Panasonic lumix dmc fz1000. Digital camera LUMIX DMC-FZ1000EE. ⇡ Appearance and usability

When choosing a camera, a modern amateur photographer tries to find a balance between the quality of photos - I want a large matrix, opportunities - it is desirable to have a powerful all-rounder for shooting from super macro to photographing lunar landscapes and dimensions - the smaller the better. Manufacturers of photographic equipment do their best to satisfy the desires of users and periodically present interesting solutions. Today in our review of the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ1000, a camera that claims to be a universal camera.

Matrix
Total number of pixels	21 million
Number of effective pixels	20 million
The size	1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm)
crop factor	2.7
Maximum Resolution	5472 x 3648
Matrix type	CMOS
Sensitivity	80 - 3200 ISO, Auto ISO, ISO6400, ISO12800, ISO25600
Functionality
white balance	automatic, manual setting, from list
Flash	built-in, red-eye reduction, shoe
Image stabilizer (still image)	optic
Shooting modes
macro photography	there is
Shooting speed	12 fps
Timer	there is
Time-lapse mode	there is
Lens
Focal length (35mm equivalent)	25 - 400 mm
Optical Zoom	16x
Diaphragm	F2.8 - F4
Lens name	LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT
Viewfinder and LCD screen
Viewfinder	electronic
Using the screen as a viewfinder	there is
Viewfinder field of view	100%
Viewfinder pixels	2359000
LCD screen	921000 dots, 3 inches
LCD screen type	turning
exposition
Excerpt	60 - 1/16000 s
Manual setting of shutter speed and aperture	there is
Automatic exposure processing	shutter-priority, aperture-priority
exposure compensation	+/- 5 EV in 1/3 steps
Exposure metering	multizone, center-weighted, spot
Exposure bracketing	there is
Focusing
AF illuminator	there is
Manual focus	there is
Face focus	there is
Minimum Shooting Distance	0.03 m
Memory and interfaces
Memory card type	SD, SDHC, SDXC
Image formats	2 JPEG, RAW
Interfaces	USB 2.0, HDMI, Wi-Fi, remote control socket
Food
Battery format	your own
Number of batteries	1
Battery capacity	360 photos
Video and audio recording
Video recording	there is
Video recording format	AVCHD,MP4
Video codecs	AVC/H.264, MPEG4
Maximum video resolution	3840×2160
Maximum movie frame rate	120 fps
Maximum frame rate when shooting HD video	25/30 fps at 1280×720, 50/60 fps at 1920×1080
Optical Zoom when recording video	there is
Sound recording	there is
Recording audio memos	there is
Other functions and features
Housing material	metal/plastic
Digital Zoom	4x
Additional features	tripod mount, remote control, orientation sensor
Additional Information	built-in stereo microphone, external microphone jack
Dimensions and weight
The size	137x99x131mm
The weight	831 g, with batteries

In terms of its dimensions, 137x99x131 mm, and weight, 831 g, Lumix FZ1000 resembles a SLR camera, which is equipped with a high-aperture fixed lens. On the front panel of the housing there is a lens, an autofocus illumination LED, and a handle. The handle has a very good grip and is covered with a material with a textured surface, it is very comfortable to use. There are two switches on the lens body - a switch for the operating mode of the lens ring (manual focus or manual zoom) and enable / disable the optical image stabilization system. Full manual zoom from 25mm to 400mm (in 35mm equiv.) occurs in a third of a turn of the ring.

On the top panel of the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 there are two control dials - on the left is a shooting options selector (single frame, series, timer, timer series), and on the right is the shooting mode selector, which integrates the camera on / off lever. To the right of the shooting mode selector are the movie button, two function buttons (Fn1 and Fn2), the camera status LED, and the shutter button inside the zoom control ring (scaling a photo in playback mode). In the center is a connector for connecting an external flash ("hot shoe") and a stereo microphone under a plastic grille.

On the back of the camera is an electronic viewfinder eye with a rubber eyecup, proximity sensor and diopter adjustment control.

