This is the first review I have ever taken the time to write. First of all I want to say that I absolutely love this camera. My husband and I spent several weeks doing research on the best camera for us. Becasue we did so much research we knew what wanted it to have In our new camera...must haves were a good zoom (more than 20x and not shaky), wanted it to be easy to use but with all the bells and whistles..ie fast shutter speed..hd movie capability etc and great picture quality. We also wanted to spend under 400. So after several hours on the Internet cnet.com was a great source of info), at best buy, frys, and wal mart, and few stops at local camera stores we narrowed our search. Although we initally considered getting a dslr...we quickly changed our minds because of the price and the need for additional lense (I for one did not want to carry around extra lenses just to take pics..also they can be very heavy and expensive) We were just not ready to move in that direction. So we narrowed our search down to three front runners...The Panasonic FZ 150..Nikon Cool Pix P100...and the Nikon cool pix s 9100. As noted the FZ 100 was not one the finalists. But after reading all the reviews about it on amazon and testing the Panasonic FZ 150 out at the store we took a shot and ordered it. We were not disapointed.
We eliminated the Nikon P100 after trying it out at the store. The speed of the P100 was much slower and when zoomed all the way it seemed to shake quite a bit....not for us. I was in love with the cool pix S9100. Came in fun colors (like red) and everything I wanted...except it only had a 18 x zoom and when holding the camera it felt well like plastic..cheap a deal breaker in the end for my husband. The Panasonic FZ 150 was great..easy to hold, had many options and did not seam to shake due to a great stabilizing feature. It looked awesome..similar to a dslr..which my husband really liked.
So we decided to get the FZ 150 ...but after even more research we found that the FZ 100 had a faster shutter speed..which allows for thoes action shots. So we ordered it instead. When it arrived I instantly fell in love. So easy to use just like a point and shoot. And the zoom..well amazing. The camera does 1080ip hd movies and has A really cool 15 shot burst mode. It does take a bit to learn all the features..especially if you have never had a camera like this before. Well worth the money!!
My advice is to test out your top favs at the store ..read tons of reviews ...and get the camera that fits your needs...cnet.com is a great source..and I promise if you decide on this camera u should love it. If you are looking for a nice pocket point and shoot look at the Nikon cool pixS9100..but if you want a set up...dslr feel....tons of features...the PanasonicFZ 100 is the camera to get!!!
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ100 14.1 MP Digital Camera with 24x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0-Inch LCD (Black)
Here are the specs:
Key specs Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ100
Dimensions (WHD) 4.9 x 3.2 x 3.7 inches
Weight (with battery and media) 1.2 pounds
Megapixels, image sensor size, type 15 megapixels, 1/2.3-inch MOS (14 megapixels effective)
LCD size, resolution/viewfinder 3-inch LCD, 460K dots/electronic
Lens (zoom, aperture, focal length) 24x, f3.3-5.7, 25-600mm (35mm equivalent)
File format (still/video) JPEG, raw (.RW2)/AVCHD (.MTS)
Highest resolution size (still/video) 4,320x3,240 pixels/ 1,920x1,080 at 30fps (interlaced; 19Mbps), 1,280x720 at 30fps (progressive; 17Mbps)
Image stabilization type Optical and digital
Battery type, CIPA rated life Li-ion rechargeable, 410 shots
Battery charged in camera No; external charger supplied
Storage media SD/SDHC/SDXC
Bundled software Photofunstudio 5.2 HD Edition (Windows), SilkyPix Developer Studio 3.1 SE (Windows, Mac)
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This Item  Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ100 14.1 MP Digital Camera with 24x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0-Inch LCD - Black |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | $289.99 | $64.99 | $448.99 | $399.00 | -7% $649.00 List: $699.99 | $584.99 |
| Delivery | — | Get it as soon as Saturday, May 25 | Get it May 24 - Jun 3 | Get it May 24 - Jun 3 | Get it May 23 - 31 | — |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Zoom | ||||||
| Image stabilization | ||||||
| Sold By | Camerastore | Pandos-US | Wall Street Photo Authorized Seller | Wall Street Photo Authorized Seller | Willoughby's Established 1898 | Adorama |
| display type | — | LCD | LCD | LCD | LCD | LCD |
| display size | 3 inches | 2.8 inches | 3 inches | 2.5 inches | 3 inches | 2.3 inches |
| lens type | zoom | Fisheye | Zoom, Wide Angle | Zoom, Wide Angle | Wide Angle | zoom lens |
| zoom type | Optical Zoom | Digital Zoom | Optical Zoom, Digital Zoom | Optical Zoom, Digital Zoom | Digital Zoom, Optical Zoom | — |
| shooting modes | Scene | Automatic | Scene | Scene | Aperture Priority, Auto, Manual, Program, Shutter Priority | Sports |
| connectivity tech | HDMI, USB | Type C | HDMI, USB | USB | HDMI, Bluetooth, USB | Wi-Fi, USB |
