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Panasonic FH20 Hands-On Review

 

It's been a few years since I played with a Panasonic. Back then, I personally felt that there was a risk in purchasing (or recommending for purchase) any camera made by a manufacturer that didn't begin with C or N. Brands like Panasonic made excellent cameras too, but they tended to be hit-or-miss. When in doubt, I always knew I could turn to a Powershot and expect a solid level of performance, and I still think this today. A Powershot may not always be perfect, but it'll get the major things right.

Having said that, I've always had a soft spot for Panasonics. With perhaps an exception here and there, Panasonics have been consistently fast and intelligently designed, and most importantly, they tend to produce really great images, with a special strength when it comes to performing in low light.

I'm thrilled to report that even a few years since my last Panasonic, the new Lumix DMC-FH20 model lives up to my expectations -- and then some. I'm less thrilled to report that I'm kind of regretting my recent purchase of a Canon as my new "everyday" pocket camera after having tested this. There's nothing wrong with my Powershot. It's a great little performer. But dang, I had fun with the FH20. I loved this camera.

Body and Design

It seems like digital camera manufacturers recently went through a frenzy of seeing who could produce the tiniest camera body, resulting in a slew of credit card-sized units that are uncomfortable to hold and cause users stumble over their own fingers trying to push pinhead-sized buttons. I hope this trend is over, and the FH20 is a positive sign. The FH20 is slim and lightweight without feeling too fragile. Compact, but not too small. Some of the operational buttons are a bit undersized, but they're cleverly laid out. There's enough space between them to keep you from pushing more than one at the same time (although someone with larger hands than I have might run into that problem). The layout makes sense (as in, I didn't need the manual to figure out where everything was) and the 2.7-inch LCD screen, while not gigantic, is well-placed, bright, and responsive.

Perhaps the only complaint I have in terms of design is the fact that you have to push Menu in order to get into the Scene modes. Here's where my Powershot comes out on top -- I'm used to turning a physical dial to reach multiple Scene modes. Having to click into a menu is an extra step that would probably cause me to leave the camera in regular Auto or Intelligent Auto mode more often than I would if the other options were more quickly accessible.

The Scene modes themselves are an interesting collection, with some slightly mystifying titles like Food and Soft Skin. I'm not 100 percent sure what all of them do in terms of changing the final effect, but they were fun to try out. I didn't happen to have any babies lying around to use for a true field test on the two -- count 'em, two -- Baby modes. The Film Grain mode was absolutely gorgeous. A large percentage of the scenes are geared towards super-darkness, like Starry Sky, Fireworks, Night Portrait, Night Scenery, and so on. I was hoping for something designed to handle dim situations, but not necessarily total darkness. Granted, there's a High Sensitivity mode that would probably do the job, but where was the regular old Indoor mode or its equivalent?

Performance and Image Quality

But then I remembered that this is a Panasonic, and if it's going to live up to its reputation, Auto mode should be perfectly capable of handling a low light scene without any help from special settings. Right?

So, of course, I tested it. I set the camera to Auto, switched off the flash, and took it into a closet about as dim as a bar or a room after sunset without any lamps turned on. And man, if the snappy-fast performance, nice layout, and sharp photos I'd taken so far hadn't already convinced me, the low light performance of the FH20 would have done it: yes, yes, yes, Panasonic. Well done. The low light photos were even better than I expected, with crystal clarity, a super-low amount of graininess, true-to-life color, and perfectly defined focus.

Focus: This is a major point. Low-cost digital cameras often have trouble finding focus in low light, since objects tend to lose definition. But the FH20's Auto Focus wasn't even fazed by being in my closet. It didn't even have to hunt. It locked in just like I was shooting in broad daylight. What's more, performing this test with the flash off would be a recipe for blurry photos with most cameras (no flash + dark room = an open shutter for a good, long time). But shake wasn't even an issue here. Sure, I had to brace the camera against my knee a bit, but it took one shot -- one shot! -- to get a sharp photo. The shake warning on the screen lit up, but the photo itself wasn't blurred in the least. I mean, geez. One of the selling points of this model is what Panasonic calls Mega Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), and yes, it seems to work.

