Overview
The Panasonic Lumix DMC FS6 is a straightforward point and shoot, pocket camera. It has an attractive, unfussy design. It has 8 megapixels and the 4x optical zoom can be increased to a maximum of 6.4x when shooting at lower resolutions.
Why Buy The Panasonic DMC FS6
Looking at its features, picture quality and build I think the Lumix DMC FS6 offers excellent value for money.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
8
4x
2.5 inches
97 x 54.4 x 21.2 mm
115g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
5cm
No
No
Lithium-ion Rechargeable
SD/SDHC
Image Quality - See Sample Images Below
Outdoor Scenic Shots in Good Light
Outdoor 1 (Medium Zoom):
We are off to a good start. Sharpness is very good for a camera in this price range. There is very little drop off in sharpness towards the edges of the photo. A common problem with this photo is the glare from the sun can cause problems is the lighter areas of the photo, but the Lumix DMC FS6 handles this well. There is a slight purple tinge to the blue lines of the boat, but overall I am happy with the photo.
Outdoor 2 (No Zoom):
The colour of the sky is very vivid. This was the first warm day of spring, but I must admit I cannot recall the sky being quite so blue. Focusing is good again and you should be able to produce decent landscape snapshots.
Outdoor 3 (Maximum Zoom):
Here we have the zoom fully extended. As with the first two test shots sharpness is commendable for what is a relatively inexpensive digital camera.
Outdoor 4 (Building):
My final outdoor shot at distance produces another good result. The brickwork stands out well. Once again there is only minimal fall off in the sharpness of the photo as you reach the edges. When I test digital cameras I always use multi point focusing when it is available for this type of shot. This helps to bring as much of the shot into focus as possible.
Portraits
Outdoor Portrait:
I like the warm feel to the colours in this shot. It is rare for me to come across any serious problems with this shot and you should find most compact digital cameras are able to knock out this sort of shot.
Indoor Portrait with Flash:
The Lumix DMC FS6 controls the amount of flash light very well. There is very little light reflecting back off the face into the lens. The photo is bright enough and the light is even too.
Indoor Portrait without Flash:
This photo suggests that you should be able to produce window light portraits with the camera. The light used is not perfect but the Lumix DMC FS6 is able to show plenty of definition in the shot. Overall the photo is sharper than many cameras manage.
Macro, Colours and Noise
Macro:
This is another good effort when you consider this is not one of the most advanced digital cameras. As long as you are not looking for perfection you should b able to produce decent macro shots.
Colours:
Colours with the Lumix DMC FS6 can be stronger than you find with other brands. Overall the colours are well balanced.
ISO 400 and ISO 1600:
Over time Panasonic digital cameras have had a reputation for being on the noisy side. With this camera I found noise to be controlled relatively well up to and including ISO 400.
Summary
I am impressed by the quality of my test shots. They are certainly on par with a number of more expensive digital cameras I have tested over time.
Style
When it comes to pocket cameras if you have seen one you have seen most of them. Panasonic try to offer a different angle by making the Lumix DMC FS6 available in black, silver, blue, pink and red.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
Turn on Time
0.4 seconds
7.48 seconds
0.55 seconds
10.23 seconds
3.82 seconds
Ease of Use
The menu system is bright and clear. A quick menu is available to speed up access to key features. There is an intelligent auto mode. When you use this setting the camera still makes all the key decisions, but tries to match scenes against those built into its memory banks.
Points I Like
Picture quality - simple design - value for money
Where it Could Improve
Start up times could be a bit faster
Verdict
If I was looking for a small snapshot camera I would happily buy the Panasonic Lumix DMC FS6. It is quite a simple camera, has a good quality feel to it and takes a good snap in most situations.
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
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Related Pages
Panasonic DMC FS6 Review Panasonic DMC FS6 Specification Panasonic DMC FS6 Sample Images Panasonic DMC FS6 Features Panasonic Lumix DMC FS6 vs Olympus FE-5000
Review Date
March 2009
