1. 7.2-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 15 x 20-inch prints
2. 3.6x image-stabilized optical zoom; 2.5-inch LCD display
3. Intelligent ISO Control (I.I.C.) reduces image blur from subject movement and low light
4. Records full-size movies in wide-aspect VGA (848 x 480) at 30 frames per second
5. Stores images on SD memory cards (16MB card included); powered by li-ion battery pack (battery and charger included)

Customer Review :

over-rated

I must say this camera has been a huge disappointment. The noise is terrible as has already been mentioned. Ease of use is very simple though. I'm going to have to save this for just video. Does a decent job of that. I bought it because the wide angle is a very nice a feature & when I was looking at point & shoots a year a so ago there wasn't a whole lot out there. That has changed a bit.

If picture quality doesn't matter to you, than go ahead & buy this camera.

Rating :

Wonderful little camera

Panasonic DMC-FX07R 7.2MP Digital Camera with 3.6x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Red)
I have own this fabulous little camera for over a year now and I just love how well all of my pictures have turned out. I read in some other reviews how it doesn't seem to do well when it comes to places with limited light. I beg to differ...in Feb. 2008, I went to the rodeo to enjoy the show and and concert. For those of you who have gone before to a concert at the rodeo, you know just how much light is displayed and usually if you try to pictures and/ or record it, the quality is very poor. However, with this little camera, not only were my pictures clear and well-lit, the two video clips I did at the concert came out awesome! I just couldn't believe how clear the bnd looked from where I was sitting and later when I uploaded it to my computer, you could clearly hear all the words of the song being sung. This had been my first time using this option and I just wish I had started using it sooner.

So for those of you who are interested in purchasing this camera, you will not regret it. For being such a tiny camera, the outcomes of pictures and video will leave you pleased.

Rating :

Really a 5 megapixel camera, no matter what it says...

I know that almost every critical review on this camera talks about the noise. I don't have a FX07 myself, but my boss has one that I used for office work after my Canon A85's CCD crapped out after 3 years of rigorous service.

There is normal noise and then there is FX07 noise. Normal noise (at low ISO anyway) is manageable - throw image into Noise Ninja noise reduction program, Auto-Profile, set Chrominance filtering to Max, fiddle around with Luminance filtering, process, save. Rinse and repeat.

At low ISOs, the FX07's noise is coarse and non-uniform. Which blows the Auto-Profiling - the Luma and Chroma noise level readings come out low - the noise is too coarse to be recognized. Even with maximum filtering in Chroma and Luma, you see lots of huge individual noise specks. So you run up the "Smoothness" to squelch them (like the program recommends) and lose half the detail in an photo. That's at ISO 100.

At higher ISOs, say oh 200 or 400, the noise is even coarser and more uniform. Luma and Chroma estimates remains low (for the ISOs), but the noise covers up the image in huge coarse grains. Any attempt to recover detail from said grains is futile. The image details don't just turn "plasticy", they are obliterated.

Results at ISO800 or 1250 are unusable, but since that's true of even a Powershot G9 I guess I shouldn't complain about that - it's the poor low-ISO results that are the killer.

After some painful lessons, I came to the conclusion that this is at best a 5MP camera (even at low ISO), not a 7MP. By admitting this fact and setting your camera to 5MP, the noise grains become small enough that Noise Ninja actually recognizes them as noise (the measured noise levels actually rise) and you can squelch them without destroying the image. If the image was taken in 7MP, the only real chance for usability is to scale it to 50% - that is turning it into a ~1.8MP image before putting it into Noise Ninja (Noise Ninja NR is theoretically done before downsizing but theory obviously did not factor in the Lumix FX07).

On the positive, it is a OK 2-5MP camera. It is small, colors are good, optical stabilizer works - just read the 4/5 star reviews. But do you want to pay the listed price for a 5MP (at best) camera? As for me, after 4 months of the above torture I went to buy a Canon G9 camera for use at work and home.

Rating :

Bad faulty camera - Many reported problems

All of a sudden, this camera turns on, but no buttons work. If you search on google you will find that several have reported this issue. Panasonic must recall this model. I'm never buying a panasonic again. The picture quality, like many reported are very dark and makes everyone look oily ... THE WORST DIGITAL CAMERA I HAVE EVER OWNED. The only reason I got this was because I could put the SD card directly into my panasonic TV. What a bad mistake. I should have just stuck with Sony cybershots which gave great pictures and lasted atleast 3 yrs.

