For those of you that love your photography and want DSLR quality in a compact form the new Panasonic DMC-GF2 might be worth a look. The GF2 was first revealed back in November and now Panasonic are accepting pre-orders and are offering early adopters a free photopack worth £150!
We hope to have one of these to review early in the new year too.
Full details in the press release from Panasonic below:
Here at tracyandmatt we’ve reviewed a huge selection of Panasonic digital cameras and we are generally impressed with their ease of use, performance and compact size.
Today Panasonic announced a new DMC-TZ8 which is the successor to the popular TZ6 that we reviewed a little while ago. The press release below outlines the specification and key features of the new camera. We’ll try to get our hands on a review unit soon too!
Panasonic’s DMC-TZ8 – Perfect for all your Travelling Photography Needs
Successor to the hugely popular DMC-TZ6, Panasonic’s new DMC-TZ8 with a 25mm ultra wide angle and powerful 12x optical zoom in a compact body continues to push the boundaries, offering consumers the perfect travel companion. This 12.1 megapixel powerhouse performer TZ8 includes a multitude of features, such as Intelligent Resolution Technology and manual exposure, whilst remaining pocket sized to ensure portability and convenience.
Pocket Sized Power
The TZ8 features a high-quality LEICA DC VARIO ELMAR 25mm ultra-wide-angle lens with a 12x optical zoom. A lens like this, with a range from 25mm to 300mm, is almost inconceivable in such a small, lightweight camera. Comprising 10 elements in 8 groups, including 2 ED lenses and 2 aspherical lenses with 3 aspherical surfaces, and utilizing new lens material in its design, this advanced lens unit realizes the outstandingly slim and compact body while passing Leica’s stringent standards to deliver exceptional optical performance. Thanks to the newly incorporated Intelligent Resolution technology, a ground-breaking Intelligent Zoom is available with the TZ8 which extends the zoom ratio by approx.1.3x maintaining the picture quality even combining a digital zoom. This means the 12x optical can virtually ex tend to 16x equivalent. Furthermore, the Extra Optical Zoom function that extends zoom power to 21.4x (at 3-megapixel resolution) by using the center part of the large CCD to bring subjects even closer.
The new model has a 14.5-megapixel CCD and shoots with up to 12.1-megapixel resolution. This is because the CCD on the TZ8 is multi-aspect and can reproduce images shot with the lens set from 25mm to 300mm in any of three aspect ratios – 4:3, 3:2 or 16:9 – so you can always capture dynamic, richly expressive shots with a wide perspective. The Multi Aspect mode lets you to take an image in all three aspect ratios simultaneously then choose the one that best suits your scene after shooting.
New Intelligent Resolution Technology
The high-speed, high-performance Venus Engine VI has been re-engineered to compile the new image processing technology “Intelligent Resolution”. It enables the recording of beautiful photos and high-definition movies with higher quality signal processing.
With Intelligent Resolution technology, 3 areas – outlines, detailed texture areas and soft gradation areas are automatically detected. The outline parts are enhanced effectively to give edges more clarity while giving a moderate accentuation to the texture areas to look it more finely detailed. To the soft gradation part, the superior noise reduction system of the Venus Engine HD II is applied to make it smoother. Apart from the uniform enhancement of sharpness, the innovative Intelligent Resolution technology precisely performs signal processing pixel by pixel in the most effective way for it. As a result, images are naturally clear and crisp in both photo and movie recording.
The Intelligent Resolution technology also realizes Intelligent Zoom, which virtually extends the optical zoom ratio to its 1.3x equivalent maintaining the picture quality even whilst using the digital zoom. The details of an Image taken in high sensitivity recording tends to be lost in the noise reduction process, however the Intelligent Resolution works to keep the detail, improving the picture.
At the same time, the multi-task image-processing engine Venus Engine VI supports a super-fast response time. The shutter release time lag is as short as approx. 0.006 seconds and the camera’s quick response makes it easier to capture sudden, spur-of-the-moment photo opportunities together with the Sonic Speed AF (Auto Focus) that lets you lock on the subject minimum in approx. 0.35(wide-end) / 0.41(tele-end) seconds[2] and the short startup time of approx. 1.1 seconds.
