When considering the price to performance ratio on these cameras, the FZ82 is an all around better candidate for its value. This is the video that convinced me on my purchase. I've been researching all day. Thank you for this great comparison!
I have a G7. I'm not a professional photographer, just an enthusiast. Honestly I'd much rather buy the FZ80/82 than a long range lens. Great video comparison!
Great video. This has given me a great insight in to buying my next Camera. This model certainly packs one hell of a lot of spec for such a fantastic price. Now at Jessops UK for £200. Cheapest around.
great job! I once brought a 1/2.3 sensor TZ60 and sold it next week for his poor low light ability. Yet, I still thought that FZ80 is usable for video with it long range and 4K, hope a comparison between them in low light situation so I could decide to buy which set among them
The Fz80 is has a minimum aperture of F6.3 at maximum zoom. It also crops the sensor slightly to obtain the extended zoom range. So these are going to limit its use in low light. The Fz300 would be better because it is F2.8 at all focal lengths. I've have publishing a low light test for the FZ330 camera here ua-cam.com/video/ZceKuSI3ic4/v-deo.html
Kudos to Panasonic Lumix... these are great cameras. I think the FZ series is oustanding. I hope yo could review the FZ1000. It is like the FZ300 but with a bigger sensor (1" if i remember well)
Paul Knowles The G7 also seems to manage a crisper image. But by the time you've forked out the cash for the 100-400 lens, you'll have spent a fair bit more than for the other two all-in-one cameras, so when it comes to budget options, Is to for the FZ330/300"seems the best compromise, it is also weather sealed.
just noticed that you wrote the minimum focal length of the fz82 as 28mm. its 20mm, which puts it ahead in terms of wideangle compared to other superzoom bridgecameras since almost all of them start at 24mm
Hi, thanks for this video. It was a very useful comparison. I'm looking for a camera or camcorder for wildlife videos, on top of my DSLR. FZ82(80) seems to be an interesting choice as the quality of footage looks nice. Can I ask what ND variable filter do you recommend? This dragon fly was lovely. I need a similiar set for my videos. Thanks, Bart
The main issue with the Fz82 is the lack of microphone input. The built-in mic is fine but it does limit its options. But for the money it is still amazing. Personally I like the Hoya variable ND filter. It has very little impact on image quality, it does alter the colour slightly but less that some of the other brands. It is also the same width as the lens, so you can still use a lens hood. I have mentioned it before, but they are ridiculously expensive, you can buy a lens for the same money. But so far, I haven’t found a cheap one that is as good.
Thanks for putting this together! I wonder about purchasing the Panasonic 100-300mm lens (as I have a G85), or simply picking up the FZ80/82 instead for nature/bird stuff. Looks like a new FZ80/82 is actually less money than a used 100-300. Anyone have thoughts? Thanks!
If you primarily take video then the Fz80/82 would be worth considering. However if you take photos then the G85 with a 100-300 would be a better - the picture quality will be much cleaner and less processed. You will also benefit from dual image stabilisation if you get the newer version. I have used 100-300 with a G7 and found it capable of producing very good quality shots. In a side-by-side test you are unlikely to see the difference between it and the 100-400. The advantage that the 100-400 has it that it is capable of delivery sharp results at all apertures whereas with the 100-300 you need to find the sweet spot for the focal length that you are using. The Fz82 has a limited aperture range to f5.9 to f8. Despite this and the smaller chip size I have been impressed with the image quality that it can deliver. I originally wondered if the limited aperture of F5.9 would be an issue but it hasn’t been. It has a minimum ISO of 80 and appears to be able to produce good results up to about 200 ISO. The biggest limitations of this camera is the lack of a microphone input, a flip out LCD and a lens hood. But, since I bought the Fz82 I haven’t used my G7 with 100-400.
Thank you for your full response! That gives me some very good food for thought. Your last statement is very telling - but then, I suppose if you wanted to do stills, it would be a different story! Right now I use the very budget friendly Olympus 40-150 F/4-5.6 as my telephoto option and I'm yearning for better wildlife reach. Anyway, thank you for your help. It tempers my enthusiasm for the FZ82 just a bit, but the price is so good. At any rate, keep making beautiful nature videos. They're a joy to watch!
