The Panasonic DMC FX35 is a 10 megapixel digital camera with a 4x optical zoom lens. The lens has the widest angle I have tested.
Why Buy the Panasonic DMC FX35?
The wide angle lens will come in handy if you wish to squeeze more width into a photo. For example this could be for a landscape photos or for a group of people. This Panasonic digital camera is also easy to use, small enough to fit into a pocket and looks good too. Picture quality is certainly above average.
Image Quality Panasonic DMC FX35 test shots
Outdoor 1 (Medium Zoom)
We start off with a pleasant, colourful photo. I like the blues of the sky and the darker greens of the trees. There is a small loss of detail as the sun strikes the boats.
Outdoor 2 (No Zoom)
Because of the wide angle lens this was the big interest shot for me. I can see the impact of the lens as soon as I look at the picture. With a normal lens the bungalow on the left hand side does not always manage to creep into the picture. Here the entire building comes into view. Taking into account the wide angle lens focusing is good. There is a loss of light in the corners of the photo.
Outdoor 3 (Maximum Zoom)
Once again the DMC FX35 produces a decent effort. Sharpness is good and the colour balance works well too.
Outdoor 4 (Building)
This is my key shot for checking focusing. This Panasonic digital camera handles the test well, especially when you consider this shot was with the zoom lens more or less fully extended. It compares well with shots taken with other cameras.
Outdoor Portrait
Using the white balance setting of shady adds plenty of colour to the shot. I like this shot. It has a warm feel to in and the camera focuses well.
Indoor Portrait with Flash
The DMC FX35 manages to include plenty of detail in the shot. Perhaps a little extra light to get into the darker areas of the shot, such as the hair would have made it even better.
Indoor Portrait without Flash
This is a decent effort. If I was being picky I would say I would also like a touch more brightness in the shot too.
Colours
Panasonic cameras produce strong colours. There is plenty of evidence of this in the second outdoor shot. If you like strong colours then you will like the colours this camera produces.
Macro
I am very happy with the macro shot. The DMC FX35 manages to bring out plenty of detail and the picture is sharply focused.
ISO 400 and ISO 1600
This test produces a result in line with most other digital cameras. At ISO 400 noise is evident in the photo, but to an acceptable level. Any higher and picture quality really suffers. To get the best possible results I would suggest selecting the Intelligent ISO setting for taking photos in poor light when flash cannot be used or when trying to freeze action.
Overall
The DMC FX35 passes most of my tests. I have no real issues with picture quality and it out performs most of its rivals.
Shutter Lag
With the flash unit off my times were 0.37 seconds for a single shot and 12.76 seconds for five. With flash on the times were similar. These were 0.42 seconds for a single shot and 13.08 seconds for five. Without flash the times are roughly average. With flash on the times are fast when compared to other, similar cameras.
You can compare this camera to other models by taking a look at the Shutter Lag Comparison Table.
Style: This is a stylish, small compact digital camera. It has a very clean design and is available in black, blue and silver.
Dimensions: 94.7 x 51.9 x 22mm
Weight: 125g
Batteries: Lithium ion. Panasonic supplies both a battery and a charger with the DMC FX35 as standard.
Memory cards: The built in memory is a generous 50mb. This is enough for around 13 photos. The camera is also compatible with SD and SDHC cards.
Click here to save money on SD cards..
Ease of use rating: Very Good. Like all Panasonic digital cameras the DMC FX35 is pretty straightforward. The menu system is clear and easy to read.
Points I like:
Ease of use - wide screen movies - high angle LCD screen - design - picture quality
Where it could improve:
A touch more brightness for my indoor tests
Alternatives
Other good quality pocket cameras include the Canon IXUS 80 IS and Canon IXUS 85 IS.
Verdict:
If I was looking for a pocket sized camera I would certainly consider the Panasonic DMC FX35. When it comes to picture quality it is a good all rounder and the wide angle lens is a big advantage for landscapes and groups of people.
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
| Panasonic DMC FX35 Summary |
| Description: | 10 megapixels and a 4x optical zoom lens |
| Ease of Use: | 8 |
| Features: | 8 |
| Colour: | 8 |
| Macro: | 8 |
| Indoors: | 8 |
| Value for Money: | 8 |
| Style: | 9 |
| Movie Mode: | 9 |
| Image Quality: | 9 |
| Build Quality: | 8 |
| Total: | 83 |
| Verdict: | "This camera ticks most of the right boxes. Picture quality is very good, the camera is stylish and it is also easy to use. The camera also has the widest lens I have tested for a compact camera. It will also slip into a pocket." |
| Review Date: | May 2008 |
| Click for: | Specification Sample Images Features |
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