Overview
The Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ38 is a 12 megapixel digital camera with an 18x optical zoom lens. There are plenty of features to attract the more serious hobby photographer. These include a variety of exposure controls, manual focusing and image stabilisation. Images can be captured in RAW format and an electronic viewfinder is available.
Additional zoom becomes available when shooting at lower resolutions. If you reduce the resolution to 3 megapixels you can access up to 35.2x zoom. This gives the camera a great deal of flexibility. To further increase the flexibility of the camera conversion lenses can also be added to the camera.
Panasonic has built in one of the most advanced movie modes you will find on a current digital camera. Aside from shooting High Definition clips the Lumix DMC FZ38 can record stereo sound. You can also zoom in and out while recording is in progress and set the aperture and shutter speed.
Why Buy The Panasonic DMC FZ38
I like the fast response times and picture quality offered by the camera.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
12
18x
2.7 inches
117.6 x 75.8 x 88.9mm
367g
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):
The first thing that strikes me about the photo is the amount of brightness the Lumix DMC FZ38 has managed to capture. This helps to give the photo a vivid look. The shot is sharp and the camera has also managed to control noise levels well in light shade. An example of this is the name of the front boat.
Outdoor 2 (No Zoom):
I have noticed a tendency with other Panasonic digital cameras to produce a very dark shade of blue in the sky. This can overpower a photo. That does not happen here and the colours take on a much better balance. Considering the fact this shot was taken with a wide angle lens I am very happy with focusing too.
Outdoor 3 (Maximum Zoom):
In my test the Lumix DMC FZ38 outperforms the majority of similar digital cameras when it comes to keeping purple fringing under control. This photo is virtually clear of the problem. This means you should not need to clean up your photos if you are looking to make larger prints. Focusing is also above average.
Outdoor 4 (Building):
Aside from a minor slippage in sharpness towards the edge of this photo and my third outdoor shot the Lumix DMC FZ38 has performed very well when it comes to produce crisp looking photos at distance.
Portraits
Outdoor Portrait:
This is another example of how the camera is able to inject a bit of extra brightness into the photos it takes. This helps to give my portrait shot an extra lift.
Indoor Portrait with Flash:
Here we can see the advantage of a camera where the flash pops up away from the lens. Despite the fact the photo is very well lit there is little or no bounce back from the flash unit into the lens. This means there are no shiny areas on the face giving the photo a much more flattering look.
Indoor Portrait without Flash:
Once again the camera proves it is able to add in extra brightness to a shot. As with my first outdoor shot noise levels are controlled well even though the available light is not perfect.
Macro, Colours and Noise
Macro:
I have noticed that cameras with larger lens units tend to produce better quality macro shots than smaller compacts. This happens here. Once again the Lumix DMC FZ38 is able to produce a shot with plenty of brightness.
Colours:
The colours have a subtler feel to them than smaller Panasonic cameras often manage. I think this helps the way the photos look.
ISO 400 and ISO 1600:
This camera came through my tests for noise well when looking at my indoor portrait and some of the more shady areas of my test shots. However, if you opt to push up the ISO levels you will notice noise in your shots, especially in the darker areas.
Summary
I am very impressed with the picture quality offered by the Lumix DMC FZ38. It compares very well against other super zoom digital cameras.
Style
The Lumix DMC FZ38 feels good in the hand. It has a sturdy feel to it. Shape-wise it looks like a cut down version of a Digital SLR.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
Turn on Time
0.25 seconds
7.47 seconds
0.35 seconds
9.4 seconds
2.45 seconds
Ease of Use
I think Panasonic has set the Lumix DMC FZ38 up well. Buttons on the top and back of the camera give you instant access to key functions. There is also a dedicated movie button. This means you do not have to change shooting modes before you start recording a movie.
Points I Like
Picture quality - advanced features - shutter lag times - -advanced movie mode with stereo sound
Where it Could Improve
Nothing stands out
Verdict
I really like the Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ38. Sometimes you just hit it off with a camera and that seems to be the case here. I am very happy with the pictures I took with it and it stands up very well against other super zoom cameras.
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
Top Rated Cameras in this Category
Panasonic DMC FZ100 Rating 87/100
The Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ100 is an outstanding digital camera. It offers plenty of shooting options for both stills and videos and is one of the most powerful digital cameras you will find. The combination of picture quality and features is very hard to beat. The specification includes 14 megapixels and a 24x zoom lens. Recommended.
Read Review: Panasonic DMC FZ100 Review
Panasonic DMC FZ45 Rating 87/100
The Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ45 has a lot going for it. I thought picture quality compared very well against digital cameras with a similar specification. There is a wide range of features to get to grips with too. In my view this is one of the best super zoom digital cameras and offers good value for money.
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This is a high class digital camera. If you are looking for ultimate zoom power it is very hard to beat. Picture quality is up there with the best and there is a great range of features on offer. I enjoyed using the twisting lens barrel to zoom in and out.
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Related Pages
Panasonic DMC FZ38 Review Panasonic DMC FZ38 Specification Panasonic DMC FZ38 Sample Images Panasonic DMC FZ38 Features Fuji Finepix S200exr vs Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ38 Nikon Coolpix P90 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ38
Review Date
October 2009