I have the G7 with the 100-300 lens. I have taken some good shots. The G85 and G9 are stabilized in the body, too. I just do stills with backyard birds and some sea scapes. The 14-140 lens works well.
Great video especially when the pic of the signpost in Norfolk shows up! Ha! I was back home there last year at this time (July 2016). Yes, no external microphone jack on a camera capable of 4K video is just not playing the game. But it seems that camera makers include and exclude features willy nilly throughout their range having no concern at all for the customer. It has a touch screen but it is not tiltable let alone fully articulating. Grrrrrr! Still, I might get one for birding.
I’m guessing it was a deliberate decision to leave off the mic jack so you have to buy the more expensive models. It does limit its usage which is annoying but it is still amazing value.
Ok, so what is the next Panasonic up the ladder that has a microphone socket and a fully articulating touch screen together with around the same zoom capabilities (1200mm), 4K and preferably an eye sensor for the viewfinder?
Hi there! Thank you for sharing. Really well done. I really want to buy the lumix dc-fz82. Do you know if is possible to use a external microphone adapter with a micro usb to 3.5ml jack. Or there is a better way to do this. Because I want to record and have good sound quality. Thank you so much.
Apologies for the late response to your question. I’m not aware of a way to use an external microphone with the Fz82. The built in sound is not bad and I have used it on a number of occasions. It might look silly but a bit of fake fur over the mic inputs helps to reduce wind noise. Using an external recorder is another option. Programs like Adobe Premiere pro will sync audio automatically.
@@DiscoverNature That's fine. I already have the lumix and I'm completely satisfied with her. I bought one used from a photographer that used the camera four a job he had only 50 shoots. (whit a fantastic price too) Yes the mic is fine, do you have how do you put the fake fur on the mic or what material do you use? One thing that I admire in the mic. Is when you are recording far away, when you zoom it the camera make zoom whit the mic too.
I hope your getting on okay with your FZ82. Apologies for not replying. On the FZ82 the optical range of the zoom changes with the aspect ratio of the image. So, if the camera is set to take 4:3 photos the zoom range will be 20-1200mm. If it is recording a 16:9 video it will be 28-1680mm.
@@DiscoverNature Oh I see ! I only took photos at the moment and not much because of the weather but thanks for replying. I love your videos btw, really beautiful composition.
Well, if you need to crop, you'd better off with the FZ80/82. The FZ300 has better aperture (F2.8) but half the reach and the same tiny sensor, so cropping is not an option. None of them is actually usable in low light, in daylight you're not shooting at 2.8, and the then reach is better than aperture.
The fz1000 is a big camera even for an adult to hold. A camera like Panasonic Fz330 would be better, it has all the features of the more expensive cameras and it is smaller. You could consider a Nikon B500 which is very similar but should be less expensive. Even smaller is the Panasonic TZ70 compact, they still have all of the features anyone will need, has an incredible zoom, image stabilisation, but maybe not quite as robust, but can be slipped into a pocket.
Sure, the Fz82 is a very capable camera, I use it for most of my videos. It is an outstanding camera for the money. I hope they get a lot of enjoyment out of using it.
are the fz82 better as the fz300 ? The fz300 have 2.8 thats great and tje 180° Display. But i have green fail in the Videos... I will sold my fz300 and buy the fz82.. But the camera have no 180° Display. But he have more zoom.
Although I haven’t tried one and I can’t see why they wouldn’t be able to produce similar results to the FZ330 and Fz82. I recently considered buying one to use when I’m out for a walk, the only issue was the lack of stabilisation when shooting 4k video. If I get one I will post some results.
What do you think is a better all-around setup? FZ82 + another camera w/ prime lens or is the 100-400 worth the extra money? (almost double cost realistically).
