Panasonic FZ300 - is it still relevant?

Hi all,

I know this has kind of been answered previously but here's a bit of background to my question. I'm a beginner in photography, about a decade ago I had bought a Panasonic FZ28 but I never used anything apart from the preset modes and kind of shelved it when I started a family and other priorities took over.

I've gotten back into it in recent months and have picked up enough knowledge to finally wean myself from the presets, as well as editing (basic stuff) raw files on rawtherapee. There are limitations though to what I can do with my FZ28 e.g. I cannot shoot raw in burst mode or use exposure bracketing in raw in order to play around with HDR. Granted, I could do it by simply taking 3 different images but there are practical limitations to that as well as even with a tripod, there's no remote shutter release on the FZ28.

My use case

I'm an avid hiker and love wildlife (I run across interesting animals in my hikes) so I need some zoom for opportunistic wildlife shots. I'm NOT a birder and won't stay in a hide for hours on end but would like to be able to shoot e.g. a cautious chamois that will flee if I approach closer than 300m or a vulture circling in the sky. There will also be ample family shots, mainly in an outdoors setting.

Why the FZ300?

I don't feel ready from a competence point of view to move to an exchangeable lens system (DSLR or mirrorless), or make the corresponding financial investment. Also, when I bought my FZ28 back in the day, I had also bought the LT55 and LC55 tele/macro lenses, which have seen minimal use. I'd like to squeeze some more value out of them before I get rid of them and by getting the FZ300, they would still see some use. Finally, the form factor/weight as I don't want to lug around kilos of equipment on challenging hikes/climbs.

My questions to you

• Is my rationale for getting the FZ300 valid, namely:
  • Good quality/price ratio
  • Compatibility with tele/macro lenses already in my possession
  • Weight, form factor and environmental sealing make it suitable for outdoor pursuits
  • Full range f2.8
  • The FZ300 is most likely an end of the line model and will never see a successor so no point waiting for a newer model
• Am I missing anything or am I simply approaching this the wrong way?
• Is there any difference between the FZ330 and the FZ300? I'm a bit puzzled because the panasonic france website lists them as different models. I thought it was just a Europe/US designation.
• Does the FZ300 have a feature for auto exposure bracketing in raw?

Finally, can anyone recommend a suitable tripod/head combo? I currently own the Manfrotto 785B but am not too happy with it (clips snapping, no fine control on head). My requirements:

• Lightweight and durable (no plastic clips!)
• Fine controls on head so I can do slight adjustments at max focus range with teleconverter attached.

Thanks in advance for bearing with me and for your answers!

Arisdorf said:

Hi all,

I know this has kind of been answered previously but here's a bit of background to my question. I'm a beginner in photography, about a decade ago I had bought a Panasonic FZ28 but I never used anything apart from the preset modes and kind of shelved it when I started a family and other priorities took over.

I've gotten back into it in recent months and have picked up enough knowledge to finally wean myself from the presets, as well as editing (basic stuff) raw files on rawtherapee. There are limitations though to what I can do with my FZ28 e.g. I cannot shoot raw in burst mode or use exposure bracketing in raw in order to play around with HDR. Granted, I could do it by simply taking 3 different images but there are practical limitations to that as well as even with a tripod, there's no remote shutter release on the FZ28.

My use case

I'm an avid hiker and love wildlife (I run across interesting animals in my hikes) so I need some zoom for opportunistic wildlife shots. I'm NOT a birder and won't stay in a hide for hours on end but would like to be able to shoot e.g. a cautious chamois that will flee if I approach closer than 300m or a vulture circling in the sky. There will also be ample family shots, mainly in an outdoors setting.

Why the FZ300?

I don't feel ready from a competence point of view to move to an exchangeable lens system (DSLR or mirrorless), or make the corresponding financial investment. Also, when I bought my FZ28 back in the day, I had also bought the LT55 and LC55 tele/macro lenses, which have seen minimal use.

Click to expand...

I have have this pair of tele & wide angle converters for my FZ30...

Arisdorf said:

I'd like to squeeze some more value out of them before I get rid of them and by getting the FZ300, they would still see some use. Finally, the form factor/weight as I don't want to lug around kilos of equipment on challenging hikes/climbs.

My questions to you

• Is my rationale for getting the FZ300 valid, namely:
  • Good quality/price ratio
  • Compatibility with tele/macro lenses already in my possession
  • Weight, form factor and environmental sealing make it suitable for outdoor pursuits
  • Full range f2.8
  • The FZ300 is most likely an end of the line model and will never see a successor so no point waiting for a newer model

Click to expand...

Under the current market condition, Panasonic is likely lying low on the line of compact camera front.