Speaking of selling points, the other major features of the FH20 (at least according to the hangey tag attached to the test unit) are the 14.1 megapixel sensor, 8x optical zoom, 28mm wide-angle lens, “Sonic Speed” Auto Focus, and 720p HD movie mode. They all work as they should and are pleasures to use. The zoom is particularly impressive. I didn't really realize how strong an 8x zoom is until I used this. It's super-fast to operate, and even when zoomed fully out the Auto Focus still comes through without stumbling.

Who Should Buy an FH20?

I'm typically reticent to recommend a camera to a huge variety of users. Most cameras, no matter how good they are, work best for certain niche groups. Some are gorgeously designed and take great pictures, but are confusing to operate and should be avoided by novices. Some are loaded with intimidating technical features that make them iffy gifts for older relatives or children. Others are so fragile that anyone who's slightly rough on their camera would break them.
But I think nearly anyone, regardless of skill level, age, camera abilities, or expectations, would be pretty satisfied with the FH20. It's almost ridiculously easy to use. Even if regular Auto isn't satisfactory, Intelligent Auto can help. It automatically sets and adjusts to adapt to different scenes -- and most importantly, it actually works and almost always offers better results than standard Auto. I even tested it in a deliberately tricky backlit situation and it worked. Sometimes I think that feature is just a marketing trick, but in this case you can see a difference between photos shot with regular and Intelligent Auto, and you have to kind of wonder why anyone would use the regular version in the first place.

The Verdict

The FH20 is easy to handle, designed in a way that makes sense, has quick enough operation to capture fast-moving things like children or pets (a shutter speed of just 0.006 seconds, according to the official spec sheet), handles most lighting situations smoothly, and has enough fun options to let you experiment without feeling like you're getting in over your head. I suppose the only caveat is that if you're someone looking for manual control over your camera, someone who likes to set exposure and other factors for yourself, the FH20 isn't going to give you what you want. But personally, when I want to play with manual settings, I turn to my dSLR. A camera like the FH20 is meant to be carried in your purse, or used to take snapshots of the kids, or at family picnics, or on vacation. It's a quick, capable snapper that offers high-quality results. It's meant to take good pictures without much effort on the user's part. And it does just that, and man, it does it well. 

 

Credits to: http://www.digitalcamera-hq.com/products/panasonic-fh20

Introducing Fujifilm Cameras

Fujifilm may have started as a manufacturer of photographic film, but the company's decision to branch into many areas of business -- including a transition to a digital camera manufacturer in the past several years -- has been a succesful one. In 2007, Fujifilm cameras ranked eighth worldwide in number of digital cameras manufactured, with about 8.3 million units, according to a Techno Systems Research report. Fujifilm cameras, sometimes shortened to Fuji cameras, held a market share of about 6.3%. 

Fujifilm offers several digital cameras under the Finepix brand name, including point and shoot models and digital SLR models.

Fujifilm's History

Founded in 1934 as Fuji Photo Film Co., the company filled a desire from the Japanese government for a domestic photography film manufacturing industry. Fuji Photo quickly expanded, opening several factories and establishing subsidiary companies. 

By 1965, the company established an American subsidiary in Valhalla, N.Y., called Fuji Photo Film USA. European branches soon followed. Some subsidiaries began using the Fujifilm name in the mid-1990s as the company began transitioning its business offerings away from heavy reliance on photographic film, and the entire company officially became Fujifilm in 2006. 

During its company's history, Fujifilm has offered photographic film, motion picture film, x-ray film, color reversal film (slides), microfilm, color negatives, 8mm motion picture film, and videotape. Beyond film, the company also has offered computer storage tape, computer floppy disks, offset printing plates, digital x-ray imaging, and medical imaging systems. 

Fujifilm made its first digital still camera in 1988, the DS-1P, and it was the world's first digital camera with removeable media. The company also created the first one-time-use recyclable film camera, the QuickSnap, in 1986.

Today's Fujifilm and Finepix Offerings

Most of Fujifilm's cameras are aimed at beginning photographers, but the company also offers some digital SLR-type cameras aimed at intermediate photographers and some full SLR cameras aimed at professionals.