Power O.I.S to Combat Handshake
Following in the footsteps of the award winning TZ6, the TZ8 of course includes Panasonic’s iA (Intelligent Auto) mode – a hallmark of Lumix cameras – featuring Face Recognition. AF Tracking, Intelligent ISO Control, Intelligent Scene Selector and Intelligent Exposure. Additionally, the new model also features new POWER O.I.S (Optical Image Stabilizer) which features a double the suppression power compared to the conventional image stabilization system, MEGA O.I.S. The hand-shake, which is physically generated when pressing the shutter button or when shooting at night with a slow shutter speed, is effectively compensated by the new POWER O.I.S. to enjoy blur-free photography. The iA mode is also available in movie recording mode. It automatically selects the most suitable Scene mode and helps to correct handshake, focus and brightness problems – making iA mode your one-stop solution to capture beautiful still and motion images.
Featuring Manual Exposure
Building on the success of the hugely popular DMC-TZ6, the TZ8 goes one step further to offer manual control for advanced expressive shooting. It has A(Aperture Priority) / S(Shutter Speed Priority) / M(Manual Exposure) modes for step up users to enjoy the creative shots depending on the subject or the scene by controlling the shutter speed and aperture. Each of these modes and iA mode can be quickly set by the mode dial on the top of the camera unit.
Bright and Beautiful Motion Pictures
Not only can you capture beautiful still images – the TZ8 also offers HD movie (1280 x 720) Recording in Motion JPEG at 30 fps – ensuring no matter what your special moment, the TZ8 can capture it.
In addition to the conventional SD/SDHC Memory Card, the DMC-TZ8 accepts next-generation SD format SDXC (SD eXtended Capacity), that features high potential in both capacity and data transfer speed. The DMC-TZ8 is compatible with Windows 7 and includes software PHOTOfunSTUDIO 5.0 for your convenience.
Perfect for all occasions, the small and stylish sized DMC-TZ8 offers a wealth of features and effortlessly slips into your pocket ensuring you are ready for any photographic occasion. With an extended battery life of approximately 340 pictures (CIPA) you can be sure you’ll never miss that perfect shot – truly making the TZ8 your perfect travelling companion. Available from mid March 2010, the TZ8 will be available in a choice of black or silver.
Posted by: Matt
I reviewed the Lumix FX500 and I must say that I was impressed. Now I have the Lumix TZ6 from Panasonic’s ‘Super Zoom’ category to check out. Hopefully it will impress us as much as the other cameras in the Lumix range have.
The Panasonic Lumix TZ6
What’s in the box?
For more information check out Matt’s Panasonic Lumix TZ6 Unboxing Video
Panasonic Lumix TZ6 specification:
General:
FRONT – On the front of the camera is the flash, the lens and the AF lamp
Panasonic Lumix TZ6 – front view
TOP – from the left, the four holes is where the speaker is located and the next set of holes is where the microphone is. Next is the on/of switch. The the zoom slider can be seen next with the shutter button located in the middle of it. Lastly is the mode dial.
Panasonic Lumix TZ6 – top view
BOTTOM – The battery and SD card compartment can be seen in this picture. There is also a standard tripod hole.
Panasonic Lumix TZ6 – bottom view
CONNECTIONS – This side view shows the single proprietary connection. The wrist strap loop can also be seen here.
Panasonic Lumix TZ6 – connections view
BACK – The 2.7 inch screen is shown here. At the top left is the switch to change between record and playback modes. Below this are the navigation keys for the menu. When in record mode these also work as shortcut keys to the self timer, exposure compensation setting, flash settings and auto focus. At the bottom is the display button which changes the on screen display in both record and playback modes, and the last button is a quick menu button in record mode and a delete button in playback mode.
Panasonic Lumix TZ6 – back view
Highlights:
Lowlights:
Review:
I was somewhat disappointed when I first saw the Panasonic Lumix TZ6 as it’s not one of Panasonic’s nicest looking Lumix cameras. I suppose I was expecting a more sleek and compact design as it is after all, a compact camera. But then, I had to remind myself that the TZ6 is part of the ‘Super Zoom’ category and not the ‘Stylish Compact’ category.
The Lumix TZ6 is available in this silver colour and also black.
