The Panasonic DMC-FZ5
is a mid-range camera that has been the source of much interest
since it was announced, as it is one of the few cameras that
have an image stabilized 12X zoom, and a 5 megapixel resolution.
As it was with the FZ3, the FZ5's zoom control also serves
to view thumbnails (9 per screen) when pushed towards the
W
side, and to zoom into an image under review (up to 16X) when
pulled to the T
side.
Two small buttons are positioned directly behind the zoom
control and shutter. The first of these is new:
This button serves to the
select the Optical Stabilizer mode. Pressing the button
displays a short menu on the LCD monitor or on the EVF:
Off: turns off any optical stabilization,
and should be used when the camera is mounted on a
tripod.
Mode1: applies stabilization continuously,
stabilizing both the viewfinder/monitor image, and
the captured image.
Mode2: stabilizes the image only at the moment
of capture, which consumes less power, and normally
produces the best results.
Controls the Burst Mode:
Burst L captures JPEG format images at 3
frames per second at the highest resolution and
least compression for up to 4 images.
Burst H captures 2 frames per second at the highest
resolution and least compression for up to 4 images.
Unlimited captures 2 frames per second
at the highest resolution and least compression
as long as there is space on the memory card.
The Mode Dial is positioned
between these two buttons, and the pop-up flash. The Dial
provides 9 positions:
Normal Mode: shutter speed and aperture are automatically
selected by the camera, but the user has control over
all other photo parameters.
Aperture Priority:
gives control over the depth of field in the image by
controlling the camera's aperture, which ranges from f2.8
through to f8, while the FZ5 matches it to a shutter speed.
Shutter Priority: allows
the user to control the shutter speed from 8 seconds to
1/2000 second at f8, while the camera selects the aperture.
Manual Mode: offers
complete control over both the aperture and the shutter
speed.
Macro Mode: allows
the lens to photograph subjects as close as 5cm (1.95
in.) when the zoom is set to the wide angle end.
Motion Image Mode:
captures video with a 320 x 240 frame size with sound,
at either 10 or 30 frames per second. Focus, zoom, white
balance, and aperture are locked at the first frame. Recordings
last as long as there is space on the memory card.
Provides access to all
9 Scene programs available with the DMC-FZ5.
The selection of the specific Scene program to use is
made through a menu which is automatically displayed
and which offers instructions as to the use of the program:
Portrait: uses
a wide aperture to soften the background while maintaining
the subject in sharp focus. The blurred background
effect is more noticeable if the lens is at a telephoto
setting. Sensitivity is set to Auto (between 80
and 200 ISO).
Sports: gives
preference to a fast shutter speed to capture movement.
Sensitivity is set to Auto (between 80 and 200 ISO).
Scenery: sets
the focus to operate from 5m (16.4 ft) to infinity.
The AF assist lamp is disabled, the flash is forced
Off, and sensitivity is set to Auto (between 80
and 200 ISO).
Night Scenery:
uses a slow shutter speed and the use of a tripod
is necessary. The flash is forced Off and the AF
assist lamp is disabled. Sensitivity is
set to Auto (between 80 and 200 ISO).
Night Portrait:
requires the flash to be opened as it uses both
a slow shutter speed to capture the background,
and the flash in slow sync with red-eye reduction
to capture the foreground. Sensitivity is set to
Auto (between 80 and 200 ISO).
Panning: allows
tracking a subject with a slow shutter speed (maximum
1/100 sec.) which will cause the background to
blur. In this mode the stabilizer only compensates
for vertical jitter, sensitivity is set to 80
ISO, and the AF Assist Lamp is deactivated.
Fireworks: allows
the DMC-FZ5 to focus from 5 m (16.4 ft) to infinity,
sets sensitivity to Auto and turns off both the
AF Assist Lamp and the flash.
Party: allows
only 2 flash modes: Forced On with red-eye reduction
or Slow sync with red-eye reduction. Sensitivity
is set to Auto.
Snow: adjusts
both the exposure compensation and white balance
to ensure that snow is imaged as white and not gray.
Sensitivity is set to Auto (80 to 200 ISO).