• A and J series. Cameras in the Finepix A and Finepix J families typically offer basic features in an ultra compact camera body, measuring less than 1 inch in thickness. However, you will find a few models in this family that have larger-than-average optical zoom lenses or even some wide angle capabilities. The A and J models usually cost $100-$200.
• F models. Fujifilm's Finepix F models all carry at least 12 megapixels of resolution, while also offering ultra compact camera bodies. The F200EXR includes an advanced CCD image sensor technology, called Super CCD EXR. Look for F series models to cost about $250-$400.
• S models. Fujifilm aims its S models of Finepix cameras at intermediate photographers. S model cameras are DSLR-like cameras, carrying the look and feel of a DSLR model without interchangeable lenses and high-end prices. All Finepix S cameras carry at least 12X optical zoom lenses. Most S models cost between $400 and $1,000.
• Z models. Color and style are the key components to the Z models of digital cameras from Fujifilm. Pink, silver, green, red, black, blue, purple, and orange Z models all are available. Z series Finepix models aren't quite as feature-rich as some Finepix units, with 10 megapixels or less of resolution. You'll find Z cameras in the $125-$200 price range.
• Pro models. True DSLR models are available from Fujifilm with its Pro models. Some models even can shoot in the infrared or ultraviolet ranges. Such models will cost a few thousand dollars.
• Related products. Fujifilm continues to make film for traditional film cameras, as well as one-time-use film cameras. The company also manufactures photo-finishing products, microfilm, graphic arts, motion picture film, and consumer digital and VHS video storage options. Fujifilm is involved in the sale and manufacturing of medical systems, computer storage options, specialty chemcials, and optics producs. Digital camera accessories and other items are available through the Fujifilm USA Web site. 

Credits to: http://cameras.about.com/od/manufacturers/a/introducing_fujifilm.htm

Introducing Samsung Cameras

Samsung may have begun as a small export business just before World War II began, but it has grown into one of the world's top electronics companies, making a variety of consumer and industrial products, including Samsung cameras. Among its lineup are Samsung cameras in both ultra compact and digital SLR models, although the company focuses on point and shoot, beginner cameras. According to a Techno Systems Research report, Samsung cameras ranked third worldwide in number of digital camera units manufactured in 2007. Samsung had about 12 million units manufactured, good for a 9.1% market share.

Samsung's History

Samsung was founded in 1938 in Taegu, Korea, selling dried Korean fish, vegetables, and fruit. Within about three decades, Samsung-Sanyo Electronics was established as part of the Samsung company, and the electronics arm of Samsung created its first black-and-white TV in 1970. Over the next 20 years, Samsung expanded globally and began manufacturing several consumer electronics products, including microwaves, VCRs, computers, and air conditioners. 

Samsung initially manufactured cameras for the aerospace industry in the mid-1990s, before migrating to consumer digital cameras. The company also has become a world leader in creating cell phones with camera capabilities. In 2005, Samsung created the world's first 7-megapixel digital camera cell phone. 

Samsung has subsidiary companies all over the world. Samsung Electronics America is headquartered in Ridgefield Park, N.J.

Today's Samsung Offerings

Most of Samsung's digital camera offerings are inexpensive models aimed at beginning photographers, although more experienced photographers will find a few cameras. Visit the Samsung Web site to find a few accessories for Samsung cameras, primarily lenses and batteries.

• HZ Series. Samsung uses the HZ line as its "mega-zoom" series of cameras, including the HZ10W, which offers a 10X optical zoom lens. Look for most of the HZ cameras from Samsung to cost between $300 and $400.
• SL Series. Samsung's SL line of cameras primarily is considered an easy-to-use series. They're typically inexpensive models with average features, but they are very easy to use for beginners. The SL family of cameras is the most populous among Samsung models, and most SL models cost less than $200.
• TL Series. Those wanting a stylish, ultra-thin camera from Samsung likely will turn to the TL line of models. TL cameras have begun featuring Samsung's Smart Auto feature, which attempts to match the camera's settings to the photograph's subject and lighting conditions automatically. TL cameras typically cost from $200-$300.
• Digital SLR. Samsung also occasionally offers digital SLR cameras aimed at intermediate to advanced photographers. You can expect to pay $1,000 or more for these models.
• Related products. Samsung manufactures a wide variety of electronics for consumers, including kitchen appliances, mobile phones, LCD TVs, plasma TVs, DLP TVs, MP3 players, DVD and Blu-ray players, digital camcorders, computer monitors, computer hard disk drives, and computer optical disc drives. For industrial and business customers, Samsung creates closed-circuit TV systems, computer storage, semiconductors, high-end LCD panels, printers, fax machines, and telephone networks, among other items. 

