replacement camera.

[Allan.W.]

Hello all ,
My (last) old faithful Panasonic FZ 38 , has finally "bitten the dust " i,ve had two ,both off E-bay ,and i can,t speak highly enough of these cameras
but unfortunately both are now playing up badly ,and the times come to replace them .
I don,t really understand the technicalities of these cameras ,but i really like the Panasonic lumix cameras that i,ve used ,my question to any photographers out there ,is what are your thoughts on the FZ 72 and the FZ 82 ,would my Lumix 55mm lens adapter ,fit these cameras ,and are they any good !
Regards Allan.W.

[Mark Tutton]

I bought an fz150 off eBay a few years ago (£100) and it has been brilliant - goes everywhere with me - the articulated screen is very useful allowing you to use it at arms length and high and low level. I use a close up adapter LMW-LA5 and 55mm lens on it too, not sure if they fit fz38 but I think it’s the same one?
Hope that helps
Kind Regards
Mark

[Allan.W.]

Thanks for that Mark ,i,ii take a look at the FZ150 ,And yes the 55mm adaptor and close up lense do fit the FZ38.
Thanks again for the info . Regards Allan.W.

[Testudo Man]

Hi Allan, as far as im aware (but i could be wrong) both the Panny FZ72 an FZ82 do not have Leica lenses, that most of the other FZ range have. If you do a search/google on both those cameras, then im sure it should tell you if they had Leica lenses or not. I think Panasonic made both those cameras on a limited budget, which meant their own brand lenses were used, rather than the superior Leica lenses...but as i said, its best to check up on this, because i may well be wrong?? Ive never owned both those cameras myself, but ive read a few bad reviews on them, which put me off buying either one of them. Also the sensors they both used were criticized by the "Panny FZ brigade".
Ive personally travelled your camera path, an im a big fan of the FZ range. I used the FZ150 for a number of years (after using FZ28/38/45) an i can say that the FZ150 is a really good camera. But if i were you, i would skip buying both the FZ150 an FZ200, an buy the FZ300/330. I bought an FZ330 a couple of years ago, an with a close up filter attached, it really is such a joy to use. Yes, i do use (alongside my FZ330) a MFT Panny G80 (with a couple of lenses) but there really is very little difference in image quality, between both my camera setups. I keep it simple, i only shoot in Jpegs, i never print any of my images, an i only post my images up on sites, at approx 20/25% of the original file sizes. Im guessing you are not a "pixelpeeper", you are not looking to print huge high quality pictures/posters, so like me, you dont really need to be spending big money on top of the range equipment.
The beauty of the FZ330, is it has a touch screen, so not only does the camera have a rapid focus system, you just choose size of focus square, choose focus point in the frame, all just by touching the screen, all done in less than 5 seconds...which is great for moving subjects, such as butterflies. I would say that my FZ330 (coupled with a 500D close up filter) is my best camera set up for shooting butterflies. I bought mine 2ndhand, for less than £200, a real bargain. I dont know what they cost new, but either way, Im guessing for your wants/needs/requirements, you will be hard pushed, to find a better camera for butterfly images, in that price range.
I hope this info. helps Allan...its my personal opinion, through years of using various cameras, in the Panasonic FZ range.

I have several examples here(from my Flickr account) which im pretty sure were taken with the FZ330!..thats the thing, i cant really tell the difference between my FZ330 images, an the more expensive Panny G80 MFT camera that i also use. I will have to check the Exif data on my images, to see what camera shot what image?! Cheers Paul.

Female DGF.
Female Dark Green Fritillary Butterfly. No Cropping. by Tort Man, on Flickr

Grizzled Skipper.
Grizzled Skipper Butterfly, up close. No Cropping. by Tort Man, on Flickr

Female Adonis Blue.
Female Adonis Blue Butterfly. No Cropping. by Tort Man, on Flickr

[Allan.W.]

Thanks a lot for that information Paul ,those images are superb ,and i,ll definately take a look at the 330 .
Thanks again for the help ! Regards Allan.W.

[Mark Tutton]

Thanks Paul - I bought my 150 about six years ago so will definitely look at your suggestions for an upgrade - probably EBay again
Kind regards
Mark

[Testudo Man]

Thanks a lot for that information Paul ,those images are superb ,and i,ll definately take a look at the 330 .
Thanks again for the help ! Regards Allan.W.

No problems Allan, glad to of helped. Thanks in regards to my images too mate.
I did check the original exif data, an as i thought, all 3 of thoses images were taken using my Panny FZ330.
Cheers Paul.

Thanks Paul - I bought my 150 about six years ago so will definitely look at your suggestions for an upgrade - probably EBay again
Kind regards
Mark

No problems Mark, like you, i bought my FZ150 six or seven years ago from Ebay, an the 150 was a very good camera to use. But over the years i ended up getting dust inside the lens/sensor, and the zoom function got a little sluggish/tired. So for me, the natural upgrade was the FZ330. As a rule, i rarely buy new camera equipment, i found a little used FZ330 on Gumtree for sale, priced low, so drove a 100+ round trip an got it bought.
Cheers Paul.

[NickMorgan]

Paul,
Thank you for your review of the FZ330. I have had an FZ150 for the last 12 years and it is struggling to produce sharp pictures any longer. Although the specification of the FZ330 isn't much different from the 150, it sounds like a good replacement for me. I would have bought another FZ150 if they were still making them!

