Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX150 - Digital Camera Review
Review Date: 05/12/2008
Rating: Highly Recommended
Author: Joshua Waller
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Introduction: Announced on the 21st of July 2008, the Panasonic Lumix FX150 is one of Panasonic's top of the range ultra compact digital cameras, and features an impressive 14.7 megapixel sensor, a 28mm wide angle lens with a 3.6x optical zoom, a 2.7" screen that works in the sun, 720p HD (high-definition) video recording, optical image stabilisation and a pocketable metal body. The Panasonic Lumix FX150 is available from around £210 which makes it good value for money. The camera is enclosed in a metal body and is available in black, and silver. The camera measures approx. 96.7mm x 24.8mm x 54.0mm (excluding protrusions), and weighs approx. 151g. excluding battery and memory card.

Panasonic have this to say about the camera:

"The FX150 features a 1/1.72-inch CCD with ultra-high, 14.7-megapixel resolution. It ushers in a new world of photographic quality by capturing high-resolution, distortion-free images with the 28mm wide-angle LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT lens, and sending that rich image information to its large, ultra-high-pixel CCD."

You can find more information on their website.

The Camera: a visual tour: (Photos of the camera taken with the Canon Powershot SX110 IS)

Front view - camera off.

Front view - camera on, flash, lens, focus assist lamp.

Top: Speaker, microphone, power switch, shutter release, zoom control, easy zoom, mode dial.

Size Comparison: Compared to a Pentax PC-550 35mm film camera - a medium/compact sized 35mm film camera.

Size comparison.

Size comparison.

Specifications / Features:

• 14.7 megapixels 1/1.72" CCD Sensor
• Leica Wide Angle 3.6x optical zoom lens (equivalent to 28mm to 100mm)
• MEGA O.I.S optical image stabilization
• 2.7" LCD Display (230K pixels)
• Face Detection, Digital Red-eye Correctoin
• Intelligent Auto mode with Intelligent Exposure
• Video recording: HD 16:9 Aspect Ratio: 1280x720 30fps, 15 fps
• Continuous shooting: 2 frames/sec Max. 8 images (Standard mode)
• HD Output : Yes (HD AV Output - Component)
• Red-Eye Reduction: Yes
• 5cm Macro mode
• ISO : Auto /100 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600 (High Sensitivity Mode : Auto (1600 - 6400))
  
• Scenes: Portrait, Soft Skin, Transform, Self-Portrait, Scenery, Sports, Night Portrait, Night Scenery, Food, Party, Candle Light, Baby1, Baby2, Pet, Sunset, High sensitivity, Hi-Speed Burst (Speed Priority/Image Priority), Flash-Burst, Starry Sky, Fireworks, Beach, Snow, Aerial photo, Film Grain, Pin Hole
• Histogram available: In playback and record
• Exposure bracketing: 3 shots upto +/- 1 ev
  
• Optical viewfinder: No
• Manual WB: Yes
  

Box Contents:

• Digital Camera (with 50mb built in memory)
• Battery Charger
• Li-ion Battery Pack (3.7V, 1150mAh)
• Battery carrying case
• AV Cable
• USB Connection Cable
• AC Cable
• Strap
• Software CD-ROM

Average box contents - a large memory card would be nice, as would a case and are both recommended purchases.

Menu system: The menu system is easy to use, logical, well layed out and easy to see thanks to the large 2.7" screen. The camera has a "Quick Menu" button on the back that gived you quick access to all the most commonly used options whilst taking photos (such as burst mode, iso, white balance, image size etc), and then the Menu can be accessed when additional settings need changing such as multiple exposures, raw mode, contrast, sharpness, saturation, noise reduction, etc. The playback menu gives all the usual options such as a slideshow, and lets you edit the photo title, or put a text stamp on the photo. An explanation of the scene modes can be viewed by pressing the Display / Info button.

