The Lumix 4K – My New Favourite Camera

I love taking photos, it has developed into a real passion over the last couple of years and I really wish I had started sooner. This blog has taken me on a photography journey, from taking grainy and quite frankly awful photos using my phone, to having a big camera and a selection of lenses. Quite often now, photos will come first when I sit and start a post, whereas in the past it would be the words that came first, leaving me wondering what photo I could use to compliment the post.

My main focus has always been, and probably always will be, my girls (and of course baby when he decides to arrive). They are my world and so I love to capture them as they are, memories to cherish forever. The problem with photographing children is they move so quick don’t they? Moments happen before you get chance to turn your camera on or you will release the shutter too quick and miss the moment anyway.

When I was invited along to a Panasonic event a couple of weeks ago I cannot tell you how excited I was – a photography event is my ideal event! Plus my lovely friend Aby was going along and I hadn’t seen her in ages! We were invited to a National Trust site in London – Osterley Park. If you live near and haven’t been then you should add it to your to-do list as it has the most beautiful grounds.

The event was all about the new Panasonic Lumix 4K and we were given the chance to have a play around with it with help from Emma Drabble, an amazing pro photographer. Check out her site and you’ll see how gorgeous her shots are! One thing I learned from her actually, and the inspiration for the photo right up at the top there, is that not all photos have to be of happy moments. Little G had a right moody moment before lunch and that is life isn’t it? I want to remember everything about my children, the highs and the lows.

So on to the camera – it has some pretty impressive technology and some of it is mind boggling!

First up (and probably my favourite) is the 4K technology. It is my favourite because it will mean I never miss a moment again. All you do is press the 4K button and next time you press the shutter, simply hold it down and it will capture a mini film of your subject. Then, later on you can go back and (a little bit like a flip book) choose the exact shot you want to save from the sequence. So no more blinks or missed expressions. Amazing really!

Take a look at these two photos – taken within milliseconds of each other and if I had been using another camera I may have ended up with the first shot only – thankfully I could scroll forward in time and get a better take on things.

My other favourite is the ‘post focus’ option. Do you ever give your camera to someone else and they end up taking blurry photos? This happened to me recently and it was so frustrating. Well, with the Lumix 4K it takes a series of shots at different depths. That way, when you look back at the photo, you can tap the area you want to be in focus and save the shot! Mind boggling right?

There are so many amazing features, from the completely silent shutter to the fact that despite being a compact camera you can still add different lenses. This is something I will definitely be doing as I am a big big fan of fixed lenses as they let in so much light. That is the only thing about the Lumix 4K actually, the kit lens it comes with doesn’t work so well in low light. But, having said that, as long as you use the flash it is fine and unlike other flashes it doesn’t give an awful tinge to the photos. Still, I know what will be on my Christmas list now, as besides great light, fixed lenses create that fab blurry effect don’t they?

Being 9 months pregnant I wasn’t able to get too involved in the practical session on the day and so you will have to keep an eye out on IG for my photos tagged with #unmissablemoments and #lumix4k to see what great shots I manage to capture. I did manage to get a few of the girls, including all of the shots in my Siblings post this month.

This one is my favourite though and was taken using the 4K technology. I filmed them running towards me and saved the best shot from the series. So so clever isn’t it?!

If you are looking to make the jump from a smart phone but want something compact but brilliant – this is what you need!!