Overview
The Panasonic DMC FZ28 has an 18x optical zoom lens. It is a 10 megapixel digital camera and comes with a number of manual controls.
Why Buy The Panasonic DMC FZ28
The Panasonic DMC FZ28 is a good buy if you take photos where you cannot get in close to the action, such as sports or wildlife. The manual controls give you more control over the way your final photos will look. The lens is flexible enough to also be suitable for sweeping landscape shots as well.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
10
18x
2.7 inches
117.6 x 75.3 x 88.9m
370g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
1cm
Yes
Yes
Lithium-ion Rechargeable
SD/SDHC
Image Quality - See Sample Images Below
Outdoor Scenic Shots in Good Light
Outdoor 1 (Medium Zoom):
This is a good start with a bright, colourful photo. As with other Panasonic digital cameras I am impressed by the way the DMC FZ28 is able to bring out detail and definition in lightly shaded areas. Panasonic cameras seem to be able to do this while avoiding adding noise to these areas.
Overall the photo is sharply focused. As is typical at this time of the year the glare from the sun causes some of the detail on the boats to be lost.
Outdoor 2 (No Zoom):
With the lens zoomed right out this is the softest outdoor photo. I would have liked to have seen the photo that bit sharper, but it is very difficult to produce a lens with this range of focal length and expect pin sharp photos throughout the entire zoom range.
Outdoor 3 (Maximum Zoom):
I am really pleased with this photo. Not only is it very sharp, but it shows the DMC FZ28 is able to control purple fringing much better than most similar cameras. Purple fringing occurs when a light source such as the sun strikes the edges of light coloured objects. Here you can see a small amount of purple fringing on the edges of the windows of the boats and also on some of the metalwork. The levels are so small it is only likely to bother you if you are making super sized prints.
Outdoor 4 (Building):
This is another example showing the focusing capabilities of the camera. I can pick out the individual bricks on the building without a problem. When it comes to sharpness the DMC FZ28 compares very well against other super zoom cameras.
Portraits
Outdoor Portrait:
I am happy with all the portrait photos I took. This outdoor photo is sharp and I like the levels of colour the camera has used in the shot.
Indoor Portrait with Flash:
The DMC FZ28 does a good job of retaining colour in the shot despite using flash. This helps to retain some warmth in the shot that is not always evident when flash is used. The photo is in sharp focus and works well.
Indoor Portrait without Flash:
This shot has a natural look to it. As with many shots taken indoors without flash this one would be better if it was a shade lighter. As you get to know your camera you can try adjusting exposure compensation to add some extra brightness in some lower light situations.
Macro, Colours and Noise
Macro:
The DMC FZ28 can focus from 1cm away from a subject, so you should be able to get right in close for macro work. My test shot is a decent effort without being as pin sharp as some of the best cameras manage.
Colours:
I am impressed with the colours throughout my test shots. They are vivid without being too bold and this helps to produce a pleasant contrast of colours. The photos also use light well and the DMC FZ28 is able to produce bright and vibrant photographs.
ISO 400 and ISO 1600:
At ISO 400 the camera performs above expectations. Even so I would only increase ISO when I really had to in order to get a picture. At ISO 1600 there is plenty of noise, but again the camera does better than many others.
Summary
I am very happy with my test photos. They compare well against other super zoom cameras.
Style
In terms of looks the DMC FZ28 is based along the lines of a small Digital SLR. It is available in black and silver.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
Turn on Time
0.33 seconds
8.12 seconds
0.52 seconds
9.62 seconds
2.69 seconds
Ease of Use
As you would expect from a camera with this number of features it takes time to really get to know the camera. Even so Panasonic is one of the more straightforward brands. When you are first starting you can make use of the fully automatic mode.
Points I Like
Picture quality - advanced features - HD movie mode - length of zoom
Where it Could Improve
Wide angle shot could be sharper
Verdict
If I was looking for a super zoom digital camera the Panasonic DMC FZ28 would be one I would strongly consider. I prefer the overall picture quality to that produced by most other brands. It has plenty of advanced features too.
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
Top Rated Cameras in this Category
Panasonic DMC FZ48 Rating 87/100
The Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ48 is very hard to beat. It is up against some stiff competition, but the combination of features, image quality and pricing makes it the outstanding model in its category. When it comes to picture quality it has few weaknesses and its length of lens means it can cope with more or less any photo opportunity.
Read Review: Panasonic DMC FZ48 Review
Fuji Finepix HS30EXR Rating 86/100
The Fuji Finepix HS30EXR does offer a number of differences to rival Super Zoom or Bridge digital cameras. The main difference is the twisting lens barrel, but there are other handling aspects that make it that bit closer to a Digital SLR experience. In terms of features Fuji have packed in just about everything they can think of. Picture quality compares well against rival cameras and shutter response times are also impressive. This makes this camera a very attractive proposition if you are looking for a fully featured camera with a great deal of zoom power.
Read Review: Fuji Finepix HS30EXR Review
Canon Powershot SX40 HS Rating 85/100
Your decision to buy the Canon Powershot SX40 HS is likely to be based on whether or not you prefer the simplicity and lower price of a digital camera with a fixed lens or whether you prefer the ultimate flexibility of a Digital SLR. If you prefer a camera where one lens covers just about all photo opportunities then the Powershot SX40 HS is hard to beat. There are no real issues with picture quality and it has a set of features that few other models can match. Recommended.
Read Review: Canon Powershot SX40 HS Review
Related Pages
Panasonic DMC FZ28 Review Panasonic DMC FZ28 Specification Panasonic DMC FZ28 Sample Images Panasonic DMC FZ28 Features Panasonic Digital Cameras
Review Date
October 2008
