Launched in 2014, still holding tight 2023... I bought it in 2018, sold couple of years ago... But will surely buy again... 2.8 throughout the zoom range makes it one of its kind... Hope Panasonic comes up with such product again with almost decade of tech advancement...
I use the FZ300 and I love it, but I'm always looking for new options. Your channel has been a tremendous resource for me. I greatly appreciate the work you are doing. Thank you!!
I bought this few years ago when it first came out. Still my fav superzoom camera. I mainly used it for video shooting. Tested it in the rain and 100% sure this is a great whether prove camera. Trust me!
Another wonderful video. Thank you so much for that. I enjoy A LOT your videos. You are one of the best out there. Dude, please keep doing what you are doing!!!
Great vid. I've owned FZ330 for a couple of years. Greatest budget option. FZ2000/2500 great for video but some owners claim photos are soft. Rx10iv is the absolute best if money no option. I'm not keen on the jpegs and always shoot raw. Keep iso below 200 Small sensor Image quality drops in bad light even at f2.8. Awesome for wildlife video with good enough autofocus although i read somewhere that 4K video isnt stabalized. Light but tough and isn't scared of bad weather. 4k photo mode is awesome. 600mm!!! If physics allowed this lens to have a 1 inch 20mp sensor with PDAF it would be perfect. And waaay more expensive 😊
Haha yes it would also be way bigger and heavier with the 1” sensor but I agree with your analysis - what surprised me is how well it held up to the 2500 and the RX all considering Thanks for your comment
@PastorMarionGillies Have read and researched FZ300 for past 5 years - have never run across anyone who said it overheats in video mode. Note: Read several times that smaller Sonys used to overheat in video, don't know how they are today.
Thanks for your videos. Informative, clear and entertaining. Bought the Fz 300 about a week after your video came out. This camera is a great bang for your buck , fun to use and play around with all the advanced modes to enhance your photography skills. Thanks again for producing your videos.
Hey thanks so much for your comment. Im glad you agree how versatile the FZ300 is and what a great bargain. It was a real surprise for me too. Thanks for your support!
Sad that Panasonic abandoned this range. The FZ200 was also great. Imagine if they bring out a FZ400 with a better chip, face and eye tracking, faster shutter etc.
This one is actually a pretty good camera for natural light portraits if you get on the telephoto end, thanks to its constant f/2.8 aperture. One thing I like is I dont have to spend money on mist filters to soften up the over sharpened look from modern mirrorless lenses, you get that softer look already and can get a rather filmic look when shot correctly. I still need to try the FZ2000.
I do use the FZ300 for some years now. It is a great camera, almost perfect, I don't even mind the small sensor because they put only 12 Megapixel on it. The leica lens is amazing. F/2,8 the whole way. I am happy that I own it.
I had the FZ200 years ago. Loved it, but I went back to DSLRs. I gave it to my son some time back. I'm getting a bit tired of not taking out a camera because a DSLR with 24-70 & 70-200 f2.8 is a bit to haul around. I'm starting to consider the FZ300 as a knock-around camera. I don't need full frame or even APS-C so much these days. With software like Gigapixel AI and others, I can still get images that I can print out at 13x19. If I need very low-light performance I can grab the old Canon 6D which still does great in very low light. I just wonder if I can bring myself to accept how little I used the bigger cameras and maybe just sell most of the gear. Decisions, decisions. This does look like a great little companion camera to do several different things. Higher resolution slow-motion would be nice, but my old FZ200 slow-mo videos still looked pretty good on the monitor. Appreciate the video.
I have the FZ300 and still use it for video. The sharpness in 4K is great, it has stabilization, constant aperture lens, microphone input and Lumix colors. On the other hand, there is a 29minute video recording limit, the sensor is the same size (and grain) as GoPro, the autofocus is virtually non-existent and the HD video is straightforward terrible (I guess they have some line skipping and lousy codec for the HD video, just stay away from it). On many outdoor interviews and live streams, I have used the FZ300 along with GH5, GH6, G9 and nobody noticed :D
The RX10 iv is a monster specs wise but so is the price. In Canada the price is hovering around $2,200 C!. The FZ300 strikes a nice balance between function and price. I currently have a Nikon B700 and that camera's performance would be similar to the FZ80's though it has a few more features. I think if I was going for another such camera, I'd sacrifice some zoom range for the better low light and video performance the FZ300 camera supplies. Great comparison video, well done!
Hi there and thank you! I agree with your analysis. The other thing which is nice about the FZ300 is its really a lot lighter than the RX10 IV, especially if you're carrying it around all day. Cant believe how expensive it is in Canada. especially considering its so many years old!
@@techtoremember8096 My Nikon B700 died today. Thinking of getting another superzoom for my backyard and walk around photography. Now I'm revisiting this and other of your videos in hopes of getting another superzoom before they disappear completely!
The FZ300 is my workhorse and it's close to brilliant at what it does. Nobody can touch the constant F2.8 aperture and the video and stabilization are great. I've pulled video stills out that you wouldn't know weren't "real" stills. Something to consider - if you don't need the weatherproofing and aren't that into video, the FZ200 is actually better. Both 200's I've owned were markedly sharper than the 300 and it's much smaller and lighter as well {maybe not in numbers, but you'll feel the difference instantly}. Nikon and Canon bridge cameras have never come close to Lumix thanks to the Leica optics.
Hey, thanks for the comment. That's an interesting point that the FZ200 was sharper than the 300. Sometimes when a company uses a slightly different glass, that can make a difference!
I recall watching one of the great Graham Houghton's videos comparing the 200 with the 300 and even there, the 200's stills looked better. And as I've said, the 300 is like a Cadillac and the 200 is like a Corvette, a tank versus a sports car. Finally, both of my FZ200's were made in Japan, the FZ300's in China - THAT, to me, is the key.@@pzkw10
It's good for the money. Had one 4 years now. Since I got my Panasonic 14-140 I don't use it as much because that is smaller on my GX9 and much sharper. But when I need versatility or it's raining I take the 300 instead.
@@techtoremember8096 thank you. I will have my D5600 with a 70-300 4.5 zoom with me but want back up. I just retired was former sports photographer, but looking to lighten my load. Best jeff
I discovered I can shoot the moon with my FZ300 five years ago. From then, I started to shoot night scenes . She has tons of preset scenarios to choose from. I love her Dynamic Monochrome ( D Mono) so far from the color palette mode. I showed the d mono files to My friends. They all are wondering if I own a Leica. Yes, I love the texture,too. 😅😅
One thing not mentioned in the video is EVF quality. Not sure how it compares to the other cameras you compared it against but it is big and the quality is very nice, much better than the one on my Panasonic GX9. Images from the FZ300 will benefit greatly if taken with and processed in RAW, particularly noise reduction. You'll want to cap the ISO on this camera at ISO400 as it's probably a good two stops behind a micro four thirds camera.
Hey, yes the EVF is certainly better than the FZ80 which has one of the worst EVF's Ive ever seen-small and the focus diopter seems to change on its own and it constantly needs readjustment. The FZ2500 has a nicer EVF but it is a much bigger and more expensive camera than the 300. Agreed on the ISO, however I go back and forth on this issue because if you top the ISO TOO low, your shutter speed will also be too slow to compensate and many shots may be out of focus because of this- Personally I'd rather have a little more grain in my image than a blurry shot (which you can't do anything with). What I'm saying really applies more to fast action like wildlife or street photography but if you are shooting more static scenes, like portraits or landscapes then I agree with you on topping the ISO at a low figure. There's only so much you can do with a small sensor camera. Yes, you will have more flexiblity with RAW but I think most people use this camera in a casual way and tend to shoot JPEGs. But nice to know you have the RAW option.
I have tried several bridge cameras including the RX10 mk4. For price portability and image quality this camera cannot be beaten. I paid £409 back in Jan this year. I use it for video mostly.
A workhorse cam I still use a lot, mainly for lockdown music event documentation; 1080 is fine, 4k is a little smeary/milky. Def got my use from this cam tho and its still going!
