Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30 Review
Panasonic releases this Lumix DMC-FZ30 as a replacement for Panasonic DMC-FZ20 which is released out in late 2004. There are many improvements can be found on this DMC-FZ30 compared to the old FZ20. I can say Panasonic really pay attention on improving their camera and really listen to their customers need. This Panasonic digital camera is really like a SLR because of its optical zoom covers a wide 12x range. It’s not really compact as other compact cameras but it offers more professional features. However I have to say it is not a pocket camera, with about one and a half pounds weight, this FZ30 is not a light camera.
DMC-FZ30 has up to 8 megapixel still resolution and up to VGA motion resolution plus sound capability. With the help of it’s optical image stabilizer it will make the camera steady, despite most hand tremors. With the LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT lens DMC-FZ30 features 14 elements in 8 groups, including 3 aspherical lenses and an ED (extra-low dispersion) lens which helps to suppress the color bleeding that often occurs in telephoto shots, plus a 12x optical zoom (35mm equivalent: 35 to 420mm). This combines with the large, 1/1.8″ diagonal 8-megapixel CCD to give you enormous expressive power. The new Extended Optical Zoom, which minimizes the image degradation that normally occurs with digital zooming, gives you up to 19.1x power in 3-megapixel photos, and up to 15x power in 5-megapixel photos. The manual focus ring lets you focus on whatever part of your subject you wish, and the zoom ring lets you zoom in and out easily and accurately as you compose the perfect shot. They’re both fast, so you can capture moving subjects in your composition. Regardless of the Mode Dial setting, you can take macro shots instantly by flicking the switch on the side of the lens to the AF Macro setting.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30 Features:
- 8 Megapixels
- Image Sensor - 1/1.8 inch, 8.32 Mega Total Pixels CCD
- Optical Zoom - 12x
- Focal Distance - f=7.4-88mm (35mm Equiv: 35-420mm)
- Lens - LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT
- F Stop - Wide: F2.8 - F11 Tele: F3.7 - F11
- Optical Image Stabilizer - MEGA O.I.S. ( Mode1 / Mode2)
- Focusing Area - Normal: Wide 30cm / Tele 200cm - Infinity
- AF Metering - 1 point, 1 point high speed, 3 points high speed, 9 points, Spot
- Focus - AF, AF MAcro, MF Switchable, Continuous AF ON/OFF, Manual Focus (Ring) One Shot AF
- AF Assist Lamp
- ISO Sensitivity - Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400
- White Balance - Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Halogen, White Set White Balance Adjustment ( 150K step, -1500K - +1500K) (Except for Auto WB)
- Exposure - Program AE
- Exposure Compensation - 1/3 EV step, -2 - +2 EV
- Backlight Compensation (at auto mode)
- Auto (AE) Bracketing - +/- 1/3 EV -1EV step, 3 frames
- Light Metering - Intelligent Multiple,Center Weighted, Spot
- Scene Mode - Dial: Auto P(Program) mode, A (AperturePriority) Mode, S(Shutter Priority) Mode, M(Manual) mode, SCN1, SCN2 (Portrait, Sports, Scenery, Night Scenery, Night Portrait, Fireworks, Party, Snow, Self-Portrait, Food, Baby, Soft Skin, Candle, Starry Sky), Moving-Image Playback
- Shutter Speed - Program AE/ Aperture Priority AE/Shutter Priority AE: 8-1/2000sec, Manual : 60 - 1/2000 sec
- Self Timer - 10 sec, 2 sec
- Auto Review - 1 sec, 3 sec, Zoom
- Review - 1x, 4x, 8x
- Picture Adjustment - Contrast: Low, Standard, High. Sharpness: Low, Standard, High. Saturation: Low, Standard, High.Noise Reduction: Low, Standard, High
- Colour Effect Mode - Cool, Warm, Black and White, Sepia
- Recording Format - Still Image: JPEG ( Design rule for camera file system, based on exif 2.2 standard ), DPOF corresponding Picture with Audio: JPEG ( Design rule for camera file system, based on exif 2.2 standard )+ QuickTime
- Recording Image Size - Still Image: 4:3 Aspect Ratio: 3264 x 2448 pixels, 2560 x 1920 pixels, 2048 x 1536 pixels 1600 x 1200 pixels, 1280 x 960 pixels, 3:2 Aspect Ratio: 3248 x 2160 pixels, 2560 x 1712 pixels, 2048 x 1360 pixels, 16:9 Aspect Ratio: 3072 x 1728 pixels, 1920 x 1080 pixels Motion Image 4:3: Aspect Ratio: 640 x 480 pixels, 320 x 240 pixels.
