I bought this camera for the excellent zoom range and the ability to shoot video. Based on other reviews I had read, I didnt expect it to perform as badly as it did. In my case, the cons heavily outweighed the pros, and I decided I’d have to return the camera.
Pros:
- small and lightweight for the huge zoom range.
-relatively inexpensive compared to other cameras of its type.
-good battery life.
-lots of handy features, like the built in wifi, USB charging, and the smartphone app.
Cons:
-extremely disappointing image quality is its worst feature. It can not produce an acceptable image in any conditions. The noise produced by the sensor is unacceptable even at iso 80. For this reason it is useless to me. I thought it would have been at least as good as my entry level dslr (Nikon d40), that’s 10 years old, but it’s much worse.
- video mode is also very disappointing and did not live up to my expectations. It struggles to produce noise free video in most situations, but it is slightly better than in stills mode.
- the image stabilization is very loud, and does not work very well. Also when handheld or even sitting on a solid surface it jitters horizontally for no reason.
- when moving from areas of different temperature of humidity, the lens fogs up (which is normal I know), but it takes and incredibly long time for it to recover and become clear again.
-the auto focus works well at wide angles, but struggles at any telephoto focal length...and if it’s raining or snowing, I wan not able to get the camera to focus at all past the closest snowflakes. It would lock onto the snow but not the subject.
Overall the thing that made me decide to return this camera was the sub-par image quality...the most important thing in a camera to me.
| Brand | Panasonic |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Panasonic |
| Model number | DC-FZ80K |
| Model Name | Panasonic Lumix FZ80 |
| Model Year | 2017 |
| Part Number | DC-FZ80K |
| Flash Memory Type | SDXC |
| Flash | Internal |
| Hardware Interface | AV Port |
| Mounting Hardware | Lens Cap String, Battery Pack, Shoulder Strap, Lens Cap, Camera, AC Adaptor, USB Cable |
| Number Of Items | 1 |
| Display Technology | LCD |
| Standing screen display size | 3 Inches |
| Display Type | LCD |
| Image Aspect Ratio | 16:09 |
| Has Image Stabilization | Yes |
| Optical Zoom | 60 x |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 |
| Resolution | 1040 |
| Max Resolution | 18.1 MP |
| Optical Sensor Resolution | 18.9 MP |
| Max Vertical Resolution | 3672 Pixels |
| Min Focal Length | 20 Millimeters |
| Microphone Technology | Stereo |
| Video capture resolution | 2160p |
| Batteries Included | Yes |
| Batteries Required | Yes |
| Battery Cell Composition | Lithium Ion |
| Continuous Shooting Speed | 30 fps |
| Connector Type | USB, HDMI |
| Form Factor | Compact |
| Lens Type | Converter |
| Viewfinder Type | Electronic |
| Contains Liquid Contents | No |
| Includes Rechargable Battery | No |
| Has Self Timer | Yes |
| Includes AC Adapter | No |
| Remote Control Included? | No |
| Includes External Memory | No |
| Product Dimensions | 11.91 x 13.03 x 9.42 cm; 616.89 Grams |
| Item Weight | 617 g |
| Manufacturer | Panasonic |
| ASIN | B01MS16V42 |
| Item Model Number | DC-FZ80K |
| Batteries | 1 Lithium ion batteries required. (included) |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Date First Available | 13 November 2017 |