The viewfinder of the LUMIX DMC-FZ1000 is simply excellent, with a resolution of 2,360,000 dots. All the necessary information during the shooting is displayed on it and the display is almost never used. Those who are accustomed to working with the viewfinder will appreciate the viewfinder of this camera.

To the left of the viewfinder is the Fn5 programmable key, which is also responsible for switching between the display and the viewfinder. To the right of the viewfinder is a focus mode switch combined with an exposure lock button and a programmable Fn3 key. Most of the rear panel is occupied by a swivel three-inch display. To the right of it is a four-way round key with an enter button, a button for switching to viewing mode, a button for switching display modes, and a programmable Fn5 key. Closer to the right edge is the control wheel, with which you can, for example, control aperture values in aperture priority mode.

A few words about the display. The LUMIX DMC-FZ1000 is equipped with a 3-inch swivel display. The picture quality on it is very high, large viewing angles, excellent color reproduction, the display practically does not fade in the bright sun. Another plus, in our opinion, the screen is not equipped with touch input, there is no problem of accidental clicks when you move over rough terrain, and the camera knocks on the stomach with the display and the sensor lives its own life.

There is nothing on the left side, except for a stereo microphone input plug and a belt loop.

On the right side, under a common plug, there are USB, HDMI connectors and a jack for connecting a remote control.

At the bottom there is a compartment for the battery and a memory card under a common cover and a tripod mount.

Field trials

The Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ1000 is equipped with a Leica DC Vario-Elmarit 25-400mm/F2.8-4.0 lens. It provides a 16x optical zoom, plus it is possible to zoom using a crop sensor, as a result, you can get a maximum focal length of 1600 mm. The camera uses contrast focusing, which should have a good effect on focusing speed.

Test photos:

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ1000 - macro mode

1 of 9

FR 25mm, F2.8, ISO 125, 1/1600c

FR 25mm, F5.6, ISO 400, 1/800c

FR 25mm, F5.6, ISO 400, 1/1300c

FR 25mm, F5.6, ISO 400, 1/250c

FR 25mm, F2.8, ISO 400, 1/1300c

FR 25mm, F5, ISO 125, 1/1000c

FR 25mm, F5, ISO 400, 1/1300c

FR 25mm, F5, ISO 400, 1/500c

FR 25mm, F5, ISO125, 1/60c

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ1000 - twilight and night

1 of 7

FR 400mm, F8, ISO 125, 1/80c

FR 25mm, F8, ISO 400, 1/15c

FR 25mm, F2.8, ISO 3200, 1/4c

FR 25mm, F2.8, ISO 6400, 1/8c

FR 25mm, F2.8, ISO 12800, 1/15c

FR 305mm, F5, ISO 400, 1/4000c

FR 73mm, F5, ISO 400, 1/1300c

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ1000 - nature

1 of 9

FR 25mm, F5.6, ISO 400, 1/2500c

FR 45mm, F5.6, ISO 400, 1/1600c

FR 25mm, F5.6, ISO 400, 1/250cFR 400mm, F4, ISO 400, 1/100cFR 400mm, F8, ISO 125, 1/40c

FullHD test recording

4K video

The Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ1000 can record 4K video (3840x2160, 30fps) as well as the now standard FullHD video. The length of clips in MP4 format is limited to 4 gigabytes of space on the memory card.

When recording 4K video, only the central part of the matrix with a resolution of 3840x2160 pixels is used, therefore, taking into account the crop factor, the focal length changes to 37–592 mm (in 35 mm equiv.).

Test recording 4K video (#1)

Test recording 4K video (#2)

BATTERY

An important parameter in the operation of the camera is the battery life. If you do not record video, rarely use the flash and give preference to the viewfinder, then you can expect to make about 400 frames on one full charge. Our record is 411 photos. If you work with the display and record small FullHD videos, then we got 257 photos and 9 videos for 14 minutes.

Conclusions. When you look at a camera for the first time and know its recommended retail price, the question arises, wouldn't it be better and cheaper to buy a SLR camera? However, when you spend a month with the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ1000, you realize that a high-quality replacement of this camera with a DSLR will cost significantly more. involves the purchase of several high-quality lenses. Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ1000 is an excellent versatile camera for amateur photographers who have mastered the basics of photography and understand what they want from a camera. The camera can be used for just about anything, from super macro and wildlife photography to photographing the surface of the moon and capturing high-quality video.

