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

[OrionMan]

Mic Recording Level.

I mostly only use this camera only for concerts (loud rock concerts) so this is what I would suggest...
Unfortunately there is no way to adjust the recording level.
Someone in this thread mentioned to place the Wind Noise Canceller to High.  I have not tried that yet (I have mine set to Medium). 
I have learned and experienced that "Zoom Mic" set to ON is not a good thing.  This amplifies the sound the more you zoom in.  It's already loud at the concerts I go to so no need to amplify audio. Turning it off, it sounds much cleaner. 
The audio recording on this camera is atrocious.  Even my older and much cheaper pocket Panny cameras sound better.  If I recall correctly, the M4/3 and larger sensor Panasonic cameras are pretty good with their mics and have much cleaner preamps.  Of course, still nothing like external mics/preamps/recorder.

Anyone do an audio comparison with this camera and the 1" sensor pocket Sony RX100VII? I have interchangeable lens cameras by Sony and it sounds so much better, but not sure how the compact Sony's are.  RX100VII doesn't have the same zoom range, but the lens is sharper so you can crop in even more than the equivalent to the ZS100 and it will be sharper.  Works a little better in low light too. Plus has a mic input. Has so much more that is better about it for me (and a lot of other things that are better, but they don't all matter much because I only use it for 1 purpose), but it cost about 3X as much as I got the ZS100 new.

[beatkilla]

Hi,  I just joined yesterday after reading this entire thread and here are some things I wanted to add. (I have the ZS100) Hope I remember it all!

Image Stabilization:
It works in 1080 as well as 4k (people were stating it doesn't work in 4K).
The setting is shown in the menu when the top dial is set to the Still photo "M" mode (I never user the other 'still photo' setting modes,  but I a quick look in "S" mode and it is there so I'm confident it is there in the other still photo modes too). 
BUT, it is not displayed/avilable in the menu when the dial is in the Video mode.
When you have the dial in the M mode, don't go the the side menu showing the movie camera.  Instead, go to the side menu showing the still camera and set the stabilization on or off there.
Once you set it, it will work that way for both stills and movies, not matter what shooting mode the top dial is set to.
You might not think it is working when just monitoring the screen (or EVF) because the stabilization only works during the recording, not when just monitoring. (Same thing with certain focus mode - with continuous auto focus set to off, it will still continuously auto focus during monitoring but not after pressing the record button - which sometimes makes me question which settings I made).
To verify this works, zoom all the way. Have your focus box small and on a particular object (I used a corner of a distant roof to place it in the corner of the focus box to make it easy to see if it drifts).  Monitor it and note the jitter, then hit record and see the jitter disappear!

How do i change the size of the focus square?

[beatkilla]

I  found it.....

I'll try the smallest focus box next time.

In great lighting the normal focus box was the worst experience i've had with any camera so far.

The real problem is on the Canon dslr like the 7d and 1d.

On those cameras in custom functions you can set the AF speed from slowest to fastest.

Slowest being the best because it waits a second before trying to instantly refocus.

If we can find away to hack the zs100 the sames than we have something going.


EDIT::
So some pannys  do  have this...is it hidden on the zs100?

https://support-uk.panasonic.eu/app/answers/detail/a_id/4413/~/how-to-customize-the-auto-focus-settings-for-video-recording.---dc-gh5%2C-dc-gh5s

[OrionMan]

"Slowest being the best because it waits a second before trying to instantly refocus."

I don't think it "waits" (at least not on the ones that came out the last 3 or so years).  From what I've been reading, the slow/fast feature is the speed that the focus takes place.  With a slow setting, you will slowly see the object you are focusing on become less and less blurry and more and more in focus. Both slow and fast start at the same time to focus, but the focus motors move slower.  Not sure if it's hidden in the ZS100...

