Panasonic Lumix Premium + Rock Solid Beta Carbon Panasonic - Review 🏆

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ72 is a bridge camera bundled with the Rock Solid Beta Carbon tripod. This combination provides an all-in-one solution for capturing high-quality photos and videos.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ72 features a 20-1200mm equivalent zoom lens, allowing you to shoot wide landscapes and get extremely close to distant subjects. The 16.1MP sensor provides plenty of resolution for large prints. Meanwhile, the Rock Solid Beta Carbon tripod offers a sturdy and stable base for the camera with its lightweight carbon fiber legs. Its quick release plate also makes it easy to mount and detach the camera.

Together, this camera and tripod bundle is ideal for travel, nature, sports, and general photography. The versatile zoom range and image stabilization let you photograph anything from sweeping vistas to close-up wildlife. The tripod ensures sharp images by eliminating camera shake. Overall, this is a great kit for hobbyist photographers looking for an easy-to-use, do-it-all camera and accessory combination.

Camera Design and Build Quality

The Lumix FZ72 camera has a solid and sturdy build quality thanks to its mostly metal construction. The camera body is made of metal alloy while the front grip is rubberized for comfort.

Despite the metal build, the camera remains fairly lightweight at just over 600g including battery and memory card. The dimensions are 130.2 x 94.9 x 118 mm so it's a good size for a bridge superzoom camera.

The body design includes an ample right hand grip for stability when shooting. There are also plenty of physical controls like mode dials, a zoom lever, and buttons for frequently used settings. These allow you to quickly change parameters without diving into menus.

Overall the camera feels well-balanced in the hand with easy access to controls. The mostly metal body inspires confidence in the structural integrity despite having a long zoom lens attached. It's a robust and ergonomic design suitable for frequent outdoor use.

In comparison, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ100 offers a compact design, perfect for portability. It features a high-quality sensor and a sleek metallic finish, making it both stylish and functional. This camera is an excellent option for travel enthusiasts who prioritize ease of use without compromising on image quality. Though it has a smaller form factor, it packs advanced features that ensure optimal performance in various shooting conditions.

Image Sensor and Lens

The Panasonic Lumix FZ70 features a 16.1MP 1/2.3-inch High Sensitivity MOS sensor that delivers detailed and vibrant images. While the sensor size is relatively small compared to DSLRs, it's quite standard for bridge superzoom cameras in this price range.

The camera is equipped with a phenomenal 60x optical zoom lens that provides a 35mm focal length equivalent of 20-1200mm. This incredibly versatile lens gives you tremendous reach for wildlife, sports, and distant subjects. The maximum aperture ranges from f/2.8 on the wide end to f/5.9 when fully zoomed in. This allows you to maintain faster shutter speeds even at longer focal lengths.

Some key lens specs:

• 20-1200mm equivalent focal length
• Maximum aperture of f/2.8-5.9
• Power OIS image stabilization
• Macro focusing as close as 1 cm

The combination of the long zoom range, decently wide aperture, and optical image stabilization makes this an excellent all-in-one lens for most shooting scenarios. You can capture wide landscapes, get close to distant objects, and photograph small subjects - all without having to change lenses.

The Panasonic Lumix TZ95 is another excellent offering from Panasonic, featuring a compact design, a 20.3MP sensor, and a powerful zoom capability of 30x. This camera's built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity make sharing your photos straightforward, while the tiltable touchscreen is perfect for selfies. The TZ95 also includes advanced features like 4K video recording and a variety of shooting modes, enhancing your photography experience.

Video Recording

The Lumix FZ72 is capable of recording high-definition video up to 1080p at 60 frames per second. This allows you to capture smooth, detailed footage for everything from family events to nature scenes.

Some of the key video capabilities include:

• 1080p Full HD video at 60fps, 30fps, and 24fps
• 720p HD video at 60fps
• Creative Video Mode with 19 presets like Time Lapse and Miniature Effect
• High-speed video recording up to 120fps at 720p for smooth slow motion
• MP4 and AVCHD formats
• Stereo audio recording

With a 20mm wide angle lens, you can fit more of the scene into your videos. The 60x optical zoom is also available while recording, allowing you to get closer to distant subjects smoothly. Overall, the video features make this camera very versatile for both stills and motion content.

Autofocus and Image Stabilization

The Panasonic Lumix FZ72 features a contrast detection autofocus system with 49 focus points, allowing for quick and accurate focusing across most of the frame. It includes several autofocus modes such as Face/Eye Detection, Tracking, 49-Area, 1-Area, and Pinpoint which make it versatile for photographing still or moving subjects.

Face/Eye Detection works very well for portraits, allowing you to achieve sharp focus on your subjects' eyes. The tracking mode also does a good job of following moving subjects and adjusting focus accordingly. Focus speed is generally fast in bright lighting conditions. However, it can slow down a bit in very low light.

Overall, the autofocus system is responsive and reliable in most shooting scenarios. The only times it struggles is in very low contrast situations. But that's expected for a camera in this class and price range.