I bought a year ago but I think I may have done something to the settings or you did. May I ask what settings you are using for the street photography you make it look beautiful mine looks blurry sometimes and dull in color.
Sorry to hear that. Actually in order not to "color the results" sorry for the pun, I just have it in program auto so I let the camera do its thing. I may occasionally lower the exposure by a 1/3 but most of the time the camera is basically in auto mode.
Hi there. Funny you mentioned that. I just released a video on the 981/991 Panasonic camcorders and there are some comparisons. I think the FZ300 is a bit sharper and more vibrant in certain situations. Thanks for your comment
I discovered I can shoot the moon with my FZ300 five years ago. From then, I started to shoot night scenes . She has tons of preset scenarios to choose from. I love her Dynamic Monochrome ( D Mono) so far from the color palette mode. I showed the d mono files to My friends. They all are wondering if I own a Leica. Yes, I love the texture,too. 😅😅
I bought my fz300 in late 2020 and I’ve hardly used it. I just haven’t taken the time to learn how to use it. I have a canon full frame so I need to adjust my expectations and learn to use the Panasonic. I bought it for travel, as I hate carrying a heavy camera. Thanks for showing how great this camera is!
Had mine (now on #3) for donkey's years, and have long since given up on Panasonic actually replacing the ageing 300/330 with an upgraded version (maybe a longer zoom), because quite clearly that standout F2.8 feature broke the bank, and the replacement so far (what was it? FZ82D?) sacrifices heavily in the glass department. If you can still find new cameras on eBay or elsewhere, snap this up - it's still a seriously good buy.
You put incredible amount of effort for this cheap little camera, most of the time they are ignored. I think constant aperture is one thing very cool about it. Almost all small sensor compacts go down higher than f5.6 in the telephoto end so in low light they are useless when zooming. With this all the focal range available without loosing exposure. This one gathers about 4/10 times the light of the rx10 in the telephoto end. If it was f5.6 it would be 1/10 times.
Great analysis but I believe that since the sensor on the 300 is smaller it can get away with capturing less light than the Sony and still produce a relatively bright image- I will be doing a direct comparison video of the 2 in low light in addition to the fz 2500 to see how the difference between sensor size and f stop translates to the final result Thanks for your comment
@@techtoremember8096 You gave a beautiful example of that with the Canon, how dark it is on telephoto range. Bridge cameras are not for me but fz300 definitely has a charm. Thank you very much. Great work
I use a wide-angle lens for room photography. Can you show some examples of taking pictures in the corners of rooms? - Thank you for this video, it was very helpful!
HI there. I can tell you that the wide angle is 24mm which is considered the standard wide angle on many cameras today. It is not ultra- wide however and depending on the size of the room and how far back you are (there are many factors), you may not be able to get the entire room in. For most situations, it is wide enough but if you are doing a lot of real estate photography or video work, then you may want to consider a camera with a wider lens (like 20mm or even wider) or which can use an interchangeable lens so you can use a wide angle prime. I appreciate your comment on the video!
Interesting review. I have had an FZ300 for UA-cam video blogging for about 5 - 6 years. I also have had a Nikon L820 for about 10 years, which I much prefer. The Lumix has two major issues - the macro focus is unreliable to the point that I have to use manual mode to be sure the footage will not be ruined. This is a well known issue. The Lumix is also poor in low light conditions, compared to my Nikon. Considering the Lumix cost 3 times as much as the Nikon it's not a model I would recommend. The Leica lens is sharp and the camera is loaded with a zillion settings, but the close range focus issue is very disappointing. I use macro video a lot out to about 2 metres. The only redeeming feature the Lumix has is a mic jack (which is why I bought it). For close range YT blogging the cheaper Nikon L820 is a much better bridge camera, has a more powerful zoom, just as sharp lens for 1080 P and shoots totally reliable footage. I have also had Canon and Pentax, so I'm not just a Nikon fanboy. Cheers Rob
Hey Rob, I haven't noticed a macro issue when focusing but you probably use it more often and more critically so perhaps you are more sensitive to it. Macro focusing as you know is tough to begin with as the depth of field is so shallow and any little movement will set the focus off but thanks for bringing that to our attention.
@@techtoremember8096 Google it and you will see plenty of user group comments on the issue from day one. The FZ300 offers a wide range of focus options/variables but none will remedy the poor macro/close range auto focus issue. I've tried them all. Everyone is probably hoping for a firmware fix, as it seems to be correctable, but nothing has happened. It's a pity as otherwise it's a reasonable camera. When you only have one shot at shooting and find at editing that any of it is out of focus, a little or a lot, it's a bastard of a situation to be in. Cheers Rob
Hi was wondering if you had one choice for a bridge camera to shoot indoor gymnastics which would you choose? Or would you rather build a body with appropriate lens that gives you equivalent zoom?
I photograph and produce videos of civil war enactments and interiors of old homes. The zoom allow me to zero in on individual soldiers and also I can shoot interior shots of homes without using a flash. Super camera and great quality!
on the 30 minute recording limit, is that 30 minutes continuous recording clip or 30 minutes total on the memory card, I bought this for filming my hunts so ill have more than 30 minutes of video but not at one time.
Great video! May sound like dumb question, but do the videos save to the SD card or internal memory? Have an FZ35 with videos on it from years ago that I still can't seem to figure out how transfer them ! Any help appreciated.
Hi there! No question is dumb! The videos all saved to the SD card in camera. You just insert the SD card into your computer and you can transfer the photos and videos that way. Thanks for the compliment!
@@techtoremember8096 : Thanks. My FZ35 does not save to the SD card. They go to the internal memory. I'd be jumping up and down if I could figure out how to get them off the camera! Jumping as opposed to sitting in this kitchen chair . . .
@happysawfish that is so strange! Did you check the menu to designate where to save the files ? If the camera has a usb connection, did you try to connect to your computer and perhaps you can see your files that way ?
@@techtoremember8096: going to try again to find that cord with a weird connection that came with it and check this out. Thank you so much for helping me : )
Low light test! I had the rx10 m iv, and now have gh6 and Olympus em1 m iii. The rx10 was fantastic in good light, but it super fell apart in low light. My mft cameras are closer to aps-c in low light than they are like the 1” sensor or smaller cameras. I don’t have tests to show this, but I know just from using both platforms. Richard Wong did a long video on the new g9 ii, and compared the noise of a number of aps-c to the g9 ii, results were near the same for ISO noise.
The comparisons with the other cameras are very shallow. The small sensor of the F300 is very limited in regard to dynamic range and high iso performance. But of course it's the small sensor which makes the large zoom possible. But: if you use raw and a good raw converter with good noise reduction you can push the quality quite a few steps more. I shoot exclusively raw with the FZ300 and get some amazing results. It's my go-to hiking camera due to it's weatherproving and huge zoom in a compact package (I even leave my binoculars at home sometimes and use the camera instead).
Does it seems like it would be good for outdoor sports? I have a canon powershot 620 and in burst mode I get good shots for what I need but it's at it's limit and I need more versatility.
Hi sorry for the delayed answer I don’t think this camera really is a great sports camera The autofocus might be the biggest issue Most cameras today can do a high speed shooting of sorts so there are many options
@@techtoremember8096 actually it is very good for sports and you can set the auto focus to a point . You didint show this in the video . But the camera does shoot 60 frames in Full HD and being weather prooof with a great zoom ideal
i saw this on an online shop. It's going for below $1k. probably less in US$. That's why I'm checking out any videos on it's performance. Not bad for an old camera. hehe!
Glad you're enjoying the channel.It's just that the optical quality of cell phone zooms lenses aren't really a match (yet) to a dedicated camera. The real high zoom like on some of the Samsung phones is digital interpolation, not a true optical zoom camera like the Nikon P1000 or P950 which will blow it out of the water, but as the technology progresses I might do a comparison. Thanks for the comment!
