Customer Reviews

Panasonic Lumix FZ100 14.1MP Digital Camera - Black (3.0 inch TFT LCD Display, LEICA DC Lens with 24x Optical Zoom and Full HD Movie)

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I recently did some volunteer work for the cheetah conservation fund in Namibia and decided i needed a camera with a good zoom, good burst mode and 1080p movie and this camera had the lot.
I had only used a small panasonic pocket camera before.
I don't really understand all the technical aspects of taking a photo, ie. iso/aperature etc, so i left it on the intelligent mode.
Ive just come back and going through the pictures/movies , im so impressed with the results.
To exercise the cheetahs they use a rag tied to a pully system. I got some great burst mode shots - the zoom was quick enough to change as the cheetahs flew by.
But for me, the best bit is watching the movies on my home cinema projector - its so clear.
I would highly recommend this camera for anyone like me, happy just to point and shoot.
It so simple to use - want to take a movie instead of a picture - just press the record button - want to use burst mode - press the burst mode button !
The only downside for me is the software provided with the camera. I use a mac laptop for everything and a pc for just gaming - but some of the software will only work on a pc.
When it came to printing the photos, they were perfect when using the mac, but when using the supplied software on the pc, they came out dark and the colours were dull.
I did make sure the pc had the latest print drivers. So if your going to print on a pc, might be best to use another photo software package.

The FZ100 is an excellent enthusiast's camera, but it is not a point and shoot camera. If you leave it on the admittedly very clever "Intelligent Auto" you will not get the best from it. If you prefer a camera you can leave on "auto" and not have to spend time and effort learning how to use it, save some money and buy the FZ45. Panasonic Lumix FZ45 14.1MP Digital Camera - Black (3.0 inch TFT LCD Display, LEICA DC Lens with 25mm Wide-angle and 24x Optical Zoom) You are paying a premium for a high level of creative control with the FZ100 and you'll need to spend time to get to know it. Anyway, here's my thoughts on the good and bad points about it.

