1. The iPhone Generation 7 onwards shows pretty nice results too. And with the 7+ and 8+ you also have a tele lens with 2.8, which is pretty nice for a smartphone. Of course phones are best used in the first 2-4 rows, to get the best results, because it then measures the light correctly and won't get disturbed by the dark surrounding the stage, if you are too far away. High contrasts are still complicated for phone sensors. It's a phone, not a camera.
    But filming in 4k the current phones are all very usable actually. (And from 4k you can cut out a nice FullHD.)
  2. Originally posted by ddarroch:[..]
    If I was looking for a camera with a decent zoom I think the furthest I'd go is a 10x zoom, like the Panasonic TZ110. As it can still have a decent sized 1" sensor. Though it does have a slow lens (small aperture), especially when zoomed in. Anything larger than 10x, & you're going to be looking at a very small sensor, & a slow lens, which is going to be pretty poor in low light.

    I've seen TOTO last night at a very small and dark venue. That's the result with 30x, RAW file, slightly lightened up, ISO 800, no noise reduction. f6.3, 1/160
  3. Wow, f/6.3, 1/160 & only ISO 800. That looks pretty cool, not too dark. Doesn't look too noisy at ISO 800 either.
  4. It's scaled down, of course. On the original big file you see some noise, but even the ISO 1600 of this camera can be handled very good by NIK Dfine2 filters for Adobe.
    My EOS 300D (Rebel) back in the day used to have a lot more noise on ISO 1600. I still used it.

    I do have high end gear, so I have been looking for a compact camera for concerts for a long time. The Sony HX are great for filming, not so much for photos. Good thing with U2: they usually have a lot light on stage.
    I finally found the Panasonic and am very happy with it - pretty small, great videos and even very nice photos. I took 60 pictures last night and only one was out of focus, and one got too dark. The rest turned out very decent.
  5. I'm looking into getting a new camera for the usage of travel and concerts. I'm really interested in getting the Lumix DC-TZ90 but I'm not sure since my experience with cameras aren't the best.

    Is there any one here who could help me choose?
  6. Sure

    It's a super-zoom, like the cam above. As I'd mentioned above, I'd rather sacrifice some zoom for better image quality (super-zooms must have very small sensors, which reduces the image quality, particularly in low light, like concerts).

    The TZ90 has a 30x zoom, but the sensor is only 1/2.3”, the same size as many cheaper compact cameras, action cams & some phones. So image quality won't be great.

    Where will you be sitting in the concerts? Personally, I get close, & use a Panasonic GM5 with a lens that is only a 3x zoom. With a super-zoom it kinda feels like cheating being way back in the stands, getting a shot of Bono that is whisker cam

    If you're in the stands I'd opt for the 10x zoom Panasonic TZ100 (also known as the ZS100/TZ110). This camera is very well reviewed, & is considered the best compact travel camera on the market. This camera has a 1" sensor (which is four times larger than the sensor in the TZ90). It will perform much better than the TZ90 in low light.
    https://m.dpreview.com/reviews/power-zoom-panasonic-lumix-dmc-zs100-tz100-review

    This sized sensor is also used in the Sony RX100 & the Panasonic LX10, both very well reviewed cameras. If you're happy with a shorter zoom, the two cameras listed above (both with 3x zooms) are great. These have much faster (larger aperture) lenses, letting in much more light, making them great for concerts.

    The TZ200 has just been announced. Maybe this will reduce the price of the TZ100 soon, which I certainly think will be a far superior camera to the TZ90.
  7. Excellent, thank you! Well explained

    I always thought I'd needed the 30x zoom, but looking at some YouTube videos, 10x seem good enough. But I'll think whenever I want to compensate the quality or zoom.

    What do venues think of cameras like the FZ300 or FZ1000 etc?

    Is there a 30-minute limit in 1080p and 15-minute limit in 4K? I've read it on some places, if there is, is there any way to bypass it? Something like this maybe:
  8. Haha, I was actually watching that video yesterday. Thinking of getting an LX100, which I believe will have a 15 minute limit on 4k. Looks like the hack doesn't work on all models, & maybe if the camera is a EUR model. Don't know about the 30 minutes for 1080. Not too worried about that. I think that was the case for my GM5 on i+e. Can stop the video, every so often, before it reaches 30 minutes. But 15 minutes is too short! As for the RX100, some of their models would overheat & so recording 4k after 5 minutes!
  9. I can tell you exactly what venues think of cameras like the LUMIX FZ1000/2000 !

    Amsterdam1 JT2017 ...i took 2 attempts to get it in. I used that gig from the seats (took lots of distant video but x20 zoom, contributed to the multicam) as a practice for the next gig which was...

    Brussels J2017 ...confiscated !

    Great camera but considered 'PRO' kit.

    I also had a Tz70 before this and agree that although great zoom , not so great for gigs.
  10. In general, cams with interchangeable lenses are no good idea, these are usually not allowed at 99 out of 100 venues. Bigger bridge cams can also today often become a problem.

    In the end, the photographer takes the picture, not the camera, You need to know your device and know how to handle it, to get what you want. I really enjoy my TZ71 for concerts.
  11. No shit that thing looks huge and bulky AF.


  12. I still dare to say that with the manual mode on the Lumia i got some pretty awesome shot. But that was the most awesome camera a phone has ever had. Shooting in raw etc, adjusting Iso, WB, shuttertim, etc. you just didn't have zoom. So its like a prime lens.

    But just... a bad prime lens compared to anything you can screw on a decent body with a nice sensor.