In 2006, the Lumix FZ50 became Panasonic's new flagship zoom camera, increasing its resolution to 10.2 megapixels and adding several new features. Unlike the outgoing FZ30, which was a step up in design and features from the FZ20 and filled the gap between compacts and DSLRs, it's made quite a bit of progress. Target this description camera DMC-FZ50 - the answer to the question of whether the model could become a worthy successor.

Functionality

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

10.1 MP CCD sensor;
Leica DC Vario-Elmarit optics with 12x optical zoom (35-420mm 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 contact.

Main differences from FZ30

If the previous model was a major update to the FZ20 both inside and out, the changes to the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50 are more evolutionary than revolutionary, and other than the new image sensor, 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;
new generation graphics processor;
maximum ISO sensitivity increased from 400 to 1600;
a flash sync contact appeared;
screen resolution decreased to 207 thousand pixels;
the display can rotate 180°;
support for SDHC appeared;
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 far as possible) like a traditional DSLR. Fluid-damped mechanical zoom is faster and more precise than electric zoom, and delivers a quality feel that puts most DLSR lenses to shame. Made several small but important changes to the control system (including a new Function button for quick access to functions such as sensitivity adjustment). The combination of a deep grip and a molded rear thumb notch makes the FZ50 a very comfortable camera. And its stability is achieved through a balanced weight distribution. big lens automatically becomes a handle for the left hand. 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 held with both hands.

The model is available in black and silver.

Food

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 power-saving 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 a slot for SD/MMC cards. The ports are grouped under a small spring-loaded cover on the side. There's a mini USB port that also doubles as an AV connector, and a jack for plugging in the AC adapter. There is also an input for the DMW-RS1 remote control.

Flash

A rather significant update was support for TTL flash. Activated manually by a small switch on the left. The flash is quite powerful and high - it protrudes about 4 cm from the top of the lens, which should minimize red-eye. With auto ISO, you can use the flash at distances from 30 cm to 7 m. Recycling 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), but it's not noticeable. The display is bright, clear and easy to reposition. It does seem a bit better in low light, although it's hard to see anything in bright direct sunlight. A new Function button opens 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 below is hinged and rotates 180°, allowing you to take self-portraits.

The 230K-dot electronic viewfinder (EVF) and sharp optics make it very comfortable to use, while a new wider eyecup better prevents stray light from entering. According to user reviews, this is not a full-fledged replacement for a bright SLR 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 range focal lengths 35-420mm using interchangeable lenses would be very expensive and cumbersome.

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

Complete with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50 camera, the manufacturer offers a petal hood, which 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 may interfere with the AF-assist beam in low light and block the flash at short distances to the subject.

Controls

On the FZ30, the front and rear mode dials were used for direct access to 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. The main control dial has been updated with the Custom mode. Up to 3 user sets can be defined. Almost every camera setting is saved (from exposure to ISO, white balance, focus and metering to basic settings, such as the display format), which makes the model a powerful customizable tool.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50 looks and performs like a serious camera, offering everything from compact scene modes to advanced, highly customizable manual controls. Two dials provide direct access to aperture and shutter speed settings, and some FZ50 features bring the camera closer to true SLR cameras. Panasonic seems to be the only company that listens to its users, as it has introduced a Function button for quick access to white balance and ISO, eliminating the need to constantly access menus.

Back panel

All camera controls are located to the right of the 2-inch display. On the top is an AE lock that also serves as a focus lock, viewfinder/display switch, screen, control and delete buttons. A new function key replicates the LX2's joystick button, bringing up a mini-menu that provides quick access to metering, focus, white balance, ISO, image size, and image quality. Further to the right is a four-way navigation bar. When shooting, 3 of the 4 arrow keys perform the functions of quick review of the last image saved, flash mode selection and self-timer. The top arrow cycles through AE compensation, flash exposure compensation, AE bracketing, and an unusual white balance setting shaped like a 20-position slider from redder to bluer. In the center is the new Set button.