First apologies for the delay in replying, I don’t appear to get notified anymore when someone leaves a comment. It depends on whether you want to take photos or shoot video and your subject. If you are not already using a mft camera like the Panasonic G7 or G80 then I would not look at buying the 100-400 until you happy that format of camera. Better to try one of these cameras with a kit lens first and see how you get on. The bridge cameras like the Panasonic F82 and the Fz300 offer a lot of camera for the money and are best all-rounders. They will be fine for the casual photographer and have great video great quality. They are also incredible value for money.
thankyou very much for all of the work in this. Most helpful. I love sharpness, so the G7 with 100-400mm lens is the sharpest - but this combination costs AU$2,700. FZ80(82) is AU$600. So is the G7 4.5X sharper than a FZ80? Hmm. I must decide how much I like photography.. But I tend to think that if I had either camera I would be happy at this stage. Perhaps the difference is that I can be happy with the FZ80 while standing 50m further away from a bird
Hi Edwin. There is a big difference in cost and it’s remarkable what you get for the money with some of the low cost cameras. Although I do think the difference in image quality between the cameras will be more noticeable when taking photos than with video. I originally intended to take photos as well but completely forgot! If people are interested I will do a comparison of photos - should be interesting especially when enlarged.
Yes, please do that if you have time. Panasonic and Sony seem to have the video world tied up.. even with the little FZ80. It's time Nikon realized there's this thing called the internet and made 4K standard in their cameras. I'd guess that the stills of a FZ80 give good resolution (if focused) up to a 24"x36"print with editing. Certainly good for UA-cam, Pinterest and Flicker.. in this way sharpness and the ability to focus seems to matter more than sensor size with current technology (except for low light situations of course, but I've never felt the need to take photos in the dark..). Ownership pride plays a large part of course, so a G7 with the Panasonic 100-400 sure is desirable.. also becoming the wildlife combo preferred by professionals due to it's "carryability".. if such a word exists. But in the end, your skill in Lightroom determines the technical outcome as much as anything. Somewhere in there is that little thing called artistic ability. This of course can't be sold so is never marketed. :) Your video of the wading bird (species?) standing on one leg on a log preening itself.. in itself rather interesting.. so you choose an angle where the water and birds behind are distant and so out of focus and isolating the subject.. the water has a certain colour that enhances the image somehow.. plus that lovely glint of sunlight. And yet enough foreground light to make the plumage stand out. These things may be intuative to an artistic photographer, and yet there are very many images on UA-cam of poorly framed, lit and composed boring subjects with virtually no contrast. It makes me cringe to think of the $$$ spent to obtain such incompetent images
Hi, I have upload a quick test comparing the photo quality of the three Panasonic cameras. As you will see in the video, viewed full screen there is little difference between them. However zoom in and the differences become clearer. As you have said, if your photos are only ever viewed online then any of these of cameras will be suitable. But if you plan to crop your photos then the G7 would be a better choice. You can view the new test here ua-cam.com/video/cg0rMStVgOk/v-deo.html Thanks again for your comments.
Hi Alex. Are you asking the question which is better? This would be the one that is more suitable to your requirements (or budget). The Fz330 is a better all-rounder. Although it doesn’t have the long telephoto zoom of the Fz82 it has better image quality at wide angle and the mid zoom range. It is F2.8 at all focal lengths whereas the Fz82 has an aperture range of F2.8 to F5.9 - so at maximum zoom in low light the ISO on the Fz80 will increase and add noise. If you shoot with the FZ82 in good light then it won’t be an issue. When recording with the internal mics, both cameras will pick up the sound of the zoom and the camera focusing when using autofocus. The Fz330 has the option to add an external microphone which prevent these noises from being recorded. However, the audio on the FZ80 will be fine for casual recordings. If you need the extra zoom range of the Fz82 then it is capable of very good results at longer focal lengths. Despite its limitations the FZ82 is the camera that I am currently using for the majority of my videos. I cannot fault the handling either, but it is vulnerable to wind vibration although this is to be expected at such long focal lengths.
@@DiscoverNature Hello, I like your videos. I recently bought fz300, I was hesitating between fz82 and fz300, I noticed that it has a good video quality but for the pictures it's rather average I would say. Well they're good but I thought they'd be better. Am lacking a lot of settings still I guess. The biggest issue is the focus, on Ai mode it doesn't focus easily when I zoom too much. On manual mode it's a bit hard to focus too but I can still manage in some situations. As for macro I didn't succeed to get a very closed image of an insect, big deal with the focus-zoom, If you have any settings for that, that would be great. Like which iso, mode, 2.8 or 4.0....etc? Another question how can we import from 4k to 1080 p? And do we need to film using a card u3 if we film in 4k or a normal card could work too. Sorry if am asking too many questions. Hope you'll answer when you have time. But overall, fz300 is rather a good camera. It's my first and am rather impressed by the video quality, a bit less by the pictures quality. Thanks in advance.
