Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX7 Review

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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