Rating :

Not as good as a sony (or is it?)

When I got this I took a series of pictures inside with flash/no flash and compared to my old sony cybershot P150.

When I looked at images on camera screens I was suprised. The sony's looked better when I zoomed it in. Sharper, less noise.

However when I uploaded them to PC I found sony's may have less noise and were slightly better with flash. But without flash the Fx07 was the best. All shots in focus and sony's were blurry. Image stabilisation is great for when you can't use a flash inside.

Also, after experimenting with a few settings (switch slow shutter speed to 1/4 or 1/2 (not 1/8) and images were no longer dark in low light. Better still is intelligent ISO which does all this for you. Most of the time it will pick something sensible that results in a reasonably quick shutter speed to prevent shake and acceptable ISO so not too much noise. Hint avoid ISO 800/1250 if possible. Photo's are very noisy at these settings. 400 is OK, 200 better, 100 brilliant but only really can be used outside.

Seems good so far, gonna have to take it somewhere nice and try it outside.


Rating :

More reviews...

1. 7.2-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 15 x 20-inch prints
2. 3.6x image-stabilized optical zoom; 3.0-inch LCD display
3. Intelligent ISO Control (I.I.C.) reduces image blur from subject movement and low light
4. Records full-size movies in wide-aspect VGA (848 x 480) at 30 frames per second
5. Stores images on SD memory cards (16MB card included); powered by li-ion battery pack (battery and charger included)

Editorial Review :

The Lumix DMC-FX50 7.2 megapixel digital camera features a 4.6 to 16.8mm Leica DC lens with 3.6x optical zoom which is equivalent to 28mm to 102mm on a 35mm film camera, an Intelligent Image Stabilizer by Mega Optical Image Stabilizer (O.I.S.) and Intelligent ISO control. Inheriting the superior 28mm Leica DC lens in a compact body, the DMC-FX50 camera allows users to enjoy the benefits of a wide-angle lens when shooting indoor group portraits, expansive landscapes or architectural scenes. Taking advantage of the newly incorporated 3 inch large LCD, the DMC-FX50 allows dual image playback to see and compare any two images at a time. A print mode has been added to the mode dial to allow users to connect the camera to a Pictbridge corresponding printer via an included USB cable. In addition, movement of the subject is suppressed by the advanced image processing LSI Venus Engine III with the Intelligent ISO Control (I.I.C.) and high-sensitivity recording capabilities with a maximum ISO of 1250. ISO Sensitivity - Auto, I.ISO, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1250 (High Sensitivity Mode - 3200) White Balance - Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Shade, Halogen, White Set, White Balance Adjustment (150K step, -1500 +1500K) (except for auto WB) Shutter Speed - 8 - 1/2,000 Self Timer - 10 seconds / 2 seconds Recording Format Still Image - JPEG, DPOF corresponding Still Image with Audio - JPEG + QuickTime Image Quality - Fine/Standard Burst Shooting Standard Full-resolution Image Mode - Up to 8 images at 3 or 2 frames/sec, Up to 6 images in Fine Mode 3.0 inch Diagonal Polycrystalline TFT LCD Display (230k pixels) Recording Media - SD Memory Card Direct Print PictBridge Power Supply - Lithium-ion Battery Pack (3.7V, 1150 mAh) Battery Life Up to 300 pictures (CIPA Standard) Dimensions - Height 2.25 x Width 3.85 x Depth 0.99 inch / Weight - 5 ounces

Customer Review :

nice camera

it is a very nice camera. i have been use it for a year
i love the quality of the photos and my friends love this camera too.
the only defect for the camera is: it is little be to thick
but it has a big scream, and a very nice lens.

Rating :

A Great Photographic Companion

I bought this camera as my first digital camera. I researched all of the usual suspects and then found this camera in a store. It instantly became my choice. Although I find this camera to be an excellent piece of equipment, it isn't perfect, but more on that in a moment.

First, the camera is very easy to use and comfortable to hold. Many compacts, especially those with large LCDs like this one, cram your fingers into confined spaces making them uncomfortable for prolonged use. The LUMIX, while not the thinnest compact on the market, is a nice size that is portable, but comfortable in use. The screen is easy to read, even outdoors, and features both a power mode to boost brightness when outdoors and a high angle mode for when you're shooting over your head.