Hopefully this will answer some of your queries.Both Panasonics produce better video quality than they do photos. But it really depends on what size you view the images. View them full screen and they should be fine, zoom in and you start to see the image processing. A weakness of the Panasonics is their focusing. Fast when taking photos but slow when filming and this still hasn’t been resolved in the later and more expensive models. I prefer to use AFS and choose my focus point on the LCD. But with moving subjects, AFC may be better. For recording 4k you do need at least a class 10 card and ideally a u3 and a write speed of 60Mb/s. It will work with standard class 10 cards but you may experience the occasional write error. You should be able import 4k directly into a 1080 video timeline without the need to recode it.Regarding settings, I got mixed results at f2.8, sometimes in focus, sometimes not - so I always stopped down to at least f4, which gave me the sharpest results. I try and keep the ISO as low as possible. I use a standard colour profile. I change the LCD screen to have a luminance of 2* and switch on ‘constant preview’ which gives a more accurate view of the exposure. I don’t use macro, the depth of field is too shallow! You will get better results from moving further from the subject and using the zoom. Good luck with your filming, I hope this helps.
@@DiscoverNature thanks so much for answering. I'll give it a try with f4 for both photos and videos, will see. And will try to switch between all the modes to see which one could be better. I'm more using SNC and Ai, and sometimes A too. I could share some of my pics or videos and you might say if they are " rather good or not " or what's missing...if you don't mind.
I bought the fz82 and sold it the next day. It is basicaly like your smartphone with that 60x zoom lens. The controls / interface is very hard to get used to. It doesnt even have a focus ring...the only thing this camera is good at is zooming and nothing else...
The FZ82 has most of the features that its far more expensive Panasonic siblings do. It has the same menu layout, same button layout and custom settings. The only features that it doesn’t have is a flip out screen, a microphone input and lens hood. A couple of years ago a camera with these features would cost a £1000 or more. It doesn’t have a manual focus ring, instead it uses buttons on the back which work better than the wheel on the fz330. It has focus peaking in manual focus and will enlarge the area you are focusing on. It also has touch focus capability, allowing you to use the LCD screen to select what you want to be in focus. But if you want to keep it simple then put the camera in iA mode and it will do everything for you. The minimum aperture of f6.3 isn’t great at maximum zoom but then how many camera have a zoom of 1680mm anyway! It's not going to be suitable for everyone, so I would suggest if anyone that is unsure they go to a shop and try one before they buy it.
Gun Dude, I am sorry that you are incapable of reading a manual. I am mentally handicapped and am able to use this camera, although I do have to use it a great deal to keep my memory refreshed. There is no way a smart phone can do this ua-cam.com/video/Yw4kNMW9CjQ/v-deo.html
When considering the price to performance ratio on these cameras, the FZ82 is an all around better candidate for its value. This is the video that convinced me on my purchase. I've been researching all day. Thank you for this great comparison!
I have a G7. I'm not a professional photographer, just an enthusiast.
Honestly I'd much rather buy the FZ80/82 than a long range lens. Great video comparison!
i like the colors of the fz82. the zoom is just awesome. nice comparison 👍🏻
Thank you! It was clear and convincing...
I have bought Panasonic FZ80/82 :-)
Brilliant comparisons! The FZ82 appears to be great value for what it can do.
It's amazing how close the FZ82 comes to much more expensive options. Plus you have the extended zoom and 4K video and fairly compact size.
Great video. This has given me a great insight in to buying my next Camera. This model certainly packs one hell of a lot of spec for such a fantastic price. Now at Jessops UK for £200. Cheapest around.
For the price, which is laughable, FZ82 kicks ass and takes names.
I've just bought this, and am really getting some good pics from it. Very happy.
great job! I once brought a 1/2.3 sensor TZ60 and sold it next week for his poor low light ability. Yet, I still thought that FZ80 is usable for video with it long range and 4K, hope a comparison between them in low light situation so I could decide to buy which set among them
The Fz80 is has a minimum aperture of F6.3 at maximum zoom. It also crops the sensor slightly to obtain the extended zoom range. So these are going to limit its use in low light. The Fz300 would be better because it is F2.8 at all focal lengths. I've have publishing a low light test for the FZ330 camera here ua-cam.com/video/ZceKuSI3ic4/v-deo.html
Have to agree with Euji J, FZ330 is the value camera and is getting my money, thanks for the video, much appreciated.