@@techtoremember8096 I do urge you to do it, if you go on dpreview, you actually can see comparisons in the mobile section of the site. Smartphones at the moment offer 105mm-240mm equivalent focal range, and you can also add a telephoto conversion lens to increase that focal range. Ofcourse it won't beat the Nikon P1000 but if you compare apples to apples (small sensor to small sensor, and focal range to same focal range), you'll see these smartphones are not too far off. The best thing also about smartphones is they use phase detect autofocus, a lot of standard cameras still use the slower contrast detect autofocus. Your channel is the only channel I know that focuses on superzooms and I enjoy it a lot.
Hey! Is there any way to turn off the focus beep and fake shutter sound without turning on the silent mode, as the silent mode disables mechanical shutter, flash and AF light. Also, does does it really have a mechanical shutter? Camera behaves and sounds the same, regardless if I have it set on mechanial or electronic.
I don't think there is a way to turn off the beeps without going into silent mode unfortunately. But yes, the camera does have a true mechanical shutter, more like a leaf shutter, so it is more silent than a traditional shutter but will produce less rolling shutter (that jello effect) than the electronic shutter does. So if you are shooting sports or fast action, you are better off using the mechanical shutter to avoid that issue.
@@techtoremember8096 Thank you! I'm trying to learn this camera to be able to teach my dad. Personally I am running a Sony A7IV, and while this Panasonic is incredibly versatile and nimble and even has some features I wish my Sony had, I do get frustrated when some simple, obvious things are not available in the settings. Turning off beeps is one of them, and another would be the semi-automatic modes; perhaps you can help me there too? If I run the camera in aperture priority, and set the ISO AUTO, and then adjust exposure compensation, the camera for some god forsaken reason wants to adjust ISO instead of adjusting the shutter. Why is it prioritizing pushing the ISO instead of slowing down the shutter a bit? This has never been an issue for me even since I had a Canon SX10IS bridge camera back in the day. In P-mode (which I want to set up for my Dad) I can't make the camera automatically prioritize shutter speed either, so it starts to close the aperture when I lower the exposure compensation. Why does the FZ300 hate the shutter setting? XD
I really enjoyed using this camera for the last 4 years but mine stopped working on our last day in the Galapagos in March. Now I have to decide on replacing it with another FZ300 or spending twice as much on a Sony RX10 iv. If I buy an FZ300 they will update it - guaranteed!
I recently bought a Used FZ 300 in exchange for my older G6, (as didn't want to carry extrsa lenses) but not used it to its potential yet. I realise this vid is now old, but just wondering if this it has been updated?
I don't have a specific tutorial on that...if you are shooting photos then for sports you just may want to go into shutter priority and choose a fast shutter speed so your action is clear.
nice. im surprised by the quality. wasnt aware of such a gem. i used to have a compact superzoom sony wx500 but the image quality was shit in all range. i used to have rx10 and bought it to korea for a trip, ended up didnt use it much because it was bulky. maybe this fz300 is a good compromise
Hey, yes I remember having that WX500 a while back and the quality was definitely not good at all. The FZ has much bigger glass and better optics and makes for a far better image. It is a good choice when you don't feel like lugging around the RX10 IV!
I’ve got an A7iii but looking for a small jack of all trades when just grabbing something on the way out. At roughly the same prize would you pick HX400v or FZ300 (with a 1.7 teleconverter) I would say it’s 70/30 between pictures/ videos
Good question. Both are excellent cameras. The HX400 does get you in quite a bit tighter so if you are doing birding/or wildlife then the 400 might be the answer but for general travel and if you dont need that crazy long zoom the 300 has a faster aperture and will do better in a variety of lighting conditions however the Sony has better autofocus but the viewfinder on the Sony is terrible. The Panasonic is more pleasurable to use
Yes forgot to mention about the screen and the 30% you are using for video, remember the Sony is limited to 1080p and the FZ300 has 4k/30 video in case you want that. Far better video on the Panasonic. Its just a more recent camera than the Sony and the Sony is about 10 years old now and showing its age,.
What do you mean at the end when you say there is no usb charging ? I’m looking for a cheaper camera that is versatile in wildlife, landscape, and doing some day to day photos of family fun. This seems like a good option.
Some cameras have a USB port and you can attach the camera to a computer and charge that way. Its usually a slow method anyway. This camera comes with a dedicated battery charger and that is the only way to charge the battery. Its not a big deal but people do ask about it so I thought I would mention it in the video. This camera is perfect for family fun. Small, inexpensive and can take great pictures.
You have more options: buy extra battery, and until the first accu runs out you can charge the second one in a dedicated charger feeded by powerbank (charger has micro usb socket). Or you can buy a dummy battery to feed the camera with an external power supply (12v car socket, powerbank etc etc, but the quality of the dummy batteries are questionable. Be aware that 3rd party batteries are far away from the original quality. I bought a cheap one, failed within 3 months. Than i bougt an original one, about 1yr old and still performs well.
Hi there, yes due to its constant 2.8 aperture it would be great for a concert. The only issue you may have to be careful is focus as sometimes concert lighting confuses these cameras so you may want to use manual focus. Otherwise, yes, its a good choice!
@@techtoremember8096 When video recording, does it have a function to disable the autofocus mode? I mean, to let the camera to not focus at all, without a point of focus. Does it have something like that to deal with the losing focus problem?
The FZ330 is exactly the same camera, but the European version, the FZ300 is the US version. Had my one a year and great for travelling as water and dust resistant.
It is not listed as a feature but I did see someone with a possible solution to stream: Here is that link: www.reddit.com/r/Panasonic/comments/j50syx/fz330_fz300_live_hdmi_output_is_possible_for/ The camera does not have built in charging capabilities so an external charger which is supplied, must be used.
Hello there. Thank you for the comment! I find that this camera is so special that for the price point, it really is the best that I've seen. I highly recommend it! Another low price alternative is the Sony HX-400v which I reviewed however it does not record in 4K and is discontinued so you would have to get one used. Best of luck!
@@techtoremember8096 Yep. I bought it after reading your response on Amazon. Also ACDSEE Photo Premium software. Wish me luck as I begin my new hobby! I will be using RAW.
This is currently my go to camera. I am considering doing youtube videos. Is there any other camera under 700 dollars you would recommend? I would be willing to give up up some of the zoom capability if there are other features that beat this camera.
Depending on the type of UA-cam videos you are doing, the FZ300 may not be the best choice since its autofocus sometimes misses. For a great autofocus camera you may want to consider the Sony ZV-1 which is designed for content creators. Right around $700 and the autofocus is top notch.
Hello i am.starter, living very close the airport, i wanna shoot aircraft photo due to obsession with planes:) from my house which is on hill range is 5 km,i mean from the house to runway,pls advise me which camera can take good shoot,budget is Max 1300 usd or Euro,thks❤
There are quite a few good options of cameras which I reviewed. You can go with the Nikon P950 or P1000 the Panasonic FZ300, (zoom isnt as long as the Nikons) but still a very good camera or even the Canon SX70. All these cameras currently can be bought new and fall into your budget. You can watch my reviews and pick the one you like. Thanks
It means the camera will stop recording after 30 minutes and create the file. If you want to record more, you have to press record again and it will record for another 30 minutes
Hi. New sub here. Really enjoyed the review. I’m looking for a decent budget-friendly camera for my son, who’s into plane spotting. From your review, this camera sounds like a good fit, but I’d like to know if you’d recommend it for casual plane spotting. Thanks!
Hi there welcome aboard! (as they say on a plane) . Good question you pose. 600mm gets you close for sure but have you considered the Panasonic FZ80? ( I have a review on that one) which gives you double the reach of the FZ300 or the Nikon P1000 or P950 ..2 excellent options as well with even more reach and a better lens and better image quality. Naturally the Nikon's are in a higher price range and are bigger, the FZ80 is much cheaper and has some usability issues but delivers decent results with the right light and gets you very close. The Sony Hx400v is also a great unit (discontinued) but you can get it second hand with excellent image quality and a 1200mm zoom! so you have quite a few choices depending on your budget. You mentioned it as casual plane spotting in your comment so the FZ300 certainly might be good enough with a 600mm reach. I really do like that cameras as an all around performer and the price is right for sure.Thanks for your comment.
