Announced bang on schedule exactly a year after the camera it replaces, the FZ50 is the new flagship in Panasonic's big-zoom Lumix range, upping the image size to a class-leading 10.2 megapixels and adding a couple of welcome new features. Unlike the FZ30, which represented a leap forward in design and features over the FZ20 (and closed the gap between fixed lens and SLR cameras further than ever before), the new camera is a fairly minor upgrade. Then again, the FZ30 was hardly crying out for a massive overhaul; despite a wealth of 'super zoom' competitors it really does sit in a class of its own, offering true SLR-like handling and operation and an amazingly versatile 35-420mm equivalent 12x optical zoom (with fluid-damped mechanical zoom mechanism). So let's find out if the FZ50 is a worthy successor, and if it can overcome the few complaints we had, starting as usual with the headline features:
10.1-megapixel high resolution CCD
LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT 12x optical zoom (35-420mm equiv.)
MEGA O.I.S.(Optical Image Stabilizer) system
Venus Engine III processor
Full photographic control
2.0-inch flip-out 207k high resolution LCD
High resolution electronic viewfinder
Fast startup and operation
TTL Flash hot-shoe... [read more]