Most Versatile Birding Camera? (Panasonic Lumix FZ80 Review)

Derek reviews the Panasonic Lumix FZ80 and FZ70 superzoom cameras. This camera has been excellent for birding, and is listed at a fair price. It's great for people who want something lightweight and easy to use, are just starting out, or want something versatile!
Links (As Amazon Associates we do earn from qualifying purchases)
Link to the FZ80
amzn.to/3GZl3Mu
Link to FZ70
amzn.to/3nUgr2u
All photos and videos by Derek and Ryan Sallmann
#Birding #Cameras #BadgerlandBirding #camerareview #Panasoniclumix #FZ80 #Panasoniclumixfz80 #panasoniclumixfz70 #panasonicfz80 #birdphotography #Milwaukee #birding

[@BadgerlandBirding]

The price of the FZ80 on Amazon has gone up since filming this video. It is now listed at $347.99 new. If you are interested in buying the camera you can use our link on Amazon: amzn.to/3GZl3Mu As Amazon Associates we do earn from qualifying purchases, which helps us out! We ARE NOT sponsored by Panasonic or Amazon.

[@ukmark62]

I have the FZ80/FZ82 and find the best photos are obtained by shooting RAW and processing with DxO Deep Prime. DxO does a great job of removing noise and preserving detail. I have taken shots at ISO3200 and these look great on an A4 print. I realize that this is not the best low-light camera, but if you are shooting low-light static subjects then I use shutter priority and keep the shutter speed at 1/5 sec for wide angle and up to 1/20 sec for zoom, as I find the IS very good. This will keep the ISO reasonable. I agree that the 4k video is exceptional for its price.

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Awesome! Thanks for the tips! 👍

[@jimf5160]

i process all of my raw photos with DxO Pure Raw...works great

[@birdingwithrivercorcoran]

I love this reiew. I have the Panasonic Lumix FZ80, and it works for my birding adventures flawlessly.

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@alisonthorn2573]

Great video, way more down to earth information that I needed to make a decision for a camera. Thanks so much!

[@BadgerlandBirding]

You’re welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@carolshannon6449]

Great review! Very informative!

[@susan7317]

Great information, thank you help me make a decision for a beginner into bird photography

[@juliaosgood7853]

Thanks! Your video really helped me decide. I think this camera will work for me.

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Great!

[@WhistlesToAnimals]

Thanks for your honest review. I'm actually shopping for an upgrade now. As far as your problem with wind affecting your sound, I JUST saw an FZ80 and the owner had a microphone wind muff / wind jammer / whatever it is called. It wasn't an external microphone, it was on the camera. Thought of you and you can pick them up for like $7.00. Now that I think of it, I am not 100% how well it worked...how effective it is. But for only $7 and coming from someone that knows more than me (the guy I seen it from), seems like not much of a gamble.

[@lukeriley5964]

Thanks for the practical review! I just used your link to order my camera!

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Thank you! Hope you enjoy it!

[@Carrie401]

This is very helpful, thank you.

[@BadgerlandBirding]

You’re welcome!

[@jimmybrannan7303]

I just got my camera a few days ago and I'm really happy with the quality. I used to have the long zoom Nikon Coolpix SX60 and loved the zoom but the picture quality was very disappointing. Blowing up images, I saw they were very pixelated. I only kept it a few months. This one is going to be fine after I get used to the LONG menu options. Love it so far and the app connects very fast. Much easier than the Nikon.

[@birdman5223]

Good info MrDerek🌝

[@aYetiAteMySandwich]

I love my FZ80! I mostly use a canon rebel now so I can use a really long lens, but the fZ is so versatile. It’s great for traveling, and oddly it takes better pics through windows then my other camera. Perfect for feeder watching.

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Yeah, it's great!

[@michaellyne8773]

Thank you for your interesting tutorial and views of this model, I like the photograph that you framed, I am not into bird watching but since I have seen some of the tutorials I might try my hand at it. I have the Panasonic fz80, hope I do not experience dust in the camera. I purchased the camera for my daughters up and coming wedding in March, so I hope I will get some good results. Thank you again.

[@dixxebell]

I've been using Panasonic for a few years now had the FZ 70 and now on my second FZ 80 I love it!