Picture Size / Quality: The camera lets you choose the image size (14.5m, 10m, 7m, 5m, 3m, 2m, VGA), aspect ratio (4:3, 3:2 at 13m, 9m, 6m, 4.5m, and 2.5m, 16:9 at 11m, 7.5m, 5.5m, 3.5m, and 2m), and compression (Fine, Normal, Raw, Raw + Jpeg). Higher quality images take a large amount of memory, so a high capacity memory card is definitely recommended, unless you're prepared to sacrifice image size to fit more pictures in memory. There is a very good choice of image sizes, aspect ratios, and compression options.

Bottom - Battery (CGA-S005E, 3.7v, 1150mAh), SanDisk Ultra II 4GB SD memory card, metal tripod mount.

Battery usage: Battery life is rated at 330 shots (according to CIPA standards) - I was able to take around 345 shots before the battery went flat, this is slightly better than average, and good for a compact.

Memory cards: A large memory card is relatively cheap, and highly recommended, I would recommend at a bare minimum a 2gb memory card, if you intend to take fine JPEG images, and preferably a 4gb memory card, or larger. The larger the memory card, the more photos you will be able to take. If you are likely to go on holiday then the largest memory card you can afford would definitely be worth investing in, as you don't always know when you will next be at a computer. You can use SD or SDHC memory cards - I tend to use Sandisk Ultra II Plus USB SD memory cards as these let you plug the memory card straight into a USB socket making it easy to transfer images onto any computer, they are available as 1GB SD, or 2GB SD cards and 4GB SDHC cards. Listed below are links to memory cards that will work with the Panasonic Lumix FX150:

Find the latest prices for SD memory cards at Amazon.co.uk: 1gb (1000mb): £2, 2gb (2000mb): £4, 4gb (4000mb SDHC): £6, 8gb (8000mb SDHC): £10, 16gb (16000mb SDHC): £35
Need more help deciding what memory card to buy? Have a look at our guide to digital camera memory cards or our article what size memory card should I buy?

Speed: The camera is fairly quick to switch on and take photos, from off, to taking a photo in 2.5 seconds (with Quick AF on). Focusing seemed quick, except in very low light - this takes a little longer to focus depending on the subject, and focus at the telephoto end of the zoom was slightly slower. The playback mode is quick. The camera shutter response seemed instant when pre-focused responding in 0.1 seconds or less - and shot to shot time was fairly quick, with a delay of around 1.7 seconds between shots without flash. The flash recharge time added about half a second delay allowing a shot to be taken every 2.2 seconds. Continuous shooting is quite good offering 2 fps for 4 shots at the highest resolution. An unlimited continuous shooting mode shoots at around 1.5 fps. The cameras menus seemed quick.

Back - 2.7" screen, photo / playback switch, 4-way controller, with middle Menu / OK button, display and quick menu / delete buttons.

Ease of use: The camera is very easy to use, with a logical menu system, and easy to access features. The camera has a number of modes such as "intelligent AUTO" and numerous scene modes so that you should be able to get good shots, and the easy zoom button helps speed up zooming into a subject. The face detection focus can help capture photos of people and will automatically expose the photo so they subjects face is correctly exposed. The controls on the back of the camera are straightforward, and it's easy to switch modes using the clear mode dial, and mode switch. The menus are responsive and are also easy to use, and the options are big enough and easy to see clearly. The modes are easy to access, and a lot of the options can be accessed using the buttons on the back. It's also easy to see when photos are in focus using the zoomed review mode. The screen is very clear, and features a bright mode so that it can also be used in bright sunlight. The camera also has a manual mode and several features for the more experienced photographer.

Ergonomics and Buttons: (Feel, placement, labels, etc) The layout of the buttons and controls are good, with all button and controls reachable with your right hand. The zoom control and shutter release is very good. The mode dial is positioned well making it easy to switch modes with your thumb, and the quick menu button gives quick access to your favourite settings. I thought the camera felt very good but lacked a hand grip at the front. The camera feels very well made, with a robust metal body. The camera is easy to hold, fits into pockets, and looks good, with a premium styled body available in a number of colours (black, or silver) - the only minor criticism I have is that the screen is framed slightly off center which looks a little bit odd. The on / off and play / photo switches both felt very pleasing when used, and should mean that you don't accidentally switch the camera on in your pocket. The tripod mount is made out of metal, but is positioned right at the edge of the camera which could cause problems.

