Almost a year to the day since the introduction of the hugely popular FZ5 (and 4MP sibling the FZ4) - itself an upgrade to the FZ3 - Panasonic has announced its successor, the 6 megapixel DMC-FZ7. As well as a design facelift and an extra megapixel, the FZ7 introduces several handling and performance improvements over the FZ5, not least of which is the inclusion of manual focusing and significantly easier control over exposure settings via a new joystick (as seen on the DMC-LX1).
Major changes / improvements over FZ5
- 6 megapixel sensor
- Larger (2.5-inch) screen (lower resolution, however)
- New joystick control for manual focus and exposure operations
- Brighter LCD and EVF performance in low light
- ISO 800 and 1600 options
- VGA movies
- 16:9 movie mode
- Body redesign
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7 vs DMC-FZ5 (feature & specification differences)
 Panasonic DMC-FZ7  |
 Panasonic DMC-FZ5 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Sensor | • 1/2.5 " Type CCD • 6.37 million pixels total • 6.0 million effective pixels |
• 1/2.5" Type CCD • 5.76 x 4.29 mm (info) • 5.0 million effective pixels |
| Image sizes (max) |
• 2816 x 2112 (4:3) • 2816 x 1880 (3:2) • 2816 x 1584 (16:9) |
• 2560 x 1920 (4:3) • 1920 x 1080 (16:9) |
| Movie Mode | • 640 x 480 (4:3) 30 / 10fps • 320 x 240 (4:3) 30 / 10fps • 848 x 480 (16:9) 30 / 10fps |
• 320 x 240 pixels @ 30fps • 320 x 240 pixels @ 10fps |
| Manual focus | Yes (via joystick) | No |
| Shutter speed | 60 - 1/2000 sec | 8 - 1/2000 sec |
| Shooting modes | • Program AE • Aperture Priority AE • Shutter Priority AE • Manual • Program Shift (P mode) • Simple • Scene • Macro • Portrait • Soft Skin • Sports • Scenery • Night Scenery • Panning • Night Portrait • Fireworks • Party • Food • Candle • Starry Sky • Baby 1 & 2 • Snow |
• Program • Aperture Priority • Shutter Priority • Manual • Macro • Portrait • Scenery • Sports • Panning • Fireworks • Party • Snow • Night Portrait • Night Scenery • Simple Mode |
| Continuous (burst) shooting | • 3 or 2 fps • Max 13 images (JPEG Standard) / 7 images (JPEG Fine) |
• 3 fps, up to 4 frames (fine) / 7 frames (standard) • 2 fps (limited only by capacity of card) |
| Flash range (wide, auto ISO) | Wide 0.3 - 6.0m | 0.3m - 4.5m |
| Sensitivity | • Auto • ISO 80, 100, 200, 400 • High sensitivity mode: ISO 800 / 1600 |
• Auto • ISO 80,100,200,400 |
| Viewfinder position | Centered, above LCD monitor | Off-center (to left of screen) |
| LCD monitor | • 2.5" Polycrystalline TFT • 114,000 pixels |
• 1.8" TFT • 130,000 pixels |
| Battery | • Li-ion Battery Pack • 7.2V, 710mAh • (Optional AC adapter) |
• CGA-S002A Lithium Ion pack • 7.2V, 680 mAh • (Optional AC adapter) |
| Battery life | 320 shots (CIPA standard) | 300 shots (CIPA standard) |
| Weight (no batt) | 310 g | 290 g |
| Dimensions | 112.5 x 72.2 x 79 mm (4.43 x 2.84 x 3.11 in) |
108 x 68.4 x 84.8mm (4.25 x 2.7 x 3.3in) |
DMC-FZ7 specifications
| Street price | • US: $399 (tbc) • UK: £299 (tbc) |
|---|---|
| Body Material | Metal and plastic |
| Sensor |
• 1/2.5 " Type CCD |
| Image sizes | • 2816 x 2112 • 2816 x 1880 (3:2) • 2816 x 1584 (16:9) • 2304 x 1728 • 2048 x 1536 • 2048 x 1360 (3:2) • 1920 x 1080 (16:9) • 1600 x 1200 • 1280 x 960 • 640 x 480 |
| Movie clips | • 640 x 480 (4:3) 30 / 10fps • 320 x 240 (4:3) 30 / 10fps • 848 x 480 (16:9) 30 / 10fps • With audio • Limited only by storage space |
| File formats | • JPEG (EXIF 2.2) • MOV (QuickTime Motion JPEG) • TIFF |
| Lens | • 36 - 432mm equiv. • F2.8 - 3.3 • Leica DC Vario-Elmarit • 12x optical zoom • Extra optical zoom |
| Image stabilization | MEGA OIS Mode1 / 2 |
| Conversion lenses | Yes |
| Digital zoom | up to 4x |
| Focus | • AF / MF switchable • Manual focus (joystick) • Normal / Macro (Dial) • Continuous AF on/off |
| AF area modes | • 1 point • 1 point high speed • 3 points high speed • 9 points • Spot |
| AF assist lamp | Yes |
| Focus distance | • Normal: Wide 30cm/ Tele 200cm – infinity • Macro: Wide 5cm/Tele 200cm – infinity • Tele Macro Mode: 100cm - infinity |
| Metering | • Intelligent multiple • Center weighted • Spot |
| ISO sensitivity | • Auto • ISO 80 • ISO 100 • ISO 200 • ISO 400 • High sensitivity mode: ISO 800 / 1600 |
| Exposure compensation | • +/- 2 EV • 1/3 EV steps |
| Exposure bracketing | • +/- 1/3 EV • -1EV steps • 3 frames |
| Shuttter speed | • 8 - 1/2000 sec • 60 - 1/2000 sec (Manual) • 15 / 30 / 60 sec (Starry sky mode) |
| Aperture | • Wide: F2.8 - 8 • Tele: F3.3 - 8 |
| Modes | • Program AE • Aperture Priority AE • Shutter Priority AE • Manual • Program Shift (P mode) • Simple • Scene • Macro |
| Scene modes | • Portrait • Soft Skin • Sports • Scenery • Night Scenery • Panning • Night Portrait • Fireworks • Party • Food • Candle • Starry Sky • Baby 1 & 2 • Snow |
| White balance | • Auto • Daylight • Cloudy • Halogen • Flash • White set |
| White balance fine tune | • 150 K step • +/- 1500 K |
| Self timer | 10 / 2 secs |
| Continuous shooting | • 3 or 2 fps • Max 13 images (JPEG Standard) / 7 images (JPEG Fine) |
| Image parameters | Cool, Warm, B&W, Sepia |
| Flash | • Built-in pop up • Auto • Auto / Red eye reduction • Slow sync / red eye reduction • Forced on / off • Range: Wide 0.3 - 6.0m, Tele 0.3 - 5.4m • Compensation: +/- 2.0 EV in 1/3 EV steps |
| Viewfinder | • Electronic viewfinder • 0.33" color (114,000 pixels) • Field of view approx 100% |
| LCD monitor | • 2.5" Polycrystalline TFT • 114,000 pixels |
| Connectivity | • USB • DC-IN • AV Out |
| Print compliance | PictBridge |
| Storage | • SD / MMC card |
| Power | • Li-Ion battery pack included • Charger / AC adapter optional |
| Weight (no batt) | 310 g (x oz) |
| Dimensions | 112.5 x 72.2 x 79 mm (4.43 x 2.84 x 3.11 in) |
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