Features:

  • POINT-AND-SHOOT LONG ZOOM CAMERA: 18.1-megapixel MOS sensor plus 60X zoom DC VARIO lens (20-1220mm) and POWER O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) captures far off moments
  • HIGH-RESOLUTION VIEWFINDER AND LCD DISPLAY: High-resolution 1,170K-dot viewfinder and rear touch-enabled 3-inch LCD display (1040 dots) are clear even in bright sunlight
  • 4K VIDEO CAPTURE: 4K QFHD video recording (3840 x 2160), plus exclusive LUMIX 4K PHOTO and 4K Post Focus with internal Focus Stacking allows you to record photos up to 30fps and set your desired focus points after the photo has been taken
  • LOW-LIGHT PERFORMANCE: Low-light capture lets you enjoy photography during your nightlife again with impressive results
  • USB CHARGING AND WI-FI CONNECTIVITY: Enjoy travel ready technologies like USB charging and Wi-Fi connectivity to your mobile device; HDMI D (Micro), Micro-USB and USB 2.0 provide additional connectivity to your favorite devices.Max Resolution:4896 x 3672
Immensely improved my picture taking ability

This camera works far better than I expected. Literally just point and shoot for great pictures. I decided to try the Moon shot because it should be very difficult to hold the camera steady. The moon picture on Aug 4 2014 was not done with a tripod. Think I might have a typo and put the 14th instead of the 4th but the picture is what is important. It came out very sharp for a maximum zoom picture without a tripod. I will absolutely recommend this camera to friends and family.

Great camera

First of all, its a point and shoot. Just Dont expect DSLR quality camera using good quality lenses. With good ilumination this camera takes great pictures. This camera comes with a great software, just learn how to take pictures. Its not camera fault, my girlfriend always tells me that her phone photos sucks. But when I take them they look great. To put an example. For portrait night pictures use the preset. Or use soft flash gain like in a DSLR. or use and external flash... For night stars pictures use Starry sky to see the milky way. For daylight portrait use P and use the flash(it helps with people skin) Anyways this is a great camera. Good battery. Lets get real. A 20-1200 zoom is non existant in DSLR cameras. You would need a Sigma that costs like your car. Do you need to print pictures over 12" wide? Get a photographer with good glass and experience. You get 20-1200mm with this plus optical stabilization. One example. You are on vacation in the Caribbean. Do you get a CANIKON with kit lens with 28-70mm(18-55) or a huge bag of lenses???? Or you get this incredible camera with 20-1200mm and almost 5 star rating on amazon. And get a grip. In tourist places there're professionals that take great pictures for cheap. At the end of the day you only need pictures for Social Media. And this camera gives you good photos if you handle it well. Even for print 12" photos.

Incredible camera for travelling. Light, does EVERYTHING.

An outstanding travel camera. My wife and I used to travel with a full set of digital SLR equipment with all the lenses and a separate HD camcorder. It was like a suitcase of stuff. And by the time you got the correct lens on the body, the shot had disappeared. So we got this camera. It does EVERYTHING. The zoom is amazing. But you really need that two axis stabilization with zoom. Colors and details are great. 4K UHD video at 30 fps. The HDMI output is nice to connect to big screen. But if you have a wi-fi capable TV, you don't need wires to see the pictures or video. The remote app for iphone works nicely as well. And the touch screen is very useful. One con: battery life. Just a few hours of use per charge and the camera will not function with non-OEM batteries without the smart battery id/charge control chip. So buy lots of batteries and an external charger. Also, the camera will not both run and charge from the USB port. It's run (on battery) or off and charge. Annoying that you can't use the camera to sort images while charging.