The FZ72 also incorporates Panasonic's Power O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilization) system. This 5-axis hybrid stabilization helps reduce blur from camera shake when shooting handheld, especially at long focal lengths. Using stabilization allows you to shoot at slower shutter speeds and still get sharp images. This is hugely beneficial considering the 60X zoom on this camera. O.I.S works well and lets you capture clear shots even when zoomed all the way in.

Display and Viewfinder

The Panasonic Lumix FZ70 features a 3-inch rear LCD display with 460,000 dots of resolution. The LCD provides a clear, sharp live view image when composing photos or recording video. It has an anti-reflective coating to help combat glare when shooting outdoors.

For eye-level viewing, the FZ70 has an 0.2-inch electronic viewfinder (EVF) with 200,000 dots of resolution. The EVF can be useful when bright sunlight makes the rear LCD hard to see. It provides a decent preview of the scene, though the resolution is fairly low by today's standards. Overall, the rear LCD is the better option for composing shots, with the EVF as a handy backup when glare is an issue.

Connectivity and Storage

The Lumix FZ72 has a good range of connectivity options. On the side there is a mini HDMI port which allows you to connect the camera directly to an HDTV to view photos and videos on the big screen. There is also a combined USB 2.0/AV output which can be used to transfer photos and videos to your computer or view them on a TV.

For audio, there is a microphone input jack which allows you to connect an external microphone for better quality audio during video recording. This is useful if you want clearer audio than what the built-in stereo mic can provide.

In terms of storage, the FZ72 has 90MB of internal memory which allows you to store a small number of photos and videos directly on the camera. However, for more substantial storage capacity it has a slot for SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards up to 2GB in size. This allows you to greatly expand the camera's storage by using inexpensive high capacity SD cards.

Overall the connectivity options provide the essential ports for video out, audio in, and fast file transfers. And the SD card slot gives you the flexibility of extendable storage.

Battery Life

The Panasonic Lumix FZ72 has excellent battery life, thanks to its large 1200 mAh lithium-ion battery. According to CIPA ratings, it can take up to 400 shots on a single charge. This is significantly higher than most bridge cameras, which average around 300 shots per charge. The battery is charged via USB, so you can top it up from a laptop, portable charger, or AC adapter while traveling. Overall, the long battery life means you can shoot all day without worrying about your camera dying at an inopportune moment. The battery also recharges quickly, so you'll be ready to start shooting again after just a couple of hours of charging. For travel and day trips, the long battery life is a huge advantage compared to interchangeable lens cameras which may need multiple batteries to get through a full day of shooting.

Additional Features

The Lumix FZ72 comes with a variety of useful additional features beyond just taking photos and videos.

One handy feature is built-in WiFi connectivity. This allows you to wirelessly transfer images from the camera to your smartphone or tablet using the Panasonic Image App. You can then easily share your photos through social media or messaging apps. Bluetooth is also included for an alternative wireless connection option.

For capturing expansive scenes, the FZ72 has a panorama mode. You can take multiple shots that stitch together in-camera to create a panoramic image up to 360 degrees. This is great for landscapes, architecture, and large group shots.

To handle high contrast lighting situations, the FZ72 offers HDR (High Dynamic Range) mode. This takes multiple exposures at different brightness levels and blends them to maintain details in both the shadows and highlights. It helps avoid overly dark or blown out areas in tricky lighting.

The camera also provides a range of creative filter effects like Toy, Miniature, Soft Focus, and more that can be applied to images in playback mode. This allows you to get an interesting look without needing post-processing.

Other useful additions are things like a level gauge to ensure your horizons are straight, manual focusing, and RAW image capture for maximum editing flexibility. The FZ72 aims to provide an all-in-one package for travel and everyday photography needs.

Pros and Cons

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200 is a feature-packed bridge camera that offers both strengths and weaknesses for photographers.

Pros

• Impressive 24x optical zoom lens with a bright f/2.8 constant aperture throughout the zoom range. This allows for better low light shooting and blurred backgrounds.

• 1/2.3" 12MP High Sensitivity MOS sensor provides decent image quality for its class. Low light performance is quite good.

• Fast autofocus system locks on quickly.

• Excellent image stabilization system allows sharp images even at long zoom lengths.

• Shoots full 1080/60p HD video with stereo sound. Many video controls available.

• Large articulating rear LCD screen makes composing from high and low angles easy.

• Good manual controls and customization options.

• RAW shooting provides flexibility for post-processing.

• Hot shoe allows mounting an external flash.

Cons

• Smaller 1/2.3" sensor can't match larger sensors in terms of dynamic range and high ISO noise levels.

• 12MP resolution limits large printing ability.

• Maximum aperture drops as you zoom, from f/2.8 to f/5.2 at full telephoto.

• No built-in neutral density filter.

• No microphone input for upgraded audio on videos.

• No wireless connectivity.

• Short battery life per charge. Needs spare batteries.

• Bulky and heavy body compared to other bridge cameras.

Overall, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200 is one of the top performing bridge cameras thanks to its fast lens and extensive features. However, its smaller sensor and lack of wireless connectivity may make some enthusiasts look at more expensive mirrorless or DSLR options. It's a great choice for travel and outdoor photography when you need a big zoom range.