Panasonic Disc. nic Lumix DMC-FZ30K Digital SLR Camera, 8.0 MP, 12x Optical, 4x Digital Zoom, MEGA Optical Image Stabilizer, Black

2021-08-14T08:30:33

This is from a review I originally wrote for this camera on Amazon nearly 10 years ago... Ok, first let me admit that I may be a little biased... I used to work part-time in a camera store back in 2005 when the Lumix FZ-30 came out and used to play with it every moment I had when there were no customers around. Finally purchased one in 2008 when the price dropped and it's been my main "go to" camera ever since. Last year (2011), went on a trip to Europe and--traveling light and not wanting to pay a whole lot of bag fees with all my DSLR equipment--took the Lumix (and a Macbook) with me instead. Figured that the single 12X Optical should be all I might need taking pictures of the German countryside. After all, anything that was shot wouldn't be for assignment or commission, these would be for me and the Lumix had been used before for personal portrait shoots and performed admirably. Plus the 12x Leica Optics and the Optical Image Stabilization in an all-in-one package make it perfect in it's portability. Boy, was I glad reached that conclusion...upon my return, I dumped my cards on my main desktop and was in awe of the RAW files (up to this point, I'd only viewed the JPGs). Since then, a few friends have asked for large prints of some of my shots from the Germany trip--and more still have requested them as desktop wallpapers. Mindful of the potential for noise, all or most photography was done at ISOs 80 and 100 with a tripod whenever possible. See, the thing that sets the Lumix FZ-30 (and FZ-50) apart from many of Panasonic's current offerings (at least for me) is that the (then) current FZ line--while quite functional and more than adequate in it's output--no longer has the manual focus option. This is what contributed to it's feeling like a DSLR in my hands. I'm an "Old School" shooter (started in the early `80's, had a home darkroom in my parents' basement...the whole nine yards), so--IMHO--a camera in a photographer's hands needs to FEEL like a SLR/DSLR even when it's not. For snapshots, I'll use my cell phone. The only thing about my FZ-30 now that had slowed down it's use is time and the technological curve. The FZ-30 only uses plain 1GB/2GB SD cards (not SDHC or SDXC). With the advent of HD video being recorded on so many devices, plain SD cards of that vintage are not readily available except through online venues. So I'm on the hunt for a Lumix FZ-50, which will use SDHC cards up to 16GB, in great condition. These are exceptional cameras. If you have the opportunity to pick one up in excellent condition...DO IT! [addendum written in 2021] Of late, I've a need to keep a camera close at hand when I'm out and about and--not wanting to pay a ton of money for a new offering and knowing the capabilities of this one--am thinking of getting another FZ30 (I was able to find an FZ50 since the above review was written, and, even later, bought an FZ1000 but would rather not have the distress of loss if the camera "went missing" while running around (Gave my first FZ30 to my daughter and she LOVES it!).

Rodrick L.