Credits to: http://cameras.about.com/od/manufacturers/a/introducing_samsung.htm

Introducing Sony Cameras

Unlike most digital camera manufacturers, Sony was not a major player in the film camera market before beginning to make Sony cameras in digital form. Sony cameras include the company's Cyber-Shot line of digital cameras, which has become very popular. Sony cameras ranked second in digital camera units manufactured in 2007, according to Techno Systems Research's report. Sony manufactured 23.0 million units in 2007, good for a 17.5% market share.

Sony was founded as Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo in 1946, which manufactured telecommunications equipment. The company created a paper-based magnetic recording tape in 1950, brand named Sony, and the company became Sony Corporation in 1958. 

Sony focused on magnetic recording tape and transistor radios, tape recorders, and TVs. In 1975, Sony launched its one-half inch Betamax VCR for consumers, followed by a portable CD player, called the Discman, in 1984. 

 

The first digital camera from Sony appeared in 1988, the Mavica. It worked with a TV screen display. Sony did not create another digital camera until 1996's release of the company's first Cyber-shot model. In 1998, Sony introduced its first digital camera that made use of the Memory Stick external memory card. Most previous digital cameras had used internal memory. 

Sony's global headquarters are in Tokyo, Japan. Sony Corporation of America, which was established in 1960, is loaded in New York City.

Today's Sony Offerings

Sony customers will find Cyber-Shot digital cameras aimed at beginner, intermediate, and advanced users.

• SLR. Advanced SLR (single-lens reflex) digital cameras from Sony will work best for intermediate photographers and advanced beginners, with interchangeable lenses available. Prices range from about $500-$3,000 for the Sony digital SLR models.
• Consumer. Sony offers its Cyber-shot point-and-shoot models with a variety of camera body types and feature sets. Ultra-thin models range in price from about $300-$400. Some larger models offer high resolutions and large zoom lenses, and these more advanced models range in price from $250-$500. Others are basic, low-end models, ranging in price from about $125-$250. Many Cyber-shot models are colorful, giving consumers many options.
• Related products. On the Sony Web site, you can purchase a variety of accessories for Cyber-Shot digital cameras, including batteries, AC adapters, battery chargers, camera cases, interchangeable lenses, external flashes, cabling, memory cards, tripods, and remote controls, among other items. 

Credits to: http://cameras.about.com/od/manufacturers/a/Sony.htm

Olympus PEN E-PL1 Hands-On Review

It's been two years since the Micro Four Thirds format debuted, and the mirrorless genre is finally maturing.

For those that are still unfamiliar, mirrorless cameras like the Olympus PEN E-PL1 take the most important part of a dSLR (its big sensor) and do away with its least-desirable aspect (the bulky size, which is a result of the pentaprism mirror). These hybrid shooters tend to appeal to the enthusiast set, but Olympus is clearly taking a shot at the casual-compact crowd with the E-PL1. It looks and feels like a compact, but shoots dSLR-quality photos. Olympus made a few design compromises to pull it off, but on the whole, the E-PL1 is a success.

Body and Design

The throwback rangefinder look of the E-PL1 is a refreshing alternative to the standard dSLR shape. It’s boxier than the pricier E-P1 and E-P2 models, and predominantly plastic, but those are acceptable cost-cutting trade-offs, considering the price. In general, the weight and dimensions are midway between a compact camera and a dSLR, leaning toward the smaller end of the spectrum, like a chunky travel zoom.

The interface, too, has more in common with a compact camera than a dSLR. The rear has a simple button-based interface that should make casual point-and-shoot-users feel at home (though serious dSLR-users will scoff). Highlights include a dedicated video recording button, two function buttons (which come in handy for choosing a focal point and magnifying the live view), a pop-up flash, and accessory port.

Like the body, the 14-42mm kit lens is made from decent-quality plastic. It’s collapsible, and even quite small when fully extended (by interchangeable lens standards). It’s a nice complement to the design, if not particularly exciting.

