Topic: Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 - Feedback for HD Video

[surf1div1]

Well, this thread has certainly evolved and seeing that Polewka has gone and done what I've been considering my question is other than the GPS and the higher res on stills, what advantage have you realized by going with the newer model?
  There is some video artifacts with the Panny Lumix on the ZS3 and also in the new one (ZS7).  The challenge for me in the format that the panny uses is the CCD that causes 'vertical smear'. THAT is the one artifact that I can't stand. Since the lighting changes so abruptly during a show, this will continue to be an issue for this camera. Possibly  Panasonic will come out with a PNS that uses the CMOS technology instead.
       Here are some threads in reference to what I'm referring to-
1- this excellent review: http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Panasonic_Lumix_DMC_TZ10_ZS7/index.shtml#GPS
 2- Feedback from others in a forum : http://www.cameralabs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=20379&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=dmczs7&start=0&sid=d848f6e0849dca2ec0337f47b48f0b5a
 3- and discussion of veritical smears: http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/jvc-gy-hm100-camcorder/379708-vertical-smear-fireworks-display.html

oh, and just taken delivery of a TZ-10. I convinced folks at my office that my team *needs* one........should be a bonus for weekends taping.....got a nice little 16gb card in that one too....

[rastasean]

regarding #3.
Not only is the vertical smear viable but so is lens flare. the people in the forum do a good job explaining the vertical smear issue. I think many cameras will have this problem unless you get a very expensive camera and then you'll have issues of lens flare.

[justink]

Need quickhelp!  Video and audio smashing pumpkins right now. First time with the Lumix.

It's in auto but keeps jumping between settings.

Best setting for a show with lots of lights like this, and quickest way to set them?

Thanks

[justink]

Also, bass cabs are vibrating even the cement wall I'm clamped to. Any steady feature?

[justink]

Fuck me.

Just had an impromptu interview with Billy Corgan!  Talked about open taping and the digital era of music, what's workin and what's not.

But somehow deleted it from the cam. Anyway to retrieve off the card???  Mac user

[exxile]

Need quickhelp!  Video and audio smashing pumpkins right now. First time with the Lumix.

It's in auto but keeps jumping between settings.

Best setting for a show with lots of lights like this, and quickest way to set them?

Thanks

Prob a bit late for you but it's supposed to switch settings in auto mode (IA), it changes depending on the current lighting conditions.

But somehow deleted it from the cam. Anyway to retrieve off the card???  Mac user

There's plenty of 'data retrieval' progs out there, so you should be able to get your data back - as long as you do it before writing anything else to the card! I use this one http://www.stellarinfo.com - I think they have something for mac users. Good luck.

[justink]

Need quickhelp!  Video and audio smashing pumpkins right now. First time with the Lumix.

It's in auto but keeps jumping between settings.

Best setting for a show with lots of lights like this, and quickest way to set them?

Thanks

Prob a bit late for you but it's supposed to switch settings in auto mode (IA), it changes depending on the current lighting conditions.

But somehow deleted it from the cam. Anyway to retrieve off the card???  Mac user

There's plenty of 'data retrieval' progs out there, so you should be able to get your data back - as long as you do it before writing anything else to the card! I use this one http://www.stellarinfo.com - I think they have something for mac users. Good luck.

Much appreciated. I'll give it a shot!

Any suggestions for future settings?

[justink]

Need quickhelp!  Video and audio smashing pumpkins right now. First time with the Lumix.

It's in auto but keeps jumping between settings.

Best setting for a show with lots of lights like this, and quickest way to set them?

Thanks

Prob a bit late for you but it's supposed to switch settings in auto mode (IA), it changes depending on the current lighting conditions.

But somehow deleted it from the cam. Anyway to retrieve off the card???  Mac user

There's plenty of 'data retrieval' progs out there, so you should be able to get your data back - as long as you do it before writing anything else to the card! I use this one http://www.stellarinfo.com - I think they have something for mac users. Good luck.

i tried the stellar phoenix free version to see if i could recover anything and it looked promising.  i ponied up the $80 to recover what they listed.

but...  it didn't actually recover any video files.  it did recover a handful of .jpg's but when i go to open them, they're corrupted and won't open.

frustrating.

[exxile]

I'm not sure why you're having probs, if I have to recover something I just do a standard scan then select the files to recover from the list, I guess that's as you did?

Here's a typical screenshot of .mts file recovery, in this case with 2 files selected

[justink]

Yup. That's what I did. The jpg's showed up in the preview window and the mts files showed up as just binary.

I did a full recovery. The mts files didn't transfer at all and the jpg's were corrupted and wouldn't open.

Might have to call tech support.

[justink]

Finally was able to retrieve the .mts file this morning!

This is the video I shot talking to Billy after the show, interesting comments, I think. I wish all artists thought like him. 

I guess my original thanking him for allowing open taping and his reply: "Oh, yeah! No problem." was corrupted or I didn't hit record in time. But the ensuing discussion was just a great thing to finally hear a big artist say, in person no less. Just glad I was recording before he really dove in. 

My video of the show is pretty decent except for some "shake" from the sub cabinets rocking the cement I was clamped to. Is there an app that can possibly stabilize it a bit?

Audio of Less Than Jake and SP is solid.  It will be up on archive.org this weekend. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUo0E28uFzY&sns=em

[exxile]

Glad to see you were able to retrieve the video. There are some plug-in's for reducing cam movement but all they really do is blur the image slightly, I've never seen an example of one that has substantially improved any footage. Maybe others have had better results?

[guitard]

There really isn't a whole lot you can do about the kind of shake you're talking about.  The so-called "de-shaker" programs can help you out with a video where you are moving your camera around a bit, but actual shaking caused by reverberations (thumping bass drum, for example) tends to be very quick and the video itself is blurry during those portions and there isn't anything that can fix blurry video.

[guitard]

Your best bet in a situation like that is to simply do a hand held shot.  Your body can absorb the thump of the bass and drums and if you can maintain a fairly steady hand, you can still get a decent video.

[indiie]

This is the video I shot talking to Billy after the show, interesting comments, I think. I wish all artists thought like him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUo0E28uFzY&sns=em

I like his point about needing to get digital music selling at the point where the cost wouldn't be a deterent (eg 25c a song) so as to encourage more people to sample songs. Currently if I hear about an artist or a new song that I like then I'll generally download the album (illegally) to sample more. If it would only cost me a couple of dollars to instead download legally then I'd be happy to do that to support the artist. I know there's hipocrosy in that but hey

Just uploaded a video shot with the TZ7 that probably has some of the best sound I've heard from the hundreds of gig recordings I've done with this camera. Not sure what was special about this gig but just sounds great. Vid is a local band Kooii during a funky jam. The occasional pops are from the right speaker on stage which eventually cut out and had to be replaced.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWazRvrWMtA