One camera to rule them all. That’s the purpose of the new FZ1000. With a massive 25-400mm lens, 4K recording and a 1 inch sensor the FZ could become a quite popular camera!
ePhotozine reviewed the new FZ and writes:
The Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 is one of the cheapest 4K video recording devices available, and offers an array of impressive video features. However, if you don’t want to record 4K video, and just want a camera capable of taking excellent photos, with a good zoom lens, then the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 certainly delivers here as well. With a relatively large 1inch 20 megapixel sensor, a bright Leica 16x optical zoom lens with f/2.8-4.0 aperture, and full manual controls, the camera is capable of producing excellent image quality. Panasonic has clearly worked hard on developing an excellent performing lens, and the results can be seen in the photos, particularly in regards to pleasing out of focus backgrounds (bokeh). The camera has a great 3inch tilting screen, as well as a large, bright, high resolution electronic viewfinder, with a comfortable rubber surround. Build quality is very good and the camera has a lot in common with the Panasonic Lumix GH4, the top of the range Micro Four Thirds camera from Panasonic. There are numerous external controls and buttons, as well as full manual controls, but you can also use the camera in auto mode, or one of the scene modes and still get great shots, as well as high quality video.
Photographyblog says:
The fact that it does do almost anything you ask of it however meant that the FZ1000 was the camera we most found ourselves reaching for during the two week test period we had it, which speaks for itself. Capable of shooting everything from a child’s piano recital when you’re stuck at the back of the hall, to sunbathers on the riverbank as you’re cruising past on a ferry, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 only feels limited by your own imagination.
Techradar writes:
Panasonic is clearly pitching the FZ1000 against the Sony RX10 and it certainly gives it a good run for its money. It may be a little larger and not have quite such a high-quality feel, but the lens is a 25-400mm equivalent rather than a 24-200mm optic, albeit with an f/2.8-4.0 maximum aperture rather than a fixed f/2.8. Our lab results also indicate that the Panasonic camera outperforms the Sony model, but there’s not a huge amount in it and both models produce high quality images in the real world.
The FZ1000 brochure can be downloaded here: WeTransfer.com.
And Dpreview compared the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10
Panasonic FZ-1000 preorders at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here). In Europe at WexUK (Click here).
35 Responses
What is the crop when shooting 4K? In other words, what does the effective focal length of the lens become? Can’t find this info…
37-592mm.
It’s roughly (but not exactly) 1.5x
Shrink this camera to LX size with a shorter, brighter lens and a left side EVF and I’m in
You just described the LX8.
I hope so — that was my intent. 🙂
I just hope that the LX8 handles like a big camera (like Fuji’s X20), not like the RX100, which feels like a compact.
I’ve never used the LX7. How are the ergonomics? Rocker switch zoom? Hope they drop that…
Sony has been caught pants down. It must be kicking itself now for not giving the RX10 a fully articultaing LCD and a microphone socket, not to mention the 4K for such an expensive bridge camera. Sony has just lowered the price of its RX10 by $400 to be able to compete. I would still consider the Sony at the higher price if it had all those missing features, but now it’s the Panasonic for me. Lighter, longer zoom, better video, fully articulating LCD, microphone input, and still cheaper.
What is a “microphone socket?” It has audio in and out ports.
Panasonic started the super-bridge excitement years ago and led the pack but then let it languish. Sony picked up with the RX10 years later. This FZ1000 is just an evolution of that, and Sony will likely respond with an RX10 mkII. So I doubt they were caught with their pants down. The competition will heat up this space again and consumers will benefit.
The RX10 is still a compelling camera, not least for the f2.8 constant aperture — the FZ1000 is f2.8 only up to around 35mm. By 50mm it’s already f3.5 or something. The RX10 also has the Zeiss lens, which renders differently than Leica lenses do, so the more discerning users would choose based on which “look” they prefer, not just tech specs.
“Zeiss lens, which renders differently than Leica lenses”
Show me someone who can make a reliably difference between 2 set of pictures 1 made by a Leica and 1 made by a Zeiss. Of course the lens parameters must be the same: focal length, aperture about the same generation.
They don’t have the same kind of rendering. Shoot with both and you will see. The differences are mainly in terms of colour, micro-contrast (3D separation) and type of sharpness (that is, both are very sharp, but how they are sharp is the difference). Even the design philosophies of each house are different.
The Zeiss “look” is consistent over time. I have Carl Zeiss Jena, Contax, the newer Voigtlander made ZMs, and ZE lenses. Try them and see for yourself.
Have you compared a Zeiss and a Leica with the same body?
