Additional information
| Product Dimensions | 4.61 x 5.18 x 3.6 inches |
|---|---|
| Item Weight | 1.52 pounds |
| ASIN | B011PKJI2Y |
| Item model number | DMC-FZ300K |
| Batteries | 1 Lithium ion batteries required. (included) |
| Customer Reviews | /** Fix for UDP-1061. Average customer reviews has a small extra line on hover* https://omni-grok.amazon.com/xref/src/appgroup/websiteTemplates/retail/SoftlinesDetailPageAssets/udp-intl-lock/src/legacy.css?indexName=WebsiteTemplates#40*/.noUnderline a:hover {text-decoration: none;}4.7 out of 5 stars1,645 ratingsP.when('A', 'ready').execute(function(A) {A.declarative('acrLink-click-metrics', 'click', { "allowLinkDefault" : true }, function(event){if(window.ue) {ue.count("acrLinkClickCount", (ue.count("acrLinkClickCount"), 0) + 1);}});});P.when('A', 'cf').execute(function(A) {A.declarative('acrStarsLink-click-metrics', 'click', { "allowLinkDefault" : true }, function(event){if(window.ue) {ue.count("acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount", (ue.count("acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount"), 0) + 1);}});});4.7 out of 5 stars |
| Best Sellers Rank | #2,274 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)#4 in Digital Point & Shoot Cameras |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Date First Available | July 15, 2015 |
| Manufacturer | Panasonic |
rshirk –
This camera is one nice tool! As with any camera of this type, one must read the manual and study the camera to learn its secrets.There are a lot of things on this camera that may never get used in the normal scheme of things, but there is a lot to love about this piece. I have been playing around with it and found some very useful things. The fact that it has a 2.8 aperture across all areas of the spectrum is great for indoor shooting. People complain about the battery usage and drain with this camera. I say get extra batteries if one plans to use it for extended shooting.I don’t expect to use it for movies that much, but it is good to know it is there in case I need to learn it. I also feel that you can learn the “point and shoot” mode until one gets used to it.I am not fond of changing lenses as I am not a professional photographer. I just want to pick up my camera and go do shooting. I love the ability to shoot long zoom pictures. I love the burst features, the picture clarity is amazing and has the same power as a DSLR.It is a bit bulky, but that is good for me because I have large hands and need the extra heft for that.All of what is stated here is of my own opinion and my experience with cameras. As I use this piece, I will add more to this .
Gigachip –
WARNING: Lengthy review ahead!This camera has officially become one of my go to cameras for work and for fun. I normally use a Pentax K-50 or Sony Nex 5n. When traveling, I use a Sony HX90v and RX100m3. I found this camera while looking for 4K capable cameras to use for my YouTube channel. As you can see, I was mainly a hardcore Sony fan, but this camera persuaded me to try another brand. Thankful that I did. It has close to the zoom that the Sony HX90v has. Fully zoomed the HX90v has around ~700mm reach (35mm equivalent) and this camera is about ~600mm reach. 100mm isn’t much from my experience to truly make a huge difference. One thing that this camera has that I love about it, that the HX90v doesn’t have. Is the ability to shoot RAW files. Which is something I can get from my RX100m3 and my DSLR/Mirrorless. Now, this isn’t going to beat the image quality that the RX100m3 or K50/5n give since the sensor is very small in comparison.Going back to the camera now. It is weather resistant to a degree (Truthfully, I never push weather resistance to hard.). Which for price is a huge plus for traveling and being an active outdoor photographer. The 12.1 Megapixel rating may turn people away from this when they hear other cameras having 18+ or now some being 24+. Though really, from experience, if you’re going to post on Facebook, or any other social media or even print the 4×6/8×10 style prints. Then 12.1 Megapixels is more than enough. To be fair, those 4K TVs (this records in 4K too) are about 8 Megapixels, with 1080p being around 2 Megapixels. So after letting that sink in, don’t let it worry you to much.How does video stack up? Video works pretty well, I managed to get great quality video out of this camera. I bought a mic that is $36 from amazon and now its audio is even better. Plus this camera records in 4K, which is a big plus since my other cameras listed only record in 1080p max (K50 unsure, never use it to record). Now before I get ahead of myself, realistically it’d be nice to record at 4K 60FPS. Sadly this camera doesn’t record at 60FPS, instead it records at 30fps and 24fps (4K that is). Like I said, I bought this for YouTube videos and thats perfect really.I truly see this camera replacing my HX90v and RX100m3 on traveling. Though I don’t know exactly how it performs at low light, I know it’s going to be weaker performance than my other cameras minus the HX90v, which has the same sized sensor.Now a quick summaryIf you’re looking for a fun camera that gives great photos, and great videos buy this. If you want a 4K camera, buy this. Weather Resistant camera needed for travel? You guessed it, buy this.