Kudos to Panasonic Lumix... these are great cameras. I think the FZ series is oustanding. I hope yo could review the FZ1000. It is like the FZ300 but with a bigger sensor (1" if i remember well)
Great comparison, thanks for that.
Very nice comparison and review of the FZ80/82.
The G7 appears to have a greater Dynamic range. Makes it better for editing. Nice examples. Good work.
Paul Knowles The G7 also seems to manage a crisper image. But by the time you've forked out the cash for the 100-400 lens, you'll have spent a fair bit more than for the other two all-in-one cameras, so when it comes to budget options, Is to for the FZ330/300"seems the best compromise, it is also weather sealed.
just noticed that you wrote the minimum focal length of the fz82 as 28mm. its 20mm, which puts it ahead in terms of wideangle compared to other superzoom bridgecameras since almost all of them start at 24mm
Great video!So seems fz300 still remain a good choise!
Hi, thanks for this video. It was a very useful comparison. I'm looking for a camera or camcorder for wildlife videos, on top of my DSLR. FZ82(80) seems to be an interesting choice as the quality of footage looks nice. Can I ask what ND variable filter do you recommend? This dragon fly was lovely. I need a similiar set for my videos. Thanks, Bart
The main issue with the Fz82 is the lack of microphone input. The built-in mic is fine but it does limit its options. But for the money it is still amazing.
Personally I like the Hoya variable ND filter. It has very little impact on image quality, it does alter the colour slightly but less that some of the other brands. It is also the same width as the lens, so you can still use a lens hood. I have mentioned it before, but they are ridiculously expensive, you can buy a lens for the same money. But so far, I haven’t found a cheap one that is as good.
Thanks for putting this together! I wonder about purchasing the Panasonic 100-300mm lens (as I have a G85), or simply picking up the FZ80/82 instead for nature/bird stuff. Looks like a new FZ80/82 is actually less money than a used 100-300. Anyone have thoughts? Thanks!
If you primarily take video then the Fz80/82 would be worth considering. However if you take photos then the G85 with a 100-300 would be a better - the picture quality will be much cleaner and less processed. You will also benefit from dual image stabilisation if you get the newer version.
I have used 100-300 with a G7 and found it capable of producing very good quality shots. In a side-by-side test you are unlikely to see the difference between it and the 100-400. The advantage that the 100-400 has it that it is capable of delivery sharp results at all apertures whereas with the 100-300 you need to find the sweet spot for the focal length that you are using.
The Fz82 has a limited aperture range to f5.9 to f8. Despite this and the smaller chip size I have been impressed with the image quality that it can deliver. I originally wondered if the limited aperture of F5.9 would be an issue but it hasn’t been. It has a minimum ISO of 80 and appears to be able to produce good results up to about 200 ISO. The biggest limitations of this camera is the lack of a microphone input, a flip out LCD and a lens hood.
But, since I bought the Fz82 I haven’t used my G7 with 100-400.
Thank you for your full response! That gives me some very good food for thought. Your last statement is very telling - but then, I suppose if you wanted to do stills, it would be a different story! Right now I use the very budget friendly Olympus 40-150 F/4-5.6 as my telephoto option and I'm yearning for better wildlife reach. Anyway, thank you for your help. It tempers my enthusiasm for the FZ82 just a bit, but the price is so good. At any rate, keep making beautiful nature videos. They're a joy to watch!
I have the G7 with the 100-300 lens. I have taken some good shots. The G85 and G9 are stabilized in the body, too. I just do stills with backyard birds and some sea scapes. The 14-140 lens works well.
Thanks for this excellent comparison video ! New Subscriber !!!
Great video especially when the pic of the signpost in Norfolk shows up! Ha!
I was back home there last year at this time (July 2016).
Yes, no external microphone jack on a camera capable of 4K video is just not playing the game.
But it seems that camera makers include and exclude features willy nilly throughout their range having no concern at all for the customer. It has a touch screen but it is not tiltable let alone fully articulating. Grrrrrr!
Still, I might get one for birding.