Plus points:-
* It has a fabulous 3" articulated 460,000 pixel screen. This makes manual focussing is a cinch, especially as it implements a snap-zoom to the central portion of the screen when using manual focus. This is the first digital camera I've had (and this is my 7th) where manual focussing is quick, easy and reliable. Low res. screens flatter to deceive and it's great to be able to quickly see if a picture is really sharp. The articulation is something that I'm surprised more cameras don't have. If you photograph everything in the dead centre of the screen, you won't be interested in this feature, but for creative composition, an articulated screen makes changing viewpoint far easier. This articulated screen allows you to flip it round to face the camera for protection when not in use. It also means you don't get a greasy nose-print on your screen when you use the viewfinder. (Note that some cameras, this one for example Sony DSCHX100V Digital Compact Camera, offer a 921,000 pixel screen which is even better.)
* The handling of the camera is superb. Initially, it's all a bit daunting, but that's only because this is such a richly specified camera. The FZ100 is the latest in a long line of cameras that have evolved with subtle improvements to their handling. When you're familiar with it, it's really quite quick to change the settings to suit yourself, but you DO need to learn your way around the camera. I cannot emphasise that enough: This is a complicated camera that requires some time and effort from it's user. Many of the buttons are context-sensitive, so depending on the mode, they do different things. For example depending on the mode set, the [FOCUS] button on the lens barrel can:- 1) Initiate focus zone move/resize, 2) Initiate AF Tracking or 3) Perform momentary auto-focus whilst in manual focus. If you don't have an experiment and play in conjunction with the manual to learn how it all works, you'll miss out on some pretty cool functionality.
* The lens is great: Sharp, quiet and fast. This is a camera with a LONG reach. The 24 optical zoom is supplemented by Extended Optical Zoom, Intelligent Zoom and the ever-unpleasant Digital Zoom. Basically you can get as close as you want.
* This is a fast camera to use. Focussing is fast and reliable and there are a plethora of options to ensure you are always in focus with moving objects. This focussing ability when partnered with the the 11fps stills mode means you can capture the picture you wanted, and not miss it by a fraction of a second. The difference between a great shot and a snap is often just down to timing. If you've ever taken a shot and when reviewing it though "Awww! he's moved just as I took it!", this is a camera you should consider. Remember that when you've shot your 15 frames at 14MP, you have over 80MB of data to write to your memory card, so get a fast card or you'll be left waiting.
* The FZ100 has a filter thread, hotshoe and 2.5mm control port which means it can accommodate a plethora of accessories. Do NOT underestimate the usefulness of these features. Here's what I use with mine:-
First thing to be fitted is a protective UV filter on the front of the lens!
The 52mm 4pc Close-Up Kit Macro Lenses For Nikon D40 D40X D60 & All Other 52mm Lenses in conjunction with the Maxim - Remote shutter release Control Switch cord for Panasonic DMC-FZ100, FZ50, FZ30, FZ20, FZ20K, FZ25, G1, GH1, GH2, G2, G10, GF1, L1, LC1, L10 as DMW-RSL1 & DIGILUX 1, DIGILUX 2, DIGILUX 3, CR-DC1, V-LUX1, V-LUX2. By Maxim Foto Supplies. makes macro work a pleasure, especially with the great screen and manual focussing. And all for under £30.
The Digital King DSW Pro 0.7x Wide Angle Lens Nikon/Pentax 52mm gives you an 18mm wide angle lens and is suprisingly good quality too.
The Panasonic Conversion Lens Adapter for FZ100 and FZ45 allows you to add heavier accessories to the lens without over-loading the zoom mechanism. The adaptor gives you a 55mm front size and handles a suitable tele-convertor Panasonic DMW-LT55E 1.7 x Tele-Conversion Lens For Lumix FZ100, FZ48, FZ45 and FZ38 or, as I have, the NEEWER Macro Ring Flash LED Light for Canon 1Ds,5D,7D,30D,40D,50D,400D,450D,500D,550D,1000D,Nikon D700,D300,D100,D90,D80,D60,D40,D40x,D3,D2,D1,D5000,D3000,Olympus E620,E520,E510,E500,E420,E450,E3,E1,E-P2,Pentax,K20D,K200D/Sony Alpha A200,A230,A300,A330,... which again I use for close-up work. The power supply for the ring light pops neatly onto the hotshoe.
For BIG light, I pop my Nikon SB-600 onto the hotshoe and use manual exposure. The SB-600 has a GN of 100 when fully zoomed and really kicks out some light when you need to pick out something at a distance. Of course Panasonic makes a dedicated flash unit which will give automatic metering, but I already have the SB-600 and in truth it's seldom needed.
NOTE: Only the conversion lens adaptor and remote shutter are unique to this camera. The other accessories will work just fine on any compatible camera. Sweet if and when you upgrade to an SLR. Or as in my case, you upgrade FROM a D-SLR to this little gem! :-)
* The built-in flash is great! I have my flash set to operate all the time, then I leave it in the closed position so it's disabled. If I want flash, I pop it open and it works. I love how convenient and easy this makes fill-in flash. With a GN of 11, it's not bad at all for most circumstances. If it's not enough, I use my bigger flash on the hotshoe.
* You have full exposure control. There are a plethora of film "types" which you can use to achieve the effect you want. Additionally, you can alter Contrast, Sharpness, Saturation and Noise Reduction applied to the RAW data from the sensor. Or just use the RAW image and photoshop to achieve the result you want, but bear in mind you'll need the relevant plug-in for your processing software to recognise the RAW files produced by the FZ100.
* It seems to do everything. By that I mean if you want to try something, this camera usually has a way of achieving it. Just look at the accessory list above! Never have I thought, "Oh I wish this would..." because it has always allowed me to do what I wanted to try. Problems and mistakes have always been because of my mistakes, not the camera's lack of ability.
* There are lot's of little "Oh that's good!" moments with this camera. For example:
- It has automatic depth of field preview. Half press the shutter and you get your focus-lock and DOF preview.
- If you take a picture of the same person 3 times, if enabled the face recognition (not just detection!) will ask you if you want it to remember that person. Then when it sees a face it recognises (up to six different people) in a crowd, it will focus on it.
- Auto bracketing is just a couple of button pushes away and works in conjunction with exposure compensation. This is excellent when the lighting is tricky and works well in conjunction with the highlight warning feature. (Any highlights that saturate flash black/white). You can even "auto bracket" with film types. This means for example, you can have a natural, a vivid colour and a b/w exposure from a single shutter press. You could of course achieve all that with post-processing, but not everyone likes to spend hours hunched over their PC tweaking images.
- When reviewing pictures or altering settings, a quick half press of the shutter takes you instantly back to "ready to shoot" status. I really like that when you're fiddling with the camera and need to take a picture quickly, you just raise the camera, press the shutter and the camera is ready with you.
- The Auto-focus/Macro/Manual focus switch is a positive sliding switch on the side of the lens barrel. It's a very logical place for it and it's great in use. Better yet, the "focus" button is context sensitive, and in manual focus, pressing it will focus on the focus zone and then leave the focus locked. As you can set the size and position of the focus zone, this is really useful for pre-focussing on a point, then snapping away in burst mode when your subject is inposition. Perfect for sports day!
- Program shift is so well implemented I rarely use aperture priority. Put simply, in program mode (not iA), a half press of the shutter brings up the Aperture/Shutter settings for the photograph. The thumbwheel can then be used to adjust the apeture to control depth of field with the shutter speed adjusting correspondingly. This sounds pretty redundant when one can just use apeture priority, but it's so well implemented that I use it a lot.
* Battery life is fine. It's claimed at 410 pictures, yet I took 944 shots on one charge yesterday, including 10 movie clips. I used fill-in flash when appropriate and used the 11fps mode as and when I wanted too. I was down to one bar of life and am pretty sure I didn't have much life left, but it lasted a full day with a lot of zoom and continuous tracking-focus use. NOTE: This means you can almost fill an 8GB memory card with one battery charge. Don't buy a budget 32GB card for the FZ100, buy some quality 8GB cards. :-)
* It shoots great video in stereo at up to 1080i and 60 fps. Just remember to use the dedicated movie button to use the exposure settings you've prepared and not the "Movie" setting on the dial. (That's for creative exposure settings and you'll end up with strangely exposed movies.) VERY impressive results can be had with the movie feature on this camera.

