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Top Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ8 Camera Reviews
Trusted Reviews wrote a review on the
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ8 and said: "It has what is arguably
the best image stabilisation system on the market, allowing
hand-held telephoto shots at 1/20th of a second, and a fantastic
lens that produces pin-sharp detail from corner to corner, but
it’s badly let down by a puny 1/2.5-in sensor that would be
better suited to a budget compact, and an image processing
engine that is simply not up to the job."
CNET wrote a review on the
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ8s and gave the camera good
performance ratings but also expressed some concern over image
quality, "The Lumix DMC-FZ8's image quality isn't quite equal to
its performance."
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ8 News Release Summary:
Panasonic's DMC-FZ8 - Power and Portability for Truly Creative
Photography
The perfect choice for any photographer with varied photographic
needs and high ambitions - Panasonic is pleased to introduce the
new DMC-FZ8 7.2-megapixel Lumix camera, featuring a powerful 12x
optical zoom, LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT lens and the ever popular
and indispensable Optical Image Stabiliser (O.I.S). With a
joystick control for manual adjustment of focusing and exposure
setting, the DMC-FZ8 offers high end specification and
portability.
Bridging the gap between high-end compacts and digital SLRs,
Panasonic's DMC-FZ8 offers a level of control close to that of
an SLR, but without the need for interchangeable lenses. Perfect
for photographers on the move and families who want to shoot
pictures outdoors for example, the FZ8 offers an easy way to
enjoy the fun of capturing beautiful digital pictures.
Optical excellence from aperture to zoom
The Lumix DMC-FZ8 is equipped with a 7.2 megapixel CCD and a
LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT lens offering a powerful 12x optical zoom
(equivalent to 36mm to 432mm on a 35mm film camera) with an
aperture of F2.8 to F3.3. If this wasn't enough, in 3-megapixel
resolution mode, the Extra Optical Zoom function uses the centre
part of the CCD to provide additional magnification, extending
the zoom power to an impressive 18x. Using this feature in
combination with the 4x digital zoom brings the total zooming
power to a remarkable 72x.
The combination of 11 elements in eight groups, including 3
aspherical lenses generates superior optical performance while
maintaining the compactness of the unit.
Shaken not blurred
Panasonic is the first manufacturer to have successfully
incorporated Optical Image Stabiliser (OIS) into its compact
cameras ? a feature strongly appreciated worldwide and now
considered to be a standard requirement of photography. O.I.S
minimizes the jitter from shaky hands that causes many photos to
look blurred. By shifting the O.I.S lens unit to keep the
optical axis aligned straight against the CCD, the camera
ensures images are captured with supreme clarity and sharpness.
While hand-shake is the single biggest cause of blurry images,
it is not the only one. Another problem is the motion blur that
can occur when a subject moves as the shot is being taken
-particularly common when taking pictures of sports, or young
children for example. Building on the success of its predecessor
the FZ8 incorporates a new feature designed to resolve motion
blur. Intelligent ISO Control detects whether the subject is
moving and, as necessary raises the ISO setting and shutter
speed according to how fast the subject is moving and the light
conditions. This happens automatically, so you can effortlessly
shoot without the need to adjust the settings every time the
conditions change.
The best just keeps getting better!
Heir to the award winning DMC-FZ7, this new addition to the
Lumix range has enhanced the excellence of its predecessor not
only with the total number of pixels but also with several other
innovative technical improvements. A key improvement is the
inclusion of Panasonic's advanced image-processing LSI, Venus
Engine III that can record at a sensitivity setting as high as
ISO 1250 with full resolution. Noise reduction is also greatly
improved, with picture noise removed in stages during image
processing. Critical noise is analysed, and chromatic and
luminance noise are reduced separately. The chromatic noise,
which has greater effect on picture quality, is then selectively
suppressed, resulting in clearer images.
Spontaneous moments can easily be captured thanks to a 1.8
second start up time and a 0.005 second shutter release time lag
(the time between pressing the button on the camera and the
photo being taken). Additionally, the burst shooting mode boasts
the capability of sequential shots at a rate of 3 frames per
second at full resolution . The unlimited consecutive shooting
function allows you to take photos in succession up to the
capacity of the memory card or built in memory. Thanks to the
energy-efficient Venus Engine III, the FZ8 offers a long battery
life, allowing around 380 shots on a single battery charge.
In addition to these technical improvements, the FZ8 also
includes a number of user friendly features. For example, the
FZ8 is provided with approximately 27MB of built-in memory -
perfect for those moments when your SD card is full for that
vital shot. The new addition also offers an element of
future-proofing by accepting SDHC memory cards - the new SD
memory cards with capacity over 2GB - allowing even more digital
images to be captured on one card.
So fast, so easy - Auto Focus
The DMC-FZ8 really will work hard to ensure you capture every
moment important to you. The various AF methods can be selected
according to the shooting environment and the position of the
subject: multi, 3 point high-speed, 1-point high speed, 1-point
normal-speed and spot. With the 1-point AF method, the
auto-focusing area can be chosen from as many as 11 points with
the joystick or cursor button. Various group area patterns can
also be selected in the new Multi method. As with all
high-powered zoom models in the Lumix family, the DMC-FZ8 leads
the industry with its short shutter time lag for quick, smooth
operation.
Motion pictures at your fingertips
In addition to standard VGA (640x480) motion image recording,
the DMC-FZ8 also records stunning full-size movies in
wide-aspect VGA (848x480) at 30fps, enabling you to view your
recordings on a widescreen television.
Ultimate Control!
Designed with creativity in mind, the FZ8 employs the same
intuitive joystick control as appreciated in the FZ7 for manual
adjustment of focusing and exposure setting.
To further add to its appeal, the FZ8 can save image data in the
RAW file format, which can be edited and developed with the
SILKYPIX Developer Studio 2.0SE included software. Using this
software, you can freely adjust RAW data settings such as
exposure bias and white balance even after shooting - ensuring
greater control and greater enjoyment of digital photography.
The DMC-FZ8 packs a wealth of advanced technology and
easy-to-use features in a sleek, compact package making it a
highly attractive proposition. The DMC-FZ8 will be available
from March 2007
Panasonic
Lumix DMC-FZ8 Best Price:
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