Panasonic lumix dmc fz1000. Test camera Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ2000. Panasonic Lumix FZ200 - shooting modes

In 2006, the Lumix FZ50 became the new flagship of Panasonic's zoom cameras, increasing its resolution to 10.2 megapixels and adding several new features. Unlike the previous model, the FZ30, which took a step forward in design and function over the FZ20 and bridged the gap between compacts and DSLRs, it made little progress. The purpose of this description of the DMC-FZ50 is to answer the question of whether the model could become a worthy successor.

Functionality

The main characteristics of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50 are as follows:

• 10.1MP CCD sensor;
• Leica DC Vario-Elmarit optics with 12x optical zoom (35-420 mm equiv.);
• Venus Engine III graphics processor;
• optical image stabilization;
• full control over photography;
• 2.0 ”display with a resolution of 207 thousand pixels;
• electronic viewfinder;
• TTL Flash sync pin.

The main differences from the FZ30

While the previous model represented a significant upgrade to the FZ20 both internally and externally, the changes to the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50 are more evolutionary than revolutionary, and apart from the new image sensor are mostly minor. The main differences from the FZ30 model are as follows:

• sensor resolution increased from 8.3 to 10.1 megapixels;
• TIFF format is not supported;
• next generation graphics processor;
• maximum ISO sensitivity increased from 400 to 1600;
• flash sync contact appeared;
• the screen resolution has dropped to 207 thousand pixels;
• the display can be rotated 180 °;
• added support for SDHC;
• burst speed decreased from 3 to 2 fps, and the maximum number of frames from 7 to 5;
• intelligent ISO function.

Case design

Like the FZ30, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50 was designed to look and perform (as much as possible) like a traditional DSLR camera. The liquid-dampened mechanical zoom is faster and more accurate than the electric zoom and delivers a quality feel that will put most DLSR lenses to shame. Several small but important changes have been made to the control system (including a new Function button for quick access to functions such as adjusting the sensitivity). The combination of a deep grip and a molded rear thumb pocket makes the FZ50 a very comfortable camera. And its stability is achieved through a balanced distribution of weight. The large lens automatically becomes a left-handed grip. You can shoot with one hand, but the weight of the optics makes the camera a little unbalanced and the camera shakes much less when supported with both.

The model is available in black and silver.

Nutrition

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50 has a lithium-ion battery (7.2v, 710mAh), the same as its predecessor. The battery is located inside the handle behind a spring-loaded cover. Thanks to the Venus III's energy-efficient engine and lower-resolution screen, battery life has increased by almost a third to around 360 shots per charge.

Connectivity

Above the battery compartment is the SD / MMC card slot. The ports are grouped under a small, spring-loaded cover on the side. Here you will find a mini USB port, which also functions as an AV connector, and a socket for plugging in an AC adapter. An input for the DMW-RS1 remote control is also provided.

Flash

The TTL flash support is quite a significant update. It is manually activated by the small switch on the left. The flash is quite powerful and tall - it protrudes about 4cm from the top of the lens, which should minimize the red-eye effect. With auto ISO, you can use the flash at distances from 30cm to 7m. Recharging is very fast. The usual flash functionality is available - on, off, slow sync, red-eye reduction.

Display and viewfinder

The FZ50's screen is a step back in resolution (from 230K to 207K pixels), but it's not noticeable. The display is bright, clear and easily repositioned. It appears slightly better in low light, although it is difficult to see anything in bright direct sunlight. A new Function button opens up a mini-menu offering access to ISO, white balance, exposure metering, and quality settings. The main improvement was the versatility offered by the tilt and swivel mechanism. The screen is hinged at the bottom and rotates 180 °, which allows you to take self-portraits.

The 230k-pixel electronic viewfinder (EVF) and crisp optics make it very comfortable, while the new wider eyecup better prevents stray light from entering. According to user reviews, this is not a complete replacement for the bright DSLR viewfinder, but not bad either.

Lens

The manufacturer focuses on a huge 12x optical zoom. The lens is identical to the well-proven FZ30 optics. This is perhaps the only reason the FZ50 can compete with entry-level DSLRs. To cover the 35-420mm focal length range, the use of interchangeable lenses would be very expensive and cumbersome.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50 zoom mechanism is called pleasant to use by the owners. It works smoothly, quickly and accurately, and is complemented by a damped manual focus ring. On the side of the lens is a large selector for focusing modes (auto, Macros AF and manual). There is also a Focus button for quick activation of autofocus.

Included with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50 camera, the manufacturer offers a petal hood that is attached directly to the lens. It reduces glare in bright light, especially at the wide end of the zoom. However, it should not be used all the time, as it can interfere with the AF-assist beam in low light and block the flash at short distances to the subject.

Control elements

On the FZ30, the front and rear mode dials were used to directly access shutter speed and aperture settings. In the FZ50, these can be configured for quick access to exposure compensation settings. The four-way navigation bar has also changed. There is now a small key in the middle that acts as the Menu button. Custom mode has been added to the main command dial. You can define up to 3 custom kits. Almost any camera setting (from exposure to ISO, white balance, focus and metering to basic settings such as display format) is retained, making the model a powerful customizable tool.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50 looks like a serious camera and does the same, offering everything from compact scene modes to highly customizable advanced manual controls. Two dials provide direct access to aperture and shutter speed settings, and some of the FZ50's capabilities bring the camera closer to a true DSLR. Panasonic appears to be the only company listening to its users as it introduced a Function button for quick access to white balance and ISO, eliminating the need to constantly navigate menus.

Rear panel

All camera controls are located to the right of the 2-inch display. Above is the AE lock, which also serves to lock the focus, viewfinder / display switch, screen, control and delete buttons. The new function key mimics the LX2 joystick button, displaying a mini-menu providing quick access to metering, focus, white balance, ISO, image size and quality. Further on the right is a four-way navigation bar. When shooting, 3 of the 4 arrow keys provide quick review of the last saved image, flash mode selection and self-timer. The top arrow cyclically selects AE compensation, flash exposure compensation, AE bracketing, and an unusual 20-position white balance slider from "redder" to "bluer". In the center is the new Set button.

Top panel

This part is similar in style to DSLR cameras. The shutter release is located on the large handle. The main shooting controls are also found here: selection of exposure mode and shutter operation.

Lumix DMC-FZ50: instruction manual

The camera has a clear and straightforward menu system. The recording preview screen is completely free of any overlays or icons. When you press the Display button, a simple grid appears for easier framing. At the other extreme, viewing all the information, including the bar graph, clutters up an already rather small screen. If you want to get the most out of your image without getting in the way of previewing, it's best to choose the “out of frame” mode, designed to simulate a professional DSLR viewfinder. Pressing the shutter button halfway activates exposure calculation and focus indicating the AF area in use, aperture and shutter speed selection. If camera shake is too strong, a warning appears. In P mode, a neat program switching menu is displayed.

Manual focusing is relatively easy given the screen resolution and the optional zoom in the center of the frame. The user can move the zoomed area using the navigation keys.

The function menu works the same as Canon. The Function button brings up a mini-list of options, after which you can use the command dials to quickly change focus, metering, white balance, ISO, image size and quality. The settings are saved, which is a real boon for those who regularly change ISO or WB.