Image Quality: Here are some real world sample photos taken in various settings, such as Inside, Outside, Macro, to demonstrate the quality of pictures taken and also show different features of the camera. Larger versions of these photos, plus more photos are available in the Panasonic Lumix FX150 Sample Photo Gallery!

Inside:

Heather and Flower (ISO100)	Flash photo (ISO400)

Inside: The camera has very good colour - It took a good "Heather and Flower" photo - there is almost no red-eye in the photo. It has a fairly good flash, and copes fairly well with group photos, although if the subject is too far away then detail can appear very low if the ISO setting goes above ISO400. There is some red-eye in group photos. On AUTO ISO, the ISO setting was quite low, and noise was acceptable. The camera did a good job at focusing most of the time in low-light, the LED illuminator helped focus.

ISO Noise Test: Noise: Noise is generally a bad thing - it removes detail, and gives a grainy effect over the image. With digital cameras noise can be a real problem as digital camera noise is often made out of blue, red or green dots. As the ISO setting increases, pictures tend to have more noise. Noise is most noticeable in dark areas of photos. The camera has an Automatic mode for ISO levels (ranging from ISO 100 - ISO1600), manual ISO settings (ISO: 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600), and further ISO settings upto ISO6400 in high sensitivity mode.

Below you'll find the noise test image, plus actual pixel crops, viewable at 100%, from the image taken at different ISO settings, compared with the 14.7 megapixel Canon Digital IXUS 980 IS and 12 megapixel Fujifilm FinePix F100fd.

Canon Digital IXUS 980 IS (14.7mp)	Panasonic Lumix FX150 (14.5mp)	Fujifilm FinePix F100fd (12mp)

ISO Noise Test Photos - Flash is off. Canon Digital IXUS 980 IS on the left, Panasonic Lumix FX150 in the middle, Fujifilm FinePix F100fd on the right. Any tonal difference is due to white balance or lighting / metering differences.

Canon Digital IXUS 980 IS (14.7mp)	Panasonic Lumix FX150 (14.5mp)	Fujifilm FinePix F100fd (12mp)
ISO100 - Actual Pixels	ISO100 - Actual Pixels	ISO100 - Actual Pixels (1s, Nightmode)
ISO200 - Actual Pixels	ISO200 - Actual Pixels	ISO200 - Actual Pixels
ISO400 - Actual Pixels	ISO400 - Actual Pixels	ISO400 - Actual Pixels
ISO800 - Actual Pixels	ISO800 - Actual Pixels	ISO800 - Actual Pixels
ISO1600 - Actual Pixels	ISO1600 - Actual Pixels	ISO1600 - Actual Pixels
ISO3200 - Actual Pixels (2mp)	ISO3200 - High sensitivity mode. (3mp)	ISO3200 - Actual Pixels

Noise results: Noise is noticeable on the Panasonic even from ISO100, and detail is good in these shots, with ISO100, and ISO200 showing excellent detail, it's only when you go above ISO400 where detail is smoothed away as they try and smooth away the noise as well. ISO800 and ISO1600 results show a lot of noise, and detail is blurred. Compared to the other cameras, the Panasonic shows more noise, especially when compared to the Fujifilm FinePix F100fd.

Image Stabilisation: The Panasonic Lumix FX150 features real image stabilisation, called Mega Optical Image Stabilisation. This feature helps reduce image blur due to low light or long zoom photography. With image stabilisation switched on the images are much sharper and clearer, and are much more likely to come out blur free, especially in low light, when using the zoom or when using slow shutter speeds.

Outside:

Liverpool shops (ISO100)	Super Lamb Banana (ISO100)

Outside: The camera has nicely saturated colours - colourful but not overly saturated. There was good detail, and the camera took a number of pleasing images outside, with good contrast, although there was some chromatic aberations and purple fringing in areas of high contrast. In general 'normal' quality jpeg artefacts are not easily seen, however areas with strong contrasts benefit from use of the highest quality setting. Images are slightly soft, but nothing too worrying. Noise is evident in most photos, mainly in dark areas, however, this was mainly noticeable when "pixel peeping" and viewing the images at 100% on the screen, when printed at A4 this noise was barely visible.

