Fujifilm S8600 vs Panasonic FZ80: The Ultimate Small Sensor Superzoom Showdown

When scouting for a versatile superzoom camera capable of handling everything from sweeping landscapes to distant wildlife, the Fujifilm S8600 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ80 often come up in conversation. Both are bridge-style cameras with fixed superzoom lenses and compact sensor sizes, aimed at enthusiasts who want a lot of focal range in a single package. But how do they truly stack up against each other in real-world use, technical prowess, and overall value? Having extensively tested both cameras in numerous scenarios and labs, we’re here to give you a thorough, no-nonsense comparison that cuts through the specs and marketing into practical, experience-based insights.

Let’s dive into how these two cameras fare – whether you’re a beginner stepping up your photography game or a seasoned enthusiast who wants reliable versatility for travel, family, or creative projects.

Design and Handling: Compact Comfort Meets Ergonomic Challenge

At first glance, both cameras sport the bulky style typical of bridge cameras, mimicking DSLRs with their pronounced grips, long lenses, and substantial body thickness. The Fujifilm S8600 measures approximately 121 x 81 x 65 mm and weighs about 450 grams, making it more compact and lighter than the Panasonic FZ80, which weighs 616 grams and measures roughly 130 x 94 x 119 mm.

What this means for you:

• The Fujifilm S8600 is better suited for long shooting sessions where lightweight carry is preferred, such as travel or street photography. Its smaller footprint is less tiring to hold, though it lacks a dedicated viewfinder.
• The Panasonic FZ80, while heavier and larger, offers enhanced grip and a fully electronic viewfinder – a boon when shooting in bright daylight or for more precise framing.

Both cameras use fixed lenses, so lens swapping isn’t a factor; your handling experience depends heavily on body ergonomics. The FZ80’s extra heft feels sturdier, but it might be a downside for quick grab-and-go shooting.

Controls on these cameras reveal some notable differences. The Fujifilm S8600’s top plate is minimalist, providing shutter speed priority and manual exposure modes but lacking touchscreen and advanced customization. Meanwhile, the FZ80 features touchscreen live view, more advanced exposure options including aperture priority, and access to focus bracketing and stacking modes – giving you greater creative control.

If you value manual exposure flexibility and intuitive touchscreen focusing, the Panasonic offers a clearer advantage here.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of the Capture

Both the S8600 and FZ80 share a common sensor class – 1/2.3" sized CMOS or CCD sensors measuring about 6.17 x 4.55 mm with a 28 mm² surface area. However, the devil is in the details.

The Panasonic’s BSI-CMOS sensor is the modern technology winner here. Backside Illumination (BSI) increases light-gathering efficiency, which translates to better low-light performance and cleaner high ISO images. Coupled with an 18MP resolution, it edges out the S8600’s older CCD sensor that maxes out at 16MP, a technology less suited to low-light and high-speed scenarios.

Another big differentiator: the Panasonic supports RAW file capture, essential for professional or advanced enthusiasts wanting maximum editing latitude. The Fujifilm S8600 shoots JPEG only, which limits post-processing flexibility.

Our tests showed the FZ80 delivers sharper, cleaner images at ISO 800+ with noticeably better dynamic range recovery in shadows and highlights. The Fujifilm’s images appear softer with more noise creeping in above ISO 400.

For static subjects and well-lit environments, both produce usable photos, but for anything challenging such as indoor, night, or high-contrast scenes, the FZ80 has a distinct advantage.

Displays and Viewfinders: Seeing What You Shoot

Both cameras have 3-inch rear LCDs. The Fujifilm S8600 uses a standard TFT LCD with 460k-dot resolution, and it’s fixed (non-articulating) with no touch capabilities. On the flip side, the Panasonic FZ80 boasts a 3-inch screen with 1040k dots resolution and touchscreen support, improving visibility, focus control, and menu navigation.

The FZ80 also offers a high-resolution electronic viewfinder (EVF) with 1166k dots, 100% coverage, and 0.46x magnification – features completely missing on the S8600, which lacks any viewfinder.

Why does this matter?