I like the focus box in the Panasonic more than my Sony and Canons.  I can used the touch screen to pinch it to more than 2 different sizes, but the Canon and Sony (that I own) I can only set it to 2 different sizes and only from the menus.  And the Sony's box is a light gray color that, in any kind of light, is often incredibly hard to see where it is.

[beatkilla]

The slow ,fast AF tracking sensitivity is there for sports and birds in flight photographers.

If the photographer is tracking a football player down the field on the fastest setting if he missed the player for a second or something came in between that player and the lens.The focus would instantly grab focus on that interruption.Missing the key player or goal.

Or for birds in flight especially with a long 600mm prime lens(and focus limiter of course.)It really works i have used it for years.

The slowest setting actual prevents this and does pause for a moment before snapping into focus.

Here's a short video from Canon.

[OrionMan]

OK, I didn't know you were talking about features that were for taking photos.  (EDIT:  or does that feature work for video too?)

I was thinking on the video end.
The newer mirrorless Canon cameras (R5/R6) have a "Movie Servo AF Speed" menu page with options "AF Speed" and similar Slow/Fast slider as the one in your video for the Stills photo.
This would work (for Video) as I mentioned previously.

[phil_er_up]

Bought my second one of these cameras for when my breaks or or could run 2 of them...

[Teen Wolf Blitzer]

Cannot get over the love of this camera.  Used em.  Meh.  Just get a GH4.  I don't get it.  And you should NEVER shoot any video with auto anything!

[DavidPuddy]

Cannot get over the love of this camera.  Used em.  Meh.  Just get a GH4.  I don't get it.  And you should NEVER shoot any video with auto anything!

Good luck getting a GH4 into an arena show.

[OrionMan]

Cannot get over the love of this camera.  Used em.  Meh.  Just get a GH4.  I don't get it.  And you should NEVER shoot any video with auto anything!

Cannot get over how people cannot understand that when a GH4 (or any interchangeable lens camera) is prohibited from being allowed into a show, that uses metal detectors and requires all bags to be clear, that this DC-ZS100/200 is one of the few cameras that would be allowed that has a 1" or larger sensor with at least an 8X zoom range (10X for the ZS100).

When a clear bag is not required, I get my APS-C camera in with a detachable lens. (I would never try to sneak in my FF with a 70-200 2.8 lens)
But when a clear bag is required and they scan your ticket 1st and THEN scan you and your bag, you cannot got back to your car and leave your nice GH4 there and "re-enter".
DC-ZS100 is a backup camera - nobody that is really into photography/videography really "loves" this camera. Most likely everyone in this thread only got it because it is allowed in.

If you know how to get a GH4 through security every time, in a 12" clear bag, then do share with us.  Otherwise I don't understand why at least 2X now you have posted in this thread the dislike for this camera but have not offered any solution on how to successfully get a GH4 and a 200mm FF equivalent lens into a 12" clear bag past security.

[Teen Wolf Blitzer]

So yer bootleg videoing.  BYE!  So now we discuss bootleg videoing of shows?  This site has gone downhill....If I see ya at a show I'm filming I'll bust yer ass.

[DavidPuddy]

Ignore the troll

[guitard]

So yer bootleg videoing.  BYE!  So now we discuss bootleg videoing of shows?  This site has gone downhill....If I see ya at a show I'm filming I'll bust yer ass.

You've been a member at this site for 17+ years and have 5K+ posts and you don't understand that bringing a camera into a show ≠ bootlegging?  WTF??

[beatkilla]

Not sure if this was discussed earlier BUT...

If you change your focus mode to Macro Zoom this limits the focal range from 28-280  to 28-84mm In this mode you can set your aperture to F2.8 and retain F2.8 throughout the zoom.

[guitard]

Not sure if this was discussed earlier BUT...

If you change your focus mode to Macro Zoom this limits the focal range from 28-280 to 28-84mm In this mode you can set your aperture to F2.8 and retain F2.8 throughout the zoom.

What does all this mean in real terms when you're filming a show?  In other words, what is the benefit?