At kickoff glance, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 looks a lot like Sony'due south Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 big sensor, long zoom camera, but there's a precedent within the company's own range. It's been eight years since the FZ50 was introduced, and then we tin't imagine too many people are still waiting, but in some respects it appears Panasonic has finally created a replacement for that much-missed model. Taken as a whole, the FZ1000 can almost be seen as a synthesis between the 2 cameras.

Like the RX10, the FZ1000 features a 20MP 1"-type MOS sensor (and the suspicion has to be that it'south a Sony chip), simply, rather than the Sony's 24-200mm equivalent zoom range, the Panasonic reaches from 25 to 400mm equivalent. To stop the whole thing becoming enormous, the FZ1000's lens is slower than the Sony's: its maximum aperture apace drops from F2.8 towards F4.0 every bit yous zoom in, just there are enough of people who'll accept that decrease in render for the additional range.

In spirit, though, the large sensor, long zoom and articulated screen can't aid merely recall the FZ50, which offered a like zoom and aperture range, despite featuring a much smaller one/1.eight"-blazon sensor. The FZ1000 is a similarly sized camera but the 8 years of technological development that underpin it mean it'south able to offer significantly college resolution in terms of its viewfinder, rear screen, pixel count and video output. Panasonic has recently been pushing the superzoom sector with the likes of its constant F2.8 DMC-FZ200, but the render to a larger sensor format and a relatively bright lens is exciting.

When the RX10 was launched, it stood alone as a costly but hugely flexible camera that seemed equally intended for stills and video shooting: the ultimate travel camera, perhaps. The launch of the FZ1000 brings both cameras into focus, making articulate that camera makers believe in that location is a niche for cameras that practise a bit of everything in a unmarried (admitting sizable) package. The big difference between the two cameras, though, is price: the FZ1000's $899.99 / £749.99 launch price is effectually a third lower than the Sony'due south was.

Since the FZ1000's launch, Sony U.s. has reduced the listing toll of the RX10 to $999 and, because information technology's been on the market for a while, information technology'southward available a long way below listing price in Europe. This reduces simply doesn't abolish the gap in cost between the 2 cameras, and it'll be interesting to see what street price the Panasonic settles to, after a few months.

Its use of a fast readout sensor and the four-cadre Venus processor means the FZ1000 becomes i of the commencement sub-$thou cameras to capture 4K video. Anyone wanting footage they tin show immediately will have the choice of shooting 1080p movies at 60, 30 or 24 fps (fifty, 25 and 24 in PAL countries). The video capability is supported by the inclusion of focus peaking, zebra exposure warnings, eye point marker and 'Picture palace-like' gamma profiles.

Key Features:

  • 20.1 megapixel ane"-type MOS sensor
  • 25-400mm equiv. F2.eight-iv Leica lens
  • 5-axis 'Power OIS' stabilization
  • XGA OLED electronic viewfinder with 2.36M dots
  • 3-inch fully-articulated LCD with 920K dots
  • 4K (3840x2160) video at 30p, 100Mbps MP4
  • 1080p at up to 60p, 28Mbps (MP4 or AVCHD)
  • 120fps quarter-speed 1080p
  • 3.5mm microphone socket
  • Clean HDMI output
  • Zebra blueprint and focus peaking
  • Wi-Fi with NFC
  • 360 shots per charge (CIPA standard)

It'south not merely the Venus processor that the FZ1000 shares with the GH4, information technology also features many of its customizable control points. These aren't quite so numerous every bit on its interchangeable lens cousin, due to the lack of touchscreen, but they're all the same pretty welcome on a 'meaty' photographic camera. The FZ1000 too offers the kind of hard-point controls, such every bit an AF drive mode switch and AEL button, that rarely brand an advent beneath the enthusiast interchangeable lens camera level.

The FZ1000 also gains the GH4's 'DFD focusing' - a ways of determining roughly how far it needs to refocus, based on an understanding of the characteristics of the lens in out-of-focus regions. This aims to play the same basic role of on-sensor phase detection: a way of assessing the distance the camera needs to focus on, and then that it can rush the lens to well-nigh that indicate before using contrast-detection to constitute perfect focus.

The camera likewise features an in-camera Raw conversion option, which is a very welcome improver, letting you tweak a range of image parameters later on yous've taken a shot, applying different dissonance reduction and Photo Styles or making adjustments to effulgence or the highlight and shadow response.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 Comparison

The FZ1000's only real competitor is Sony'southward RX10, which as well tries to offer a flexible zoom range plus high quality stills and video in a single bundle. Nosotros're besides including the current breadwinner in Panasonic'due south superzoom lineup, the DMC-FZ200.

Panasonic DMC-FZ1000

Sony DSC-RX10

Panasonic DMC-FZ200

Sensor

20.1MP MOS

xx.2MP BSI-CMOS

12.1MP MOS

Sensor Size (mm2)

116

116

28

Equivalent zoom range

25-400mm

24-200mm

25-600mm

Discontinuity range

F2.8-4.0

F2.eight

F2.8

Equivalent discontinuity range

F7.half-dozen-10.8

F7.six

F15.5
Video recording formats

AVCHD, MP4

AVCHD, MP4

AVCHD, MP4

Maximum video resolution

3840x2160

1920x1080

1920x1080

Highest bitrate (for 1080p footage)

28Mbps (1080p60)

28Mbps (1080p60)

28Mbps (1080p60)

Battery life (Shots-per-charge, CIPA)

360

420

540

Built-in ND filter?

No

Yes

No

Dimensions (WxHxD)

137 x 99 ten 131mm

129 x 89 10 120mm

125 10 87 x 107mm

Weight

831g

813g

588g

The lens

What does this mean in the existent earth, though? Have a look at the equivalent aperture comparison chart below:

Just like 'equivalent focal length,' equivalent apertures allow you to compare lens behavior side-past-side beyond cameras with different sensor sizes, past taking sensor size into account. The equivalent aperture effigy gives a articulate idea of how two lenses compare in terms of depth-of-field. It also gives an thought of low-calorie-free functioning, since it also describes how much light is available across the sensor's area. Even so, differences in sensor performance hateful this can merely be used as a guide, rather than an absolute measure out.

The FZ1000's maximum aperture drops off very quickly, as soon as you start to zoom, and by effectually 150mm equivalent, it'south a whole terminate slower than the Sony RX10. However, this still leaves it half a stop faster than the likes of the Olympus Stylus i. On top of this, the FZ1000's lens and then continues on to a very impressive 400mm equivalent focal length.

The only other manner of achieving this level of attain with an effectively brighter aperture would exist an APS-C DSLR with a superzoom like the Sigma 18-250mm f/three.5-6.iii DC Macro Os HSM or Tamron xvi-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di 2 VC PZD Macro (near closely represented by the Nikon 18-200mm shown hither) - a combination that volition exist considerably larger, though can exist had for like amounts of money.