Panasonic DMC-FZ18

Reviewed October 2007

Characteristics

Equipped with a 1/2.5-inch CCD composed of 8.32 million pixels, of which 8.1 million are effective, the DMC-FZ18 can capture images at a variety of image sizes and aspect ratios:

Images can be saved at either one of two JPEG compression levels, each identified by a graphic:

	Fine: the least compressed image quality, uses a compression that ranges from a ratio of 6:1 to more than 10:1, depending on the subject.
	Standard: the most compressed image quality, has a compression ratio that ranges from 12:1 to 20:1.
RAW	Records the raw output of the CCD without processing the image or applying a lossy compression so that it can be processed on a computer. (Available at all aspect ratios).
RAW+ JPEG	Records the raw output of the CCD without processing the image or applying a lossy compression so that it can be processed on a computer, and records a Standard JPEG quality image alongside. (Available at all aspect ratios).

CCD sensitivity for the camera covers a range from 100 ISO up to 1600 ISO when the P, A, S or M modes are used. Additionally, an Auto ISO setting is offered, automatically adjusting the sensitivity between 100 and 200 ISO normally, and 100 and 400 ISO when the flash is used. Auto ISO is the only setting available when the camera is set to the Intelligent Auto Mode, the Scene modes, or the Movie mode.

Worth noting, however, the High Sensitivity scene mode uses a sensitivity level inaccessible to all other modes: 6400 ISO, but uses the Standard JPEG mode only at resolutions of 3M (4:3), or 2.5M (3:2), or 2M (16:9).

The DMC-FZ18 has an 18X Leica DC Vario-Elmarit zoom lens. The optical zoom lens a focal length that covers from 4.6 to 82.8 mm, equivalent to a 28 to 504 mm on a 35 mm format camera. The lens is composed of 11 elements in 8 groups that include 3 aspherical lenses and 4 aspherical surfaces. Apertures start at f2.8 at the wide end and f4.2 at the maximum telephoto, closing down for both to f8.

This aperture range operates in combination with a shutter speed range that extends from 1/2000 second to 60 seconds. The available shutter speeds, however, depend on the focal length of the zoom that is currently in use.

The camera kit includes a lens hood that is designed to prevent flare at all focal lengths.

As accessories, a teleconversion lens (DMW-LT55) and a Close-up Lens (DMW-LC55) are available, but require an additional accessory, the Lens Adaptor (DMW-LA3) to be mounted on the camera. An ND (Neutral Density) filter (DMW-LND46) and a Multicoated lens protector (DMW-LMC46) are also available.

In addition to the optical zoom, the DMC-FZ18 is equipped with a non-interpolating digital zoom. The digital zoom takes advantage of the full resolution of the CCD to offer cropped images when the image size is set to resolutions less than the maximum image size. The cropped image show a field of view that is comparable to what a lens longer than the camera's maximum telephoto would capture. Image sizes that can use the digital zoom are indicated with the letters EZ (Extended Zoom). The function is unavailable when the camera is set to capture RAW images.

Beyond the settings that are available in the Quick menu, and those that are controlled by buttons on the outside of the camera, the DMC-FZ18 offers a number of user settings that are selected in the menu. With the advanced modes, the Intelligent Auto mode, or when the camera is set to the playback mode, the menu consists of 2 tabs: REC. and Setup. And, while with the camera set to the Intelligent Auto mode the REC. menu is limited to 4 options:

• Aspect Ratio:
  • 4:3: standard TV format,
  • 3:2: an aspect ratio proportional to prints such as 4 x 6 and 4 x 7,
  • 16:9: an aspect ratio that is comparable to HDTV.
• Picture Size: 8M, 5M, 3M, 0.3M.
• Stabilizer: Mode 1 or Mode 2.
• Colour Effect: Off (records images in colour), Black and white, Sepia.

