The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ8 is an older, but still very capable digital camera even by 2019 standards. There are so many small point and shoots, and also many Bridge cameras that have huge pixel counts. And on paper that sounds really good. But the truth is, if the camera has a small sensor, cramming as many mega pixels on to the small sensor as possible doesn't always mean that the camera with the most is going to be able take pictures that are any better than a camera with just 5 mega pixels.
In fact sometimes its quite the opposite. In many ways the pixel amount has become a marketing trick, so don't always judge a cameras image capturing capabilities on mega pixel count alone. The Lumix FZ8 is proof of this. It only has 7.2 mega pixels and 12x optical zoom, but take a read through the many reviews, and look at the sample images online, and you will see that it can take great pictures and is very easy to use.
Panasonic cameras are also very reliable. I believe they are right at the top of the list in the reliability ratings. So, if you don't want to spend much money, but still want a good camera, buying an old Panasonic Lumix is a sensible choice. I've just bought a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ1 (5 mp) from eBay, which for the price is a fantastic camera. What I like most about the FZ8 is how simple it is to use, the impressive image stabilization and the auto focus.
Yes, the auto focus can sometimes wander from one spot to another and take a while to focus on the desired target, but for an older bridge camera it is still very good once it settles. One thing to be mindful of when buying an older camera from any brand, is the Li-ion batteries they come with. Some supplied will be the original that came with the camera at first sale. Understandably, these can be so old and tired that they can no longer hold a charge for very long.
And most of the time the non-branded rechargeable replacement batteries can be a bit hit and miss. So shop around for the ones with the best verified reviews. Alternatively, some older digital camera models also take normal AA batteries, but this can be costly over time. However, some good rechargeable AA's, such as Energizer or Duracell will fill the potential money pit buying battery's every few weeks can bring.
In fact sometimes its quite the opposite. In many ways the pixel amount has become a marketing trick, so don't always judge a cameras image capturing capabilities on mega pixel count alone. The Lumix FZ8 is proof of this. It only has 7.2 mega pixels and 12x optical zoom, but take a read through the many reviews, and look at the sample images online, and you will see that it can take great pictures and is very easy to use.
Black and White with the FZ8
Zooming in on pegs with auto focus
And most of the time the non-branded rechargeable replacement batteries can be a bit hit and miss. So shop around for the ones with the best verified reviews. Alternatively, some older digital camera models also take normal AA batteries, but this can be costly over time. However, some good rechargeable AA's, such as Energizer or Duracell will fill the potential money pit buying battery's every few weeks can bring.
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