Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50K (black)
Manufacturer: Panasonic Part number: DMC-FZ50K
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- If you can get past its large size, Panasonic's DMC-FZ50 is a decent choice for a superzoom.
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Where to buy
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon.com Marketplace |  | In stock | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 11/08/2009 |
CNET editors' review
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50K (black) price range: $996.34
- Reviewed by: Philip Ryan
- Reviewed on: 10/20/2006
The good: Fast, 12X optical, image-stabilized zoom lens; raw capture; sensitivity to as high as ISO 1,600.
The bad: Big camera body; auto white balance is bad with tungsten lighting; relatively expensive.
The bottom line: If you can get past its large size, Panasonic's DMC-FZ50 is a decent choice for a superzoom.
User reviews
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super shooter
by js43512 on August 27, 2006
Pros: lens,improved noise levels,stabilizer
Cons: focal length not linked to shutter speed in full auto, gives too slow speeds sometimes
Summary: Good clear low noise up to ISO 400, past that it goes downhill.no big deal for me because the stabilizer works so well, lets you get away with much ...
Summary: Good clear low noise up to ISO 400, past that it goes downhill.no big deal for me because the stabilizer works so well, lets you get away with much slower shutter speeds than you would think possible. I took a shot of a deer early in the morning in the woods, the light was bad but I thought , give it a try and see what happens. On full auto at 400mm setting it set ISO 400,I found out later the shutter speed was only 1/15th second, no good right? Wrong, a 8x12 shocked me being rather good. Not tack sharp but not blurry either, very good . I'm not making this up! I would not have believed it without seeing it myself. I am looking forward to exploring this wonderfull machine further.
13 out of 13 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Excellent camera
by bear740 on October 22, 2006
Pros: Perfect size-balanced
Cons: a downgrade to FZ30
Summary: I own the FZ30 but I am really tired of Philip Ryan's bias reviews. It is obvious he is not a professional photographer, since he thinks the FZ50 is ...
Summary: I own the FZ30 but I am really tired of Philip Ryan's bias reviews. It is obvious he is not a professional photographer, since he thinks the FZ50 is large. I have yet to see a professional camera that fits in the palm of your hand Mr. Ryan. It is a perfect size and is extremely well balanced. The so called "noise" of Panasonics is simply blown out of proportion, they are no more noiser than any other camera with this size sensor. All I know is that Panasonic's keep winning awards, picture awards beating out Canon's, Nikon's, Olympus and Fuji's. That should tell you something. CNET has absolutely the worse bias reviewers I have seen on any site, they apparently know nothing of photography, or electronics. By Mr. Ryans own words, he is apparently a Point and Shoot photographer and the FZ50 and the FZ30 before it is not a Point and shoot camera. I am a professional photographer, and I a retired Electonics specialists, I can tell you now, that Panasonic has the best electronics of any brand camera, they may not be able to do a lot of high ISO low light above ISO 400 but most people do not shoot at those settings, and what noise you do get, can be corrected easily with Adobe CS2, or Noise ninja, and others, I will take the noise, that I can handle but soft pics like Fuji, or Canon superzoom's which also have purple fringing, those I will not accept. Mr. Ryan need to learn his trade better or quit doing reviews on things he apparently knowns very little about. The FZ50 is the best superzoom on the market today bar none. Buy it!
11 out of 11 users found this user opinion helpful.
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My Summary of reviews and results out of this camera - This is the best value for money !!
by kvskpin on October 25, 2006
Pros: Superb images, Exceptional build Quality, Perfect fit for general public
Cons: Shoddy reviews - I got a point here - read my opinion carefully !!
Summary: Well,
I was extremely impressed with the results, build quality, features on this camera and for a while was taken by shock to see a rating of 7.4 for ...Summary: Well,
I was extremely impressed with the results, build quality, features on this camera and for a while was taken by shock to see a rating of 7.4 for such a beauty.
Then again, the users rate it at 8.4 !! So, there yo go. On one side, the experts rate it at 7.4 and on the other side, the users rate it at 8.4.
I somehow felt the same desparity among other products from panasonic - check out the difference between the editors rating and user ratings here:
FZ7 - 7.2 versus 8.1
FZ30 - 6.9 versus 8.6
TZ1K - 6.6 versus 8.4
I somehow miss this difference when I look at maybe a canon or a sony. Check the ratings against Canon Rebel XT or anyother for a matter.
