Autumn
I’ve just uploaded a new montage of landscape videography filmed in the woodlands that run alongside Percy Beck here in Barnard Castle.
The trees were at their autumn best when I went out shooting—a perfect chance to try out my new camera, the Panasonic AF101, which I’ve bought to replace my trusty old Sony Z5.
The footage captures the light filtering through the leaves, the colours shifting from gold to deep rust, and the quiet movement of the beck itself. I’m really pleased with how the AF101 handles depth of field and colour in these kinds of natural settings—it’s already feeling like a good upgrade for my landscape videography work. The video is set to music by my friend David Cox, a brilliant musician based in York, whose atmospheric track fits the mood of the woodland perfectly.
One of the biggest changes for me with the Panasonic AF101 has been moving over to a camera that uses a Micro Four Thirds sensor. Compared to my old Sony Z5, which relied on smaller 1/3-inch CCDs, the AF101’s larger sensor makes a huge difference to the look of the footage. I’m getting much shallower depth of field, which is brilliant for isolating details in landscape videography and creating a more cinematic feel. The low-light performance is noticeably better too—there’s far less noise creeping into the shadows, which was always a bit of a challenge with the Z5, especially in darker woodland settings.
Another big shift is the lens options. The AF101 lets me swap lenses thanks to its Micro Four Thirds mount, so I’m no longer limited to the fixed lens of the Z5. For the Percy Beck shoot, I used a couple of different primes and a zoom, experimenting to see what worked best for picking out the autumn colours and textures. It’s definitely a learning curve getting used to manual focus and dealing with shallower depth of field, but I’m loving the creative possibilities it opens up. Overall, the AF101 feels like a step forward in terms of image quality and flexibility for the kind of documentary and landscape videography work I love doing.
Panasonic AF101 vs Sony Z5 – Quick Comparison
| Feature | Panasonic AF101 | Sony Z5 |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor Size | Micro Four Thirds (17.3 × 13 mm) | 1/3-inch 3CCD |
| Interchangeable Lenses | Yes (Micro Four Thirds mount) | No (fixed zoom lens) |
| Depth of Field Control | Shallow, cinematic look | Deeper depth of field, video look |
| Low-Light Performance | Better sensitivity, less noise | More noise in low light |
| Recording Format | AVCHD, 1080/50i, 25p, 720p | HDV (tape), 1080/50i |
| Media Type | SD/SDHC/SDXC cards | MiniDV tapes |
| Weight & Size | Smaller, lighter body | Larger, camcorder-style body |
| LCD/EVF | Higher-res LCD & EVF | Standard camcorder LCD/EVF |
| Price (2012) | Approx. £4,500 (body only) | Approx. £3,200 (with lens) |
I’m excited to keep exploring what the AF101 can do for my projects—especially for documentary shoots where that more cinematic look really helps bring stories and places to life. It’s interesting how upgrading gear can shift the way I approach landscape videography altogether. I’ve found myself thinking more carefully about shot composition, lens choice, and how light falls in a scene. With the Z5, I used to rely heavily on the fixed zoom and the camcorder-style ergonomics, but the AF101 demands more intentional shooting—and it rewards that extra effort with beautiful images.
For the Percy Beck footage, I tried to keep things simple: gentle pans, lingering shots of leaves catching the low sun, and wider shots capturing the full palette of autumn colours. But even in those simple movements, the AF101 reveals textures and subtle tones I could never quite achieve before in my landscape videography. It’s reminding me why I got into filmmaking in the first place: to capture moments and places in a way that feels truthful, beautiful, and evocative.
I’m also looking forward to collaborating more with musicians like David Cox, whose music brings another layer of emotion and atmosphere to my landscape videography projects. Pairing great soundtracks with cinematic images is one of my favourite parts of filmmaking. Over the next few months, I’ll be experimenting further with the AF101 in different settings—from urban streets to quiet coastal scenes—to really put it through its paces and see how it performs across different landscape videography environments.
If you’re curious about the AF101 or considering making the leap from traditional camcorders, feel free to drop me a message. I’d love to swap notes and hear what other filmmakers are discovering. And if you’ve watched the Percy Beck montage, let me know what you think of how the AF101 handled the woodland scenery—I’m keen to hear any feedback, technical or creative, especially from anyone else working in landscape videography.
Most of all, I’ll be hoping to shoot more landscape videos for my own creative projects and to show the beautiful surroundings of Teesdale in which I am so lucky to live. Whether it’s the changing seasons, hidden woodland paths, or the way light catches the hills and rivers, there’s so much inspiration right on my doorstep. I can’t wait to share more of these scenes and explore how the AF101 can help me capture the unique character of this place.
If you’d like to see more of my landscape videography, you can explore my collection of landscape films here: https://alanfentiman.co.uk/vimeo-videos/landscape/