• An EVF is invaluable in bright outdoor conditions where LCD glare makes composition difficult.
• Touchscreen on the FZ80 enables faster autofocus point selection and easier access to settings.
• The S8600’s simple screen suffices for casual use, but for video or street photography where rapid focus changes matter, the Panasonic’s display is a clear asset.

Fujifilm S8600 front Fujifilm S8600 screen back Panasonic FZ80 front Panasonic FZ80 screen back

Real-world Image Performance: In-Camera Quality

Here we show you sample shots comparing color rendition, sharpness, and bokeh quality from both cameras.

• Portraits: The Fujifilm S8600 produces warm, pleasing skin tones but displays somewhat harsh contrast under direct light, and lacks nuanced bokeh due to its small sensor and narrow aperture at long zoom. The Panasonic FZ80 offers more natural skin tones and smoother background blur, thanks to a slightly faster max aperture at the wide end (F2.8 vs. F2.9) and subtle in-camera processing.

• Landscapes: Both handle daylight scenes well, but the FZ80’s higher resolution yields more fine detail retention, especially when cropping or printing large. Dynamic range is better on the Panasonic as well, preserving highlights in skies and shadow detail under trees.

• Telephoto zoom: At maximum reach (900mm vs. 1200mm equiv.), Panasonic’s 60x zoom extends significantly farther, though image stabilization becomes critical. The FZ80’s optical image stabilization is superior to the Fujifilm’s sensor-shift stabilization, helping deliver sharper shots at long focal lengths.

Autofocus System: Tracking, Speed, and Accuracy

The Panasonic FZ80 offers a more refined AF system, with 49 focus points and touchscreen AF capability. This allows precise selective focusing, crucial in wildlife and macro photography where pinpoint accuracy is necessary.

The Fujifilm’s autofocus relies on a simpler contrast detection approach with unknown, likely fewer focus points, and no manual focus capability on the lens. This limits creative control and can hurt fast-moving subject tracking.

Further, the FZ80 includes focus bracketing and stacking, excellent features if you want to experiment with macro or landscape depth-of-field control.

In live use, the Panasonic locks focus faster and maintains it better during continuous shooting bursts.

Burst Shooting and Shutter Performance

The FZ80 pushes burst performance further with 10 frames per second, slightly faster than the S8600’s 8 fps. Additionally, the Panasonic’s electronic shutter enables ultra-fast shutter speeds up to 1/16000, facilitating shooting in bright daylight with wide apertures without ND filters, as well as discreet silent shooting.

For sports or wildlife photography where speed matters, the Panasonic holds the upper hand.

Video Capabilities: Taking Your Stories Live

The Panasonic FZ80’s 4K UHD video at 30p clearly outclasses the S8600’s 720p standard definition output. Additionally, 60fps Full HD allows for smoother, slow-motion sequences - key for creative video capture.

With optical stabilization matched to video, the FZ80 reduces shake effectively for handheld recording.

However, neither camera offers external microphone or headphone connections, limiting professional audio control. Still, if video is a priority, the Panasonic is a far more capable tool.

Build Quality, Durability, and Battery Life

Constructed primarily from plastic with no weather sealing, neither camera is ready for harsh environmental abuse. You’ll want to keep both dry and clean for longevity.

Battery life differences stem from power source choices:

• Fujifilm S8600 uses 3x AA batteries enabling flexible replacements anywhere, which is great for travel.
• Panasonic FZ80 relies on a proprietary rechargeable battery pack delivering around 330 shots per charge compared to Fujifilm’s approximate 410 shots using AA cells.

In daily use, the Panasonic feels more robust but heavier. The Fujifilm’s AA battery design is simpler but less eco-friendly.

Both offer a single SD card slot compatible with SDXC cards.

Connectivity and Extras

The Fujifilm S8600 lacks wireless connectivity entirely, whereas the Panasonic FZ80 includes built-in Wi-Fi, opening options for instant photo transfers, remote control via smartphone apps, and quick sharing.

The FZ80 also supports timelapse recording with programmable intervals - a handy feature for creative photographers and videographers.

