Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ82 Panasonic - Review 🏆

The Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ82 is a feature-packed bridge camera designed for enthusiast photographers looking for great versatility and performance without the need to change lenses.

Some of the key features of the FZ82 include:

• 20.1MP 1/2.3" MOS sensor
• Powerful 60x optical zoom lens, equivalent to 20-1200mm
• 4K video and 4K photo modes
• Post Focus and Focus Stacking features
• High resolution 1.2m dot electronic viewfinder
• 3 inch LCD touchscreen
• Full manual controls and RAW shooting
• Built-in WiFi for image transfer and remote control

This camera aims to balance portability, image quality, and an extensive zoom range in a single package. It's a great all-rounder for travel, nature, sports, and general photography. The long zoom lens provides great flexibility so you can capture wide scenes as well as get close to distant subjects.

Design and Build Quality

The Lumix DC-FZ82 has a plastic body with a matte black finish. Despite being made of plastic, the camera feels very solid and sturdy in hand.

In terms of size, the FZ82 is fairly compact for a superzoom bridge camera. It measures 130.2 x 94.5 x 119.2mm and weighs 616g including the battery and memory card. The camera is lightweight enough to carry around all day, yet still substantial enough to provide a secure grip.

The handgrip and rear thumb rest are both rubberized to enhance holding comfort. All the physical controls are thoughtfully placed within easy reach. There are plenty of buttons and dials that provide direct access to key settings.

Overall, the FZ82 is very well designed ergonomically. The body shape and button layout allow single-handed operation. The camera feels natural and intuitive to use.

Another notable product is the Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5, which stands out for its durable magnesium alloy body that is both dust and splash resistant. This camera is particularly well-regarded for its high-quality video recording capabilities and advanced autofocus features. For more details, visit the Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5 page.

Image Quality

The Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ82 features a 18.1MP 1/2.3-inch sensor, which is fairly standard for bridge cameras in this price range. While not comparable to larger sensors in DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, it still produces good image quality for a point-and-shoot.

The sensor resolution allows for prints up to 13 x 19 inches, sufficient for most amateur photographers. Image noise is well controlled up to ISO 800, with minimal graininess and color distortion. At higher ISOs of 1600-3200 noise becomes more apparent, but photos are still very usable especially if downsized for web use.

Dynamic range could be better, as highlights tend to blow out in contrasty scenes. Using the built-in HDR mode helps preserve details in shadows and highlights.

The lens has a maximum aperture range of f/2.8-5.9, which allows for nice background blur when shooting portraits and macro shots. However, because of the small sensor size, the bokeh effect is not as creamy as larger sensor cameras with fast lenses. Still, the FZ82 produces pleasing out-of-focus areas that add an artistic element.

For low light photography, the FZ82 performs adequately thanks to the respectable high ISO performance, built-in optical image stabilization, and maximum f/2.8 aperture (at the wide end). While not on par with top-end cameras, casual users will find it sufficient for low light events, cityscapes at night, etc. Enabling high ISO noise reduction helps reduce noise at the expense of some fine details.

Overall the FZ82 delivers good photo quality for a bridge camera at this price point. The combination of high resolution, fast lens, and effective image stabilization allow it to handle most everyday shooting scenarios. While it doesn't match larger sensor cameras for dynamic range and low light performance, it exceeds expectations for a small compact sensor.

Another worthy option in Panasonic's lineup is the Panasonic DC-TZ200DEGK. This model features a 1-inch 20.1MP sensor that captures detailed and vibrant images. With a 15x optical zoom lens, it provides great versatility for different shooting scenarios. Additionally, the DC-TZ200DEGK offers 4K video recording, enhancing its appeal for multimedia use. Its compact size, along with features like post-focus and internal viewfinder, makes it an excellent choice for both travel and everyday photography.

Video Quality

The Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ82 offers impressive video capabilities for a bridge camera. It can shoot 4K video at 30fps with good detail and sharpness. The 4K videos are recorded in MP4 format using the H.264 codec, which provides a good balance of quality and file size.

The camera also offers 1080p Full HD video up to 60fps, allowing you to capture smooth, high quality footage. Slow motion video is possible at 720p 120fps. Overall the video quality is excellent with accurate colors and good dynamic range. The videos have very little rolling shutter effect and retain fine details even when zooming in while recording.

For creative videography, the FZ82 provides manual controls like exposure compensation, microphone level adjustments, and focus peaking. The built-in stereo microphone records decent audio, and there is a port for an external mic as well. The 5-axis hybrid optical image stabilization works very effectively to minimize shake and jitter in videos when handholding the camera.

Autofocus and Performance

The Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ82 features a contrast-detection autofocus system with DFD (Depth From Defocus) technology for fast focusing speeds and improved subject tracking. The autofocus modes include Face/Eye Detection, Tracking, 49-area, Custom Multi, 1-area, and Pinpoint.

Face/Eye Detection works very well for portraits, quickly acquiring focus on human faces and eyes. The tracking autofocus allows you to select a subject and have the camera follow it as it moves across the frame. In good lighting conditions, the autofocus is very fast and accurate. However, in low light the speed does drop off somewhat.

The autofocus system covers a broad area of the frame, with 49 selectable AF points. The Custom Multi mode lets you designate specific blocks of AF points for even more precise control over focus. For maximum precision, the 1-area and Pinpoint modes allow you to focus on an extremely small part of the frame.

