Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 Digital Camera Review

Description

Black Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera - 18x Zoom - Front

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 Digital Camera boasts a high-powered, 18x Leica optical zoom lens with fast autofocus and advanced imaging capabilities. From lush landscapes to action sports photography, this advanced point-and-shoot camera captures all of your subjects with rich color and brilliant contrast. A powerful 12.1 megapixel sensor ensures the highest image quality possible. AVCHD Lite file compression allows you to capture broadcast-quality HD Video at reduced files sizes - saving space on your memory card for longer shooting sessions. Featuring Dolby Digital Stereo Creator, the camera also captures dynamic, stereo sound with your HD content.

Black Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera - 18x Zoom - Left Front Angle - Flash Up

Panasonic's newly developed Intelligent Auto Exposure (iA) Mode brings face detection autofocus, AF tracking for moving subjects, optical image stabilization, scene mode selection, and auto ISO to make great pictures as simple as point-and-shoot. Connect to your HDTV with an optional HDMI to mini HDMI cable. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 makes shooting and sharing your photos and video fun and easy.

Black Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera - 18x Zoom - Front Flash Up

Leica optics are world-renown for their high quality and exceptional value. Coupled with the Lumix DMC-FZ35, the 18x Optical Leica Vario-Elmar lens provides dramatic wide angle to super telephoto coverage. This range represents an incredible 35mm equivalent of 27-486mm. From landscapes to portraits, macro to sports action shots, this optic ensures first-class image quality in an ultra-convenient focal range.

Black Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera - 18x Zoom - Left Front Angle

720p/1080 Movie Mode and list of High Definition Move Mode Cameras
720p has higher vertical resolution than 1080i, making it preferable for sporting events such as auto racing and basketball that move at a very fast pace on live television

Black Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera - 18x Zoom - Left Front Angle with Hood

Powerful HD Video Recording
The DMC-FZ35 captures HD Video with 1280 x 720 resolution at a smooth 30 frames per second. IA Mode automatically adjusts focus exposure for point-and-shoot recording. Creative Movie allows you to change aperture and shutter speed manually - offering total esthetic control of the moving image. AVCHD Lite file compression, integrated stereo audio recording, and optical zoom control put professional quality movie making in the palm of your hand.

POWER Optical Image Stabilization (O.I.S.)
Boasting Panasonic's newly developed POWER Optical Image Stabilization (O.I.S.), the DMC-FZ35 automatically detects and corrects for camera shake. With twice the shake suppression of MEGA O.I.S, POWER O.I.S provides consistently sharp, crisp, photographs you can be proud of. The technology works seamlessly at any focal length or focusing distance.

My Color Mode
In My Color Mode, you can freely adjust color, brightness, and saturation parameters. This makes it fun and easy to create unique, expressive images. Modify these settings to your specific shooting conditions watch your personal, artistic vision come to life.

Intelligent Auto Exposure (iA)
Taking great photos should be as simple as point-and-shoot. That's the philosophy behind Panasonic's Intelligent Auto Exposure (iA). Combining face detection autofocus, AF tracking for moving subjects, image stabilization, scene mode selection, and auto ISO selection, the DMC-FZ35 delivers consistently beautiful photographs.

Shoot Faster, Longer
The DMC-FZ35 boasts high-speed 1.2 second start-ups, AF speeds of approximately 0.3 second, and up to five consecutive shots at 2.3 frames per second at full resolution. Highly energy efficient, you can also take up to 470 photos on a single battery charge.

• Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 Digital Camera
• Rechargeable Lithium-ion Battery
• Battery Charger
• USB Cable
• A/V Cable
• Lens Hood
• Lens Hood Adapter
• Shoulder Strap
• Software CD-ROM
• 1-Year Panasonic Warranty

Superior picture and video quality / Slightly disappointing functionality, January 21, 2010

By Terry R. Umbenhaur "Video Gaming Ninja" (Frisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews

I purchased the Panasonic DMC-FZ35, as well as the Canon SX20 IS, so that I could choose which camera I liked best (I have owned a Canon S2IS for nearly 5 years). After 2 weeks of using both cameras, I chose to continue using the FZ35, mainly because of a preference for the AVCHD Lite (H.264) over Quicktime video format, for the superior image quality and RAW support, and because the camera weighed much less (both cameras were significantly larger than my previous S2 IS). I have been mostly happy with my decision, but I do have some issues with some of the Panasonic features.

Likes:
- Terrific 720p HD video quality
- Better image quality in all situations
- Manual controls are better (in my opinion) possibly because of the "rubber eraser/joystick"
- More custom modes (three), and good variety of "scene" modes
- Relatively fast autofocus
- 2.7" LCD is larger and has a better viewing angle when viewed off-center

Dislikes (in great detail):
- No flip-out/articulating screen (I tried to remedy this by purchasing a Flipbac, which is not nearly as versatile and ends up getting in the way a lot of the time). The LCD is better, but is still nowhere near the quality of IPS, and looks terrible when viewed at extreme angles (completely avoidable with an articulating LCD). Panasonic's DMC-FZ50 has such a screen, but is dated and does not have 720p video.

- Continuous/burst shooting is severely crippled to a maximum of 3 shots at 12.1MP at 2.3 fps, versus the SX20IS which shoots at only 1.0fps at 12.1MP, but allows an unlimited number of shots. The FZ35 does have a high-speed unlimited continuous shooting mode if you are willing to navigate to "Scene Mode->Hi-Speed Burst" (as it is unavailable elsewhere) and downgrade the image side to 5MP or less, but this is not significantly better than the shooting speed of the SX20 at these low resolutions

- The half-press autofocus/autoexposure lock only allows you to take a single shot with the automatically calculated settings, unlike the SX20IS (and every camera I ever touched) which allows you to release the shutter halfway (after taking your first picture) and take additional photos with the locked in settings. This is an incredible waste of time because the camera must be refocused for each shot even if the exposure/aperture/ISO settings are already perfect. This can be partially remedied by using the "AF/AE Lock" button to lock the settings prior to taking multiple pictures, but sadly this feature does not work in "Intelligent Auto" mode, which I use most of the time

- Audio quality in movies is not nearly as clear due to microphone placement on top of the flash instead of in front of the camera

- Playback mode does not show a preview of each picture when scrolling rapidly (by holding down left or right), however in "Review mode" (which is accessible by pressing the "Fn" button while in shooting mode only), scrolling rapidly shows EVERY preview picture (it does take longer to scroll). There should have been an option to change this in the settings.

- Panoramic mode is rather limited compared to the SX20 (supports only horizontal/vertical panoramas, and the previous picture is barely visible on the screen as it is transparent)

I believe nearly all of these issues could be fixed with a firmware update (other than the screen/microphone), which would honestly make this become a clear winner over other cameras in it's class.

I look forward to the next generation of ultrazooms, and hope that Panasonic can fix these small issues, which are blemishes on an otherwise stellar camera. 4.5/5.0