Best products from r/PanasonicG7

> Ive played with a dslr which I assumed was the best available and toyed with the idea of getting a 1300d but I have heard mirror less camera's are better? aswell as the 4k availability.

Mirrorless cameras are better for video - but not necessarily for stills. That said, if you want both, buy a mirrorless.

> Another thing is lenses. I want to shoot moving subjects so Ill need a good zoom lens for animal photography(Hawks,Deer, Squirrels?) What type of lens should I be going for to achieve this?

You will want a telephoto for wildlife, but which one depends on how much you want to spend. Here are the lenses I recommended over in your [earlier thread] (https://www.reddit.com/r/PanasonicG7/comments/5i3szd/interested_in_a_g7_need_to_confirm_its_what_i_want/):

• [Panasonic 100-300 mm, f4-5.6 O.I.S - £378.00 (pp - free delivery in the UK)] (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004445O4K//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=hybrcamerevo-21)
  
  
• [Panasonic 45-150mm, f4-5.6 Mega O.I.S. - £220.08 (pp - free delivery in the UK)] (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-45-LUMIX-HFS45150-mm-Lens/dp/B010Q5EG58//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=hybrcamerevo-21)
  
  
• [Panasonic 45-175mm f4-5.6 Power Zoom with Power O.I.S. - £365.63 (pp - free delivery to the UK)] (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-45-175-VARIO-mm-Lens/dp/B006FZ3B5K//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=hybrcamerevo-21)
  
  
• If money were no object, I would recommend the [£1349 pp Panasonic 100-400] (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-H-RS100400E-100-Vario-Elmar-Camera/dp/B01AAGIS9S/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=hybrcamerevo-21)
  
  > I read somewhere that the 4/3 in the g7 allows for double the zoom of whatever lens you have on? Or have I misread this?. i dont really know what the 4/3 is doing??
  
  The smaller the sensor, the greater the sensor "crop" of the field of view when compared to an old-style 35mm still camera frame. Micro 4/3 has a 2x "crop", which means that a 100mm lens on a micro 4/3 camera will give you a field of view equivalent to a 200mm lens on a 35mm "full frame" camera.
  
  You can read a more technical explanation [here] (http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/digital-camera-sensor-size.htm) from Cambridge in Colour.
  
  > is there a way to develop my skills and then potentially earn cash from my hobby in a feasible way? Weddings seems a little hard for a beginner, but what other ways can a photographer make cash??
  
  The easiest answer is stock photography. The best book on this topic is probably a [£5.99 Kindle book called Getting Started in Stock: 2017 Edition of the guide to microstock photography] (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Getting-Started-Stock-microstock-photography-ebook/dp/B00560R9VC//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=hybrcamerevo-21).
  
  Glamour photography is also a consistent money maker. The best Kindle book on the subject is probably a [£2.39 title called Get started in Digital Glamour Photography] (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Get-started-Digital-Glamour-Photography-ebook/dp/B005DSAQEO//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=hybrcamerevo-21).
  
  The other good introductory book on this topic, Create Erotic Photography : Find Models, Choose Locations, Design Great Lighting, and Sell Your Images is [only available in paperback and costs a little more at £18.98] (https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Books/Create-Erotic-Photography-Models-Choose-Locations-Lighting/1608956180//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=hybrcamerevo-21).
  
  Again. hope this is helpful!

There's two main adapters worth your while you may or may not be aware of. First the Metabones Speed Booster from Canon to MFT which has full electronic control and reduces the focal length to make it equivalent of having the lens on a APS-C body (roughly). The same happens with aperture making efectively 1 stop brighter and even sharper.

This is an expensive adapter so there's the cheap solution with the Mitakon Zhongyi Lens Turbo II that, unlike the Metabones, does not have electronics but does quite a nice job for around 1/3 of the price. The Nikon version does have an aperture control ring, not sure about the others. You can use a cheap adapter ring to get the Pentax to fit any of these I believe.

As for a tripod I'd look into the AmazonBasics workhorse (I know, I know) that you may be skeptical about, and yes, it's not perfect but for the price it's an amazing piece of gear.

SD Card-wise I have a couple of these and they've been working wonders.

I've seen general praise over SmallRig cage so you may want to look into that. You can get just the basic cage or you can add a handle a ton of other stuff.

I don't think you'd need an external recorder right now and even if you got it, the signal that the G7 outputs it's kind of weak. 8 Bit 4:2:0 as far as I remember (maybe 4:2:2 but the real difference would be 10 Bit). The general rule of thumb is always shoot 4K and use it on 1080 timelines. That makes for a super detailed 1080 image that has room for reframing.

