Panasonic DMC-FX01

Reviewed February 2006

Characteristics

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX01 is equipped with a 1/2.5 inch, 6.37 megapixel CCD, of which 6.0 million pixels are effective to capture a maximum image size of 2816 x 2112 pixels.

In the Normal mode, the CCD sensitivity can be set to Auto, 80, 100, 200, or 400 ISO. Moreover, if the High Sensitivity Scene mode is used, the camera is able to automatically select a sensitivity level between 800 and 1600 ISO.

Leica supplies the lens for the DMC-FX01, a DC Vario-Elmarit 3.6X zoom, which has a focal range of 4.6 to 16.8 mm that is equivalent to a 28 to 102 mm on a 35 mm camera. The zoom is composed of 7 elements in 6 groups, which include 4 aspherical surfaces, and has 2 apertures f2.8 and f5.6 at the wide end, and f5.6 and f11 at the telephoto end.

These apertures work in combination with a shutter speed range that covers from 1/2000 second to 1 second with most modes, but which can be as long as 8 seconds when the Night Scenery mode is used, and up to 60 seconds if the Starry Sky Scene mode is used.

The FX01 is equipped with a non-interpolating digital zoom that Panasonic calls an "Extended Optical Zoom." As always with this type of system, the extension to the optical zoom becomes available only when the camera is set to capture an image size less than its maximum (2816 x 2112 pixels) as the system crops the image — captured by the full resolution of the CCD — to reproduce what would be captured by a longer focal length. The resolutions at which the function is available are identified as "EZ" indicating the Extended Zoom, and start at 3 megapixel, effectively making the 3.6 optical zoom of the FX01 a 5X zoom.

In addition to this "Extended Optical Zoom," the DMC-FX01 also provides a standard digital zoom (4X) that interpolates to the selected image size, with the usual loss of detail in the image.

Exposure metering for the DMC-FX01 is done using a single system referred to as "Multiple" which evaluates different parts of the frame to arrive at an average.

The FX01 is able to capture images at any one of 3 aspect ratios, and each offers its own image sizes:

• 4:3 Aspect Ratio (Still Image)
  • 2816 x 2112
  • 2048 x 1536
  • 1600 x 1200
  • 1280 x 960
  • 640 x 480
• 3:2 Aspect Ratio (Still Image)
  • 2816 x 1880
  • 2048 x 1360
• 16:9 Aspect Ratio (Still Image)
  • 2816 x 1584
  • 1920 x 1080

This flexibility with aspect ratios also applies to the FX01's movie mode, which offers:

• Motion Picture (4:3 Aspect Ratio)
  • 640 x 480
  • 320 x 240
• Motion Picture (16:9 Aspect Ratio)
  • 848 x 480

(For more information about the Motion Picture mode, see the Ergonomics section of the review.)

All images are saved using the JPEG format, and only 2 compression levels are offered: Fine, which compresses the image the least (a ratio of 6:1 to 8:1), and which produces the highest image quality, and Standard, which applies a stronger compression with a ratio that averages approximately 16:1, but which can be greater depending on the subject.

The image quality is selected in the menu, as are a number of other settings. Worth noting: when the Simple mode is used — a mode with an abridged menu — the image quality settings are described differently and not all are offered:

• Pict. Mode selects one of three image sizes/qualities:
  • Enlarge is intended to produce an 8 x 10 in. (20 x 25 cm) print. The camera captures a 4:3 aspect photo at a resolution of 2816 x 2112 pixel using Fine JPEG compression.
  • 4" x 6"/10 x 15 cm is intended to print standard-size photos. The camera captures the image using a 3:2 aspect ratio and an image size of 2048 x 1360 with a Standard compression.
  • E-mail captures a small size photo with a 4:3 aspect ratio, suitable for e-mailing as an attachment using a resolution of 640 x 480 pixels and Standard compression.

• Auto review: On or Off, serves to select if the image is displayed for 1 second immediately post-capture.
• Beep: is to adjust the volume of sounds that accompany camera operations (off, low, high).
• Clock Set: is to set the time and date on the FX01.

Unlike the short menu of the Simple mode, the other modes offer more extensive options. Nevertheless, the menu options presented vary according to the mode in use:

• Normal and Macro (),
• Scene (),
• or Motion Picture ():

			White Balance: Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Halogen (incandescent), Preset (to recall a custom setting), and White Set, (to set the white balance for ambient conditions so it can be recalled later with the previous option).
			Sensitivity: Auto or 80, 100, 200, 400 ISO. (800 and 1600 ISO with the High Sensitivity Scene mode, but automatically selected by the camera.)

Pict. Adj. this option is exclusively available when the camera is set to Normal or Macro, and offers alternative settings that change sharpness: Natural (softens the image). Standard (the default). Vivid (sharpens the image).

The Playback menu is only available in the Playback mode, and not when the camera is in the Review mode that is accessed by pressing the down arrow of the Cursor control. The Playback menu's options are spread over 3 screens:

• Slide show: allows selecting photos to be included in a slide show, all or only those that have been selected as Favorites. In addition the on-screen time time for the photos included in the show can be specified (1, 2, 3 or 5 seconds) and should a sound be associated with an image can be allowed to play or not.
• Favorite: serves to select images so that only those marked this way will appear in a slide show.
• Rotate Disp.: makes it possible to display the pictures that have been shot vertically or have been rotated in the correct direction.
• Rotate: serves to rotate a photo 90° to the left or right.

• DPOF Print: serves to select which photos will be printed on a DPOF or PictBridge compliant printer, or by a printing service. The number of prints to make of each photo can be specified, as well as whether or not the date will be superimposed on the photo.
• Protect: allows selecting and tagging images so they cannot be accidentally erased.
• Audio Dub: makes it possible to add a voice annotation lasting up to 10 seconds to any still image, unless it has been protected.

• Resize: allows resizing down an image and saving it over the original, or as a new image.
• Trimming: serves to crop an image and either over-write the original with the cropped version, or save it as a new image. Images that have an attached sound, as well as those that have been rotated, or captured in HDTV format, or at 640 x 480 pixels cannot be trimmed.
• Aspect Conv.: allows converting photos captured with a 16:9 aspect ratio to 3:2 or 4:3.
• Format: to format the memory card. Note that protected images are erased when the card is formatted.

The FX01 can use both SD (Secure Digital) memory cards or MMC (MultiMedia) cards, but SD cards are recommended as they are faster. Furthermore, although some MMC cards can be used to capture movies, playback stalls as the card is read, unlike with SD cards.

Panasonic supplies a 16MB SD card with the DMC-FX01, which is limiting, and therefore any purchase of the FX01 should include the purchase of a greater capacity SD card.

The card slot is located next to the battery compartment, underneath the camera. The compartment is covered by a latching door, and the battery is itself maintained in its slot by a clip, preventing it from sliding out when the memory card is ejected by pressing on its edge.

The chart below shows image/movie capacity with both the 16MB card supplied with the camera, and a 1GB SD card:

Power to run the FX01 is supplied by a small Lithium ion battery (CGA-S005A). The battery provides a long lasting charge, particularly in view of the constant use of the large 2.5-inch LCD monitor, giving the FX01 a very reasonable autonomy.

A charger is supplied with the camera (DE-A11B) and a full charge of the battery is completed in approximately 2 hours.

At the top, and gold coloured, is the USB port (2.0 Full Speed), and the A/V (Audio/Video) Out, and both cables are supplied with the FX01.

The A/V Out signal can be set to either NTSC or PAL in the Setup menu (see the Interface and Software section of this review for more information about the Setup menu).