Photography

Panasonic outs the Lumix DMC-FZ1000 4K-recording bridge camera

Panasonic outs the Lumix DMC-FZ1000 4K-recording bridge camera
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 aims to be an all-in-one do-anything camera
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 aims to be an all-in-one do-anything camera
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The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 features a 25-400-mm equivalent F2.8-F4 lens
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The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 features a 25-400-mm equivalent F2.8-F4 lens
The three-inch LCD on the rear of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 is fully articulated and has 921K dots
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The three-inch LCD on the rear of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 is fully articulated and has 921K dots
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 looks much like a entry-level DSLR with a kit lens attached
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The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 looks much like a entry-level DSLR with a kit lens attached
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 aims to be an all-in-one do-anything camera
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The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 aims to be an all-in-one do-anything camera
There are DSLR-like levels of physical controls on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000
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There are DSLR-like levels of physical controls on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000
The lens on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 gives a 25-400-mm equivalent
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The lens on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 gives a 25-400-mm equivalent
An OLED electronic viewfinder with 2,359K dots can be used for composing shots on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000
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An OLED electronic viewfinder with 2,359K dots can be used for composing shots on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000
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View gallery - 8 images

Following in the footsteps of the Sony RX10, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 is another DSLR-style bridge camera featuring a large one-inch-type 20-megapixel sensor. But this model has a few extra tricks up its sleeve, including a lens which can zoom to an impressive 400-mm equivalent, the ability to record 4K video, and a lower price tag.

One of the main features which differentiates the FZ1000 from traditional bridge superzoom cameras is that it uses a much larger one-inch-type MOS sensor. This should enable it to produce images of much higher quality than those which have previously made "bridge-camera" a dirty phrase in some photographic circles. And with a 20.1 effective megapixel count, those images should also be suitably detailed.

Paired with the sensor is a Leica DC Vario-Elmarit zoom lens, which offers a 16x optical zoom. With a 25-400-mm 35-mm-format equivalent focal range – and a variable maximum aperture of F2.8-F4 – it should be quick and versatile enough for most enthusiast shooting situations. This is a good thing, because being a bridge camera there's obviously no option to switch lenses. A built-in Hybrid optical image stabilization system with five axis correction is on hand to help steady wobbly shots.

Using a redesigned Venus Engine image processor, Panasonic has been able to give the FZ1000 a high-speed burst shooting rate of 12 fps. There's also a wide ISO range of 125-12,800 (extendable to 80-25,600). This should ensure the camera is capable of performing admirably in a variety of lighting conditions … something that could not be said of previous generations of bridge camera with much smaller sensors.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 features a 25-400-mm equivalent F2.8-F4 lens
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 features a 25-400-mm equivalent F2.8-F4 lens

Autofocus is said to be suitably snappy for the enthusiast wildlife and sports shooters that the camera is sure to appeal to, as is the top shutter speed of 1/4000 sec. An integrated liner motor, and Depth from Defocus technology – which evaluates two images with different sharpness levels to shorten focus times – mean the FZ1000 can achieve focus times of 0.08 sec. In good news for macro fans, the camera also has minimum focusing distance of 3 cm (1.18 in).

However, while the FZ1000 has some pretty solid photographic credentials, it's the video options which will undoubtedly be the main attraction for some. That's because the camera can record 4K video (3840 x 2160 pixels) at 30/25 fps, 100Mbps. Other video modes include Full HD 1080p footage at 60/50 fps, and a Full HD 1080p high-speed 120/100 fps mode, which is ideal for producing slow motion footage. Videographers will also be pleased with the addition of an external microphone input, and smooth electronic zooming at five speed steps.

Because of the large sensor, and the lens needed to cover it while still offering a wide focal range, the FZ1000 was never going to be a small camera. In fact, it's comparable to an entry-level DSLR with a kit lens attached, and on first glance most people would probably think that's what it was. It measures 136.8 x 98.5 x 130.7 mm (5.39 x 3.88 x 5.15 in) and weighs 831 g (1.83 lb).

The lens on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 gives a 25-400-mm equivalent
The lens on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 gives a 25-400-mm equivalent

On the rear is an OLED electronic viewfinder with 2,359K dots and a three-inch fully-articulated LCD monitor with 921K dots. The camera also boasts physical DSLR-like controls, including mode and command dials. There are five customizable Fn buttons which can be set to suit your shooting needs, and a large ring around the lens barrel can also be set to control either zoom or focus. It takes SD cards and can shoot JPEG and RAW image files.

Built-in Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity make it easy to wirelessly connect the FZ1000 to other devices for the sharing of images and video, or remote shooting. Using tablet and smartphone apps, users can remotely shoot stills or video while retaining control over zoom, exposure and focus, and can see information such as the camera's focus peaking.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 will be available at the end of July for a price of US$900.

Check out the FZ1000 in the Panasonic promotional video below.

Product page: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000

4K Cameras from Panasonic - Ultra crisp quality bridge camera Lumix FZ1000

View gallery - 8 images
6 comments
6 comments
Kris Lee
Now if they added a software tweak to do actual high speed video then we would have an absolute winner.
MarylandUSA
It looks smartly executed. But when will camera makers stop treating telephoto like a pissing contest and start competing at the wide end? Instead of spreading the 16:1 range from 25mm to 400mm, how about making it 16mm to 250mm or 20mm to 320mm? Some of us prefer focal lengths that don't require a tripod.
StWils
Someone needs to define the term "bridge camera" adequately. The indirect references made here are too vague.
Ed
Hmmm, f2.8 to f4. Not that impressive. Sure, you can make up the difference in the software, but there is no substitution for f-Stop. Now...if this camera offered an f2 - f3.5, well, now we're talking...f1.8 - f3.5 and this becomes a no-brainer!
Rafael Kireyev
4K race is gaining traction. Maybe someone will be the new leader, but someone else has a chance to repeat the fate of Kodak.
jjsmail
I agree about the lenses. Who cares about super long lenses - most bridge camera users are not shooting wildlife on the opposite mountain ridge and packing tripods. This is just more of the useless numbers games that the consumer electronics makers play (like the useless megapixels in pocket cameras and phones).
Let's have wider and faster. Even 200 mm is long enough for most uses - with such resolution, digital zoom works quite well. Let's get the dang lens fast enough for some bokeh while shooting portraits, etc. and for good night shots.
21-200 1.8 - 3.5 - WOW! I'll take two.