Negative points:-
* Picture quality is good, but it is not the very best. It's got a trick MOS sensor that works at high speed and doesn't give you those nasty CCD vertical lines with bright light sources, but the results aren't absolutely at the top of the class. Put bluntly, it's a slightly noisy sensor, even at 100ISO. That said, it's only really an issue if you're pixel peeping and noise is a problem for all cameras with high pixel densities on small sensors. Keep to 400ISO or lower for best results. Don't let this put you off, have a look at some pictures on DPReview's "interactive studio shot comparison widget" which allows direct comparisons between images taken with a wide variety of different cameras. There's not a lot in it and remember if you shoot RAW format, you'll get better results.
* The movie button is a little too flush with the top of the camera. I sometimes have to look to make sure my finger's on it. No biggie, but it does bug me a little.
* I have had some picture break-up with the 220fps mode. I thought this was down to the memory card, which wasn't as fast as it might be. But having bought a Sandisk Extreme 45MB/s card, I've still had a bit of this happen. It's not a big problem as the mode's only a gimmick, but it's a shame. It rarely happens though and I have had some acceptable results with the 220fps mode. However if high-speed photography is your thing, you'd be better off with one of the amazing Casio Exilims, that specialise in it.
* The FZ100 is initially intimidating. It really does have a huge number of features and it can all be a bit overwhelming. For example there are 14 modes on the camera dial, with 55 sub-modes. You have to get out there and practise to get the best from this camera. I find I sometimes spoil a shot because I forget I've selected a mode for a previous shot. This has got better as I've got more used to the camera, but there's still the odd "D'oh!" moment.
* It might fit my hand a little better if it was a shade taller, but that's because I have big hands. I like that it's lighter and more portable than my SLR though I think perhaps the grip could be a bit bigger.
* The much-vaunted HD video is glorious, but you need a PC with some muscle to show the results. My home PC is fine, but my work PC struggles even with the 720p video.

