Panasonic DMC-FZ5

Reviewed April 2005

Characteristics

The Panasonic DMC-FZ5 captures images with a maximum size of 2560 x 1920 pixels using a 1/2.5 inch CCD with 5.36 million pixels of which 5 million are effective. CCD sensitivity starts at 80 ISO but can be increased to 100, 200 or 400 ISO, while an Auto ISO setting allows the camera to vary sensitivity as required between 80 and 200 ISO.

The DMC-FZ5 uses a Leica DC Vario-Elmarit 12X zoom lens that has a focal range of 6 to 72 mm, equivalent to a 36 to 432 mm.

The lens is equipped with Panasonic's MEGA O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) system, which stabilizes the lens' focal point by compensating for the involuntary movements of the photographer which get amplified when the zoom is set to longer focal lengths.

Apertures for the lens start at f2.8 and go to f8 at the wide angle end, and range from f3.3 to f8 at the maximum telephoto setting. Shutter speeds, on the other hand, cover from 8 seconds to 1/2000 second overall, but with some restrictions depending on the shooting mode in use.

A 4X zoom is also included, but it crops the centre of the full frame and interpolates it up to the selected image size, resulting in a lower quality image.

Just as with previous models, Panasonic includes a lens adapter that uses a bayonet mount to attach to the lens barrel and which allows attaching a perfect type (flower-shaped) lens hood, itself designed to minimize lens flare and ghosting.

6 image sizes are possible with the FZ5:

• 2560 x 1920 pixels,
• 2048 x 1536 pixels,
• 1600 x 1200 pixels,
• 1280 x 960 pixels,
• 640 x 480 pixels, and
• 1920 x 1080 pixels, a format called HDTV as it corresponds to the 16:9 aspect ratio of high definition televisions.

Any image size can be saved using the TIFF format which applies no lossy compression to the image. And, at the highest resolution of 2560 x 1920, the camera takes approximately 4 seconds to record a 14MB image. In addition, two JPEG compressions are offered: Fine, which has the highest image quality and which applies the least compression and Standard, which applies a stronger compression to the image, producing a smaller file size.

Settings for the image size and quality are made using the FZ5's menu. The options contained in the menus vary according to the mode in use, but all are available when the camera is set to any of the P/A/S/M modes. The menu is composed of two parts, each identified by a tab at the top. With the Recording menu, the first tab on the right is the access to the recording mode options, and the tab on the left is the access to the Setup option (see the Interface and Software section of the review for a complete list of the options contained in the Setup menu.):

• White Balance serves to select the FZ5's white balance setting: Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Halogen (incandescent), Flash, or White Set, to create and recall a custom white balance setting.

• Sensitivity: Auto (80 to 200 ISO), or 80, 100, 200, or 400 ISO.
• Picture Size: to select the image size (see above).
• Quality: to select the compression Fine or Standard or the TIFF format. A JPEG copy of any TIFF format image is automatically created.
• Audio Recording: On or Off. Allows recording a 5 second sound clip immediately post capture of an image. This option is only available when the JPEG format is used.

• Metering Mode selects the metering pattern:
  • Multiple: calculates the exposure by averaging the readings (default).
  • Centre-weighted: measure the complete frame, but gives more importance to the area at the centre of the frame.
  • Spot: meters only the central part of the image.
• AF Mode:
  • 9-area-focusing: the camera automatically selects focus points using any of 9 points in the frame.
  • 3-area-focusing (high speed): the camera automatically finds focus points from any of 3 side by side AF points which are horizontally located in the middle of the frame.
  • 1-area-focusing (high speed): uses a single area at the centre or the frame.
  • 1-area-focusing (normal speed): as above.
  • Spot (normal speed): focuses on a small area at the centre of the frame.

• Continuous AF: On or Off. Selects whether or not focusing is performed continuously or only when the shutter release is pressed halfway. Continuous AF draws more power.
• AF Trigger: selects whether the autofocus starts when the shutter release is half pressed, or by pressing the Focus button below the 4-direction controller.
• AF Assist Lamp: On or Off. Controls the AF Assist lamp so it can be turned off when it might be useless, or distracting. This option is not available when the camera is set to Scenery, Night Scenery, Panning or Fireworks scene modes.