The lens on this camera is NICE with a useful 28mm wide angle to a respectable telephoto end for a compact and the lens has excellent distortion control. I love the zoom on this camera as it is very precise. Most compacts lurch when zoomed in or out, but the LUMIX zooms smoothly with a multitude of stops allowing fine adjustment. The best part is the Mega O.I.S. which works perfectly. Never again will I by a camera without it.

Overall, the features and function of this camera is great. Solid build quality and quick performance. The photos taken are beautiful. Good color without over saturating and decent noise control at lower ISOs. But, the camera does have its drawbacks. Noise can become an issue at higher sensitivities and can even creep in at lower setting during long exposures. While I don't find it terrible, it is noticeable at times especially when shooting in dark conditions. The functionality of the camera is also limited when trying to force a long exposure, but to be fair this is not a SLR, but a little more timer settings could be useful for night photography.

Again, overall I have enjoyed this camera and taken some wonderful pictures. If I had to do it over again I would likely buy this camera again. I would appreciate a little better noise performance, but the LUMIX is not really that bad once you learn how to work around it. I would recommend this camera, in fact I have, and I don't think anyone who buys one will be disappointed.

Rating :

Small Package with Everything

I ordered this camera after reading a review in Popular Photography about shirt pocket cameras. This is one of he best purchases I've made. The camera delivered everything promised and is simple enough my wife, who is a Luddite in her best moments, enjoys taking shots with it. I use it for taking a lot of pictures of mechanical equipment (macro and regular shots) in the field in some difficult lighting scenarios. The camera has performed wonderfully in every situation and the large CD makes framing shots second nature. The nicest non-SLR camera I've ever owned.

Rating :

PERFECT CAMERA FOR ME

Purchased this camera in 2006 from Amazon after previously owing mostly Nikon and one Canon camera. I have used it constantly since. It is the perfect camera for one like me - impatient, visually impaired and critically demanding. I purchased the camera for the display after seeing someone using one like it but smaller. My interests are taking great memory photos indoors and outdoors and this camera has been excellent. Although I have a movie camera, this one serves perfectly for short clips for our website.

Rating :

good review for me

I bought this camera to replace an archaic Toshiba, and have a good digital camera for a honeymoon in Costa Rica. I also bought two half gig high speed SD cards (already had a 1 gig MMC), an extra battery and the case from Panasonic.

The battery amazed me the most, coming from the Toshiba which would eat four double A's in 10 pictures with the flash. The battery would last nearly as long as the SD card (200+ photos at 5M), without the flash, and could easily do more than half of the card with the flash. It was nice though to have a small charger and the spare battery.

The high speed SD is a huge benefit. The writing was nearly instant, as opposed to the MMC card, which had a noticeable write time following a photo.

The pictures ranged from very crisp and clean to not so great. A lot of it was me figuring out the best settings. The pre-fixed scenery feature for specific conditions was nice too, took some of the guess work out of the manual settings for me. The camera did very well from a foot to about 20 feet. Beyond that, I ran into trouble taking detail shots at a distance. And I didn't care at all for the digital zoom. Those shots almost always were blurry. The 16:9 setting did a great job doing the scenery shots.

Overall, I am very pleased with the ease of use and quality of the camera. I am sure you can find cameras that take better pictures, but not in such a nice, small and easy to use package.



Rating :

More reviews...

1. 4.0 megapixel sensor captures enough detail to create photo-quality prints up to 11 x 14
2. 12x optical zoom and 3x digital zoom (36x total); optical image stabilization helps keep images sharp when using extended zoom
3. Silver body, full manual controls, movie mode with sound limited by memory card size
4. Compatible with Secure Digital (SD) and MultiMedia (MMC) memory cards; 16 MB SD card included
5. Powered by rechargeable lithium-ion battery (CGA-S002A); connects to PCs and Macs via USB 1.1

Customer Review :

A great piece of engineering!

When Panasonic released this camera in the fall of 2003, I couldn't wait for it to be available for sale. A couple of months passed and it was completely sold out even before it was available anywhere in the market. At that point, I couldn't wait and I contacted a Panasonic dealer and reserved one right away. I was on the waiting list for 2 more months and I finally got it in Jan 2004. A 12x stabilized optical zoom at that time was unheard of on a consumer camera. It was awesome! I could take pictures at full 12X without a tripod and the stabilizer made sure the pictures were perfect. For $599 it was the best digital camera out there. It has almost been a year since I bought this camera and I am still in love with it; but I wish I had waited. When Panasonic came out with the same camera but with a 5.0 mega pixels at the same price earlier this year, I was kicking myself for being so impulsive. Nevertheless, it is a great piece of engineering. The camera feels like a tank- very solid but not all that heavy at the same time. I have captured some of the most amazing pictures with this camera, which I will treasure for the rest of my life.

