Panasonic’s latest FZ Series super telephoto camera, the DC-FZ80, is feature-packed for great appeal and versatility. Capabilities include a powerful 60x zoom lens spanning 20mm-1200mm; 4K technologies including 4K Photo, 4K Video and Post Focus; an 18-megapixel sensor; Depth from Defocus for highly responsive autofocus; plus a Live View Finder and touch screen.
The LUMIX DC-FZ80 is priced at $599RRP and will be available in Australia in March from photographic specialists and consumer electronics retailers.
Key features
Powerful zoom lens
This very affordable camera provides impressive wide angle shooting and homing in on distant subjects. The DC-FZ80 has an exceptionally versatile LUMIX DC VARIO 20mm ultra wide-angle lens with a 60x optical zoom (35mm camera equivalent: 20-1200mm) – capturing around 140% wider angle of view compared with a 24mm lens. POWER O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabiliser) with Active Mode suppresses blur in video and still image recording.
The latest 4K capabilities
The DC-FZ80 boasts 4K Video and 4K Photo, giving the photographer even greater scope to capture breathtaking shots. The camera offers 4K video recording at 4x the resolution of Full HD (3840 x 2160). 4K Live Cropping provides video shooters with amazing flexibility – for example, cropping to create smooth, slow zooms or stable pans – while maintaining Full HD picture quality in the final footage.
For still shooting, 4K Photo with 4K Pre-burst mode shoots 30 frames per second before and after the shutter is released to capture the defining shot. Batch Save stores an entire burst sequence of up to 150 frames at just one press of a button. Light Composition mode saves the brightest pixels from a series of shots in-camera, to produce more dramatic images of night scenes such as fireworks.
Panasonic’s Post Focus feature allows the user to choose the focal point of an image after it’s been taken. From a single photo you can create multiple shots with different focus points. Supplementing this, Focus Stacking allows the user to combine focal points to achieve complete foreground to background focus.
Impressive image quality and responsiveness
The new 18.1-megapixel High Sensitivity MOS Sensor, together with the Venus Engine image processor, elevates response, sensitivity and image quality to an even higher level.
The camera is quick and responsive to support the demands of dynamic telephoto shooting. Depth from Defocusi technology minimises focusing time. The camera and the lens exchange the digital signal at max 240fps, allowing the camera to achieve an autofocusing speed of approx. 0.09 seciI. This capability is particularly impressive when paired with the DC-FZ80’s super telephoto focal length lens. The camera offers high-speed burst shooting at 10 fps (AFS) / 6 fps (AFC) in 18.1-megapixel full resolution with a mechanical shutter.
Intuitive controls
The DC-FZ80 has a 1170K-dot Live View Finder (LVF) with a magnification ratio of approx 0.46x (35mm camera equivalent in 4:3). The high 60-fps frame rate minimises image lag to shoot fast-moving subjects. A 3-inch 1040K-dot touch control rear monitor provides quick focusing and shutter release, and supports after-shooting operations including selecting 4K Photo shots or setting Post Focus. Full manual control and P/A/S/M mode allow advanced users to enjoy more creative photography. The grip design has been re-engineered for stability during extended shooting.
Other key features
- Flexible video recording options include High Speed Video for fast motion recording at 120fps/100 fps 50Hz/FHD. Time Lapse and Stop Motion Animation are also available.
- Wi-fi connectivity using the Panasonic Image App
- Creative Control with 22 filter options
- USB battery charging
For further information, please visit www.panasonic.com.au.
[i] Contrast AF with DFD Technology works only with Panasonic Micro Four Thirds lenses.
[ii] In AFS, at wide-end (CIPA).