FZ7 manual focus effectiveness vs FZ5 AF

[PDGenoa]

I would be grateful for advice on the utility of the FZ7's mauual focus. Apart from sharper images, better hand grip and gain up LDC, the main difference seems to be the manual focus. As the price has dropped for a FZ5 by $100-150 here in Australia, its tempting to opt for the older model - any advice on the merits of the FZ5 AF in low light (nocturnal wildlife) vs the Fz7 manual focus? Thanks

[dequardo]

Don't forget much better video quality also. IMO MF is excellent on the F7

[Daveco2]

The new Canon S3IS is now a close contender to the FZ7 considering that it's aboutthe same size and weight. I've always preferred Canon build quality to Panasonic. In my opinion,the other thing the Canon has going for it is use of 4xAA batteries which is a useful feature for a travel camera.

[genece]

As much as I like the FZ cameras they are no good for low light wildlife nor is the Canon.

DSLR is your only option there.

[hkj]

Daveco2 wrote:

The new Canon S3IS is now a close contender to the FZ7 considering that it's aboutthe same size and weight. I've always preferred Canon build quality to Panasonic. In my opinion,the other thing the Canon has going for it is use of 4xAA batteries which is a useful feature for a travel camera.

It is quite close but the weight is about 100g more, Panasonic 340g with battery and size is 113 x 72 x 79 mm, S3IS is 410g without battery (4xAA) and size is 113.4 x 78 x 75.5 mm and S3IS is also about 100$ more than FZ7. Both are quite bad in low light and like genece said in those situations DSLR is your only option, at least for now.

Panasonic DMC-L1 and Pentax new not yet named 10Mpix DSLR are both quite interesting. But If I am going to get DSLR after my good old SLR and incoming Panasonic FZ7 then there must be something really wrong with the new non DSLRs to come. I would like to think that there is no noise problem in cameras like Panasonic FZ30 in the year 2010 and I also think that by then the resolution will be around 12Mpix.

BTW, it is quite fun that Panasonic FZ1 had LCD that has the same resolution than in the new FZ7

From DCRP Review (Panasonic FZ1):
What I liked:

• Ohhh, that lens[/*]
• Responsive performance[/*]
• Nice movie, playback modes[/*]
• Easy and fun to use[/*]
• Nice electronic viewfinder, except in low light[/*]
• Generally good photo quality (though see issues below)[/*]
• Good continuous shooting mode for a point-and-shoot[/*]

What I didn't care for:

• No manual controls, except for white balance[/*]
• Vignetting, noise, purple fringing in some images[/*]
• Poor low light focusing[/*]
• Redeye[/*]
• EVF impossible to see in low light[/*]
• Only 2 Megapixel[/*]

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Panasonic has fixed manual controls, vignetting, purple firing, low light focusing, most of the redeye, EVF and resolution in the FZ7 only noise to go, I would also like to see higher resolution EVF and LCD, zooming in movie mode and a bit better macro in the next incarnation of the FZx series.

Cannot wait to see FZ40 if they are ever going to release that...

[PDGenoa]

You may be right, but hiking around with my Nikon F601 with telephoto zoom lens can get too much - I will be using a hand held spotlight to illuminate fauna - is the FZ% AF not up to the job under these circumstances? More details would be appreciated , but thanks for your thoughts so far.

[hkj]

PDGenoa wrote:

You may be right, but hiking around with my Nikon F601 with telephoto zoom lens can get too much - I will be using a hand held spotlight to illuminate fauna - is the FZ% AF not up to the job under these circumstances? More details would be appreciated , but thanks for your thoughts so far.

It is possible if you do not photograph fast moving wildlife like birds etc. and do not use maximum tele, I can give you hands on examples with FZ7 after a couple of days (I will do the light with flashlight ). Thought I would say those pictures will not be too pretty. I think someone has used somekind of IR system with his FZ30, maybe this would be possible with FZ7 too?

FZ7 manual focus will help when you take photos with macro/macro lens, but with a such low light you propably cannot see if the focus is on the spot if you use tele.

[PDGenoa]

Thanks HJK, thats kind of you and I will look forward to seeing your results. Peter G