@@techtoremember8096Thank you very much for the suggestions and taking the time to write a detailed response. Will definitely check out the other cameras. Cheers!
I'm really surprised by this camera. I have M4/3 cameras and a 1inch sensor. But, I thought this camera performed better than the RX10. And it is certainly better than a smartphone. And most people only use their phones. Looks like a good camera, even though it has a tiny sensor, but the constant 2.8 might compensate a bit in lower light.
@@techtoremember8096 Plus the constant F2.8!! Might get one for birding. It's certainly cheaper than getting a zoom for my M4/3. Plus, the lens would be slower.
@@Lepewhi I find mine isn't sharp enough for my tastes when taking bird pics, especially at 2.8. I have some nice ones but mainly in good light. The problem is you have to get close because you can't crop much. My panasonic 100-300 lens is sharper and i can crop in a lot more. Its doable and a great camera and more versatile but you can't beat putting a lens on the M43 camera. I bought mine used from MPB and its been great.
the best value for money camera for birding and not only. f2.8 in full range, 12fps in raw, fast buffering, 30fps in 4k photo, very sharp, light and affordable. surpassed only by the rx10iv but at more than 3x its price.
I'm still using my FZ80. You just can't beat the superzoom for the price as a decent upgrade would probably set you back over a $1000 to see a real improvement
I bought the FZ 300 as soon as it came out locally - as I was looking at the FZ 200 only to be wowed by the FZ300 - yes I am a novice birder and been learnt photography with this great gem . as most bridge cameras go - this FZ 300 is one of the few that keep a constant fast 2.8 all the way - main reason for buying from a birding point of view ( someone whom walks alot looking for birds/wild life ) there is no other camera at this price and weight that could ever compete - Canon /Nikon/Sony bridge cameras - some have much more zoom (Nikon P1000 = 3000mm ) Canon HS 60 or 70 have 1350mm - however at full extension the lens slows down massively - due to tiny sensor size one must have the fastest lens possible - especially in low light my photos have been used many times as banners for the websites I post yes true there are a few things not perfect with the FZ 300 but these are worth it old expression comes to mind - one gets what one pays for (plus more on the FZ 300 ) I will advice this camera for any beginner or novice or any wild life photographer - have no experience on landscape /street photography or portrait photography so cannot say about this - sport or wild life - it is a beast :-)
Great to hear ! I was so surprised after testing this camera it’s a real find and I can totally see it’s value for birding Thanks for sharing your input
I bought one today used from my local Facebook marketplace for CAD $300 / USD $223 in excellent condition. Do you guys think it’s a great price? It comes with all accessories and its box.
So the stabilization that only works in the poorer1080 mode is completely useless? just looks like a good thing when browsing through the sales brochure? a sales trick that in reality only disappoints ?
@@techtoremember8096 But if it doesnt support stabilization in 4k I just cant see its point if its only usable to get fuzzy 1080p! Maybe I'm missing something here? but who wants fuzzy stabilized 1080 from a 4k camera? is this the elephant in the room? or have I got it all wrong? will any stabilization occur when shooting in 4k mode?
Let me clarify : the cameras both support stabilization jn 4k and 1080p Both cameras do a good job in both modes -I have examples in my video at full telephoto hand holding shots to demonstrate the stabilization Please check it out If there were no stabilization the video would be incredibly shaky and unusable because they are very zoomed in and it’s almost impossible to shoot like that )handheld without stabilization and get usable results -the stabilization is not perfect and not like the camera is on a gimbal but I would say there are about up to todays standards
Yeah, when the light is good this camera is okay as long as you don't look at the detail. At ISO 400 and above though, it's really bad. I mean, really really bad.. I took a photo in a room with the light on and was really disappointed how aggressive the noise reduction was. Looks like an image from a 20 year old 3 megapixel point and shoot. Turn the noise reduction down to -4 and it gets slightly better.
Hi there. Yes unfortunately these small sensors are limited that way. By turning the noise reduction down don't you find sharpness also drops along with it? Its a compromise for sure!
and dont forget it is already 8 years old.i had mine from the beginning and still going strong
Good point !
Launched in 2014, still holding tight 2023... I bought it in 2018, sold couple of years ago... But will surely buy again... 2.8 throughout the zoom range makes it one of its kind... Hope Panasonic comes up with such product again with almost decade of tech advancement...
I use the FZ300 and I love it, but I'm always looking for new options. Your channel has been a tremendous resource for me. I greatly appreciate the work you are doing. Thank you!!
Hey thank you so much for your comment I really appreciate it ! More videos comlng !
I bought this few years ago when it first came out. Still my fav superzoom camera. I mainly used it for video shooting. Tested it in the rain and 100% sure this is a great whether prove camera. Trust me!
Weather proof
I purchased FZ300 due to its good value! FZ300 has been on the market for a long time and still has its place, it's kind of amazing :)
Another wonderful video. Thank you so much for that. I enjoy A LOT your videos. You are one of the best out there. Dude, please keep doing what you are doing!!!
Hey man ! Thanks so much for your words of encouragement! It really means a lot ! thanks for your support !
Great review and straight to point while also covering multiple points
Thanks !
Great vid. I've owned FZ330 for a couple of years. Greatest budget option. FZ2000/2500 great for video but some owners claim photos are soft. Rx10iv is the absolute best if money no option.
I'm not keen on the jpegs and always shoot raw. Keep iso below 200
Small sensor Image quality drops in bad light even at f2.8.
Awesome for wildlife video with good enough autofocus although i read somewhere that 4K video isnt stabalized.
Light but tough and isn't scared of bad weather.
4k photo mode is awesome.
600mm!!!
If physics allowed this lens to have a 1 inch 20mp sensor with PDAF it would be perfect. And waaay more expensive 😊
Haha yes it would also be way bigger and heavier with the 1” sensor but I agree with your analysis - what surprised me is how well it held up to the 2500 and the RX all considering Thanks for your comment
I have one FZ330 for 3 years now and i love it.
Does it overheat on video after long?
@PastorMarionGillies Have read and researched FZ300 for past 5 years - have never run across anyone who said it overheats in video mode. Note: Read several times that smaller Sonys used to overheat in video, don't know how they are today.
I want to buy this camera, could you tell me, can the camera capture leaves on top of a tree?? Thank you.
I bought the FZ300 last year and I do not regret this purchase!! I have so many great pictures, especially from a recent trip of mine.
Thanks for your videos. Informative, clear and entertaining. Bought the Fz 300 about a week after your video came out. This camera is a great bang for your buck , fun to use and play around with all the advanced modes to enhance your photography skills. Thanks again for producing your videos.
Hey thanks so much for your comment. Im glad you agree how versatile the FZ300 is and what a great bargain. It was a real surprise for me too. Thanks for your support!
Sad that Panasonic abandoned this range. The FZ200 was also great. Imagine if they bring out a FZ400 with a better chip, face and eye tracking, faster shutter etc.
And with 1/1.17" sensor I wish😊
FZ300 already has face and eye tracking
1 Inch@@Haroon65
Check out the FZ1000 and 2000....
They're making an FZ80 mark ii
This one is actually a pretty good camera for natural light portraits if you get on the telephoto end, thanks to its constant f/2.8 aperture. One thing I like is I dont have to spend money on mist filters to soften up the over sharpened look from modern mirrorless lenses, you get that softer look already and can get a rather filmic look when shot correctly. I still need to try the FZ2000.
Luv the comparisons you choose to investigate. Plus videos that don't put us to sleep. Many thanks!
Haha. Thanks for that!!
I do use the FZ300 for some years now. It is a great camera, almost perfect, I don't even mind the small sensor because they put only 12 Megapixel on it. The leica lens is amazing. F/2,8 the whole way. I am happy that I own it.
Does it overheat if you run video for long?