The Panasonic Lumix TZ6
The camera switches on and is ready to take pictures pretty quickly. This is quite a good point as some cameras can take a while from being switched on to being ready to take a photo.
The iA mode which has been featured in the Lumix range makes the camera do all the fine tuning for you (ie. exposure, aperture, white balance, auto focus (AF) tracking, etc.) Definitely a great feature as it makes it such a simple point-and-shoot camera.
The LCD screen is clear and bright, and at 2.7 inches it’s a nice generous size to use as a view finder and for reviewing your photos on.
The normal mode (next to the iA mode on the dial) is a basic auto mode which will adjust some setting such as AF and exposure. You can also take photos with your own custom settings which means a bit more work has to be done in order to take the best picture. I generally don’t use manual settings on compact cameras as I find it too fiddly and time consuming as you have to go into menus in order to change all the settings. You’ll probably miss the shot you wanted or your friends will get fed up of standing there waiting for the picture to be taken if you’re using this mode!
It’s a 10.1 MP camera and the lens is great! It’s a Leica-branded lens with a 12X zoom. This is the equivalent of a 25mm-300mm range. For those who aren’t so familiar with different zoom lens sizes I took these photos to show illustrate how good this zoom lens is!
Wide angle (zoomed right out) – the blue outline in the picture shows the area I zoomed in on for the next picture.
Taken using 12x zoom. Pretty good zoom huh!
Of course, the two photos above are of distant subjects. Here is a macro shot to show you the detail that the TZ6 captures.
I’ve reduced the size of these photos to put onto tracyandmatt.co.uk so the quality has also been reduced. The original photos show off the Lumix TZ6’s high quality capability. The detail that it has captured is brilliant.
The video recording mode on the camera records at the following specifications:
[4:3]VGA: 640 x 480 pixels, 30fps (Motion JPEG) QVGA: 320 x 240 pixels, 30 fps (Motion JPEG)
[16:9]WVGA: 848 x 480 pixels, 30 fps (Motion JPEG)
The quality of video is pretty good. What’s even more impressive is that you can also use the zoom! The movement is steady when zooming in an out. The microphone which is located on the top of the camera seems to pick up sound quite well and the inbuilt speaker (again, on the top) means you can play back your videos on the camera. It doesn’t offer HD recording but is definitely a good lower end video recorder.
There was one thing that annoyed me about the camera. The mode dial seems too easy to turn. Sounds silly I know, but it didn’t seem to stay locked in place. You could touch it quite lightly and it would move. This became annoying if you put it down, or in your pocket. The next time you wanted to use the camera you couldn’t just switch it on quickly and take a picture. The dial would have made its way round to where there were no modes! Never mind.
Conclusion:
The Panasonic Lumix TZ6 is a brilliant Zoom camera. The picture quality is brilliant and it takes pretty good video footage too. Being able to use the zoom when recording video is a definite plus.
I thought at first that the camera was a bit bulky but I’ve changed my mind. It’s a camera with and amazing zoom. If it was a SLR camera the lens would be pretty big so Panasonic have done well to fit it all nicely into the TZ6.
Over all The Lumix TZ6 has impressed me.
Reviewed by: Emma
Introduction
The High Definition HCD-SD10 is Panasonics almost identical twin of the TM10. With a range of camcorders to choose at the moment, is this going to be the one in your pocket?
What’s in the box?
Also take a look at Matt’s Panasonic SD10 unboxing video for more.
Panasonic HDC-SD10 Specification:
General
As soon as you remove this from its box you appreciate just how small and light it is, the cube shaped battery makes up a large portion of the camcorders size. And yet for a small unit it is packed with lots of features.
Rear: Video record; battery release; mode switch
Top: Optical image stabiliser; intelligent Auto (iA) button; zoom lever; photoshot button; SD card slot
Underneath: Tripod socket
Left: Touch screen LCD display with record, zoom, menu, light and delete buttons; PRE-REC button; power button; battery compartment; component socket; HDMI socket; USB2.0 socket; AV socket
Right: Grip belt, lens cover switch, SD activity light
Highlights
Lowlights
Review
Considering you could spend a week reading up on all the features and how to use them, this is a straightforward point and shoot video camera that a novice could use with ease.