| video resolution | FHD 1080p | 2K | 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 848 x 480 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps) | 848 x 480 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps) | 4K UHD 2160p | 2160p |
| optical zoom | 24 multiplier x | 16 multiplier x | 3 multiplier x | — | 20.3 multiplier x | — |
| wireless tech | ✓ | Wi-Fi | ✓ | ✓ | Wi-FiBluetooth | Wi-Fi, usb |
Reviews with images
Ad Astra Per Aspera - To The Stars Through Difficulties
After much indecision, I purchased this camera. I became tired of lugging around DSLR equipment and missing some great shots. However, one must not compare this camera's IQ with the IQ of a good DSLR.....but then what is great IQ if you do not have an image to begin with. In this respect, the FZ100 in overall performance is as fast as or faster than a DSLR.I am an experienced amateur photographer, having won many awards in thirty-five mm photography many moons ago. Those days are over forever. This is not my first digital camera. However, it is now necessary for us old timers and serious beginners alike to learn how advanced digital cameras work and how the interaction of various settings on them will effect and affect the images produced. The complexities for a beginner, who has relied on point and shoot, will be daunting. Those who are not computer literate will also be at a disadvantage. These caveats apply to the FZ100.Right out of the box, the FZ100 in IA (Intelligent Automatic - nice for just "Automatic") mode will produce decent, but not great, results...In fact, in many cases this camera will produce images inferior to inexpensive point and shoots until one not just reads, but also understands and implements what is contained in the advanced manual (and refers to suggestions to settings published on the Net)....and understands the camera itself and becomes comfortable with it. This takes patience and time. If you cannot muster up patience and time, do not buy a bridge camera and expect miracles. A good camera does not make a good photographer. Some of the professional reviews of the FZ100, downgrading its IQ, reflect an out-of-the-box experience. (The same goes for the Canon SX30is et al, for which my review might also apply; but I liked some of the features of the FZ100 better, such as its burst mode up to 60 frames/sec, 1080p video, and better stabilization.....by the way, most reviews do not mention this, but the actual OPTICAL zoom range is actually 32X not 24X, thus beating out the Cannon and with supposedly somewhat better results, depending upon the review and the reviewer. As far as my experience, if the shutter speed is high enough, the results are very good.All I am going to say is that once one gets used to the FZ100, and makes the correct adjustments, the results are absolutely superb both for still photos and video. Check out YouTube. As a bridge camera, the FZ100 gets FOUR and ONE HALF STARS.---------------------------------------------------UPDATE 12/27/2010I was asked in a comment what settings I used to improve IQ. The following is my answer:I trust that you are conversant with the basics of photography; but I wrote the following for someone who might not be as knowledgeable as you.The following are some of the settings that I have my camera set to. Much depends upon your taste and the shooting situation. Pretend that the FZ100 is a 35mm SLR from the 1970's. No one setting will satisfy every situation or everybody. Refer to pages 209 and 210 of the advanced manual and make sure you know what the jargon means and what each setting does so you can set the camera accordingly. Also, make sure you download the latest firmware update. As of this writing, it is Version 1.2.Start with "P"or Program mode on the dial. In use, "P" automatically sets the camera to a combination of what it considers to be the best f-stop and shutter speed. This does work well for quick point-and-shoots and long telephoto shots. However, good luck at trying to control depth of field, etc. I hardly use this setting, but the menu can be initially set up this way. After the camera is set up this way, then go back and tweak it for the "A, S, and M" modes. I almost always shoot on Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, or Manual, the last being one of the reasons I purchased this camera over the Canon. Manual settings are easier with the FZ100.RECSet the FILM MODE to "Dynamic" or "Vibrant"Contrast: +1 or +2Sharpness: +1Color Saturation: +1Noise Reduction -1 (or even -2) , but you may need a little post processing noise reduction for -2 (The reason you can reduce the noise reduction setting is because of the following PICTURE SIZE and the ISO settings.PICTURE SIZE: 10.5 mega-pixels. (Panasonic, as well as others, should never have tried to cram 14 mega-pixels into a small sensor. You will be surprised at the reduction in noise and artifacts just by this setting alone....)If shooting in jpeg, use the best setting, i.e. the six rectangular boxesISO sensitivity set to 100 or 200; OR set the next option on page 2 of the menu ("ISO LIMIT SET") an upper limit of no more than 400. Remember that the most popular professional 35mm slide and color films were