So, there we are, while the expert says, this is a 7.4, users feel this is better at 8.4 !!!
I feel it is time to draw a conclusion. Let me consider both the aspects and an average of both the ratings make it a 7.9 or an 8.
Which according to the CNET standards make this camera:
8.0 to 8.9 (Excellent):
A product that receives a rating in this range is superior in so many ways that its relatively few drawbacks are not very important.
7.0 to 7.9 (Very good):
While the strengths of a product scoring in this range certainly outweigh its weaknesses, it has some minor faults that certain users should be aware of.
And that perfectly summarises the camera for me.
I would rate this extremely high on all the features it has and the image quality is very good. (8 - 8.9) range
The only reason why I would put this camera in the (7 - 7.9) range is not the camera itself, but the manufacturer. Panasonic have the most unpleasant customer service and post sales support.
While their products are extremely impressive, but, try comparing Sony and Panasonic - the main difference is the customer service and support. Panasonics are more often better products.
Unfortunately, we don't marry the product alone when we buy it. We marry the organisation - that's a fact we got to realise.4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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One of the BEST digicams out in the market.
by rpt2k on December 24, 2006
Pros: Clear, Crisp, Natural colors.
Cons: None so far
Summary: I used to own the DMCFZ20, which I loved. I briefly switched to Canon S3 IS. I have to say, I hated that camera. After numerous blurry and useless pictures, ...
Summary: I used to own the DMCFZ20, which I loved. I briefly switched to Canon S3 IS. I have to say, I hated that camera. After numerous blurry and useless pictures, I sold it on eBay. I am back to panasonic with DMC FZ50K, and I am loving it. The picturs are always clear, clrisp. the colors are most natural looking. Even the pictures in the dark, with the flash are really great. Lots of options and customizations possible. the construction is solid. Feels like a real camera. the battery life is very well as well.
I will certainly recomend this camera if you are looking for a big zoom. I will also say that STAY AWAY from Canon S3 IS.2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Super Super Camera
by CFC Champs on August 30, 2006
Pros: Fantastic Optics, Zoom Lens, Fast AF
Cons: None of any concern
Summary: This is a superb all round Camera and a joy to use!
Summary: This is a superb all round Camera and a joy to use!
2 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Beautifully Designed but Deeply Flawed Camera
by archangelmr on May 7, 2007
Pros: Excellent build quality, superb lens, ergonomics, balance, articulating LCD, cinematic 16:9 movie mode
Cons: inconsistent image quality, inadaquate sensor, overhyped image stabilization, chroma noise, limited dynamic range, short warranty
Summary: As an experienced (25+ years) photographer, who produces thousands of original images professionally for a digital media consulting, research and web content development company, I can only say that this ...
Summary: As an experienced (25+ years) photographer, who produces thousands of original images professionally for a digital media consulting, research and web content development company, I can only say that this camera is a series of often frustrating contradictions.
On paper, the Panasonic Lumix FZ-50 is without question the best-of-breed camera in its class, bar none. In day-to-day use, the reality is quite different, however.
The FZ-50?s superb handling and build quality are largely negated by its tiny, over-crowded 10 Megapixel sensor. It also suffers from unpredictable, substandard image processing algorithms that simply don't do the excellent Leica optics justice.
As a result, the camera is a beautifully-designed, but deeply-flawed creative tool that will ultimately disappoint most enthusiasts and serious amateurs, and especially professional users who simply choose not to use detachable-lens DSLR?s.
Yes, the well-documented Panasonic chroma noise and graininess (at ALL ISO settings above 100) are gotchas, but I've seen surprisingly little discussion of the camera's other issues such as its limited dynamic range (dark shadows, blown highlights, anyone?), and wildly inconsistent metering and autofocusing. Simply put, the FZ-50?s new-and-improved Venus III image processor just makes a lot of stunningly LOUSY exposure and autofocus decisions, across a wide range of shooting conditions and settings.
Personally, I love the superb feel, great (again, on paper) feature set and optics of the Lumix FZ-50 more than any other camera I have owned, but I also get FAR more throwaway images from it with it than any other, as well. The FZ-50 is a particularly poor choice for most indoor or low-light photojournalism-type work. (And don't even think about using it for moving subjects under artificial light...unless you're prepared for cell-phone quality images of your child?s wrestling match or piano recital at the FZ-50?s farcical "high sensitivity" ISO 3200 setting.)