There is also a faster way to access exposure compensation. To do this, just rotate one of the discs (it can be set in the recording menu), and the AE compensation scale will appear. Pressing the up arrow cycles through exposure compensation, flash level, and AE bracketing. Their values ​​can be changed using the command dials. White balance fine adjustment has moved to the shooting menu.

In manual mode, the command dials change shutter speed and aperture. Custom allows you to store 3 sets of custom settings covering almost every aspect of the camera.

The mode switch now only has one SCN position, and the second is used for Custom. There are 16 scenes in total. As with all the latest Lumix cameras, they are all accompanied by short descriptions.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50: menu overview

The five-page list of settings includes parameters such as white balance, sensitivity, image size and quality, metering and focusing modes, and image parameters. Here you can find the unique Flip Animation feature that turns a series of photos into a QuickTime movie.

The three-page view menu offers the usual set of print, delete, protect and slide show settings. You can add sound to saved files, and change their size or aspect ratio. You can also format the card here. As in the recording mode, when viewing, the user selects the amount of information displayed - from its absence to complete data and a histogram.

Rotating the front command dial to the left displays 9 thumbnails. Frame numbering and menu lines are disabled with the Disp button. You can "zoom out" and see at the same time 25 thumbnails and the date of the picture. Rotating the dial to the right enlarges the previewed image. There are only 4 zoom steps (16x, 8x, 4x and 2x), but they are very fast. Navigation keys allow scrolling through zoomed frames.

The setup menu is accessible from both playback and shooting modes, and contains 4 pages of basic camera settings from monitor brightness and auto review to power management, sound settings, date and time.

Performance

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50 is generally on par with its predecessor. The camera is responsive and rarely keeps you waiting. High-speed focus works brilliantly (the only drawback is that the on-screen sight freezes for a fraction of a second while focusing, but that's okay). The measured shutter lag (about 0.07s) seems to be much higher than the 0.009s quoted in a Panasonic press release. This is due to the fact that the display has a slight lag of a fraction of a second. The actual shutter lag is less than 0.01s, but since there is no optical viewfinder, this is a moot point. The only performance disappointment is that the continuous mode, while pretty decent, is not as good as the FZ30 due to the larger file sizes.

Conclusion

Lumix DMC-FZ50 user reviews call one of the most equipped and convenient "bridge cameras" 2006 release, which in good conditions provides excellent image quality. It is a useful and enjoyable tool that offers a compact solution for those who want a huge zoom range without changing lenses. True, you have to compromise. The smearing of thin low-contrast details is a hallmark of the Venus III. According to the owners, serious shots are possible only at low ISO values. For many, this is an acceptable compromise, but instead of increasing the number of pixels, users would like to see an increase in image quality. The camera allows you to take great pictures, but only when the sensitivity does not exceed ISO 200.

Certainly there were no wars in the compact segment - this is the war of resolutions, and sensitivities, and additional modules, and, of course, the war of zooms, which now seems to have resumed with renewed vigor. But it could not be otherwise, because, on the one hand, a small sensor cannot provide the same picture as full-frame or APS-C matrices, and on the other hand, smartphones are squeezed, which, due to dimensional limitations, cannot provide a decent optical zoom. Now in the superzoom race, Panasonic and, more recently, Samsung have come to the fore, with cameras equipped with 60x zoom lenses, and both have a maximum focal length of 1200mm (35mm equivalent - but still crazy numbers). For comparison, the Nikkor 1200-1700 mm lens weighs 16 kg and is 888 mm long. And this is without taking into account the "carcass", while these compacts weigh 606 and 708 grams, respectively, and in terms of dimensions, when the lens is installed in the transport position, they are commensurate with other compacts of a similar class.

This time we will consider only the Panasonic camera, because the Samsung WB2200F camera has not yet reached us after the January presentation at CES 2014. So, Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ72 is built on the basis of a 1 / 2.3 "CMOS sensor, which is quite expected, because even when using a sensor from a DMC-LX7 camera (1 / 1.7"), the dimensions of an already rather big lens were even more. The maximum focal length, as in the case of most competitors with 50x zoom, is 1200 mm. However, the minimum FR is 20 mm - versus 24 mm for the same competitors, which makes it easier to shoot, for example, architectural structures in narrow streets. For a tourist, this is already a big plus. The camera has both a display and a viewfinder, and in addition to the built-in flash, there is a "hot shoe" that is not found in cameras of the more affordable Panasonic LZ series of hyperzoom.

It is also noteworthy that the manufacturer does not try to impress the user with a huge resolution, although 16 megapixels for ultrazoom is too much. But less is impossible, because many compacts have higher resolution, and in the minds of inexperienced users, the megapixel war is not over yet. Also worth noting is the maximum sensitivity level, which is 3200 units in ISO equivalent. Well, at least the senseless war of sensitivity levels - at least in the segment of compacts - has practically disappeared. Another important feature is the zoom microphones, the operation of which will be discussed in more detail below.

⇡ Specifications declared by the manufacturer

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ72
Matrix	1 / 2.3 inches CMOS
Pixels (total)	17 million
Effective Pixels	16 million
Photo format	JPEG (Exif 2.3), RAW, DCF 2.0, DPOF,
Video format	AVCHD, MP4
Sound format	Stereo, zoom function
Image resolution	4608x3456
Video resolution	1920x1080, 1280x720, 640x480
Focal length range, mm	3.58-215.0 (20-1200 in 35mm camera equivalent)
Aperture opening	ƒ / 2.8- ƒ / 5.9
Minimum focusing distance, cm	SHU: 30 Tele: 150 Super Macro: 1
Focus modes	Single frame, continuous, adaptive
Exposure metering	Spot, center-weighted, multi-zone
Exposure compensation	-3 EV to +3 EV in 1/3 EV steps
Exposure range, s	8-1/2000
White balance	Manual, Automatic, Daylight, Cloudy, Incandescent, Flash, Color temperature setting, Manual shift
Sensitivity, units in ISO-equivalent	Automatic, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200
Descent timer, s	2, 10
Flash range, m	Up to 13.5
Microphone	Stereo
Speaker	Mono
Display	3 inches, resolution 460 thousand points
Viewfinder	202k points
Built-in flash memory, MB	200
Data carriers	SD
Power supply	Li-ion battery DMW-BMB9E, 6.5 Wh
Dimensions, mm	130.2x97.0x118.2
Weight, gram	606 (including battery and SD card) 562 (without accessories)

⇡ Scope of delivery and options

We were provided with a full-fledged commercial sample for testing, but there was no user manual in the package, and the disc with the software and the electronic version of the manual turned out to be from the FZ70 (twin camera for the American market). In addition, the package includes a battery, charger, power cable, USB cable, lens cap with attachment strap, and a shoulder strap. In general, quite standard and modest.

But the list of options is impressive - a teleconverter and a macro lens, an adapter for installing lens accessories, an adapter for connecting a mains power supply, a permanent LED illuminator for a hot shoe, four branded flashes with a guide number from 22 to 50, as well as a lot of various filters ( protective, polarizing, two versions of ND filters). However, there is no shortage of filters from third-party manufacturers, because the landing mount is quite common - 55 mm.