Things I don't care about but you might:-
* It shoots RAW. In fact it shoots RAW & JPEG simultaneously if you want it too. That's not a big issue for me, but I know RAW is the way to go for post-processing so it's worth a mention. You need the right plug-in for your PC software to recognise the FZ100 RAW file format, though it does come with some software that allows you to manipulate RAW images.
* The viewfinder is a little small for me. A little peephole that's half the resolution of the rear screen. I know some people love them, and I know they can be a boon at times so I mention that it's not a great one.
* One of the headline features, 220fps video, is only in 320*240 QVGA resolution, and is pretty poor. Don't get too excited by this, you're unlikely to use it much on this camera.

I dare say some people who buy the FZ100 will rarely take it off iA mode, which is a shame, because this is a great camera that rewards getting to know it with great results. The more I use this camera, the more I enjoy it. I keep updating this review, because as I use the camera more, I discover that many of the issues I found as problems, were actually user error. There are so many settings on this camera that it's easy to forget I have adjusted a setting for a specific use and forgotten to change it back to my normal comfort zone. The bottom line is, when I take poor pictures with this camera, I am to blame, not the camera.

UPDATE: The FZ100 has been superceeded by the FZ150 which has a better 12mp sensor and a few minor tweaks. Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150EB-K Compact Camera with Full HD Video Recording - Black (12.8 MP, 24x Optical Zoom) 3.0 inch LCD The new sensor is noticably better than that in the FZ100, and following some price drops, the extra cost of the FZ150 is worth the outlay. There are a few features unique to the FZ100 that are missing from the FZ150, but it fixes the main problem with the FZ100, the sensor. If you really want top quality from Panasonic, you might take a look at the DMC-G2 which has similar handling to both cameras, is a similar price to the FZ150 but has interchangable lenses and a considerably larger sensor giving much better results. Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2 12.1MP Compact System Camera Kit - Black with 14-42mm Lumix G VARIO f/3.5-5.6 ASPH MEGA OIS Lens The FZ150 has full 1080p 60fps video though and can you live without that glorious 25-600mm lens? Decisions, decisions! :)

As a professional photographer, I'm used to all sorts of cameras and formats, including plate, film and digital.

Contrary to popular belief, there is no such thing as 'the perfect' camera; one type will better than another depending on what feature you want... but if you want a quality bridge camera that's truly an all rounder with little or no bulk, and is as close to perfect as is currently available, then I'd say this is one of the best!

Granted, it's not perfect in every way, but don't let that put you off! If you want a bridge camera that has it all - literally, then I think this is the best on the market at this time. In some respects it's not as good as, say, my Nikon D300 SLR (which I think is brilliant), but its close! Thing is, this has so many more features that my D300 and all its lenses, is tiny by comparison, and costs an awful lot less!

Ignore the nonsense that some of the other contributors have mentioned about halos, and poor images above a certain ISO etc... Those comments suggest to me that these people don't understand how a camera works, or how `zoom' lenses work, or how to properly calculate exposure. The only way I could recreate the sort of poor performances that others report here, was if I set the camera to unachievable exposure settings.

The quality of images above a certain ISO setting has been commented upon a fair bit by others on here... In response to them, all I'd ask is, do they really understand what an ISO setting is?! In the days before digital, most people wouldn't have ever used Film speeds above 200 ASA rating - so bearing in mind that `ISO' is synonymous with film ASA ratings - then its inevitable that the higher ISO will lead to a reduced image quality, just like you would have done with film - the laws of physics cannot be changed!

Why use such a high ISO setting in any case?! A knowledgeable photographer would stick with a specific ISO for the job in hand, and achieve the correct exposure by using either flash, and / or a tripod. Raising the ISO is one way of achieving `correct' exposure for hand held photography - but with the inevitable loss of quality; that's an expected trade off for not using flash or a tripod, which is limited and driven by the laws of physics, and is true of any camera!

So, for those here who are critical of this camera for the ISO results... Do yourselves a favour and learn and understand the laws of photography and exposure before passing such spurious comments! Granted, the automatic settings on this camera will change the ISO settings for you rather than suggest you should use flash or a tripod, but that is something you can over-ride once you've familiarised yourself with all the settings, and know a little bit about photography.