Set to one of the more advanced modes — P, S, A, or M — the menu that appears when the MENU button is pressed is more complex:

• White Balance (P, A, S, M, C, Movie, SCN, Sports, Portrait): provides the following settings: Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Flash, Halogen (incandescent), White Set 1, White Set 2, and White Set to set the white point manually and store it in either of the 2 memory locations.
• White Balance Adjustment (P, A, S, M, C, Movie, SCN, Sports, Portrait): serves to fine-tune the white balance, making it possible to bias it towards orange, blue, green or red.
• Intelligent ISO (P, A) allows setting Auto ISO maximums when Auto ISO is used: Off, ISO Max 400, ISO Max 800, ISO Max 1600.
• Sensitivity (P, A, S, M, C): Auto, or 100, 200, 400, 800, 1250 or 1600 ISO. And, when the FZ18 is set to the High Sensitivity Scene mode: 1600 to 6400 ISO but only with a 3M, 2.5M, or 2 M image size using Standard () JPEG.
• Aspect Ratio (All Modes): See above.
• Picture Size (still image modes only) serves to select one of the image sizes (see above).
• Quality (still image modes only except Intelligent Auto mode and High Sensitivity) sets the image quality: 2 compression levels, RAW or RAW + Standard JPEG.
• Picture Mode (movie mode only): selects the frame size and frame rate (see the Ergonomics section of the review for more information on the Motion Picture mode).
• Audio Rec.: On or Off. This option allows recording a 5-second sound bite immediately after an image is captured. Audio recordings are not possible when the camera is set to Burst mode, Auto Bracketing, or with the Starry Night scene mode.

• Metering Mode: (P, S, A, M, C and Movie modes only)
  • Multiple meters numerous sections of the frame to decide the exposure parameters.
  • Centre-weighted meters the entire frame and the centre separately, giving the reading obtained at the centre — presumably the area where the subject is located — greater importance than the reading obtained for the rest of the frame.
  • Spot meters the precise focus point and bases the exposure on the reading obtained there exclusively.

• AF Mode (P, A, S, M, Movie, SCN, Night Portrait, Sports, Landscape, Portrait) provides a choice of six settings:
  • Face Detection: automatically detects one or more faces in the frame and focuses on them, placing a rectangle around each face detected, and focusing on the face that is at the middle distance so that all are in focus.
  • Multi-area focusing: uses multi area focusing to find the focus point, even if it is not at the centre of the frame.
  • H 3-area focusing (High Speed): allows the camera to focus quickly on any of three AF points positioned horizontally in the middle of the frame.
  • H 1-area focusing (high speed): high speed focusing using the centre AF point, but it can be moved at any of 11 points in the frame using the joystick.
  • 1-area focusing: allows the camera to focus on the centre point in the frame but it can be moved to any of 11 points in the frame using the joystick.
  • Spot focusing: focuses on a small area of the frame that can be placed at any of 11 points in the frame using the joystick.
• Stabilizer (All modes): Off, Mode 1, Mode 2. (See the Ergonomics section of the review).
• Continuous AF (P, A, S, M, C, Movie, SCN, Sports, Landscape, Portrait): On or Off. When On, the time required to focus is reduced as the camera adjusts the focus continuously, but the battery is depleted faster.
• AF Assist Lamp (P, A, S, M, C, Movie, SCN, Night Portrait, Sports, Portrait): On or Off. Controls the AF assist lamp, which automatically illuminates the subject when the ambient light is too low to allow the AF to function reliably.
• AF/AE Lock (P, A, S, M, C, SCN, Night Portrait, Sports, Landscape, Portrait): allows locking the Auto Focus, the Auto Exposure, or both.
• Digital Zoom : controls whether or not the 4X digital zoom is available. The digital zoom takes over after the EZ zoom range, to a maximum magnification of 115X, but with a visibly degraded image quality.
• Colour Effect controls the colour tone of the image (P, A, S, M, C, Movie, Intelligent Auto mode):
  • Cool shifts the image towards blue tones,
  • Warm shifts the image towards red tones,
  • B&W records the image in black and white, and
  • Sepia captures a sepia coloured photo.
• Picture Adjustment (P, A, S, M, C only) serves to modify:
  • Contrast: -2, -1, 0, +1, +2.
  • Sharpness: -2, -1, 0, +1, +2.
  • Saturation: -2, -1, 0, +1, +2.
  • Noise Reduction: -2, -1, 0, +1, +2.
• Flip Animation (P, A, S, M, C, SCN, Night Portrait, Sports, Landscape, Portrait): allows creating a 20-second video clip by automatically assembling up to 100 images at either 5 or 10 frames per second.
• Conversion (All modes) serves to let the camera know when a conversion lens is mounted onto the DMW-LA3 optional lens adaptor:
  • Close-up (DMW-LC55).
  • Telephoto Conversion Lens (DMW-LT55).
• Clock Set: serves to set the time and date on the FZ18.

