Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX500 Reviewed
It’s jam-packed with features but is it worth the price?Digital Camera Reviews has the look at Panasonic’s Lumix DMC-FX500 and the results are mixed.
I’ll get this out of the way up front: the combination of manual exposure control, processing fine-tuning options, and a touch screen interface simply don’t come together in any other camera currently in Panasonic’s line or any other camera on the market, for that matter. The FX500 offers some serious power where exposure and processing control are concerned, and this fact alone largely puts to rest the idea that this camera can be written off as an object of PR hype. If an FX35 with full manual control and DSLR-style JPEG processing options appeals to you, here it is. Even without the touch screen, the FX500 would be breaking new ground.
Beyond these new additions, most of what was good about the FX35 is also good about the FX500. Perhaps the bigger issue lies in the fact that most of what was not so good about the FX35 noise and graininess, some inconsistent white balance performance, and some general low-light performance concerns is still a concern with the FX500, and arguably much less excusable on a camera that sits at the top of the compact camera ladder in terms of price. What seem like irritations or niggles in a $275 camera start looking a bit more serious and less excusable at $400.
All in all, it’s hard to say whether the novelty of a touch screen adds to or detracts from the FX500’s appeal. Serious shooters who find the FX500’s range of user control alluring may also be ambivalent about the slightly strange interface. Equally, gadget fans drawn in by the touch screen may not, on the whole, care much one way or another about exposure and processing options. In spite of all it does well, then, the FX500 seemed a little confused in who it was aiming for, and with its class-leading price tag, it simply didn’t win me over the way some previous FX cameras have.
Pros:
- Redesigned wide-angle lens still good
- Vibrant color with just the right amount of saturation by default
- Manual exposure control, processing options are appealing
- Novel interface actually works surprisingly well most of the time
- Solid build quality and a stylish overall package
Cons:
- Auto white balance is all over the map
- Noisy sensor means grainy images at all sensitivities
- Touch screen can be finicky, inconsistent in implementation
- Limitations on video mode negate some of its 720p power
- Cost too high for performance gains?
The noise is very noticeable in the test shots that DCR had posted on their website. For the full review head on over there.
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