Here
are a few images that accurately reflect the abilities of any given camera
model. The images are altered only in terms of size and sharpness after
reduction and by the JPEG compression used. Unless otherwise mentioned,
assume that any marbling or artefacts visible in the images are due to
the compression required to display them here. We feel however, that they
still faithfully represent the results we experienced.
STILL
LIFE PHOTO
With
this shot, the camera is set to Program mode, and the flash is set to
Auto. The subject is lit from above by a low wattage incandescent bulb,
and the camera's meter must evaluate the relatively bright items on the
table as well as the dark background.
Set to 50 ISO, a low
sensitivity, the flash manages to provide sufficient illumination so the
LC33 captures a well-lit image. However, a slight overexposure can be
seen in the foreground.
The level of detail the camera captures is good, but the compression tends
to soften the finer details in the image.
Photo
Information
Format:
JPEG
Aperture:
f2.8
Exposure:
Program
Shutter
Speed:
1/60
Res.:
2048
x 1536
Flash:
On
Quality:
Fine
ISO:
50
File
Size:
1.17
MB
Focal
Length:
35
mm (35mm Eq.)
ZOOM
PHOTO
Now
we zoom in on a specific area. The intent is to test the sharpness of
the image at the zoom's maximum setting. The camera remains at the same
distance as with the preceding photo.
Zoomed in the DMC-LC33 produces a very evenly lit image as the zoom concentrates
on a well-lit area.
The compression applied to the image is fairly strong (around 7:1), even
with a complex subject such as this. A few artefacts around the edges
of the letters and in the uniformly coloured areas can be seen.
The
macro mode of the Lumix LC33 is accessed by setting the mode dial to the
Macro position. In Macro mode, the LC33 can achieve focus on a subject
at 10cm (3.9 in) from the lens in wide angle, and 50cm (19.5 in) at the
telephoto setting. At the closest distance to a subject, the LC33 captures
a field of view of approximately 10 cm (3.9 in) when measured in a horizontal
frame.
Excellent
results are possible, but the camera should have the benefit of plenty
of light, falling evenly on the subject, to produce a well exposed image.
BUILDING PHOTO
This
image is our outdoor test. The architecture of the building, in particular
the angled girders, immediately show the presence of jaggies. The shadowed
entrance also often provides real-life information on the quality of the
exposure and reveals any noise that might be present.
Aside from a spot meter, the DMC-LC33 relies on
an averaging metering system that evaluates various points in the frame
to determine exposure. The averaging system is reliable, and as in this
case does a good job of balancing the bright and dark areas in the frame
so that both show detail.
Photo
Information
Format:
JPEG
Aperture:
f8
Exposure:
Program
Shutter
Speed:
1/100
Resolution:
2048
x 1536
Flash:
Off
Quality:
Fine
ISO:
50
File
Size:
1.15
MB
Focal
Length:
35
mm (35mm Eq.)
ZOOM
PHOTO
With the zoom at its
maximum position, and the camera set to 50 ISO, the Lumix LC33 captures
a clean image that has no visible noise in the shadows.
The image shows no distortion, as can be seen by the vertical image elements
near the edges of the frame.
Photo
Information
Format:
JPEG
Aperture:
f4.9
Exposure:
Program
Shutter
Speed:
1/200
Resolution:
2048
x 1536
Flash:
Off
Quality:
Fine
ISO:
50
File
Size:
1.16
MB
Focal
Length:
105
mm (35mm Eq.)
NIGHT
PHOTO
This
camera is capable of long exposures, and an image captured late at night
is presented to give an idea of its capabilities.
Aperture:
2.8; shutter speed: 8 sec, 400 ISO.
Both
the DMC-LC33 and the DMC-LC43 are capable of an 8 second maximum exposure
time when using the Night Scene mode.
Set at 50 ISO, and given a substantially brighter subject than is shown
here, the LC33 will capture a good image. The camera does not have a noise
reduction system however, and higher ISO settings can lead to a fair bit
of noise as can be seen in this image.
At
400 ISO, and when the camera is forced to use its maximum shutter speed,
the exposure clearly shows noise when it is seen at 100%. However, results
at lower ISO settings are quite good and at up to 200 ISO, generally noise
is not a problem.