Top panel

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

Lumix DMC-FZ50: operating instructions

The camera has a clear and understandable menu system. The preview screen in recording mode 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 histogram, clutters up an already fairly small screen. If you want to get as much information as possible, but don't want to interfere with the preview, it's better to choose the "out of frame" mode, which is designed to simulate a professional reflex viewfinder. Pressing the shutter button halfway activates exposure calculation and focus, indicating the AF area used, aperture selection, and shutter speed. If camera shake is too high, a warning will appear. In P mode, a neat menu for switching programs is displayed.

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

The function menu works the same as Canon's. 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. Settings are saved, which is a real boon for those who regularly change ISO or WB.

There is more fast way access to exposure compensation. To do this, just turn one of the dials (you can set it 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. Fine-tuning white balance has been 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 all aspects of the camera.

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

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50: menu overview

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

The three-page playback menu offers the usual set of print, delete, protect, and slideshow settings. You can add sound to saved files, as well as 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 no information to full data and a histogram.

If you rotate the front command dial to the left, 9 thumbnails will be displayed on the screen. Frame numbering and menu lines are disabled with the Disp button. You can “zoom out” and see 25 thumbnails and the date of the picture at the same time. Turning the dial to the right enlarges the image being viewed. There are only 4 zoom steps (16x, 8x, 4x and 2x) but they are very fast. The navigation keys allow you to scroll through zoomed frames.

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

Performance

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50, as a rule, is not inferior to its predecessor. The camera is responsive and rarely makes you wait. The high-speed focus works brilliantly (the only downside is that the on-screen viewfinder freezes for a split second during focusing, but you can live with that). The measured shutter lag (about 0.07s) seems to be much higher than the 0.009s reported in the 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-related disappointment is that continuous mode, while pretty decent, isn't quite as good as the FZ30 due to the larger files.

Conclusion

The Lumix DMC-FZ50 is cited by users as one of the best-equipped and user-friendly "bridge cameras" of 2006, delivering excellent image quality under good conditions. It's 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. Blurring fine, low-contrast details is a hallmark of the Venus III. According to 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.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2000: with 330 photos and 138 minutes of UHD video, battery life is only average.

Test results

Advantages

Fast lens with 20x zoom
Lots of handy control buttons
Integrated ND filter
Fast burst shooting
Fast and accurate autofocus
Support for UHD video and 4K Photo mode
Swivel touch screen

Flaws

Loss of sharpness at edges and at long focal lengths
Average battery life

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2000 test results

Price-quality ratio
Good
Place in the overall ranking
8 out of 58

Value for money: 66
Image quality (50%): 92
Equipment and management (40%): 94
Speed (10%): 93

Editorial rating

User rating

You have already rated

Designation Panasonic Lumix FZ2000 as a "compact camera" is a bit misleading. With a weight of about a kilogram and the size of a system camera with a lens, it looks like anything but a compact camera. Therefore, we decided to classify it as a bridge camera because Panasonic Lumix FZ2000 really builds a "bridge" - from all the best that is on the market.

Panasonic Lumix FZ2000: glass flaws

With f/2.8-4.5 aperture and 24-480mm focal length, zoom-friendly optics Panasonic Lumix FZ2000 demonstrates its shortcomings, manifested primarily at the edges of the image. There, the level of sharpness is instantly reduced by almost a third.

While in the center of the image we can count 1640 line pairs per frame height, the edges with 1192 line pairs are more blurry. At hard contrasts, a pink border appears up to three pixels wide, and at a wide angle, slight vignetting appears. In addition, sharpness is reduced by 25 percent at long focal lengths.

Despite all this, it seemed very convincing to us good quality images in fairly detailed and noise-free shots up to ISO 1600. For photographing with higher light sensitivity, a folding flash that beats at 13 meters offers its services.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2000: Frequently used options can also be changed using the touch display.