It beats my old Nikon by far at everything

I've only had the camera for three days. I have to admit that the selection and menu choices were overwhelming at first, even with some familiarity with cameras. Panasonic has some features unique to its brand and learning the terminology took some time. Rather than read the online manuals, I watched some of the tutorials available on You-Tube. I found 16 dedicated videos by Graham Houghton on the use of the camera. I'm about a quarter of the way through. The claims that the camera doesn't perform in various conditions just don't seem to hold any weight when one learns how to operate the camera properly, especially the claim that it performs poorly in low light. I took the camera to the hockey rink and shot in the lighting available in sports mode and was able to capture some great shots. I played around operating the camera in different modes outdoors and shot a hummingbird in flight at 1/8000 of a second, freezing the bird's wings in flight. Admittedly, the lighting was not in my favor from my vantage point but it was just a camera test, not an attempt at a prize winning photo. I took numerous photos of the same dahlias in different modes and ended up with a series of totally different interpretations of the same image. I also operated the camera at low light, using the setting recommended in the videos. The results were outstanding. I've yet to explore many of the camera's other features such as post focusing and operating the camera remotely with my android cell phone. I shot over 330 images at the hockey game and still had half battery life left according to the display. I have not tried the camera in movie mode since I seldom shoot video. From what I've experienced so far, I believe my photos will well exceed my current exposures. I've barely learned the basics of the camera's capabilities. With the huge amount of creative control, this is not a camera you can set down and then pick up a month later and remember how to operate all of its features. And even then, a quick review of the camera's manuals or the videos may be necessary if all of the camera's potential is to be used. While some camera fanatics may complain about the camera's sensor size or some indistinguishable lens aberration due to the camera's long lens, let's face it, most of us will never have our photos printed as wallpaper murals. We view our creations on our cell phones, tablets, laptops, and TVs. The images created by this camera can be as stunning as any full SLR with thousand dollar lenses and are limited only by the shooters capabilities, not by the camera's limitations. A nice feature that many bridge cameras do not have is a threaded front on the lend for filters. The shooter can add a polarizing filter or ND filters to extend shutter times to take specialty photos. If I had one negative thing to say, I would have appreciated a tilt screen since, when traveling and standing in crowds, it is sometimes helpful to hold the camera over everyone's heads and shoot down at a high angle, using the tilt screen to focus. I can live without that one feature given all of the other features of this incredible camera.

AMAZING quality for the price and for being a point and shoot

I was really skeptical of getting this camera for my sister. She had a cheap Nikon Coolpix point and shoot and she took some fantastic pictures with it that really impressed me, especially when using the zoom. It broke the other day after like three or four years and I figured it was time for her to upgrade. Since she did not want a DSLR because she wanted to keep it simple, I researched many bridge cameras, but their picture quality left a lot to be desired. She loved the zoom on the Nikon Coolpix P900 but I detested the image quality of that camera, especially for $500. Not this one. While OBVIOUSLY not having the image quality of a DSLR, it is fantastic for coming from such a small sensor. Not only that, but the colors of this sensor are faithful and have a lot of pop, which remind me of my Canon EOS-7D. Honestly, my Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3 does not have these lovely colors at default settings. What else to say about the FZ70? Its sensor has surprisingly good dynamic range. Oh, the shutter release lag is minimal. There is none of that cheapy point and shoot lag. No waiting for a photo to be captured. After locking the focus by half-pressing the button, the picture is taken as soon as you press it fully. As soon as I took the first picture, I smiled so wide, because I was not expecting such DSLR-like behavior. Click. Sharp picture. Click. Another sharp picture. And that was in low light. SO SATISFYING. I'm telling you, it's a FUN camera and I NEVER felt the desire or even thought, "I wish I had my DSLR with me." I would be content having just this camera for a day without anything else. The zoom is not super fast in terms of speed, but come on...for less than $300, that would be too much to ask. The lens is SUPER WIDE, and it is respectably sharp even when zoomed fully, and I did not see chromatic aberrations when shooting a sunset. Ah, funny thing: even in VGA mode, the video quality is impressive. The camera has like 200 MB internal memory, so it can only record VGA. But it looks so good in camera, my sister and me started laughing. This is coming from me, a guy used to fast DSLRs and who would not be caught dead with a point and shoot. But not anymore, because this FZ70 is AWESOME. It even records RAW files if you happen to be allergic to JPEGs. How cool is that? Enclosed are snapshots testing the colors...and handheld moonshots...one at max zoom and one at less zoom. All are on Sunset scene setting. Thanks for reading. God bless you greatly!

