You will battle to search out higher for the cash.
Professionals
- Beautiful, correct photos
- Highly effective sound
- Good sensible interface
- Good app help
- Gentle-up distant
Cons
- Among the menus may use a facelift
Key Specs
- Overview Worth: £2499
- Extremely HD decision
- HDR: HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG
- 4 x HDMI
- Built-in soundbar
What’s the Panasonic FZ950/FZ952 OLED?
The 2018 flagship TV get together is effectively underneath manner, and Panasonic is the final of the large 4 producers to reach. However you understand what they are saying about good issues and those that wait. The Panasonic FZ950 collection OLED is an excellent factor certainly.
We’ve already seen some top-tier performances this yr: the Samsung Q9FN, Sony AF8 OLED and LG C8 OLED are all jaw-droppingly good in their very own methods. After which Panasonic rocks up with a product simply nearly as good – higher in some respects – plus aggressive pricing to match.
For those who’re a movie fan and film constancy is necessary to you, this 4K OLED TV will make you very completely satisfied.
Word that this tv is named the Panasonic FZ950 collection in Europe, however within the UK it’s referred to as the Panasonic FZ952. Examined right here is the 55-inch model (full identify, Panasonic TX-55FZ952B, examined right here), priced at £2499 on the time of evaluate. There’s additionally a 65-inch model (Panasonic TX-65FZ952B), which prices £3999.
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Panasonic FZ950/FZ952 OLED – Design
Anybody aware of final yr’s EZ1000 collection will probably be proper at residence right here. The Panasonic FZ950/FZ952 is an apparent descendant, with nearly the identical design components.
A 3rd of the gadget is simply display screen, no thicker than a stack of six bank cards. The underside two-thirds of the display screen is backed by the housing for the electronics, which takes the thickness to simply underneath 5cm. Beneath that could be a pedestal sort stand that’s principally a soundbar – the Dynamic Blade speaker, tuned by Technics.
The one apparent distinction is that the Panasonic FZ950/FZ952 is rather less bling. The neck connecting the TV to the bottom is all black and tucked behind the soundbar, versus a column of attention-seeking chrome. The neck can also be so much wider, which I presume is for stability causes. It really works.
The Panasonic FZ950/FZ952 ships with two remotes. There’s a standard face-full-of-buttons slab and a minimalist Contact Pad Controller.
For the standard method, Panasonic’s providing is well the perfect. The metallic faceplate makes a premium first impression. Every part is properly spaced and clearly labelled. There are devoted buttons for key apps, together with a really useful you could assign your self.
Then there’s the sunshine button, which permits for dark-room button-pressing. To my information, not one of the different huge TV producers affords backlit remotes. 50 factors to Panasonic.
Satirically, the extra modern-thinking Contact Pad Controller is the one I actually don’t get on with. Its banana-like curve isn’t practically as ergonomic as Panasonic thinks it’s. I can embrace the barebones method to buttons; I can’t get used to the swipey management scheme, which is okay for touchscreens however has no enterprise on a distant. The standard wand is extra helpful and intuitive.
As for connections, you’ll discover 4 HDMI sockets (one HDMI ARC) and three USB ports on the again. Word that HDMI ports 3 and 4 aren’t full-bandwidth – they’ll play 4K at 60Hz or 50Hz, however chroma will probably be capped at 4:2:0. The overwhelming majority of you’ll be unaffected – two is sufficient – however severe AV nerds ought to be aware the Samsung Q9FN and LG C8 every supply 4 full-fat ports.
I used to be additionally pleasantly shocked to see full-sized element/composite inputs, simply in case anybody desires to interrupt out a classic video games console forward of the inevitable N64 Basic Mini launch.
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Panasonic FZ950/FZ952 OLED – Software program
Panasonic’s My Dwelling Display 3.0 interface is an effective one. Constructed on Mozilla’s Firefox TV OS, it’s minimalist and customisable.
Press the house display screen, and a menu pops up, sitting on prime of no matter you’re watching with out interrupting it. This menu is populated with the apps, channels and inputs of your alternative. It’s not fairly as slick as LG’s WebOS equal, however it’s cleaner.
Whereas I just like the sensible TV menu components, I ought to level out Panasonic’s menu techniques elsewhere are beginning to look a bit dated. Going by the settings and TV information, I couldn’t assist noticing the boxy choices and fonts look no completely different to how they have been once I first began reviewing TVs six years in the past. It’s not vital, however an replace couldn’t harm.
App help is bang updated, which is a very powerful factor. You get the 4K and HDR variations of the Netflix, Amazon Video and YouTube apps. There’s additionally Freeview Play, which ensures you get the total suite of the UK’s terrestrial catch up apps: BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4 (previously 4OD) and Demand 5. The one one I missed was Now TV.
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Panasonic FZ950/FZ952 OLED – Options
As is predicted of a flagship TV, the Panasonic FZ950/FZ952 OLED has a 10-bit panel with an Extremely HD 4K decision (3840×2160 pixels) and help for prime dynamic vary (HDR).
