User Reviews for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ70 Bridge Camera

I bought this Camera around 1 month ago at a super low price of 15500. I am writing this review after clicking about 2000 photos and 4 hours of video. I have many other bridge cameras also about which I talk below-nnI really like the FZ70 especially the super wide angle and extra zoom in the lens and now pricedn around Rs. 16000. The super wide angle is rather unique in a super zoom and great for landscapes and indoor shots. The F2.8 at wide angle allows for pretty good low light images. It’s rare to see really wide angle in any lens but it does present a problem finding a lens hood that will work at extreme wide angle. The FZ70 is really a stripped down version of the more expensive FZ150/FZ200 with a much bigger zoom lens, different sensor, and missing many extra important features which an experienced image taker expects. These features are nice to have but really not necessary features for the beginner or someone like myself with other camerasnnThe image stabilization on the FZ70 is outstanding just like the FZ150/FZ200. I was able to get sharp hand held images at 60X zoom most of the time. It should be impossible to do that but with some extra bracing, the sharp images were close to all of the time. I think the Panasonic FZ150/FZ200 has the best image quality for the bridge cameras but there is not a huge difference. The FZ70 images are very good and sometimes breathtaking. I checked out an assortment of wide angle to full zoom images and was amazed just how good they were. An example….I took an image of a house 1/5 of a mile from the camera, hand held at full zoom. I could almost see the individual granules in the shingles and individual leaves in the trees behind the house. I can’t do that with my Canon 60D dSLR and $600 zoom lens. I recently took the FZ70 along with an Olympus OMDEM5 with a Panasonic 14-140, that combination cost 6X the FZ70 to the local zoo. I used the FZ70 for the wide angle images and the extreme zoom images. I captured in sharp detail, all the animals in their habitat as if I was right next to them. The OMD allowed capturing images through any cages or fencing, something that is nearly impossible to do with the FZ70. The EVF for the OMD is vastly superior which you would expect, which made image taking much easier with that camera.Is the camera easy to use?….extremely easy. 100 times easier than my OMD or 60D. The setup is easy, just turn the dial to ia and press the shutter ½ way to focus and then press all the way. When you grip the camera and use the EVF, your images will be vastly improved over your phone or LCD compact camera.nnIf you do not want to spend much over 18k, this camera is a great deal. If you have some extra money, I think the FZ200 is the way to go but it is missing the extra zoom and wide angle, but the FZ200 is more compact and takes outstanding images, video and is great in low light. If you like just automated settings, the FZ70 is a very good choice. Read the manual first…it’s online. Basic and Advanced. If you have a tablet, who doesn’t, it’s an easy to read PDF. If that puts you to sleep get the camera first and wait until you need to know how to do more complicated things.n------------------------nSTRENGTHSn---------------------------n- Sharp at 20mm at the wide end. The cost of this camera is lower than most dedicated wide angle lenses. If nothing else, you can keep a FZ70 in your bag as an always ready wide angle option.nn- 5fps with autofocus. Perfect for capturing fast moving action since the camera focuses after every shot.nn- Super range. 20-1200mm is just insane. 1200mm shots have come out well which wasn't the case with the Sony HX300V. I could not get sharp shots past 800mm on the Sony.nn- Great video quality at 720p 60p.nn- Nice and lightnn-Great rubberised hand gripnn----------------------nCONCLUSIONn-----------------------nAll round I am extremely pleased with camera: handles well and feels solid and chunky but not too heavy. The zoom is outstanding - optical to x60 excellent and the digital iZoom doubles this with no loss in image size and manageable loss in quality, there is more digital zoom on top of this but then noise really starts to become unacceptable. In amongst all the zooming options I shouldn't forget to mention the wide angle ability (20mm) which is significantly better on this model and excellent both for landscapes and indoorsnnAlso pleased with clarity and simplicity but also the depth, of the menu settings and ease of access - normal via menu button, quick menu button and via scroll dial plus two customisable shortcuts. This has made using the manual settings straightforward. One other plus point is the start up speed - I would estimate at approx 1 second.nnPicture quality has been very pleasing from macro to zoom - even on large PC monitor display

First one thing not of review but of Flipkart customer care. It sucks, either they don't have any knowledge of the job of the officials are too like that way. I wanted the delivery one day later and they told me "to call after the time of delivery!!!" One thing is clear for the next time I won't call customer care of Flipkart for any help, it's just waste of time any money there. For customer care rating I want to give 1/5. Now coming to the camera, I compared three cameras of my budget which are Sony DHC400, Nikon Coolpix p530 and this one. After so many researches, comparison and reading reviews of some good sites and photography experts, I choose this one and I am very happy with its results. The zooming quality, shooting mode options, battery life everything is fine in this one at this prize. If you are looking for good beginner level DSLR type point and shoot camera its a good one for starters . . . Have fun.

I brought this camera from some other site for 15K. nPros :n-------n1. Cheapest camera with zoom greater than 42x.n2. Photo quality almost in par with sony HX400V.n3. Spending another 15 K you can buy 2x teleconverter ( optical zoom doubles to 100x plus with slight degradation in picture quality), macro lens kit ( the good insect photo you want), 0,45x wide angle lens, 0.35x fisheye lens, good tripod, UV, CPL filters and good camera bag. Purist may cry foul to using cheap quality lenses but taking good photographs using substandard lenses shows your capability.n4. All the accessories I brought was of 58 mm diameter so that I can use the same when I buy my canon DSLR.n5. Very good second / travel camera if you are planning to buy or have DSLR.nnConsn------n1. Once you learn manual photography and start appreciating noise, photo quality to a certain extent then you will regret buying this camera as you would always feel that DSLR with larger sensor and lesser zoom would have been a better bet.n2. If you already have a good point and shoot camera, I would suggest you to buy a DSLR. A DSLR with poor lens will be better than a 1/2.3 sensor camera. n3. No need to buy a camera just for zoom. nnThis review is for aspiring photographers only who want to learn / make photography a hobby.

Great Camera with Excellent Zoom. Priced reasonably compared to Sony which costs 25k and does not even offer full HD video recording. This one has full HD, maximum zoom for a bridge SLR, Dolby audio recording. Everything to the max that you wish for.

Great color quality, Fast and easy to operate. Better results in manual mode. Really super zoom and image stabilizer works really well. Don't expect much on zoom mic nothing special about it. Night shots are going to be a tragedy but still best in digital camera series.