It seems like the mirrorless market is splitting into two camps: small dSLR-type systems, and high-quality compact shooters. The E-PL1 is most definitely in the latter category. It was the smallest mirrorless camera available when it was released in February 2010, but has since lost the title to Sony’s NEX-series shooters. Panasonic’s G10 is also lighter, though the dimensions are not as compact.

User Experience and Performance

The E-PL1 looks like a compact, and handles like a compact too. It’s easy to just pick up, set to iAuto, and shoot to your heart’s content. There are also the usual adjustable settings, shutter and aperture priority, and a full manual mode, but it’s a bit harder to fiddle with those since it’s a menu-based interface -- no control dials or direct-access keys. To bring up the comparison again, the E-PL1 interface has a lot in common with that of a travel zoom. That's perfect for users moving up from a camera like that, but a definite downgrade from the nimble navigation of a dSLR, or even higher-end mirrorless cameras like the E-P2.

In general, responsiveness is satisfactory. Startup time is snappy (though not stellar) and menus respond to inputs quickly. Continuous shooting churns out a modest but effective 3 frames per second, though for RAW shooting, it maxes out at 10 frames. A handful of art filters apply cool effects like saturated colors or a pinhole effect, which can save some post-processing time, but definitely hinders in-camera performance.

Autofocus, at least with the kit lens, is on par with a compact camera, but a few notches below a dSLR (I used firmware version 1.1 for the review). This lag is pretty much unavoidable without a mirror and remains one of the big downsides of the mirrorless genre, though if your expectations are calibrated to the speed of a point-and-shoot, it should feel quick. To be clear, auto-focus in bright, outdoor situations is very fast. As the light decreases, so does the autofocus speed, at a pretty significant ratio.

The LCD is a bit of a shortcoming, at an unimpressive 2.7-inches and 230,000 dots. That’s average for a $180 camera, but comes across as an obvious cost-cutting measure here. It’s still visible indoors and in the shade, but pretty worthless in the sun. There’s a port for an optional electronic viewfinder, which should alleviate this problem, though Olympus did not include one for review. There’s also a curious lack of an orientation sensor, so any portrait shots have to be manually rotated in your photo software of choice.

Image Quality

The E-PL1 takes excellent pictures. Photo quality is the strongest feature on this camera. It far surpasses compact-camera quality and competes on the same level as entry-level and consumer dSLRs. Point-and-shooters who step up to the E-PL1 will be extremely pleased with still images, and enthusiasts and dSLR users will likely find that the quality makes up for some qualms that they have about the interface and performance.

Shots have a high level of detail, often crisp down to the pixel level. JPEG noise is very well controlled all the way through ISO 800. Shots at 1600 are usable, and even 3200 isn’t terrible. I found the colors to be pretty accurate too, though the brightest spots in some shots came out a bit flat. Overall, almost any photographer should be happy with the image quality coming from this $600 kit.

Video quality is solid as well, though well short of a defining feature. The 720p Motion JPEG movies are crisp, smooth, and relatively noise-free with little barrel distortion. The lack of full 1080p recording holds it back from greatness, but it’s a nice feature to complement the still shooting.

Bottom Line

The E-PL1 feels like a high-powered compact rather than a crippled dSLR, making it an effective hybrid. It also has a little bit of retro charm that not many cameras of any genre possess these days. Though the performance and plastic design come up a little bit short of what I’d expected from a $600 kit, the image quality, ease-of-use, and portability swayed me fully in favor of this camera. Had I been able to test the electronic viewfinder, I probably would have liked it even more. And, it's worth noting, the street price has dropped down closer to $500, so it's really quite a deal.

The type of buyer that will be most satisfied with the E-PL1 is the casual or hobbyist photographer, somebody who has gotten a lot of mileage from his or her compact camera and wants to step up to something that will feel familiar, but with more power. The manual control leaves room to grow, but the interface keeps in squarely in casual-user territory. I don’t mean this as a slight, but people who haven’t used a dSLR and don’t know what they’re missing in terms of performance will love this camera. Enthusiasts, too, might find something to love here, as the JPEG quality is simply fantastic, even compared to some entry-level dSLRs with larger sensors. 

Credits to: http://www.digitalcamera-hq.com/products/olympus-pen-e-pl1