sounds "way better" ? Was it quite loud ? Something no Sony compact camera had been able to handle so far.

[OrionMan]

I Use this camera all the time. Have a clamp, will put it up on my Mic Stand and capture Full Sets at my fav local vanues.

Here's a few examples with the on board Camera Audio utilized.

Splintered Sunlight - Full First Set

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuZIw4jOJZ4&t=251s

Local SuperJam - Philly Burbs w Ron Holloway

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuZIw4jOJZ4&t=251s

Cabinet - Bluegrass - Full Set

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRstvAG0H5c&t=1769s

Perpetual Groove

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1N5ANiTX4eM

Not bad at all indeed, especially since the last one seemed pretty loud.

In case you're still looking for an answer if you think the ZS100's audio is bad then don't even touch a compact Sony camera, they (HX5, HX20, HX30, HX90, RX100III) distort horribly at even the lowest of sound levels, something I never got on the ZS100 or any other Panasonic camera.

I don't come here often anymore, so just seeing this now.

I did get the Rx100vii.   Audio is way better than the ZS100.  My batteries died in my portable recorder during a show right in the middle of the one song I really wanted to video tape so I used the cameras recording and it was decent.  Decent as in Much better than I could ever get out of the Panasonic.

Well that would mean that Sony finally fixed the crappy audio recording on their super expensive RX series, good news I suppose, do you have an example of such a recording that sounds "way better" ? Was it quite loud ? Something no Sony compact camera had been able to handle so far.

It sounds much better than the Panasonic, to me. But like I said, just decent, so still not good. It does have mic inputs, so that will definitely help.

[guitard]

I have two ZS100s and get a lot of use out of them (one or two concerts a week).  One fell from my lap and hit the cement below my seat pretty hard recently.  This resulted in the motion picture button (black button with red dot in it) becoming inoperable.  I tried to use this camera at a show last night and that's when I found out it wasn't working.  Fortunately, I had my second camera with me and was able to get it out quickly; and only missed the first minute of the show.

Today I was poking around with it trying to see if I could get the motion picture button to work (notice little marks around the edges of the button), but it became clear that it was dead in the water.  I was getting ready to mail it to a camera repair shop and was checking to see if there was anything else wrong with it. 

That's when I discovered that as long as the mode dial is turned to "Creative Video Mode" (little camera icon with an M next to it), you can start and stop video shooting using the shutter button. 
Usually a inoperable button on a camera means you can't use the camera anymore.  So what a relief to know there is a work around for this.

I realize that some (many? most?) of you probably already know about this.  But just in case, I'm posting it here.

[yug du nord]

I don’t have a ZS100/200.. but am a LUMIX user.
With my experiences with LUMIX.. when you are in Video Mode on the dial, it gives you more adjustment options than with the red ‘quick video’ button.  YMMV.
..I do have an older ZS30 though, but is nothing like the newer ZS cameras.

Edit:
In my experience with LUMIX.. when video recording with red quick video button, you can also take still photos (simultaneously) while video recording by pressing shutter button.
But when in Video Mode on the dial, you can not do that.

[guitard]

Usually security at fair concerts is very chill, but I Got shut down recently at a local county fair because I was shooting video with my ZS100.  Security guy comes over and (politely) said no video is allowed.  I wanted to say something about the dozens of people in my immediate surroundings video taping with their phones ... but knew that never turns out well, and decided to just put my ZS100 away and shoot the rest of the show on my iPhone.

[Papaphunk]

Going through the options today on the Camera, I noticed a "Zoom" Mic option - this was turned off on mine, anyone know the benefits if it is turned to the "On" position ? Better Audio from far away ?

[jcable77]

Going through the options today on the Camera, I noticed a "Zoom" Mic option - this was turned off on mine, anyone know the benefits if it is turned to the "On" position ? Better Audio from far away ?

I tried it recently. Its just as shitty as the regular audio.

[guitard]

Going through the options today on the Camera, I noticed a "Zoom" Mic option - this was turned off on mine, anyone know the benefits if it is turned to the "On" position ? Better Audio from far away ?

I tried it recently. Its just as shitty as the regular audio.

I have two ZS100s - one records typical (shitty) camera audio, that is still audible.  The other records terrible audio, even for a camera; and one channel is mostly missing.  It has been that way since I took it out of the box.  As far as I can tell, other than the aforementioned "zoom" option, there is no way to adjust the audio recording levels for the ZS100.

I always record separate audio and sync it, so the shitty camera audio isn't an issue for me.

[jcable77]

Going through the options today on the Camera, I noticed a "Zoom" Mic option - this was turned off on mine, anyone know the benefits if it is turned to the "On" position ? Better Audio from far away ?

I tried it recently. Its just as shitty as the regular audio.

I have two ZS100s - one records typical (shitty) camera audio, that is still audible.  The other records terrible audio, even for a camera; and one channel is mostly missing.  It has been that way since I took it out of the box.  As far as I can tell, other than the aforementioned "zoom" option, there is no way to adjust the audio recording levels for the ZS100.

I always record separate audio and sync it, so the shitty camera audio isn't an issue for me.

Same. The "zoom" option seemed to make it worse if that was even possible.

[TheBang]

 A super easy "push a few buttons" hack will give you until your card runs out or your battery dies for the ZS100 all in 4K - One big 70+ GB file.

This basically the hack. I can PM you the fine tuned version for the ZS100
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxmVDdU1xf0

does it work for the zs200 as well?

I just wanted to report that the same hack worked fine on my ZS200 to remove the video recording time limit.

There's a video here that explains it for ZS100 specifically, and the instructions work well for ZS200 also:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEalk5Xim_A

[guitard]

 A super easy "push a few buttons" hack will give you until your card runs out or your battery dies for the ZS100 all in 4K - One big 70+ GB file.

This basically the hack. I can PM you the fine tuned version for the ZS100
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxmVDdU1xf0

does it work for the zs200 as well?

I just wanted to report that the same hack worked fine on my ZS200 to remove the video recording time limit.

There's a video here that explains it for ZS100 specifically, and the instructions work well for ZS200 also:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEalk5Xim_A

As of mid-2019, the consensus was that the hack didn't work for the ZS200 (as noted earlier in this thread).  In fact, that's why I didn't buy the ZS200.

I wonder what changed?

[edtyre]

I bought a ZS-200 and could not hack it, so i sold it on ebay.
I have hacked dozens of ZS-100's even ones that are BRAND new right now.

[guitard]

So I experienced the new Evolv security system for the first time a few nights ago.  See more about that system in this thread:

https://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=199591.0

I had two ZS100s with me; they were together in the same pocket.  I got flagged because one or both of them.  Security approached me and ask if I had anything metal in my left pocket.  I pulled out one of the cameras, and they said, "OK" and let me in.