FZ1000 vs FZ1000M2 vs FZ2500?: Panasonic Compact Camera Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

Panasonic seem to be doing strange things with their camera updates. As far as I'm concerned, the FZ2500 was the replacement for the FZ1000, but 2 years after the FZ2500 came out, the replacement for the FZ1000 appears. I also thought that the FZ1000 was the replacement for the FZ200, but that thought was squashed when the FZ300 appeared. I think you can still buy the FZ200 new, as well. Its crazy in a way. Its a bit like General Motors selling brand new 2012 models alongside 2019 models.

Anyway, apart from my little rant about updates, I do think the new FZ1000 M2 is a definite upgrade from the current model. In many ways its similar to the FZ300 upgrade over the FZ200, which really was a significant upgrade, but with the FZ1000, its not quite as dramatic, as the old FZ1000 already has DFD AF, 4k video and better viewfinder. The FZ200 didn't have those features, so it was a bigger shift with that camera. My reading of the specs is that there is a significant upgrade to the 4k modes, which I would find useful and includes a new 4k burst mode, which if the specs are to be believed, you can use in quick bursts, something you can't do with the 4k video on the current model. I also read that there is no crop in 4k video now, so you should get the same wide angle as the stills.However, after saying all that, I suspect the upgrade won't be enough to cause current owners to switch, unless they are like you, where the current camera is showing signs that's its on the way out. In that case, the new one is an improvement. They even got rid of that back wheel that doesn't work on yours any more.

It also appears that the update cycle has now switched to 4 years, so I wouldn't expect an upgrade to the FZ2500 for another two years.

Panasonic FZ1000 FZ200 SOny RX10 iv