Roger James –
I bought the FZ300 as a present for my wife. She loved the FZ150 she was using but found it’s limitations discouraging. She didn’t want my FZ200 and didn’t like the FZ1000 I bought her at first because it was too big and heavy . I ended up adding it to my camera collection (it’s a great 5 star camera that I enjoy using and I highly recommend). The FZ300 is smaller and lighter than the FZ1000 and seemed like a good upgrade for her to use.Before I gave my wife the camera I tested the camera out and was extremely impressed with the huge number of improvements in the camera over the FZ200. The FZ200 has the same lens and sensor as the FZ300 but the difference that the improved processor, much better EVF and touch screen, much better build quality, weather proofing make this camera a terrific buy. There are so many other features, neither of us has tried will make this camera useful for just about any occasionShe likes to use just the IA setting like many users and the FZ300 works just perfect in that setting. She used the camera on our just completed cruise and was so enthusiast about it’s performance, I kept hearing , “I love this camera”, . “I love this camera”. . In viewing her images they were coming out sharp, detailed, and perfect exposure. We were both amazed that even the lower light indoors images and video showed great detail. I set a 1600 ISO limit and images showed very good dynamic range, much better than the FZ200 I had used previously. The best features she liked were the beautiful bright sharp EVF, the fast accurate focus and the touch screen was a WOW, She also loved the many extra features. She found the handling superb. It does feel great in the hand and the new styling matches the newer Panasonic cameras. The menus are easy and the super control panel seen on expensive cameras is terrific. You can quickly adjust any setting on the LCD without going through extensive menus like most cameras. The touch focus on the LCD screen is also a great feature. Macro images are also much easier to take and look great.Some really great points and extra features that make the camera very special1. The camera has an excellent grip, it feels good in the hands. Easy to use.2. Very good camera build, feels more solid than the excellent FZ2003. Camera has weather sealing and can be used in inclement weather. Not waterproof!4. Great zoom range. From 25 to 6005. EVF is larger and improved over FZ200 and can view scenes and info better6. Touchscreen LCD is a great improvement which allows easier use of camera7. Can set the focus point while viewing through EVF, focus area, extra functions buttons.8. Constant F2.8 aperture throughout the entire zoom area. Allows more light, better low light9. Has mechanical shutter (quiet) and electronic shutter (noise free) great in museums10. Extremely fast focus, much improved over the FZ200. Depth from defocus process?11. 4K photos, 30FPS images come out 8mp, can easily select perfect photo on LCD12. 4K video now possible. Carefully done and results are excellent.13. Camera appears very fast. Fast startup and ready to use.14. Microphone port allows adding external Microphone. Useful when windy conditions.15. Improved low light images even with the small sensor. Up to 1600 with some noise16. Camera while small dSLR sized is fairly light even with the big zoom lens.17. Can easily add filters, including Polarizers, ND filters and super closeup filters18. Includes a very good lens hood that can protect the lens without adding a UV filter19. Image quality is excellent in good light, shows good dynamic range and lots of detail.20. Wifi allows easy transfer of images. And camera control through app.21. Images and video overall is excellent with lots of keepers.22. F2.8 constant aperture lens allows improved Bokeh (background blur not usually possible with small sensor.). Mostly seen in macro images.23. Good quality macro images possible.What isn’t so great with this excellent camera and could be improved.1. Camera uses a very small sensor, so low light images and video are limited2. Small sensor has lower dynamic range and less detail in images.3. Could use a headphone jack for video.4. Missing extra wide angle because of fixed lens.5. Not pocket able, so camera needs a bag or strap.6. Low light images and video while tops for small sensor are still limited and can be noisy.7. Lens is integrated in camera so you really can’t change the lens.8. Camera is not inexpensive but