WoW!

I just got this Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ70 camera a few days ago and so far...WoW! (bought refurbished from Goodios here on Amazon). The main reason I needed a new camera was for the optical zoom. We have a lot of "flora and fauna" in our yard and I like to take pictures of the various critters and plant life to share with family & friends. Obviously, I can get up close to plants and flowers, but the critters are another story. The maximum optical zoom I have on any of my older digital & 35mm cameras was 3X - 10X, which just wasn't enough to get good quality images from the distance I needed, like 100 feet. I took a chance on the refurbished model from Goodios on Amazon because it fit my budget much better. Aside from a 90-day warranty, the only thing different from new and refurbished seems to be the box; the refurbished is shipped in a plain brown box, but everything is there that would ship with the new camera (CD, manual, lens cap, USB cable, shoulder strap, battery, and charger). I'm still playing with all the MANY settings (automatic and manual) but so far, this is an awesome camera for the money. It doesn't have Wi-Fi connectivity, like some of the more expensive cameras, which I was aware of and really don't need. So if that's something you want, take that into consideration. It does have Panasonic PhotoFun software that opens up when the camera is connected via the supplied USB cable. You do want to get an SD card (Micro SD w/ adapter). I picked up a 64GB SanDisk on Amazon for peanuts (compared to what they used to cost not so long ago). SanDisk Ultra 64GB UHS-I/Class 10 Micro SDXC Memory Card Up to 48MB/s With Adapter- SDSDQUAN-064G-G4A [Newest Version] and it's working great! If I'm out and about and absolutely "need" to send one or more of the photos on the SD card in the camera, I can remove the Micro SD and pop it into my Samsung Galaxy S5 phone to email or message (or any phone that accepts SD & Micro SD). I've attached two photos that I actually did take early this morning. One is the non-zoomed photo (trees in our yard); the other is the squirrel that I zoomed in on in the same trees in the first photo. Overall, I completely recommend this camera. If anything changes in my opinion, I will amend my review.

Great camera for the price.

Best gadget I've bought in a long time. The 4K footage is great and comparable with some other cameras I use. Got this camera as a cheap toy for a trip and I've been using even for work. It is terrible in low light, but will do great win good lighting conditions. Good Stuff: It records great footage in 4K. Pictures are good looking for a consumer camera. Awesome image stabilization. Great quick autofocus. Easy to use Auto Settings. GREAT ZOOM for this price. Small compact camera. Bad Stuff: Manual Settings are complicated to adjust (hard to focus or change exposure manually). Bad in low light (pretty normal with cameras with small sensor and small/cheap processor). Feels cheaply made (also probable because it is cheap). No live VIDEO output (the camera will output prerecorded footage or photos) No continuous Video recording (It will stop at 4 GB or close to it) Overall. It is a great camera, it will depend that you want to do with it. I use it to shoot nature video. and it's been great.