If you don't really care about all the features and just want a small digital camera to carry around and snap pictures with, I wouldn't recommend this camera for you. This is more like a camera you would want to take to your trip to the Grand Canyon and capture the breath taking shots or the perfect sunset that you always wanted to capture and have it blown up. There are so many features in this camera, it will take a good couple of weeks for you to read the manual and get used to them.

I am not going to list all the features this camera has; you can read about them on the product description page or you can go to the Panasonic homepage and get a more detailed description of all the cool features you can find in this camera. However, I do want to make a couple of points:

This camera uses a Leica lens. For those of you who are not familiar with this brand, Leica Camera AG is a world-renowned German camera and lens maker. Just the name Leica, in the photography world, is synonymous with durability, quality, and optical precision. Leica makes lenses that cost thousands of dollars for high-end professional cameras so for Leica to feature its lens in this Panasonic camera tells it all.

One thing a lot of people don't look at when they are buying a digital camera is if you can add additional lenses and filters like you can with a 35mm SLR. Although a 12X optical zoom (equivalent to a 36mm to 432mm in a 35mm camera) will be more than enough for most of us, some of us might want to add conversion or teleconversion lenses or filters and YES you can with this camera. Let me give you an example of what a 12X zoom can do: How many times have u been to a NFL or a baseball game and have taken pictures only to find out that you can't even make out what number jersey a player is wearing when u get the pictures? Well, with this camera, I have been talking pictures at games and let me tell you, they are just amazing! Besides all the close-up shots of all my favorite players, I could even capture those priceless facial expressions when someone makes a hit or at that moment when a receiver catches the ball for a touchdown.... it's truly amazing!

You cannot go wrong with this camera!

Rating :

Durable beyond belief

This is my fourth year using this camera. It's been around the world, been dropped, been used on the beach, in the rain, on a bike (taken falls off the bike with me). It still works perfectly. Although the LCD is raised, it does not have one scratch. And the picutres! It still takes better pictures than most new cameras. Gorgeous, better than slide film and SLR, as far as I'm concerned. Makes me look like a professional. Worth every penny.

Rating :

A pretty good camera

I bought this camera back in May of 2004, and I have not had any problems since. One thing I have learned is that mega pixels are not everything. I bought my father a 4MP minolta S414 and the pictures are not as sharp as my camera. I think that has something to do with the lense. The long zoom is very nice. Up until today I never printed out a picture bigger than 8X10 Today I paid for a picture to be blown up to 16X20 and it looks pretty darn good. Certain things like the hand grip and resolution could be improved (and they have been with the newer models) I was thinking of replacing this camera with something like the FZ20, FZ30 or the new 8MP samsung with the 3.5" screen. However after seeing how nice my 16X20 blow up turned out to be, I think I will keep it for a while.

Rating :

Serious Amateur

I love this camera! This is my 3rd digital upgrade since beginning with digital cameras. I am not a pro in photography, and have no real desire to get into the nitty gritty of apatures and all the tech stuff... but I care deeply about getting some great pictures. SO.. I deal as much as I have to with the technical. I especially love candid people shots, and do a lot of indoor photography in places where constant flash is undesirable, such as weddings and other church services.
I discovered that what aids this the most is a big lens, stabilization and good zoom... which led me to this camera, and I was NOT disappointed.

The larger lens has allowed me to get the most amazing indoor with no flash pictures. Yes there are still limitations, and I still get a percentage of blurred photos, but not anywhere near as many as I use to. And the zoom!!! I just returned from AZ where I took a river boat ride, and a flock of mountain sheep was spotted high on the canyon walls. I could barely see them with my naked eye.. could only really spot them from movement, but I zooming in fully, and kept clicking. Wow! I got the most amazing pictures. I've also gotten some great pictures taken from those tiny airplane windows as the plane is taking off and landing. Some great overviews of the San Francisco bay... and was able to zoom into some boats on the water even. The color is great!

