Help Taking Night Images with Panasonic FZ-7

[koochey.koo]

Hi guys,

I'm a noob at photography. I own a Panasonic Fz7 and I've enjoyed myself toying around with it. The Fz7 takes great outdoor shots but when night falls, I seem to be unable to find the right setting or method to take photos. If I use the flash, it will either be too harsh or too dark...

Help? :?

[ShaolinTiger]

Ok, well that's one problem with Panasonic cameras, they are superb for everything except low light shots.

The best you can do is use a tripod or rest your camera on something, then use self-timer to trigger the shutter using the lowest ISO on your camera (ISO50 or 100 I think?).

So for example if you are taking a cityscape, find something you can safely lean your camera on like a wall or fence or dustbin, then compose your shot, set the camera to self-timer and hit the shutter release, make sure your camera doesn't use high ISO and noise reduction is switched on.

This should give you a clean well exposed picture without handshake.

The next best thing is using something to brace yourself, so leaning yourself against a lamp post or tree trunk to steady yourself, then press the shutter release very gently.

Normally in these situations we would just use a higher ISO to get a faster shutter speed, but sadly for Panasonic users, that's never recommended!

For flash when taking pics of people you can try and diffuse the flash from your camera a variety of ways including using a cigarette box (http://www.digisniper.com/2007/03/05/cigarette-packet-flash-diffuser/), or a film canister or tissue paper (I favour tissue paper generally as you can use a differing number of layers to increase the diffusion).

[Crazymalaysian]

If flash is too harsh, you can always turn the intensity down. Not sure how you do it on the FZ7 but im quite sure you can.

[mobbes]

Hi guys,

I'm a noob at photography. I own a Panasonic Fz7 and I've enjoyed myself toying around with it. The Fz7 takes great outdoor shots but when night falls, I seem to be unable to find the right setting or method to take photos. If I use the flash, it will either be too harsh or too dark...

Help? :?

Welcome koochey, nice nick... can tickle?

I own an FZ20, older model. Haven't handled the 7 before but shouldn't be too diff I guess. Really depends on what sort of night shots you wanna take. Portraits or landscapes?

For landscapes, must use tripod & slow shutter speed + small aperture. Bracketing helps too - finding the right settings is rather iterative.

For portraits, ie people, tripod would definitely help with slow sync flash. I try to use slow sync flash so that I can get the background natural rather than dark & unrecognisable.

Finally, you could try the preset modes :)

PS: I can adjust flash intensity on my FZ20 - check your manual for the FZ7.
btw does your FZ7 have a hotshoe for an external flash? That'd be very helpful & gives you the flexibility of bouncing off the ceiling ( less harsh lighting vis-a-vis direct flash)

[Crazymalaysian]

The FZ7 has no hotshoe, though you can mount a bracket for an external flash that will be in slave mode.

[ckchowov]

Can try add a 'softlight diffuser' to the built-in flash. Sometimes i use white tissue paper...not bad.

[koochey.koo]

Thanks y'all.
Really helpful.
I'm gonna test out your suggestions and hopefully, post some of the results here! :)

[johan2]

Thanks y'all.
Really helpful.
I'm gonna test out your suggestions and hopefully, post some of the results here! :)

Look forward to see your results coz I have a friend who's been asking me the same question about a year ago. And I've never been able to answer his question. If your tests work, I'll ask him to log in and learn from this thread. Cheers!