Have you tried to make a difference if you do NOT know which photo was made by the Leica and the Zeiss?
Haha. Of course I have. That’s why I could say what I said. Have you?
I use the CZJ, Contax, ZE and LR lenses on Canon 5D. Then when I got the EOS-M, I could use the Leica M lenses on that, too. Now I use them on the EM5. Well, the smaller ones.
Among my collection, I find the Zeiss lenses are more standardised. The Leica lenses have slightly more variation: the 28mm Elmarit-R has a different rendition than the 50mm Summicron-R, but the 50mm Cron is similar to the 90mm Summicron.
Similarly, I recently got the 35mm Summilux ASPH and 75mm APO-Summicron. Both of which were designed by a different guy. They again look slightly different than the previous Mandler designed Summicrons. And again, it is well documented that Peter Karbe has different design objectives than Mandler.
Boy, what an expert. You must take amazing pics with that arsenal of yours.
Define “amazing”.
I am taking the piss, bampot.
Oh, nonsense. Please describe the differences in “how they are sharp.”
Someone makes you 2 set of pictures (let say 2 x 20) 20 made by a given Zeiss 20 made by a give Leica (e.g. 50/1.8 or something like that). You do not know which pictures was made by which lens. You simply need to separate the 40 into a Zeiss heap and a Leica heap.
Okay, let’s try that. You go and shoot 40 photos with your Zeiss and Leica lenses on the EM5 or whatever camera you have that could take both mounts. Then post up the high res images on a website. Then link that here and I will make my guesses.
Small correction, steve37: Leica doesn’t have a 50/1.8. Nor does Zeiss.
Ask yourself something:
If all lenses look the same, then why do we have Takumar fans, Zeiss fans, Leica fans, Zuiko fans? After all, a 50mm f1.4 from any supplier would give you exactly the same kind of image. So anyone would only need just one lens of each focal length & aperture. Yes? No. And yet the lenses all have their particular characteristics.
Fans are typically not objective. They are simply fans (of a brand).
Riiiiight. Haha. Okay, man. Whatever keeps you sleeping happy at night.
You know, Steve, if you really wanted to trap me, the better question to ask is:
40 photos from the old Pentax Takumars vs the Leica lenses: could you tell which is which? I would have conceded on that. The Takumars have a similar look to older, pre-Karbe Leica lenses. Sometimes I shoot the 50mm 1.4 Super Takumar on T-Max 400 and it looks no different to me than the 50mm Summicron-R, especially the contrast and blur.
fz1000 is 2.8 only at 25mm
How is this a “full” review? It seems to be little more than a discussion of the camera’s specs. Obviously, the ad just copied from the website, but a little more help with English would be helpful. In this case, “full” meant “comprehensive,” which it is not.
What a nice m4/3 camera review!
The FZ1000 is the epitome of the un-m4/3’s camera, being incredibly large/bulky while packing a smaller sensor. It dwarfs the E-M5, G6 and even the E-M1, being larger than Canikon entry level DSLR’s as well, and close to the mid-size 70D DSLR. At 1.8 lbs. it’s 3X the weight of a G6 or E-M10, yet sacrifices the flexibility of interchangeable lenses. No thanks.
I see you prefer larger entry level DSLR’s with half the functions (and image quality) from high-end m4/3 cameras. So this camera really is not the right one for you.
You either completely missed the point from this E-M5 user (“3X the weight of a G6 or E-M10” should have given you a clue), but then, maybe you’re joking?
You mean it’s 3 times the weight of those cameras with equivalent lenses attached? Hard to believe, and I have GH2/3, EM-5 bodies and multiple lenses. Also have an RX10…no way does the Sony feel 3 times the weight of an EM-5 with a 2.8 zoom attached.
It is a good deal cheaper than a G6 + 14-150 mm, has a wider zoom range (25-400 instead of 28-300 mm eqv.) while having the same equiv. f-stop, is somewhat shorter with the lens mounted and has 4K. At B&H we have:
FZ1000: $900
G6 + 14-500 mm: $1350
Even with the OM-D E-M10, the price difference is still $250.
If we go up to APS-C and start at the bottom, a Nikon D3300 + Tamron 18-270 mm costs $1050. The lens is a stop faster at the short end but only a third of a stop faster at the long end. Comparing the whole package, FZ1000 is about 4 cm or a third shorter. But the optical viewfinder is noticeably smaller and we loose 4K and the D3300 is also beaten in other video features.
It really depends on how much you value the ability of changing lenses, if don’t expect to do so, the FZ1000 has some noticeable advantages.
I don’t need it but I like it.
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