Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300 Superzoom

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300 superzoom

Design-wise, all superzooms engage in a bit of subterfuge. They look just like entry-level DSLRs, even though inside they're little more than your garden variety point-and-shoot. The FZ300 in particular borrows a lot of design cues from the company's flagship mirrorless camera—the DMC-GH4—even though it has a much smaller 1/2.3-inch sensor.

That's part of the superzoom package though, as the small sensor is essential to getting such giant zoom ranges in such a relatively compact size. This is how cameras like the Canon SX60 HS can pack 60x worth of zoom in such a small footprint. The FZ300 makes a similar bargain, but instead of pushing the optical zoom to the limit, Panasonic's engineers focused on preserving a large f/2.8 aperture all the way through the zoom range. This lets in more light, resulting in sharper images and better low light performance.

Still, the FZ300 doesn't look like a simple point-and-shoot. With a deep grip, sharp angles, and a DSLR-style button mapping, the FZ300 looks ready to take on any assignment out of the box. The control scheme does require a little learning curve, but it's easy enough to allow users to start shooting quickly regardless of experience level.

Its 3-inch 1040k-dot touchscreen LCD helps, with a UI that lets you easily adjust settings without digging into the overly complex menu. The LCD also articulates, enabling you to get shots at tough angles with the camera above or below your field of view.

On top of the camera you will find your mode dial, power lever, command dial, shutter release, zoom lever, record button, and two function keys. Despite the lengthy list, the camera doesn't feel too crowded and almost all the controls are reachable with just your thumb or index finger. The only button I found tough to access was "Fn 2" button on top, as its central placement makes it a stretch.

In the wild, I must say that I found the FZ300 to be quite bulky for a point-and-shoot. But considering you're getting a 600mm (full-frame equivalent) weather-proofed camera, it's easy to put up with. A DSLR with this kind of reach would be much larger. And unlike many superzooms I found both the zooming and focusing to be fast and smooth, allowing you to keep track of your subject as you move in for a closer shot. It's also surprisingly easy to keep (relatively) steady at full zoom, so you don't have to worry as much about blurry images.

   • Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300 Superzoom