You can get some bang for the buck LED Lights in the Yongnuo Yn 300 III with even cheaper prices if you get a slightly older model. They are not spectacular but I think you can't go wrong for the price and they output quite an amount of light. Here is a review just so you can see them in action. This guy uses a G7 with a Lumix 25mm 1.7 I believe so that may give a more real life scenario.

That's all I can think right now, I hope you find some if this stuff useful and congrats on your purchase, it's an awesome little camera, I think it will work wonders for your kind of projects.

So with a $250 budget that gives us 2 or 3 options for lenses. As I mentioned before, I think the Panasonic 25mm f1.7 is your best bet. It's a good focal length (It shoots like a 50mm on a full frame camera) and is a really good price for what you get. As someone said else where in this thread, framing is what really matters in these scenarios, so any lens really will do the job for these scenarios. If you want a zoom lens though the two options that sit inside of your price range are Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 which is a pancake version of the kit lens that comes with the camera usually. This will keep your rig super small yet super versatile as well. Finally, if you have it, I would just use the kit lens. If you don't have it here is a link for it. It should do everything you need and is sharp enough for most people who would be using a G7. If you have any questions feel free to ask!

I have a Movo VXR40. It might not be ideal due to the long wire and the fact that the shoe mount needs to be epoxied for better stability, but I've found it to be quite useful. I have a boom stand and I ended up using it with my Zoom H4n and boom instead of on my camera shoe.

Rode is a well-respected brand, but they are pricey and you can get better on-camera mics for less money, albeit at a visual aesthetic penalty (but let's be honest: who cares what your mic looks like?) The "affordable" Rode mics get lackluster reviews and are not very good; I'd buy nothing lower than the VideoMic Pro due to various issues I've read and listened to in comparison tests.

If I wanted an on-camera mic on the cheap today, I'd go with the ~$30 Takstar SGC-598 as can be heard compared against two cheaper Rode mics in this video where it gives the Rode mics a run for their money.

Two caveats: on-camera audio sucks, even with a good mic; you'll get better audio if a mic on a boom stand is an option; also, the G7 heavily compresses audio to 128 Kbps AAC which is not suitable for a significant amount of post-processing, but is perfectly fine for personal recordings or pro stuff where inaudible losses of quality won't be pushed enough to be heard.

The kit lens is good. I still use it in certain situations because it is versatile and it's not the end of the world if it gets broken. You're probably going to want something that's better in low light though.

I HIGHLY recommend getting the Panasonic 25mm f/1.7. It's a fantastic little lens and it's not too pricey as far as lenses go.

You're definitely going to want a tripod that is heavier duty than that, as well as a fluid head. And get yourself some kind of stabilizing solution for when you go handheld, even if it's just a cheap handle or something like that.

I'm gonna offer my two cents here, I hope this helps:

Here is pretty much exactly what I would buy with that amount of money:

1. G7 with 14-42 Kit Lens - 497 on Adorama w/ a $50 gift card. here.
   
   
2. use that $50 to get yourself a couple of 64GB Transcend Class 10 SD Cards. here.
   
   
3. For a tripod, this Amazon Basics fluid head is a great value at $65, but frequently goes on sale for $35-$45. here.
   
   
4. Low light on the kit lens sucks, you can solve that by grabbing some FD lenses on eBay. I'd go for 50mm 1.4 and 28mm 2.8 as a start. Each can be had for ~$50.
   
   
5. To use those lenses on your G7, you'll need a simple, cheap adapter. Find that here.
   
   
6. For audio, you can get surprisingly good sound out of this cheap, cold shoe mountable shotgun right here.
   
   I believe that totals a little less than $700 for an enviable amount of non garbage, budget friendly equipment. You can even add some lighting and still stay under that bundle price.

I think this is what I'm going to do! Thank you! These are the lavs I've been messing with: Premium 196" Dual-head Lavalier Microphone, Professional Lapel Clip-on Omnidirectional Condenser Mic For Apple IPhone,Android,PC,DSLR,Recording Youtube,Interview,Video Conference,Podcast - FREE BONUS https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HOCXLOS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_xUBAybP6TKBBY

They seem to only record mono, as I'm only getting sound in the left channel even when the camera setting is on "stereo". So I might pick up a smartlav eventually to use with the tascam. Down the road I'll need to mic up more than just two people, do you have any recommendations for that? A bunch of lavs or a shotgun mic? Sorry for all of the questions, I'm a super n00b.