In my opinion, this is a cracking little (and I mean - little) beauty, that can produce images as good as any other `35mm' SLR or DSLR camera I've ever used, and is as good as any HD Camcorder I've had as well. The lens is awesome; this camera punches well above its weight, and all for under £350 if you shop around!

So, for all these reasons, as a bridge camera, I cannot recommend it highly enough!

Having read all the reviews on Amazon and elsewhere, I chose this camera as an upgrade from my Canon Ixus 850i which has superb portability and gives excellent results. But I wanted to try experimenting with more control over my shots yet didn't want to lumber myself with the physical burden of a full DSLR. I've only been playing with it for a couple of days but I'm very pleased with the purchase. The menu system is easy to understand and navigate in spite of the numerous buttons and settings. As far as I can see the resulting photos are very good and my one trial of the video gave results equal to my camcorder. Of course, I'm still learning but to help me I've also bought Collins Complete Photography Course by Garrett & Harris which supplements the info in the FZ100 manuals by giving a clear explanation of the various terms and settings as well as some lessons to try. I've uploaded a photo of a rose which has NOT been computer enhanced, it's just as the camera produced it - seems OK to me, which is what counts after all!

I bought this camera just over a week ago - and it's a beauty. The service and trade-in I got from UK Digital Cameras was second to none. I previously had a FZ28 but delayed upgrading to the FZ35/38 as I was waiting for Panasonic to come up with a model with a free angle LCD screen as I wanted more versatility and protection. I have taken many superb shots over the past few days and the FZ100 does not disappoint.

OK, it's certainly not the cheapest bridge on the market but the specs are tremendous and in my view it's worth paying the extra for this model as opposed to the FZ45 which Panasonic also have launched. (It'll be interesting to see how the comparative sales go in relation to these two models - I can't quite understand the marketing logic of bringing them out at the same time) Of course the FZ100 has full 1080i video capacity and the HD results are stunning when played back on my Dell Studio laptop especially with full stereo sound. You can even program it to muffle wind noise which I have found extremely useful because I live by the sea .. and it's October! I have no problem with the manual being electronic and downloaded to my computer. A lite version of the manual is supplied in paper form which is more than adequate to get you up and running if you are a complete novice. Once you've spent time personalising your camera menu then the rest is a breeze. If you are used to Lumix then the menu won't seem at all complicated.

The Leica lens is in a class of its own and I have had absolutely no problems with either halo or fringing effects. Likewise I can't complain about noise levels at the higher ISO settings because I don't tend to use them and noise can always be sorted out through photo editing.

My one and only criticism is on the layout front. The one-touch video recording button is placed on the top behind the zoom control and sometimes it is hard to find with my finger as I don't want to take my eye away from the EVF. Similarly I have found it difficult to locate the button to press again to cease recording without taking my eye away. The simple answer, I have found is to use the free angle screen for one-touch recording. I believe the FZ35/38 had this button on the back of the camera which would seem a more logical place to be. Having said that, this doesn't detract from the overall quality and functionality of a superb piece of kit. I have no hesitation in recommending this camera.

I recently returned from a holiday in Cuba and after viewing my holiday snaps,was very disapointed with the quality of the photos using my Sony cybershot.
After a lot of thought and research I decided to invest in a decent camera and the FZ100 seemed to fit the bill perfectly.
I ordered from Amazon knowing it would be the UK model and not an import as some sites are selling.
I am not an expert photographer ( far from it )but I tend to research as much as I can when buying anything online.
There were a lot of negative posts on various forums about the image quality at low light but after using this camera for over two weeks indoors and out Iam more than happy with the results.
The 11 fps burst speed is amazing as is the HD video
I am using a using a PNY SDHC Class 4 memory card, despite all the write ups telling us to use Class 6 ( I recently purchased a class 10 card with no difference in speed )
All in all an excellent buy.

Had this camera for a few weeks now, and it is really showing how versatile it is. From 640x480 web pics right up to shooting RAW, it does it all with ease. Excellent programme and auto modes, but with a wealth of aperture, speed and manual settings for the enthusiast. AF and MF work well, and the focus is fast, but use the Macro mode close up, or the camera gets confused and "hunts" for a focus.
I also bought the Hama Remote Control Release Pa-1 DMW-RS1 which is a custom fit and makes taking shots dead easy.
The video mode in HD is also fantastic, works via a dedicated shooting button, and so does not take any time at all to get going. The clips can be shown on your TV using the lead supplied. (Mini HDMI lead needed if you want top quality pics) One small gripe is the Panasonic only USB connector for computer upload, which means I cannot use my existing LONG USB to Mini USB cable...why do they do that?