For a supreme touch of $550.00 irony, consider the following: We also own an ancient Nikon Coolpix 2100 (an entry-level 2 megapixel point-and-shoot) that consistently produces higher quality images than the Lumix FZ-50 in virtually ALL modes under almost ALL conditions. Go figure.
In fairness, do consider the beautifully built FZ-50 by all means, but do so with your eyes open, and be fully aware of its built-in limitations, relative to other superzooms and prosumer ?bridge? cameras. Some prospective purchasers may wish to consider the Fuji Finepix 6000/6500FD (with its superior Super CCD sensor and face detection) as an alternative, as this writer is doing as of the date (May 2007) of this review.
Ultimately, had Panasonic focused on superb image quality instead of senseless, marketing-driven pixel stuffing, the 10 megapixel FZ-50 would be the finest bridge/superzoom camera available anywhere at any price. But they didn't...So it isn't, alas.
If you shoot landscapes, scenic shots and stationary subjects in bright light exclusively, you may indeed be happy with the FZ-50, as many owners apparently are.
Notwithstanding all of the strongly positive reviews of the FZ-50 you?ll find here and elsewhere (after all, who wants to admit to buyer?s remorse?)? the FZ-50 is not a full-service, all-purpose camera, despite any representations to the contrary. What?s more, Panasonic?s highly-touted OIS image stabilization is emphatically NOT the solution to its shortcomings.
Finally, Panasonic has informed me and other professional FZ-50 owners in writing that, no, they presently see no problem with the FZ-50, thank you very much, and have no plans to offer a downloadable firmware upgrade for the foreseeable future. So, what you see is what you get, folks.
To decide if the Lumix FZ-50 is right for you, check out the FZ-50 group(s) on Flickr.com. You?ll find thousands of sample images and user discussion groups, as well.
Check out: http://www.flickr.com/groups/panasonicfz50
Panasonic, if there?s anything we?re missing here, We?re all ears. You?re welcome to get in touch via this forum, at mrussell[at]planetrussell.net or http://www.RussellReport.com1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Love it. Have already printed to 13x19, beautful.
by Adrndk on February 27, 2007
Pros: Made me feel young again.
Cons: Programs take serious learning effort.
Summary: This opinion is for those,like me,who are "of a certain age", and remember "match needles, Kodachrome 25, depth of field and manual focus". If you undestand that, read ...
Summary: This opinion is for those,like me,who are "of a certain age", and remember "match needles, Kodachrome 25, depth of field and manual focus". If you undestand that, read on. If you don't, go play another video game. I have had 5 digital cameras. This one will let me do manual focus, set aperture for depth of field, set speed, manual zoom, has great flash, feels like a serious piece of equipment and takes me back to my old Leicafex plus Nikon Photomic. Great! Remember ASA? At ISO 100/200 it prints out wonderfully to 13x19, 400 falls off, 800 is grainy, 1600 is only good for grandchildren playing hockey in the rink. "Try to remember and if you remember," try it.
Bought it at Buydig. Good price, excellent delivery. Would use them again. In fact, did.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Unbelievable, I love it
by mallmand on November 29, 2006
Pros: Great Zoom, Great resolution for cropping
Cons: It is big, but that may help it be so steady
Summary: I have had it for about a week and have already taken hundreds of shots and have only recharged it once. It made me feel like a pro, I have ...
Summary: I have had it for about a week and have already taken hundreds of shots and have only recharged it once. It made me feel like a pro, I have taken wildlife photos that I am going to have framed for my office and home portraits that are worth hanging on the walls. It is easy to use and incredibly capable. Careful buying it though, online retailers will try to get you to buy extras that you don't need and won't even fit, at least that is my experience at Butterfly photo and Beach Camera.
Updated
I have now had for months and have shot over 2000 photos. I love it, it just gets better as you learn more about it. I have learned that the "fast focus" is a little unreliable for wildlife and I now use the spot focus. It pays to set the white balance and to shoot in raw for the best quality. I have shot hundreds in raw and I love the flexibility that I get for exposure and white balance. I would still recommend buying from a reputable dealer.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Good Camera, Great Lens
by nyfrankieboy on November 26, 2008
Pros: The Leica lens is the best out there and the rotatable lcd panel.