⇡ Appearance and usability

Externally, Panasonic DMC-FZ72 differs little from the majority of hyperzums, into which so-called "pseudo-mirrors" (SLR-Like) have gradually transformed. The weight and dimensions of the device are also typical for their class. What is significantly different and eye-catching is the massive array of microphones mounted on the back of the uplift flash. Looking ahead, it is worth noting that when the flash is raised, which, of course, is completely unnecessary for video shooting, the sound quality deteriorates somewhat, and a very interesting feature of the microphone zoom works worse. Also, it is impossible not to notice the absence of a side zoom control lever, which is found in many Fujifilm and Nikon hyperzums. But it greatly facilitates zooming when shooting video. But let's get back directly to the tested camera.

The handle of the body is extremely comfortable in the medium-sized hand, while all the controls are clearly placed under the fingers. In fact, when controlling the camera, the second hand is only needed to press the key of the mechanical lock of the elevator flash, because all the controls are concentrated on the right side of the body. The handle is covered with a rubber sheet with a leather-like texture. On the back side, the thumb rest is also textured and also distantly resembles leather, but it's not even rubber, but plastic, which is part of a single back panel. Of course, a rubber pad would be preferable here, but even without it, the camera does not strive to jump out of your hands.

In front there are only a lens and an autofocus lamp. From the rear, most of the surface is occupied by the display, above which the viewfinder and the flash lock key are located, as well as the key for switching between the display and the viewfinder. On the right side of the rear surface, most of the controls are located: a key for locking autofocus and autoexposure, a multifunction switch, keys for selecting the focus mode and entering the viewing mode, a command dial. In the lower right corner there are buttons for changing the display mode and deleting.

Above is a lift-up flash with a cluster of microphones at the back and a hot shoe at the base. To the left of it is only the system speaker, and to the right is the mode dial, supplemented by the power lever, as well as the video recording, drive mode selection, focusing and shutter release keys, the latter being combined with the zoom control lever. The bottom is nothing unusual - a tripod mount and a plastic door that hides the battery and memory card compartments.

The left side surface is empty, and on the right there is only a rubber plug with the inscription HDMI - but not only the HDMI cable connector is hidden under it, but also a port for USB / AV cables.

As another positive step, Panasonic has also increased the resolution of the FZ200 electronic viewfinder from 201K pixels to 1312k pixels. It now delivers about the same level of detail as the viewfinder on Lumix G-series cameras, albeit with a smaller image size.

The sensor on the FZ200 also has a 12-megapixel resolution like its predecessor and still allows you to record files in RAW format. As for other specifications, the new camera demonstrates the same frame rate in burst shooting, i.e. 12 fps and offers 1080 / 50p / 60p video recording, and there is also a similar connector for connecting an external microphone, which makes it one of the most expensive super-zooms on the market.

Panasonic focused on the performance, functionality and other characteristics of the Lumix FZ200 while Canon, with the PowerShot SX50 HS, focused on the 50x optical zoom, which extends to 1200mm, double the telephoto range of the FZ200. Such a superzoom is clearly aimed at photographers who want to get as close to distant action as possible. This review compares the Lumix FZ200 to Canon's flagship PowerShot SX50 HS Super Zoom.

(tab = Introduction)

Panasonic Lumix FZ200 - design and management

The style in which the Lumix FZ200 case is executed is very similar to its predecessor, but it has slightly increased in weight and dimensions. With dimensions of 125 x 87 x 110 mm and a weight of 588 g, including a battery and a memory card, it practically coincides with the Canon PowerShot SX50 HS, and the squareness of the shapes of these last two models makes them more intimate than their predecessors.

The FZ200 has a deeper grip and thumb grip than the FZ150, which contributes to a more comfortable camera operation. In the front of the body, to the left of the lens, additional zoom controls have appeared and the focus switch has been preserved. Like the previous model, built-in microphones are installed in the upper part of the body near the pop-up flash, and a new function key Fn1 has appeared near the camera switch. The built-in flash covers a range of 13.5m, and the Lumix FZ200 has a standard hot shoe through which an external flash can be connected.

The combo USB / A / V port and HDMI mini connector have been moved from the left to the right side of the camera body. But the 2.5mm jack for an external microphone, which is on the left side under a small soft plastic cover, is a key advantage of the FZ200 over its rivals, including the PowerShot SX50 HS. The compartment for the battery and memory card is located on the right under the grip. The FZ200 is powered by a 1200mAh Li-Ion BLC12E battery. On one charge, you can take 540 pictures.

Panasonic Lumix FZ200 - viewfinder and screen

The Lumix FZ200 retains a 3-inch LCD with 460K pixels, the same as the predecessor model. It is a beautiful hinged screen that delivers a bright, high-contrast image. It can also be turned inward to protect the top cover when not in use. It's worth noting that while the Lumix FZ200's 3-inch screen is slightly larger than the 2.8-inch LCD monitor in the SX50 HS, its 3: 2 aspect ratio means you'll get narrow blacks when shooting 4: 3 shots. stripes on both sides of the picture. Therefore, the active area here is actually slightly smaller than on the PowerShot SX50 HS. But when switching to widescreen mode and video, the situation changes.

Panasonic has updated the electronic viewfinder in the FZ200. It is now a 0.21-inch framing device with a resolution of 1,312,000 dots, which is slightly less than the 1,440.00 dots in the Lumix G3 mirrorless system camera, although the viewfinder is physically much larger in it. So the closest competitor to the FZ200 is Fujifilm's HS30 EXR with 920,000 pixels and 0.26 inches in the viewfinder, followed by the Canon PowerShot SX50, the Sony Cyber-shot HX200V and the FZ150.

The higher resolution viewfinder on the Lumix FZ200 delivers more detailed, brighter, and less tearing and rainbow-prone images than the SX50 HS. This makes your eyes less tired and easier to compose in low light conditions.

Panasonic Lumix FZ200 - lens and stabilization

A key feature in the Lumix FZ200 is its zoom lens, but not for the same reason as in the SX50 HS, which Canon has equipped with a 50x zoom lens. Panasonic has been stuck at 24x for the third time in a row in the FZ series. As with early FZ models, the Lumix FZ200 has a constant f2.8 aperture throughout the range. This feature will be of interest to many photographers who value low-light performance and shallow depth of field.

The more you zoom in with the SX50, the more the difference in aperture will appear compared to the FZ200. The maximum aperture of the SX50 steadily decreases and drops to f4 by 38mm, a one-stop difference; at 185mm it closes down to f5.6, which is a two stop difference at the same focal length. This means you have to shoot at ISO 1600 on the SX50 HS, where in the same situation you can choose 400 ISO on the FZ200 with the same shutter speed.

To test the depth of field, both cameras were set to Aperture Priority mode and selected the widest available aperture when zoomed in to 600mm, which is the maximum on the FZ200. You can see the results below. The FZ200's aperture not only gives it an advantage in low light, but also provides a shallower depth of field.

The second example below shows similar results with both lenses at an increased focal length of about 400mm, with the subject closer to the camera this time.