all less than 400 ASA/ISO way back when. Use 400 and higher only when you must. At 1600, the pics are still very usable and superior to many ISO 400 films of the past.White Balance leave at automatic; but I have programmed the Fn button for white balance. Setting the white balance to "cloudy" on a fairly sunny day can give you some really vibrant results. If you have incandescent lighting at home, set it for "incandescent" if you wish to shoot without a flash. The results are very good.Try these settings, and see what you think.There are about 10,000 other permutations for adjusting the FZ100, but I turn most of them off , especially the C-F (Continuous Focus) for still photos. It just wastes the battery.However, you may want to turn on the I.R. (I.Resolution) to "i.zoom." This effectively gives you an OPTICAL 32X zoom lens (something like a macro setting, but in the long direction instead. My camera claims that the zoom is actually 37X.) It works seamlessly and quite well...well enough to read sharply a license plate at about 200 yards if you support the camera and have a high enough shutter speed...so much for the reviews of IQ.If you do wish to shoot in Manual, turn on the MF ASSIST. (It only works when you shoot in manual and is a great help)I set the flash to forced-on. That way, the flash will always be ready when the flash is raised regardless of conditions and especially when I want fill-in light outdoors, e.g., to eliminate the shadows on faces or to compensate manually for back-lighting without changing the f-stop (EV).Always, Always, Always make sure that the shutter speed is high enough, especially at the longer end of the zoom... that is, of course, unless you wish to blur the action.Oh yes...and do get a good 52mm UV filter. (This is another reason I chose the Panasonic over the Canon. The Canon lens is not threaded for accessories. You must buy an expensive extension tube. With the Panasonic, all you have to do is screw on any 52mm accessory...and the lens cap still works.)There's much more. The video is outstanding...but that is another story.Are there some things about the camera I do not like?..Yes, but they are minor and that is also another story.
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2011
Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2010
I am an experienced amateur photographer, having won many awards in thirty-five mm photography many moons ago. Those days are over forever. This is not my first digital camera. However, it is now necessary for us old timers and serious beginners alike to learn how advanced digital cameras work and how the interaction of various settings on them will effect and affect the images produced. The complexities for a beginner, who has relied on point and shoot, will be daunting. Those who are not computer literate will also be at a disadvantage. These caveats apply to the FZ100.
Right out of the box, the FZ100 in IA (Intelligent Automatic - nice for just "Automatic") mode will produce decent, but not great, results...In fact, in many cases this camera will produce images inferior to inexpensive point and shoots until one not just reads, but also understands and implements what is contained in the advanced manual (and refers to suggestions to settings published on the Net)....and understands the camera itself and becomes comfortable with it. This takes patience and time. If you cannot muster up patience and time, do not buy a bridge camera and expect miracles. A good camera does not make a good photographer. Some of the professional reviews of the FZ100, downgrading its IQ, reflect an out-of-the-box experience. (The same goes for the Canon SX30is et al, for which my review might also apply; but I liked some of the features of the FZ100 better, such as its burst mode up to 60 frames/sec, 1080p video, and better stabilization.....by the way, most reviews do not mention this, but the actual OPTICAL zoom range is actually 32X not 24X, thus beating out the Cannon and with supposedly somewhat better results, depending upon the review and the reviewer. As far as my experience, if the shutter speed is high enough, the results are very good.
All I am going to say is that once one gets used to the FZ100, and makes the correct adjustments, the results are absolutely superb both for still photos and video. Check out YouTube. As a bridge camera, the FZ100 gets FOUR and ONE HALF STARS.
---------------------------------------------------
UPDATE 12/27/2010
I was asked in a comment what settings I used to improve IQ. The following is my answer:
I trust that you are conversant with the basics of photography; but I wrote the following for someone who might not be as knowledgeable as you.
The following are some of the settings that I have my camera set to. Much depends upon your taste and the shooting situation. Pretend that the FZ100 is a 35mm SLR from the 1970's. No one setting will satisfy every situation or everybody. Refer to pages 209 and 210 of the advanced manual and make sure you know what the jargon means and what each setting does so you can set the camera accordingly. Also, make sure you download the latest firmware update. As of this writing, it is Version 1.2.
