LITTLEBLACKDOG.COM

Last edited by creed on Wed Feb 13, 2008 5:54 pm; edited 1 time in total

Went to a hockey game a few days ago and decided I wanted to grab some pictures. Found out that my camera cannot seem to handle the task I've given it.

Zoom seems to be both lacking in the ability to reach the other side of the ice, and seems to introduce graininess to the pictures when it does. Also th shutter isnt' fast enough to capture action shots, as by the time it does snap, the play is over and it blurs if the players are moving. Another thing as you can tell is that the colouring is off; ice sometimes shows up as light blue but will also randomly show up as a brownish look as well.

In short, am I doing something wrong with my camera, or am I trying to make it do something that it just cannot handle? I'm using a Panasonic DMC-LZ7[/img]

Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 5:45 pm Post subject:

Dunno about the camera, but your picture wants me to log in before it'll show me. Wink

Also, image tags don't work on those urls. Smile

Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 5:54 pm Post subject:

sully_51 wrote:
Dunno about the camera, but your picture wants me to log in before it'll show me. Also, image tags don't work on those urls.

Dont' know why they're not working, but I'm goign to remove them since they are not.

Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 6:07 pm Post subject:

creed wrote:
sully_51 wrote:
Dunno about the camera, but your picture wants me to log in before it'll show me. Also, image tags don't work on those urls.

Dont' know why they're not working, but I'm goign to remove them since they are not.

The image tag needs a direct link to a picture file (eg .jpg). PHP type links don't work. Security risk or something like that.

Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 6:19 pm Post subject:

Quote:
The Lumix DMC-LZ7 and DMC-LZ6 are equipped with a 7.2 megapixel CCD and a Lumix DC VARIO lens featuring a 6x optical zoom (equivalent to 37mm to 222mm on a 35mm film camera) – among the most powerful available in this class. This 6x zoom captures and magnifies subjects located in the distance that cannot be captured by the standard 3x zoom featured in most compact cameras. To capture those special shots even further in the distance, the 6x zoom ratio can also be extended up to 9x in 3.0 Megapixel image recording mode thanks to the Extra Optical Zoom function with minimal deterioration. By using the central part of the CCD, this zooming function extends to a remarkable 36x, when combined with digital zoom, allowing you to easily capture and magnify subjects in distant locations. The Easy Zoom feature shifts the lens instantly to full 6x zoom power at the touch of a dedicated button, with a second touch, the lens is shifted to 9x by activating the Extra Optical Zoom funtion .

I'm opposed to using digital zoom, but a 222mm equivalent focal length with optical zoom should let you zoom in on the action. If you shoot in the 3 MPixel mode, a 1300mm equivalent matches the longest commercial telephoto lenses available.

Quote:
Panasonic is the first manufacturer to have successfully incorporated Optical Image Stabiliser (OIS) into its compact cameras – a feature strongly appreciated worldwide and now considered to be a standard requirement of photography. O.I.S minimizes the jitter from shaky hands that causes many photos to look blurred by shifting the O.I.S lens unit to keep the optical axis aligned straight against the CCD, ensuring images are captured with supreme clarity and sharpness.

With optical image stabilization, you should be able to shoot at longer exposures without blurring due to camera shake. The old rule of 1/focal length maximum exposure time no longer applies. Depending on how good the Image Stabilization is, it may double, quadruple, or further extend the maximum exposure time without blur from camera shake. Of course, this will not stop the action of a fast-moving hockey player. To do that, you need a fast shutter speed or a flash.

Your camera supports equivalent film speeds up to ISO 1250. That's pretty fast.

The problem is in the light-gathering ability of the small lens on your camera. At f/4.5 to f/12.7 (maximum zoom) aperture, you need very bright light or a long exposure to get a good image. That makes your lens "slow." Indoor sports usually require f/2.8 or even faster lenses to get decent shots at these conditions. If you can tell what zoom levels cross the aperture thresholds, perhaps you should only zoom in as far as you can while maintaining a wide aperture.

Here's a $6000 200mm f/2 lens with image stabilization that weighs 2½ kilos...
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=153&modelid=16357
...that would probably do a good job if paired with this $2100 camera...
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=139&modelid=11933
...and a superb job with this $8000 camera:
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=139&modelid=15710
The word is that the new lenses are being prioritized for professional photographers accredited to the Beijing olympics before they're available to the general public.

More seriously, if your camera can drive an external flash, a really powerful one with a focused reflector might do the trick, assuming that it wouldn't distract the players.

Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 6:51 pm Post subject:

sounds like if I'm wanting to get pictures on par with what you see in the morning newspaper for the big leagues, the cost is going to go WAY up. Kind of what I was afraid of.

ANd ya a flash wouldnt' work. Not onyl from the player angle, but also from battery standpoint. I leave my flash off because it just hoovers the battery

Butt Sniffer Joined: 26 Aug 2004 Posts: 1617

Don't know anything about your camera, but if you can, put it in shutter priority mode, bump it up to maybe 1/500 sec or higher if you can in that light. You'll probably have to up your ISO also to get a decent exposure.
Play around with it in that light and see if your camera reads a decent exposure.

Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 7:27 pm Post subject:

Quote:
Manual Control Options
Aperture and shutter speed controls are not manually adjustable on the LZ7, but users can alter the white balance, ISO, exposure compensation, image quality and size, aspect ratio, and auto-focus points.

Exposure
Manual exposure settings are not possible with the LZ7. Exposure compensation settings range from +/-2 EV in 1/3-stop increments, a typical range for point-and-shoots.

ISO
Auto ISO is the default setting, but there are also options for full stop increments from ISO 100 to 800 and a half-step to 1250. A High Sensitivity mode provides a 3200 ISO setting. The Intelligent ISO setting also provides an automatically adjustment setting to compensate for moving subjects under low light conditions. This setting will be fully and properly tested when we have a model in our testing labs.

Shutter Speed
The spec sheet lists a shutter speed range of 60 to 1/2000 seconds, although shutter speeds are not adjustable with the LZ7, except for the Starry Sky mode, in which users can select 15-, 30-, and 60-second options.

Aperture
The LZ7’s aperture ranges from f/2.8 to f/12.7, an impressive range for a point and shoot camera. Aperture settings, like shutter speeds, are not adjustable.

Set your ISO to the 1250 or even the High Sensitivity mode and hope for the best, apparently.

Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 7:40 pm Post subject:

JustAnEngineer wrote:
Quote:
Manual Control Options
Aperture and shutter speed controls are not manually adjustable on the LZ7, but users can alter the white balance, ISO, exposure compensation, image quality and size, aspect ratio, and auto-focus points.

Exposure
Manual exposure settings are not possible with the LZ7. Exposure compensation settings range from +/-2 EV in 1/3-stop increments, a typical range for point-and-shoots.

ISO
Auto ISO is the default setting, but there are also options for full stop increments from ISO 100 to 800 and a half-step to 1250. A High Sensitivity mode provides a 3200 ISO setting. The Intelligent ISO setting also provides an automatically adjustment setting to compensate for moving subjects under low light conditions. This setting will be fully and properly tested when we have a model in our testing labs.

Shutter Speed
The spec sheet lists a shutter speed range of 60 to 1/2000 seconds, although shutter speeds are not adjustable with the LZ7, except for the Starry Sky mode, in which users can select 15-, 30-, and 60-second options.

Aperture
The LZ7’s aperture ranges from f/2.8 to f/12.7, an impressive range for a point and shoot camera. Aperture settings, like shutter speeds, are not adjustable.
Set your ISO to the 1250 or even the High Sensitivity mode and hope for the best, apparently.

Ya I don't think that's going to work though as when playing around when first purchasing it, I found anything above ISO400 and the picture is quite grainy. Looks like it's good for still pics, but for action it comes up short.

Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 7:49 pm Post subject:

It would probably do fine if there were more available light. Try it at one of those famous outdoor daylight hockey games that you have up there.

Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 7:57 pm Post subject:

JustAnEngineer wrote:
It would probably do fine if there were more available light. Try it at one of those famous outdoor daylight hockey games that you have up there.

HA! DOnt' bet on that happening again DOn't you know, only the US is a big enough market for that Rolling Eyes

On a serious note the OHl doens't do that, so that nicks that idea.

EEps · Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:58 pm Post subject:

First...set yer white balance correctly. Experiment as much as you can before the games so you git the hang of it and can do it without thinking about it.

Second...git some telephoto adapters you can stick on the front of yer camera. You probably won't need much of a multiplier. Some people have done quite well using the security door peepholes (bigger ones) without too many penalties fer cheap. However, if you want quality, I would suggest gitting the right one fer the right job. Keep in mind that this will drop the available light even more so what you make up fer distance, you'll have to compensate fer the light drop off.

Third...you could drag some heavy lights and power sources so you can light up the spot you want to shoot... Wink Smile

Fourth...if nothing else...replace yer camera! Wink Smile

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 5:41 am Post subject:

Unless your on the glass you wont be able to get any decent closeup shots with this camera. Its really difficult in those lighting situations without a good rig.