The Panasonic FZ200 is equipped with powerful OIS, which uses movable lens elements to compensate for shake and allow handheld shooting at slower shutter speeds. To test the effectiveness of stabilization, shooting was undertaken with a maximum focal length of up to 600mm in shutter priority mode, gradually slowing down the shutter speed. The stabilization was first turned off and then activated. As you can see in the crops below, the Lumix FZ200 can shoot at slow shutter speeds with stabilization on, up to about six stops slower than without stabilization. Combined with a constant f2.8 aperture, the Lumix FZ200 delivers truly unrivaled low-light performance at long focal lengths.
Panasonic Power OIS on / off

Panasonic Lumix FZ200 - shooting modes

In addition to PASM and Intelligent Auto Exposure modes, Panasonic offers two custom positions marked on the mode dial as C1 and C2, as well as SCN (with separate scene modes selected on screen), creative effects and video modes.

The range of creative filters has expanded with the addition of eight new options, now there are fourteen. Some of them are: expressive, soft focus, star filter effect, toy camera effect, miniature effect, retro, high key, low key, sepia, dynamic monochrome.

Dynamic monochrome Sepia Star filter effect

Creative filters can be applied during shooting or subsequently added from the retouch menu. The miniature effect requires additional internal processing that slows the recorded frames down to 3.5fps, but instead of playing jerky movements in real time, these clips simply play back eight times faster than normal, further enhancing the effect. Below you can see an example of such a recording, which took four minutes. But if you're a real fan of miniature-effect videos, the SX50's version of this feature is a little more versatile with a choice of three playback speeds.

The Lumix FZ200 maintains a 3D mode, which creates images when the camera is moved up to 10 cm to the side. This is the same approach that was first used in Sony cameras.

The FZ200 also offers a panoramic shooting mode, which stitches sequentially captured frames as you rotate the camera to capture a panoramic scene and then merge them into a single image. You can even create images with a viewing angle that can reach up to 360 degrees horizontally.

Panasonic Lumix FZ200 - ISO Aperture Priority and HDR Mode

Program mode, ISO 1600, f4, 1/8 sec Scene mode HDR, ISO 1600, f2.8, 1/16 sec

In HDR and Night Portrait mode, ISO sensitivity is set automatically. Above, you can see the effectiveness of the HDR mode. For this low-light scene with lots of deep shadows, HDR has significantly improved shadow detail. This is, of course, a sharper improvement than what we saw with the same scene when shooting with the SX50 HS in i-Contrast mode.

Panasonic Lumix FZ200 - functionality

The fast and responsive FZ200 won't let you run out of custom buttons. It is ready to take a picture in about a second after being turned on. It has overhauled the on-screen graphics design to be much smaller, resulting in a less clunky and unobtrusive look overall. The new graphics not only look better, they allow you to see more of what is happening on the screen. In PASM exposure modes, new scale bars appear that show combinations of aperture and shutter speed in a much more legible format than the old numeric readings. Both the viewfinder and LCD can be configured to display information below the image rather than by overlaying, although this greatly reduces the image.

Unfortunately, Panasonic did not go one step further and redesign the Q.Menu overlay layout, which does not hold water for its poor design. But so far the FZ200 lacks the downright simplicity of the SX50 HS's Func.Set menu, which does provide quick access to commonly used settings such as photo styles (color rendering), flash settings, image size and quality, and AF area settings. The full menu is organized in three tabs: shooting options, sound settings, and camera settings. The first works on six pages, and the last on eight with linear navigation. That is, you have to scroll through each page to get to the next, and if what you need is on the seventh page, then you may find it a little tedious. Of course, if you know what you're looking for on page seven (format, for example), you can go backwards, but good design shouldn't require you to memorize the location of 37 different parameters.

Fortunately, the FZ200 provides various programmable function keys. There are only three of them: Fn1 is located on the top panel, Fn2 near the AF / AE lock button and Fn3 is on the back panel, just above the joystick. The same choice of thirteen functions is available for each of the three buttons, including Photo Style, Aspect Ratio, Quality, Metering Mode, Overlay Line Guide, and Auto Bracketing.

While the FZ150 did not have any Cust positions, the Lumix FZ200 had C1 and C2 positions. So this only increases the total number of custom kits that are instantly available - just turn the dial and start shooting.

The FZ200 at its maximum telephoto position of 600mm presents a challenge for those not accustomed to shooting with long lenses. It's difficult, but not impossible, as long as you have stabilization turned on. Take a look at the first sample video to get an idea of ​​how far the camera wanders when you zoom in fully. Of course, a lot will depend on how steady your hands are. Also note that the video above was shot using an LCD screen, but if you are using an electronic viewfinder, it will be more convenient for you to hold objects steady as the camera will be pressed against your face.

The FZ200 can wander a little at 600mm, but it is much easier to track moving subjects at this focal length than at 1200mm with the PowerShot SX50 HS. Still, a monopod or other support will come in handy. When the focal length was fully zoomed, despite a constant aperture of f2.8, focusing took longer than at wide-angle.

Panasonic Lumix FZ200 - autofocus

The Lumix FZ200 has four focusing modes: 1-area, 23-point, AF tracking and face detection. The latter can detect up to 15 faces and fix the focus on one of them. In addition, there are three styles of autofocus, they are regular single AFS (Auto Focus single) and continuous mode AFC (Auto Focus continuous), as well as flexible AFF mode (Auto Focus Flexible). The latter is intended for shooting objects such as children and pets, which tend to move erratically.

Manual focus can be selected in the same way as on the FZ150 using a three-position switch on the lens barrel that switches to autofocus mode, macro autofocus mode, and manual focus mode. Focus is then corrected using the rear control wheel or via the zoom controller on the lens barrel, of your choice.
If your subject is static and well lit, and the camera is mounted on a tripod, then manual focus may work well, but don't expect it to replace autofocus in low light conditions.

As we already mentioned, the Lumix FZ200, like the PowerShot SX50 HS, supports face recognition. The camera remembers people whose names are pre-stored in memory, or you can configure it so that it focuses on frequently photographed faces. Focus and exposure will be adjusted for the detected faces. This feature is popular on Panasonic compacts as it is undoubtedly very amusing to see the names of the people that appear under the detected faces.

Panasonic Lumix FZ200 - Continuous Shooting

The Lumix FZ200 essentially exhibits the same continuous shooting performance as its predecessor. You can shoot at up to 12 frames per second in full resolution without autofocus, or 5.5 fps and 2 fps with autofocus.
To test the burst speed, the FZ200 was equipped with a formatted Sandisk Extreme Pro UHS-1 SD memory card rated for 45MB / s. When set to 12 fps with the best image quality in the JPEG format, the FZ200 was able to shoot exactly 12 frames in 0.9 seconds, that is, just over 13 frames per second. This is a very high result in terms of speed, but one second is a very short amount of time to capture the action in a sequence.

As the next test showed, 5.5 frames per second, it looks like it could be of great use for capturing long-term action. With similar JPEG settings and a formatted card, going down to 5.5 fps, the FZ200 took fifteen frames before there was a noticeable slowdown and continued shooting. The first 15 frames were captured in 2.6 seconds, that is, at 5.76 fps, and then the speed slowed down to about 2 fps.
So you can get a burst of about two and a half seconds at 5.5 fps, which may actually be a more useful option than a burst of one second at 12 fps.

Panasonic Lumix FZ200 - sensor

Like its predecessor, the Lumix FZ200 is equipped with a 12.1 megapixel CMOS sensor, which is an updated version of the previous Panasonic model. The sensor allows the camera to shoot 1080p HD video in slow motion in addition to fast continuous shooting, and provides HDR mode for low light shooting.