- Image Quality - RAW, TIFF,Fine, Standard
- Motion Image - 4:3: Aspect Ratio: 640 x 480 pixels, 320 x 240 pixels 30 fps, 10 fps Max. recording time depends on memory card capacity.
- Burst Shooting Mode - Full-Resolution Image, 3 fps or 2 fps Full Resolution: Max. 9 images (Standard Mode) / Max. 5 images (Fine Mode)
- Unlimited consecutive shooting
- Still Image Rec. with Audio - 5 sec
- Audio Dubbing - Max.10 sec
- Real-time Histogram
- Guide Line
- Built-in-Flash - Auto, Auto, Red-eye Reduction, Slow Sync., Red-eye Reduction, Forced On/Off
- External Flash - Hot Shoe
- Viewfinder - 0.44 inch colour EVF (235K Pixels), Field of view: Approx 100percent
- LCD Monitor - 2.0inch Polycrystalline TFT LCD Display
- Playback mode - 25-thumbnail display, 16-thumbnail display, 9-thumbnail display, zoomed playback (16x max) Image Rotation ( Except for RAW), Slide Show (Duration is adjustable.), Resizing (selectable number of pixels), Trimming, Protection, DPOF Print Setting
- OSD Language - English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, or Japanese
- Recording Media - SD Memory Card, MultiMedia Card
- Microphone
- Speaker
- Interface - DC Input, AV Output (NTSC/PAL), USB
- Direct Print - PictBridge
- Power - 730mAh) (Included) Battery Charger/AC Adaptor (Input: 110-240V AC) (Optional)
- Battery life (approx.) - 280 pictures (CIPA Standard) / 300 pictures (with EVF)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30 Specifications:
- camera effective pixels: 8.0 megapixels
- Image sensor: 1/1.8-inch, 8.32 total megapixels CCD, Primary Color Filter
- Optical zoom: 12 x
- Extended optical zoom: 4:3 aspect ratio: 15.3x for 5Mega, 19.1x for 3Mega, 2Mega, 1Mega; 3:2 aspect ratio: 15.3x for 4.5Mega, 19.1x for 2.5Mega; 16:9 aspect ratio: 19.1x for 2Mega
- digital zoom: 2x / 4x pre-select (Maximum 48x combined with optical zoom without extended optical zoom; maximum 76.5x combined with extended optical zoom)
- Focal distance: f=7.4-88.8mm (35mm equivalent: 35-420mm)
- Lens: Leica DC Vario-Elmarit, 14 elements in 10 groups (3 aspherical lenses / 3 aspherical surfaces, 1 ED lens)
- Aperture: Wide: f2.8 to f11; telephoto: f3.7 to f11
- Optical image stabilizer: MEGA O.I.S. (Mode1 / Mode2)
- Conversion lens compatibility: Yes
- Focusing area: Normal: wide 30 centimeters / telephoto: 200 centimeters to infinity; macro: wide 5 centimeters / telephoto 200 centimeters to infinity
- AF metering: 1 point/1 point high speed/3 points high speed/9 points/Spot; selectable focus area on 1point/1point high speed
- Focus: AF, AF macro, MF switchable, Manual Focus (Ring), Continuous AF: On/Off, One-Shot AF
- AF Assist lamp: Yes
- ISO sensitivity: Auto/80/100/200/400
- White balance: Auto/Daylight/Cloudy/Halogen/Flash/White Set1/2, White Balance Adjustment (150K step, -1500 - +1500 K) (except for auto WB)
- Exposure: Auto, Program AE, Aperture Priority AE, Shutter Priority AE, Manual, Program Shift (P mode)
- Exposure compensation: 1/3 EV step, -2 - +2 EV
- Backlight compensation: Yes (at auto mode)
- Auto (AE) bracketing: +/- 1/3 EV -1EV step, 3 frames
- Light metering: Intelligent Multiple/ Center Weighted/ Spot
- Scene mode: Dial: Auto, P(Program) mode, A(AperturePriority) Mode, S (Shutter Priority) Mode, M (Manual) mode, SCN1, SCN2 (Portrait, Sports, Food, Scenery, Night Scenery, Night Portrait, Panning, Baby, Soft Skin, Party, Fireworks, Snow, Starry Sky, Candle), Moving-image, Playback
