If you're primarily a videographer, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2500 ($1,199.99) is an appealing camera on paper. It packs almost all the power of the Panasonic GH4, a darling of the pro video world, and puts it into a 1-inch bridge camera with a 20x zoom lens. Add support for an external microphone and variable in-lens neutral density, 4K capture, and very fast autofocus, and you should have a camera that pleases videographers and still photographers alike. But its lens performance is inconsistent, and image quality suffers noticeably when zoomed in, making it a tough sell at this price. For a premium bridge camera, both still and video shooters are better off with our Editors' Choice, the Sony RX10 III, a more expensive, but in many ways more capable, option. Design The FZ2500 looks like a beefed up version of Panasonic's other 1-inch superzoom, the FZ1000. Its lens doesn't have that much longer of a reach—the FZ2500 covers a 24-480mm range while the FZ1000 covers a 25-400mm fiel...
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2500 camera has true pro-grade video features, but its 20x lens doesn't perform consistently across its coverage range.
Quick autofocus; Solid high ISO images; Superb 4K video toolset; In-camera ND filter; Ample buffer; Solid ergonomics; Sharp EVF and vari-angle touch display; 1-inch sensor with 20x zoom lens; High-speed 4K Photo capture
Disappointing lens; Pricey; Omits weather sealing