Digital Camera Review:
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1
Page 6

ABOVE: This may not be the sharpest photo that you'll ever see, but I was amazed that it came out at all. The picture, of Denmark's Kronborg Castle, was taken from a ship's deck several miles away when the castle was just a smudgy outline on the horizon. I used Photoshop Elements to remove the early-evening haze and punch up the colors in the image, which was snapped on the fly at the FZ1's maximum 12X telephoto setting as I tried to keep the bouncing subject in the viewfinder.

See unedited 1600 x 1200 image (634 Kb).

Technical trivia

“Statistical typist” isn’t in my career description, so--if you want a tabular listing of every specification--you’ll need to visit Panasonic’s FZI page or one of the detailed technical reviews at sites like Dpreview.com or Steve’s Digicams. These are listed on my Panasonic DMC-FZ1 links page. In the meantime, here’s a summary of the technical details that matter most to a casual photographer and traveler:

Dimensions: The FZ1’s width/height/depth measurements are 4.5 x 2.8 x 3.3 inches or 125 x 70 x 83 mm. Weight without the small, lightweight battery is a mere XX ounces or 314 grams. If you’re used to carrying even a compact 35mm SLR on vacation, the FZ1’s modest dimensions and weight will come as a pleasant surprise.

Resolution: The FZ1 is a 2-Megapixel camera with a maximum image size of 1600 x 1200 pixels. Other user-selectable sizes are 1280 x 960 and 640 x 480. (Use the 1280 x 1200 size for photos that you intend to print or keep; the smaller sizes are suitable for Web albums and e-mail.) When shooting video, the camera uses a resolution of 320 x 200.

Image file types and capacities: Pictures are saved as JPEG files. (TIFF and RAW file formats aren’t available, but that’s no hardship unless you’re a professional photographer with time on your hands and a bagful of high-capacity memory cards.) You can choose between “Fine” and “Standard” JPEG modes. Even at maximum resolution with the Fine setting, you can fit several hundred images on a 256Mb memory card. (Like many digital cameras, the FZ1 comes with only a 32Mb “starter card,” so you’ll need to buy one of greater capacity before leaving on a trip.)

Memory type: The FZ1 uses MMC or SD cards, which aren’t much bigger than postage stamps. SD is the most popular memory standard for newer digital cameras and other electronic devices, and SD cards are available in capacities of up to 1 Gigabyte (1024 Mb). I suggest buying an least one 256Mb SD card; if you carry more than one, get an SD-size “card wallet” so your spare cards won’t get lost.

Battery: The FZ1’s lightweight, rechargeable lithium-ion battery is good for 200+ photos on each 90-minute charge. The separate charger is fairly compact and adjusts automatically to the local voltage. You may need a plug adapter if you’re traveling abroad; see Steve Kropla’s World Electric Guide to see whst plugs are used in the countries you’ll be visiting. (Tip: Buy an extra battery with the camera. It’s easy to shoot several hundred photos in a day when you’re traveling, and a spare battery will provide welcome peace of mind.)

Light sensitivity: ISO speeds of 50, 100, 200, and 400 are available through a menu. I recommend the “Auto” ISO setting, which lets the camera determine the sensitivity for prevailing light conditions.

Metering: Multi-segment or matrix metering is the default mode, but you can select spot metering through a menu.

Focus: Normal or spot focusing, depending on the mode used. Continuous focus is available for action shots.

Color saturation: You can choose between Natural, Standard, or Vivid color saturation. I used Natural (the default setting), which offers more than enough color richness and cleaner images in low light.

White balance: Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Halogen, and Manual are the options here. I relied on Auto, which mostly worked well (although pictures taken at night inside the Silver Whisper frequently had a warm yellow or golden tone from the incandescent lights).

Exposure compensation: Plus or minus two stops (EV) in 1/3 EV increments.

Self-timer: 10 seconds for most of us; 2 seconds if you inherited Wilma Rudolph's DNA.

Viewfinder/display: In Record mode, you can press a button to switch between an electronic through-the-lens viewfinder or the 1.5-inch LCD display on the back of the camera. The LCD is used by default in Playback mode.

Flash: Built-in pop-up flash.

Microphone and speaker: Built in.

Body color: Silver (DMC-FZ1-S) or black (DMC-FZ1-K). I tested the silver version, which had an attractive and subtle matte finish.

Bottom line: a camera worth buying

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1 isn't the smallest digital camera on the market, but it's the smallest camera--indeed, the only camera--with an f/2.8 12X zoom lens, optical stabilization, and a through-the-lens electronic viewfinder. It's easy to carry and use, and the U.S. street price of $399.95 is a steal. I like the camera so much that I've just bought one of my own.

Update (December, 2004):

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1 has been replaced by a line of newer and even better cameras--including the DMC-FZ3, a more responsive 3.1-Megapixel counterpart to the FZ1 with new features such as a two-setting optical stabilizer, more scene modes, and the ability to use aperture-priority, shutter-priority, and manual exposure settings. However, much of the material in the review will still be useful in helping you to decide whether a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ series camera is worth considering.

Next page: Links to FZ1 reviews, Panasonic

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