Panasonic's DMC-FZ200 with its 25-600mm f/2.8 fixed aperture
The champion of the super zoom cameras has arrived here at Unique Photo! This morning, we received our first shipment of the Panasonic DMC-FZ200's, and all I can say is, "WOW!" In the few hours I've had with the camera, I can already tell that this camera will dominate the Super Zoom camera category. Read on for the full breakdown.
Panasonic has not really done a lot to change the overall shape and design of the DMC-FZ200 from its predecessor, the FZ150. The differences I found were the grip, the menu system, the top plate, and most importantly, the lens assembly. Panasonic gave the grip a more ergonomic shape while skinning it with a newer, improved rubber which gives the camera a better feel for even larger hands like mine.
Newly designed grip for the DMC-FZ200
The new menu system and rear button layout are some other changes Panasonic added onto the DMC-FZ200. Some may find an issue with the "perceived" reduced size of the EVF and the removal lack of an eye sensor, but while I've been using the camera around the store, I can say that I rarely seem to want to use the EVF, though it has had an improved resolution (1.31 million dots). The newly-designed buttons have a nice positive click when selecting and seem to be designed to minimize the chances of accidentally clicking them with your palm.
Overall, the camera is a great improvement over the FZ150. The fixed f/2.8 24X zoom gives the camera the potential to be a real game changer for the Super Zoom point and shoot camera market. The Panasonic DMC-FZ200 is currently priced at a hefty $599.99, but when you look at its features and capabilities, the price is rather fitting. With an equivalent 25-600mm f/2.8 fixed aperture lens, ISO that is clean and usable up to 1600, and the ability to now choose between AVCHD 1080P or MP4 @ 1080I with full manual video control and microphone input, the DMC-FZ200 packs a massive punch in a small package.
The newly skinned menu system gives a cleaner more direct system for changing settings
Note the missing eye-sensor now replaced by a dedicated EVF/LCD button to the left of the EVF.
Interested in seeing some sample shots with the DMC-FZ200? We've got you covered. I will be testing this camera extensively over the next few days and posting my photos to our Unique Photo Flickr Pool. On September 8th, I will be hosting a photo Meetup at Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ where I will be doing a track-side test between the FZ200 and the DMC-G5, so check back here after that for the results. There, we will be photographing a local NHRA points race while demonstrating some techniques to use when photographing a 1/4 mile drag race.