Overview
The Panasonic DMC LS60 is a simple, easy to operate, entry level digital camera. It has six megapixels and a three times optical zoom lens. With many digital cameras now offering ten megapixels and even more you may think that six megapixels does not sound all the much. In fact this is plenty if you are looking to produce 8 x 11 inch photos. Panasonic have priced the DMC LS60 so that it is one of the cheapest digital cameras from a known brand and I can see this being a very popular model.
The camera includes optical image stabilisation. This is a feature rarely found on a digital camera in this category.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
6
3x
2 inches
93.7 x 62.0 x 29.7mm
135g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
5cm
No
No
AA
SD / SDHC
Image Quality - See Sample Images Below
Taking into account the price tag for the DMC LS60 I was delighted with the set of test photos I was able to produce. They are inline in terms of quality with those produced by much more expensive digital cameras.
Looking at my three outdoor scenic shots focusing is above average in each shot. In fact for an entry level camera I would suggest these photos are superior in terms of sharpness to those taken by most similar models. This is true for each of the test photos.
In the first outdoor shot there is a slight tendency to show blue lines on the boats with a purple ting. Sun glare is handled well and very little detail is lost from any of the photos.
You may notice that outdoor test shots two and three are darker than those taken with the majority of other cameras I have tested. This is partly due to the early time of the day these shots were taken. This was because there was very little bright weather available around the time of my tests. Even so the photos are darker than I would like to see and this suggests that the best outdoor shots are likely to be taken when the light is bright.
I like the colours the DMC LS60 produces. Taking into account my specific test for colour as well as all the other test shots the depth of colour certainly suits my own personal taste. There is just enough life and vividness to the colours without them becoming overbearing.
One of my favourite shots is the outdoor portrait. This shot shows the colours off perfectly. There is a warm glow to the shot that I like. The photo was taken in the shade and I used the shady white balance setting to give a bit of a boost to the shot.
Moving on to the lower light tests I was happy with the quality of the images produced. Despite the conditions both my indoor portrait and photo of beer bottles are well focused and also light enough. There is the smallest suggestion of red eye in the indoor portrait.
The macro test shot could also be a bit brighter. Otherwise I am happy with the levels of sharpness that show up in the shot.
Pushing the ISO levels up causes picture quality to deteriorate in the same way it does with all digital cameras. At ISO 400 picture quality remains acceptable, but after than quality falls away. At the top level of ISO 1250 pictures are only worth taking when there is no other way of getting the shot.
Style
The DMC LS60 is a fairly typical entry level model. It is two large to fit into a pocket, but has a small grip on the front to help hold it steady.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
0.37 seconds
13.82 seconds
0.39 seconds
15.18 seconds
Ease of Use
Menus are quite straightforward and the buttons and dials do not take long to master. A larger LCD screen would help to read the menu.
Points I Like
Ease of use - indoor photos - value for money - image stabilisation - wide screen movies
Where it Could Improve
Small LCD screen - best in bright light
Verdict
In this price bracket the Panasonic DMC LS60 is more or less as good as you are likely to find. I could find no major faults with the picture quality and the camera was able to perform well indoors when within the range of the flash unit. There are not a lot of really good cameras around for under £100, so this one is worth very close inspection. Recommended.
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
Top Rated Cameras in this Category
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Read Review: Panasonic DMC FS18 Review
Canon Powershot A1200 Rating 84/100
The Canon Powershot A1200 is a straightforward, inexpensive digital camera. It takes a very good snapshot and offers fantastic value for money. It is one of the few digital cameras to offer a viewfinder. It has 12 megapixels and a 4x optical zoom lens.
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Panasonic DMC S3 Rating 84/100
The Panasonic Lumix DMC S3 is an excellent value for money pocket camera. It is very hard to beat when compared alongside its direct rivals. Picture quality and features have an edge over many of its competitors while the rapid response times are also a big plus point. If you are looking for a cheaper compact digital camera then you can’t go far wrong with the Lumix DMC S3.
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Related Pages
Panasonic DMC LS60 Review Panasonic DMC LS60 Specification Panasonic DMC LS60 Sample Images Panasonic DMC LS60 Features
Review Date
June 2007
