Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2000 / FZ2500

The Lumix DMC-FZ2000, known as the FZ2500 in some markets, is a Panasonic bridge camera released in 2016. It pairs a fixed lens with an electronic viewfinder in one body, so everything you need travels together.

At 915 g and 138 x 102 x 135 mm, it is a camera you carry deliberately rather than slip into a pocket. The lens is built in, so nothing gets added or swapped on the go.

That suits anyone who wants a single, ready-made setup for travel, family events and everyday stills, with 4K video on hand when footage matters. You give up the flexibility of interchangeable lenses and gain the simplicity of one complete package.

A 20-megapixel one-inch CMOS sensor anchors the stills specification. Our Optics score of 62 rates the package as good, and it sits around the middle of cameras in our database for Optics, neither near the top nor near the bottom.

Sensitivity runs from a base of ISO 125 up to a ceiling of 12800, giving room to raise the value as light falls.

In-body stabilisation reduces camera shake, so handheld shots at slower shutter speeds stay usable. It does nothing for subject movement, so a moving subject still needs a fast shutter speed.

Burst shooting reaches up to 12 fps, a maximum rate rather than a sustained one, best for short sequences at decisive moments. Shutter speeds top out at 1/4000s. Forty-nine autofocus points are available, and framing goes through a 2.36-million-dot electronic viewfinder.

Video is well served. Recording tops out at 4K, and our Video score of 69 rates the capability as good. That maximum resolution and the maximum frame rate are separate limits, so 4K does not by itself promise 60fps recording.

Frame rates run as high as 60fps, which renders fast movement smoothly and gives editing more frames to draw on. Action footage keeps its fluidity as a result.

Footage records in MPEG-4 or AVCHD, two file formats that give you a choice over how your recordings are encoded and stored.

One gap: there is no built-in timelapse mode, so anyone wanting timelapses will need to build them by some other means instead.

Our Features score of 70 is a good result. The 3-inch LCD delivers a view with just over a million dots and touch control, and it flips to help with high and low angles, so composing at arm's length or from the hip stays practical. Live view is also available for framing on the screen.

Wireless options include both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

Lighting is covered from two directions. A built-in flash handles everyday fill light, and support for an external flash lets you add more power when the scene needs it.

Plan around two absences. There is no weather sealing, so it needs shelter from rain and dust, and no GPS, so location tagging must be added another way.

Storage is simple: a single slot takes SD, SDHC or SDXC cards. With no second slot there is no in-camera backup, so carry spare cards and copy important work off the camera regularly.

The DMW-BLC12 battery is rated at 350 shots, a specification figure rather than a promise of real-world endurance. A full day of heavy use will want a charged spare alongside it.

Charging over USB is supported, which makes topping up between outings easy from a laptop or mains charger.

Our Storage & Battery score of 35 is limited, and the single slot plus the modest battery rating explain most of it. Neither makes the camera awkward to own; both simply ask for a little more planning with cards and power.