@PastorMarionGillies not at all
@techtoremember8096 thank you so much
I had the FZ200 years ago. Loved it, but I went back to DSLRs. I gave it to my son some time back. I'm getting a bit tired of not taking out a camera because a DSLR with 24-70 & 70-200 f2.8 is a bit to haul around. I'm starting to consider the FZ300 as a knock-around camera. I don't need full frame or even APS-C so much these days. With software like Gigapixel AI and others, I can still get images that I can print out at 13x19. If I need very low-light performance I can grab the old Canon 6D which still does great in very low light. I just wonder if I can bring myself to accept how little I used the bigger cameras and maybe just sell most of the gear. Decisions, decisions. This does look like a great little companion camera to do several different things. Higher resolution slow-motion would be nice, but my old FZ200 slow-mo videos still looked pretty good on the monitor. Appreciate the video.
Thank you so much for this great video! The comparisons were excellent and it's just what I've been looking for!
Hey, thats great to hear! Thanks so much for the comment
I have the FZ300 and still use it for video. The sharpness in 4K is great, it has stabilization, constant aperture lens, microphone input and Lumix colors. On the other hand, there is a 29minute video recording limit, the sensor is the same size (and grain) as GoPro, the autofocus is virtually non-existent and the HD video is straightforward terrible (I guess they have some line skipping and lousy codec for the HD video, just stay away from it). On many outdoor interviews and live streams, I have used the FZ300 along with GH5, GH6, G9 and nobody noticed :D
The RX10 iv is a monster specs wise but so is the price. In Canada the price is hovering around $2,200 C!. The FZ300 strikes a nice balance between function and price. I currently have a Nikon B700 and that camera's performance would be similar to the FZ80's though it has a few more features. I think if I was going for another such camera, I'd sacrifice some zoom range for the better low light and video performance the FZ300 camera supplies. Great comparison video, well done!
Hi there and thank you! I agree with your analysis. The other thing which is nice about the FZ300 is its really a lot lighter than the RX10 IV, especially if you're carrying it around all day. Cant believe how expensive it is in Canada. especially considering its so many years old!
@@techtoremember8096 My Nikon B700 died today. Thinking of getting another superzoom for my backyard and walk around photography. Now I'm revisiting this and other of your videos in hopes of getting another superzoom before they disappear completely!
Good idea ! I don’t think they will ever completely disappear but better to grab one now than wait !!
RX10 is very fiddly for slo mo that’s easier to apply with FZ300
The FZ300 is my workhorse and it's close to brilliant at what it does. Nobody can touch the constant F2.8 aperture and the video and stabilization are great. I've pulled video stills out that you wouldn't know weren't "real" stills. Something to consider - if you don't need the weatherproofing and aren't that into video, the FZ200 is actually better. Both 200's I've owned were markedly sharper than the 300 and it's much smaller and lighter as well {maybe not in numbers, but you'll feel the difference instantly}. Nikon and Canon bridge cameras have never come close to Lumix thanks to the Leica optics.
Hey, thanks for the comment. That's an interesting point that the FZ200 was sharper than the 300. Sometimes when a company uses a slightly different glass, that can make a difference!
One last point, both of my FZ200's were made in Japan, the 300 in China. No way that doesn't make a difference.@@techtoremember8096
I can fully confirm your findings. I own a FZ300 an a FZ200. Indeed, my FZ200 is slightly sharper than the FZ300.
I recall watching one of the great Graham Houghton's videos comparing the 200 with the 300 and even there, the 200's stills looked better. And as I've said, the 300 is like a Cadillac and the 200 is like a Corvette, a tank versus a sports car. Finally, both of my FZ200's were made in Japan, the FZ300's in China - THAT, to me, is the key.@@pzkw10
I wish it had the timelapse feature that they give with fz80
It's good for the money.
Had one 4 years now.
Since I got my Panasonic 14-140 I don't use it as much because that is smaller on my GX9 and much sharper.
But when I need versatility or it's raining I take the 300 instead.
Thank you for your review of FZ300, still looking for a good lite super zoom for our trip to Alaska in August. Best Jeff in Good ole Brooklyn, NY
Hey Jeff, Regards to Brooklyn! Hope you pick a winner for your trip to Alaska. The zoom on the 300 should get you nice and tight on the glaciers!
@@techtoremember8096 thank you. I will have my D5600 with a 70-300 4.5 zoom with me but want back up. I just retired was former sports photographer, but looking to lighten my load. Best jeff
I discovered I can shoot the moon with my FZ300 five years ago.
From then, I started to shoot night scenes . She has tons of preset scenarios to choose from.
I love her Dynamic Monochrome ( D Mono) so far from the color palette mode.
I showed the d mono files to My friends. They all are wondering if I own a Leica. Yes, I love the texture,too.
😅😅
One thing not mentioned in the video is EVF quality. Not sure how it compares to the other cameras you compared it against but it is big and the quality is very nice, much better than the one on my Panasonic GX9. Images from the FZ300 will benefit greatly if taken with and processed in RAW, particularly noise reduction. You'll want to cap the ISO on this camera at ISO400 as it's probably a good two stops behind a micro four thirds camera.
Hey, yes the EVF is certainly better than the FZ80 which has one of the worst EVF's Ive ever seen-small and the focus diopter seems to change on its own and it constantly needs readjustment. The FZ2500 has a nicer EVF but it is a much bigger and more expensive camera than the 300. Agreed on the ISO, however I go back and forth on this issue because if you top the ISO TOO low, your shutter speed will also be too slow to compensate and many shots may be out of focus because of this- Personally I'd rather have a little more grain in my image than a blurry shot (which you can't do anything with). What I'm saying really applies more to fast action like wildlife or street photography but if you are shooting more static scenes, like portraits or landscapes then I agree with you on topping the ISO at a low figure. There's only so much you can do with a small sensor camera. Yes, you will have more flexiblity with RAW but I think most people use this camera in a casual way and tend to shoot JPEGs. But nice to know you have the RAW option.
I still owned FZ300 I notice in a bright day light it works very well. If you have this camera you should avoid low light at all cost.
Due to the small sensor. The FZ1000 does much better in low light.
@@joeprete7424 It does...UNTIL dust makes it's way INSIDE the lens, a known issue with the FZ1000 and FZ2500.
I have tried several bridge cameras including the RX10 mk4. For price portability and image quality this camera cannot be beaten. I paid £409 back in Jan this year. I use it for video mostly.
A workhorse cam I still use a lot, mainly for lockdown music event documentation; 1080 is fine, 4k is a little smeary/milky. Def got my use from this cam tho and its still going!
I bought a year ago but I think I may have done something to the settings or you did. May I ask what settings you are using for the street photography you make it look beautiful mine looks blurry sometimes and dull in color.
Sorry to hear that. Actually in order not to "color the results" sorry for the pun, I just have it in program auto so I let the camera do its thing. I may occasionally lower the exposure by a 1/3 but most of the time the camera is basically in auto mode.
It is still one of the best value for money camera, it does almost everything well enough at a very reasonable price.
I had just bought this camera as an all rounder. This video has reassured my purchase decision. Thanks alot.
No prob ! Good luck with the cam
Excellent review...thank you
How would you compare the video quality of this camera to the Panasonic HC-981 camcorder?
Hi there. Funny you mentioned that. I just released a video on the 981/991 Panasonic camcorders and there are some comparisons. I think the FZ300 is a bit sharper and more vibrant in certain situations. Thanks for your comment
I discovered I can shoot the moon with my FZ300 five years ago.
From then, I started to shoot night scenes . She has tons of preset scenarios to choose from.
I love her Dynamic Monochrome ( D Mono) so far from the color palette mode.
I showed the d mono files to My friends. They all are wondering if I own a Leica. Yes, I love the texture,too.
😅😅
I pray that Panasonic one day releases a successor to this camera, the same features, but with a 1 inch sensor
I own 3 of these cameras plus the GH5.
