Review based on a production Panasonic DMC-FZ18
Barely half a year after the introduction of the DMC-FZ8, Panasonic added another model to its popular range of compact 'super zoom' Lumix cameras in the shape of the FZ18. Although obviously based on the FZ8 (they are externally almost identical), the FZ18 doesn't replace it; it's a sort of 'big brother' with a bigger zoom, more pixels and a smattering of new features.
The biggest news is the optically stabilized lens, which has 'grown' at both ends and now sports a whopping 18x (28-504mm equiv.) zoom, putting the FZ18 into direct competition with Olympus' SP-550UZ (now updated to the SP-560UZ) and Fujifilm's recently announced FinePix S8000fd.
Almost inevitably the FZ18 squeezes even more pixels onto its 1/2.5-inch sensor, although the increase has been fairly moderate from 7.3 to 8.3 megapixels. Other new features include a dedicated AF/AE button, Face Detection and a new Intelligent Auto mode which integrates Image Stabilization, Intelligent ISO, Face Detection and Scene Detection into a 'Super' Auto Mode.
Despite the usual noise issues you would expect from a tiny sensor/big zoom camera (and our dislike of Panasonic's approach to noise reduction), overall we were pretty impressed with the FZ8 when we reviewed it a few months ago. This was to a large degree due to the superb LEICA lens. So let's find out how Panasonic have tackled the noise challenge - and if the new lens, with it's much more ambitious zoom range, can match its predecessor, starting with a look at what's changed:
| Street Price | • US: $360 • UK: £270 |
|---|---|
| Body Material | Metal and plastic |
| Sensor | 1/2.5" Type CCD |
| Image sizes | • 3264 x 2448 • 2560 x 1920 • 2048 x 1536 • 1600 x 1200 • 1280 x 960 • 640 x 480 • 3264 x 2176 (3:2) • 2560 x 1712 (3:2) • 2048 x 1360 (3:2) • 3264 x 1840 (16:9) • 2560 x 1440 (16:9) • 1920 x 1080 (16:9) |
| Movie clips | • 640 x 480 @ 30 / 10fps • 320 x 240 @ 30 / 10fps • 848 x 480 @ 30 / 10fps (16:9) |
| File formats | • JPEG Exif v2.2 • DPOF • QuickTime Motion JPEG |
| Lens | • 18x optical zoom • 28 - 504 mm (35 mm equiv) • LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT • F2.8 - F4.2 |
| Image stabilization | MEGA O.I.S. (Mode1 / Mode2) |
| Conversion lenses | Yes |
| Digital zoom | up to 4x |
| Focus | AF-Macro On/Off, AF/MF Switchable, Manual Focus(Joystick), One Shot AF, Continuous AF On/Off |
| AF area modes | Face / 1-point / 1-point high speed / 3-point high speed / Multi-point / Spot |
| AF assist lamp | Yes |
| Focus distance | • Normal: 30 cm-infinity (wide) 200 cm - infinity (tele) • Macro: 1 cm-infinity (wide) 200 cm - infinity (tele 6-11x) • Tele Macro (at 12-18x) : 100cm - infinity |
| Metering | • Intelligent Multiple • Center-weighted • Spot |
| ISO sensitivity | • Auto • ISO 100 • ISO 200 • ISO 400 • ISO 800 • ISO 1250 • ISO 1600 • High Sensitivity mode Auto (ISO 1600 - 6400) |
| Exposure compensation | +/- 2EV in 1/3EV steps |
| Exposure bracketing | +/- 1/3 EV -1EV step, 3 frames |
| Shutter speed | • Program AE: 1-1/2000 sec • Aperture Priority AE / Shutter Priority AE: 8-1/2000 sec • Manual: 60-1/2000sec. • Starry Sky Mode: 15, 30, 60sec |
| Aperture | F2.8 - 8 (wide) F4.8 - 8 (tele) |
| Modes | • Intelligent AUTO • Program AE • Aperture Priority AE • Shutter Priority AE • Manual • Custom • Portrait mode • Scenery mode • Sports mode • Night portrait mode • Scene • Motion picture • Playback |
| Scene modes | • Food • Party • Candle Light • Sunset • High Sensitivity • Baby1 • Baby2 • Pet • Panning • Starry Sky • Fireworks • Beach • Snow • Aerial photo |
| Advanced scene mode | • Portrait mode : Normal, Soft Skin, Outdoor, Indoor, Creative • Scenery mode : Normal, Nature, Architecture, Creative • Sports mode : Normal, Outdoor, Indoor, Creative • Night Portrait : Night Portrait, Night Scenery, Illuminations, Creative |
| White balance | • Auto • Daylight • Cloudy • Shade • Halogen • Flash • White Set 1/2 |
| White balance fine tune | 2-axis adjustable, ±9steps each, Blue/Amber and Magenta/Green bias |
| Self timer | 2 or 10sec, 10sec / 3 images |
| Continuous shooting | Full-Resolution: 3 frames/sec or 2 frames/sec max. 7 images (Standard mode), Max. 5 images (Fine Mode) |
| Image parameters | • Contrast • Sharpness • Saturation • Noise Reduction • 5 levels (-2 to +2) |
| Flash | • Auto • Auto / Red-eye reduction • Forced On • Forced On / Red-eye Reduction • Slow Sync / Red-eye reduction • Forced Off • Flash output adjustment 1/3EV step, +/-2 EV • Range: 0.3 - 6.0 m (wide) 1.0 - 4.0 m (tele) |
| Viewfinder | 0.44" Color EVF (188K Pixels), Field of View : approx. 100% |
| LCD monitor | • 2.5-inch Polycrystalline TFT • 207,000 pixels • Auto Power LCD mode, Power LCD mode, High angle mode |
| Connectivity | • DC in • AV out • USB |
| Print compliance | PictBridge |
| Storage | • SD / SDHC / MMC • 27 MB built-in memory |
| Power | • Li-ion battery pack • Optional AC adapter |
| Weight (no batt) | 360 g (12.7 oz) |
| Dimensions | 117.6 x 75.3 x 88.2 mm (4.6 x 3.0 x 3.5 in) |
If you're new to digital photography you may wish to read the Digital
Photography Glossary before diving into this article (it may help
you understand some of the terms used).
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Conclusion / Recommendation / Ratings are based on the opinion of the reviewer, you should read the ENTIRE review before coming to your own conclusions. Images which can be viewed at a larger size have a small magnifying glass icon in the bottom right corner of the image, clicking on the image will display a larger (typically VGA) image in a new window. To navigate the review simply use the next / previous page buttons, to jump to a particular section either pick the section from the drop down or select it from the navigation bar at the top. DPReview calibrate their monitors using Color Vision OptiCal at the (fairly well accepted) PC normal gamma 2.2, this means that on our monitors we can make out the difference between all of the (computer generated) grayscale blocks below. We recommend to make the most of this review you should be able to see the difference (at least) between X,Y and Z and ideally A,B and C. |
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This article is Copyright 2007 dpreview.com and the review in part or in whole may NOT be reproduced in any electronic or printed medium without prior permission from the author. For information on reproducing any part of this review (or any images) please contact: Phil Askey
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18K 8.1MP Digital Camera with 18x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black) | $115.60 |
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18K 8.1MP Digital Camera with 18x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black) | $115.60 |
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200 12.1 MP Digital Camera with CMOS Sensor and 24x Optical Zoom - Black | Too low to display |
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Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28K 10MP Digital Camera with 18x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black) | $699.95 |
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