Choosing Between Panasonic’s Compact Superzoom and Advanced Mirrorless: A Hands-On Comparison of the FZ300 and G85

In my fifteen years as a gear tester and photographer, I’ve often encountered the challenging decision between versatile bridge cameras and more modular mirrorless systems. Today, I'm breaking down two Panasonic models that many enthusiasts and professionals consider when they want a robust, all-around capable camera with distinct approaches - the Panasonic Lumix FZ300, a fixed-lens superzoom bridge camera released in 2015, and the Panasonic Lumix G85, a 2016 advanced mirrorless MFT system. I’ve spent extensive hours in real-world shooting camps, landscape hikes, and studio sessions with both, and here’s an exhaustive comparison to guide you toward the best fit for your photography style and needs.

Feeling the Cameras in Hand: Ergonomics and Build Quality

Right from picking up the cameras, I noticed their clear identity differences. The FZ300 is a bulky but rugged bridge with a fixed 24x superzoom lens (25-600mm equiv.), built for those who want a “ready to shoot” tool without worrying about lenses. The G85 is smaller and lighter but offers the flexibility to switch lenses suited for every situation.

Looking side by side at their physical dimensions and weight inspired immediate impressions about portability and handling:

The FZ300’s heft reflects a weather-sealed magnesium alloy chassis and hefty zoom lens with a constant bright f/2.8 aperture, giving a reassuring grip but adding weight (691g). Despite the weight, Panasonic’s SLR-like design positions controls intuitively along the right hand with deeply textured grip surfaces.

In contrast, the G85 weighs a lighter 505g with a smaller footprint - 128 x 89 x 74 mm - perfect for street shooters or travelers wanting to reduce their gear load without giving up quality. It too offers weather sealing for environmental protection, though not to the same degree as the FZ300, which adds waterproof and dustproof toughness.

The top control layout also reveals Panasonic’s care for ergonomics:

Both cameras have fully articulated 3" touchscreens with 1040k-dot resolution, invaluable for awkward-angle shooting and vlogging scenarios, but more on that shortly.

My takeaway: The FZ300 gives an all-weather, tough-as-nails feel that can handle the rough outdoors without adding multiple lenses. The G85 prioritizes lightweight versatility and modularity with a refined grip, suited for those who want to build a tailored kit.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality Showdown

Image quality is where the mirrorless G85 flexes its larger sensor muscles compared to the tiny FZ300 sensor, and this is fundamental.

The FZ300 employs a small 1/2.3" CMOS sensor (6.17 x 4.55 mm) with 12 megapixels, which is typical for bridge superzooms to facilitate long zoom reach while keeping the lens compact. The G85’s Four Thirds sensor is significantly larger at 17.3 x 13 mm with 16 megapixels and no anti-aliasing filter, giving it an edge in sharpness and dynamic range.

I put both cameras through side-by-side sensor testing and real-world image capture, paying close attention to color depth, highlight detail, and noise retention.

While Panasonic did not provide DxO Mark scores for the FZ300, the G85’s Four Thirds sensor scored respectably with a DxO overall score of 71, a color depth of 22.8 bits, and a dynamic range of 12.5 EV - excellent for this class.

In practical terms:

• The G85 delivers cleaner high ISO images, extending usability up to ISO 3200-6400 without sacrificing too much detail or introducing chroma noise. The FZ300's smaller sensor quickly struggles above ISO 800, with noise becoming visible and detail softening.

• Skin tones on the G85 are richer and more nuanced, ideal for portrait work. The FZ300 can capture good portraits in bright daylight, but struggles with subtle tonal transitions and low light.

• Landscape photographers will appreciate the extra resolution and improved dynamic range of the G85 sensor letting them recover shadows and highlights deftly.

My advice: If your priority is image quality - especially for cropping, large prints, or low light environments - the G85’s sensor will serve you better.

Autofocus Systems: Speed, Accuracy, and Tracking

Both Panasonic cameras are equipped with 49 focus points and use contrast-detection autofocus, not phase detection, which is notable in 2015-2016 models. The contrast system offers precise focusing in most conditions but generally isn’t as fast or predictive as hybrid or phase systems in newer models.

Testing autofocus speed and tracking performance yielded interesting observations.

• The FZ300’s autofocus is surprisingly snappy for a bridge camera, especially at wider focal lengths, and continuous AF tracking at up to 12 fps burst rates held focus well on moderately moving subjects. I found it adequate for casual wildlife and street shooting but less reliable in fast-paced sports.