Appropriate HDR codecs embody the usual HDR10 that everybody is utilizing, plus the broadcaster-friendly Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG). HLG is usually seen as future tech however I can affirm it really works proper out of the field, without having for a firmware replace.
I used to be in a position to obtain a BBC iPlayer 4K HLG stream of a World Cup 2018 sport – Portugal v Spain – from each the native app and a Roku Streaming Stick Plus.
Then there’s ‘dynamic metadata’ HDR, which lets the TV optimise the image scene by scene. That is one other key benefit of the Panasonic FZ950/FZ952 over final yr’s EZ collection – the second era HCX processor can deal with dynamic metadata.
It doesn’t help Dolby Imaginative and prescient, however it does help HDR10+. Dolby Imaginative and prescient got here alongside first, however HDR10+ is gaining momentum because it has the help of Panasonic, Samsung, Amazon, Fox and Warner Bros.
Personally, it doesn’t really feel like having both format may be deemed a bonus or a weak spot. That’s as a result of it’s too early to say which format will turn into dominant. At this stage, I wouldn’t advocate anybody purchase a TV particularly for Dolby Imaginative and prescient or HDR10+. There’s simply not sufficient content material and help on the market to make this a deciding issue.
Proper now, the necessary factor is {that a} TV handles the fundamentals proper, which implies taking advantage of the nice outdated customary HDR10. To that finish, Panasonic has severely upgraded its method to its lookup tables (LUT), the maps that inform TVs the place to place sure colors. This yr’s have extra layers, which interprets to better precision in color handing.
They’re additionally dynamic now, the place LUTs are normally static. Translation: the TV’s tone-mapping skills now react to an image’s luminance. The image is continually analysed, with new LUTs always generated each 100 milliseconds. In concept, meaning improved accuracy within the midtones and highlights, the place OLEDs have historically struggled in opposition to LCD TVs.
Panasonic FZ950/FZ952 OLED – Image efficiency
No matter wizardry Panasonic has thrown on the FZ950/FZ952, it completely works. That is one beautiful tv. There are such a lot of issues to reward and I don’t know the place to start, so I’ll do it alphabetically.
The blacks, then. OLED TVs have lengthy been in a position to attain absolute black ranges, however Panasonic has actually been engaged on fantastic element within the areas simply above black, and it exhibits. In The Final Jedi, within the shadows of indoor scenes on the planet Ahch-To, I seen textures on Luke’s robes that I couldn’t make out on the LG C8.
Panasonic’s higher darkish element is one motive for this; another excuse an absence of the image noise, which typically pop up on the LG. On this division, I’d say Panasonic is on par with the Sony AF8 OLED.
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On the alternative finish of the size is brightness, and the Panasonic FZ950/FZ952 hits a peak of about 785 nits, which is a little bit shy of the 800 or so on the LG. With the TVs positioned facet by facet, I may persistently see the LG is a little bit brighter, however there’s actually not a lot in it. I wouldn’t use this issue alone to make a shopping for resolution.
Each are comfortably extra impactful than the Sony AF8 and Sony A1 OLED TVs, which hover about 700 nits – fantastic however nonetheless higher suited to darker rooms. If you need a extremely shiny TV for a shiny room or daytime viewing I’d nonetheless advocate the Samsung Q9FN, however in any other case what the Panasonic affords is sufficient.
Peak brightness is all effectively and good, however it’s what you do with it that basically issues. I reckon the dynamic LUT system does its job as a result of the FZ950 has glorious management of highlights. I spend loads of time watching shiny automobiles on Amazon Video’s The Grand Tour, and the Panasonic does a improbable job with shiny daylight glinting off metallic.
Specular highlights have a correct kick to them, sufficient to make you squint, whereas ensuring loads of the element doesn’t get clipped. The FZ950 additionally appears to be like barely much less pressured with very shiny colors, when put next with the LG.
Talking of which, the FZ950’s colors are beautiful. Just like the Sony AF8, Panasonic’s method values accuracy over influence and look extra convincing for it. They’re vivid and properly saturated, however restrained sufficient to keep away from giving an unnatural look to grass, skies and pores and skin tones. Shading is subtly performed too. I did discover a little bit banding in darkish gray check patterns, however I couldn’t see something in actual use.
The LG C8’s colors are bolder for positive, which is extra simply spectacular at a look, however take a look at the images facet by facet for greater than half an hour and it’s obvious that Panasonic has a greater stability. It’s tougher to inform with sci-fi movies however placed on one thing actual, akin to Planet Earth II, and the FZ950’s subtlety turns into obvious.
Movement dealing with is superb, too. The yellow opening crawl from The Final Jedi ran extra easily right here than on the LG C8, which demonstrated a little bit extra judder. It’s the identical with motion scenes and digital camera pans.
It’s not fairly up there with the Sony AF8 and Sony A1 OLED’s ranges of movement fluidity, however it’s not far off. I not often felt the necessity to activate further movement processing, and once I did the impact was delicate.