For those who live in Europe, here's some link for the same lens on Amazon (UK, DE, ES, FR, IT):
Amazon (Italy): 188€ http://amzn.to/2qrBYR0 (it's a referred link, if not allowed please tell me and I'll edit it)
Amazon (France): 185€ https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B014X35XLU?&snoop-from=5&snoop-from-asin=B014X35XLU
Amazon (UK): 149£/176€ https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B014X35XLU?&snoop-from=3&snoop-from-asin=B014X35XLU
Amazon (Deutschland): 179€ https://www.amazon.de/dp/B014X35XLU?&snoop-from=3&snoop-from-asin=B014X35XLU
Amazon (España): 188€ https://www.amazon.es/dp/B014X35XLU?&snoop-from=3&snoop-from-asin=B014X35XLU
Hope it'll be helpful to someone!

After doing more research - should I be getting a variable ND filter or a solid non-variable ND filter? Or a polarizing one?

In terms of brands, i'm looking at Fotga like the one /u/TheOmega3368 has, or:

• Gobe
  
• Tiffen
  
• Polaroid
  
  Anyone have experience with any of these variable ND filters and can recommend a brand? Again, would like it to be inexpensive, $30 or under!
  
  Thanks!
  
  

2 x 64GB SD cards - http://amzn.to/2gosP6T (more than just 2 cards if you want to record 4k, and if you want to buy an external recorder then just buy an SSD)

2 or 3 x Wasabi off-brand batteries - http://amzn.to/2fXikqd

Some kind of lens adapter so I can use the Canon and Pentax lenses listed above - TBH I don't know much about it.

Some kind of cage - http://amzn.to/2gbeP2u (You can buy a cage made for G7 only but this one is more versatile, later on you can upgrade to GH series and your G7 only cage won't fit)

Some kind of cheap rail system - Included above

Some kind of cheap mattebox - Not necessary

Some ND filters for the mattebox - Just buy a decent variable nd filter, it'll save you some time on set and later on you can buy a proper mattebox and IRND filters which are pricey.

Some kind of follow focus - http://bit.ly/2gbcbcT

DIY-ing or buying a steadicam / glidecam setup - Depends on the weight of full setup.

DIY-ing or buying a tracking dolly setup - DIY

Buying a decent tripod that won't break the bank - Check Benro tripods, I can't suggest anything without knowig your whole setup weight.

Some kind of lights, ideally with barndoors and some gels - http://amzn.to/2gzVVPD

Some kind of light stands - http://amzn.to/2fXmmiD

Some kind of external recorder so I can have better 1080p recording. - Just buy more cards and record in 4k then downscale it in post and you have better 1080p. Yet if you're in need of external monitor... http://amzn.to/2goANwv

Some kind of lens & sensor cleaning stuff? - If you'll buy a lens adapter then there is no need to buy a sensor cleaning stuff, and for the lenses a microfiber cloth will be enough.

Some kind of bag or pelican case to keep all this stuff in - first buy all the other things because right now we don't know how big it has to be.

I have this steadicam for my G7 and it works pretty well. As for lenses, I think you would love the 25mm f1.7 by Panasonic. I got it recently and it performs phenomenally! Here are some shots from it!

Good find! FWIW, it's same price on Amazon and a bunch of other retailers. In December I was able to snag it for $498 with a $50 gift card at Adorama. Granted, that was part of the holiday sale.

Yeah as everybody stated, nifty fifty is a good way to go but don't forget that that lens (http://amzn.to/2jXYiRo) does not have OIS like your kit lens. That means if you don't use it carefully or do not use a monopod or some sort of stabilizer, your footage may turn out shaky as you record parties :)

Yeah, make sure it's charged. Try to test it with a phone. The way it splits into two looks gimmicky, I suspect you have a bad mic or something isn't plugged in right. You might want to send it back for an exchange.

If you can't do a Rode Video Micro, this alternative has good reviews:
Movo VXR10 Universal Video Microphone with Shock Mount, Deadcat Windscreen, Case for iPhone, Android Smartphones, Canon EOS, Nikon DSLR Cameras and Camcorders https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0723D3FVL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_ZDdMDb5BMNV1V

This is an even cheaper mic, a bit larger, but it's surprisingly good, rivals the original Rode VideoMic:
TAKSTAR SGC-598 Interview Microphone for Nikon/Canon Camera/DV Camcorder https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E58AA0I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_KGdMDbNG7HMBK

I've wanted to get into correction and grading for a while now, so I figured I'd try it. However, I've heard before that you want to shoot as flat as possible, so that when you're in post, it's as exploitable as possible, right? That's what I was going for with the Natural profile.

Yeah, the whole aperture 22 thing was because 1) I already had my ISO as low as it could go (200), 2) I wanted to stick to the shutter speed/fps rule, and 3) the only thing left to adjust was the aperture. At anywhere under like 18 aperture, I was overexposing a lot, so I thought that was my only option, to adjust aperture.