[Jack Harrison]

My fz200 is getting tired, so maybe I'll get an fz330.

One query though. I am concerned about touchscreen use when the screen is out in the articulated mode. Indeed, the folding mechanism of my existing fz200 is getting very 'wobbly', and that might be about to fail - hence looking ahead (I estimate that the camera has taken up to quarter million photos - I normally use burst mode - so no complaints).

An articulated screen is an absolute must (given my own physical limitations) but if touchscreen is the only method of control, then I fear that in the articulated [extended] mode that might put strain on the folding mechanism - and of course, repeat the problem I have with my fz200.

So with the fz330, can settings be adjusted using traditional methods like buttons and dials?

Jack

[NickMorgan]

Jack,
My FZ330 arrived today. It seems that most adjustments (if not all) can be done with the buttons and the touch screen is just an additional way of doing the same operations. The touch screen can also be switched off, so you don't inadvertently change something with your nose when taking a picture.
I only had a short time to try the camera outside in decent light and it seems really good. I just need to figure out how to adjust the focus area, so that it focuses on the butterfly in the centre of the picture and not the flowers behind it!
There are some good tutorials on YouTube by Graham Houghton.

[Testudo Man]

Paul,
Thank you for your review of the FZ330. I have had an FZ150 for the last 12 years and it is struggling to produce sharp pictures any longer. Although the specification of the FZ330 isn't much different from the 150, it sounds like a good replacement for me. I would have bought another FZ150 if they were still making them!

No problems Nick.
I would still rate the FZ330/300, as one of the best cameras that i have used for Butterflies.
However, last year i foolishly left my FZ300 on the roof of my car, made it halfway home(i have a roofrack) but the camera flew off the roof (going round a roundabout) an smashed badly onto the road!!!!!! beyond repair.
I thought about getting another FZ300, but i had always wanted to try an FZ1000, so bought that instead, an have been using that this season. If i hadnt have smashed my FZ300, then i would still be using it today.

[Testudo Man]

My fz200 is getting tired, so maybe I'll get an fz330.

One query though. I am concerned about touchscreen use when the screen is out in the articulated mode. Indeed, the folding mechanism of my existing fz200 is getting very 'wobbly', and that might be about to fail - hence looking ahead (I estimate that the camera has taken up to quarter million photos - I normally use burst mode - so no complaints).

An articulated screen is an absolute must (given my own physical limitations) but if touchscreen is the only method of control, then I fear that in the articulated [extended] mode that might put strain on the folding mechanism - and of course, repeat the problem I have with my fz200.

So with the fz330, can settings be adjusted using traditional methods like buttons and dials?

Jack

As Nick has said below your post, it would seem that the touch screen can be switched off...i never chose that option myself, because the use of a touchscreen for me, was invaluable. Since my FZ330 got smashed badly last year, i cant actually now test the options of both "on" and "off" for the touchscreen, so i dont know for sure.

[Jack Harrison]

I will leave the poster's name out of this quote

However, last year I foolishly left my FZ300 on the roof of my car, made it halfway home(i have a roofrack) but the camera flew off the roof (going round a roundabout) an smashed badly onto the road!!!!!! beyond repair.

I have never left a camera on the roof (there is always a first time!) but I did have a parallel accident when on holiday in Orkney a couple of years ago.  I had pulled into a rough parking area on the coast for some bird photography.  I put the camera on the seat beside me, but I was unable to find it later.  I hadn't driven off yet (still waiting for my wife, who was doing one of her marathon walks).  I just couldn't find the camera and looked underneath the car.  I moved the car slightly, there was a bump - and yes you've guessed.  There it was in a water-filled pothole.  It was never the same again.

Jack

[Testudo Man]

I will leave the poster's name out of this quote

However, last year I foolishly left my FZ300 on the roof of my car, made it halfway home(i have a roofrack) but the camera flew off the roof (going round a roundabout) an smashed badly onto the road!!!!!! beyond repair.

I have never left a camera on the roof (there is always a first time!) but I did have a parallel accident when on holiday in Orkney a couple of years ago.  I had pulled into a rough parking area on the coast for some bird photography.  I put the camera on the seat beside me, but I was unable to find it later.  I hadn't driven off yet (still waiting for my wife, who was doing one of her marathon walks).  I just couldn't find the camera and looked underneath the car.  I moved the car slightly, there was a bump - and yes you've guessed.  There it was in a water-filled pothole.  It was never the same again.

Jack

We all have a "senior moment" once in awhile
I had had a real good butterfly session that day, "bagged" some great Clouded Yellow images too. It was late, it was a long walk back to the car. I put the camera on my car roof (i had already packed my other camera away, way before i had got back to the car). Had a big drink, swapped footwear, brushed down clothes, then totally forgot about camera on roof, made it 7 miles into journey home, approached roundabout a little too quick Bloody white van man thinks he can take inside lane on me no chance............saw the camera bounce on the road through side mirror, went right around the r/about, stopped car, picked up smashed FZ330..........................I still reckon (because of my roof rack) if i hadnt have entered r/about at the speed i did, my camera would have made it all the way home on the roof.........ah well, lessons to be learnt in this story!!!

Salvaged close up filter off of camera, but more important, the memory card was intact...at least i had all the images taken on the day.
All the FZ330 batteries fit my FZ1000 too, so it wasnt a total loss!