After you first turn the unit on, you can power on or off by opening and closing the LCD display. The touch screen display is simple to use and even comes with a plastic stylus which looks like someone has run over a whistle with a steamroller. At first I thought that the small size would make operating difficult, but once I slipped my hand into the grip and tightened it, the unit felt comfortable and operating it was easy and painless.
There isn’t any internal memory, so a high capacity SD card is recommended as you can record around 8 minutes of high definition video per GB. This is the only difference between this camcorder and the TM10 which comes with 8 GB of internal memory.
The SD10 has some good features including 16 x optical zoom, the PRE REC button which records 3 seconds before you actually press the record button, so you don’t miss any ‘You’ve been framed moments’ and Panasonic’s Optical Image Stabiliser which helps eliminate a lot of the camera wobble. You will find that if you try to pan the camera fast a warning will come up saying ‘Camera panning to fast’ , this is more noticeable whilst zooming.
As well as downloading to your PC you have the ability to download your videos straight to a recorded media and your photos to a printer with PictBridge. The still pictures are taken at around 1.17 megapixels which nowadays isn’t anything amazing but this is a camcorder not a camera and its features like this that allow you to take one device out with you and enjoy yourself.
Software
The software supplied was adequate and converted the videos into the m2ts format so that you could burn them onto Blu-ray. My test videos didn’t run properly through media player so I had to watch them through the supplied software.
Conclusion
This is a wonderful little unit, light and small enough to fit in a good sized pocket or small handbag and yet packed full of features which make this camera ideal for a beginner through to someone that wants to have a bit more control.
There is a dilemma, if you bought the TM10 instead of this (for around £25-30 more) you would get the same camera but with 8GB of internal memory or you could buy the SD10 without the internal memory but with the savings go out and buy a larger memory card. Whichever choice you make, it will be a good one.
Review by: Gary
If you are a regular visitor to tracyandmatt.co.uk then you’ll know that we’ve look at wide selection of camcorders recently, both HD and SD models. This week we got our hands on the Panasonic HDC-SD10 and the most striking thing about the SD10 (and it’s bigger brother the TM10) is just how light it is, weighing in at just 227 grams it’s actually one of the worlds lightest HD camcorders, weighing not much more than some mobile phones we’ve seen recently!
You might think that the diminutive size and weight of the SD10 would mean that there was a trade-off in terms of features and specification but that’s not really the case. You get 1080i and 720p recording modes, a high-res touschcreen LCD monitor and a 16x optical zoom to mention just a few of the nice features.
So we’ll be taking a closer look at the Panasonic HDC-SD10 over the next week or so and we’ll have a written review online for you. For now have a look at my brief unboxing video below for an overview.
Panasonic HDC-SD10 specification:
Posted by: Matt
We’ve reviewed a lot of Panasonic digital cameras in the past and have always been pretty impressed with the performance of the models in the Lumix range.
There’s a large selection of cameras in the Lumix range so if you are looking for a slim camera that’ll fit in your pocket then you’ll find one, if you want a camera with a wide angle lens you’ll find one and if you want a camera with a super-zoom then you’ll find one: the Lumix DMC-TZ6.
Panasonic DMC-TZ 6 – 25mm Ultra Wide-angle 12x Optical Zoom LEICA DC Lens and iA (Intelligent Auto) Mode with AF Tracking
The TZ series packs a LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR lens with 12x optical zoom into a compact body. This versatile photographic tool lets you shoot everything from sweeping vistas at the 25mm wide-angle setting to dynamic 300mm telephoto shots. And the lens system’s exquisite rendering ability lets you capture even the subtle nuances of the sights and scenes in your travels.
As always, we’ll be reviewing the Panasonic Lumix TZ6 over the next few weeks in real-world situations. Have a look at the brief unboxing video below to see the camera in a little more detail and then you can come back for the review later! 🙂
EDIT: The Lumix TZ6 review can now be found on the forum.
Panasonic Lumix TZ6 specification:
Posted by: Matt
Well if this gadget doesn’t fall in to the ‘I want one of those’ category I don’t know what does! In the press release we received last night, DivX and Panasonic jointly announced the worlds first DivX certified portable Blu-ray player. Now personally I love watching films on Blu-ray so I definitely want to get my hands on one of these to review!
