first impression: great! The second and third also ...

I have for the past 6 years, a great-great-ancestor of the camera, the FZ50 and have with selbiger happy and much photographed (170000 firings according to mileage). About the relative faintness of this camera, I have for some time - well, not just annoyed, too bad it is not, but I was already clear that it will work better.
So I started researching. In current Warentest special edition two Lumixe (the 200 and 62er) were also equal because far ahead. Nevertheless, I wanted to look only times whether other mothers daughters not perhaps also come into question. For me it was especially Fuji XF1 (I liked the zoom ring, the turning-but not at all;. Coolpix p7700 and Canon G1 X. The latter me especially the monstrous sensor However, both of which are no grenades at close range and were therefore (impressed and also because of all three not to be despised price) for me not in question.

So back to Panasonic. FZ200 or FZ62? I have chosen mainly because of the price difference for the "smaller" and ordered it. What brings the FZ200 to additional features, is simply not soooo exciting for me. How nice that you can study the manual in advance that I really facilitates the decision.
My only fear was that I would flip the monitor may miss. It was therefore important for me to get a camera with good funktiionierenden viewfinder. And I have!

Immediately after unpacking and the spark of remaining battery power, I have a few sample images made - what went kindly, because the camera has a small built-in memory. After charging is complete, I then took all the wonderful functions somewhat more closely. At this point I would like to say that I find it extremely unfortunate that the package beiligt only quick instructions, but not a complete printed manual more. All the features and options want to be understood and tried yes. And I would have done better next door without a laptop. It is helpful to this book: Lumix FZ200 FZ62 superzoom Fotoschule, but I find it annoying to be allowed (To put it bluntly) to spend an extended Manual 28 ...

What impresses me most, so profane as it may sound, how the automatic mode (now iA) developed - really makes from just about every stupid shooting situation still good pictures. The backlight compensation I find, for example, quite spectacular.
The scene menus were also expanded - 3D I'll probably never use, but is a fun gimmick. The same applies to the panorama function. Very much nicer I find there different (and adjustable!) Color filters, especially the selective color. Schick! About the Edward Star Pattern Glitter Filte I laughed a little.

All in all I'm pretty excited about that part. To use all the functions worthy, I would need two weeks of vacation - unfortunately this will take ... but I'm looking forward to it now, then take a more intensive round of testing!

Edit, about a month after commissioning:

To be honest, I would add that I have in the meantime but thought about it in against the big sister - after I had groped first time in what the FZ62 in what felt like half and three quarters dark everything still hinkriegt (the FZ50 would then have long thrown in the towel because of the smaller sensor - so about an hour earlier ^^) - well, since I was overcome by the desire for more. The words "consistently strong light" as opposed to "short-range high aperture" developed an almost siren-like sound ...

Then you should perhaps use before purchase one or two thoughts on it - I have, after some back and forth place personally decided for myself that I'm not ready yet even, have to pay the higher price.

still 'ne Edith:
Now he is so because, the summer, and I had a little vacation - I notice that the display in very bright ambient light but so has its weaknesses. However, the viewfinder is really very good - even all the lovingly detailed settings that allow this camera will appear to cover clearly visible and without the complete motif. My own personal problem at this point is that I wear glasses in the range of "help since no diopter correction adjustment" bin. A pair of glasses magnified natuer according the distance of the viewfinder to the eye. Nevertheless, no problem: the image stabilizer is so good that you can benuten a hand to shade light, without anything is out of focus. Also works when the zoom is fully.

Another finding: all of these funny Belichtungsprogrämmchen, whom I once faced only slightly arrogant - I love them! Whether it is the first ridiculed Panorama automatic or "impressionally" mode (by default already great in b / w great!). "Yes", however, is relegated to the background for me, however, remains the optimal spontaneous mode. If a little more time and consideration is possible, I take pictures now prefer the simple program AE or aperture or time delay. And so far, the results are all convincing.
For ambitious clippers this camera is an absolutely excellent choice!

My favorite feature is (and probably will remain) the Focus button: with which one can focus point (or range) set at any point of the planned image and wonderful juggle with the depth of field. Works in what felt like 80 percent of the exposure programs. The same applies to the exposure - only there for no extra switch. What you can do image creatively with these two powerful tools - great!

01/29/2014
The last couple of days off I have spent on the Baltic beach - under weather conditions in which one can imagine after 10 minutes as an Arctic explorer and only very reluctantly separates from the gloves. How nice that trigger and mode dial are large enough to serve them well as woolen mittens round can ... ;-)
The cold (felt, however, only because of the wind so extreme on, was about -7 ° C) has neither camera nor battery mattered. Only I needed after 2 1/2 hours of slow thawing ...