BEST INVESTMENT UNDER $ 250

I am a professional photographer and I love collecting camera's and lenses ( about $ 40k) invested in to it). So I was eager to receive my recent order of a Panasonic Lumix FZ70 - but to be blown away by its performance and quality - who would have believed you could get the equivalent of a $1000 DSLR for less that [$]?My main purpose in ordering this camera was to have a digital camera that was light, easily portable and (most importantly) had a viewfinder. I have severe presbyopia and would be constantly taking off and putting on a pair of reading glasses to see the screen of my Samsung which was usually visually obscured by the ambient light of everyday outdoor shooting. This camera solves that problem as I hoped it would...but I discovered it could do so much more. I couldn't have imagined it possessed so many extraordinary features normally associated with only the most expensive DSLRs. Hand-held night photography? Check. Extreme macros? Check. In camera special effects? Check. And a zoom that has to be experienced to be believed (Check my photo in middle). Focus on a distant feature that literally can barely be seen from your current position and then slowly zoom out until you discover that it is so far away that in the full wide position of the zoom it has disappeared completely! Even has a "hidden" ability to make time-lapse video in the MINIATURE setting. Take pictures in reduced sizes for social media use or go full-blast RAW for Photoshop lovers. Be sure to download the full users manual PDF file for a course in this cameras many, many features.To the cameras amazing feature list add an exceptionally protective and handy carrying case with internal straps that allow the camera lens to be cuddled by the case and leave room from the neck strap as well...and I scarcely need to mention that the kit comes with a 16GB high speed SD card. I am a confirmed addict of Amazon and this cements that relationship once again. I am SOOooo happy.

Most amazing camera!!!

The zoom range on this camera is unbelievable. The base camera has a 60X zoom range making it the longest of any camera available at the moment. The total zoom range in mm is 20 - 1200 mm which is very impressive. Standard SLR lenses with those types of ranges would require several lenses and untold thousands of dollars......plus the cost of the camera itself. Yet this Lumix jewel accomplishes all that and more at a scant fraction of the cost. The camera is easy to operate, has an incredible amount of built in features and much more just waiting to be discovered by experimenting. An added bonus is the ability to extend the zoom range by selecting image resolutions less than the full 16.1M. While there are those who will always want to shoot at 16.1M for me it is overkill. Image resolution is a subjective issue. It is simply a matter of what you want to believe and are willing to settle for. I currently use a Sony DSLR compact camera like this Lumix, a Nikon D50 with several lenses but usually coupled with a Tamron 18 - 200. This D50 is a 6.1M camera and I have shot and enlarged flawless prints at 11 x 14 with total clarity. Some may take issue with this statement but excessive megapixels in a camera is much like owning a car that will run 150 mph when all you can go on the highway is 55 mph. The capacity is there..........but when, if ever are you going to utilize it. Now, if you are a professional photographer or a serious amateur and routinely enlarge to 16 x 20 or even 20 x 30 or more.....that is one thing. But if your basic need is for standard 4 x 6 prints and an occasional 5 x 7 or even an 8 x 10 then your eye will be hard pressed (if even able to) discern any difference between a 5M photo and a 16M photo. I said all that to say this........one of the great features of this camera is the ability to increase the zoom range by selecting less than 16.1M resolution. I have taken it down all the way to 5M, still get crystal clear pictures and this increases the zoom range from 60X all the way to 270X! Yes, you read correctly!!! Then.....if you add the digital zoom you can end up with a total on camera zoom range of 675X. Have you ever heard of anything like this? Then for fun and games I took a Sony brand teleconvertor for my Sony that is rated for 1.7X and mounted it to my Lumix. The standard filter size for the Lumix is 55mm but I had bought a Goja filter adaptor ring in order to be able to use my several hundred dollars worth of existing filters. Many of them are 58mm so I simply bought a Goja 55mm to 58mm adaptor ring and viola......instant filter availability. AND.....it just so happens that my Sony teleconvertor has 58mm threads and I was able to couple this right to my Lumix, which now takes the 675X max zoom of the camera with izoom and digital zoom, multiples it by 1.7 and now gives a total zoom range of 1147X. That is NOT 1147 mm.............it is 1147X zoom range. Now.......I will admit, the camera is a bear to use in a hand held mode, but that is just what I did to see worse case scenario. I am going to post a couple of pictures taken hand held at these extremes so you can just see the potential this camera offers. My, my......we are almost talking spy type pictures from 10 miles off. I will let you judge the photos........not for clarity or subject matter.........but just for an example of the zoom range of this camera. I will say this here........the bus in the photos was roughly 500 feet from my position and all photos were taken hand held from the same spot. But even without the impressive zoom features......this is one heck of a camera. The pictures, even at 5M are crystal clear and will be certain to please. Then with all the built in special modes, the 11 or more internal filter modes, the 23 or so scene selection modes, and full manual mode with shutter or aperture priority mode.........you can go any route that you need for your shooting needs. Another feature I like about this camera is that while filming a video you can press the shutter button and take a still photo. Or while viewing a video you can take still photos from the video. I am anxious to experiment with this more as I have a son in the band and I usually take multiple cameras to their concerts, etc. in order to video it and also take some still shots. With this camera I am hopeful to be able to do both with one instrument. We have the first White Shoe rehearsal this Thursday and our first football game this Friday. It will be a time to see what this camera can really do with its zooming ability from up in the stands. In closing, as a camera buff of many years (40+) I am well pleased with this purchase. I have had a Pentax SPII, a Pentax ESII, a Nikon N70, a Nikon D50, several smaller point and shoot type all in one cameras and now this Panasonic. For ease of use, range of features and cost vs ability......I put this Panasonic Lumix at the top of the pack in features. No, it does not have the quality that either the Pentax or Nikons do.....but then again..........this camera cost a fraction of what they did and some of the individual accessory lenses I have bought for them in the past cost several times the cost of this camera............so it is not even a fair comparison. But for features...........my expensive toys cannot begin to compare with the ability of this camera. I am well pleased with it. To see the zoom range please look at some of the photos I am going to upload.