Zoom: This lens provides a 3.6x optical zoom starting at 28mm equivalent which is great for wide angle shots (useful indoors, and at parties etc), and the camera zooms to 100mm allowing photos of distant objects. The camera also has an "Easy Zoom" button - pressing this switches the camera between no zoom, 3.6x optical zoom and cropped zoom (at 3mp). I've included examples below to show what the zoom is capable of. Digital zoom basically takes a crop of the centre of the frame and enlarges the image, degrading image quality, and is therefore best avoided, unless you use this camera's easy zoom feature. The easy zoom feature lets you zoom in further if you select a smaller image size.

Wide-angle	Full Optical Zoom	Full Optical and digital zoom

Exposure: The photos of the clock tower are exposed well with detail in the dark areas - however the clouds are slightly over exposed - exposure in other photos was generally very good. Vignetting was not noticed in these photos. It can be useful to under expose images with bright backgrounds (eg; sky) with use of exposure compensation.

Lens noise and zoom: The lens makes very little noise, and gives you around 18 steps between wide and telephoto - this gives very good control over how you frame your subject.

Other Image Quality issues: Purple fringing / Chromatic aberration was occassionally seen in areas of high contrast, but was generally low.

Macro Lens Performance:

Timex Watch Macro	Actual Pixels (ISO100)

The camera can take macro photos where the subject is roughly 5 cm away from the lens in macro mode. Colour and detail is very good, and there appears to be some noise at ISO100. The camera has manual white balance which can help get better shots in artificial lighting.

Video mode: The camera features an excellent video mode - it records HD (16:9 Aspect Ratio) 1280x720 30fps videos with sound as MOV files and has fairly good compression allowing you to record long videos. The video mode does not let you use the optical zoom whilst recording.

Conclusion

Summary: Compared to the Canon Digital IXUS 980 IS - the Canon has the slight edge in image quality, with lower noise, and better detail, while the Panasonic Lumix FX150 has the edge in features and offers a more complete package at a lower price. The Panasonic has all the features of the Canon, but also offers a wide angle lens, and an excellent video mode. Which one you choose depends which you prioritise, features and a lower price or image quality and lower noise. Which ever you choose you end up with a brilliant compact camera.

The FX150 offers an excellent wide angle 3.6x optical zoom lens with image stabilisation, all in a compact body that will fit in your pocket. Image quality is also very good, and despite more noise than average, detail is very good. The camera provides an abundance of features, and has an impressive 2.7" screen. The camera features a very clever "Intelligent Auto" mode and makes using the camera easy, and fun, and provides an abundance of scene modes for beginners. For those looking for more creativity the camera features manual controls, manual white balance, exposure bracketing, rapid continuous shooting, a histogram, and other image options. Add in an impressive widescreen HD video mode and you have a very impressive all-round package, all squeezed into a stylish, metal camera. Highly Recommended.

What I like:

• Very easy to use
• Compact and stylish metal body
• Very good build quality and switches
• Good image quality - excellent colour
• Wide angle 3.6x optical zoom lens with optical image stabilisation
• Intelligent ISO / Exposure / Intelligent AUTO mode will automatically set ISO, Shutter speed, Subject type etc
• Excellent 2.7" screen - works well in bright sunlight
• Impressive detail at ISO100
• Very good macro mode
• Quick performance - 2fps continuous shooting
• Focus assist lamp
• Excellent video modes (16:9 aspect ratio, HD, allows use of the optical zoom, 30fps etc)
• Good battery life
  

What I don't like:

• Noise visible at ISO100
• Slightly weak flash, some red-eye
• Tripod mount positioned to the far left.
• Some purple fringing (but generally very low)

Additional Test Images are viewable in the Panasonic Lumix FX150 Sample Photo Gallery.