The FZ200 supports RAW shooting and offers two JPEG compression options: Standard and Fine. The maximum image size is 4000x3000 pixels, with aspect ratios of 4: 3, 3: 2 and 1: 1. Full size Fine JPEG files are 4.5 to 5 MB in size. The sensitivity range is from ISO 100 to 6400, and the shutter speed range is from 60 to 1/4000 sec.

(tab = Shooting video)

Panasonic Lumix FZ200 - Movie Modes

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The FZ200 retains the same set of HD video capabilities as its predecessor, with better quality at 1080 50p or 60p depending on the region. But for videographers, there is also something new. This is a high-speed Motion Video that slows down action recorded at a high frame rate. There are two options: 100 fps - recording mode with 720p HD resolution and playback at 1/4 of real speed and 200 fps in VGA mode, which reproduces 1/8 of real time. The Canon SX50 HS and other compacts offer super slow motion video, but Panasonic introduced it for the first time in high quality HD resolution. Unfortunately, you will not be able to use the zoom while recording at high speed.

The camera offers a choice of two encoding formats AVCHD or MP4. Panasonic recommends using the former for best quality when playing on TVs, and the latter for extensive editing and uploading.

In AVCHD mode, you can record 1080p video at 28Mb / s, or 1080i or 720p video at 17Mb / s. At 1080p, footage is recorded at 50p or 60p; at 1080i, frames are recorded at 50i or 60i. 720p footage is recorded at 50p or 60p. MP4 can record Full HD 1080p, 720p or VGA video at 20, 10 and 4 Mbps respectively. All three modes are encoded using progressive video at 25p or 30p.

Using the best quality 1080p mode, you view frames at 200Mb per minute, which is significantly more than the AVCHD 1080i and 720p modes, which consume up to 120 MB per minute. If you are using the MP4 format, the clip length is limited to 29 minutes and 59 seconds, or a file size of 4 GB. The manufacturer recommends using SD cards of class 4 or higher for video recording.

# 1: Outdoors, sunny, handheld shooting.

For this and other samples presented, the Lumix FZ200 was set to the best video quality HD PSH 28Mbps 1080p50. Stabilization was enabled for this handheld panoramic shot, allowing subjects to be held in a stable frame even at full 600mm focal lengths. Autofocus behaved well during zooming, although it allowed itself to wander a little.

Panasonic Lumix FZ200 - Sample Video # 2: Outdoors, sunny, shooting with a tripod.

For this panoramic shot with a tripod, stabilization was disabled. Another good result from the FZ200 with warm rich colors and good auto exposure, particularly when shooting reflections in water. As before, the autofocus behaved a little bit waywardly during the zoom process, but quickly corrected itself. The zoom motor is not audible, but you can hear the AF motor from time to time.

Panasonic Lumix FZ200 - Sample Video # 3: Indoor, low light, handheld.

The Lumix FZ200 gives a slightly noisy picture in low light conditions and the colors look a little washed out. The exposure is well processed and the stabilization does the job, but at the very end of the shot, notice how the frame moves in the opposite direction.

Panasonic Lumix FZ200 - Sample Video # 4: Continuous autofocus.

The coffee cup example demonstrates continuous autofocus on the Lumix FZ200 in action. With alternating focusing on the cup and on the bar counter, the FZ200 quickly reorients itself, and the exposure makes a quick, unobtrusive transition.

Panasonic Lumix FZ200 - Sample Video # 5: High Speed ​​Motion Video at 100 fps 720p.

The Motion Video feature in the Lumix FZ200 offers two options, 100fps 720p HD mode, which plays action at 1/4 speed, and VGA mode, which plays back recordings at 1/8 speed. This 32-second clip took about 8 seconds to shoot.

Panasonic Lumix FZ200 - Sample Video # 6: Miniature mode.

The Lumix FZ200 allows you to use creative filters for your videos. The miniature effect shown here is played at a speed eight times the actual speed. This 30 second clip took four minutes of video. Unfortunately, what looks like interlaced artifacts spoils the experience of this interesting mode.

(tab = Comparison with Canon SX50 HS)

Panasonic FZ200 vs Canon SX50 HS performance comparison

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To compare actual performance, the Panasonic Lumix FZ200 and Canon PowerShot SX50 HS shot the same scene at intervals of several minutes apart using the best JPEG settings.

The focal length on the SX50 HS has been increased slightly to produce a similar field of view as the FZ200 at its 25mm widest angle.

Image stabilization was disabled, shooting was carried out with a tripod, and all other parameters remained at their default values.

The image above was captured with a Panasonic Lumix FZ200. The camera was set to aperture priority mode with an aperture value of f4, ISO 100, shutter speed 1/640. The Canon PowerShot SX50 HS shot at 1/400 with an aperture of f4 and a base sensitivity of ISO 80.

On the day of the test shoot, the bright sun scene was particularly demanding, presenting a very wide range of brightness. The Lumix FZ200 did a pretty good job of exposure, but there are still quite a few clipping points in the image, in particular the white walls of the building that reflect bright sunlight. The histogram reaches both ends of the chart. Note that the PowerShot SX50 HS had exactly the same problem with this high dynamic range.

Overall, despite the harsh lighting conditions, the Lumix FZ200 captured an excellent set of shots. The first harvest conveys many small details in the rocks and well-worked grass, as well as small details in the stone chapel. In the second frame, the lighthouse blurred a little and noise appeared in the area of ​​the sea and sky. And the foreground also gives out a negligible amount of noise. The contrast is obviously lacking.

In the third frame, closer to the edge of the image, the FZ200 is unable to maintain the same level of sharpness and contrast as in the middle, and details look softer. Also here we see a bit of color fringing and the noise that we noted in the second frame has become more noticeable, especially in the window area. Finally, in the last frame, closer to the center, a return to sharpness can be noted. Already clear window frames in the farthest building and a good level of detail on the roof tiles in the foreground.

The difference in the quality of these crops compared to the Canon PowerShot SX50 HS is obvious. Of course, one or two shots are very similar in level of detail. But at the edge of the frame, as shown in the third frame, the Lumix FZ200's 25x zoom lens doesn't do as well at maintaining consistent image quality as the PowerShot SX50. The detail here looks a little blurry and distorted, and there is also a significant amount of color fringing. Pictures with the Lumix FZ200 contain more noise than those with the SX50 HS.

The test was repeated, increasing the focal length to 400 mm. On the SX500 lens, a scale was used to estimate the 400mm equivalent focal length, which was found to be 65.4mm or 365mm equivalent. Then on Lumix FZ200 respectively used a focal length of 65.8mm in 366mm equivalent. Aperture on both cameras was set to f5.6 in aperture priority mode at the base ISO sensitivity setting. As always, the red squares in the image below represent the areas that were surveyed.

These shots did not reveal any flaws at the 25-600mm distance of the FZ200, as well as at the wide-angle position. The noise that stands out especially in the vertical gray bars has nothing to do with zooming. In fact, this is not a lens defect, but sensor noise.

f4, ISO 100 f4, ISO 80

f4, ISO 100 f4, ISO 80

f4, ISO 100 f4, ISO 80

f4, ISO 100 f4, ISO 80

Panasonic FZ200 and Canon SX50 HS at 365mm equivalent distance.