DivX, Inc. and Panasonic Corporation today announced the launch of the world’s first DivX Certified® portable Blu-ray Disc player. Available now in the United States, Canada, France and Australia, and soon in the rest of the world, the portable Panasonic DMP-B15 joins Panasonic’s growing list of DivX Certified stand alone Blu-ray players, enabling consumers to enjoy DivX videos when they are at home or on the go.
The DMP-B15 incorporates the DivX Certified LSI “UniPhier®” integrated multimedia chip platform for high-quality DivX video playback and possesses all the functionality of Panasonic’s stand alone Blu-ray players, including extensive visual, audio and network features. Its portability is enhanced by DivX compression technology which enables over six hours of high-quality DivX video to fit on just one DVD without sacrificing visual quality. The DMP-B15 can also be connected to an HDTV or used as a stand alone Blu-ray disc player.
“As the pioneer in the development of DVD and Blu-ray technologies, we are pleased to bring the first portable Blu-ray player to market with DivX Certified video playback,” said Kazuhiko Nakamura, Group Manager of Product Technology, Video Business Unit, Network Business Group, Panasonic AVC Networks Company, Panasonic Corporation. “DivX Certification enables us to offer added value to our customer base by enhancing their viewing experience and providing them with true portability of their high-quality DivX videos on innovative Panasonic products.”
A wide range of Panasonic products have received DivX Certification, with portable and stand alone Blu-ray players being the most recent additions to a list that includes HDTVs, DVD players, and in-car players. “The Blu-ray Disc player market is significant and growing, accounting for 9 percent of the total stand alone player market in 2009, up from just over 5 percent in 2008,” said Sheri Greenspan, senior consumer analyst for iSuppli Corp.
“This is truly a landmark product that will fuel the growth of the Blu-ray market and extend the reach of our high-quality DivX video ecosystem,” said Kevin Hell, Chief Executive Officer of DivX, Inc. “New products, such as this one, enable consumers to enjoy the DivX video experience seamlessly, anytime, anywhere. We look forward to expanding our business relationship with Panasonic as they continue to innovate and develop the latest in consumer electronics.”
Products that bear the DivX Certified logo have undergone a rigorous testing program to ensure a high-quality DivX media experience, including reliable video creation and playback, interoperability with other DivX Certified devices and the visual quality users expect from DivX.
For more information about Panasonic visit http://www.panasonic.com.
For more information about DivX video, visit www.divx.com.
Posted by: Matt
Several of Panasonic’s Lumix range of cameras have been reviewed here on tracyandmatt.co.uk and over all seem to have a pretty good reputation. I’ve been given the Panasonic Lumix FX500 to test out.
Panasonic Lumix FX500It looks and feels great. So we’ll see if it lives up to our expectations.
What’s in the box?
You can check out Matt’s Unboxing video for more information
Panasonic Lumix FX500 specifications:
There’s so much about this camera so I’m not going to list everything here. Matt has already listed most of it along with his unboxing video or you can also have a look at Panasonic’s website.
General:
Front
The Panasonic Lumix FX500 has a 25mm Wide-Angle, 5x Optical Zoom, Bright F2.8 LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT Lens. The sensor is 1/2.33″ and 10.1 million effective pixels (10.7 million total pixels). You can see in the picture below the built in flash, the lens and at the top right is the AF (auto focus) assist lamp.
Panasonic Lumix FX500 – front view
Top
Working from the left of the picture – There’s the speaker (the four holes), the single hole is the microphone, then the on/off switch, and then you can see the shutter button which is housed in the middle of the zoom lever which you slide left and right.
Panasonic Lumix FX500 – top view
Bottom
On the bottom of the camera is where the battery and the SD card are housed. There is also the standard tripod attachment hole (can be seen in the front view of the camera)
Panasonic Lumix FX500 – bottom view
The connections
AV Output (NTSC/PAL), USB2.0 High speed and HD AV Output (Component). The wrist strap loop can also be seen here.
Panasonic Lumix FX500 – connectors view
Back
Panasonic Lumix FX500 – back/screen view
Highlights:
Lowlights:
Review:
The Panasonic Lumix FX500 definitely has a quality look to it. The model I am reviewing is a silver brushed metal version. Panasonic also offer this FX500 model in a black brushed metal version.