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Yeah they’ve been great! :D

[@birdingthenation]

I have the fz300 and love it! It’s super crisp and has weather sealing and Wi-Fi!

[@birdman5223]

Good info MrDerek

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Thanks, Mr. Mark! :)

[@davideast5987]

I love the FZ80. I've come to the conclusion that they are a semi-disposable camera. Ruined my first one in a heavy rain shower.... they can't handle moisture. Ruined my second one with dust. The lens mechanism jammed. It was in semi desert conditions with heavy dust. Now on third camera. There doesn't seem to be anything in the price range. If you can treat them carefully they might last. I don' have that option as I want the camera with me and I go in hostile to camera areas regularly.

[@BadgerlandBirding]

That is pretty accurate. I like that it's light enough to take almost anywhere and you can even just stick it in a pack. And if it does get ruined it didn't break the bank so it's not as bad as ruining a crazy expensive one

[@3coins.]

Thanks, like the zoom

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Us too!

[@blankphonk4889]

i also want to use it for plane spotting which are pretty much really big birds

[@BadgerlandBirding]

In a way haha

[@phryxe]

I was wondering what cameras you were using. Interesting to see. I’m now on my 4th Canon Powershot SX camera model. I almost everyday have it in my backpack. It doesn’t take much space and weights little. The cons are they need lot of light and are slow. I recently got a Canon R7, so we will see how that goes and if my poor back can take the increased weight … I will not carry that around every day.

[@weeklywildlife9293]

nice video I can see why it is a good camera

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Thanks! Sometimes I see beginners start out with a huge lens and get frustrated. I’m glad I started with a more versatile camera. It makes birding a lot more fun.

[@alissakiedrowski1038]

Really informative, thanks for doing this. I have a Nikon Z7 with a 150-600 lensthat I'm still getting used to, but it's better for taking cool photos vs. those point and shoot moments for a quick ID confirmtion. Or maybe that says more about my camera skills and less about the camera? Regardless, it's always good to learn more about what works for other people. Your videos are great, so keep doing what you're doing.

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Thanks, Alissa! I definitely think the strong suit of these cameras is more for quick ID and video although you can get some great photos. The more expensive cameras with detachable lenses are more capable of getting those “Wow” shots it seems. But there’s also that dimension of the user’s composition and such. So I’d say it’s a combination :)

[@donnaleighjenkins4952]

Ok guys. Thanks!!

[@BadgerlandBirding]

You're welcome!

[@cabanu]

The noise you hear is the image stabilization.

[@Gigimamapa5]

Thank you, I’m looking for a camera.

[@cathiestarnes4812]

Nice camera!! WOW, that one bird had a lot of "bracelets". Poor thing had been caught a lot.

[@VideoAssociates]

The dust build up inside the lens barrel is a real concern I had a Canon G7x2 that had dust issue, This is a real problem away on holidays!! You cannot leave your camera in a service dept if you are on the move

[@BadgerlandBirding]

For sure!

[@justinreed456]

Ordered using you guys’ link. Great video, as usual. This is perfect for me. I am looking to get a Nikon P1000 but this is a nice tide over. Keep the videos coming. Hopefully we can bird together sometime.

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Thanks so much! What area are you in again, Justin?

[@justinreed456]

@@BadgerlandBirding I am about 2 hours southwest of Chicago and about 2 hours south of Rockford. How does the camera perform in sub freezing temps?

[@BadgerlandBirding]

@@justinreed456 I wouldn't leave it out in the cold when not in use or anything but we've filmed in sub-zero temps without issues! You might get a little more background noise when zoomed in as far as possible but it's been good.

[@thigmotrope]

I've been using this camera for a few months now. My biggest issue is the auto zoom. Like sometimes I just want to manually override it, but the manual mode seems useless. But overall it's a dope camera for the money. Has a lot of quirks but I've been able to capture so many birds. Thanks for sharing your video on it.

[@BadgerlandBirding]

A solid evaluation!

[@marto8188]

Hi. Tell me your settings for birds. Thx

[@lynnslaga7319]

What memory card do you recommend for both photos and 4k video with this camera?