Panasonic Lumix FZ200 Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

25-600mm at 65.8mm (366mm equiv) f5.6, ISO 100 4.3-215mm at 65.4mm (365mm equiv) f5.6, ISO 80

25-600mm at 65.8mm (366mm equiv) f5.6, ISO 100 4.3-215mm at 65.4mm (365mm equiv) f5.6, ISO 80

25-600mm at 65.8mm (366mm equiv) f5.6, ISO 100 4.3-215mm at 65.4mm (365mm equiv) f5.6, ISO 80

(tab = Sample Images)

Panasonic Lumix FZ200 Sample Images

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The following pictures were taken with the Panasonic Lumix FZ200 in program mode. The Lumix FZ200 has been set to its best quality at 12MP resolution with auto white balance. Image stabilization was turned on, shooting was carried out handheld.

All presented images are available for download in their original format. Click on the desired snapshot to access the files on Flickr.

Landscape: 4.85MB, Program, 1/500, f4, ISO 100, 4.5-108mm at 4.5mm (25mm equiv.)

Landscape: 5.01MB, Program, 1/160, f4, ISO 100, 4.5-108mm at 4.5mm (25mm equiv.)

Landscape: 5.09MB, Program, 1/500, f4, ISO 200, 4.5-108mm at 108mm (600mm equiv.)

Portrait: 4.99Mb, Program Mode, 1/200, f4, ISO 100, 4.5-108mm at 34mm (189mm equiv.)

Macro: 4.67MB, Program, 1/60, f2.8, ISO 400, 4.5-108mm at 4.5mm (25mm equiv.)

Interior: 4.78MB, Program, 1/60, f2.8, ISO 100, 4.5-108mm at 4.5mm (25mm equiv.)
Interior: 4.83MB, Program, 1/10, f2.8, ISO 1600, 4.5-108mm at 4.5mm (25mm equiv.)

Now let's move on to the conclusions.

(tab = Conclusions)

Panasonic Lumix FZ200 - conclusions

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Panasonic's flagship Lumix FZ200 superzoom marks a turning point for the FZ series and perhaps even the superzoom market in general. Rather than continuing to push for a larger focal length range with more powerful zoom, Panasonic has taken a time out and focused on other improvements. As a result, the Lumix FZ200 has a constant f2.8 lens as a key feature.

You know that as the focal length increases, the aperture value steadily decreases, which allows less light to enter through the hole and forces you to use high ISOs or slow down the shutter speed. But all of this negatively affects the quality of the image and does not allow freezing actions, for example, for sports and wildlife photography. Many consumers buy superzoom for this very purpose, hoping to use their powerful scaling for sports and wildlife, but in the end they are mainly suitable only for static objects. The FZ200, with its constant f2.8 aperture, coupled with excellent image stabilization, is exactly right for the purpose.

While most other manufacturers continue to offer mostly low-resolution electronic viewfinders, the FZ200 is equipped with a 1,300k-dot EVF that delivers easy detailed viewing and outperforms similar models from other manufacturers in this price range. Nearby is only the Fujifilm HS30 EXRs, which has a 920k-dot viewfinder. The FZ200 has an improved 12.1 megapixel sensor. The camera produces high quality JPEG images and can shoot in RAW format. New High Speed ​​Motion Video and Miniature modes have been added to the existing HD video capabilities.

The FZ200 cannot claim to be the "largest", "longest" or "smallest" super zoom, but it does have a fast lens and a range of features that will be appreciated by those users who are willing to go beyond the basic characteristics of the range. zoom and number of megapixels.

Compared to Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

Panasonic Lumix FZ200 and Canon PowerShot SX50 HS have a number of similarities in appearance, let's start with this. They are both exactly the same size and weight and are very similar in style, especially considering the "square top" SX50 HS. Both cameras have 12-megapixel sensors and offer RAW shooting in addition to the JPEG mode. Despite the difference in specifications, their articulated LCD screens are the same size and with the same 460k-dot resolution. They also offer a similar range of manual, semi-automatic and fully automatic exposure modes.

But, despite the similarities, there are many differences between them and we will start with the most obvious. PowerShot SX50 HS twice the zoom range of the Lumix FZ200. Wide angle starts at a similar 24mm and 25mm respectively, but the SX50 HS extends to 1200mm and the FZ200 is limited to 600mm. Compared to the SX50, the FZ200's range looks modest, but 600mm is enough to get close to most things. Although the SX50 comes in handy for photographing small objects that are far away, such as birds. Speaking of lenses, the fixed aperture is f2.8, compared to F3.4-6.5 on the SX50 HS. This not only makes the FZ200 more capable in low light conditions with a two-stop advantage over the SX50 HS when zoomed in, but means that a shallower depth of field can be achieved with this camera, for example, for portraits.

Although their screens are similar, the EVF is Lumix FZ200 has a higher resolution than the SX50 HS and provides a brighter, more detailed picture and ultimately a better viewing experience. The FZ200 has a button to switch between screen and viewfinder, which adds more functionality than the SX50 HS.

The FZ200 offers more physical control than the SX50 HS and provides more customization options. It has at least three programmable function keys Fn, as well as a switch between focusing modes. There is also a dedicated button to select the continuous shooting mode and the FZ200 offers a wide range of continuous shooting.

Both cameras have a dedicated video button and can use optical zoom while recording video. Lumix offers better 1080p50 / 60 video recording quality compared to 1080p24 on the SX50 HS. While 24fps is especially appreciated by video enthusiasts, the FZ200 provides 50 / 60P mode with high quality slow motion playback at 25/30 fps. Both offer two modes for slow motion video playback, but with the FZ200 this is HD resolution compared to VGA on the SX50 HS. Both cameras have a standard hot shoe and also come with a built-in flash, but the FZ200 is additionally equipped with an external microphone jack.

In terms of image quality, there are also differences between the two models. Plus, the SX50 HS can now shoot in RAW along with JPEG. Finally, depending on your geographic location, the PowerShot SX50 HS will set you back about 25 percent less than the Lumix FZ200.

Cost factor aside, the choice comes down to which features are most important to you. Canon gives you unrivaled zoom performance with fun creative modes and versatile movie recording options. But in many ways, the FZ200 is still geared more towards the enthusiast. The lens clearly lacks Canon's range, but its aperture provides more options for sports, wildlife, low-light and out-of-focus backgrounds. Its viewfinder is better than the SX50 and offers more customization options. If these benefits outweigh the coverage of the zoom, then you've made your choice.

You can learn more about the Canon PowerShot SX50 HS in the review dedicated to this superzoom.

Panasonic Lumix FZ200 - conclusion

Lumix FZ200 Is Panasonic's flagship superzoom that lives up to its title. If you are looking for the maximum zoom range, there are many other models that outperform the FZ200's 24x zoom. And if you're the type of consumer who judges super-zoom based solely on its range, then you probably wouldn't have met you on this page. Scaling is just one aspect of what the FZ200 has to offer. Plus, a 600mm focal length will be more than enough for most people. The FZ200 has additional benefits that will delight consumers.