• Digital Zoom: On or Off, controls the 4X digital zoom. During digital zoom use, the image stabilization may not be effective.
• Colour Effect provides four settings:
  • Cool: accentuates blue tones.
  • Warm: accentuates red tones.
  • Black & White: records a grayscale image.
  • Sepia: records a sepia toned image.
• Picture Adjustment has three settings: Normal, the default, Natural which softens the image sharpness, and Vivid which increases the image sharpness.
• Flip Animation: serves to record an animated sequence up to 20 seconds long and composed of up to 100 pictures captured at either 5 or 10 frames per second.

Set to Motion Image Mode the DMC-FZ5's first menu section is much shorter, offering options limited to White Balance, Motion Rate (10 or 30 frames per second), Metering, AF Mode, Continuous AF, AF Trigger, AF Assist Lamp, Digital Zoom and Colour Effect.

Set to Simple mode, the menu is even shorter, and limited to 4 options:

• Picture Mode serves to select the image size and quality from three options:
  • Enlarge: captures a 2560 x 1920 pixel JPEG image using Fine compression.
  • 4" x 6" (10 x 15cm): captures a 1600 x 1200 pixel image.
  • E-mail: records a 640 x 480 pixel image suitable for e-mailing.
• Auto Review: decides whether or not an image is displayed for 1 second immediately post capture.
• Beep: controls the operational sound made by the camera (off, low, high).
• Clock Set: serves to set the internal clock and calendar of the FZ5.

• Rotate Display: On or Off. When this option is set to On while photos are captured, images captured vertically are played back rotated.
• Rotate: allows rotating an image 90° to the right or left.
• Protect: allows protecting images against an accidental erasure.

• DPOF Print: to select images to be printed by printers or printing services that use DPOF (Digital Print Order Format), or a PictBridge compliant printer (the DMC-FZ5 is PictBridge capable and can be used to print images directly to a compatible printer without the need for a computer). The number of prints to be made can be selected, and the date can be superimposed on the images if desired.
• Slide Show: allows creating a slide show using all the images ont the card, or only those marked with DPOF and deciding their on-screen time (1, 2, 3 or 5 seconds). Sounds associated to an image can be set to play or not.

• Audio Dub: makes it possible to add a 10 second audio clip to a previously recorded JPEG image.
• Resize: serves to resize an existing image, and to either re-save it over the existing image or to save it as a new image.
• Trimming: allows trimming and re-saving an image, or saving the trimmed image as a new photo, as long as it is in JPEG format, does not have an attached sound file, has not been rotated, or has an image size other that HDTV or 640 x 480.
• Format: serves to format the memory card, deleting all the information it contains and preparing it to receive more. (Protected images are deleted as well.)

In North America the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5 is supplied with a 16MB SD (Secure Digital) memory card. The card slot is located underneath the camera, behind a solid door, and the card is ejected by pressing on its edge.

With such a small capacity card, the image storage capacity of the camera is rather limited and a greater capacity card should be considered a necessary addition when purchasing the camera. As a guide, the chart below lists image storage capacities for both the 16MB card included with the camera, and an inexpensive 1GB card:

The DMC-FZ5 is powered by a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery that is housed in a slot next to the memory card. When the compartment door is opened to access the memory card, the battery is held in place by a small spring-loaded latch preventing it from falling out. In North America both the battery and charger are normally included with the camera.

Fully recharging the battery takes approximately 2 hours, and a freshly charged battery should allow the camera to capture approximately 300 photos per charge.

All the external connections of the DMC-FZ5 are tucked away behind a small spring-loaded door on the left flank of the camera. The first connection, at the top, is for the USB (compatible USB 2.0 Full Speed) and for the Audio/ Video (A/V) out, and both cables are supplied with the camera.

A DC-in jack is at the bottom, designed to work with the optional AC-DC adapter (DMW-CAC1) which is intended for use when the camera is connected to a television, or during extended operation.