The FZ300 is my go to for 4k video, amazing optics 👍
3? Wow, impressive!
Excellent presentation. Like the way it is compared. Thanks to share such interesting comparison test
Thanks so much !!
I bought my fz300 in late 2020 and I’ve hardly used it. I just haven’t taken the time to learn how to use it. I have a canon full frame so I need to adjust my expectations and learn to use the Panasonic. I bought it for travel, as I hate carrying a heavy camera. Thanks for showing how great this camera is!
Yes, when you don't feel like the whole full frame set-up, the FZ300 fits the bill. Thanks for the comment!
Had mine (now on #3) for donkey's years, and have long since given up on Panasonic actually replacing the ageing 300/330 with an upgraded version (maybe a longer zoom), because quite clearly that standout F2.8 feature broke the bank, and the replacement so far (what was it? FZ82D?) sacrifices heavily in the glass department. If you can still find new cameras on eBay or elsewhere, snap this up - it's still a seriously good buy.
Yes a new video!
Excellent review, thanks!
Thank you !
You put incredible amount of effort for this cheap little camera, most of the time they are ignored. I think constant aperture is one thing very cool about it. Almost all small sensor compacts go down higher than f5.6 in the telephoto end so in low light they are useless when zooming. With this all the focal range available without loosing exposure. This one gathers about 4/10 times the light of the rx10 in the telephoto end. If it was f5.6 it would be 1/10 times.
Great analysis but I believe that since the sensor on the 300 is smaller it can get away with capturing less light than the Sony and still produce a relatively bright image- I will be doing a direct comparison video of the 2 in low light in addition to the fz 2500 to see how the difference between sensor size and f stop translates to the final result Thanks for your comment
@@techtoremember8096 You gave a beautiful example of that with the Canon, how dark it is on telephoto range. Bridge cameras are not for me but fz300 definitely has a charm. Thank you very much. Great work
My pleasure ! Thank you
I use a wide-angle lens for room photography. Can you show some examples of taking pictures in the corners of rooms? - Thank you for this video, it was very helpful!
HI there. I can tell you that the wide angle is 24mm which is considered the standard wide angle on many cameras today. It is not ultra- wide however and depending on the size of the room and how far back you are (there are many factors), you may not be able to get the entire room in. For most situations, it is wide enough but if you are doing a lot of real estate photography or video work, then you may want to consider a camera with a wider lens (like 20mm or even wider) or which can use an interchangeable lens so you can use a wide angle prime. I appreciate your comment on the video!
Interesting review. I have had an FZ300 for UA-cam video blogging for about 5 - 6 years. I also have had a Nikon L820 for about 10 years, which I much prefer. The Lumix has two major issues - the macro focus is unreliable to the point that I have to use manual mode to be sure the footage will not be ruined. This is a well known issue. The Lumix is also poor in low light conditions, compared to my Nikon. Considering the Lumix cost 3 times as much as the Nikon it's not a model I would recommend. The Leica lens is sharp and the camera is loaded with a zillion settings, but the close range focus issue is very disappointing. I use macro video a lot out to about 2 metres. The only redeeming feature the Lumix has is a mic jack (which is why I bought it). For close range YT blogging the cheaper Nikon L820 is a much better bridge camera, has a more powerful zoom, just as sharp lens for 1080 P and shoots totally reliable footage. I have also had Canon and Pentax, so I'm not just a Nikon fanboy. Cheers Rob
Hey Rob, I haven't noticed a macro issue when focusing but you probably use it more often and more critically so perhaps you are more sensitive to it. Macro focusing as you know is tough to begin with as the depth of field is so shallow and any little movement will set the focus off but thanks for bringing that to our attention.
@@techtoremember8096 Google it and you will see plenty of user group comments on the issue from day one. The FZ300 offers a wide range of focus options/variables but none will remedy the poor macro/close range auto focus issue. I've tried them all. Everyone is probably hoping for a firmware fix, as it seems to be correctable, but nothing has happened. It's a pity as otherwise it's a reasonable camera. When you only have one shot at shooting and find at editing that any of it is out of focus, a little or a lot, it's a bastard of a situation to be in. Cheers Rob
Hi was wondering if you had one choice for a bridge camera to shoot indoor gymnastics which would you choose? Or would you rather build a body with appropriate lens that gives you equivalent zoom?
Very good review. High quality and useful tests.
Thank you !
Awesome video, and awesome little camera I'm using fz1000 for many years simply love it
That’s great to hear ! Thank you for the comment
I photograph and produce videos of civil war enactments and interiors of old homes. The zoom allow me to zero in on individual soldiers and also I can shoot interior shots of homes without using a flash. Super camera and great quality!
on the 30 minute recording limit, is that 30 minutes continuous recording clip or 30 minutes total on the memory card, I bought this for filming my hunts so ill have more than 30 minutes of video but not at one time.
It’s continuous so you should be fine
Great video! May sound like dumb question, but do the videos save to the SD card or internal memory? Have an FZ35 with videos on it from years ago that I still can't seem to figure out how transfer them ! Any help appreciated.
Hi there! No question is dumb! The videos all saved to the SD card in camera. You just insert the SD card into your computer and you can transfer the photos and videos that way. Thanks for the compliment!
@@techtoremember8096 : Thanks. My FZ35 does not save to the SD card. They go to the internal memory. I'd be jumping up and down if I could figure out how to get them off the camera! Jumping as opposed to sitting in this kitchen chair . . .
@happysawfish that is so strange! Did you check the menu to designate where to save the files ? If the camera has a usb connection, did you try to connect to your computer and perhaps you can see your files that way ?
@@techtoremember8096: going to try again to find that cord with a weird connection that came with it and check this out. Thank you so much for helping me : )
Low light test! I had the rx10 m iv, and now have gh6 and Olympus em1 m iii. The rx10 was fantastic in good light, but it super fell apart in low light. My mft cameras are closer to aps-c in low light than they are like the 1” sensor or smaller cameras. I don’t have tests to show this, but I know just from using both platforms. Richard Wong did a long video on the new g9 ii, and compared the noise of a number of aps-c to the g9 ii, results were near the same for ISO noise.
The comparisons with the other cameras are very shallow. The small sensor of the F300 is very limited in regard to dynamic range and high iso performance. But of course it's the small sensor which makes the large zoom possible. But: if you use raw and a good raw converter with good noise reduction you can push the quality quite a few steps more. I shoot exclusively raw with the FZ300 and get some amazing results. It's my go-to hiking camera due to it's weatherproving and huge zoom in a compact package (I even leave my binoculars at home sometimes and use the camera instead).
Does it seems like it would be good for outdoor sports? I have a canon powershot 620 and in burst mode I get good shots for what I need but it's at it's limit and I need more versatility.
Hi sorry for the delayed answer I don’t think this camera really is a great sports camera The autofocus might be the biggest issue Most cameras today can do a high speed shooting of sorts so there are many options
@@techtoremember8096 actually it is very good for sports and you can set the auto focus to a point . You didint show this in the video . But the camera does shoot 60 frames in Full HD and being weather prooof with a great zoom ideal
i saw this on an online shop. It's going for below $1k. probably less in US$. That's why I'm checking out any videos on it's performance. Not bad for an old camera. hehe!
Love your channel. You might want to review smartphones with telephoto cameras too.
Glad you're enjoying the channel.It's just that the optical quality of cell phone zooms lenses aren't really a match (yet) to a dedicated camera. The real high zoom like on some of the Samsung phones is digital interpolation, not a true optical zoom camera like the Nikon P1000 or P950 which will blow it out of the water, but as the technology progresses I might do a comparison. Thanks for the comment!
@@techtoremember8096 I do urge you to do it, if you go on dpreview, you actually can see comparisons in the mobile section of the site. Smartphones at the moment offer 105mm-240mm equivalent focal range, and you can also add a telephoto conversion lens to increase that focal range. Ofcourse it won't beat the Nikon P1000 but if you compare apples to apples (small sensor to small sensor, and focal range to same focal range), you'll see these smartphones are not too far off. The best thing also about smartphones is they use phase detect autofocus, a lot of standard cameras still use the slower contrast detect autofocus.
