Manuals - UserGuide FZ150  
FZ150 - Basic Owner's manual (3.13 Mo): PDF.
FZ150 - Owner's Manual for Advanced Features
(11 Mo): PDF.
Both manuals FZ150 (12.2 Mo): ZIP.

FZ150  

Panasonic Canadian : English

FZ150 Forum  

DpReview (Panasonic Talk Forum).  

FZ150 Graham's Videos   

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The main differences with the FZ50

• Motorized lens and power zoom.
• Too ssmall (to get used to).
• Less luminous - f/4.3 to 420 mm (f/3.7 for the FZ50)
• f/8 max - f/11 for the FZ50
• Battery and memory card innacessibles Tripod

• Wide angle (25mm)
• Recording jpeg (fine) + Raw.
• Much faster burst mode
• More precise picture settings
• Increments ISO, exposure and burst mode more accurate
• 'I-Zoom' function
• 'I-Res' function
• flash second curtain
• 'Focus' more accurate
• HD video

FZ150 Vs FZ50 - ISO & White balance

FZ150 Vs FZ50 - Details & Zoom

In 2005, Panasonic FZ30 are released, followed a year after by the FZ50 with more results including the TTL flash support.

So five years after the release of the FZ50 and after the failure of 14 Mpx FZ100, Panasonic delivers a 12 MPx FZ150 best in image quality.

In terms of ergonomics, we are in line with the FZ38 enough away from the concept of expert bridge could be as a successor to the FZ50.

There are not too long ago the major groups were controlled by the Finance and technical department in charge of innovation, the marketing department is in charge of product marketing (price, distribution and promotion).
At the time the FZ50 was released, there has been a silent revolution in almost all major groups in the world where the marketing departments took power.

Today, they reign supreme on innovation, communication and strategy.
The "engineers" did not agree more. They have become performers powerless.

At the same time, you ... and ... me ... have moved from the customer status to that target. To be clear "before" a customer you were "king" and the King is listening, we are in his service, we try every means to please him.

With the marketing is over the good times, the client is not listening, we analyze, we sectarise, it evangelizes...
At the launch of a new "product" or rather a new "concept" is no longer the "technological" innovation, but "marketing" innovation. They invent a new market.

Take time to read this article (in French) in digital dating from September 2010 about the market for hybrid and 3D.

Click!

3 Questions for Panasonic (Les Numériques) - In French.

You read? Amazing is not it?

You are the "clients", pardon the "target", you can not understand, as these gentlemen have an IQ (no, it's not Image Quality, but Intelectual Quotient) out of the ordinary... the portraits of these gentlemen speak for themselves, personally I feel suddenly very small... small... insignificant.

Markets for 3D and hybrids should explode!
Tomorrow?
I would not say anything about 3D because after the third dimension is the fourth and the fifth dimension and there! For me, is beyond me.
For hybrids why not, they will come "perhaps" create a new market between the bridges and reflex.

But what about the reality?

According to the SIPEC (Syndicat des entreprises de l’Image, de la Photo Et de la Communication - French) and according to this document (in French):
Les chiffres 2010 du marché de la photo et de l'image en France et en Europe (PDF).

In France it sold 5.033 million digital cameras in 2010.

In 2010, the world's 140 million digital cameras (GfK - September 2010).
Extrapolating, I estimate the market to:

• 115 million Compacts Cameras
• 9 million Big-Zoom (Bridges Cameras)
• 15 million Reflex
• 1 millions Hybrids Cameras

Panasonic on its website (in French) says for France the following:
The release is dated December 4, 2009:
"In the segment of bridges down slightly, Panasonic retained its number one position with 37% market share by volume and 40% in value, particularly with products such as the FZ38, a camera to zoom X18, capable of filming HD video and Dolby Digital Stereoal".

Panasonic is around 30% of bridges market in the world, we can assume that the leaders Bridges as FZ50, the FZ38 and FZ150 now account for 2.5 to 3 million units sold per year. (This is my personal estimation).  

Where almost all manufacturers have followed Panasonic on hybrid market with products very competitive based on an APS-C better than the 4/3.

"We are in a phase of evangelization" says Laurent Roussel in acticle quoted above about 3D. I'm willing to bet he thinks the same thing about the hybrid market.
Panasonic wants so "evangelize", but be careful gentlemen that your customers do not end up like the Maya..  

Given the hype, the hybrid market will grow, but is it that this will be enough?
"That is the question?".

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On leaving the FZ50 five years ago, I was surprised by the lack of communication from Panasonic on this bridge. The same goes for the FZ38, the FZ100 and the latest FZ150.

Panasonic Communication focuses primarily on hybrids and compact. For bridges, there is only the specialized press, blogs by amateurs, the clients themselves in the forums and sites like mine that are talking about.

We are in 2011, in 2010 the market for the hybrid is less than 1% in France with 33 000 units against 336,000 for bridges.
In 2009 Panasonic (French) claims to have 37% market share on the bridges ... this represents more than 100,000 units.

On the Panasonic Lumix Global World web site, not a word of FZ150 on the home page, there are only hybrids. To find the FZ150 and FZ47, go in the "compact camera".

The total 'blackout' Panasonic Disclosure of bridges is in total contradiction with the reality of the market. Although it is natural that they push their 'baby' seems to have some growth problems, so ignore this customer "bridges" still leaves puzzled.

Obviously they decided to put all their eggs in one basket, in view of the 2010 market, the chicks may never blossom into a leaky basket .
It smells like the omelette...