You ever try taking people pictures of people who don't like having their pictures taken... like family and friends? With this camera I turned off all sound, use no flash, and am able to zoom in easily from across the room, and I get the best family and friends candid pictures! Also the best thing I did besides buying this camera was to get an extra battery, and buy a 1MB media card. I seldom run out of room or battery power (beyond this)even when I'm on an extended vacation. Even after 2 weeks in AZ, I just took my SD media card to WalMart and had it put onto a photo CD.. and cleared it for more pictures. I only needed to do this once... and took over a thousand pics (total) on vacation! All in all I'm now drooling over the newer and improved models of the same camera!!

Pros: Large lens, great zoom, super color, very stable, comfortable grip, good settings and able to take great pictures while you are still learning them. A great point and shoot camera for non technical people who still want great pictures.

Cons: I usually use the auto focus and there is a delay of a few seconds while the camera focuses before I can snap the picture. This is a pain sometimes, and I miss some great spur of the moment pics because of it. The lens cap is a pain, too, as it is not attached. I haven't yet, but am afraid I will lose it. I wish the camera was smaller, but wouldn't trade off the larger lens for lesser quality.

Rating :

Love it!!!

This camera brings the true beauty of pictures if you edit them with software and apply various types of filters. Visit my gallery at http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/dynoGallByMember.asp?mem=74482 and you'll know what I mean.

Rating :

More reviews...

1. 10.1-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 18 x 24-inch prints
2. 12x image-stabilized optical zoom; 2.0-inch free-angle LCD display
3. Intelligent ISO Control (I.I.C.) reduces image blur from subject movement and low light
4. Records full-size movies in wide-aspect VGA (848 x 480) at 30 frames per second
5. Stores images on SD memory cards (32MB card included); powered by li-ion battery pack (battery and charger included)

Editorial Review :

The 10.1 megapixel Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50 features a powerful f2.8 Leica DC lens with 12x optical zoom. The lens focal length is equivalent to 35-420mm on a 35mm film camera and is enhanced by Mega Optical Image Stabilizer (O.I.S.) system. The DMC-FZ50's 10.1-megapixel high resolution CCD for its image sensor and Venus Engine III for the image processing LSI makes it possible to record a image at maximum ISO 1600 high sensitivity setting at full resolution. Furthermore, by dramatically reducing the noise levels that challenged its predecessor, the DMC-FZ50 is able to capture 10.1-megapixel full resolution images even in high sensitivity recording. The DMC-FZ50 is equipped with a new Function Button which serves as a shortcut to quickly set frequently-used settings such as recording image size, light metering, AF area, white balance, and ISO sensitivity. The 2-inch LCD flips out to 180 degrees, making it easier to view even when shooting from high or low angles. Finally, the battery life is greatly extended by approximately 29% compared with its predecessor allowing the FZ50 to shoot approximately 360 images on one charge. In addition to standard VGA 640 x 480 at 30 frames per second (fps) motion image recording, the DMC-FZ50 also records full-size movies in wide-aspect VGA 848 x 480 at 30 fps. Self Timer - 10 seconds / 2 seconds Recording Format Still Image - JPEG, DPOF corresponding Still Image with Audio - JPEG + QuickTime Burst Shooting Mode - Standard Full-resolution image Mode Up to 5 images at 2 or 1 frames per seconds, Up to 3 images in Fine Mode LCD Monitor - Free-angle 2.0 inch Diagonal Polycrystalline TFT LCD Display (207k pixels) Direct Print PictBridge Power Supply - Lithium-ion Battery Pack (7.2V, 710 mAh) Battery Life - Up to 360 pictures Dimensions - Height 3.37 x Width 5.54 x Depth 5.59 inch Weight - 1.47 pounds

Customer Review :

Close to Perfect

I bought this camera used. I had a few 12X cameras, I will be happy with this camera for a long time. It is a work of art to hold and use. I got use to the manual zoom pretty fast. The image quality is excellent. I hear about noise and noise reduction. I can see it, but only at full size on a large lcd monitor. Pixel peepers may see flaws, but in the real world, images from this camera make excellent 11X14 prints, maybe even larger. Colors are accurate, and images are sharp, and performance is pretty fast. It is a beast to carry around, like a family size can of beans around your neck. Still lighter than a SLR with equiv zoom.
The bottom line, this is the best you can get (in my opinion) in a 12X zoom or more, digital camera.