Panasonic Lumix FZ2000: fast, faster FZ2000

Also Panasonic Lumix FZ2000 stands out for its speed. With over 11 frames per second and 100 JPEGs per burst, burst shooting is perfect for unsupervised sports photography. This highlights the blazing-fast autofocus, which, even at a maximum focal length of less than 0.2 seconds, is faster than some competitors in the "wide" state.

If someone needs even faster continuous shooting, then you can switch to 4K Photo mode and continue to take pictures at 30 frames per second. True, the resolution in this case will be only 8 megapixels. But, on the one hand, this resolution will be quite enough to print photos of at least DIN A4 size. Additional features such as post-focus sharpness correction in Post-Focus mode or the prudent Pre-Burst mode can also lead to delight.

The regular video mode is also convincing: Ultra-HD at 30 fps, 4:2:2/10-bit color depth, and the absence of a 30-minute limit on video duration - all this is at the level of the special model of the GH4 line under called GH4R. Panasonic Lumix FZ2000 has only minimal rolling shutter effect when panning quickly during panoramic shooting.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2000: next to the hot shoe, a folding flash was lurking, hitting about 13 meters.

Panasonic Lumix FZ2000: Integrated ND filter

The camera is especially useful when shooting moving subjects: focus points can be easily set with the touch of a finger on the clear, swivel 3-inch display. An alternative would be an electronic OLED viewfinder with high resolution and pleasant speed.

In general, the comfortable plastic case and excellent equipment seem to us excellent: even specialists in the field of photography can be pleased with the wide control options - there are eight hardware buttons and six programmable function keys.

The highlight is the three-stage ND filter, which allows you to increase the exposure time up to six times. An optical 5-axis Image Stabilizer will allow you to increase the exposure time when shooting handheld by at least three times.

So, to summarize all of the above: Panasonic Lumix FZ2000 combines high image quality with long focal lengths, professional video modes and a wide range of equipment. Is he worth his money? Undoubtedly!

Panasonic Lumix FZ2000: alternative

Although Panasonic Lumix FZ2000 and offers excellent facilities, the value for money is not the best. There are devices that are cheaper, but not worse: below you will find the name of the bridge camera with the best value for money.

1.

Overall score: 88.5

Value for money: 100

TEST RESULTS
Image quality (50%)
Equipment and management (40%)
Performance (10%)
CONCLUSION Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2000 achieved very good results during the tests. We were particularly impressed by the excellent image quality combined with the fast 20x zoom lens, as well as numerous additional features such as the high-resolution electronic viewfinder, UHD movie recording and fast autofocus. We can only find fault with the decrease in image sharpness at the edges of the frame, especially at long focal lengths, as well as the rather short battery life.	92.9% OVERALL RESULT

Specifications and test results Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2000