In the Playback mode the FZ18's menu is presented on a different background colour. The Setup tab, as it is with capture modes, is last (see the Interface and Software section of the review for an overview of the Setup menu):

• Slide Show: can be set to show all images on the card, or only those that have been set as Favourites (see further) or a Category slide show if one has been recorded in the Category section. The on-screen time of images can be selected (1, 2, 3, 5 seconds, or Manual) and one of 4 transition effects can be selected, or none. If Audio is set to On, a sound associated with an image will be played as well.
• Category: serves to organize pictures, movies and even slide shows into categories. Images can then be played back from a specific category (Portrait, Scenery, Night Scenery, Event, Baby , etc.).
• Rotate Disp.: (On or Off), makes it possible to automatically see pictures that have been shot vertically, or which have been rotated, with the correct orientation.
• Rotate: allows rotating a photo manually.
• Favourite: gives the option to mark some images as favourites, which adds the symbol to the images, and makes it possible to erase all images but favourites; or view only favourite images in a slide show.

• Title Edit: makes it possible to add a text comment or caption to a photo, using an on-screen keyboard.
• Text Stamp: serves to stamp images with the time and date, or the age and the travel date. Date stamped images can be saved as new images, or can be written over the original.
• DPOF Print: serves to select images for printing and the number of prints to make of the selected image.
• Protect: allows selecting images and tagging them to prevent an accidental erasure.

• Audio Dub.: makes it possible to add a voice annotation lasting up to 10 seconds to any still image except those recorded in RAW format, RAW+JPEG , or those that are protected.
• Resize: serves to resize any image to a lower resolution so as to store more images on the card. Photos captured with sound, or using the RAW/ RAW+JPEG format, or Flip Animations, or those Text Stamped cannot be resized.
• Trimming: allows re-framing an image and saving the cropped version either with the same file name, overwriting the original, or as a new image. Photos captured with sound, or using the RAW/ RAW+JPEG format, or Flip Animations, or those Text Stamped cannot be trimmed.
• Aspect Conversion: images taken in 16:9 format can be converted to 3:2 or 4:3 format for printing.
• Copy: serves to copy images or movies from the internal memory of the camera to a memory card or vice versa.
• Format: formats the memory card or the internal memory.

With the Panasonic DMC-FZ18, both the battery and the memory card are housed in compartments located under the camera and covered by a single, solid, latching door. The battery is a Panasonic Lithium ion battery (CGR-S006A) that is recharged using — in North America — a DE-A43 battery charger that is included with the camera kit. The charger takes approximately 2 hours to recharge a fully depleted battery.

The memory slot of the FZ18 is compatible with SD (Secure Digital), SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) and MMC (MultiMedia) memory cards, but the latter can only be used to record still images (no movies). The DMC-FZ18 is not sold with a memory card — it is optional or can be purchased separately — but provides a 27 MB built-in memory.

The chart below provides the approximate number of images that can be stored with the internal memory, and with optional 2 GB card:

27 MB Internal Memory:

Ratio		4:3					16:9			3:2
Format	Size	8M	5M	3M	2M	0.3M	6M	3.5M	2M	7M	4.5M	2.5
RAW		1	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	2	N/A	N/A	1	N/A	N/A
RAW + JPEG		1	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	1	N/A	N/A	1	N/A	N/A
JPEG		6	10	16	26	130	8	14	25	7	11	18
JPEG		13	21	32	52	210	17	28	48	14	23	36

2 GB SD Card:

Ratio		4:3					16:9			3:2
Format	Size	8M	5M	3M	2M	0.3M	6M	3.5M	2M	7M	2.5M	2.5
RAW		110	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	150	N/A	N/A	125	N/A	N/A
RAW + JPEG		100	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	130	N/A	N/A	110	N/A	N/A
JPEG		490	790	1220	1920	8780	650	1040	1800	550	680	1360
JPEG		970	1530	2360	3610	12290	1270	2040	3410	1070	1310	2560

Movie Recording Time: (h:mm:ss)

There are two external connections on the DMC-FZ18, both located on the lower left side of the camera behind a solid, spring-loaded door.

The upper connection has a dual function, serving for both USB (2.0 Full Speed) and A/V Out (audio/video), either NTSC or PAL as determined in the Setup menu. Both cables, USB and A/V, are supplied with the camera.

The lower connection is for DC-IN, and is intended for use with the optional DMW-AC7PP AC adapter, making it possible to run the camera from household current.