Rating :

Just what I hoped for

I am not a digital camera maven, nor am I highly experienced. I use these devices for my work as a glass artist and I view them from a very utilitarian perspective. The fine points of Venus engine noise issues and sensor size mostly escape me, and I do not analyze image quality with a magnifying glass. Nearly all digital camera images look good to me (Leica lens or not), just like nearly all pizza tastes good to me too. I needed a 10 meg sensor, an articulated lens and a good zoom all with decent battery life. The Lumix FZ 50 delivered on all. The 10 meg sensor was not so I could print out poster sized images with good resolution, but rather so I could shoot an image on site, and later on zoom into details I may not have paid attention to. With my previous 5 meg camera it pixelated too quickly, but the 10 meg gives me the "blow up" I wanted. The articulated lens is something I got used to on my Olympus C5060, and now deem a necessity. I regularly shoot over my head, on the floor, at myself, etc. and the movable LCD lets this happen easily. I never use digital zoom, so a good optical was important, and the FZ 50's is great. I particularly like; The zoom is manual so it is quiet, has less moving parts to fail, uses less power, and is fast. You can also decrease your resolution size and effectively increase your zoom to get really close without resorting to digital zoom. Hand in hand with the sizable zoom is the image stabilization. I had never had this in a camera before and would either lug my tripod around or search for some kind of bracing. While the stabilization is fantastic and does away with some of the aforementioned props, when doing an extreme zoom or very low level lighting I still use a tripod. Starting with a full charge the battery life is more than up to a typical days use for me, but I still bought two extras as their price is so low. I only have a few improvements I would have liked. When using the LCD for a self portrait it does not invert the image. It is a little tricker to frame the shot when it is upside down, and I am puzzled as to why Panasonic did it that way. It would have also been better if the screen flipped out from the top, so you could use it extended while also using a tripod. I would have like a wireless remote. The self timer and corded remote shutter release is OK up to a point, but if I want to get 40 feet away and do multiple shots the wireless would have allowed that. This camera will only shoot RAW and jpgs. Since I was used to TIFF as my default it forces me to think more about my file handling, but I am getting used to it. While the file sizes are smaller, I wonder why Panasonic did not give the user the option for that format. In spite of my minor criticisms, I love this camera and have had no regrets. The more I use it the more I appreciate it. Accessories purchased: Two extra battery packs, Wide Angle lens, remote shutter release, external flash.

Rating :

value for your money

I love my FZ 50! I loved my FZ30 also and it sold me on this one. For what you may spend on a lens for a digital SLR you can have this camera that suits 99% of my needs. A zoom range of 35-420mm (equivalent)tack sharp optics, hot shoe for external flash,rotateable electronic view finder,sturdy construction, and more features than most of us will ever use, this camera is a good value for the money. I was content with the FZ30 but when I saw the FZ50 megapixel lust overtook me! The only drawback I have encountered is when I use a pc sync to my studio lights the camera defaults to F/4.0 which is not enough depth of field/focus for me when I am shooting a group photo. (I know I could solve that problem if I bought the dedicated flash and made it sync to my lights.) It was delivered much faster than when I order from NY based camera stores. Happy hunting- Bill in AZ

Rating :

NICE UPGRADE FROM MY DMC-FZ7

This is the 3rd Panasonic Lumix that I have owned (previous 2 were the FZ5 and the FZ7). Again as with the previous 2, the FZ50 was an upgrade. I mainly upgrade to better enhance my photographic capabilities. I am far from being a pro but a notch higher than a novice. This camera provides flexibility and freedom to take your skills to the next level. First off, I like the 12x optical zoom (which can be extended up to 21x if you taper down the resolution). There are no gimmicks to this feature, what you see distance-wise in the EVF or LCD is exactly what the lens projects. The 10MP resolution is quite of an overkill considering that you can make oustanding prints in the 5-6MP range. Nevertheless, having the ability to increase/decrease the resolution is very handy and re-assuring. The swivel-screen LCD is also a dynamic feature. Very incrimental if you need to compose an angled shot. The function button (as with the joystick with the smaller FZ models) is a nice feature to have if you want to jump in directly to some features without a longer scroll time on the menu button. The ability to handle SDHC is great considering a lot of the memory cards out there now are high-capacity. The camera itself is light enough to carry for extended periods of time. The flash is strong enough for normal conditions although I would advise you to buy an external flash if you need to compose shots in extra-ordinary conditions. The ergonomics of this camera is simply amazing! I do not have huge hands but it seems to fit my hand at just the right place. Shutter buttons and all the other buttons are easily accessible. There's not a lot of unnecessary movement required. Everything is within handy reach. The ability to shoot at ISO values up to 1600 goes hand in hand with the new OIS abilities although I seldom require shooting at those high ISO figures. The Venus III engine is superb although in my experience, you have to fine tune the NR down to its lowest level (or turned off in some cases) to get an outstanding shot. The MEGA OIS works just right and works all the time. You can actually do a test yourself composing a shot, with the OIS turned ON/OFF to see the difference. And the good thing is, YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE! You also have the ability to do RAW with this camera but it is slow. JPEG is still the best. Unless you have a good photo editing software, JPEG will suit you fine in normal operating conditions. The Leica Lens is just superb, sharp and outstanding. No other camera (in my humble opinion) in this price-range and resolution can out-do the things you can be capable of doing. I'm very happy I bought this camera!