Price-quality ratio	66
Camera type	bridge camera
Maximum Resolution	20.0 MP
Max. photo resolution	5.472 x 3.648 pixels
Max. video resolution	3.840 x 2.160 pixels
Display: diagonal	3.0 inch touch screen
Display: Resolution	1.040.000 subpixels
Display: rotary	biaxial
Display: brightness adjustment	Yes
Matrix: type	MOS
Matrix: size	1 inch
optical zoom	20.0x
Minimum focal length	8.8mm;
Maximum focal length	176.0 mm;
Optical Image Stabilizer	with movable matrix
Lens Aperture (Wide - Tele)	1:2.8 — 1:4.5
Shooting modes	auto, program, aperture priority, shutter speed, manual
Panorama shooting mode	panoramic shooting with Auto-Stitching
Minimum shutter speed (auto)	1/16.000 c
Maximum shutter speed (auto)	60.00 s
Minimum light sensitivity (ISO min)	ISO 80
Maximum light sensitivity (ISO max)	ISO 25.600
white balance	preset, manual setting
Center resolution at ISO min	1,640 line pairs
Edge resolution at ISO min	1.192 line pairs
Center resolution at ISO 400	1.698 line pairs
Edge resolution at ISO 400	1.268 line pairs
Center resolution at ISO 800	1.615 line pairs
Edge resolution at ISO 800	1.227 line pairs
Center resolution at ISO 1600	1,560 line pairs
Edge resolution at ISO 1600	1.181 line pairs
Texture Accuracy (Kurtosis) / Details (Dead Leaves) @ ISO Min	70 %
Texture (Kurtosis) / Detail (Dead Leaves) accuracy at ISO 400	78 %
Texture (Kurtosis) / Detail (Dead Leaves) accuracy at ISO 800	81 %
Texture (Kurtosis) / Detail (Dead Leaves) accuracy at ISO 1600	77 %
Expert Judgment: Detail at ISO Min	good (2,3)
Expert Judgment: Detail at ISO 400	good (1.5)
Expert Judgment: Detail at ISO 800	good (2,3)
Expert judgement: ISO 1600 detail	good (3.0)
Noise at ISO min	1.07 VN (1.1 VN1, 0.8 VN3)
Noise at ISO 400	1.46 VN (1.50 VN1, 1.10 VN3)
Noise at ISO 800	1.84 VN (1.90 VN1, 1.30 VN3)
Noise at ISO 1600	2.22 VN (2.30 VN1, 1.50 VN3)
Max. Chromatic Aberration (Wide/Tele)	3.10 / 2.68 pixels
Vignetting (Wide/Tele)	0.6 / 0.4 steps
Distortion (Wide/Tele)	-0,3 / -0,1 %
Image formats	JPEG, RAW+JPEG
Turn-on time (before taking the first photo)	1.3 s
Shutter-release delay at wide angle (with autofocus)	0.14 s
Shutter delay at telephoto (with autofocus)	0.19 s
Pause between two consecutive frames	0.4 s
JPEG Burst Speed	11.4 fps
Maximum burst length in JPEG	100 frames
Battery name	DMW-BLC12E
Battery cost	50 euro
Photos on a single battery charge	330 photos
Video: max. recording time per battery charge	138 min
Video: container	MP4
Video: codecs	H.264
Video: maximum video length	138 min
Supported memory cards	SDXC
Built-in storage	-
hot shoe	Yes
GPS receiver	-
Orientation sensor	biaxial
Waterproof housing	-
Dimensions	138 x 102 x 135 mm;
The weight	966 g

12.06.2014 24669 Tests and reviews 4

Panasonic has unveiled a new camera, the Lumix DMC-FZ1000, which at first glance is very similar to Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 - significant zoom, 20MP 1" MOS sensor, but instead of Sony's 24-200mm EGF, Panasonic achieves focal lengths from 25 up to 400mm equivalent.To cope with this huge range, the FZ1000 lens provides a change in maximum aperture from F2.8 to F4.0 when zooming in. Well, if you remember the FZ50, which offered a similar zoom and aperture range, then the predecessor has a much smaller sensor 1/1.8".

When the RX10 was introduced, it stood alone at this stage in the market, as an expensive but extremely flexible camera that seemed to be equally designed for stills and video. The launch of the FZ1000 pushed Sony aside, signaling that camera makers in every niche won't leave the competition alone. At the same time, $899 / £749.99 for the FZ1000 at launch is more than a third lower than the Sony camera.

What does the FZ1000 offer besides a relatively large sensor and a fast superzoom lens? First of all, the use of a quad-core Venus IV processor, which enables the FZ1000 to record 4K video (QFHD 4K: 3840x2160, up to 30 fps in MP4 format), which is the first time possible for a camera costing less than $ 1000. The manufacturer claims focusing speed at 0.09 sec. fast camera readiness time of 0.66 sec.

In addition, the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ1000 camera has a built-in flash, a hot shoe for connecting an external flash, and a built-in Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n wireless module. The device allows you to change the sensitivity in the range of ISO 125-12800 (ISO 80-25600 in advanced mode), manually control exposure and white balance.