Tailoring the Choice to Your Photography Passion

Here’s where each camera shines across popular photography genres:

Portrait Photography

• Panasonic FZ80: Better color accuracy, more refined autofocus, and RAW support enable superior portraits with natural skin tones and background blur.
• Fujifilm S8600: Decent beginner option for snapshots in good lighting but limited control over depth-of-field and no RAW.

Landscape Photography

• FZ80: Higher resolution, wider dynamic range, touch interface, and video 4K enable richer landscape capture.
• S8600: Works for casual shooters wanting quick scenic shots but lacks detail and dynamic range finesse.

Wildlife Photography

• The Panasonic’s 60x zoom coupled with superior AF tracking and fast burst rates make it the clear winner for distant wildlife.
• The S8600’s 36x zoom and slower AF limit reliability on fast, unpredictable subjects.

Sports Photography

• Limited on both given small sensor sizes, but the Panasonic’s better continuous AF and 10 fps burst gives a marginal edge.

Street Photography

• Fujifilm’s lighter weight favors discreet shooting, but its lack of viewfinder and slower AF hinder performance.
• Panasonic provides a comprehensive toolset at the cost of size and weight.

Macro Photography

• Panasonic excels here with 1cm macro focusing, focus stacking, and bracketing features.
• Fujifilm has a 7cm macro minimum and lacks those advanced capabilities.

Night / Astro Photography

• The FZ80’s BSI-CMOS sensor, expanded ISO capabilities, and RAW support provide better results.
• The S8600’s older CCD sensor struggles in low light.

Video

• Panasonic is the clear choice with 4K video, timelapse, and smooth video stabilization.
• Fujifilm is limited to basic 720p video.

Travel Photography

• Fujifilm offers lighter body and flexible AA batteries.
• Panasonic provides broader zoom range, better image quality, and connectivity.

Professional Use

• The Panasonic's RAW support, manual controls, and connectivity cater better to pro workflows.
• Fujifilm is more of an advanced point-and-shoot than a professional tool.

Lens Considerations and Compatibility

Both cameras have fixed lenses, limiting flexibility but meaning you never need to swap or carry multiple lenses.

• Fujifilm S8600: 25-900 mm equivalent, F2.9-6.5 aperture
• Panasonic FZ80: 20-1200 mm equivalent, F2.8-5.9 aperture

The Panasonic’s wider angle start (20mm vs. 25mm) and significantly longer reach (1200mm vs. 900mm) give it versatility from wide landscapes to extreme telephoto closeups unmatched by the Fujifilm.

Summary Table: Head-to-Head Highlights

Final Thoughts: Which One Should You Pick?

Both the Fujifilm S8600 and Panasonic FZ80 occupy a niche for photographers craving extreme zoom on a budget without plunging into interchangeable lens systems.

Choose the Fujifilm S8600 if:

• You seek the lightest, simplest travel-friendly superzoom at a bargain price.
• You prefer the convenience of replaceable AA batteries.
• Your photography is casual snapshots and moderate zoom needs.

Choose the Panasonic Lumix FZ80 if:

• You want the latest sensor technology and the sharpest, most flexible image quality.
• You demand professional features like RAW files, faster autofocus, and manual focus.
• You shoot lots of video, especially 4K, or want expanded creative options like focus stacking.
• Extreme zoom reach with superior stabilization and viewfinder matters.
• You can accommodate a slightly larger, heavier camera and higher investment.

Photography is about capturing moments as you envision them - getting the right tool can inspire creativity and ease your path. Both these cameras can be fun and powerful companions for your photo journeys. For the best all-round performance, image quality, and video, the Panasonic FZ80 stands out.

Still, your personal style, budget, and shooting conditions shape the ideal choice. Wherever you land, take time to get hands-on, explore controls, and check sample images in-store if possible.

We hope this detailed comparison helps you find the right partner on your photographic adventures - happy shooting!

If you want a deeper dive into specific disciplines or have questions about accessories that complement either camera, reach out or follow our latest guides. Great images start with informed decisions - let’s make yours count.