[@rocu406]

Good review. What tripod are you using?

[@BadgerlandBirding]

I have a heavier Andoer tripod and a lighter Cayer tripod. I like both but the Cayer is definitely easier to travel with. The Andoer one is pretty heavy but it does move less in the wind. I'll hopefully be doing a review of both of them eventually! - Derek Gear Links (As Amazon Associates we do earn from qualifying purchases) Panasonic LUMIX FZ80 4K Digital Camera Used for most bird videos) - check credits as we do source some photos/videos elsewhere which is noted in the description amzn.to/3GZl3Mu Cayer FP2450 Fluid Head Tripod, 75 inches Aluminium Tripod Derek's lighter tripod amzn.to/3suX5CK Andoer Video Tripod Aluminum Alloy 67 Inch Derek's heavier tripod amzn.to/3uRLTTk

[@michaellyne8773]

Sorry I ment the Panasonic fz82 not the Panasonic fz80. Only just had it about a week so I am still getting used to it.

[@cabinbluff]

Thoughts on mirrorless?

[@AVI8OR101]

Great video, what are your thoughts on the stabilization while recording video?

[@BadgerlandBirding]

The stabilization in this camera is fantastic compared to others I’ve tried.

[@AVI8OR101]

@@BadgerlandBirding ohh okay I recently got the camera and did some planespotting with it and I noticed that filming the plane in fast motion, sometimes there is a jerking movement and a jello effect.

[@gfbordin]

Thanks for the video. I bought a lumix FZ80 to take pictures of birds. At the moment my photos are not very sharp. Do you have any basic configuration of FZ80 to take birds photos that you can recommend? Thanks!

[@BadgerlandBirding]

I find that it works the best with a lot of light. That’s when photos will be the most crisp. You can adjust the shutter priority setting (S on the dial) and try a faster shutter speed as well (I am still working on dialing the shutter speed settings in myself). Overall I do find the video is the best feature of the camera. Sometimes I shoot video with a tripod and screenshot as well and they are normally pretty clear. The Limpkin in this cover photo was actually a screenshot from a video I took with the FZ80. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hH6YqIiBbN2pd80

[@ml5444]

I have it too. It just doesn't take great pictures, unfortunately.

[@blacksandee]

Thanks for the informative video! I had another lumix point and shoot but wanted a telephoto to get pics of the crow family that lives near me...just want to confirm it does not have the viewfinder that switches on w/ auto dectection? My other one did and this one doesn't seem to be able to...thanks!

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Hey! You’re welcome! Can you elaborate on the viewfinder?

[@blacksandee]

@@BadgerlandBirding Hi thanks! I have to press that LVF button if I want to use it, wheras on my previous camera it automatically detects my eye and if i remove my eye then image shows on the screen...

[@BadgerlandBirding]

@@blacksandee gotcha! On the FZ80 I do not believe is has that feature. You have to use the LVF switch.

[@stuffnsuch631]

Is there a video length restriction on it?

[@justastaronblox5823]

Would you reccomend using it for a way to take pictures of birds to identify them easier?

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Definitely! Take photos in the field and then you can look back at them later to confirm IDs.

[@pauraque]

I can recommend the Nikon Coolpix B500. Pretty awful when it comes to video, but takes 3 seconds to learn and can get some stunning photos with practice!

[@BadgerlandBirding]

I’ve heard people enjoy that one! How’s the Zoom on it?

[@pauraque]

@@BadgerlandBirding Honestly really good! I don't know the exact specs though.

[@JH-lz4dh]

I'm still using an old Canon PowerShot! 😆 I'll keep these in mind if it finally breaks

[@BadgerlandBirding]

I used to have an old Cannon Powershot A400 back in the day

[@phillipandrew87]