Main characteristics:

20.1-megapixel 1" MOS sensor
25 - 400mm (equiv.) F/2.8-4.0 Leica lens, 15 elements in 11 groups, including 4 ED and 5 aspherical lenses
filter thread diameter 62 mm
5-axis stabilization system "Power OIS"
XGA OLED electronic viewfinder with 2.36 million dots
3" 920k dot swivel LCD
4K (3840x2160) video 30p, 100Mbps, MP4
HD video 1920 x 1080 (60p, 60i, 24p) and 1280 x 720 (30p)
3.5 mm stereo microphone jack
12 fps burst shooting at full resolution
HDMI output
WiFi with NFC
360 frames per charge (CIPA standard)

Comparison Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000

The FZ1000's only real competitor, as we mentioned above, is the Sony RX10, which is also trying to offer flexible zoom plus high photo and video quality in one package. We also include Panasonic's current flagship superzoom DMC-FZ200 in the comparison table.

	Panasonic DMC-FZ1000	Sony DSC-RX10	Panasonic DMC-FZ200
Sensor	20.1MP MOS	20.2MP BSI-CMOS	12.1MP MOS
Sensor area (mm2)
Equivalent lens focal length	25-400mm	24-200mm	25-600mm
Maximum aperture value	F2.8-4.0	F2.8	F2.8
Minimum aperture value	F 7.6-10.8	F7.6	F15. 5
Video recording format	AVCHD,MP4	AVCHD,MP4	AVCHD,MP4
Maximum video resolution	3820x2160	1920x1080	1920x1080
Bitrate (for 1080p)	28Mbps (1080p60)	28Mbps (1080p60)	28Mbps (1080p60)
Battery Life (FPS, CIPA)
Built-in ND filter	No		No
Dimensions (WxHxD)	137 x 99 x 131 mm	129 x 89 x 120 mm	588 g

The first thing you will notice about the camera design is that the FZ1000 is quite a large camera. The combination of a large sensor and a large, fairly fast lens means it's closer to the size of a mid-range DSLR than your typical compact superzoom. The build quality is also similar to a mid-range DSLR - it's hard plastic, the camera is well made and feels solid without being overly heavy. The dimensions of the FZ1000 allowed it to have a large comfortable grip, which is also unusual for Superzoom cameras.

The Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ1000 features a 3-inch 921k-dot swivel display and a 2.36 million-dot OLED electronic viewfinder that uses a 4:3 aspect ratio. Next to the viewfinder, on the left, there is a diopter adjustment wheel for the viewfinder and a flash on/off lever.

The top panel of the camera has two dials for mode switches (which is rare for compact cameras), two of the five customizable Fn buttons, plus a dedicated video recording button. There is also a built-in flash, a hot shoe for connecting an external flash, and a pair of stereo microphones. The zoom lever is located around the shutter button. Nothing unusual.

There are two switches on the lens barrel on the right: one switches between zoom and manual focus using the lens ring, and the second is responsible for turning on and off the 5-axis stabilization system "Power OIS".

The FZ1000 has a pop-up built-in flash that has a maximum range of 13.5m at wide angle and 9.5m at telephoto (at Auto ISO). This flash can be used to wirelessly control up to three groups of external flash units.

An external microphone is supported and connected to the camera via a 3.5 mm port under a flap on the left side panel, and external interface jacks - a wired remote control, HDMI and USB composite video output - on the right panel and also under a flap.

The back of the FZ1000 hosts three more of the five customizable Fn buttons. The FZ1000 camera menu is set by default to the Fn3 button. Further down, you'll also find the familiar playback, focus mode, and rear control dial buttons.

The battery used is the same as in the FZ200: DMW-BLC12PP. Its place in the compartment is closed by a lid on the bottom panel.

Preliminary conclusions

The FZ1000 makes a positive first impression - it's a flexible camera with a large sensor that promises image quality never seen before with Superzoom. Autofocus is very fast. One of the key advantages is the high-speed continuous shooting mode. Let's wait for the tests of the new sensor combined with Leica optics from the DxOMark laboratory, and we hope that they will not disappoint us. We tested a pre-production copy of the Panasonic FZ1000, so we cannot comment on the image quality with absolute certainty.

The FZ1000 is clearly aimed at video enthusiasts. Unfortunately, these features are not as comprehensive as you might think. The company limited the FZ1000 to a relatively small number of video options.

One of the drawbacks is the lack of a built-in ND filter. Luckily, the lens is threaded, so this problem is fairly easy to fix.

