04.07.2021, 07:25   #1
Profilfoto
Sylvet Wolf

Transferred

Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ83
So, after using the Canon EOS 200d for a long time, I've now switched to the Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ83. I can't say yet if I'll get along with it better since I've only had it since yesterday, but I'll find out. My husband is now using the Canon because he can make more use of it, experimenting and testing more than I ever did. I'm not very tech-savvy and a bit lazy, to be honest. I just hope I made the right choice.
06.11.2021, 13:39   #2

Hobbyfotograf

How much gear do you really need for great photos? I have the fz83, and it’s always with me—I don’t want to lug around a heavy camera bag full of cameras and lenses.
Best, Heinz
06.11.2021, 14:02   #3
Profilfoto
Günter Rudi Herzel

Eighty percent of my photos are taken with the Fuji XE1, often called the "Leica for the budget-conscious," using the 27mm f/2.8 lens. When it really matters, like for travel and such, I switch to the 18-55mm lens.
05.12.2021, 13:01   #4

Hobbyfotograf

It's all relative. You can take great photos with almost any camera. Ultimately, it depends on what you want to photograph.
If I’m only carrying a prime lens, I’d be frustrated if I couldn’t get close enough to a distant heron.
In that case, I’d definitely prefer a bridge camera. These "things" are seriously underrated. They’re perfectly fine for 20 x 30 prints.
Editing is somewhat limited but still doable. For posting photos online, they’re absolutely fine. There are many good reasons to choose a bridge camera, even if many don’t want to admit it.
03.03.2023, 13:35   #5
@Dieter Amberg
I completely agree with you.
If I were an amateur, I would probably use a high-quality bridge camera. When we travel (since this is also part of my job), we visit many churches. Knowing what to expect, I only bring my D3x or the D800 with the 28mm tilt-shift lens. Occasionally, I take the 80-200mm. If I weren’t offering and selling my photos, I’d just use my small bridge camera. For vacation memories, that’s more than enough. It’s not about the camera, but the person behind it.
03.03.2023, 20:58   #6

Hobbyfotograf

Well, in the end, all you really need is a wooden box and a small hole—an actual lens isn’t necessary at all. The key thing is simply enjoying the act of taking pictures. And when you’re having fun snapping photos, your motivation—and chances of success—go way up.
That said, I also enjoy having a bit of a collection of cameras. 😎
04.03.2023, 13:05   #7
@Jochen Petry
After 50 years of photography and a business now in its second generation celebrating 75 years, we’ve become more of a museum than a studio, since almost nothing has ever been sold. I still shoot with the Plaubel Peco Junior 9/12, the camera I learned on. There are seven large-format cameras in the studio, but these days they mostly just sit there collecting dust...
Only the D3x and D800 are still used daily. Even the flash system has been replaced by LED lights—just the electricity bill alone, with 20 generators at 2400ws each, was too much.
27.08.2023, 12:55   #8

Hobbyfotograf

@Sylvet Wolf I had the FZ 82, which is probably the same model. There's a nature filmmaker on YouTube who takes excellent photos and videos with the FZ 300. Check it out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCr_V-M8vus—it's proof that you can do great work with a bridge camera.
28.08.2023, 10:12   #9
I completely agree with you.
On our Namibia trip, I only took my bridge camera. I didn’t want to expose my DSLR to the sand (lens changes and all). The shots weren’t any worse; it was just a bit limited when it came to enlarging them for posters. Nowadays, bridge cameras have improved a lot compared to my more than 15-year-old model.
13.01.2024, 01:11   #10

Hobbyfotograf

@Dieter Amberg I started out with a Casio bridge camera, now I carry my DSLR in my camera bag and the Lumix in my pocket, depending on what I need 😉 Cheers!
22.08.2025, 22:14   #11
“The best camera is the one you always have with you.” How many times have I lugged around a DSLR with three or four lenses in my backpack for hours, only to not take a single photo? Then I get home feeling tired and frustrated. On the other hand, if I just step around the block without any camera—not even a phone—I miss out on two great shots that won’t come back. Frustrated again, but this time annoyed and upset. If only I had my small Nikon compact camera as an all-rounder in both situations (with “just” 10 megapixels, a max 200mm zoom, and a solid macro function). In the first case, the light weight wouldn’t have been a burden at all. And in the second, I would have had at least one great photo (maybe even two with a bit of Photoshop). So, for planned shoots and special occasions, always use the right equipment. Otherwise, go for the quick and easy all-rounder. Some of my friends even say I’ve taken better photos than the professional (main) photographer at weddings and similar events. Why? With a small, discreet, and fast camera, I can shoot from the hip if needed. I capture the moment and atmosphere so much better. Plus, in macro photography, the closer focusing range gives me many advantages.

Always good lighting! Best, Jürgen
23.08.2025, 07:36   #12
Profilfoto
Michael Hansen

I’m currently downsizing my photo gear. Why? Lately, I’ve discovered the advantages of smartphone photography. Always with me, I have these lenses available: 14mm, 24mm main camera (which can be used as 28mm, 35mm, and 50mm depending on the photo app), and a 75mm telephoto. The shots are usually very good and, after editing, perfectly sufficient for “on-the-go” photography. Some of the photos I’ve posted were taken with my phone—check the EXIF data for proof.

What often gets overlooked is the final output format of the images. The obsession with megapixels is driving amateur photographers crazy. I have a 60 x 90 cm print hanging on my wall, razor-sharp, taken with a Fuji X-Pro 1 that has only 16 megapixels. The argument that with 40 megapixels or more you can zoom in and have extra room to crop is outdated, especially now with AI editing software like Topaz.

In 2024, I traveled to New York carrying a lot of gear. At the end of the trip, I took a day trip to Washington, using a Fuji X-T3 with an F4 16-80mm zoom (24-120mm full-frame equivalent). I didn’t miss a thing.

Always good light. Best regards, Michael
29.08.2025, 14:27   #13
I use MFT, Canon EOS with a 1.6x crop, and Canon full-frame. The reason I chose MFT was not only to save weight but also to dust off my old Minolta MD lenses a bit—thanks to the 2.0 crop factor, it was more of a fun experiment. But to get to the point: when we got our new Labrador puppy three months ago, I quickly moved from the Lumix MFT to the EOS crop sensor and then to full-frame. The reason? Only with full-frame does the dog's fur not look smeared; only with full-frame can I capture individual hairs. It really depends on the subject which sensor size is sufficient.
25.10.2025, 17:17   #14
By the way, I always keep a Lumix with a super telephoto lens in my car, just in case. You have to be careful with it, though—shooting against the light in wide-angle mode can quickly cause severe flare and image distortions. Also, the bokeh at wide aperture tends to be quite busy, which is a typical downside of super telephoto lenses.
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