Its robust build and impressive large 3″ touch screen immediately gives the impression of a high quality camera. But enough about its looks, lets investigate deeper into its functions and of course performance.
The 25mm wide angle lens is quite impressive for a point-and-shoot camera, and the 5x zoom gives it a range of 25mm to 125mm.
I played about with the camera over a few days taking loads of pictures using different modes that the camera offers. However, after a while I found that the mode I liked best was in fact the Intelligent Auto mode. where the camera does all the work! Now, before you go and start calling me lazy, I normally use a DSLR camera so normally like mucking around with shutter speeds, apertures and lighting – So, makes a nice change!
The Intelligent Auto mode does as the name suggests and automatically changes the mode, exposure (shutter speed), aperture, etc. It seems to be quite accurate. The only thing I found myself changing was forcing the flash off (as I don’t like built in flashes)
The touch screen offers an Auto Focus (AF) tracking function whereby you touch the screen on the subject you want the camera to focus specifically on. So if the subject moves after the AF has been set the tracking will follow the subject so that it is still in focus. This is a great feature, which comes in very handy when trying to capture active pets or children!
Now, you can change modes by clicking on the Mode button and then selecting what you want by pressing on your choice on the touch screen. The scene mode gives you 17 different scenes to choose from. I found some of them a bit bizarre at first. For example, there seems to be one for ‘Baby 1’ and one for ‘Baby 2’, then there is one for ‘Pet’. I thought, “why would taking a picture of one baby be different for another? Have Panasonic gone a bit bonkers?!”
But. It all came clear later. When you enter into the playback mode you can play slideshows or just flick through the photos. and filter the ones you want to view. Hence, Baby 1, Baby 2 and the pet!
There is the option to change to shutter priority, aperture priority and full manual mode so experimenting with this camera is possible. My only issue here is that when on any of these modes the way to change the the setting of the shutter speed or aperture is to use a slide bar on the touch screen, and it’s quite hard to slide to the setting you want accurately. This is where the stylus (the strange piece of plastic that Matt found in the box!) comes in handy. This is supposed to attach to the wrist strap so it’s there when you need it.
When using the ‘Sports’ mode (action shots) I noticed a lag ever so often between pressing the shutter release to the shot actually being taken. I seem to have a few shots of my dog’s tail now!! Never mind! Maybe I just had to get used to the camera a bit more.
You can change the brightness of the LCD display which is useful as LCD screens can be hard to see in bright conditions. You can also set it so that you see the screen clearly when holding it up above your head. “Why?” you ask. Well, idea for gigs/concerts. Especially when someone taller stands in front of you. That always happens to me!
You can record video on the Lumix FX500. Just change the mode to the Motion Picture setting and away you go! You can record in widescreen (16:9) or standard (4:3) and you can change the metering, quality and frame rate. It does record for HD play back and you are also able to extract individual frames as photos. It’s not too bad I have to admit, but, there is one thing. you can’t use the zoom when recording video.
I think I’ve gone on enough about modes and settings so I’ll move onto the picture quality. I’m impressed! And, wait for it. even in low light!! (sorry, I had a rant in a previous review about low light picture quality).
You do get some visible noise in the higher ISO ranges (the higher the ISO the more light the sensor will take in) but that’s to be expected and isn’t bad enough to put me off the camera.
You can get some great images with the camera so here’s an example of some macro shots I’ve take with it. I had the Intelligent Auto mode set on these and it switched to macro mode just as I needed!
Macro photos taken with the Panasonic Lumix FX500The other example I have for you is using the backlight feature. The button for this is on the touch screen at the bottom. Pretty handy as you can change to this quickly. It’s for when the light source (e.g. the sun) of the picture is behind the subject.
Left: Backlight off Right: Backlight on
Conclusion:
I definitely like the Lumix FX500. I wouldn’t change to it from my DSLR but it’s a great point-and-shoot compact camera and the image quality impressed me.
I would have liked a larger optical zoom but 5x is the norm for compact cameras. (Panasonic do have a super zoom range of point-and-shoot cameras as well)
The large 3″ screen is great for reviewing images on and the touchscreen functions make this camera that much more ahead of the game than some others on the market right now. Mind you, as with all touch screen gadgets you end up with finger marks all over the screen!