- Shutter speed: Program AE, Aperture Priority AE, Shutter Priority AE: 8 seconds to 1/2000 second, manual: 60 seconds to 1/2000 second
- Self timer: 10 seconds, 2 seconds
- Auto review: 1 second, 3 seconds, zoom
- Review: 1x, 4x, 8x
- Picture adjustment: Contrast: Low, Standard, High; sharpness: Low, Standard, High; saturation: Low, Standard, High; noise reduction: Low, Standard, High
- Color effect mode: Cool, Warm, Black and White, Sepia
- Recording format: Still image: JPEG (Design rule for camera File system, based on Exif 2.2 standard), DPOF corresponding; picture with audio: JPEG (Design Rule for camera File system, based on Exif2.2 standard) + QuickTime; motion images: QuickTime Motion JPEG
- Recording image size: Still image: 4:3 aspect ratio: 3264 x 2448 pixels, 2560 x 1920 pixels, 2048 x 1536 pixels, 1600 x 1200 pixels, 1280 x 960 pixels; 3:2 aspect ratio: 3248 x 2160 pixels, 2560 x 1712 pixels, 2048 x 1360 pixels; 16:9 aspect ratio: 3072 x 1728 pixels, 1920 x 1080 pixels; motion image: 4:3 aspect ratio: 640 x 480 pixels, 320 x 240 pixels
- Image quality: RAW, TIFF, Fine, Standard
- Motion image: 4:3 aspect ratio: 640 x 480 pixels, 320 x 240 pixels 30 frames per second, 10 frames per second; maximum recording time depends on memory card capacity
- Burst shooting mode: Full-resolution image, 3 frames per second or 2 frames per second; full-resolution: maximum 9 images (standard mode), maximum 5 images (Fine Mode)
- Unlimited consecutive shooting: Yes
- Still-image recording with audio: 5 seconds
- Audio dubbing: Maximum 10 seconds
- Real-time histogram: Yes
- Composition guide line: Yes
- Built-in memory: No
- Scene Mode help screen: Yes
- Auto angle detection: Yes
- Flip animation: Yes
- Built-in flash: Auto, Auto/Red-eye Reduction, Slow Sync./Red-eye Reduction, Forced On/Off
- Flash output adjustment: 1/3 EV step, -2 to +2 EV
- Flash effective distance: 0.3 to 7.0 meters (ISO Auto)
- External flash: Hot shoe
- Viewfinder: 0.44-inch color EVF (235K pixels)
- Viewfinder field of view: Approximately 100%
- LCD monitor: 2.0-inch Polycrystalline TFT LCD display (235K pixels)
- LCD field of view: Approximately 100%
- Playback mode: 25-thumbnail display, 16-thumbnail display, 9-thumbnail display, Zoomed playback (16x maximum), image rotation (except for RAW), slide show (duration is adjustable, also manual controllable), playback of favorite pictures, resizing (selectable number of pixels), trimming, protection, DPOF print setting
- OSD language: Japanese, English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Chinese (traditional)
- Recording media: SD memory card, MultiMediaCard
- Microphone: Yes
- Speaker: Yes
- Interface: DC input, AV output (NTSC/PAL), USB
- Direct print: PictBridge
- Power: Li-ion battery pack (7.2V, 730mAh) (included); battery charger/AC adaptor (input: 110-240V AC) (optional–must be purchased separately)
- Battery life (approximately): 280 pictures (CIPA Standard), 300 pictures (with EVF)
- Included software: Lumix Simple Viewer, Photo Fun Studio, ArcSoft PhotoBase, ArcSoft PhotoImpression, ArcSoft Panorama Maker, USB driver
- Dimensions (W x H x D): Approximately 140.75 x 85.5 x 138.1 millimeters (5.54 x 3.37 x 5.44 inches)