Ive never used the FZ70, but there are a few reasons why the image quality may be worse on the FZ80. First, the FZ80 has Panasonic's noise reduction and sharpening activated by default, even though both are set to zero in the settings. You have to switch them both to -5 to turn them off and I highly suggest you do. Because the noise reduction technology and sharpening technology they use actually introduces a lot of noise and graininess to the photo that's not there if you turn it off. It is so bad that it ruins the quality of the photos a lot of the time. Likewise I also suggest turning all the intelligent settings off (intelligent resolution, intelligent dynamic, etc) and only turning them on on a per picture basis if you need them, as they may also introduce some slight noise (if you're shooting in RAW plus JPEG you can go to the menu and select raw processing to see how those settings affect a photo). Second, I noticed there was a slight megapixel increase from the FZ-70 to the FZ 80. Given they both use the same sensor size, the smaller megapixel version will be able to gather more light per pixel, potentially making for sharper, better photos in non-ideal lighting. Finally, I suggest investing in some AI noise reduction software. Shooting in high ISO used to be a problem with these cameras (and really even at the lowest ISO setting of 80 there can still be noise present, again because of the smaller sensor size), but with AI noise reduction that's really not a problem anymore. I personally use topaz's photo AI which includes AI noise reduction and sharpening all in one, and I couldn't be happier. It makes it look like you're shooting on a more expensive camera than you really are. Highly recommended.

[@justastaronblox5823]

How has it held up now that its been 2 years?

[@justastaronblox5823]

What do you use to charge your batteries, im new to this and the Cables, and Chargers, and Batterys are getting confusing

[@BadgerlandBirding]

You can either use the battery charger (which may have come with the camera), but if not you can plug the cables into the camera and a power source with the battery inside and that should charge it.

[@mr1pearl]

Price isn't as bad as I thought it would be 👍

[@BadgerlandBirding]

it's been going up lately which I find interesting for a camera that was released a few years ago.

[@vimo1133]

Hello, Will this be a good beginner camera? I'm not interested in video and wildlife. I'm looking for one for my day-to-day photography and travel use. I'm stuck between FZ80 and FZ300

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Hello! I think it's a great beginner camera (especially for video), but if you're only focused on photography it may be best to go with something else. For some reason I felt the photo quality was better on the older FZ70 version, and the mic was much better on the FZ70 as well. I'm not super familiar with the FZ300 but I did some quick research and it looks like that may be better if you're focused strictly on photography. If you do but either please consider using our affiliate link, then we get a % of the profits at no extra cost for qualifying purchases :) Hope that helps! amzn.to/39KoBGs

[@vimo1133]

@@BadgerlandBirding absolutely I will. Thanks very much.

[@jimf5160]

great for the price...i just would prefer a 1" sensor

[@Shrock568]

I’m saving up for a camera and I am considering the Panasonic LUMIX FZ80 and I was wondering can you can attach a zoom lens to it?

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Nope, the lens is not detachable on this one. The Zoom is pretty great on it but if you want to be switching lenses this is not the camera for you.

[@rickb6029]

How does dust get in to the sensor? I've had that with dSLRs where the lens can be swapped. I have never had dust get into my Sony RX10vi after 6 years and thousands of photos.

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Im assuming it came in from the connection between the barrel and the camera itself from either being in really sandy and windy places or something else.

[@jacobmeier19]

Is the photography aspect of the FZ70 significantly better? Like if I’m planning on primarily taking pictures, should I go with that over the 80, or does the overall value of the 80 outweigh the difference in picture-taking?

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Honestly yeah, we feel like the photo aspect was significantly better in 70, so if you’re only taking photos I’d go with that. Since it’s older it might save you some $ too.

[@BadgerlandBirding]

And there’s not really a technical reason why, but that’s just how we felt about it.

[@jacobmeier19]

@@BadgerlandBirding Thanks! Keep up the good work!! Best channel out there hands down

[@BadgerlandBirding]

@@jacobmeier19 you’re welcome, man! And thanks so much! Really appreciate it. More content coming out every week!

[@harrisonraycroft6531]

these seems to be sold out all over the place. Do you think the fz300 would be as good?

[@BadgerlandBirding]

I haven’t heard much about the fz300. I have heard good things about the Nikon P1000 and that it has great zoom but is heavier and more expensive.

[@KilledbyBigfoot]

Did the fz80 get dust in it or your older one?

[@BadgerlandBirding]

The FZ70 did and I think my first FZ80 did, which was the one I sent back and they replaced. So, both did.

[@LISTEDGames]

Hmmm, you seem like a nice guy