I've been a full-time professional photographer for 30 years, so in some ways I have no business evaluating a consumer-level product. But I needed a new back-up, video-capable, camera so I gave this one a shot. I interviewed 50 exhibitors at a two-day makeup convention in LA.

The new Panasonic Lumix FZ300 is a super-zoom with 12-megapixel sensor, 4K video and an impressive 25-600mm lens with f/2.8 constant.

Objective 25-600mm f / 2.8; Excellent build quality; Fast performance; 4K video; Great depth of control

Price challenging for a camera sensor to reduced image quality in the media; "soft" full aperture

Panasonic's superzoom is good, but is it worth the price?

This camera is great! Takes amazing pictures so far! With lots of extras, it was a great price!

Superzoom cameras like the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300 ($599.99) are attractive options for photographers who want the versatility of a very long zoom range along with the ergonomics of an SLR, but don't want to carry an interchangeable lens camera and a few lenses.

24x zoom lens with f/2.8 aperture; All-weather build; Excellent EVF; Vari-angle touch-screen display; Very fast autofocus; 12.4fps burst shooting; Strong high ISO images for its class; Raw image capture; 4K video

Expensive; Large-sensor superzooms offer better image quality; Zoom range isn't as ambitious as others

Overall, the FZ300 is a feature-filled camera that does what it sets out to do, besting your typical superzoom camera thanks to its superior lens. But at $600, it's more expensive than your typical superzoom, and its small sensor struggles to keep up with most other cameras in its price range.

Superzoom cameras like the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300 ($599.99) are attractive options for photographers who want the versatility of a very long zoom range along with the ergonomics of an SLR, but don't want to carry an interchangeable lens camera and a few lenses. The FZ300's 24x lens doesn't sound that ambitious on paper—pocket models like Panasonic's own ZS50 ($350.00 at Amazon) manage to put 30x lenses into a smaller package, and others like our Editors' Choice Canon PowerShot SX60 HS ($479.00 at eBay) reach incredible 65x telephoto ratios. But the FZ300 has a fixed f/2.8 aperture, so it captures just as much light at its widest angle as it does when zoomed all the way in—a rarity for this class. If your photographic needs don't extend beyond 600mm, and you value weather sealing, 4K video, and a lightning-fast autofocus system, the FZ300 is an excellent, but pricey, choice in its own right. DesignThe FZ300 ($447.99 at Amazon)  takes its design cues from SLRs. Its fixed lens i...

The excellent Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300 superzoom offers a long focal range with a fixed-aperture lens, 4K video, and instant autofocus.

24x zoom lens with f/2.8 aperture; All-weather build; Excellent EVF; Vari-angle touch-screen display; Very fast autofocus; 12.4fps burst shooting; Strong high ISO images for its class; Raw image capture; 4K video

Expensive; Large-sensor superzooms offer better image quality; Zoom range isn't as ambitious as others

The Panasonic Lumix FZ300 might not be a huge update from its predecessor, the FZ200, but it's still one of the best in its class and a fantastic option for a single camera for photos and video -- even in the rain.

The Panasonic Lumix FZ300 has a best-in-class 24x f2.8 25-600mm lens; excellent photo and video quality for a small-sensor compact; extensive shooting mode and setting options; comfortable body and control layout; its body is weather resistant; and it records great-looking 4K video that can also be...

The controls and setting navigation may be overwhelming if you're used to "leaving it in Auto." Because of the lens, it is bigger -- and more expensive -- than other small-sensor cameras with comparable zoom ranges; No headphone jack.

When friends or family ask me if they should get a point-and-shoot or if their smartphone is good enough, my answer basically comes down to whether they need a camera with a superzoom lens or need one that is rugged.

The Panasonic Lumix FZ300 has a best-in-class 24x f2.8 25-600mm lens; excellent photo and video quality for a small-sensor compact; extensive shooting mode and setting options; comfortable body and control layout; its body is weather resistant; and it records great-looking 4K video that can also be...

The controls and setting navigation may be overwhelming if you're used to "leaving it in Auto." Because of the lens, it is bigger -- and more expensive -- than other small-sensor cameras with comparable zoom ranges; No headphone jack

The latest FZ-series camera from Panasonic, the Lumix DMC-FZ300, updates the FZ200 model we reviewed in September 2012. While the FZ300 retains its predecessor's 12.1-megapixel sensor and Leica-branded 24x f/2.8 zoom lens, it introduces a new Venus Engine processor and improved autofocusing system.