Start with "P"or Program mode on the dial. In use, "P" automatically sets the camera to a combination of what it considers to be the best f-stop and shutter speed. This does work well for quick point-and-shoots and long telephoto shots. However, good luck at trying to control depth of field, etc. I hardly use this setting, but the menu can be initially set up this way. After the camera is set up this way, then go back and tweak it for the "A, S, and M" modes. I almost always shoot on Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, or Manual, the last being one of the reasons I purchased this camera over the Canon. Manual settings are easier with the FZ100.
REC
Set the FILM MODE to "Dynamic" or "Vibrant"
Contrast: +1 or +2
Sharpness: +1
Color Saturation: +1
Noise Reduction -1 (or even -2) , but you may need a little post processing noise reduction for -2 (The reason you can reduce the noise reduction setting is because of the following PICTURE SIZE and the ISO settings.
PICTURE SIZE: 10.5 mega-pixels. (Panasonic, as well as others, should never have tried to cram 14 mega-pixels into a small sensor. You will be surprised at the reduction in noise and artifacts just by this setting alone....)
If shooting in jpeg, use the best setting, i.e. the six rectangular boxes
ISO sensitivity set to 100 or 200; OR set the next option on page 2 of the menu ("ISO LIMIT SET") an upper limit of no more than 400. Remember that the most popular professional 35mm slide and color films were all less than 400 ASA/ISO way back when. Use 400 and higher only when you must. At 1600, the pics are still very usable and superior to many ISO 400 films of the past.
White Balance leave at automatic; but I have programmed the Fn button for white balance. Setting the white balance to "cloudy" on a fairly sunny day can give you some really vibrant results. If you have incandescent lighting at home, set it for "incandescent" if you wish to shoot without a flash. The results are very good.
Try these settings, and see what you think.
There are about 10,000 other permutations for adjusting the FZ100, but I turn most of them off , especially the C-F (Continuous Focus) for still photos. It just wastes the battery.
However, you may want to turn on the I.R. (I.Resolution) to "i.zoom." This effectively gives you an OPTICAL 32X zoom lens (something like a macro setting, but in the long direction instead. My camera claims that the zoom is actually 37X.) It works seamlessly and quite well...well enough to read sharply a license plate at about 200 yards if you support the camera and have a high enough shutter speed...so much for the reviews of IQ.
If you do wish to shoot in Manual, turn on the MF ASSIST. (It only works when you shoot in manual and is a great help)
I set the flash to forced-on. That way, the flash will always be ready when the flash is raised regardless of conditions and especially when I want fill-in light outdoors, e.g., to eliminate the shadows on faces or to compensate manually for back-lighting without changing the f-stop (EV).
Always, Always, Always make sure that the shutter speed is high enough, especially at the longer end of the zoom... that is, of course, unless you wish to blur the action.
Oh yes...and do get a good 52mm UV filter. (This is another reason I chose the Panasonic over the Canon. The Canon lens is not threaded for accessories. You must buy an expensive extension tube. With the Panasonic, all you have to do is screw on any 52mm accessory...and the lens cap still works.)
There's much more. The video is outstanding...but that is another story.
Are there some things about the camera I do not like?..Yes, but they are minor and that is also another story.
Ad Astra Per Aspera - To The Stars Through Difficulties
Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2010
After much indecision, I purchased this camera. I became tired of lugging around DSLR equipment and missing some great shots. However, one must not compare this camera's IQ with the IQ of a good DSLR.....but then what is great IQ if you do not have an image to begin with. In this respect, the FZ100 in overall performance is as fast as or faster than a DSLR.Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2010
I am an experienced amateur photographer, having won many awards in thirty-five mm photography many moons ago. Those days are over forever. This is not my first digital camera. However, it is now necessary for us old timers and serious beginners alike to learn how advanced digital cameras work and how the interaction of various settings on them will effect and affect the images produced. The complexities for a beginner, who has relied on point and shoot, will be daunting. Those who are not computer literate will also be at a disadvantage. These caveats apply to the FZ100.
Right out of the box, the FZ100 in IA (Intelligent Automatic - nice for just "Automatic") mode will produce decent, but not great, results...In fact, in many cases this camera will produce images inferior to inexpensive point and shoots until one not just reads, but also understands and implements what is contained in the advanced manual (and refers to suggestions to settings published on the Net)....and understands the camera itself and becomes comfortable with it. This takes patience and time. If you cannot muster up patience and time, do not buy a bridge camera and expect miracles. A good camera does not make a good photographer. Some of the professional reviews of the FZ100, downgrading its IQ, reflect an out-of-the-box experience. (The same goes for the Canon SX30is et al, for which my review might also apply; but I liked some of the features of the FZ100 better, such as its burst mode up to 60 frames/sec, 1080p video, and better stabilization.....by the way, most reviews do not mention this, but the actual OPTICAL zoom range is actually 32X not 24X, thus beating out the Cannon and with supposedly somewhat better results, depending upon the review and the reviewer. As far as my experience, if the shutter speed is high enough, the results are very good.