So, over all, the Panasonic Lumix FX500 is a definite hit!
Reviewed by: Emma
We’ve looked at several Lumix models in the past and have always been pretty impressed with their performance and value for money.
This time we are looking at the FX500 which is a higher-end Lumix model than the ones we’ve looked at before.
The FX500 has some really cool features such as a huge 3" LCD screen to preview/review your images but it’s also a touchscreen that makes menu navigation really very simple. The FX500 also features a 10 megapixel sensor and a decent 25mm wide angle lens with 5x optical zoom while remaining in a fairly compact package.
You’ll also find face and smile detection settings and steady-shot to help improve your images. In fact the list of features goes on and on so we’ll cover more of them when it comes to the review.
For now have a look at the unboxing video to see a little more of the Panasonic Lumix FX500:
Panasonic Lumix FX500 specification:
Sensor:
• 1/2.33" Type CCD
• 10.7 million pixels total
• 10.1 million effective pixels
Image sizes:
• 3648 x 2736
• 3648 x 3432
• 3648 x 2056
• 3072 x 2304
• 3072 x 2048
• 3072 x 1728
• 2560 x 1920
• 2560 x 1712
• 2560 x 1440
• 2048 x 1536
• 2048 x 1360
• 1920 x 1080
• 1600 x 1200
• 640 x 480
Movie clips:
• 640 x 480 (30 fps/10 fps)
• 320 x 240 (30 fps/10 fps)
• 848 x 480 (30 fps/10 fps) 16:9
• 1280 x 720 (30 fps/15 fps) HD
File formats:
• JPEG (Exif 2.21)
• QuickTime (Motion JPEG)
Lens:
• 4.4 – 22.0 mm
• 25 – 125 mm (35mm equivalent)
Image stabilization:
Yes, lens-shift
Digital zoom :
Yes, 4x (Up to 7.12x with ‘Extra Optical Zoom’ cropping)
Focus:
TTL 9-point with Face detection
AF area modes :
• Face detection
• Touch AF
• 9-point
• 3-point high speed
• 1-point high speed
• 1-point
• Spot
Focus distance:
• Normal 50cm – ∞ (W), 100cm – ∞ (T)
• Macro 5cm – ∞ (W), 100cm – ∞ (T)
Metering:
• Intelligent multiple
• Center-weighted
• Spot
ISO sensitivity:
• Auto
• High ISO Auto (1600 – 6400)
• 100
• 200
• 400
• 800
• 16005
Shutter speed:
• 60 – 1/2000 sec
Aperture:
• F2.8 – F5.9
Self timer:
2 sec, 10 sec
Continuous shooting:
• Full-res 2.5 fps for 3 images (fine), 5 images (standard)
• Approx. 2MP, 6 fps in High speed burst mode
Flash:
• Auto / On / Off / Slow Sync / Red-eye reduction
• 60 cm – 6.0 m (W, Auto ISO)
• 1.0 m – 2.8 m (T, Auto ISO)
LCD monitor:
• 3.0 " PureColor LCD II
• 230,000 dots
• 100% coverage
Storage:
• SD/SDHC/MMC card
• 50 MB internal
Weight (with battery)
175 g (6.2 oz)
Dimensions
94.9 x 57.1 x 22.9 mm (3.7 x 2.2 x 0.9 in)
Posted by: Matt
Panasonic SDR-S7 Review
Like everything else these days, personal video cameras or camcorders are getting smaller and more convenient to use. We’ve gone from wallet-busting shoulder mounted behemoths of the late 80’s using tape to compact handheld devices that fit in your pocket and which can be had for less than £200. The Panasonic SDR-S7 is a typical example of the new breed of camcorders that have made “home movies” so much more accessible for all of us by being low cost and convenient.
What’s in the box?
General
I’m going to break with convention and avoid describing all the controls in detail as, by their nature, video cameras have a significant number of buttons, controls, menus and doo-dahs to operate them. However, controls have sensibly been kept to a minimum and this is undoubtedly a good thing when I watch how many people struggle with a normal digicam. Suffice to say, ease of use has been designed into the device and I found it remarkably easy to get to grips with without having to refer to the manual. This is a good test of any device and the Panasonic passes with distinction. I’m sure my mum could operate it!