Overall, the autofocus system performs very well for a bridge superzoom camera, providing fast focus acquisition and reliable tracking of moving subjects. The combination of DFD technology and extensive AF modes makes the FZ82 stand out in its class. While not as robust as a DSLR, the autofocus capabilities will satisfy most users and excel in many shooting situations.

Features

The Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ82 comes packed with features, especially considering its affordable price point. It has a range of creative shooting modes that allow you to get more creative with your photography.

One of the standout features is Post Focus, which lets you select the focal point even after you've taken the photo. The camera takes a burst of images while shifting the focus through multiple points, allowing you to choose the shot with the optimal focus point later on.

The Lumix FZ82 also has 4K Photo mode, which lets you extract high resolution stills from 4K video footage. This is great for capturing split-second moments like a bird taking flight. There are three 4K Photo modes - 4K Burst, 4K Burst Start/Stop, and 4K Pre-burst.

Built-in WiFi connectivity allows you to control the camera remotely using your smartphone or tablet. You can view your shots, adjust settings, and trigger the shutter release. This comes in handy for taking group shots, nature shots, and other situations where you want to be in the photo.

Some other useful features include a touchscreen LCD, an electronic viewfinder, full manual controls, RAW support, and a built-in pop-up flash. Panasonic has packed an impressive amount of features into this budget-friendly bridge camera.

Lens

The Lumix DC-FZ82 features a 60x optical zoom lens, which provides a 35mm focal length equivalence of 20-1200mm. This incredibly versatile lens offers an extremely broad focal range, allowing you to capture wide-angle landscapes and architecture as well as super telephoto shots of distant subjects.

The maximum aperture ranges from f/2.8 at the wide end to f/5.9 at the telephoto end. This is fairly standard for a superzoom bridge camera lens. While the aperture is not exceptionally bright, it allows enough light through for most situations.

Optical image stabilization helps minimize the effects of camera shake when shooting handheld, especially at longer focal lengths where shake is amplified. This allows you to capture sharper images and steadier videos when shooting without a tripod. The Power O.I.S stabilization system provides up to 5-axis correction for stills and 5-axis hybrid correction for video.

Overall, the versatile 60x zoom lens gives you tremendous flexibility in a single lens while still delivering good optical performance across the zoom range. The broad 20-1200mm focal range covers an extremely wide variety of shooting scenarios.

Connectivity

The Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ82 offers a good range of connectivity options. It has built-in WiFi which allows you to wirelessly transfer photos and videos to your smartphone or tablet using the Panasonic Image App. Connecting to your device is quick and easy, and the WiFi works reliably.

For a wired connection, there is a micro USB 2.0 port. This can be used for charging the battery and also for plugging the camera directly into a computer to offload media.

Bluetooth is included for wirelessly pairing with smartphones. This enables remote control of the camera, letting you start/stop recording, adjust settings, and more.

The FZ82 doesn't have built-in GPS, which is a bit disappointing. This means your photos won't contain location data unless you sync that later from your phone.

Overall, the connectivity options are decent but not amazing. The lack of NFC for quick pairing and GPS for geotagging prevent it from being a perfect setup. But the inclusion of WiFi and Bluetooth provide the core functionality most people will need.

Battery Life

The Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ82 offers excellent battery life for a bridge camera, allowing you to shoot for a full day without needing to recharge.

For still photography, Panasonic estimates you can capture around 330 shots per charge using the viewfinder or 300 shots using the rear LCD screen. This is impressive for this class of camera and should suffice for a full day of stills shooting while traveling or on vacation.

The FZ82 also performs well for video recording thanks to its large 1,240mAh battery. Panasonic estimates you can record up to 130 minutes of 4K video on a full charge. If you drop the resolution to Full HD, the recording time jumps to an excellent 260 minutes. So you can comfortably shoot 4K clips throughout the day without worrying about running out of juice.

Overall, the battery life is a real highlight of the FZ82, providing the stamina required for a full day of shooting both stills and video without needing to find an outlet for recharging. This makes it an excellent travel companion and ideal for vacations or days out when you don't want to worry about battery anxiety.

Conclusion

The Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ82 is a feature-packed bridge camera that offers excellent value for money. Here's a quick summary of its main pros and cons:

Pros

• Impressive 60x optical zoom range, allowing you to get very close to distant subjects
• Capable of recording 4K video and 4K photo modes
• Good image quality and color reproduction in most conditions
• Fast autofocus, especially in bright daylight
• Excellent image stabilization, even at long zoom lengths
• Full manual controls and RAW shooting capability
• Large electronic viewfinder and articulating rear LCD screen
• Built-in WiFi for image transfer and remote control

Cons

• Image quality suffers in low light conditions
• Continuous shooting rate is slow
• Small sensor size can't match DSLR or mirrorless cameras
• Plastic construction doesn't feel very premium
• Short battery life of around 250-300 shots

Overall, the FZ82 is an excellent choice if you want an affordable all-in-one superzoom camera that can handle everything from wide landscapes to distant wildlife. It packs an unmatched zoom range for its price and produces pleasing results across a variety of shooting scenarios. Just be aware of its limitations in low light and for fast action. But for traveling, events, and everyday photography, the FZ82 offers fantastic versatility and value.