All I am going to say is that once one gets used to the FZ100, and makes the correct adjustments, the results are absolutely superb both for still photos and video. Check out YouTube. As a bridge camera, the FZ100 gets FOUR and ONE HALF STARS.
---------------------------------------------------
UPDATE 12/27/2010
I was asked in a comment what settings I used to improve IQ. The following is my answer:
I trust that you are conversant with the basics of photography; but I wrote the following for someone who might not be as knowledgeable as you.
The following are some of the settings that I have my camera set to. Much depends upon your taste and the shooting situation. Pretend that the FZ100 is a 35mm SLR from the 1970's. No one setting will satisfy every situation or everybody. Refer to pages 209 and 210 of the advanced manual and make sure you know what the jargon means and what each setting does so you can set the camera accordingly. Also, make sure you download the latest firmware update. As of this writing, it is Version 1.2.
Start with "P"or Program mode on the dial. In use, "P" automatically sets the camera to a combination of what it considers to be the best f-stop and shutter speed. This does work well for quick point-and-shoots and long telephoto shots. However, good luck at trying to control depth of field, etc. I hardly use this setting, but the menu can be initially set up this way. After the camera is set up this way, then go back and tweak it for the "A, S, and M" modes. I almost always shoot on Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, or Manual, the last being one of the reasons I purchased this camera over the Canon. Manual settings are easier with the FZ100.
REC
Set the FILM MODE to "Dynamic" or "Vibrant"
Contrast: +1 or +2
Sharpness: +1
Color Saturation: +1
Noise Reduction -1 (or even -2) , but you may need a little post processing noise reduction for -2 (The reason you can reduce the noise reduction setting is because of the following PICTURE SIZE and the ISO settings.
PICTURE SIZE: 10.5 mega-pixels. (Panasonic, as well as others, should never have tried to cram 14 mega-pixels into a small sensor. You will be surprised at the reduction in noise and artifacts just by this setting alone....)
If shooting in jpeg, use the best setting, i.e. the six rectangular boxes
ISO sensitivity set to 100 or 200; OR set the next option on page 2 of the menu ("ISO LIMIT SET") an upper limit of no more than 400. Remember that the most popular professional 35mm slide and color films were all less than 400 ASA/ISO way back when. Use 400 and higher only when you must. At 1600, the pics are still very usable and superior to many ISO 400 films of the past.
White Balance leave at automatic; but I have programmed the Fn button for white balance. Setting the white balance to "cloudy" on a fairly sunny day can give you some really vibrant results. If you have incandescent lighting at home, set it for "incandescent" if you wish to shoot without a flash. The results are very good.
Try these settings, and see what you think.
There are about 10,000 other permutations for adjusting the FZ100, but I turn most of them off , especially the C-F (Continuous Focus) for still photos. It just wastes the battery.
However, you may want to turn on the I.R. (I.Resolution) to "i.zoom." This effectively gives you an OPTICAL 32X zoom lens (something like a macro setting, but in the long direction instead. My camera claims that the zoom is actually 37X.) It works seamlessly and quite well...well enough to read sharply a license plate at about 200 yards if you support the camera and have a high enough shutter speed...so much for the reviews of IQ.
If you do wish to shoot in Manual, turn on the MF ASSIST. (It only works when you shoot in manual and is a great help)
I set the flash to forced-on. That way, the flash will always be ready when the flash is raised regardless of conditions and especially when I want fill-in light outdoors, e.g., to eliminate the shadows on faces or to compensate manually for back-lighting without changing the f-stop (EV).
Always, Always, Always make sure that the shutter speed is high enough, especially at the longer end of the zoom... that is, of course, unless you wish to blur the action.
Oh yes...and do get a good 52mm UV filter. (This is another reason I chose the Panasonic over the Canon. The Canon lens is not threaded for accessories. You must buy an expensive extension tube. With the Panasonic, all you have to do is screw on any 52mm accessory...and the lens cap still works.)
There's much more. The video is outstanding...but that is another story.
Are there some things about the camera I do not like?..Yes, but they are minor and that is also another story.
Images in this review
