Author Topic: Anyone here shoot video with the Panasonic 14-140? (Read 1993 times)

Centauri27 · « **on:** October 28, 2010, 12:30:37 PM »

I just came back from a major(ish) vacation. I'm very happy with all my still photos, but the videos were not very impressive. In particular, I don't think the electronic IS used in video is very effective. I'd like to hear from anyone who has the Panasonic 14-140--does the optical IS help your video? I'm thinking optical stabilization should beat electronic hands down.

lisandra · « **Reply #1 on:** October 28, 2010, 09:02:04 PM »

it's better hands down indeed. I dont know why cause for stills in body IS is great, but the first time I shot a hand held video with the GH1 and 14-140 I was blown away. You'd never guess I didn't use a tripod

Centauri27 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 29, 2010, 01:50:17 PM »

Thanks, lisandra. This definitely gives me food for thought. Though I've read good reviews about the Olympus 14-150 lens for stills, the video comments I've read have been far less enthusiastic. The main culprit is the fact that video uses electronic IS--and I've never trusted electronic IS; optical IS is far superior and that's what the Panasonic 14-140 gives you.

lisandra · « **Reply #3 on:** November 01, 2010, 07:36:07 AM »

panning looks uglier than holy hell if you dont use OIS 2 in the panny, even if its slightly. OIS 1 for everything, OIS 2 for panning

Centauri27 · « **Reply #4 on:** November 02, 2010, 08:51:16 AM »

ah...you just gave me an idea. Maybe the reason why I thought the electronic IS was so crappy was because I was videoing an outdoor show using a 50mm f/1.8 and it involved a lot of horizontal panning. I was using IS 1--maybe IS 2 for horizontal panning would've done a better job? I should've thought of that.

The OIS on a Panasonic lens has different IS modes too? If I was using that Panny, I would disable the in-body IS and use the lens' instead.

tamoio · « **Reply #5 on:** November 02, 2010, 10:20:06 AM »

Quote from: Centauri27 on November 02, 2010, 08:51:16 AM

ah...you just gave me an idea. Maybe the reason why I thought the electronic IS was so crappy was because I was videoing an outdoor show using a 50mm f/1.8 and it involved a lot of horizontal panning. I was using IS 1--maybe IS 2 for horizontal panning would've done a better job? I should've thought of that.

The OIS on a Panasonic lens has different IS modes too? If I was using that Panny, I would disable the in-body IS and use the lens' instead.

Panning without a proper tripod with almost any lens combination is a crap-shoot, but especially as long a focal length as 50mm, even with the best IS (which Panasonic does not have).

You might get a result you like with a wider angle but generally IS in prosumer cameras is to help mimic POV steadicam style, not smooth pans and tilts.

You can actually get into a decent fluid-head tripod setup for less than a $1000 these days, and that is great news for people that need them.

Centauri27 · « **Reply #6 on:** November 02, 2010, 01:36:15 PM »

Is 50mm really considered "long"? That only translates to 100mm full frame 35mm, and even taking into account the 30% image magnification for the electronic IS, that's still only in the neighbourhood of a 2 1/2 magnification, which is even weaker than cheap opera glasses. Are you saying that IS can't even handle that?

I'm coming from a strictly consumer-oriented background and I've been very impressed with the optical IS on my Sony Handycams--steady even up to 10X magnification. And for comparison sake, I videoed exactly the same outdoor show two years ago, standing in pretty much the same place, using my Panasonic TZ5 point-and-shoot. Comparing the two, my E-P1 video is definitely clearer and cleaner and the sound quality if far superior. But the footage was much steadier on the TZ5 with its MegaOIS optical stabilization.

I'm thinking I may have exacerbated the problem by mounting my E-P1 on a monopod, then holding the camera only using the monopod (it wasn't touching the ground). This may have caused me to pivot the camera more quickly than if I had grasped it with both hands. And as for fluid head tripods that cost "less than $1000"...all I can say is gulp!!! That's wayyy out of my league....

I'd rather spend that $1K on the Panasonic 14-140.

lisandra · « **Reply #7 on:** November 02, 2010, 05:43:38 PM »

Quote from: Centauri27 on November 02, 2010, 08:51:16 AM

ah...you just gave me an idea. Maybe the reason why I thought the electronic IS was so crappy was because I was videoing an outdoor show using a 50mm f/1.8 and it involved a lot of horizontal panning. I was using IS 1--maybe IS 2 for horizontal panning would've done a better job? I should've thought of that.

