Tutorials |How to use Panasonic’s Slow Zoom feature

How to use Panasonic’s Slow Zoom feature

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As part of our Panasonic FZ2000 review we tested the new bridge camera’s Slow Zoom function, which is aimed at videographers to give your videos a more cinematic feel. The Panasonic Slow Zoom function is quick to set up and simple to use, and in our tests we found it was a nice way to give your videos a more polished, professional feel.

Below we explain how to set up Panasonic’s Slow Zoom feature and get started making videos…

How to set up and use the Panasonic FZ2000 Slow Zoom feature

  1. To use the Panasonic Slow Zoom setting, you must first enable the feature in the FZ2000’s menu system. Go into the main menu, then use the left arrow to navigate into the four main folders. Scroll down to the third main folder, which is Custom Settings.
  2. Within the Custom Settings folder, scroll down to the 8th page until you see an option for Slow Zoom Button setting. Here you can choose between START/STOP or PRESS & HOLD. We chose the START/STOP option, which means you only have to press the Fn button once and the camera zooms in or out.
  3. Just below this setting in the Custom menu you’ll next want to choose the speed of the zoom. You can choose between H, M or L, with H being the fastest and L being the slowest. We used M most of the time, as it’s slow enough to give the cinematic effect but doesn’t take too long to work through the focal range.
  4. Now you’re ready to film! To use Panasonic’s Slow Zoom setting your fingers never have to leave the lens barrel. On the left side of the lens barrel simply press the Fn1 button to Slow Zoom in, and press Fn2 to Slow Zoom out.
  5. You needn’t bother with the zoom toggle at all. In the START/STOP mode you selected, once you press the Fn buttons the camera zooms in (or out) across the full focal range (and into the digital zoom if enabled). You can stop the Slow Zoom at any point by half-pressing the shutter button. If you had chosen PRESS & HOLD you simply hold the Fn1 or Fn2 button down until you want to stop zooming in or out, respectively.

We found that the Panasonic Slow Zoom setting really is a simple way to make your videos look more professional. And with Image Stabilisation enabled in the Panasonic FZ2000 we were able to shoot videos like the one above handheld with ease.

You can see some of our sample photos from the Panasonic FZ2000 here.

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