considering all the features, it’s a good buy.If you love super zoom cameras or you are a birder, this is a must buy. It won’t replace the FZ1000 which has a much larger 1 inch sensor with better image quality, better low light quality and better dynamic range. But the FZ300 is a true super zoom; it stands in a class all it’s own and it is well worth upgrading if you have a FZ150/FZ200 or other older Canon or Nikon super zoom. Right now as of 2016, it’s the best small sensor super zoom you can buy. If the camera seems too big or expensive for you, consider the Panasonic ZS50 which is a great pocket super zoom with an EVF or the new ZS100 which now has a 1 inch sensor and touchscreen EVF..but costs more than the FZ300..
Richard Brungard –
I’ve been a hobby/amateur photographer for about 10 years now. I went from a simple point and shoot to an early Canon Rebel, which was probably the wrong move in hindsight. Having to switch lenses all the time for a day out with the family for “snaps” got so annoying that I stopped bringing a camera and relied on our phones. Phones can take photos, sure, but unless you’re a latest model smartphone user (iphone and pixel) the photos are only ever going to be good enough to share on social media, and *maybe* good enough to print 4×6.I wanted to get back to shooting photos, but I didn’t want the hassle of carrying a bunch of gear with me if we were just going to an amusement park, or at a picnic. I looked at Canon bridge/superzoom cameras, (all I had ever owned) but at the 400 dollar range, there was always something about the cameras that I didn’t like. Nikon was no better. My sister bought a P900, with it’s 600mm zoom, so I looked at that, but I wasn’t impressed with the video features (something I have an interest in), the stabilization, lack of hot shoe, and the aperture settings on the lens.Shopping for cameras means compromise. A bridge/superzoom camera is a compromise. You get a small sensor, and you’re stuck with the lens that’s on it. With the constant f2.8 Leica lens, I started looking hard at the FZ300, and found that it’s a VERY popular camera worldwide. Graham Houghton has a ton of tutorial videos on YouTube for the camera, and a user’s guide on Amazon that dives super deep into the camera’s functions and features. If you want to get creative with photography, and want to have an inexpensive all purpose camera, the Panasonic Lumix FZ300 is an excellent choice. The 4k video is great, but most people will only ever use 1080p. The nice thing about 4k is that it can be downsampled to 1080p to produce super clean video. What is really neat about the FZ300 is the 4k photo mode, which gives you burst photos at 30 frames per second. Great to get action shots of your kid’s sports, or wildlife action.Pros:Convenient all in one camera for quick snapsPlenty of “creative” modesFull Manual control for advanced amateursFast f2.8 glass4K video, Photo modesTILTY FLIPPY TOUCHSCREEN. You’ll fall in love with this feature. I did.Image stabilizationCons:12MP is small for 2019, but about max for this sensor size24mm isn’t very wide angleSmall sensor (typical with most bridge cameras at this price)High ISO performance is weak (typical for sensor size)Battery and memory card slot on the bottom interferes with tripod quick release (there is a solution)Overall:Fantastic performer for the price. Not as compact as a 100 dollar point and shoot, but a wonderful start to a photography hobby, or for someone who wants a GOOD camera without the headaches of interchangeable lenses. With the addition of the 4K video, it’s perfect for someone who is interested in photography and videography. You can step up to the FZ1000 or FZ2500, but you lose zoom range, but gain MP and sensor size, but you’re paying DSLR prices for those cameras. If your budget is $1000 and you want a great camera, look at Canon and Nikon APS-C size DSLRs with 2 kit lenses. If your budget is $4-500 you really can’t beat this little gem.Recommended Accessories:ALZO liberator offset mount (moves tripod mount out of the way of the battery door)https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019E67Q4S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1K&F Concept 62” DSLR Tripod, Lightweight and Compact Aluminum Camera Tripod with 360 Panorama Ball Head Quick Release Plate for Travel and Work (TM2324 Black)https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015CGRREI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1Extra Batterieshttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B0768TVNR9/?coliid=IDXG6N4V47V09&colid=3AROT89CSYJ9V&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_itAdvanced accessories:Circular Polarizerhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004ZCAU/?coliid=I2YVFP9ZRSCDFH&colid=3AROT89CSYJ9V&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_itVariable ND filterhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FQB9L81/?coliid=I15IBTBRTJNRHJ&colid=3AROT89CSYJ9V&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