Rating :

THOUGHT IT WOULD BE GREAT BECAUSE OF LEICA...BUT

I thought this was going to be a great little camera but just because Leica made the lense and Panasonic makes the body doesn't mean that it is quality. Leica also sells the same camera but Leica's software is much better. I don't know if the CCD is the same in both cameras, but the Panasonic has way too much noise in the image. I dumped my camera and bought a Canon 50D. Now this is quality. If you buy a Canon be sure to buy L lenses. Hope this helps.

Rating :

More reviews...

1. 7.2-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 15 x 20-inch prints
2. 3.6x image-stabilized optical zoom; 2.5-inch LCD display
3. Intelligent ISO Control (I.I.C.) reduces image blur from subject movement and low light
4. Records full-size movies in wide-aspect VGA (848 x 480) at 30 frames per second
5. Stores images on SD memory cards (16MB card included); powered by li-ion battery pack (battery and charger included)

Editorial Review :

The new Lumix DMC-FX07 7.2-megapixel digital camera features a f2.8 Leica DC Vario-Elmarit Lens lens with 3.6x optical zoom, equivalent to 28mm to 102mm on a 35mm film camera, an Intelligent Image Stabilizer and Intelligent ISO control (I.I.C.) . When set to the I.I.C., the Venus Engine III detects the subject's movement and adjusts the setting and shutter speed to suit the movement and light condition automatically. The f2.8 Leica DC Vario-Elmarit lens is housed in a compact and slim body, achieved thanks to the incorporation of an EA (Extra High Refractive Index Aspherical) lens. Despite the large, bright LCD, the DMC-FX07 camera achieves long battery life to shoot approximately 320 pictures ( CIPA ) on a full charge. This camera is also capable of shooting movies (with sound) and a variety of preset scene modes, 18 in total for easy use. The newly incorporated Beach mode is perfect for shooting in strong sunlight and the Aerial mode enhances images shot through the windows of an airplane. High Sensitivity mode, made possible by the pixel-mixed readout method by the CCD, is ideal for shooting moving subjects clearly without blurring at a sensitivity as high as ISO 3200. ISO Sensitivity Auto / I.ISO / 100 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1250 (High Sensitivity Mode - 3200) Auto and Macro Focus modes Program AutoExposure 2.5 inch LCD screen Intelligent ISO Control (I.I.C.) reduces image blur from subject movement and low light Records movies in wide-aspect VGA (848 x 480) at 30 fps Burst Shooting Mode up to 8 images at 3 or 2 frames per seconds, up to 6 images in Fine Mode Dimensions (H x W x D) 2.01'' x 3.70'' x 0.95'' / 5 oz

Customer Review :

over-rated

I must say this camera has been a huge disappointment. The noise is terrible as has already been mentioned. Ease of use is very simple though. I'm going to have to save this for just video. Does a decent job of that. I bought it because the wide angle is a very nice a feature & when I was looking at point & shoots a year a so ago there wasn't a whole lot out there. That has changed a bit.

If picture quality doesn't matter to you, than go ahead & buy this camera.

Rating :

Really a 5 megapixel camera, no matter what it says...

I know that almost every critical review on this camera talks about the noise. I don't have a FX07 myself, but my boss has one that I used for office work after my Canon A85's CCD crapped out after 3 years of rigorous service.