The OIS on a Panasonic lens has different IS modes too? If I was using that Panny, I would disable the in-body IS and use the lens' instead.

Yeah the panny has 3 IS modes: always on, half press shutter on, and one for panning (OIS Mode 3, I made a mistake in the earlier post and posted OIS 2). They're all optical stabilizing methods, the last one simply doesn't correct for lateral movement.

tamoio · « **Reply #8 on:** November 02, 2010, 11:38:56 PM »

Quote from: Centauri27 on November 02, 2010, 01:36:15 PM

Is 50mm really considered "long"? That only translates to 100mm full frame 35mm, and even taking into account the 30% image magnification for the electronic IS, that's still only in the neighbourhood of a 2 1/2 magnification, which is even weaker than cheap opera glasses. Are you saying that IS can't even handle that?

Yes, that is what I am saying. I consider anything over 20mm "long" for m4/3. There is a formula burned into my brain that says "smooth motion=wider angle" For example, in aerial shooting with a helicopter (a situation with lots of motion and limited control over angular transition) the classic approach is to use as wide an angle that will work and over-crank (slow-mo). The combination smooths out almost everything. There are also some post-production solutions for stabilization that work wonderfully.

Quote from: Centauri27 on November 02, 2010, 01:36:15 PM

And as for fluid head tripods that cost "less than $1000"...all I can say is gulp!!! That's wayyy out of my league.... I'd rather spend that $1K on the Panasonic 14-140.

. . .I hear you brother. Until really recently I was using a tripod (Sachtler Vid20 with CF legs) that listed for just under $10k. It was payed for by my employer so I pretty much took it for granted, pro gear is stupid expensive. The ironic thing is that 90% of what I was doing was lock-down interview stuff. With smaller cameras there are much less expensive options but you willl never get a reliable pan technique without a pan head of some sort. There are some prosumer steadicamish type rigs that I have seen people use with stabilized small cameras but again its not going to work real well with longer focal lengths.

Centauri27 · « **Reply #9 on:** November 03, 2010, 12:34:45 PM »

Quote from: tamoio on November 02, 2010, 11:38:56 PM

Yes, that is what I am saying. I consider anything over 20mm "long" for m4/3. There is a formula burned into my brain that says "smooth motion=wider angle" For example, in aerial shooting with a helicopter (a situation with lots of motion and limited control over angular transition) the classic approach is to use as wide an angle that will work and over-crank (slow-mo). The combination smooths out almost everything. There are also some post-production solutions for stabilization that work wonderfully.

I agree--a wider angle lens will give smoother video. Because of this, I am seriously considering the Olympus 9-18 rather than the 14-150 or the Panny 14-140. What's the point of having silent AF if your image is jerking uncontrollably at 100mm? I do recall shooting a video on my E-P1 using a Canon EF 55-200, cranked out to 200mm. Even with IS on and the camera balanced on my knees, the resulting clip was nearly unwatchable. Hmph. Why are my Sony Handycam shots at 10x zoom so much better?

Quote from: tamoio on November 02, 2010, 11:38:56 PM

. . .I hear you brother. Until really recently I was using a tripod (Sachtler Vid20 with CF legs) that listed for just under $10k. It was payed for by my employer so I pretty much took it for granted, pro gear is stupid expensive. The ironic thing is that 90% of what I was doing was lock-down interview stuff. With smaller cameras there are much less expensive options but you willl never get a reliable pan technique without a pan head of some sort. There are some prosumer steadicamish type rigs that I have seen people use with stabilized small cameras but again its not going to work real well with longer focal lengths.

I have an old Velbon tripod with a fluid pan head (I think). That would definitely help with the panning. But I never take it out of the house since it's so big and bulky. A $10K tripod? That must've spoiled you rotten. That's whole different world--make that different universe--from where the rest of us live. Like reading audiophile magazines that ooh and ahhh over a $3,000 budget priced amplifier from some high falutin' audio brand.

Anyone here shoot video with the Panasonic 14-140?