New to the forum I have a V-Lux1

[agrin2005]

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All

I have not posted much. I was given a V-Lux1. I all ready have a FZ50. So they seemed to be almost the same camera. Please do not beat me up on that statement. I bought the FZ50 because of the leica lens and could not afford the V-Lux1 at the time. Anyway I love my FZ50 so I know I will love my V-Lux1. I am looking to get a metz Flash for the Leica. I am thinking about the Metz 48 af1 .. Seems to be the middle one .. I am still doing research on that subject. I have never bought a external flash before but have been told by my Photography meetup group that I should get one. I got myself a good sling bag so I am getting there. I also use Sandisk extreme III only. 8GB . The nice thing is that I can use the FZ50 as a backup camera and the batteries and filters will work on both.

 

So I have a few questions any help would be great.

1. My dad bought me a UV filter and I was loking at getting a better one. I am thinking about the Hoya HD filters. Is there a difference and are they worth the money?

 

2. I was looking for a fisheye lens attachment. Does anyone know if they are ok ? They all seem to be made in china and I am scared that the attachment will degrade my picture.

 

3. I was also looking at wide angle and telephoto attachment. I have the same concern as above. Anyone have advice?

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[stuny]

Welcome to the Forum. Before long some V-Lux1 users will respond to you. However, chances are that any add-on accesory lens will not be of the same quality as the V-Lux lens. If you find any in a store between NYC and Washington perhaps you can try it on your camera in the store to see its results. Regarding filters, you did not mention what filter your dad gave you. Regarding flash, I personally almost never use one on any of my cameras. Your mileage may vary.

[Guest purpledot]

All

So I have a few questions any help would be great.

 

Congrats - I recently acquired this camera myself used and I enjoy it thoroughly. I have had many more cameras than wifes but never a bridge-camera before. It comes out much more fun and usable than I had expected.

 

1. I generally do not put filters in front of my lenses. High end BW and Hoyas are good however. But why would you risk degrading the picture with an extra layer of glass? Protection? Then I understand. Cutting haze. Perhaps also. But in general I don't like the idea.

 

2.+3. I think that would be a pity - given its limitations (having such a huge span) it is a wonderful lens. And oftentimes the novelty of such gimmicks wear off quick. I totally get the urge however, and personally buy something cheap, try it out, see if I like it and then invest, later, in better equipment if it proves to be more than a fad. The cheap ones definitely will degrade your picture quality - on the other hand they may very well be good fun to use. And your exclusive picture of The Loch Ness Monster and The Yeti making out will be syndicated anyway

 

I have worked a bit with the Nikon SB50DX and SB600 flashes and they work with the V-Lux 1 so far - i.e. they haven't burned it off yet... I don't like trial and error with flashes, so the more "automatic" the flash works with the camera the better IMHO. The Nikons are not optimal in that regard. Also, a personal preference, is to get a flash that works with AA batteries and not smaller, more expensive, harder to get alternatives.

 

Cheers,

Purpledot

[earleygallery]

I started posting a response earlier but it deleted (my fault) before I finished!

 

The Panasonic and Leica are essentially the same camera (both made by Panasonic) and I doubt you will see any difference between the results. Some say that Leica firmware is different but I've yet to see any evidence - you can try both together and make your own mind up. Leica versions of the Pana/Leicas come with better software, accessories and warranty which partly explains the higher price. The rest is down to cost base/overheads, Leica being a much smaller company. And you do get that lovely red dot.

 

A filter is a good idea for protecting the lens. You shouldn't actually need a UV filter but I tend to use them as a precaution against damage to the lens. Again you can shoot with and without and decide for yourself if you see any loss in quality of the image (I really doubt it). I also doubt that you will see a difference between a standard or higher quality filter assuming the one you have is a brand and not some cheap thing!

 

Instead of using a wide angle lens attachment you might be better off using software to stitch several images together to make a wider view. The fisheye lens you mention will be a gimmick, but might be fun for the odd image.

[agrin2005]

Thanks for the great feed back from everyone. Keep it coming

[elansprint72]

I use a very cheap UV filter and keep it clean, no visible degradation in quality. If it gets scratched, chuck it and buy another, if you scratch the front element, you have to do the same but it costs rather more.

There are actually differences in the shape of the body between the V-Lux and the FZ-50 (we have both in the family), not sure why.

I have become convinced that our FZ-50 takes sharper shots than the V-Lux but I'm not so sad as to start running tests.

[euston]

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You have two good cameras there. The lens is the star and it's the same on both.

 

This is why I use a UV filter:

 

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I dropped the camera which (of course) landed lens down. The hood came off and the filter cracked but successfully protected the lens. Much to my relief, there was no other damage.

 

Hoya filters are fine. As long as it's multi-coated, I would use the one your Dad gave you if I were you. It's a great camera. I hope you enjoy yours as much as I do mine.