A long lens is useless in low light, but the FZ200 allows it to be used with a constant f2.8 aperture. In stadiums, at dusk, or on cloudy days, you will shoot better quality footage with the FZ200 at ISO 200, while with the Canon SX50 HS you need, say, ISO 800. in addition, the FZ200 has a button to switch between the viewfinder and the screen. Add to that a large range of video options with the ability to connect an external microphone, a wide range of exposure modes, creative filter effects, great customization options, physical control, and very good battery life. The Lumix FZ200 deserves a consumer recommendation.

One last thing worth noting is that Pansonic also makes more affordable versions of the FZ200. These are the Lumix FZ60 / FZ62 models with the same 25-600mm zoom range, but lack the 16.1MP MOS sensor and many of the FZ200's features such as a constant f2.8 maximum aperture, high-resolution electronic viewfinder, screen rotation, shooting in RAW file format, hot shoe interface, microphone input and 1080p60 / 50 video. The list of stripped-down features may seem quite long, but keep in mind that the FZ60 / FZ62 are priced at just over half that of the FZ200.

Positive points :
Constant f2.8 aperture throughout zoom range.
Effectiveness of Power OIS 6 stops.
0.2-inch 1300k-dot EVF.
3-inch 460K-dot LCD articulating screen
HD slow motion and miniature video mode.

The Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 can rightfully be called a superzoom, while the Sony RX10's 8x zoom deserves a "super" at a stretch. The Panasonic FZ1000 lens is quite sophisticated and consists of 15 elements in 11 groups, including four ED glass lenses and five aspherical elements. Of course, the lens also includes an image stabilizer, a five-axis one that works in both photo and video modes.

There is something interesting to tell about the camera shutter. First, the shutter is of a combined type. The fully mechanical shutter is capable of operating shutter speeds from 1/4000 s to 60 s. In the camera settings, you can select an electronic silent shutter and in this case the shutter speed limit is 1/16000 s. Bulb mode is available with a maximum duration of 120 s. The Sony RX10 shutter is noticeably simpler, although the lack of ultra-fast shutter speeds is compensated by the presence of a ND filter. It is worth noting another moment - the minimum allowable exposure changes with an increase in the EGF. Quite unexpectedly, starting with an EGF of 32 mm, the minimum shutter speed is the same 1/3200 s as in the Sony RX10. This is true for a mechanical shutter. In addition to noiselessness and ultra-short exposures, the electronic shutter allows you to shoot in bursts at a frequency of 50 frames per second, however, in a resolution of only 5 megapixels.

Another point where the FZ1000 surpasses its closest competitor is video capabilities. We didn't expect to see 4K superzoom recording, at least not that soon. There are still very few cameras capable of recording ultra-high-definition video, but superzoom has suddenly become one of them. Lumix FZ1000 is able to record video in 3840x2160 resolution with a frequency of 30 frames per second and a bit rate of 100 Mb / s. Of course, Full HD / 60p, HD / 60p and lower resolutions are also supported. In addition, there is a slow motion mode - Full HD videos can be shot at 120 frames per second. The length of videos is limited to 30 minutes, and for the MP4 format video is also limited to 4 gigabytes of memory card space. Keep in mind that to record 4K video you need a memory card no worse than UHS-I Speed ​​Class 3. You can fully use the zoom during video recording, however, the zoom speed is noticeably reduced in this case. Exposure settings are also available for manual mode. It is worth noting that 5-axis stabilization is available when shooting video in Full HD resolution and below, while for 4K, shake compensation occurs only in four axes. Stereo sound is recorded using the built-in microphone, but it is possible to use an external, higher-quality microphone thanks to the 3.5 mm jack.

The Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 offers an extraordinary feature for extracting 4K photos directly from video. We can say that in this case the camera turns into a machine for the production of images at a rate of 30 frames per second and a resolution of 8.3 megapixels. But it is worth noting that not all frames selected from the video have the right to life. Still, the shooting frequency is too small and some of the frames are blurry, but this is invisible when watching a video.

And one more important nuance. For recording 4K video, not the full area of ​​the sensor is used, but only its central part, corresponding to a resolution of 3840x2160 pixels. Thus, the sensor operates in the 1.48x crop mode, which means that the equivalent focal length changes to a range of 37-592 mm. But for Full HD video, the entire area of ​​the matrix is ​​already used, and a 1920x1080 frame is obtained by pixel binning and downsampling.

Let's briefly dwell on other shooting modes. Traditionally, Panasonic offers a solid array of artistic filters and shooting scenarios. There is a panoramic shooting function and a Handheld Night Shot mode, in which the camera takes several frames in a row with a slow shutter speed and low ISO, and then stitches them into one shot. There are as many as 25 preset scenarios, 22 artistic filters, and a separate item for creative video shooting is placed on the mode selector. Creative filming involves the application of artistic filters specifically to the video. You can choose a filter before shooting, and the result definitely has the right to life. In addition, through the camera menu, the time-lapse shooting mode and the mode of creating time-lapse animation (analogous to an animated GIF) are activated.

Wireless functions have become commonplace in most cameras. In this regard, the Panasonic FZ1000 is no surprise. We have already seen and tested all these possibilities before. There is an NFC module for quickly establishing a connection with a smartphone and tablet. It is preferable to use this method, otherwise you will have to manually enter the password for the Wi-Fi network, which the camera itself creates. To control the camera remotely, change settings, and transfer images over the air, you need to install the free Panasonic Image App. It already supports the new superzoom.

You can also control the camera remotely in the more old-fashioned way by connecting a wired remote control to the appropriate jack. This method has one indisputable advantage - the camera does not consume energy for Wi-Fi communication.

Test shots, videos, battery life

Moving on to test shots, we traditionally start with assessing the image quality over the entire range of the sensor's light sensitivity. Recall that for this we shoot from a tripod in the dark, and the test scene is illuminated by a 40 W incandescent lamp. The ISO value is changed in one stop increments (except for the first step, since it would be unwise to count in 1 EV steps from 80 units).

The camera takes not only photos, but also Full HD movies with AVCHD compression.

In addition to automatic shooting modes, creative zone modes are available (both when photographing and when recording videos), as well as 3D shooting and POWER O.I.S. with a new, active stabilization mechanism.

Specifications:

1 / 2.33 ″ CCD-sensor, 12 MP;
Venus Engine FHD processor;
24x zoom lens Leica DC VARIO-ELMARIT 4.5-108mm (25-600mm 35mm equivalent), f / 2.8-5.2;
4x digital zoom;
optical stabilization POWER O.I.S .;
video with sound: 1920 × 1080 30i, 1280 × 720 30p;
23-Zone Intelligent AF, 1-Zone AF (Fixed Center);
3-inch swivel TFT-LCD, 460,000 pixels;
focusing distance: 1 cm (macro mode) - infinity;
exposure compensation: –2 to +2 EV in 1/3 EV steps;
ISO sensitivity: 100-1600, AUTO, iISO (up to ISO 6400 at 3 MP resolution);
electronic mechanical shutter;
exposure range: from 1/2000 to 60 s;
0.2-inch digital viewfinder, 201,000 pixels;
built-in flash: auto, forced firing / flash off, red-eye reduction, slow sync;
flash range: 6 m;
shooting methods: single-frame, continuous, self-timer;
support for memory cards: SD, SDHC, SDXC;
file format: JPEG;
power supply: Li-ion-battery with a capacity of 895 mAh;
plastic case;
dimensions: 80x120x92 mm;
weight with battery and memory card: 498 g.