I’m guessing it was a deliberate decision to leave off the mic jack so you have to buy the more expensive models. It does limit its usage which is annoying but it is still amazing value.
Ok, so what is the next Panasonic up the ladder that has a microphone socket and a fully articulating touch screen together with around the same zoom capabilities (1200mm), 4K and preferably an eye sensor for the viewfinder?
Amazing, thank you!
Nice clear comparison. What brand of variable ND filter do you use/recommend?
hey man what a cool job your review is good
Why when I record with this camera the video quality is fuzzy
Thanks - simply an excellent video -
Hi there! Thank you for sharing. Really well done. I really want to buy the lumix dc-fz82. Do you know if is possible to use a external microphone adapter with a micro usb to 3.5ml jack. Or there is a better way to do this. Because I want to record and have good sound quality. Thank you so much.
Apologies for the late response to your question. I’m not aware of a way to use an external microphone with the Fz82. The built in sound is not bad and I have used it on a number of occasions. It might look silly but a bit of fake fur over the mic inputs helps to reduce wind noise. Using an external recorder is another option. Programs like Adobe Premiere pro will sync audio automatically.
@@DiscoverNature That's fine. I already have the lumix and I'm completely satisfied with her. I bought one used from a photographer that used the camera four a job he had only 50 shoots. (whit a fantastic price too) Yes the mic is fine, do you have how do you put the fake fur on the mic or what material do you use? One thing that I admire in the mic. Is when you are recording far away, when you zoom it the camera make zoom whit the mic too.
Hello, I just got the Lumix FZ82 but I don't understand how do you get 1680mm ? The maximum zoom I can get is 1200mm.
I hope your getting on okay with your FZ82. Apologies for not replying.
On the FZ82 the optical range of the zoom changes with the aspect ratio of the image. So, if the camera is set to take 4:3 photos the zoom range will be 20-1200mm. If it is recording a 16:9 video it will be 28-1680mm.
@@DiscoverNature Oh I see ! I only took photos at the moment and not much because of the weather but thanks for replying. I love your videos btw, really beautiful composition.
Well, if you need to crop, you'd better off with the FZ80/82. The FZ300 has better aperture (F2.8) but half the reach and the same tiny sensor, so cropping is not an option. None of them is actually usable in low light, in daylight you're not shooting at 2.8, and the then reach is better than aperture.
Which of these would you buy for an 8yr old wanting to learn photography? (inc. FZ1000 as well) Thanks
The fz1000 is a big camera even for an adult to hold. A camera like Panasonic Fz330 would be better, it has all the features of the more expensive cameras and it is smaller. You could consider a Nikon B500 which is very similar but should be less expensive. Even smaller is the Panasonic TZ70 compact, they still have all of the features anyone will need, has an incredible zoom, image stabilisation, but maybe not quite as robust, but can be slipped into a pocket.
@@DiscoverNature thanks, picked up an fz82 for £180 from Panasonic, fz330 is £300. Do you think this will be OK?
Sure, the Fz82 is a very capable camera, I use it for most of my videos. It is an outstanding camera for the money. I hope they get a lot of enjoyment out of using it.
is it better than the canon powershot 530 ?
are the fz82 better as the fz300 ?
The fz300 have 2.8 thats great and tje 180° Display.
But i have green fail in the Videos...
I will sold my fz300 and buy the fz82..
But the camera have no 180° Display. But he have more zoom.
Can you have the lens hood and a filter on at the same time on the FZ300?
Yes, you can. The hood is bayonet fitting and attaches to the lens, allowing several 52mm filters to fit inside. Sorry for the delay in replying.
@@DiscoverNature It's all good, thanks.
fz1000 vs fz330 vs fz82 or stick to mirrorless?
Nice test!
Does it have a 55mm thread for filters?
The Fz82 takes 55mm filters, but it doesn't have lens hood.
what do you think about the pocket ranges, Panasonic Tz80 and Tz90? Can they produce similar results?
Although I haven’t tried one and I can’t see why they wouldn’t be able to produce similar results to the FZ330 and Fz82. I recently considered buying one to use when I’m out for a walk, the only issue was the lack of stabilisation when shooting 4k video. If I get one I will post some results.
does the g7 have the live cropping feature like the fz80 ??