mlytle0 –
Generally, I REALLY like this camera. It has amazing zoom capabilities, but in order to produce this feature in a small compact lens system, the sensor had to be small as well. Most bridge cameras have this same shortcoming, but Panasonic did the sensible thing and limited resolution to 12 megapixels, which contrary to marketing campaigns, is quite enough for most purposes. Small sensors have poor low light performance universally, but taking a small sensor up to 16 or 20 megapixels might give more detail, but also much more noise, so when you post process, the extra detail gets washed out with the noise in the noise reduction steps. The FZ300 has somewhat better high ISO performance then other bridge cameras with small sensors because of this design choice. I have enclosed two bird pictures, the cardinal was heavily cropped and enlarged, so the grass is very noisy, a field of green pixels. The Sparrow is a full image at full zoom, not cropped and noise is very minimal, not visible. When handled correctly, and run carefully with ISO’s no higher than 400, the camera does a good job and as already noted has amazing zoom capability. The software in the camera is very clever giving many custom options to take advantage of the systems strengths and working around the weaknesses of small sensor exposure. This is my second camera after my Nikon D3500, and though the FZ300 can’t outclass the Nikon in picture quality due to sensor limitations, it also can do some things my Nikon can’t do. The two are complimentary. The camera has a ‘point and shoot’ mode for beginning photographers, but you can also shoot raw, and do intense processing if you so wish to. Highly technical people will love this camera for it’s unique character and capabilities. I down rated the autofocus slightly, it’s not bad, works well most of the time, but the small sensor issues in low light will occasionally cause a little retrying action. Comes with the territory, not a failing in the machine.
M.V. –
I wanted a nice camera. I know nothing about photography. I was, however, an art major (painting) so I know about color and composition. I wanted something that I could have fun with, and take high quality photos with, without a huge learning curve. After hours (and hours and hours) of research, I finally settled on this. I figured it wasn’t perfect… nothing is. So far I have been extremely happy with my choice.This camera delivers great shots on the automatic function. I am going to include some photos I took in the first 24 hours I started using my camera, with no prior knowledge other than watching a couple youtube videos on the very basics of using the FZ300K.I used the video to record music during a festival, and I was pleased with the quality. My hands weren’t steady the whole time, but the video wasn’t shaky. I could use some practice with my camera work…that’s on me. I plan to use the video for some art projects and I definitely think it’s a good quality video that will look professional once I become a better cameraman.I am glad I made this choice. If you sound anything like me, and you’re on the fence about purchasing this camera, go for it. Instead of spending hours reading camera reviews, spend those hours outside taking pictures!
R Schwalk –
After hauling around a bunch or gear when traveling, I decided an additional high quality point and shoot camera was required. When researching the models available for quality – price – reviews – weight – capabilities…etc this model said “just try me.” I did, and I was floored by the quality I’ve gotten from this little gem. I’ve taken 500 + images over the last 3 months- mostly birds in trees. The Resolution is amazing, there may only be 12MP, but they are exquisite. I did do some complaining as I got use to using a view screen instead of a view finder, but adjusted to it quickly. The f/2.8 lens – incredible in low light, and is even great in bright sunlight.
