Panasonic Lumix FZ80D

The Panasonic Lumix FZ80, also known as the FZ82, is a bridge camera released in 2017. It pairs a fixed lens with a DSLR-styled body, so there is nothing to attach or swap before you shoot.

The body weighs 616 g and measures 130 x 94 x 119 mm, useful figures when deciding how it will fit into a day bag.

An electronic viewfinder, a touchscreen and 4K video round out the package. That mix suits travellers and families who want one camera for stills and video without carrying extra lenses.

The 18MP resolution sits on a 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor, a small format that helps keep the camera and its fixed lens compact. The Venus Engine handles image processing.

At its fastest setting the camera shoots up to 10 frames per second. That maximum suits brief moments such as a bird taking off, though a top figure is not a promise of sustained shooting.

Autofocus uses 49 points, giving you room to place focus away from the centre of the frame. The ISO range runs from 80 to 3200, and the shutter reaches 1/2000 second.

Stabilisation is built in and reduces camera shake for handheld work at slower shutter speeds, though it cannot freeze a moving subject. The electronic viewfinder, with 1,166,000 dots, gives a clear eye-level view of your settings before you press the shutter.

The camera records video up to 4K, which keeps useful detail for large-screen viewing and cropping in the edit. Frame rates reach 60fps. These are separate maximums, so choose the recording mode that suits the shot.

A timelapse function is built in, so you can capture slow, gradual changes such as clouds moving or a sunset fading without external equipment.

Recordings are saved as MPEG-4 or AVCHD. Having two file formats gives flexibility in how footage is stored and handled after the shoot, whether for archiving or editing.

While recording, the touchscreen gives quick access to settings and the electronic viewfinder offers a stable eye-level framing option alongside the fixed rear screen.

The 3-inch screen has 1,040,000 dots for reviewing framing and detail. Touch input gives you another way to operate the camera alongside its physical controls.

The screen does not move, so overhead or waist-level shots mean working from a fixed viewing angle. For most eye-level shooting the electronic viewfinder is the more natural choice.

Both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are built in, giving the camera short-range wireless connectivity options. There is no built-in GPS, so automatic location tagging is not available on the body.

A built-in flash covers dim moments, and an external flash unit can be attached when you need stronger lighting. There is no weather sealing, so shelter the camera in rain and dust.

The camera takes SD, SDHC and SDXC cards in a single slot, so a large-capacity card is worth choosing for 4K recording. With only one slot there is no in-camera backup, and a spare card is the safer plan for a full day.

The DMW-BMB9 battery is rated at 330 shots, though that figure is not a promise for every shoot. Real-world endurance varies with shooting conditions, so a spare battery makes sense for long outings.

USB charging lets you top the battery up between shoots, which helps when you are travelling with a compact charging kit. Carry a spare battery too.