No the G7 does not have this feature, but the G85 does. On both the G85 and Fz80 it creates a 1080 25fps recording from the 4k preview.
What do you think is a better all-around setup? FZ82 + another camera w/ prime lens or is the 100-400 worth the extra money? (almost double cost realistically).
First apologies for the delay in replying, I don’t appear to get notified anymore when someone leaves a comment. It depends on whether you want to take photos or shoot video and your subject. If you are not already using a mft camera like the Panasonic G7 or G80 then I would not look at buying the 100-400 until you happy that format of camera. Better to try one of these cameras with a kit lens first and see how you get on. The bridge cameras like the Panasonic F82 and the Fz300 offer a lot of camera for the money and are best all-rounders. They will be fine for the casual photographer and have great video great quality. They are also incredible value for money.
Thanks for video it`s helped me make choose.
Had bought a used one an year & a half back. For INR 27K. That was ~$ 350.
Wasn't offered by Panasonic over here.
thankyou very much for all of the work in this. Most helpful. I love sharpness, so the G7 with 100-400mm lens is the sharpest - but this combination costs AU$2,700. FZ80(82) is AU$600. So is the G7 4.5X sharper than a FZ80? Hmm. I must decide how much I like photography.. But I tend to think that if I had either camera I would be happy at this stage. Perhaps the difference is that I can be happy with the FZ80 while standing 50m further away from a bird
Hi Edwin. There is a big difference in cost and it’s remarkable what you get for the money with some of the low cost cameras. Although I do think the difference in image quality between the cameras will be more noticeable when taking photos than with video. I originally intended to take photos as well but completely forgot! If people are interested I will do a comparison of photos - should be interesting especially when enlarged.
Yes, please do that if you have time. Panasonic and Sony seem to have the video world tied up.. even with the little FZ80. It's time Nikon realized there's this thing called the internet and made 4K standard in their cameras. I'd guess that the stills of a FZ80 give good resolution (if focused) up to a 24"x36"print with editing. Certainly good for UA-cam, Pinterest and Flicker.. in this way sharpness and the ability to focus seems to matter more than sensor size with current technology (except for low light situations of course, but I've never felt the need to take photos in the dark..). Ownership pride plays a large part of course, so a G7 with the Panasonic 100-400 sure is desirable.. also becoming the wildlife combo preferred by professionals due to it's "carryability".. if such a word exists. But in the end, your skill in Lightroom determines the technical outcome as much as anything. Somewhere in there is that little thing called artistic ability. This of course can't be sold so is never marketed. :) Your video of the wading bird (species?) standing on one leg on a log preening itself.. in itself rather interesting.. so you choose an angle where the water and birds behind are distant and so out of focus and isolating the subject.. the water has a certain colour that enhances the image somehow.. plus that lovely glint of sunlight. And yet enough foreground light to make the plumage stand out. These things may be intuative to an artistic photographer, and yet there are very many images on UA-cam of poorly framed, lit and composed boring subjects with virtually no contrast. It makes me cringe to think of the $$$ spent to obtain such incompetent images
Hi, I have upload a quick test comparing the photo quality of the three Panasonic cameras. As you will see in the video, viewed full screen there is little difference between them. However zoom in and the differences become clearer. As you have said, if your photos are only ever viewed online then any of these of cameras will be suitable. But if you plan to crop your photos then the G7 would be a better choice. You can view the new test here ua-cam.com/video/cg0rMStVgOk/v-deo.html Thanks again for your comments.
EHB, FZ80 is now only $499 from DigiDirect in Australia with free delivery.
Fz 82 or fz 300?
Hi Alex. Are you asking the question which is better?
This would be the one that is more suitable to your requirements (or budget). The Fz330 is a better all-rounder. Although it doesn’t have the long telephoto zoom of the Fz82 it has better image quality at wide angle and the mid zoom range. It is F2.8 at all focal lengths whereas the Fz82 has an aperture range of F2.8 to F5.9 - so at maximum zoom in low light the ISO on the Fz80 will increase and add noise. If you shoot with the FZ82 in good light then it won’t be an issue.
When recording with the internal mics, both cameras will pick up the sound of the zoom and the camera focusing when using autofocus. The Fz330 has the option to add an external microphone which prevent these noises from being recorded. However, the audio on the FZ80 will be fine for casual recordings.
