Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5 - Expert Reviews

Award: Editor's Choice!

Review summary: The Panasonic FZ5 has a quality Leica DC Vario-Elmarit 12x optical zoom lens with a maximum aperture of F2.8 at wide-angle and F3.3 at telephoto. Usually you need to use a tripod with such a long telephoto, but thanks to the optical image ...

Review summary: The first time you pick up the FZ5, its lightweight body feels like it's made out of plastic, especially when you compare it with the more robust and similarly featured Sony CyberShot H1 (reviewed

Pros: Fast and powerful zoom lens ; image stabilization and full set of features

Cons: Body feels a bit cheap

Verdict: Image quality is generally good. The lens performs well, with just a touch of barrel distortion at the wide end. Some purple fringing is noticeable in high-contrast areas, but it isn't excessive. Images are sharp, with natural colours. The only major ...

Award: Highly Recommended!

Review summary: Conclusion - Pros Excellent resolution and detail capture - a real improvement on its predecessor Very sharp results (though see below) Good, ...

Pros: Excellent resolution and detail capture - a real improvement on its predecessor, Very sharp results (though see below), Good, natural color, Superb 12x optical zoom, Effective image stabilization, Small and light, but well built, Comprehensive range ...

Cons: Some vignetting and corner softness in macro mode, Images slightly over-sharpened, Manual exposure setting still a bit awkward, No options for converter lenses, No manual focus, Focus at extreme telephoto sometimes hunts, sometimes misses, More noise ...

Verdict: The DMC-FZ5 solves the only two reservations most people had about its predecessor (the DMC-FZ3); fairly low pixel count and slightly sluggish focus (especially at the long end of the zoom).

Pros: 12X zoom ; effective image stabilization ; manual controls ; generally decent image quality ; versatile burst modes

Cons: Clumsy lens-hood design ; low-res movie mode ; coarse, small EVF

Verdict: An SLR alternative with a stabilized 12X zoom lens that both enthusiasts and casual photographers can appreciate.

Review summary: The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5 is a 5 megapixel digital camera with a 12x Leica optical zoom. (36~432mm film equivalent and f2.8~3.3) This lens has a remarkable focal length range and is fast (f3.3) even at its longest extension.

Pros: The Panasonic comes up to operating speed quickly and there doesn't seem to be as much shutter lag as is usual with this type of camera with an electronic viewfinder.

Cons: The viewfinder is a tiny electronic, low resolution affair that is difficult to use in bright sunlight. The shape of the eyepiece holds spectacle wearers slightly away from the surround and light gets into the viewfinder. And it goes without saying ...

Verdict: The Panasonic DMC-FZ5 is up against some stiff competition at the price. The Olympus C770 is a little cheaper, with not quite the zoom range (10x) and a 4mp sensor, but it is more robustly made and is a pleasant camera to use. These are the two ...