• The G85 has a steady AF performance at 9 fps, slightly slower in burst rate but with the advantage of focus bracketing and stacking features, great for macro and studio work. Its eye-detection autofocus enhances portrait focus reliability.

Neither has animal eye AF, which is a gap if you specialize in wildlife, but the G85’s face and eye detection are very dependable.

Autofocus winner? The FZ300 edges out in tracking speed, but the G85’s focus precision and advanced features make it more versatile across genres.

Lens Systems and Zoom: Fixed Versatility or Interchangeable Freedom?

This is the most fundamental distinction.

• The FZ300 sports a fixed 25-600mm equivalent zoom lens, with a bright and constant f/2.8 aperture, excellent for low light and creating creamy bokeh even at telephoto lengths. This lens has impressively close macro focusing capability at 1cm distance, unusual in such superzooms, and optical image stabilization to steady long reach shots.

• The G85 is a Micro Four Thirds system camera, compatible with over 107 native lenses spanning primes, zooms, macros, and specialist optics. This flexibility allows tailoring the kit to your exact needs, whether lightweight primes for street or super telephoto lenses for wildlife.

From my experience, the FZ300’s superzoom appeal is hard to beat for travel or walk-around photographers who want one reliable lens, but lens switching in the G85 delivers superior optical quality and creative control. For example, shooting landscapes with a sharp ultra-wide, portraits with a fast portrait prime, or wildlife with a dedicated telephoto zoom - all possible with the G85.

Classic Hands-On Creativity: Controls and User Interface

Both cameras offer a hands-on tactile experience with manual exposure modes, custom dials, and fully articulating touch screens.

The articulating screens on both allow flexible shooting angles - the FZ300’s touchscreen is slightly more responsive and intuitive, but the G85 offers a higher resolution electronic viewfinder (2,360k dots vs 1,440k on the FZ300) with 0.74x magnification, making manual focus easier and framing more precise.

Both cameras give you access to aperture priority, shutter priority, and manual modes with full exposure compensation control.

The FZ300’s control layout is straightforward and geared for quick zoom lens operation. The G85, borrowing from DSLRs, provides customizable buttons and dual control dials - ideal for photographers who want speed and control customization during shoots.

Durability and Weather Sealing: Ready for Tough Conditions?

Panasonic markets both cameras toward outdoor photographers.

• The FZ300 scores highly on environmental sealing, featuring waterproof, dustproof, and splashproof construction, meaning you can confidently shoot in rain or near water without a cover.

• The G85 is splash-proof and dust-resistant, but lacks waterproof sealing. It offers weather resistance suitable for general outdoor use but careful in heavy rain.

When I shot both in wet forest conditions, the FZ300’s tougher sealing gave me more confidence to keep shooting without worrying about weather damage.

Burst Speeds and Continuous Shooting: Capturing Fast Action

Speed for fast-action photography is essential, especially for sports and wildlife.

• The FZ300 can shoot up to 12 fps continuous, excellent for a bridge camera, and held focus well with continuous autofocus.

• The G85 tops out at 9 fps with continuous AF, still very respectable for an advanced mirrorless.

For sports shooters wanting the fastest frame rates, the FZ300 has a slight edge. However, the G85’s advantage lies in buffer management and RAW shooting, important considerations for professional workflow.

Battery Life and Storage Practicalities

Battery life is a key factor for those shooting days in the field.

• The FZ300 uses a battery rated at around 380 shots per charge, fairly strong for a compact superzoom.

• The G85 offers approximately 330 shots per charge; slightly lower but acceptable considering mirrorless EVF use, which tends to drain battery faster.

Both cameras support SD memory cards (one slot each) including SDXC, but I found the G85’s faster UHS-I card support offers advantages for rapid burst and 4K video recording.

Video Capabilities: How Do They Stack Up?

Modern cameras balance stills and moving image performance.

Both offer:

• 4K UHD (3840x2160) video at 30p and 24p, making them competitive mid-range video tools.

• Multiple codec options including MPEG-4 and AVCHD.

• External mic input but no headphone jack, which is a slight limitation for critical monitoring.

• 4K photo modes allowing extraction of 8MP JPGs from 30fps 4K video for action sequences.

Panasonic FZ300 front Panasonic FZ300 screen back Panasonic G85 front

The G85’s sensor-shift 5-axis image stabilization notably improves video smoothness even with non-stabilized lenses. This makes it a favorite among hybrid shooters and vloggers.