Arisdorf said:

• Am I missing anything or am I simply approaching this the wrong way?
• Is there any difference between the FZ330 and the FZ300? I'm a bit puzzled because the panasonic france website lists them as different models. I thought it was just a Europe/US designation.

Click to expand...

They are indeed the same camera for marketing in different region only (PAL and NTSC and 30fps/25spf been the different between them).

Arisdorf said:

• Does the FZ300 have a feature for auto exposure bracketing in raw?

Click to expand...

As per the manual, it should support RAW+JPG . Better confirm this on Panasonic Compact Forum https://www.dpreview.com/forums/1033

IMHO for a large zoom range at constant f/2.8 within a relatively compact body, there could be not much other choices.

FZ1000 mk-I/II or FZ2500 are in similar class, using a larger 1" size sensor has the latest feature set (newer model), but uses a variable aperture zoom lens and are in much bigger size (bigger size sensor require a larger lens).

Have you also ever considered the M43 system? I shoot with M43 is because the system has many models in different size and design to choose from, a lot of lenses in reasonable price/good IQ but smaller size than APSC/FF system.

I am currently shooting with G85 (largest), GX85 and GX850 (smallest) with either:

• 14-140 f/3.5-5.6, which is eq to 28~280 f/7.1~11 of FF), on GX85 is 648g, on GX850 is 534g, or
• 2 lenses setup of 12-32 f/3.5-5.6 & 45-150 f/4-5.6, which is eq to 24-64 f/7.1~11 & 90-300 f/8~11, on GX85 is 650g, on GX850 is 536g...

whereas FZ300: 25-600 f/2.8 which is eq to FF of 25-600 f/18 of 691g.



A shorter reaching but most often is about a few steps forward (if possible). The different indeed is much less than you will expect.

I am currently hiking with the GX850 & 12-32 + 45-150 (mostly a standby lens).

Just some alternate options. If you do not comfortable to swap lenses, FZs are still your best option.

Arisdorf said:

Finally, can anyone recommend a suitable tripod/head combo? I currentlyown the Manfrotto 785B but am not too happy with it (clips snapping, no fine control on head). My requirements:

• Lightweight and durable (no plastic clips!)
• Fine controls on head so I can do slight adjustments at max focus range with teleconverter attached.

Click to expand...

I also have the 785B for my earliest digital cameras.

Its pistol head is only good for smaller size cameras/combo only. After moving onto MILCs (larger lenses), and due to the improved in-camera stability making handheld shooting more applicable to more shooting situations, I don't carry tripod as often nowadays. If shooting close to home, I use larger and more sturdy tripod. The 785B been rarely used nowadays.

If you would look for portability, and will not shoot under extreme elements (strong wind) nor will never be too far away from it, I would suggest to buy any lightweight tripod for play load upto 1.5~2 Kg, and can put on a ball head with quick release plate of my own choice.

How about a gorillapod? It is a standard accessory I carried on my overseas travelling, small and portable, lightweight, can be used in many situation to replace regular tripod.

Arisdorf said:

Thanks in advance for bearing with me and for your answers!

Click to expand...

--
Albert
** Please forgive my typo error.
** Please feel free to download my image and edit it as you like **

I wouldn't. It's a small-sensor 12MP. Yes, the large aperture is nice, but doesn't compensate for the other shortcomings.

I'd look at the FZ1000II. The large sensor more than makes up for the smaller aperture at telephoto. You can use digital zoom if you need more than 400mm. And, it takes decent 4k video, which is actually you best bet for capturing birds in flight.

Another idea would be a Nikon D3500 with the 18-55 and 70-300 AF-P DX VR lenses. Used, you should be able to find them for $500-600. That would be better than nearly any non-interchangeable lens camera. The only downside is no 4k video.

I used to own one of these cameras, and personally I wouldn't recommend it. Don't get me wrong, there's a lot to like about the camera, particularly the wide aperture which allows you to use a faster shutter speed for things like wildlife. But 600mm doesn't get you as close to the action as you might imagine, and the 12mp resolution doesn't leave much room for cropping before the image starts to look noticeably worse. The battery life is also pretty poor, and I'm not sure if it would last you throughout a long hiking trip.

If you're determined to get a small-sensor superzoom, maybe something with a longer reach (like one of the Nikon models) might do better, especially if you're primary usage will be for wildlife. I ended up getting a longer lens for my ILC, which gives much better IQ than the bridge cameras I've owned previously. It also weighs a bit more, but there's always some kind of trade-off in these situations.

