Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ100 review
Packed with impressive features but photo quality has regressed
Specifications
1/2.33in 14.0-megapixel sensor, 24.0x zoom (25-600mm equivalent), 540g
The FZ100 is Panasonic’s most ambitious ultra-zoom camera to date. Not content with the slew of awards its previous FZ-series models have earned at Expert Reviews and elsewhere, this one takes on all challengers in virtually every department. It records video at 1080p resolution, takes photos at 11fps and has a 24x zoom lens, an articulated screen and a hotshoe for an external flash or microphone.
The price has rocketed, too. Its predecessor, the Lumix FZ38, cost around £260 at launch but the new model weighs in at around £350.
Performance is where the biggest improvements lie. The FZ38 was no slouch in normal use, capturing a shot every 1.3 seconds, but the 2fps continuous mode was limited to just three frames at the top quality setting and was unavailable in RAW mode. The FZ100’s performance is in a different league, and even outpaces most consumer SLRs. Shot-to-shot time was just 0.8 seconds, while continuous mode ran at 10.8fps and lasted for 15 shots for JPEGs and 11 for RAW.
Various other continuous modes are available, such as 5fps with autofocus and 60fps for 60 frames at 2.7 megapixels – a feat made possible by the use of CMOS rather than CCD sensor technology. With ultra-zoom cameras specialising in sports and nature photography, this kind of performance is extremely welcome.
Basic Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Rating | *** |
| CCD effective megapixels | 14.0 megapixels |
| CCD size | 1/2.33in |
| Viewfinder | electronic (201,600 pixels) |
| Viewfinder magnification, coverage | N/A |
| LCD screen size | 3.0in |
| LCD screen resolution | 460,000 pixels |
| Articulated screen | Yes |
| Live view | Yes |
| Optical zoom | 24.0x |
| Zoom 35mm equivalent | 25-600mm |
| Image stabilisation | optical, lens based |
| Maximum image resolution | 4,320×3,240 |
| Maximum movie resolution | 1920×1080 |
| Movie frame rate at max quality | 25fps |
| File formats | JPEG, RAW; AVCHD, QuickTime (MJPEG) |
Physical | |
| Memory slot | SDXC |
| Mermory supplied | 40MB internal |
| Battery type | Li-ion |
| Battery Life (tested) | 410 shots |
| Connectivity | USB, AV, mini HDMI, microphone, remote |
| HDMI output resolution | 1080i, 720p, 576p |
| Body material | plastic |
| Lens mount | N/A |
| Focal length multiplier | N/A |
| Kit lens model name | N/A |
| Accessories | USB and AV cables, lens hood |
| Weight | 540g |
| Size | 81x124x95mm |
Buying Information | |
| Warranty | one-year RTB |
| Price | £359 |
| Supplier | http://www.bristolcameras.co.uk |
| Details | www.panasonic.co.uk |
Camera Controls | |
| Exposure modes | program, shutter priority, aperture priority, manual |
| Shutter speed | 60 to 1/2,000 seconds |
| Aperture range | f/2.8-8 (wide), f/5.2-8 (tele) |
| ISO range (at full resolution) | 100 to 1600 |
| Exposure compensation | +/- 3EV |
| White balance | auto, 5 presets, manual, custom |
| Additional image controls | contrast, saturation, sharpness, noise reduction |
| Manual focus | Yes |
| Closest macro focus | 1cm |
| Auto-focus modes | multi, centre, face detect, tracking |
| Metering modes | multi, centre-weighted, centre, face detect |
| Flash | auto, forced, suppressed, slow synchro, red-eye reduction |
| Drive modes | single, continuous, self-timer |