Digital camera report: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18K
By Arnold Zafra
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18K is a super zoom digital camera designed for photo hobbyists and enthusiasts who want the feel of high-powered DSLR in a point-and-shoot digital camera.
Priced at US$399 the Lumix DMC-FZ18K boasts of 18x optical zoom in an 8.1-megapixel camera that is small enough to fit in the palm of a hand.
According to Panasonic, the Lumix DMC-FZ18K gives users crisp, stunning images using a 28mm wide-angle Leica DC Vario-Elmarit lens which is perfect for capturing vast landscapes and super telephoto shots.
Key features include:
- 8.1 Megapixels, 1/2.5″ CCD
- Macro allows photography from 1 cm
- 18x optical zoom
- Focal length 4.6-82.8mm (35mm equivalent 28-504mm)
- 100 to 6400 ISO (sensitivity)
- 2.5″ Diagonal Polycrystalline TFT LCD Display (207k pixels)
- 400 shots per battery charge
- Takes SD, SDHC and Multimedia card
- Ultra slim black body
- 358 grams
- Dimensions of 76 mm x 111 mm x 87 mm (W x H x D)
- Intelligent auto technology, Mega Optical Image Stabilization, intelligent ISO control, face and scene detection technology
What the manufacturer says:
Experience the power of an incredible 18x optical zoom in an 8.1 megapixel camera that fits in the palm of your hand. For macro shots, the wide angle setting lets you shoot all the way down to one centimeter from your subject and with the extended optical zoom function, zoom power is boosted to around 28.7x.
What punters are saying:
“The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 offers ease of use to those not prepared to delve into a camera’s manual exposure settings, but provide a whole lot more than a point-and-shoot camera.”- CNET Review
“Panasonic makes impressive TV production cameras, and professional video cameras, and this is an excellent example of their camera design knowledge.”- jtowle2001
“It’s the best all-round super-zoom we’ve tested so far.”- CameraLabs
Our comment:
With its high powered zoom, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18k is indeed a powerful digital camera which would cater to photo hobbyists who don’t want to delve into the nitty gritty of a prosumer DSLR camera. Although it might give that over all DSLR feel, the DMC-FZ18k may however fail in the image quality department, especially if images are transferred and viewed into a PC screen.
Related:
December 2nd, 2007
Can you tell me why you consider images from the FZ18 are not all that good on a PC screen