Bridge cameras are not dead! Panasonic brings Lumix FZ80D & FZ82D back to life

Panasonic has unexpectedly launched a new bridge camera - updating the seven-year-old Panasonic Lumix FZ80 (sold as the FZ82 in Europe). The new version will be called the Lumix FZ80D in North America, and as the Lumix FZ82D in the UK and Europe.

Many of the key specifications of the newer version are the same as those of the 2017-vintage original - including the design, the 60x built-in zoom, and the 1/2.3-inch 18-megapixel sensor. However, some new features are being added to the mix.

For starters, there is now a USB-C socket for simpler charging - and the eyelevel electronic viewfinder has been upgraded. The new EVF uses a 2,360k-dot OLED with 0.74 magnification - doubling the resolution of the existing model.

The rear 3-inch LCD display also gets an image quality boost, upping its resolution to 1,840k dots, compared with the 1040k-dot screen on its predecessor.

A completely new feature is the Zoom Compose Assist button on the top plate, which "lets you quickly zoom out with a single press of a button when you've lost your subject while telephoto shooting". This could prove handy if as the lens gives you an effective focal length range of 20-1200mm.

Panasonic has been one of the few companies to continue making bridge cameras, which offer a big built-in zoom lens in a camera with similar handling characteristics to a traditional DSLR. However, many of its bridge cameras have been in short supply in the last few years, so they have often been hard to find in stock. Hopefully, the new model will ensure better availability.

Other key features of the new model include 4K video recording, optical image stabilization, 10fps burst mode, and a full range of exposure modes (including manual, program and aperture priority).

The Panasonic Lumix FZ80D/FZ82D will go on sale in July for $479/ £429/AU$849.

Check out our guide to the best bridge cameras