Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX7 Review
Simon Joinson, December 2004


Review based on a production Panasonic DMC-FX7

Announced at the end of July (alongside the lower-spec FX2), the DMC-FX7 is an ultra-compact replacement for the well-respected FX5. As well as being smaller than the FX5, the FX7 boasts the Venus II engine for improved responsiveness and the new two-mode MEGA O.I.S image stabilization used to great acclaim in the FZ3/FZ15/FZ20 models. Panasonic has also managed to squeeze a huge 2.5-inch LCD screen onto the back of the FX7, though it did so at the expense of an optical viewfinder. Here's a quick rundown of the headline features to whet your appetite:

  • 5 Megapixel CCD
  • 35-105mm equiv. (3x) Leica DC Vario-Elmarit Optical Zoom
  • 4x Digital Zoom
  • Advanced Mega Optical Image Stabilizer
  • Mega Burst Mode
  • 2.5-inch LCD
  • 9 scene modes
  • Venus II Engine

Panasonic DMC-FX7 Key specifications

Street price • US: $440
• UK: £300
Body Material Metal
Sensor • 1/2.5" CCD, 5.4 million total pixels
• 5.0 million effective pixels
Image sizes

• 2560 x 1920
• 2048 x 1536
• 1600 x 1200
• 1280 x 960
• 640 x 480
• 1920 x 1080 (HDTV 16:9)
Movie clips • 320 x 240 (10 / 30 fps)
• With audio
• Limited only by storage
Lens

• 35 - 105 mm equiv. (3x zoom)
• F2.8 - F5.0
• MEGA OIS (Mode 1 / Mode 2)
• Leica DC Vario-Elmarit
Focus

• Normal: 0.5 m - Infinity
• Macro: 5 cm
• 9-area focusing
• 3-area focusing
• 1-area focusing
• Spot

Shooting mode

• Portrait
• Sports
• Landscape
• Night Landscape
• Night Portrait
• Fireworks
• Party
• Snow
• Self-portrait
• Normal Picture
• Simple
• Macro
• Moving Image
• Playback
• Exposure bracketing 0.3 to 1 EV steps
• AE Compensation +/- 2.0 EV in 0.3 EV steps

Sensitivity • Auto
• ISO 80,100,200,400
White Balance • Auto
• Cloudy, daylight, incandescent, manual (custom)
• White balance fine tune
Image parameters Color (Natural, Standard, Vivid)
Continuous

• 3 fps high speed, 2 fps low speed
• 7 frames (standard), 4 frames (fine)

Flash • Built-in flash
• Auto, on/off, red-eye reduction: on/off, slow sync with red eye reduction
• Range (ISO auto): W 0.3m - 4.0m (0.98 - 13.1 ft)
Storage • SD/MMC
• 16MB supplied
Viewfinder None
LCD monitor • 2.5" TFT LCD
• 114,000 pixels
Connectivity • USB 2.0 Full speed
• A/V out
• DC-IN
Power • Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery
• Charger included

In the box*

• DMC-FX7 camera
• Battery Charger
• Battery Pack
• Battery carrying case,
• SD Memory Card (16 MB),
• AC Cable,
• AV Cable,
• USB Connection Cable,
• Strap,
• CD-ROM (SD Viewer for DSC, ArcSoft PhotoBase, ArcSoft PhotoImpression,ArcSoft Panorama Maker, USB Driver)

Other features

• PictBridge
• Mega Optical Image Stabilisation
• AF illuminator
• Record and playback histogram
• Venus II engine

Weight (inc batt) 153 g (5.4 oz)
Dimensions 94 x 50 x 24 mm (3.7 x 2.0 x 1.0 in)

* Supplied accessories may differ in each country or area


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