Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX30 Reviewed at Camera Labs $224
Camera Labs has a review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX30 and writes, "Ultimately if you can live with the noise and mostly automatic controls, then the FX30 is a lovely compact to use. It’s slim and light while packing in a decent lens with genuine wide angle and optical stabilisation. The sensor issues prevent us from awarding our highest recommendation, but since this is par for the course with today’s compacts coupled with the overwhelmingly positive aspects of the FX30, means it’s a model we can still comfortably Recommend.".
The DMC-FX30 has a bright, high resolution LCD display that measures 2.5" diagonally so you can easily frame your shots and then review and share your pictures with family and friends. Furthermore, the cameras controls are very intuitive with a logical mode dial, a one-touch function button to quickly access commonly used menu selections, and a slew of scene modes for getting the best possible exposure, without the need to manually adjust all of the camera settings. In addition, the camera is extremely energy efficient, so the included lithium-ion battery can provide 280 shots on a single charge.
7.2 Megapixel Resolution
With a resolution of 7.2 Megapixels, you'll be able to produce high resolution images that can yield photo quality 20 x 30" prints. The camera also has resolution options that are available in three different aspect ratios - 16:9 for displaying on a wide screen monitor or TV, 3:2 for making standard photo album prints, and 4:3 for more traditional image dimensions common in picture frames.
3.6x Optical Zoom Wide-angle Lens
The DMC-FX30 is equipped with an impressive wide angle Leica DC Vario-Elmarit Lens (28mm equivalent) with a fast aperture (f/2.8) that incorporates five aspherical lenses, including Extra High Refractive Index Aspherical Lens (EA Lens). The 28mm wide-angle capability lets you easily capture large groups of people indoors or expansive architectural structures and scenes with dynamic width and rich perspective.
Slim & Stylish Design
The DMC-FX30 is a remarkably slim and super-stylish camera that features a distinctive finish. Its cool design and light weight make it easy to take with you everywhere you go, just like a fashion accessory, for even more photographic fun.
Intelligent Image Stabilizer
Image blur is commonly caused by either movement of the camera or movement of the subject. Camera movement is corrected with the MEGA O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilization) feature which uses built-in gyro-sensors to detect the smallest camera movement and instantaneously shifts a lens element in the opposite direction to compensate, giving you sharp, clear images without deterioration. Motion blur - caused when a subject moves as the shot is being taken - is minimized with Intelligent ISO Control. This system actually detects whether the subject is moving and automatically adjusts the ISO setting and shutter speed to minimize the motion blur effect while maintaining good exposure. Additionally, a Blur Indicator lets you confirm that the camera is precisely detecting hand-shake and motion blur separately.
High Sensitivity Mode
The High Sensitivity mode increases the equivalent ISO sensitivity of the camera to an incredible ISO 3200 - making it possible to take sharp, blur-free shots of active children or pets even in indoor settings with limited light, or without a flash.
Super-Fast Shutter Response and Consecutive Shooting
The DMC-FX30 is fast and responsive - thanks to the Venus Engine III processor. The camera has an extremely fast shutter release time lag of 0.005 second, so you won't miss that "perfect" moment, while the time between shots is also very quick at 0.5 seconds (without flash). The Venus Engine III also enables high ISO to minimize motion blur and take pictures under low lighting without the need for a mood-killing flash. Furthermore, the advanced processor enables fast, and unlimited continuous shooting at a rate of either 2 or 3 frames per second - a superbly useful feature when shooting sports or other fast paced events.
Versatile Auto Focus Options
Choose from five focus methods to match the shooting conditions of your subject. The 5-point AF prevents the camera from mistakenly focusing on the area between two subjects in a vertical composition, 3-point high-speed AF has the same advantage as the 5-pint AF but allows the AF system to function much more rapid, 1-point high-speed AF further reduces the AF time, 1-point AF eliminates screen freeze while maintaining particularly fast AF, and finally Spot AF keys the focus to a small area within the frame for extremely accurate focus on a single subject.
Mode Dial & Mode Position Display
Using the Mode Dial on the camera activates the mode position display consisting of animated icons that are displayed on the cameras LCD - making it easy to find the mode you want. This single, easy-to-understand mode dial lets you easily switch between shooting, viewing, and printing.
Easy-to-use Scene Modes
The DMC-FX30 has 20 scene modes to provide the best overall image quality for common shooting situations, such as Portrait, Sports, Scenery, Night Scenery, and more. It is easy to select the best scene mode thanks to the Scene Mode list display and help screen, which shows the description of each mode on the LCD monitor, and animated moving icons make mode selection even easier and more fun.
Record High Quality Moving Images
Record beautiful full-size QuickTime Motion JPEG movies in 16:9 Wide VGA format at 30 fps or 10 fps with enhanced picture quality and brightness, and it can also shoot standard VGA and QVGA resolution for home use or e-mail/web applications. The length of recording time depends on the capacity of the SD/SDHC Memory Card (Up to 2 GB per motion image recording).
Function Button for Quick and Easy Setting Adjustment
The Function Button provides a shortcut to frequently used menu settings - this single button lets you turn consecutive shooting on/off, make white balance adjustments, set the ISO sensitivity and image size, and select the compression format, while you continue to view your subject on the LCD.
Built-in and Expandable Memory
The camera includes 27MB of built-in memory, and the memory capacity can be expanded dramatically with Secure digital (SD) or Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) memory cards. You can also copy images from a memory card or PC to the built-in memory, and view them on the LCD anytime you like.
Large 2.5" High-resolution LCD
The DMC-FX30 features a 2.5" diagonal high-resolution (207,000 pixels) LCD monitor which is surprisingly large for such a compact camera. This high-quality, display makes it easy to see your subject, and when shooting outdoors on a sunny day, press the Power LCD button to boost the backlighting by about 40% for easier visibility. The High Angle Mode improves viewability from a low angle, such as when shooting over a crowd. The display also provides many shooting assist features such as guide lines for better image framing and a histogram function to check exposure on the fly.
Extended Battery Life
Incorporating the latest lithium-ion battery and the Venus Engine processor that consumes less power than previous processors, the FX30 provides impressive battery life so you can take approximately 280 pictures on a charge.
Bundled Photo Editing Software
In addition to the ArcSoft PhotoImpression, PanoramaMaker, and PhotoBase, The DMC-FX30 includes the Lumix Simple Viewer for beginners to store, playback, print or E-mail images via the PC. Images will be automatically transferred just by inserting the SD Memory Card into a card reader or by connecting the camera to PC; and the images will also be sorted by the date of shooting to streamline the process of organizing the pictures as much as possible.
Direct Printing Capability
Simply connect the DMC-FX30 to a PictBridge compatible printer with the included USB cable, engage the direct print feature, and print directly - without the need for a computer The direct print feature allows you to select all images or just the images you like best, and even make multiple copies to share with family and friends.
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