As you can see, the camera has a good 3-inch display, an electronic viewfinder and a utilitarian zoom that covers the focal length range from 25 to 600 mm. Not a record figure in the class, but there is no doubt that it will solve most shooting tasks. This is the main feature of the camera - many possibilities in a relatively compact body.

Appearance

The assembly of the FZ48 raises no objections, matte plastic is used, the handle has a solid rubber gasket. The camera does not have a rotary display like the older model FZ150. The camera cannot be called small (you definitely cannot put one in your pocket), but it is one and a half times smaller than the smallest DSLRs.

The camera has the most successful grip, with a standard grip it is difficult to reach the shutter release button. Also, comfortable work with the camera is complicated by heavy optics, which significantly outweighs. For comfortable shooting, the device must be held with both hands, holding it by the left side of the body or under the lens.

The front of the FZ48 is very simple: a metal-rimmed lens, an AF-assist lamp, a gold plate with an “L”. The package includes a plastic cover and a rope for attaching it to the body.

By the way, Panasonic did not attach the cover to the body, but to the fixed part of the camera, so that when turned on, the cover does not come off, as on other cameras. It is very easy to forget or lose the cap if you do not return it to the lens in time, so it is better to hang it on the supplied string.

A very important innovation in optics is a nanocrystalline coating on the outer lens that absorbs all incorrectly polarized light. Thanks to this, glare and bunnies are effectively cut off. The camera copes well with side and back lighting. But just in case, there is also a hood included in the kit, which will save you from very hard side lighting.

In all other respects, the lens is identical to the FZ100 model, perhaps only it does not have an additional zoom lever on the side. There are no marks on the effective focal length on the lens barrel, as, for example, on the Canon SX30 IS ultrazoom.

The speaker is located on the left side of the upper part of the camera body. Two high-quality stereo microphones are placed directly on the erected flash unit. There is no hot shoe in the camera.

The drum of shooting modes is crammed to capacity - only 14 positions. This includes fully automatic iA mode, creative zone PASM modes, film color simulation, and typical scene programs. However, if this turns out to be not enough, there is the SCN mode, in which there are much more plot programs. There is one fully user configurable mode as well as a video recording mode offering manual exposure settings.

Like most Panasonic cameras, the camera is activated by a mechanical lever on the handle. In addition to it, there is a Focus button, a quick video recording button and a shutter release button with a zoom lever.

The Focus key changes the focus area and its position in automatic modes, switches between single and tracking focusing. A button that switches between auto, macro and manual focus is located on the back.

Manual focusing is controlled by a wheel on the handle: the enlarged area of ​​the frame is displayed on the screen, and the scale below shows the approximate depth of the field of focus when focusing at a given distance. The camera is able to memorize zoom and focus and return to its original position after turning it off.

The rest of the controls are located on the back of the camera.

The flash is raised only manually, with a special button to the left of the viewfinder. If the device's automation considers its use necessary, a warning will be displayed on the screen. The FZ48 features a 0.2 ″ electronic viewfinder with a resolution of 201,000 pixels. By the standards of modern viewfinders (for example, the Sony NEX-7 has 12 times its resolution, 2,400,000 pixels), this figure is very modest, but for ultrazoom it is the standard.

For a comfortable grip, in the right corner of the case there is a plastic island for the thumb with a quick control wheel. The wheel makes it much easier to work with the camera in the creative zone modes - you can quickly set shutter speed and aperture.

As befits a serious ultrazoom, there are buttons for locking autofocus and autoexposure, a shortcut key for the function menu Q.MENU. The camera joystick has settings for exposure, timer, ISO, one button is programmed by the user independently.

The keys (again in Panasonic tradition) are small, but with a crisp click and tight travel. The manufacturer uses exactly the same tactile controls in all of its mirrorless cameras. To avoid accidental clicks, the button for switching to the view mode is slightly recessed into the body.

The joystick is located parallel to the plane of the body, while in the older model and mirrorless cameras it is at a slight angle to the body, for convenient one-handed operation. Exposure can be easily adjusted by pressing the scroll wheel and turning it - the same solution used in the Lumix mirrorless cameras of the Micro Four Thirds system.

In general, the FZ48 will be easy to learn for novice photographers, while experienced photographers will enjoy the significant degree of freedom in settings and quick control of the device's functions.

A three-inch display with a resolution of 460,000 pixels is installed on all advanced Lumix models without exception. The screen has good viewing angles and fades slightly in bright light. Individual pixels can be easily distinguished.

On the left side there is a connector for an HDMI-cable, there is also a connector for a USB-cable.

The memory card and battery are housed in a common compartment on the bottom of the camera. Due to the massive lens, the tripod mount is not centered on the camera.

Unlike most analogs, the FZ48 is powered by a lithium-ion battery rather than four AA batteries. If in travel it can be considered as a minus, then in everyday life it is an absolute plus - you do not need to spend extra money on batteries, and the camera itself is lighter from this.

Camera in operation

The device turns on in 2-2.5 seconds. Zooming in the process of taking photos is fast, during video recording - unhurried.

The zoom is very fast, but if there is a sharp transition between the light and dark parts of the frame, the picture on the screen will start to slow down until the automatics reorient themselves to new conditions again.

You should try to keep the lens of the camera away from dust: at certain parameters, the device tries to target the dust particles.

The camera is very responsive and fast in operation, the menu does not slow down at all. If it weren't for the slow focusing in weak artificial light, the FZ48 would be close to the Lumix mirrorless in terms of speed.

The camera menu is traditional for Panasonic: large fonts, many sub-items and various settings.

Creative Movie Mode lets you manually set shutter speed and aperture even while recording. Fast shutter speeds are useful when shooting action scenes, while the effect of changing aperture is especially noticeable at large zooms and with subjects at different distances. The only drawback is sound recording from pressing buttons and rotating the disk, but there is no possibility to connect an external stereo microphone.

The intelligent auto mode works for both photo and video shooting. While recording clips, you can even take photos in parallel, but in a reduced resolution of 3.5 megapixels. Video files can be trimmed and divided without connecting to a computer.

3D shooting is common - the camera asks you to move it from left to right, simultaneously conducting continuous shooting. Even and odd frames of the series are combined into separate images, which are then displayed as a stereo pair for the left and right eyes.

The plot programs are very well thought out, they are closely related to the function of identifying faces. Multiple faces of people can be registered in the device's memory, and if the registered face belongs to a child under 3 years old, the child shooting mode is automatically activated.

One cannot but note the convenience of the Q.MENU quick menu. Thanks to him, all the key shooting settings are set in 10 seconds.

Test Materials

As for the test shots, while the 14-megapixel CMOS sensor in the FX100 is more focused on video recording, then the 12-megapixel CCD is more focused on photography. At the same time, camera photos are easy to recognize - watercolor stains at 100% magnification, even at low ISOs, have become a hallmark of the Lumix noise reduction system.

Wide (25mm 35mm film equivalent)

Maximum zoom 24x (600mm 35mm film equivalent)
Original photo size

Maximum zoom 24x (600mm 35mm film equivalent)
Original photo size

Noise appears clearly at ISO 400, intensifies at ISO 800, and at ISO 1600 it is no longer desirable to shoot. The camera does not carry anything new in the aspect of photo quality.