I've heard of ND filters before and I've seen some before/afters, they actually look quite brilliant. Is this one fine? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009GFW1C0/

I just picked up a Canon FD 50mm f1.8 for $20 and an adapter for $16. Of course with the crop factor it won't be 50mm but for $20 I thought I'd pick one up since everyone seems to love them.


My next pickup is going to be the 25mm f1.7 from Panasonic though. From what everyone has said on here it is a phenomenal lens for the price ($250)https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014RD6RC0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Dc-Hyb0BD5HX1



Of course I don't have experience with them yet, but that's what I've heard!

Yeah, you need u3. These are what I use and they've been great so far (and much cheaper than the SanDisk options) : https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00J3KA814/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467702886&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=transcend+u3+64gb&dpPl=1&dpID=51-pvHXF1IL&ref=plSrch

I use this takstar (30$) - http://amzn.to/2rx9Qwe

Here's a sample video/vlog of mine on my g7 outside in chicago. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSsQcUmsflo&t


Short review: I think its best bang for the buck. For 30$ it's half the price of the rode micro and the quality is within 90ish% of the quality of rode and sometimes better. The only cons I would say is its a bit bigger, and the on/off is annoying sometimes bc I forget to flip it on and my video records without audio. If you got 60$ I'd go with the rode micro - http://amzn.to/2pYWFDk. Its smaller and easier to use.

It's on sale now at Amazon, Adorama, Best Buy, and B&H... New for $147.99

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B014RD6RC0/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014RD6RC0/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B014RD6RC0&linkCode=as2&tag=steven0459-20&linkId=99422b48172e1a5b93aae7a37691f2dc
It's an amazing lens! I don't find myself using the kit lens anymore. This is the sweetspot

How much do you want to spend (say, $5-$100) and how future-proofed do you want to be (tiny filter that fits kit vs giant filter that you can adapt to other lenses in future)?

You need a 46mm ND to cut half a stop of ND. Believe it or not, in my brief Googling I had trouble finding a filter at a good price that would achieve that ND at that price, so instead...

This is what I use: a Fotga slim fader ND. Not as a precise, but inexpensive, of good quality, and more versatile.

http://www.amazon.com/FOTGA-Variable-Adjustable-Neutral-Density/dp/B009GFW1C0/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1451149570&sr=8-4&keywords=fotga+fader+nd

panasonic 25mm it is also cheap one :)

I agree with the two others, the Panasonic 25mm can be picked up cheap! Lens

I just bought one today for $550 over at /r/hardwareswap. I have been checking prices on this camera and it seems like it dips every now and then with the lowest price being $497 on amazon June 10th, 2017.

Check this for prices -> https://camelcamelcamel.com/PANASONIC-Mirrorless-14-42mm-Megapixels-DMC-G7KK/product/B00X409PQS?context=search

Try and find a good deal online or wait till it goes on sale! No need to spend $797 for this camera.

Heh.

As someone who read this thread after picking up a cheap ($20) variable ND lens, this image makes a lot of sense. I was toying around with long exposures for the first time and I was wondering why I saw those weird patterns and whatnot. It wasn't entirely consistent so fortunately it was a bit better towards the ends of the spectrum, but there wasn't really a nice middle ground. If I ever get more serious about needing a ND filter, I'll definitely be getting a higher quality one.

Filter for reference: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009GFW1C0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Amazon also has the 14 - 42mm kit on sale.

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G7KK DSLM Mirrorless 4K Camera, 14-42 mm Lens Kit (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00X409PQS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_XyEbzbSW1F5RA

You can trade it in at Amazon for currently $476 (can change and depending on condition)
https://www.amazon.com/PANASONIC-Mirrorless-14-42mm-Megapixels-DMC-G7KK/dp/B00X409PQS/ref=sr_1_3?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1510416785&sr=1-3&keywords=panasonic+g7

Amazon

Adorama

Link: https://www.amazon.com/PANASONIC-LUMIX-MIRRORLESS-THIRDS-H-H025K/dp/B014RD6RC0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1510543667&sr=8-3&keywords=panasonic+25mm+1.7&dpID=31nQ7spiQmL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Currently $148 USD.

25mm f1.7 on sale now everywhere for $148:

https://www.amazon.com/PANASONIC-LUMIX-MIRRORLESS-THIRDS-H-H025K/dp/B014RD6RC0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496691361&sr=8-1&keywords=25mm+1.7

https://www.amazon.com/TAKSTAR-SGC-598-Interview-Microphone-Camcorder/dp/B00E58AA0I

you can probably find it even cheaper on ebay