Your channel is the only channel I know that focuses on superzooms and I enjoy it a lot.
I also understand that computational photography may not be your fancy, but it's the future, AI is going to dominate this space
True- you already see it now with autofocus !
Bought one yesterday, found it on discount. Brand new for 325 bucks. I guess I found a really good deal.
Perfect review ! Thanks for tonns of useful info!
My pleasure ! Thanks for the comment !
Hey! Is there any way to turn off the focus beep and fake shutter sound without turning on the silent mode, as the silent mode disables mechanical shutter, flash and AF light.
Also, does does it really have a mechanical shutter? Camera behaves and sounds the same, regardless if I have it set on mechanial or electronic.
I don't think there is a way to turn off the beeps without going into silent mode unfortunately. But yes, the camera does have a true mechanical shutter, more like a leaf shutter, so it is more silent than a traditional shutter but will produce less rolling shutter (that jello effect) than the electronic shutter does. So if you are shooting sports or fast action, you are better off using the mechanical shutter to avoid that issue.
@@techtoremember8096 Thank you! I'm trying to learn this camera to be able to teach my dad. Personally I am running a Sony A7IV, and while this Panasonic is incredibly versatile and nimble and even has some features I wish my Sony had, I do get frustrated when some simple, obvious things are not available in the settings.
Turning off beeps is one of them, and another would be the semi-automatic modes; perhaps you can help me there too?
If I run the camera in aperture priority, and set the ISO AUTO, and then adjust exposure compensation, the camera for some god forsaken reason wants to adjust ISO instead of adjusting the shutter. Why is it prioritizing pushing the ISO instead of slowing down the shutter a bit? This has never been an issue for me even since I had a Canon SX10IS bridge camera back in the day.
In P-mode (which I want to set up for my Dad) I can't make the camera automatically prioritize shutter speed either, so it starts to close the aperture when I lower the exposure compensation. Why does the FZ300 hate the shutter setting? XD
Cheers so much maybe I start with this one for my UA-cam channel 😊❤
I really enjoyed using this camera for the last 4 years but mine stopped working on our last day in the Galapagos in March. Now I have to decide on replacing it with another FZ300 or spending twice as much on a Sony RX10 iv. If I buy an FZ300 they will update it - guaranteed!
I recently bought a Used FZ 300 in exchange for my older G6, (as didn't want to carry extrsa lenses) but not used it to its potential yet. I realise this vid is now old, but just wondering if this it has been updated?
Hi there - the camera is still on the market and has not yet been updated
Do you have a tutorial on what settings to use for indoor sports like Volleyball or basketball?
I don't have a specific tutorial on that...if you are shooting photos then for sports you just may want to go into shutter priority and choose a fast shutter speed so your action is clear.
nice. im surprised by the quality. wasnt aware of such a gem. i used to have a compact superzoom sony wx500 but the image quality was shit in all range. i used to have rx10 and bought it to korea for a trip, ended up didnt use it much because it was bulky. maybe this fz300 is a good compromise
Hey, yes I remember having that WX500 a while back and the quality was definitely not good at all. The FZ has much bigger glass and better optics and makes for a far better image. It is a good choice when you don't feel like lugging around the RX10 IV!
I’ve got an A7iii but looking for a small jack of all trades when just grabbing something on the way out. At roughly the same prize would you pick HX400v or FZ300 (with a 1.7 teleconverter)
I would say it’s 70/30 between pictures/ videos
Good question. Both are excellent cameras. The HX400 does get you in quite a bit tighter so if you are doing birding/or wildlife then the 400 might be the answer but for general travel and if you dont need that crazy long zoom the 300 has a faster aperture and will do better in a variety of lighting conditions however the Sony has better autofocus but the viewfinder on the Sony is terrible. The Panasonic is more pleasurable to use
@ FZ300 sounds like the winner. And I hate the limited screen on the A7iii. I want to use the camera i awkward positions.
Yes forgot to mention about the screen and the 30% you are using for video, remember the Sony is limited to 1080p and the FZ300 has 4k/30 video in case you want that. Far better video on the Panasonic. Its just a more recent camera than the Sony and the Sony is about 10 years old now and showing its age,.
@@techtoremember8096 Got the FZ300 10 days ago. Around 136 USD with 1400 shutter activation count 🎉
If you have the money which one would you buy: the sony rx10iv or the lumix fz300. Thank you for the video.
If money wasn't an issue I think I still prefer the RX10IV. Picture is still a bit better to me but the Lumix FZ300 is definitely a close second!
Thank you very much
What do you mean at the end when you say there is no usb charging ?
I’m looking for a cheaper camera that is versatile in wildlife, landscape, and doing some day to day photos of family fun.
This seems like a good option.
Some cameras have a USB port and you can attach the camera to a computer and charge that way. Its usually a slow method anyway. This camera comes with a dedicated battery charger and that is the only way to charge the battery. Its not a big deal but people do ask about it so I thought I would mention it in the video. This camera is perfect for family fun. Small, inexpensive and can take great pictures.
You have more options: buy extra battery, and until the first accu runs out you can charge the second one in a dedicated charger feeded by powerbank (charger has micro usb socket). Or you can buy a dummy battery to feed the camera with an external power supply (12v car socket, powerbank etc etc, but the quality of the dummy batteries are questionable. Be aware that 3rd party batteries are far away from the original quality. I bought a cheap one, failed within 3 months. Than i bougt an original one, about 1yr old and still performs well.
Hi Sir, is this Panasonic FZ300 an good option for recording/taking photos at a concert?
Hi there, yes due to its constant 2.8 aperture it would be great for a concert. The only issue you may have to be careful is focus as sometimes concert lighting confuses these cameras so you may want to use manual focus. Otherwise, yes, its a good choice!
@@techtoremember8096 When video recording, does it have a function to disable the autofocus mode? I mean, to let the camera to not focus at all, without a point of focus. Does it have something like that to deal with the losing focus problem?
Yes, you can just go into manual focus and it will accomplish that. If you don't adjust the focus manually, the focus will not shift.
Can Fz300 catch a clear image of leaves at a high trees? Thank you
The 300 has a great zoom. It would depend how far away the trees are but you certainly can use it to look at things in trees
@techtoremember8096 the tree is about 20-40 m high, can i see the leaf arrangement clearly using the fz300 camera?
Or do i need to use FZ80?
If you really want the highest amount of detail in a far away leaf the FZ80D will get you a lot tighter so that may be the better option for you
You help me a lot. thank you
The FZ330 is exactly the same camera, but the European version, the FZ300 is the US version.
Had my one a year and great for travelling as water and dust resistant.
I got my FZ 300 the year it came out
it is still the best value for money
the constant F2.8 has no match at this price point + Leica lens is sharp
Do you have a time lapse feature on your channel?
I do not! Not yet at least
very good video keep that up ;)
It could be used for streaming? You can charge it while using it?
It is not listed as a feature but I did see someone with a possible solution to stream:
Here is that link:
www.reddit.com/r/Panasonic/comments/j50syx/fz330_fz300_live_hdmi_output_is_possible_for/
The camera does not have built in charging capabilities so an external charger which is supplied, must be used.
@@techtoremember8096 thank you!
Great review!!
Thank you !
I think I might have to check out one of these cameras.
If it's good enough for Paul McCartney then who's to argue with that
Excellent!
I am doing my homework to buy this camera. You did a fine job! Any alternatives would be appreciated in your review of this comment.
Hello there. Thank you for the comment! I find that this camera is so special that for the price point, it really is the best that I've seen. I highly recommend it! Another low price alternative is the Sony HX-400v which I reviewed however it does not record in 4K and is discontinued so you would have to get one used. Best of luck!
@@techtoremember8096 Yep. I bought it after reading your response on Amazon. Also ACDSEE Photo Premium software. Wish me luck as I begin my new hobby! I will be using RAW.
is it possible to directly transfer the images to the phone?
