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I haven't noticed any problems shooting with the mechanical shutter on my FZ300. Mine is a few years old now and the zoom rocker around the shutter button doesn't work properly any more. I still like using it though. Were the sample shots in the video jpegs? Have you tried raw in Darktable? I've tried in Rawtherapee but struggled to match or better the jpegs for detail. Shame because I don't like the jpeg colours much, especially the skin tones.
Thanks for the reply! I think the one I tested could be a bit defective regarding the mechanical shutter. Anyway, the sample shots were shot in Raw and they were sprinkled throughout the video. They are the ones with EXIF information displayed below. I only shot Raw and I exclusively use darktable. Darktable may be useful for sharpening because it's sharpening is better than Rawtherapee. It has the "Diffuse or Sharpen" module which is quite useful for making shots appear more detailed (edge enhancement).
Thanks for the review! I’m looking for a camera for my 12 year old granddaughter who is a budding avid nature photographer. Are there any point and shoots you are aware of that focus well enough for birds in flight? Thanks!!
The Sony RX10 IV might be the best of the bunch because it uses phase-detect autofocus. But a used DSLR and a smaller 70-300 might be better for birds in flight, especially if they're at parks. Most other superzooms use only contrast detect AF and aren't great at birds in flight. Or you could get a smaller mirrorless camera like an Olympus with a 75-300. TBH at least then you have decent manual focus and then you can try and get slower, larger BIF by manually focusing approximately on the subject and using the AF.
Good review/overview of the camera! I agree with a lot of what you said but definitely disagree with the value conclusion, for me it is 5/5 value. Used copies of this camera can be readily had for $300, even new at $450-500 isn’t the worst deal. There’s a reason this camera is still being made/sold 8 years after it’s initial release, it really has no equivalent competition at the price point. I picked up a beat up one for $200 and have been loving it for wildlife. I bought it for the zoom range, compact size, weather sealing, macro capabilities, and decent video capabilities. The AF is not great, stabilization is not perfect but I was expecting it to be way worse than it is. I am getting more noise than I would expect in my photos even on ISO 100 so that is something I need to look into.
I agree with your logic but the reason why I gave it a lower score is because the copy I tested had problems (flickering viewfinder with strange patterns) and the back wheel was (and still is) very stiff. I can only review based on the copy I have.
No, I didn't mean to say the *stabilization* is useless. It works in 1080P and 4K fine. The problem is not stabilization: it's the quality of the video. The 1080P isn't just a resize, so the quality is lower. Chances are it uses something like line skipping or a higher compression because the quality of 1080P is mediocre. That's not true on some cameras, where the 1080P looks like resized 4K - but like skipping saves processing power (and coding more stuff) so that's why some camera manufacturers use it.
Am sorry but this review does a great disservice to this camera. Quite a bit of your information is just wrong, am sorry to say but it is. This camera came out in 2015 and to this day, now 2024 there isn't another camera in its class that can compare to the FZ300. It has a constant f2.8 apature through out the entire zoom range. No other small sensor ultra zoom has this. I owned a nikon P900 at the time it's closed competitor, it has a 2000mm equivalent zoom lens, but that is all it had compared to the FZ300, in absolutely every other department the Lumix decimated the nikon. Nikon have the P1000 now with a 3000mm equivalent lens but I hear apart from that not much has changed from the P900 so this camera would still give it a thrashing. No exposure compensation in manual mode is because in manual mode you set the values manually. In P S and A modes the camera picks the valves for you as you turn the compensation up or down. This is just one of a number of mistakes in this review. I feel you are just running the camera down far too much. You run the auto focus down, I have shot birds in flight with it no problem, and again it's 2015 tech. You run down the build quality I've had mine from 2016 one of my most used cameras I've never had a problem. For what it is nothing can compare.
> Quite a bit of your information is just wrong, am sorry to say but it is. There was nothing factually incorrect that you pointed out. From reading your comment later it seems the only thing you found wrong was that I offended your choice of camera. > No exposure compensation in manual mode is because in manual mode you set the values manually. Every other camera I have has exposure compensation in manual+AUTO ISO. I think it's fair to point this out as I consider it a serious flaw. > This is just one of a number of mistakes in this review. I mentioned specifically that exposure compensation was not available in MANUAL mode. I never said it wasn't available in other modes. > I feel you are just running the camera down far too much. You run the auto focus down, I have shot birds in flight with it no problem, and again it's 2015 tech. I can too, but it's poor at birds in flight, no question. I call it like I see it. It did say it was good for the price. But the autofocus is fairly mediocre in absolute terms. > You run down the build quality I've had mine from 2016 one of my most used cameras I've never had a problem. YOUR camera. Well, the one I tested had a problem and the wheels were hard to turn. It may be quality control but that's important information.
I agree and would like to add that build quality of this camera is excellent. Having used it in the field for around 5 years I found it to be really durable. It is fully weather sealed. The 4 k video is excellent. The camera is light enough to be carried easily all day. This is my goto walk around/hiking camera and NOTHING in it's comes remotely close!
Thanks for adding your data point! Yes, I am glad your camera is quite durable. Of course, my comments may not reflect every copy out there -- I will say that the build quallity is decent but not on the level of the higher end ILCs. But good for the price.