Cons: It's big. Almost as big as a regular SLR
Summary: If you don't mind the size and weight this is an excellent camers. If you are used to a 35MM slr, the size won't be intimidating at all. ...
Summary: If you don't mind the size and weight this is an excellent camers. If you are used to a 35MM slr, the size won't be intimidating at all. The electronic viewfinder is a little jumpy but most people will favor the LCD screen. This screen can be rotated and flipped to just about any angle to facilitate shooting at high and low angles. The flash doesn't carry too far but, that's to be expected for a built in flash. The image stabilization works like a charm. I would definately buy another Panasonic camers.
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After over a year, I still love this camera
by oisk17 on September 1, 2008
Pros: Easy to manipulate zoom lens, very good results even at 12x, stabilization works very well, has produced excellent enlargements at 2 feet by 3 feet.
Cons: Noisy in low light, no flash situations.
Summary: I bought the camera for the purpose of photographing wildlife during an excursion to Africa last (2007) summer. The results were outstanding. I have considered getting a digital SLR, but ...
Summary: I bought the camera for the purpose of photographing wildlife during an excursion to Africa last (2007) summer. The results were outstanding. I have considered getting a digital SLR, but am not convinced that I would get better results with one.
I have had enlargements made of some of my favorite photos. As long as they were not taken in inadequate light, the pictures came out crisp and sharp even at 2 feet by 3 feet.
If you wish to avoid interchangeable lenses, require a large optical zoom, and don't mind the weight, this may be your best choice.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Panasonic
- Part number: DMC-FZ50K
- Description: An 10.1-megapixel high resolution CCD has now joined the FZ series of 12x zoom lenses with MEGA O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer). The Extra Optical Zoom function further increases zooming power to 21.4x while suppressing image degradation. Blur compensation performance has evolved even further. Now you can capture clear, sharp photos in almost any shooting situations. LUMIX's popular MEGA O.I.S. suppresses the blurring caused by hand-shake, and Intelligent ISO Control minimizes blurring caused by subject movement when photographing children, animals, or other moving subjects. So you get less blurring and more beauty. Venus Engine III, the newly improved image processing LSI, inherits the conventional Venus Engine II's quick response and high-quality image output, yet dramatically reduces noise levels. This makes it possible to shoot at ISO 1600 with full resolution. In addition to advanced manual control with zoom ring and focus ring, the DMC-FZ50 is equipped with a new Function button that serves as a shortcut to quickly set frequently used settings. This helps you take photos exactly as you envision them. Also, thanks to the Custom Setting function, your frequent setting patterns can be memorized. The Free-angle LCD is now adjustable to 180 degrees both vertically and horizontally. This assists smooth shooting even in high and low-angle shooting positions. The mode dial makes it easy to retrieve the desired mode settings. A variety of Scene Mode settings optimize Scenery, Panning, and other photo techniques, giving you a choice of sixteen modes in all. The DMC-FZ50 can record beautiful WVGA (848 x 480-pixel) motion pictures and zooming while shooting. You will also discover many other ways to explore the fun and creativity of photography.
General
- Product Type Digital camera - Prosumer
- Width 5.6 in
- Depth 5.6 in
- Height 3.4 in
- Weight 1.5 lbs
- Enclosure Color Black
Main Features
- Resolution 10 megapixels
- Color Support Color
- Optical Sensor Type CCD
- Total Pixels 10,400,000 pixels
- Effective Sensor Resolution 10,100,000 pixels
- Optical Sensor Size 1/1.8 in
- Light Sensitivity ISO 100, ISO 200, ISO 400, ISO 800, ISO 1600, ISO 3200, ISO auto
- Digital Zoom 4 x
- Shooting Modes Frame movie mode
- Shooting Programs Food, Snow, Baby1, Baby2, Candle, Panning, Scenery, Fireworks, Soft skin, Starry sky, Night scene, Sports mode, Party/indoor, Portrait mode, Night portrait, High sensitivity
- Special Effects Cool, Warm, Sepia, Black & White
- Image Stabilizer Optical
- Image stabilizer feature Optical stabilization helps prevent blurry pictures, especially for handheld cameras at slow shutter speeds or when using high optical zoom.