There is normal noise and then there is FX07 noise. Normal noise (at low ISO anyway) is manageable - throw image into Noise Ninja noise reduction program, Auto-Profile, set Chrominance filtering to Max, fiddle around with Luminance filtering, process, save. Rinse and repeat.

At low ISOs, the FX07's noise is coarse and non-uniform. Which blows the Auto-Profiling - the Luma and Chroma noise level readings come out low - the noise is too coarse to be recognized. Even with maximum filtering in Chroma and Luma, you see lots of huge individual noise specks. So you run up the "Smoothness" to squelch them (like the program recommends) and lose half the detail in an photo. That's at ISO 100.

At higher ISOs, say oh 200 or 400, the noise is even coarser and more uniform. Luma and Chroma estimates remains low (for the ISOs), but the noise covers up the image in huge coarse grains. Any attempt to recover detail from said grains is futile. The image details don't just turn "plasticy", they are obliterated.

Results at ISO800 or 1250 are unusable, but since that's true of even a Powershot G9 I guess I shouldn't complain about that - it's the poor low-ISO results that are the killer.

After some painful lessons, I came to the conclusion that this is at best a 5MP camera (even at low ISO), not a 7MP. By admitting this fact and setting your camera to 5MP, the noise grains become small enough that Noise Ninja actually recognizes them as noise (the measured noise levels actually rise) and you can squelch them without destroying the image. If the image was taken in 7MP, the only real chance for usability is to scale it to 50% - that is turning it into a ~1.8MP image before putting it into Noise Ninja (Noise Ninja NR is theoretically done before downsizing but theory obviously did not factor in the Lumix FX07).

On the positive, it is a OK 2-5MP camera. It is small, colors are good, optical stabilizer works - just read the 4/5 star reviews. But do you want to pay the listed price for a 5MP (at best) camera? As for me, after 4 months of the above torture I went to buy a Canon G9 camera for use at work and home.

Rating :

Not as good as a sony (or is it?)

When I got this I took a series of pictures inside with flash/no flash and compared to my old sony cybershot P150.

When I looked at images on camera screens I was suprised. The sony's looked better when I zoomed it in. Sharper, less noise.

However when I uploaded them to PC I found sony's may have less noise and were slightly better with flash. But without flash the Fx07 was the best. All shots in focus and sony's were blurry. Image stabilisation is great for when you can't use a flash inside.

Also, after experimenting with a few settings (switch slow shutter speed to 1/4 or 1/2 (not 1/8) and images were no longer dark in low light. Better still is intelligent ISO which does all this for you. Most of the time it will pick something sensible that results in a reasonably quick shutter speed to prevent shake and acceptable ISO so not too much noise. Hint avoid ISO 800/1250 if possible. Photo's are very noisy at these settings. 400 is OK, 200 better, 100 brilliant but only really can be used outside.

Seems good so far, gonna have to take it somewhere nice and try it outside.


Rating :

Bad faulty camera - Many reported problems

All of a sudden, this camera turns on, but no buttons work. If you search on google you will find that several have reported this issue. Panasonic must recall this model. I'm never buying a panasonic again. The picture quality, like many reported are very dark and makes everyone look oily ... THE WORST DIGITAL CAMERA I HAVE EVER OWNED. The only reason I got this was because I could put the SD card directly into my panasonic TV. What a bad mistake. I should have just stuck with Sony cybershots which gave great pictures and lasted atleast 3 yrs.

Rating :

Wonderful little camera

Panasonic DMC-FX07R 7.2MP Digital Camera with 3.6x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Red)
I have own this fabulous little camera for over a year now and I just love how well all of my pictures have turned out. I read in some other reviews how it doesn't seem to do well when it comes to places with limited light. I beg to differ...in Feb. 2008, I went to the rodeo to enjoy the show and and concert. For those of you who have gone before to a concert at the rodeo, you know just how much light is displayed and usually if you try to pictures and/ or record it, the quality is very poor. However, with this little camera, not only were my pictures clear and well-lit, the two video clips I did at the concert came out awesome! I just couldn't believe how clear the bnd looked from where I was sitting and later when I uploaded it to my computer, you could clearly hear all the words of the song being sung. This had been my first time using this option and I just wish I had started using it sooner.

So for those of you who are interested in purchasing this camera, you will not regret it. For being such a tiny camera, the outcomes of pictures and video will leave you pleased.

Rating :

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