The market for bridges is not so negligible it, Panasonic has determined to release a new bridge four years after the FZ50 with the FZ100. Not only it does not reproduce the characteristics of the FZ50, but it is clearly down to the level of image quality compared to previous models FZ38 and FZ50. They rectify the shooting with a FZ150, 12 Mpx and a better image quality.
But the episode of the FZ100 still leaves a bitter taste.

For me, Panasonic made the mistake of thinking that bridges compete with hybrids. If the compact interchangeable lens must find their market, it will be with bridges and reflex.
The sensors 4/3 and APS-C have made significant progress in five years and phylosophy of hybrids is very different, small and light compact with very good ISO sensibility.

The "fans" of the FZ50 on the contrary want a bridge that takes the characteristics of a true reflex quite large with a good grip, image quality at least equivalent to the FZ50, able to be correct to at least iso 1600 and a zoom range from wide angle to a maximum distance of 450 to 600 mm, all with a good viewfinder EVF high definition.
Such a bridge would not be light, and would have the advantage and disadvantage of having a fixed lens. A bridge that would compete with some reflex entry-level, but not necessarily with the hybrid.

Nature abhors a vacuum.

for February 2012

Fuji announced a bridge expert! - The X-S1

Click!

Review Fujifilm X-S1.
Canadian Fujifilm.

• Approx. 945 g / 33.3 oz. (including battery and memory card)
• Sensor 12 Mpx 2/3-inch EXR CMOS with primary colour filter
• Lens Fujinon 6.1 - 158.6 mm - EQ 35 mm 24 - 624 mm - f/2.8 - f/5.6
• Lens diameter (filter) : 62 mm
• Compatible with macro lens Raynox DCR250 - 52-67 mm
• EVF HD - 1. 440 000 dots  
• f/11 - 1/4000 (1/2000 with the FZ50)
• 30 s (60 s with the FZ50) - External TTL flash
• Manual rings zoom and focus
• New optical stabilized 12 groups, 17 elements
• 2 low-dispersion lenses for the treatment of chromatic aberrations
• ISO 3200 12 Mpx (may be exploitable?)
• HD Video 30i/s.

Look at the technical features which are really interesting.

Unfortunately the sensor used for the X-S1, the same as the X-10, has a big flaw. The high light causes "white discs" (orbs) or effect of "blooming" very important and far beyond what can be seen on a FZ50 (at random).
This defect is a problem for night shots or the sun reflection.

Fujifilm's comments on DPReview.
http://www.dpreview.com/news/2011/12/07/fujifilmplansfirmware

'Fujifilm engineers have examined a number of sample shots and have concluded that the camera is working within prescribed tolerances. The blooming issue is something not uncommon to many types of digital camera. It is possible to reduce the effects of blooming either by increasing the ISO or widening the dynamic range on the camera.

However, after receiving a number of comments from users, we can understand their concern and plan a firmware upgrade to lessen the effects of blooming. We will announce in due course when the upgrade will be available.'

A bit of denial of reality and limits contemptuous for their clients.
Increasing the ISO, I do not agree with that.
'lessen' does no good. It smells tinkering.
In my humble opinion a firmware will not correct the defect.
They need to review our sensor design.

I hope I am wrong, and maybe Fuji will find a solution, but I doubt it.
it is impossible for me to buy a Fuji X-S1 with this defect and it is a shame, because for the rest it seemed promising at the same time with a lot of little things that annoyed (Flash required of the brand, no internal lens, no Extended Zoom, etc.).

I would have preferred a FZ50 successor, but we can not live only hope.

'Wait and See' , mainly 'Wait'.

Otherwise, I would have preferred less zoom and more brightness as f/2.8 - f/4 - 6-110 mm. But f/4 and 450 mm, is less popular than f/5.6 and 600 mm.  

Updated : June 26, 2012

I strongly advise you to go to "Photonuméric" X-S1 review. 

Cliquez !

Fujifilm X-S1 Review by Photonuméric.fr   

Regarding the "orbs" or "white discs", Fujifilm now offers sensor replacement and we can be assumed that the models are fitted for sale. But there is no indication if the camera has the new sensor or not, Fuji does not replace the sensor that customers who request it.
The problem seems solved (like Fuji).

Beyond that, and looking at photos posted on Flickr and elsewhere, personally, I don't have the feeling regarding the "sharpness" of the X-S1. I haven't the X-S1, it's inevitably subjective, but I really like being quite far from the level of the FZ50.

I don't buy the X-S1, feeling not to be a winner regarding the Image Quality.

That said, it has the merit to exist in a category or the cameras of this type are rare.
The FZ50 is still the only one who offered a moving internal optical lenses and an f/2.8-3.7 aperture.
It is part of the past now and I don't see the opening of a future that seems bleak to me.  
It's sad, but beautiful ... no?  

Well, it's summer, I'll take my FZ50 on holiday in the sun, I don't forget to take my wife.

Manuals X-S1 (ZIP) 11.5 Mo - (French and English)    
Brochure Fujifilm X-S1 (PDF) 6.8 Mo  
Manual X-S1 (PDF) 2.6 Mo  
Manuel X-S1 (PDF) 2.6 Mo  

Click!

Fujifilm X-S1 Photos

More links :

Fujifilm.com - X-S1 presentation.  

Fujifilm.ca

Blog Fujifilm X-Premium  

DpReview : Fujifilm releases X-S1 premium EXR 26X  

DpReview : Fujifilm Talk Forum  

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