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(More customer reviews)Before I go into my impressions, allow me to share some quick information with you. I bought this camera for a number of reasons, which include:
- Leica Lens
- Fast 2.2 aperture
- Full HD video
- VIdeo records in AVCHD
- 10 FPS burst @ full resolution and up to 60 burst at 3.5 MP
- Size and weight
- Wanted to try out touch screen camera
- Wide, 24mm lens
- Cool features such as motion blur and intelligent burst, which chooses the burst speed based on the amount of movement occurring in the frame
- Manual controls (actually has PASM)
- MOS Sensor (which is huge for me, see below)
- Four different aspect rations (1:1, 3:2, 4:3, 16:9)
I have been a long time SLR/DSLR user, and have always had a backup camera. Up until a few months ago, I was happy lugging around super zoom point and shoots as backups. Then, I got tired of not being able to take a camera to dinners, events, concerts, etc. since I was unable to lug around a large SLR format camera or super zoom P&S to certain places and often times did not want to carry around something so obtrusive. Recently, I have been researching some of the newer point and shoots, including the FX700, SD4500IS, S95, ZS7, and LX5. This is the second of the bunch I have tried. The other was the LX5, which I will briefly touch upon below.
As stated, there were numerous features about this camera that caught my eye. So, why not buy it!!! Well I did and I am VERY disappointed with the image quality. Tonight I had a chance to test the ability of the camera to capture shots in a low to medium light setting. Of the 140 or so pictures I took, all but a dozen or so were soft and many had a very hard time focusing properly, even on IA (automatic) mode which I tried using a for a few shots. For the average person, the pictures may cut it but for me, they were really unimpressive. Additionally, the few pictures I took of people with the flash were awful. The people were wearing black and white but the entire picture had a nasty, red hue. The placement of the flash is very awkward as it is right by the hand grip (if you hold with right hand) so your index finger could easily cover the flash. At first, I thought the red hue was caused by my finger accidentally being placed over the flash but after being very careful to avoid that, the same result(s) occurred. Truly disappointing. On the plus side, however, the camera performs moderately well in well lit situations but unfortunately, that is not what makes a camera good in my eye. This is because I feel as though every camera (especially in this price range!) should do at a decent job in well-lit situations... I should also let you know that I have tried to camera on an overcast day, a clear and sunny day, in an artificially lit room, and in moonlit environments. I was hoping I just had a few crappy outings but I just didn't get the quality I wanted and expected... but maybe I expect too much from having used SLRs and the new LX5.
As for ISO performance... I really thought the camera suffered greatly at any ISO level above 200. In addition to the aforementioned subpar low-light image quality, the inability for the camera to offer good high ISO performance (in my opinion), really makes shooting low light more frustrating and unappealing. A cool benefit of this camera, however, is the ability to choose between four different aspect rations, which are 1:1, 3:2, 4:3, and 16:9. This feature really gives the photographer more "creative control" when taking pictures. Standard cameras generally offer only two or three of these aspect ratios, so keep that in mind! Another plus side is that the camera can utilize shutter speeds of 60 - 1/2000 sec, which is pretty good, but nothing new for a compact camera. Obviously the ability to use 1/3200 and 1/4000 shutter speeds would make the camera better for certain situations but it is pretty good as is. Also, the burst mode works well manually and with intelligent burst so if you want a super fast compact camera and don't mind sacrificing image quality, this may be to your liking.
Now onto video.... Another big selling point for me was the Full HD video capability. I was able to test the camera in well-lit and poorly lit situations and both did fairly well for a compact point and shoot. I was pretty impressed by the quality and the sound was actually pretty amazing for a camera of this size. The MOS sensor was especially appealing to me because the CCD sensors of the LX5, s95, ZS7, etc. really bother me when light sources produce vertical blue/violet lines as a result of the CCD sensor overload. This camera DOES NOT do that since it uses a MOS sensor. For many people, this is a huge selling point so keep it in mind... The only downfalls about the video capabilities is that it cannot record 720P @ 24fps (unless I missed this somehow) for the "film like" look that many people seek or 1080p at any FPS. Please note that some reviews/comments have stated that this camera is 1080p capable but it is not. Also, the product page says it is 1080p capable but I believe that is erroneous. From my observations, it is capable of 1080i. Moreover, I do have and do love the ability of the LX5 to take super crisp 720p/24fps HD videos but really disliked the CCD overload. An LX5 with a large MOS sensor would be the perfect set up... maybe the LX6 to LX7 will make this wish come true.
Another small, and relatively insignificant issue I have is the relatively low resolution of the screen. Since it is a touch screen camera in at a fairly high price point, I expected a nice, crisp, high-resolution screen. Much to my dismay, the screen only had a resolution of 230k. I would have much rather liked to see 460k, which has become relatively standard on point on shoots. Please note that I am saying that it COULD be better and not that it is bad as is. The screen it has is fairly good and gets the job done.
In summary, the camera is WONDERFUL on paper but in action, it really doesn't do a great job for what I needed and expected. If you are looking for a camera that does a good job in low light situations with great image quality, perhaps consider an LX5 (love it!) or S95 (which I am yet to try). Or, if you want a cheaper option with better (or at least better known) results, check out the ZS7. My friend swears by his and I am going to try one soon. If you, however, only shoot in well-lit environments, then this may be a good option for you! But remember... you may not be getting what you are paying for!
Click Here to see more reviews about: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX700 14.1 MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0-Inch LCD (Black)
Panasonics Lumix DMC-FX700 Digital Camera records 1080p full High Definition (HD) videos in the AVCHD format and features a 3-inch touch-screen LCD. The 14.1-megapixel digital camera features a 24mm ultra wide-angle F2.2 super bright Leica DC Vario-Summicron lens with a 5x optical zoom, making the Lumix FX700 extremely versatile in low-light conditions and when capturing moving subjects.FEATURES:
Full touch-screen operation - The Lumix FX700 adopts full touch-screen operation, which allows for Auto Focus (AF) to be set by touching the 3.0-inch, 230,000-dot LCD screen. Once a subject is locked with a single touch, the AF tracking function will follow the subject while moving. With the Intelligent Scene Selector, the camera automatically switches to the appropriate mode according to the subject selected. All menus settings are now available with one-touch control for shooting images and videos.
Advanced 24mm ultra wide-angle lens - The Lumix FX700's advanced 24mm ultra wide-angle lens, a rarity for a compact camera of this size, makes it easy to capture many subjects due to the great depth-of-field provided by the extra light. Additionally, photographers now have a wider range of composition possibilities with approximately 213% larger viewing space compared to that of a 35mm camera.
HD video in the AVCHD format - The Lumix FX700 can also record HD video in the AVCHD format, which allows for almost double the recording time in HD quality compared to the conventional Motion JPEG format. The Lumix FX700 records in 1920x1080 full HD with enhanced picture quality and Intelligent Resolution technology. Along with this high-quality HD video with a 5x optical zoom, the FX700 also features Dolby Digital Stereo Creator to record high-quality audio.
iA (Intelligent Auto) mode - Panasonic's iA (Intelligen
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