The FZ300 is great for what it is. Where it falls down is in low light [even with the bright lens] and poor high ISO performance. You will not go wrong with it for the most part but, as others have mentioned, do compare it with the FZ1000 models. You may still prefer the FZ300 and that’s perfectly OK.

For really informative information on small sensor bridge cameras, have a look at the various helpful YouTube video tutorials be Graham Houghton. He loves them and knows how to get the best out of them.

Oh, and don’t feel that you should or must shoot raw all the time. All the jpeg facilities and functions on your camera will be wasted if you do.

EDIT… Graham has today started a new series for FZ28 beginners that is just as relevant to FZ300 users that are relatively new to photography.

Yes. For the price point, the size/features, and your use, I'm going to say yes. What others left out is the FZ300 is weather resistant, an great feature for outdoor use.

Let me point out that the FZ300 is bigger/heavier than the FZ28, but, beside weather sealing and a longer reach zoom, it has a lot more control points.

The FZ1000II is not weather resistant, and while it has a bigger sensor, it has a shorter range zoom that is slightly slower at the long end, and is bigger than the FZ300.

alcelc said:

alcelc said:

• Does the FZ300 have a feature for auto exposure bracketing in raw?

Click to expand...

As per the manual, it should support RAW+JPG . Better confirm this on Panasonic Compact Forum https://www.dpreview.com/forums/1033

Click to expand...

Thanks for this, I'll check it out, esp since I didn't manage to find any relevant info on the manual.

alcelc said:

IMHO for a large zoom range at constant f/2.8 within a relatively compact body, there could be not much other choices.

FZ1000 mk-I/II or FZ2500 are in similar class, using a larger 1" size sensor has the latest feature set (newer model), but uses a variable aperture zoom lens and are in much bigger size (bigger size sensor require a larger lens).

Have you also ever considered the M43 system? I shoot with M43 is because the system has many models in different size and design to choose from, a lot of lenses in reasonable price/good IQ but smaller size than APSC/FF system.

I am currently shooting with G85 (largest), GX85 and GX850 (smallest) with either:

• 14-140 f/3.5-5.6, which is eq to 28~280 f/7.1~11 of FF), on GX85 is 648g, on GX850 is 534g, or
• 2 lenses setup of 12-32 f/3.5-5.6 & 45-150 f/4-5.6, which is eq to 24-64 f/7.1~11 & 90-300 f/8~11, on GX85 is 650g, on GX850 is 536g...

whereas FZ300: 25-600 f/2.8 which is eq to FF of 25-600 f/18 of 691g.



A shorter reaching but most often is about a few steps forward (if possible). The different indeed is much less than you will expect.

I am currently hiking with the GX850 & 12-32 + 45-150 (mostly a standby lens).

Just some alternate options. If you do not comfortable to swap lenses, FZs are still your best option.

Click to expand...

Weather sealing is quite important for me and the G85 is the only one that offers is but at my skill level, I just can't justify the financial investment. I feel it's like someone who's just learning how to stand on skis, going out and buying top of the range alpine skiing gear. For comparison, I can get the FZ300 at ~€400 where I live (France)...

alcelc said:

alcelc said:

Finally, can anyone recommend a suitable tripod/head combo? I currentlyown the Manfrotto 785B but am not too happy with it (clips snapping, no fine control on head). My requirements:

• Lightweight and durable (no plastic clips!)
• Fine controls on head so I can do slight adjustments at max focus range with teleconverter attached.

Click to expand...

I also have the 785B for my earliest digital cameras.

Its pistol head is only good for smaller size cameras/combo only. After moving onto MILCs (larger lenses), and due to the improved in-camera stability making handheld shooting more applicable to more shooting situations, I don't carry tripod as often nowadays. If shooting close to home, I use larger and more sturdy tripod. The 785B been rarely used nowadays.

If you would look for portability, and will not shoot under extreme elements (strong wind) nor will never be too far away from it, I would suggest to buy any lightweight tripod for play load upto 1.5~2 Kg, and can put on a ball head with quick release plate of my own choice.

How about a gorillapod? It is a standard accessory I carried on my overseas travelling, small and portable, lightweight, can be used in many situation to replace regular tripod.

Click to expand...

Thanks for this, very useful. It got me thinking that perhaps with the advances in IS from the FZ28 to the FZ300, I could just make do with a monopod and Leki sells a camera adapter for their trekking poles. Between that, a gorilla pod and the repaired aforementioned Manfrotto 785B, I should be able to cover most scenarios for the near future.

theworstphotographerontheinternet said:

I used to own one of these cameras, and personally I wouldn't recommend it. Don't get me wrong, there's a lot to like about the camera, particularly the wide aperture which allows you to use a faster shutter speed for things like wildlife. But 600mm doesn't get you as close to the action as you might imagine, and the 12mp resolution doesn't leave much room for cropping before the image starts to look noticeably worse. The battery life is also pretty poor, and I'm not sure if it would last you throughout a long hiking trip.

