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Panasonic Lumix FZ82D is Back

NEWS: The Panasonic Lumix FZ82D Bridge Camera is back! This latest generation compact bridge camera arrives with new capabilities, a handful of very useful upgrades, and keeps many of the standout features from the previous model such as the impressive 60x superzoom and optical image stabilisation.

The portable all-in-one camera is designed to help beginners and more advanced creators capture high-quality 18.1MP photos and 4K videos of their adventures. It’s a great option to hone your skills and further develop your passion for content creation. Our first look review highlights what’s new so that you can decide if this is the ideal option for storytelling your own adventures.

What is the Panasonic Lumix FZ82 series?

The Panasonic Lumix FZ82 series is now available as the FZ82D. This is the latest iteration of the Panasonic Lumix bridge camera, which is compact, features an all-in-one superzoom, an 18 Megapixel 1/2.3-inch High Sensitivity MOS Sensor, 4K video recording, and an outstanding 60x zoom range.

It offers a variety of features to capture fantastic results from near to far with the 20-1200mm full-frame equivalent superzoom lens. The camera is a great all-rounder that is versatile enough to shoot anything from sweeping landscapes and cityscapes to distant high-speed action and wildlife, without ever needing to switch lenses or delve into complicated settings.

Sample red panda at 215mm (1200mm). Camera settings 1/160 sec. f/5.9. ISO 800

Main Lumix FZ82D features

• 18.1MP photos and 4K/30p video
• 60x zoom range, equivalent to 20-1200mm (full-frame)
• 2360k-dot OLED LVF* and 1840k-dot Touch LCD screen (*Upgraded)
• USB Type-C Battery Charging (*New)
• Zoom Compose Assist feature (*New)
• POWER O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilisation) with Active Mode for video making
• Macro function for close-up shooting
• Post focus and focus stacking features
• 55mm filter size

This combination of capabilities in a lightweight camera with a superzoom lens ensures that anyone can capture brilliant shots of sporting events, birds/trains/planes, holidays, and outdoor explorations.

Sample image at 199mm (1110mm). Camera settings 1/100 sec. f/5.7. ISO 320

When did the FZ82D launch and how much does it cost?

The FZ82D was announced on 2 July 2024 and costs £429.00 in the UK. This is fantastic value for what it offers creators, which includes 4K/30p video recording and 4K photos continuous burst at 30fps.

How is the Lumix FZ82D different from creating with a phone?

Shooting with a smartphone can lead to wanting to take control of more advanced content with a dedicated camera. A bridge camera is a great option that sits between a phone and an interchangeable lens camera, and the Lumix FZ82D strikes a balance between ease of use, versatility, and image quality.

The form factor is similar to a mirrorless or DSLR camera, but the Lumix DC FZ82D only weighs around 640g with the lens, battery, and a single SD memory card. This makes it easier to handhold, bring anywhere, and capture photos and videos without the burden of switching lenses.

Despite being beginner-friendly, the compact bridge camera will shoot RAW images for processing, and has a dial with Intelligent Auto, P, A, S, M, and Creative Video, allowing for various degrees of control over how you make content.

This is ideal for progressing your skills and taking content to new heights when you feel more comfortable with the process.

The lens maintains great image quality throughout the incredible 60x zoom range, which can differ from a smartphone that may digitally zoom or crop into images to achieve longer zoom. The Panasonic camera lens renders optical bokeh rather than computational bokeh, which is more natural and allows the addition of lens filters to take even more creative control over stills and videos.

Sample bird of prey at 215mm (1200mm). Camera settings 1/500 sec. f/6.3. ISO 800

Who is this compact Lumix camera for?

With its combination of portability, incredible superzoom lens, and high image quality, the FZ82D is amongst the best Lumix bridge cameras for beginners and intermediate creators. It has enough resolution for printing, social media sharing, and 4K/30p is perfect for a variety of social platforms including YouTube and Meta.

Sample at 71.7mm (400mm). Camera settings 1/320 sec. f/5.6. ISO 800

Lumix DC FZ82 vs FZ82D comparison

This specs comparison table showcases the new and improved features vs the first iteration of this camera while highlighting the many similarities designed to capture great content.

The higher resolution LCD and EVF screens make it easier to compose and frame shots during bright sunlight conditions, while the Zoom Compose Assist makes it easier to get great compositions while zooming into the distance, which is a new feature explored below.

Sample macro butterfly at 27.5mm (154mm). Camera settings 1/80 sec. f/5.4. ISO 1000

What is Zoom Compose Assist?

The Zoom Compose Assist feature makes it easier to frame a shot, even when zooming in extensively. If you lose sight of the subject you can quickly zoom out to check the overall composition, then zoom back in returning to the original position while checking the framing of your subject.

This is very useful when shooting at super-telephoto focal lengths, where it’s easy to lose sight of the subject as you zoom in.

Sample Tiger at 215mm (1200mm). Camera settings 1/320 sec. f/5.9. ISO 800

Photography features

The FZ82D offers plenty of stills photography features to help you capture memorable shots of friends, family and escapades. These include post focus, focus stacking and macro features, as well as creative modes like ‘Old Days’, ‘High Key’, and ‘Low Key’, plus photo styles and AE bracketing.

If you want to refine images you can play with settings like Contrast, Sharpness, Noise Reduction, Saturation, Colour Tone and up to 10 seconds self timer is available to capture selfies and negate the effects of camera shake for landscapes, cityscapes and shots where sharpness is critical.

The latest generation of the popular Lumix DC-FZ82 has been refined with a handful of improvements, which make it easier to compose in bright conditions, capture great compositions when zooming in, and provide convenient USB-C charging.

Panasonic has kept the amazing 60x zoom lens, and you can shoot brilliant ultra wide subjects as well as distant sports and wildlife without ever worrying about switching lenses or wasting time with complicated settings. When you are ready to dive deeper you can switch to manual mode or utilise a range of features to capture great quality 4K stills and videos at frame rates of up to 30fps, ensuring the latest model will be every bit as popular as its predecessor.

Sample at 185mm (1033mm). Camera settings 1/1250 sec. f/5.6. ISO 800

Browse for your Panasonic Lumix FZ82D Bridge Camera today and enjoy unparalleled superzoom capabilities from a lightweight and portable camera which can take your skills to new levels.

If you are upgrading from a previous bridge camera or selling other unwanted equipment, why not grab a fast and free trade-in quote to see how much you can make without the stress of selling privately.

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By Nick Dautlich on 02/07/2024