SimpleMode:
as implied by the name, this is the easiest shooting mode
as the camera takes care of everything.
starts the Playback
mode.
The DMC-FZ5 is equipped with
both a 1.8 inch, 130,000 pixel LCD monitor, and a 114,000
pixel electronic viewfinder (EVF) that shows 100% of the frame.
In addition, a small dial on the left of the exit pupil provides
a diopter correction.
As always, the EVF makes it possible to see the menus, and
make setting changes, or even play back images without having
to use the LCD monitor.
Four buttons and the Power Switch are aligned on the right
of the viewfinder.
The first, on top, serves to pop
open the built-in flash. Below, the button on the left labelled
EVF/LCD is to switch back and forth between the LCD
monitor and the electronic viewfinder.
The next button is labelled DISPLAY and controls the
information superimposed on the viewfinder, or the monitor's
image (note that this button has no effect when the camera
is set to Simple
mode):
The default display shows the capture mode, resolution
and image size, the frame counter, and the aperture and
shutter speed when the release is pressed halfway.
Pressing the button once adds a real-time histogram which
is a graphical representation of the brightness of the image.
A second press of the DISPLAY button shows the
image in the upper left side of the display and places the
camera settings on a black background to the right and below
the screen.
Pressing the button a third time replaces all the superimposed
information by a composition grid and the AF brackets.
While a fourth and last press of the button removes the
composition grid leaving only the AF brackets.
In Playback mode the DISPLAY button calls up the histogram
for the image under review, and reveals its shooting parameters.
The EXPOSURE button is next and it serves to select
exposure parameters — aperture or shutter speed or both
when the camera is set to the Manual mode — along with
the 4-direction control.
Last is the aforementioned Power Switch for the FZ5, which
displays a small green LED light when the camera is on.
To the right of the LCD monitor,
the top button, MENU, calls up either the Recording
mode menus, or the Playback menu depending on the setting
of the Mode Dial. (See the Characteristics section
of the review for more information on the various menus).
In addition, the button also serves to change Scene modes
when the Mode Dial is set to the SCN position.
Below, the 4-direction control provides additional
functions beyond its basic use as a means to navigate the
menus, and review images in Playback:
The up arrow controls
4 different functions:
Exposure
Compensation over ±2EV in increments
of 1/3 EV (the only function available with the Simple
Mode).
Bracketing
which captures 3 images, bracketing the as-metered
image with one that is underexposed and one which
is overexposed by 1/3 EV increments, over a range
of ±1 EV.
And, when the white balance is set to something
other than Auto, it too can be bracketed, capturing
one image with a reddish tint, one using the current
camera setting for white balance, and one image with
a bluish tint.
Fourth and last, the Flash Exposure can also be
compensated over ±2EV in increments of 1/3
EV.
As noted above, when the camera is set to the Simple
mode, the Exposure Compensation button allows the camera
to automatically compensate for backlighting.
The left arrow controls
the Self-timer, offering one of two possible delays:
2 or 10 seconds (10 sec. only with the Simple Mode).
The right arrow controls
the Flash Modes: Auto, Auto with Red-eye Reduction,
Forced On, and Slow Sync with Red-eye Reduction. Forced
off is selected by leaving the flash closed.
While the down arrow
accesses the Instant Review mode which displays
the last captured image for 5 seconds, and allows it to
be magnified up to 8X.
The last external control of the camera is below the 4-direction
control:
In the capture modes and if
previously enabled in the menu, the button serves to to
pre-focus the camera on a subject — useful when
the Panning mode is used — instead of having to
maintain the shutter release at mid-course.
In the Instant Review
mode, or the Playback mode, the button serves to
delete one or more unwanted images.
In comparison to the FZ3, the
Panasonic DMC-FZ5 shows few changes to the previous external
controls with the exception of the welcome addition of a direct
control over the stabilizer, avoiding the need to go through
the menu.
This is a camera that offers a good ergonomic design, and
has well-placed controls that are easily understood and remembered,
making it one of the simplest cameras to use.
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Introduction
side, and to zoom into an image under review (up to 16X) when
pulled to the T 
side.