- Max Shutter Speed 1/2000 sec
- Min Shutter Speed 60 sec
- Exposure Metering Spot, Multi-segment, Center-weighted
- Exposure Modes Manual, Program, Automatic, Shutter-priority, Aperture-priority
- Exposure Compensation ±2 EV range, in 1/3 EV steps
- Auto Exposure Bracketing 3 steps in 1/3 EV step
- White Balance Custom, Presets, Automatic
- White Balance Presets Flash, Shade, Cloudy, Halogen, Daylight
- Digital Video Format QuickTime
- Still Image Format RAW, JPEG
- TV Tuner None
- Video Capture QuickTime - 848 x 480, QuickTime - 848 x 480, QuickTime - 640 x 480, QuickTime - 640 x 480, QuickTime - 320 x 240, QuickTime - 320 x 240
Memory / Storage
- Flash Memory 32 MB Flash - SD Memory Card
- Supported Flash Memory MultiMediaCard, SD Memory Card
- Floppy Drive None
- Image Storage Fine, Standard RAW 3648 x 2736, JPEG 3648 x 2736, JPEG 3264 x 2448, JPEG 2560 x 1920, JPEG 2048 x 1536, JPEG 1600 x 1200, JPEG 3600 x 2400, JPEG 3248 x 2160, JPEG 2560 x 1712, JPEG 2048 x 1360, JPEG 3584 x 2016, JPEG 3072 x 1728, JPEG 1920 x 1080
Camera Flash
- Camera Flash Pop-up flash
- Flash Modes Auto mode, Fill-in mode, Slow synchro, Flash OFF mode, Red-eye reduction
- Red Eye Reduction Yes
- Effective Flash Range 1 ft - 23 ft
- Features AF illuminator, Flash +/- compensation
Lens System
- Type Zoom lens - 7.4 mm - 88.8 mm - F/2.8-3.7
- Focal Length 7.4 mm - 88.8 mm
- Focal Length Equivalent to 35mm Camera 35 - 420 mm
- Focus Adjustment Manual, Automatic
- Auto Focus Points (Zones) 9
- Min Focus Range 11.8 in
- Macro Focus Range 5cm
- Lens Aperture F/2.8-3.7
- Optical Zoom 12 x
- Zoom Adjustment Manual
- Lens Construction 10 group(s) / 14 element(s)
- Lens Manufacturer Leica
- Features ED glass, Aspherical lens
Additional Features
- Self Timer Yes
- Self Timer Delay 2 sec, 10 sec
- Flash Terminal Hot shoe
- Additional Features DPOF support, Audio recording, Built-in speaker, Contrast control, Cropping an image, Histogram display, Resizing an image, Sharpness control, PictBridge support, Saturation control, 16:9 widescreen mode, Digital image rotation, Digital noise reduction
Viewfinder
- Viewfinder Type Electronic
- Viewfinder Color Support Color
- Viewfinder Diagonal Size 0.44 in
- Viewfinder Resolution 235,000 pixels
- Field Coverage 100%
Display
- Type LCD display - TFT active matrix - 2 in - Color
- Display Form Factor Rotating
- Display Format 207,000 pixels
Digital Player (Recorder)
- Type None
Microphone
- Type Microphone - Built-in
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x USB, 1 x Composite video/audio output, 1 x DC power input
- Expansion Slot(s) 1 x SD Memory Card
Software
- Software Apple QuickTime, Drivers & Utilities, LUMIX Simple Viewer, Adobe Acrobat Reader, ArcSoft Camera Suite
Miscellaneous
- Carrying Case None
- Included Accessories Strap, Lens cap, Lens hood, Lens adapter
- Cables Included 1, 1 x USB cable, A/V cable
Power
- Power Device Battery charger - External
Battery
- Supported Battery 1 x Li-ion rechargeable battery - 710 mAh ( Included )
Environmental Parameters
- Min Operating Temperature 32 °F
- Max Operating Temperature 104 °F
Product series
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Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50S (silver)
Manufacturer: Panasonic
Specs: Full body, 10.1 megapixels, 12 x, 2 in LCD display, 32 MB - SD Memory Card
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Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50K (black)
Manufacturer: Panasonic
Specs: Full body, 10 megapixels, 12 x, 2 in LCD display, 32 MB - SD Memory Card
Accessories
Manufacturer info
- Panasonic
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Panasonic products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://www.panasonic.com/
- Address:
One Panasonic Way, Secaucus, NJ 07094 - Phone: 800/662-3537
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