The FZ300 relies on optical image stabilization from the lens element, effective but sometimes struggles with rolling shutter artifacts in panning shots.

Specialty Photography Disciplines: Who Excels Where?

Let's break down how both cameras perform across popular genres.

Portrait Photography

The G85’s larger sensor, lack of anti-aliasing filter, and sophisticated face/eye detection provide superior skin tone rendition and sharper focus on eyes. Its lens choices allow using fast primes for beautiful background separation.

The FZ300’s constant f/2.8 zoom lens lets you achieve bokeh easily, though its smaller sensor limits background blur and subtle skin texture.

Landscape Photography

Here, the G85's higher resolution sensor, wider dynamic range, and ability to use ultra-wide primes give it a decisive edge. The FZ300’s weather sealing and fixed lens zoom range is versatile but can’t match the G85 for image quality and creative framing.

Wildlife Photography

The FZ300’s long 600mm equivalent lens is tempting for wildlife, especially casual observers not wanting multiple lenses. Autofocus speed and burst make it decent for stationary subjects.

The G85 can mount fast telephotos but at about twice the size and cost. Its better high ISO performance helps with dimmer light conditions common in wildlife photography.

Sports Photography

The FZ300 offers the fastest burst but only contrast AF, so tracking fast subjects is modest.

The G85's 9 fps and customizable controls assist in quick shooting, but AF tracking and buffer speed lag behind professional cameras.

Street Photography

The G85 excels with its compact, lightweight body, silent electronic shutter (up to 1/16000s), and discrete design, ideal for candid moments.

The FZ300’s bulk and zoom lens make it less inconspicuous.

Macro Photography

The FZ300’s close macro focusing at 1cm outperforms the G85's typical lenses unless paired with a macro prime. The G85’s focus bracketing and stacking offer technical advantages for macro shooters seeking extended depth of field.

Night/Astro Photography

The G85's superior noise handling and manual exposure features make it more suited for low light and astro work. The FZ300 is limited by sensor noise and dynamic range at high ISO.

Travel Photography

The FZ300 is a solid one-lens travel companion that can cover most shooting needs and weather scenarios without gear swapping.

The G85, with its smaller size and lens versatility, suits travelers wanting high image quality and lens interchangeability, acknowledging the need to carry extra lenses.

Professional Work

The G85 supports 12-bit RAW, focus bracketing, and a robust Micro Four Thirds lens ecosystem, well-integrated into pro workflows.

The FZ300 offers limited RAW processing and lacks professional-grade workflows but is a great field-proof backup.

Price and Value: Which Makes More Sense?

At street prices, the FZ300 typically retails around $598, making it a budget-friendly option given its weather sealing and versatile zoom.

The G85 runs higher at about $900, reflecting the advanced sensor, lens compatibility, and hybrid photo/video capabilities.

Here’s a quick performance rating visualization based on my testing and industry benchmarks:

And genre-specific ratings that show where each camera shines:

Final Thoughts: Which Panasonic Should You Choose?

Based on extensive hands-on assessment, here’s my candid guidance:

• Choose the Panasonic FZ300 if:

  • You want a rugged, all-in-one camera with weatherproof durability.
  • You value an ultrazoom constant f/2.8 lens for travel, wildlife, or casual sports.
  • Your budget is limited and you prefer simplicity without lens swapping.
  • You shoot mostly in good light or daylight scenarios.

• Opt for the Panasonic G85 if:

  • Image quality and sensor performance are your highest priorities.
  • You desire flexibility to build a system with varied lenses for portraits, landscapes, macro, and specialized shooting.
  • You shoot significant video and want superior in-body stabilization.
  • Travel weight-saving and discreet street shooting appeal to you.
  • You’re willing to invest more for a camera that better meets a broad range of professional and enthusiast needs.

The differences between these cameras reveal Panasonic’s thoughtful approach to different user needs. I’ve found many photographers who start with the FZ300 appreciate its resilience and zoom potential but eventually upgrade to bodies like the G85 for the creative freedom the interchangeable lens system allows.

If you’ve got questions about specific scenarios or want more personally tailored advice, feel free to ask. After testing thousands of cameras, I understand the nuance in choosing a camera that really fits your vision and shooting style.

Happy shooting!

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This comparison is based purely on hands-on testing, technical lab analysis, and field experience with both models from my professional photography workflow. I have no commercial affiliation with Panasonic.