Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38 camera hands-on
Panasonic released a slew of cameras recently, one of which was this 18x optical zoom bridge camera. But will it make you want to trade in your ...
Fujifilm Finepix S200EXR
The S200EXR is the first bridge camera we’ve seen in a long time. Bridge cameras have controls and ergonomics to rival SLR cameras, but are built around small sensors similar to those found in compact cameras. They were once seen as a low-cost alternative to an SLR, but now that SLRs are available from £300, it’s not surprising that the market for bridge cameras has dwindled. The S200EXR’s 14.3x zoom lens keeps it in the running, though. Matching this zoom range on an SLR would require an expensive lens upgrade, bringing the total cost of an equivalent SLR package to around £700.
If there is a market for these bridge cameras, Fujifilm has it sown up, as there isn’t anything else quite like the S200EXR. Its closest competition comes from Panasonic’s Lumix DMC-FZ38 and its ilk. These cameras are more compact than the S200EXR, and their 18, 20 and 24x zooms are even bigger. However, they can’t compete with the S200EXR for ergonomics.
With its big handgrip, dual lens rings for zoom and focus plus a command dial for adjusting exposure and other settings, it feels like an SLR in operation. There are lots of single-use controls, including buttons for ISO speed, white balance, drive mode and exposure compensation, plus switches for metering and focus modes. This makes adjusting settings extremely quick, but there are a couple of caveats. One is that the RAW shooting mode is buried in the Set-up menu rather than placed alongside the JPEG compression control. More annoyingly, when shots are being saved to SD card, most of the buttons are unresponsive.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38 review | Expert Reviews
, And have been the yardstick by which other ultra-zoom cameras are measured. This latest incarnation keeps the same 18x zoom lens as its predecessor, the DMC-FZ28 , while upping the resolution from 10 to 12 megapixels.
This will trigger alarm bells for regular readers, who will be well aware of our misgivings about such high resolutions from tiny sensors – and the FZ38’s measures just 1/2.33in across. However, behind the headline specifications there are plenty of other new developments in this model.
Power O.I.S. is an updated version of Panasonic’s image stabilisation system. Comparing our stabilisation tests with the ones we did with the FZ28, we noticed a significant improvement in the reliability of shots at very slow shutter speeds. We were able to shoot wide-angle at 1/8s and telephoto shots at 1/30s with a high success rate. It's the best stabilisation system we’ve seen from an ultra-zoom camera.
The old FZ28 could shoot 720p HD video, but with the FZ38, Panasonic has fleshed out this video mode with features to rival dedicated video cameras. The soundtrack is captured in stereo at 48KHz, and the lens’ silent zoom motor doesn’t interfere with it. Video noise is far less of a problem in low light.
Priority and full manual exposure modes are available for video capture, and it’s even possible to vary exposure settings manually while recording. The 30-minute clip limit and the lack of a tilting LCD screen aren’t ideal but they’re not deal breakers. Backing up this exceptional video mode is an HDMI out for playback on an HDTV. Many TV remote controls can be used to browse your photos and videos from your armchair, thanks to the Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) HDMI standard.
...Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38 - News
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Fujifilm Finepix S200EXR Its closest competition comes from Panasonic's Lumix DMC-FZ38 and its ilk. These cameras are more compact than the S200EXR, and their 18, 20 and 24x zooms and more » |
Gadget review: Samsung WB5000
Overall, it's a decent attempt from Samsung, but compared to rivals such as Panasonic's older - and cheaper - Lumix DMC-FZ38, it doesn't quite cut it.
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