Whether or not you watch 4K or upscale a 1080p image, the image is splendidly sharp. There’s loads of definition, however not a lot that issues look overly processed. LG has clearly gone for the bolder method and appears crisper for it.
Panasonic has once more gone for subtlety, with the extent of sharpness applicable for various photos. Rocks and buildings are cleanly and starkly drawn, whereas fur or creases in material look softer. Once more, a pure look.
Uniformity is certainly one of OLED’s strengths, for the reason that panel can management gentle proper right down to pixel degree. It’s bodily not possible to have any of the halo or blooming results evident on even the perfect LCD TVs. You may have extremes of sunshine proper subsequent to shadows and there received’t be any gentle air pollution. There’s additionally no signal of the vignetting impact – earlier OLEDs have been susceptible to darker image edges.
Lastly, viewing angles. As with uniformity, that is one other key benefit that OLED has over LCD TVs. You may sit anyplace you want and watch the TV from any angle with out concern of desaturation or lack of brightness.
Panasonic FZ950/FZ952 – Audio efficiency
This TV doesn’t simply look nice, it sounds nice. That’s thank to the Dynamic Blade speaker, tuned by Panasonic Company’s Technics audio department. There’s loads of energy and dynamism, sufficient to deal with the calls for of massive film soundtracks.
Tonal stability is sweet, though you’ll be able to alter it to your liking. By default, dialogue is obvious and full-bodied, and there’s sufficient bass the place it’s referred to as for.
I’m normally sceptical of encompass sound modes, however the ‘Cinema Encompass Professional’ setting really does a fantastic job. It opens up the soundstage to make the sound so much ‘larger’ than the TV’s dimensions, and sound results placement is spectacular.
My default setup is a big pair of stereo audio system, however I felt completely satisfied sufficient with the FZ950’s sound that I didn’t really feel the necessity for audio reinforcement. When you have an outdated TV, and also you’re upgrading with out an present sound system, the FZ950 is an effective all-in-one gadget.
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Panasonic FZ950/FZ952 – Settings
Panasonic takes settings extraordinarily severely. For those who’re an AV nerd and also you wish to spend a complete weekend tweaking each little facet of the image – otherwise you’re knowledgeable image calibrator, Panasonic’s toolbox ensures time. Most individuals, nonetheless, will probably be proud of a couple of fundamental switches, with out diving into the superior settings a part of the menu.
First up, the image mode. I favored a customized model of the Regular preset, since that is the one with sufficient brightness to fulfill my HDR starvation – True Cinema is essentially the most correct, technically, however I’d save that for black room viewings.
In Regular mode, change the color temperature to Warm1, for the reason that default is a little bit too chilly/blue. Depart Vivid Color on for traditional dynamic vary however off for HDR. Color Remaster (or Rec.2020 Color Remaster in HDR mode) needs to be left on minimal.
The HDR Brightness setting is helpful. HDR Auto Brightness is an effective strategy to cope with altering lighting situations. HDR Enhancer is sweet for finetuning the HDR influence.
Clever Body Creation is the additional movement processing, which I usually discovered pointless however may be left on minimal with out messing up the image.
Final however not least is sport mode, which you’ll wish to activate for low-latency gaming. The Panasonic is among the many quickest on the market at about 21ms of enter lag. That’s clearly higher than the 30-45ms I recorded on the Sony AF8, however not fairly as quick because the Samsung Q9FN at 15ms.
Why purchase the Panasonic FZ950/FZ952?
Having been round TV producers for years, I can inform you I’ve misplaced depend of the occasions I’ve been informed a TV fulfils ‘the director’s imaginative and prescient’. It’s practically all the time hyperbole and I’ve educated myself to disregard it. However with the Panasonic FZ950/FZ952, I can genuinely consider it.
That’s acquired nothing to do with the Hollywood colourists I’ve visited, who use these TVs of their mastering studios. That’s simply right down to my very own eyes, and what I see is a fantastically pure image stuffed with refinement and subtlety, but able to simply sufficient influence for mainstream tastes.
What you’ve right here is the perfect of all of the OLED worlds I’ve seen to this point in 2018: the Sony AF8’s delicate method to color, fantastic element and movement, plus the LG C8’s affinity for visible influence, user-friendly software program and fast-response gaming. For those who’re after an OLED in 2018, I believe that is the whole package deal. Nice job, Panasonic.
Like what you see however don’t want a soundbar? Then take a look at the Panasonic FZ802/FZ800 OLED, which trades the soundbar for a smaller price ticket whereas retaining the identical beautiful image.
For those who’re not in a rush, I’d counsel holding out a little bit, nonetheless. Sony’s simply introduced the Sony AF9 OLED, and that’s certain to provide Panasonic a couple of issues to fret about. You may learn extra concerning the new Sony TVs right here: Sony’s new Grasp Sequence 4K TVs could possibly be the last word strategy to watch Netflix.
Verdict
Panasonic is again on prime type. You’ll battle to search out higher for the cash.
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