I Expected a Lot, but.......

Initial impression: It's hard to believe what this camera's capabilities are until you've used one. I have bags full of camera equipment including a Mamiya RB-67, Pentax 6x7, Canon 5D Mk2, Canon T2i and a lot of glass so trust me when I say, this camera lives up to the pre-release hype. I originally had my sights set on the Canon SX50 which is a good camera, but falls short of its Lumix peer. My focus was to get an easy to use point-and-shoot camera for my wife since the SLRs were just too much for her to handle - but now she's going to have to fight me for it. I will update this review as I gain more experience with the video and special functions (which there are many) in the future. Until then, I recommend you get one while the price remains well below $400 because I don't think it will stay their long when the word gets out how great this camera performs. UPDATE: After using this camera for nearly 6-months, I am still VERY happy with it and the pictures it produces - and would be glad to share some of the shots. I find the extremes between other reviewers ratings interesting since I have not experienced many of the negatives mentioned and have experienced most of the positive remarks. This camera simply works for me. I've shot everything from sports car road races to retirements to scenery with great success and carrying this 1 lb 7.2 oz camera sure beats the heck out of hauling my 12 lbs of 5D Mk 2, with dual battery pack and 50-500mm Sigma lens around all day plus a couple extra lenses and batteries in a camera bag. I also have no trouble taking my shots to 13x19 inch prints from either RAW or JPEG format files. I've also read this camera is big and bulky. Well, if you wear XXL gloves like I do, it fits just right in my hands. It also works much better in my wife's hands than the DSLRs we have (T2i in addition to the 5D)so she is happy too! The weight is simply not a concern to us as we've both carried it around all day without any problems or side effects. In fact, now that the price has dropped to $249 I'm going to buy another one to keep peace in the family. Several reviewers mentioned soft pictures at the 1000 to 1200mm end of the zoom range. I'd bet your paycheck that most of the problem is camera movement since it is very difficult to hand hold any camera still enough at this extreme magnification to get a super sharp picture - regardless of image stabilization system employed. I've had much better luck using a monopod or even better, a solid tripod (as one reviewer suggested) to get those very sharp long range shots. I also discovered the automatic backlit scene sensing and exposure system when I moved to the fully automatic setting - very effective! But as I said, the proof is in the final product so if you would like to see a sample of images - reply to this review and include your email address and I'll share a few with you.

Full Reviews