Click to expand...

Thanks for this! As a matter of fact, I already own the Panasonic DMW-LT55 teleconverter, hence my leaning towards the FZ300, i.e. I can squeeze a bit more value out of my previous purchases. I hear you about the battery life, but for a multi-day trip, I think that's something that would affect any system. The answer there is probably just carrying an extra battery and a solar charger...

theworstphotographerontheinternet said:

If you're determined to get a small-sensor superzoom, maybe something with a longer reach (like one of the Nikon models) might do better, especially if you're primary usage will be for wildlife. I ended up getting a longer lens for my ILC, which gives much better IQ than the bridge cameras I've owned previously. It also weighs a bit more, but there's always some kind of trade-off in these situations.

Click to expand...

Aberaeron said:

The FZ300 is great for what it is. Where it falls down is in low light [even with the bright lens] and poor high ISO performance. You will not go wrong with it for the most part but, as others have mentioned, do compare it with the FZ1000 models. You may still prefer the FZ300 and that’s perfectly OK.

Click to expand...

Yes, I'm aware of the noise issues and don't plan on shooting anything at >ISO200. Need to investigate if image stacking is something I can use e.g for starry skies as I know next to nothing about it.

Aberaeron said:

For really informative information on small sensor bridge cameras, have a look at the various helpful YouTube video tutorials be Graham Houghton. He loves them and knows how to get the best out of them.

Click to expand...

Thanks for this, I've just discovered his channel and learning a lot!

Aberaeron said:

Oh, and don’t feel that you should or must shoot raw all the time. All the jpeg facilities and functions on your camera will be wasted if you do.

Click to expand...

I actually shoot raw+jpeg since (being a noob), I like having the option of adjusting my WB. I must admit that on my FZ28 and with the run-of-the-mill computer screen I'm using, I don't see much difference between the processed jpegs and raw though.

Aberaeron said:

EDIT… Graham has today started a new series for FZ28 beginners that is just as relevant to FZ300 users that are relatively new to photography.

Click to expand...

It’s a great option if you want to keep things simple.

Yes the lt-55 works well but you will need the LA7 adapter tube to mount it correctly.

It’s fine up to iso 400 . It has a nice jpeg engine so shooting raw plus jpeg is a good idea .

Fujix100vuseruk said:

It’s a great option if you want to keep things simple.

Yes the lt-55 works well but you will need the LA7 adapter tube to mount it correctly.

It’s fine up to iso 400 . It has a nice jpeg engine so shooting raw plus jpeg is a good idea .

Click to expand...

feather detail on the bird is very impressive.

how far away were you?

Peter in Canberra said:

Fujix100vuseruk said:

It’s a great option if you want to keep things simple.

Yes the lt-55 works well but you will need the LA7 adapter tube to mount it correctly.

It’s fine up to iso 400 . It has a nice jpeg engine so shooting raw plus jpeg is a good idea .

Click to expand...

feather detail on the bird is very impressive.
how far away were you?

Click to expand...

Very close due to the limitations of 600mm and not cropping the image so probably around 10-20metres maximum.

--
What’s this full frame malarkey then….

You might be underestimating your ability to learn/deal with an interchangeable lens system. Staying with Panasonic and going with micro four thirds still keeps size and weight low but opens up a lot more possibilities and overall probably better results. An option could be to forgo the expense of a new tripod and get a Panny G7 and take advantage of the OIS. I handhold sharp up to 2 seconds.

That said, I have the FZ300...don't shoot it anymore but it produces nice images in full light, does shoot RAW and 4k vid.

JohnCRudySearcher said:

You might be underestimating your ability to learn/deal with an interchangeable lens system. Staying with Panasonic and going with micro four thirds still keeps size and weight low but opens up a lot more possibilities and overall probably better results. An option could be to forgo the expense of a new tripod and get a Panny G7 and take advantage of the OIS. I handhold sharp up to 2 seconds.

That said, I have the FZ300...don't shoot it anymore but it produces nice images in full light, does shoot RAW and 4k vid.

Click to expand...

Erm I think you have replied to the wrong person. I have no issues using an interchangeable lens camera especially seeing as I was a wedding photographer for over 30 years lol

Fujix100vuseruk said:

Erm I think you have replied to the wrong person. I have no issues using an interchangeable lens camera especially seeing as I was a wedding photographer for over 30 years lol

Click to expand...

Oh geez....yes I surely did....was meant for OP....