With fast autofocus, a large sensor, significant zoom and 4k video, the FZ1000 will be an interesting market contender for the Sony RX10 at a much lower cost than the Panasonic.

There were so many wars in the compact segment - this is the war of permissions, 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 running out, which, due to overall limitations, cannot provide a decent optical zoom. Panasonic and, more recently, Samsung have come to the fore in the superzoom race, with cameras equipped with 60x zoom lenses, and both have a maximum focal length of 1200mm (in 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, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ72 is built on the basis of a 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor, which is quite expected, because even when using the sensor from the DMC-LX7 camera (1/1.7 inch), the dimensions of the already rather big lens were would be even more. The maximum focal length, as in the case of most competitors with a 50x zoom, is 1200mm. However, the minimum FR is 20 mm - against 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 a built-in flash, there is a hot shoe that Panasonic's more affordable LZ series of hyperzooms does not have.

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

⇡ Specifications declared by the manufacturer

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ72
Matrix	1/2.3" CMOS
Pixels (total)	17 million
Number of effective pixels	16 million
Photo Format	JPEG (Exif 2.3), RAW, DCF 2.0, DPOF,
Video Format	AVCHD,MP4
Audio 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)
Diaphragm opening	ƒ/2.8- ƒ/ 5.9
Minimum focusing distance, cm	SHU: 30 Tele: 150 Super macro: 1
Focus modes	Frame-by-frame, continuous, adaptive
metering	Spot, center-weighted, multizone
Exposure compensation	-3 EV to +3 EV in 1/3 EV increments
Exposure range, s	8-1/2000
white balance	Manual, Auto, 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, 460k dots
Viewfinder	202k points
Built-in flash memory, MB	200
Data carriers	SD
Source of power	Li-ion battery DMW-BMB9E, 6.5 Wh
Dimensions, mm	130.2x97.0x118.2
Weight, grams	606 (including battery and SD memory card) 562 (without accessories)

⇡ Scope of delivery and options

We were given a full-fledged commercial sample for testing, but there was no user manual in the package, and a disk with software and electronic version The manual turned out to be from the FZ70 (twin camera for the US market). In addition, the package includes a battery, charger, power cable, USB cable, lens cap with lanyard, and shoulder strap. In general, pretty 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 constant 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 options for neutral gray filters). However, there is no shortage of filters from third-party manufacturers, because the landing mount is quite common - 55 mm.

⇡ Appearance and usability

Outwardly, the Panasonic DMC-FZ72 differs little from most hyperzooms, into which the so-called “pseudo-mirrors” (SLR-Like) gradually transformed. The weight and dimensions of the device are also typical for its class. What is different and eye-catching is the massive array of microphones mounted on the back of the pop-up flash. Looking ahead, it is worth noting that when the flash is raised, which, of course, is completely unnecessary when shooting video, the sound recording quality deteriorates somewhat, and very interesting feature zoom microphones work worse. Also, one cannot fail to notice the absence of a side zoom control, which is found on many Fujifilm and Nikon hyperzooms. But it greatly facilitates zooming when shooting video. But let's get back to the camera under test.

The case handle is extremely comfortable in a medium-sized hand, while all controls clearly fall 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 pop-up flash, because all the controls are concentrated on the right side of the body. The handle is covered with a leather-like rubber sheet. FROM back side The thumb rest is also textured and also vaguely 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 are only the lens and the autofocus illuminator. From the rear, most of the surface is occupied by the display, above which are the viewfinder and the flash lock key, as well as the key for switching between the display and the viewfinder. Most of the controls are located on the right side of the rear surface: the autofocus and autoexposure lock key, the multi-function switch, the focus mode selection and playback mode keys, and the control dial. In the lower right corner are the keys for changing the display mode and deleting.

At the top is a pop-up flash with a group of microphones on 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, focus and shutter keys, the latter being combined with the zoom control lever. There is nothing unusual on the bottom - a tripod mount connector 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 HDMI inscription - but it hides not only an HDMI cable connector, but also a port for USB / AV cables.

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