If you need the extra zoom range of the Fz82 then it is capable of very good results at longer focal lengths. Despite its limitations the FZ82 is the camera that I am currently using for the majority of my videos. I cannot fault the handling either, but it is vulnerable to wind vibration although this is to be expected at such long focal lengths.
@@DiscoverNature Hello, I like your videos. I recently bought fz300, I was hesitating between fz82 and fz300, I noticed that it has a good video quality but for the pictures it's rather average I would say. Well they're good but I thought they'd be better. Am lacking a lot of settings still I guess. The biggest issue is the focus, on Ai mode it doesn't focus easily when I zoom too much. On manual mode it's a bit hard to focus too but I can still manage in some situations. As for macro I didn't succeed to get a very closed image of an insect, big deal with the focus-zoom, If you have any settings for that, that would be great. Like which iso, mode, 2.8 or 4.0....etc?
Another question how can we import from 4k to 1080 p? And do we need to film using a card u3 if we film in 4k or a normal card could work too. Sorry if am asking too many questions. Hope you'll answer when you have time.
But overall, fz300 is rather a good camera. It's my first and am rather impressed by the video quality, a bit less by the pictures quality. Thanks in advance.
Hopefully this will answer some of your queries.Both Panasonics produce better video quality than they do photos. But it really depends on what size you view the images. View them full screen and they should be fine, zoom in and you start to see the image processing. A weakness of the Panasonics is their focusing. Fast when taking photos but slow when filming and this still hasn’t been resolved in the later and more expensive models. I prefer to use AFS and choose my focus point on the LCD. But with moving subjects, AFC may be better. For recording 4k you do need at least a class 10 card and ideally a u3 and a write speed of 60Mb/s. It will work with standard class 10 cards but you may experience the occasional write error. You should be able import 4k directly into a 1080 video timeline without the need to recode it.Regarding settings, I got mixed results at f2.8, sometimes in focus, sometimes not - so I always stopped down to at least f4, which gave me the sharpest results. I try and keep the ISO as low as possible. I use a standard colour profile. I change the LCD screen to have a luminance of 2* and switch on ‘constant preview’ which gives a more accurate view of the exposure. I don’t use macro, the depth of field is too shallow! You will get better results from moving further from the subject and using the zoom. Good luck with your filming, I hope this helps.
@@DiscoverNature thanks so much for answering. I'll give it a try with f4 for both photos and videos, will see. And will try to switch between all the modes to see which one could be better. I'm more using SNC and Ai, and sometimes A too.
I could share some of my pics or videos and you might say if they are " rather good or not " or what's missing...if you don't mind.
Yep..I am going to buy Panasonic Lumix FZ80/82 (^o^)／📷
To the untrained eye there's not a lot in it is there?
True, not as much as you might expect given the cost difference between the cheapest and the most expensive.
Maybe next time do low light tests because that's the only reason to use a camera over a smartphone, unless you're talking about professional photos.
I bought the fz82 and sold it the next day. It is basicaly like your smartphone with that 60x zoom lens. The controls / interface is very hard to get used to. It doesnt even have a focus ring...the only thing this camera is good at is zooming and nothing else...
The FZ82 has most of the features that its far more expensive Panasonic siblings do. It has the same menu layout, same button layout and custom settings. The only features that it doesn’t have is a flip out screen, a microphone input and lens hood. A couple of years ago a camera with these features would cost a £1000 or more. It doesn’t have a manual focus ring, instead it uses buttons on the back which work better than the wheel on the fz330. It has focus peaking in manual focus and will enlarge the area you are focusing on. It also has touch focus capability, allowing you to use the LCD screen to select what you want to be in focus.
But if you want to keep it simple then put the camera in iA mode and it will do everything for you.
The minimum aperture of f6.3 isn’t great at maximum zoom but then how many camera have a zoom of 1680mm anyway! It's not going to be suitable for everyone, so I would suggest if anyone that is unsure they go to a shop and try one before they buy it.
haha
Gun Dude, I am sorry that you are incapable of reading a manual. I am mentally handicapped and am able to use this camera, although I do have to use it a great deal to keep my memory refreshed. There is no way a smart phone can do this ua-cam.com/video/Yw4kNMW9CjQ/v-deo.html
G7 win