Timothy Evans –
Let me preface this 5 star review by saying: This is a consumer grade camera, not a professional camera and is not going to be on the same tier as larger sensor DSLR/Mirror less cameras, but for what this is it is an amazing value. For a superzoom it’s constant aperture is a great feature. It has extensive manual controls and a menu system similar to the GH4/GH5. The image quality, when lighting is decent, is really quite good. The inbody stabilization does a great job, and the autofocus is much more accurate and much faster than I expected it would be. It’s a great back up camera, at least for video, and it’s about the price of a GoPro. I’ve used it on several paid projects that were smaller budget and it really added to the project. It’s not as ergonomic as a pro camera and the battery and sd card both load from the bottom but as a pro videographer I highly recommend this all in one for anyone who just needs a camera for their family, travel, or begginer video enthusiasts. You’ll be really happy with it. I would not recommend this to aspiring photographers however, or pros looking for a B cam on par with a Canon Rebel. The glass and sensor size just isn’t there, but it’s useful as a “C” Cam and when conditions, mainly lighting, are ideal the images are very useable.
KS –
Yeah, it could have a larger sensor, higher MP, or be one of those >40x zoom cameras, but I’m happy with the photos it takes. Even at full zoom and in a variety of lighting, it takes awesome photos. Haven’t had a blurry or grainy one yet. Even without a tripod I was able to take an amazingly detailed photo of the full moon. And even with morning fog, the photos came out sharp! I continue to be impressed by this camera’s ruggedness against the elements: most of my photography is at the beach (read: sand, salt, and saltwater spray), and it’s held up so far and seems to be well built to endure.
Kimberly Crick Art –
Finally I don’t feel like I have to lug my big heavy DSLR around to get good pictures of nature, birds and insects. I have the Canon T5i with a 100-400mm lens which weighs several pounds and looks like a white telescope which makes everyone look at me. Sometimes you just don’t want that kind of attention, nor to have to carry an item using a huge backpack. This camera is much lighter, fits in my purse, and wearing it with a neck strap for hours doesn’t fatigue me like the DSLR did. I’m amazingly impressed with the video quality, I took a video of a butterfly fluttering around a flower and it looks like professional movie quality, better than my Canon even. I like the way this Panasonic handles auto focus, colors seem spot-on, and pictures come out sharp. This has cut down on my correction of color balance and sharpening in photoshop afterwards. I tried the previous version fz200 of this camera first, as well as a Canon Powershhot sx720, but wasn’t as happy with the image quality compared to this fz300 for the similar price point of under 500. The video on this camera blows all others out of the water, I’d even go so far to say this price was worth it as a video camera/camcorder replacement alone.In low light conditions this camera seems to do best with flash, I did see some grainy images in shady room light, but every camera I’ve ever owned suffers from that. In well lit situations I’ve never seen a non DSLR produce such high quality images though, and this was a quarter of the price I paid for my canon with lens. When I zoomed in on a bush I got a clear shot of a bee where you can even see the pollen particles on the bee. I zoomed on a tree about 100 feet away and could see the small birds on it (see photos). I was also surprised to see a bokeh effect on the background of a flower I had zoomed in on, the background was a parking lot which was very unnatractive, but you can’t even see it because it made the flower in focus and soft blurred the background for me. This is a effect commonly seen in DSLR cameras, but I wasn’t aware this would be capable of that.I found the camera very easy to operate, fit my hands well, had plenty of options usually only found on higher end cameras such as manual focus, and the touch-screen turns off when you press your face against the eye viewfinder (which has a sensor to detect your face, or when you have the camera just resting on your chest with the strap) which saves you battery power. My main purpose of buying this camera is to capture wildlife shots when I’m out of the house, but not planning to do photography so the DSLR is at home. This fitting in my purse and being lightweight, I take it with me everywhere to avoid those “I wish I had my camera with me” moments.