The main control is a rotary switch that selects two operating modes for either motion picture recording, motion picture playback, still picture recording or still picture playback. To the left and above this switch is a menu select, auto-mode select, manual mode/auto-manual focus select and a 5-way cursor keypad for menu selection. On the top of the body there’s zoom-in/out controls and to the front on the right hand side next to the lens there’s a switch that opens or closes the lens cover (there’s no separate lens cover to be lost here – good thinking).
To the rear of the camera body behind a flap there’s a power jack, AV-out jack and USB socket for direct connection to a pc. Next to this is a dual function switch that either activates the camera shutter or starts/stops video filming. Now I realise that might sound fairly complicated, but in reality it’s not and in everyday use there’s only the rotary on/off mode select switch, the shutter release and the zoom controls to bother yourself about.
Panasonic SDR-S7 Specification:
Highlights:
Lowlights:
REVIEW
The Panasonic is an extremely compact device – in the hand with the screen closed it’s little bigger than many current mobile phones.
It’s easy to use and pretty much foolproof. Fold the screen out, power it on by using the rotary mode switch, selecting either video or still camera mode and, depending whether or not you use it at eye-level or waist-level, start filming by pressing the record button on the rear of the camera or the right side. The whole process takes less than 5 seconds with a very impressive start-up time. This reduces the chances of missing film-worthy action and helps to ensure you can capture those entertaining moments. The only potential gotcha here is forgetting to open the manual lens cover. I am sure we’ve all done that before!
There’s a manual focus mode and manual exposure mode that gives more control over the shooting options available, but to be honest that sort of defeats the object of this kind of camera. Its forte is quick operation and convenience so, the best thing to do is leave it in auto, leave the lens cover open, point it at your subject and get on with filming. It’s worth pointing out at this stage that if you are after high-quality footage then you should look beyond this unit. Resolution is 704 x 576 and, depending upon the recording mode used (there’s three levels of compression) you can expect to get between 50 minutes and 3.25hrs of footage on a 4GB SDHC card.
For a budget model the Panasonic copes quite well in low light levels which, is just as well because there is no built-in light. There was some discernible noise, but by the time it’s been mangled by YouTube or other online services it wouldn’t be noticeable.
Shooting with the camera at eye-level is not as natural or convenient as it would be with a more traditional kind using an optical or conventional viewfinder. In fact, I found using it in this manner resulted in wrist strain. However, it excels at waist level filming, which is a good technique to use if you want to remain fairly discrete. I can imagine this camcorder is ideal for parties and it’s the sort of device that I’d like strapped to the side of my motorcycle for a bit of fun.
The 10x optical zoom is fairly modest by camcorder standards – I didn’t investigate the digital zoom as this inevitably destroys image quality and, as a photographer, I am very fussy about that. The limited zoom isn’t an issue though because it encourages the user to get in closer which, almost always results in far better and more personal footage.
As a camera things are not so rosy. The resolution is very low at 640 x 480 making images look grainy and dull so, I would only ever use it in an emergency. There is no built-in flash so, it would only be usable in good light and therefore it’s no better than a very basic phone camera. In fact, you are probably better off using a camera phone. This might sound a bit harsh, but to be fair to Panasonic it’s not intended to be a still camera.
Battery life seemed to be adequate with about 1 – 1.25 hrs use being possible depending upon how much zooming in-out I did and what compression mode was used. It might not seem much, but it’s about par for most DV video cameras and enough considering its intended use.
You can download a sample video – taken straight from the SDR-S7 memory card with this link.
Conclusion:
There’s much to like in a package like this. It’s compact, easy to use, convenient and fairly robust. At a push it can also double as a camera. At around £190 plus the cost of a high capacity SDHC card, the price is now within reach of many of us without causing the credit card to freak out. If you’re serious about filming then like most consumer devices you really should look elsewhere, but if you’re looking for something to publish to YouTube, your blog or for capturing little clips for family entertainment then there’s not much wrong with the Panasonic. I can’t see many of us being too dissatisfied with it and I’d be happy with one of these for casual everyday use.
Join me again soon for the next camera in the Camcorder Group Test or head over and look at Part 1 to see which cameras we are including or take a look at my Toshiba Camileo H10 review or Sanyo Xacti HD700 review.
Review by: Nigel
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