It is a fairly big camera, but not nearly as big as the Fuji HS20 which I was also interested in. That to is a great camera, but the versatility of the Panasonic's 360 degree swivel screen helped me choose this one. It has been a great help so far in composing shots you just wont get with another type of arrangement, and can be "closed" to hide and protect the LCD screen in the same way most Camcorders do, which will keep it safe from dust and scratches in your camera bag (not seen that facility in any of the other big screen stills models)
The diopter eye facility works well, and sharpened up my viewing through the viewfinder (again a great help in composing, but missing on a lot of new cameras)
As for the poor reviews caused by low light "noise" I feel that people simply do not understand the trade off between quality (low ISO number) and ability to take a shot in low light (High ISO number) the Two things are NOT compatible,low ISO needs lots of light for high quality pics, High ISO can take a POOR quality pic in low light. Never the twain shall meet.

After a few weeks researching and comparing, I am very glad to have chosen this camera.

It was a toss up between the Panasonic FZ100 or the latest Finepix HS10 and i'll be honest, the Lumix only won because it had an automatic zoom. I was in the market for a Finepix as I already had the much older s8000fd and I loved it.

Well I won't look back as the Panasonic Lumix is a highly capable camera, i've been impressed by the features and the ease of use it offers. There are a lot of features on this camera so it will take you some time to learn them all but each one serves a great purpose, just the other night i was taking photos of the moon at over 60X zoom and the quality is incredible, even at 3 megapixels! and i didn't have to fiddle with apertures and ISO settings, I simply switched it to "night scene" and the camera did the rest for me!

I consider myself to be a still life photographer and this camera has excelled at Macro shots of flowers and amazingly at landscapes, the most prominent thing to meet the eye is the amazing sharpness of the images, each line crisp and well defined with an amazing depth of view.

I'm not going to bore you with every detail but i think this camera will have something to offer any photographer at any level and is a great camera if you wish to learn more about photography.

Videos are easily taken with the click of a button, an absolutely fantastic idea to have a separate video record button and videos are of a very clean and crisp quality like i've not seen before!

There are only three criticisms I have about the lumix and it would be wrong for me not to mention them, firstly the button you use for taking photos doesn't have a robust feel to it, when you hold it half way down to focus you're not always sure if you're pressing it with adequate pressure. Secondly the handle grip is not as ergonomic as it was on my previous Finepix, however it isn't so uncomfortable as to become a problem as such and finally, if you do not have a good graphics card on your laptop or PC, the images will not be shown at their full potential, i first of all uploaded my images to my laptop and was very unimpressed, however when i uploaded the images to my higher spec PC i was knocked back by them (this is not really the cameras fault).

Finally the clincher for me was the swivel screen which offers you a massive amount of freedom to take shots at awkward angles, this increases the scope of what kind of pictures you can take (without having to lie on the floor).

Overall, as i think you can see from my review? this camera is well worth the money and a good competitor to the Finepix HS10 and i have no regrets with my choice. Highly Recommended!

Happy Snapping!

Brought this to avoid the need to take DLSR, lenses and camcorder on holiday. Most pics are similar quality to my Nikon DLSR and hi-def video quality is amazing as are some of the hi frame rate videos. Focus tracks properly throughout the zoom range and does this for video as well as pics. Optical stabilisation is generally very effective.

Only negatives so far are that the lense rattles slightly if you tilt the camera forward quickly and that Panasonic doesn't include a hdmi cable . Also its expensive compared to its rivals (though the video quality does partially justify this).

Overall - great piece of kit...

This is the first bridge style camera i have bought and i am very impressed. Not only is it easy to use but with the individual settings and massive zoom there is real potential if i ever want to be creative. The quality of the images is outstanding. I would recommend this camera to anyone looking to move up a stage from the normal digital compact.