Yes You just need the Panasonic image app
This is currently my go to camera. I am considering doing youtube videos. Is there any other camera under 700 dollars you would recommend? I would be willing to give up up some of the zoom capability if there are other features that beat this camera.
Depending on the type of UA-cam videos you are doing, the FZ300 may not be the best choice since its autofocus sometimes misses. For a great autofocus camera you may want to consider the Sony ZV-1 which is designed for content creators. Right around $700 and the autofocus is top notch.
Wow thank you so much for the quick response. How is that cameras photo capability. I am looking for something that is good all around.
its excellent! i have many examples in my video showing photo samples and it is really good
@@techtoremember8096 thank you I'll check out that video
does the PANASONIC Lumix DMC-FZ300 LEICA accepts external flash?
Yes you can use an external flash but there also is a built in flash
Can i do sports photography like running with it?
You could But there’s no gimbal so may be a little shaky
I got the fz300 and i love it
👍
My 300 is still going good after 6 years of use. I would not part with it. Good review. 👍👍
Thank you ! Glad to hear
I love mine fz300
Great video,thanks for share.
Thank you for the comment !
is it possible streaming?
yes
Please, send us a FZ 330 review :D
Hello i am.starter, living very close the airport, i wanna shoot aircraft photo due to obsession with planes:) from my house which is on hill range is 5 km,i mean from the house to runway,pls advise me which camera can take good shoot,budget is Max 1300 usd or Euro,thks❤
There are quite a few good options of cameras which I reviewed. You can go with the Nikon P950 or P1000 the Panasonic FZ300, (zoom isnt as long as the Nikons) but still a very good camera or even the Canon SX70. All these cameras currently can be bought new and fall into your budget. You can watch my reviews and pick the one you like. Thanks
Great Video , cheers , subscribed . 👍👍👍👍👍😊
Thank you !
Thanks for the reply too @@techtoremember8096
Startling good camera..if you know how to use it!
Isn't there a hack to get around the 30 min record limit?
there might be but you have to be know what you're doing or else it could mess up the camera.
What does he mean by maximum 30 mins video recording?
It means the camera will stop recording after 30 minutes and create the file. If you want to record more, you have to press record again and it will record for another 30 minutes
Hi. New sub here. Really enjoyed the review. I’m looking for a decent budget-friendly camera for my son, who’s into plane spotting. From your review, this camera sounds like a good fit, but I’d like to know if you’d recommend it for casual plane spotting. Thanks!
Hi there welcome aboard! (as they say on a plane) . Good question you pose. 600mm gets you close for sure but have you considered the Panasonic FZ80? ( I have a review on that one) which gives you double the reach of the FZ300 or the Nikon P1000 or P950 ..2 excellent options as well with even more reach and a better lens and better image quality. Naturally the Nikon's are in a higher price range and are bigger, the FZ80 is much cheaper and has some usability issues but delivers decent results with the right light and gets you very close. The Sony Hx400v is also a great unit (discontinued) but you can get it second hand with excellent image quality and a 1200mm zoom! so you have quite a few choices depending on your budget. You mentioned it as casual plane spotting in your comment so the FZ300 certainly might be good enough with a 600mm reach. I really do like that cameras as an all around performer and the price is right for sure.Thanks for your comment.
@@techtoremember8096Thank you very much for the suggestions and taking the time to write a detailed response. Will definitely check out the other cameras. Cheers!
I'm really surprised by this camera. I have M4/3 cameras and a 1inch sensor. But, I thought this camera performed better than the RX10. And it is certainly better than a smartphone. And most people only use their phones. Looks like a good camera, even though it has a tiny sensor, but the constant 2.8 might compensate a bit in lower light.
Absolutely ! It surprised me too !
@@techtoremember8096 Plus the constant F2.8!! Might get one for birding. It's certainly cheaper than getting a zoom for my M4/3. Plus, the lens would be slower.
@@Lepewhi I find mine isn't sharp enough for my tastes when taking bird pics, especially at 2.8. I have some nice ones but mainly in good light. The problem is you have to get close because you can't crop much. My panasonic 100-300 lens is sharper and i can crop in a lot more.
Its doable and a great camera and more versatile but you can't beat putting a lens on the M43 camera.
I bought mine used from MPB and its been great.
@@dobberstebson4626 Actually, that's the lens I'm considering. Do you think that's too front heavy for a GX9?
the best value for money camera for birding and not only. f2.8 in full range, 12fps in raw, fast buffering, 30fps in 4k photo, very sharp, light and affordable. surpassed only by the rx10iv but at more than 3x its price.
I'm still using my FZ80. You just can't beat the superzoom for the price as a decent upgrade would probably set you back over a $1000 to see a real improvement
I bought the FZ 300 as soon as it came out locally - as I was looking at the FZ 200 only to be wowed by the FZ300 - yes I am a novice birder and been learnt photography with this great gem . as most bridge cameras go - this FZ 300 is one of the few that keep a constant fast 2.8 all the way - main reason for buying
from a birding point of view ( someone whom walks alot looking for birds/wild life ) there is no other camera at this price and weight that could ever compete - Canon /Nikon/Sony bridge cameras - some have much more zoom (Nikon P1000 = 3000mm ) Canon HS 60 or 70 have 1350mm - however at full extension the lens slows down massively - due to tiny sensor size one must have the fastest lens possible - especially in low light
my photos have been used many times as banners for the websites I post
yes true there are a few things not perfect with the FZ 300 but these are worth it
old expression comes to mind - one gets what one pays for (plus more on the FZ 300 )
I will advice this camera for any beginner or novice or any wild life photographer - have no experience on landscape /street photography or portrait photography so cannot say about this - sport or wild life - it is a beast :-)
Great to hear ! I was so surprised after testing this camera it’s a real find and I can totally see it’s value for birding Thanks for sharing your input
@@techtoremember8096 great video you made
Thank you !
I bought one today used from my local Facebook marketplace for CAD $300 / USD $223 in excellent condition.
Do you guys think it’s a great price? It comes with all accessories and its box.
That’s a great deal ! Hopefully it works well
Fz300 Vs SX70HS ?
I think the 300 wins hands down,. There were too many issues I didnt like about the SX70
So the stabilization that only works in the poorer1080 mode is completely useless? just looks like a good thing when browsing through the sales brochure? a sales trick that in reality only disappoints ?
I would not say completely useless -a small improvement over 4k but nothing extreme Yes companies always exaggerate!
@@techtoremember8096 But if it doesnt support stabilization in 4k I just cant see its point if its only usable to get fuzzy 1080p! Maybe I'm missing something here? but who wants fuzzy stabilized 1080 from a 4k camera? is this the elephant in the room? or have I got it all wrong? will any stabilization occur when shooting in 4k mode?
Let me clarify : the cameras both support stabilization jn 4k and 1080p
Both cameras do a good job in both modes -I have examples in my video at full telephoto hand holding shots to demonstrate the stabilization Please check it out If there were no stabilization the video would be incredibly shaky and unusable because they are very zoomed in and it’s almost impossible to shoot like that )handheld without stabilization and get usable results -the stabilization is not perfect and not like the camera is on a gimbal but I would say there are about up to todays standards
@@techtoremember8096 Thanks👌
Rabbit out here like Big Chungus.
Sarbo Dylan coming in like a vaccum cleaning Mr Bungle!
Yeah, when the light is good this camera is okay as long as you don't look at the detail. At ISO 400 and above though, it's really bad. I mean, really really bad.. I took a photo in a room with the light on and was really disappointed how aggressive the noise reduction was. Looks like an image from a 20 year old 3 megapixel point and shoot. Turn the noise reduction down to -4 and it gets slightly better.
Hi there. Yes unfortunately these small sensors are limited that way. By turning the noise reduction down don't you find sharpness also drops along with it? Its a compromise for sure!
If the shooter wants a high iso silky clean image straight from the camera, FZ300 is probably not for you.
She is not a high end model.
Thanks