- Weight: Approximately 674 grams (1.49 pounds) without battery and memory card; approximately 740 grams with battery and SD memory card (1.63 pounds)
- What’s in the box: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30S digital camera, battery charger, battery pack, SD memory card (32 MB), lens cap, lens hood, AV cable, USB connection cable, strap, CD-ROM
Customer Review: WOW!! Great camera!.. great features!!
some of the more “technical” reviews of this camera {on various web sites} seem to distract from the facts… this is a fine camera for the money! it has EVERY option anyone could hope for, and a few that I still have not even found yet!
the picture quality is excellent, IF you have patience and read the manual, the zoom lens is Incredible!! yes there may be “noise” issues, but I spent an entire lifetime using grainy film cameras so no big deal!
look at the customer images that have been sent in, and be sure to check out the pictures I posted here..I surprised myself!! those are the reasons for buying the DMC-FZ30, you can’t argue with the facts, spectacular photographs ARE availible thru this camera…
so, don’t let the tech experts throw you off at getting a great camera for the money, after all were talking about taking pictures, not launching a rocket. you will not be dissapointed in this neat camera!
Customer Review: MY REVIEW ON FZ30
Well, to start out i must mention , i am a happy owner of in order: FZ15, FZ20×2, FZ7 , FZ10 and now FZ30.
About FZ30: for the price its a very affective camera to have..its full of features like no other P&S camera has. It has Leica lens , with my 2 Raynox adapter wide and tele, i can shoot my FZ30 from 26mm to 645mm with f2.8 -f3.8 with OIS, thats a lot of coverage for what i paid. Its a fast camera to shoot, nice color and sharp images, thank to Leica lens, you can buy it on ebay now for less than 400$, but remember its still a point and shoot camera ok?. some people compare it with DSLR, well, thats not really a fair comparison. But it can do some job that DSLR cant, a dslr is better in speed and high ISO, but dslr got dust prob, and too many lenses to keep up with a simple FZ30. they are both good for its reasons..buy both and be happy like me..
Fz30 does have noise issue, but nothing to stop from buying it , noise appears on all iso, especially on higher iso, if you zoom up the pics and look at the sky or grey wall, 3/4 tone shadow ereas you will see it..but for a quick look, you love the pics right away, cuz its so sharp, yes it does have noise reduction build in cam, but to increas it, your pics will look less sharp, and the 3/4 shadow will look smeared.That is true for all noise software out there..no ifs, ands , or buts about it.
I compare my FZ30 to my sony R1 : well R1 images are very nice and smoother than my FZ30, less noise due to its big dslr like CMOS sensor, but thats about it..FZ30 out do R1 in other aspects and features..beside R1 is a lot more expensive to buy. I use both cameras, they both good for its range and its affectiveness.
i strongly suggested any one to buy FZ30, its a great camera.
Also the FZ20 too.
my 2 cents.
Buy Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30
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