Overview
The Panasonic Lumix DMC FS10 is aimed at anyone who is looking for a simple camera that is small enough to slip into most pockets and is relatively inexpensive.
Key features include 12 megapixels and a 5x zoom lens. The lens has wide angle capabilities. This is great for landscape style shots or for when you want to squeeze in any wider scene. Panasonic have also set up the Lumix DMC FS10 so that you can opt to decrease the number of megapixels you are shooting at in return for increasing the amount of zoom available. When shooting at less than 3 megapixels a maximum of 9.8x zoom can be used.
br> The Lumix DMC FS10 also shoots High Definition movies. Image stabilisation has been built in to combat camera shake. There is a 2.7 inch LCD screen and in macro mode the camera can focus from 5cm away from its subject.
Picture quality is good for a cheaper snapshot camera. As ever I found one or two niggles, but these are acceptable at this price point. The response times when taking a shot are above average.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
12
5x
2.7 inches
98.4 x 55.2 x 23.4 mm
123g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
5cm
Yes
No
Lithium-ion Rechargeable
SD / SDHC / SDXC
Image Quality - See Sample Images Below
Outdoor Scenic Shots in Good Light
As I have seen with some other cheaper digital cameras the brightest areas of a scene can cause a problem. This is because the camera struggles to capture enough detail from these light areas. With the Lumix DMC FS10 this causes some of the colour to be lost from the sky. Detail is also lost from the boats as well. In addition a slight haze appears in lighter areas of the shot.
Moving on from the first picture quality improves as the sun is at a more forgiving angle. The skies become a lot bluer. When the lens is either zoomed all the way in or all the way out focusing is good. There is just a small loss of sharpness as you move out towards the edges. This is not likely to be noticeable with snapshot sized prints.
Portraits
Panasonic digital cameras excel when it comes to portrait photography. Outdoor portraits have a pleasant, warm glow to them and the Lumix DMC FS10 upholds that tradition. To help with the colours for this shot I selected a white balance setting of shady.
Moving indoors I am happy with my test using flash. There are no problems with focusing, but ideally I would like to have seen more brightness from the flash.
I prefer my shot taken without flash. It has a more natural look and I really like the accuracy of the colours. This is also a much brighter shot than when flash was used. Without flash it also has a softer look.
Macro, Colours and Noise
My macro test shot is about average in terms of quality. It is unlikely that anyone wishing to specialize in close up photography would buy this type of camera, but if you are planning to shoot the occasional close up snapshot then the Lumix DMC FS10 should be able to deliver to a fair standard.
I like the colours this camera produces. There is a little extra punch to the greens and blues when compared to some of the other digital camera brands.
Noise is not really an issue. As I mentioned above I did find a slight haze over some of the brighter areas of my shots. This is unlikely to be a problem unless you are looking to make large prints.
Summary
Taking into account the size and price tag of the Lumix DMC FS10 I think picture quality holds up well. My only real disappointment is the loss colour in the sky in my first test shot.
Style
Although the Lumix DMC FS10 is not ultra compact it will fit into a pocket. The design is fairly simple and runs along the same lines as so many other digital cameras. It is available in black, silver, pink and blue.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
Turn on Time
0.28 seconds
9.6 seconds
0.45 seconds
13.83 seconds
2.21 seconds
Ease of Use
Easy - This is a straightforward digital camera.
Points I Like
Ease of use - High Definition movies - colours - shutter lag times
Where it Could Improve
Highlights blown out in lighter areas of pictures
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
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Related Pages
Panasonic DMC FS10 Review Panasonic DMC FS10 Specification Panasonic DMC FS10 Sample Images Panasonic DMC FS10 Features
Review Date
July 2010
