Product Review: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12 Megapixel Digital Camera with 18x Optical Zoom

This Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 is a prosumer camera with a retail price of $400. This mega-zoom camera is a camera targeted at professionals and hobbyist who frequently take professional shots and demand a lot from their camera. Offering basic features with a few extra perks tossed in, as well a professional design, the DMC-FZ35 from Panasonic might be the camera for you.

Feature

The camera can take videos as well as a still images, though the videos are a max of 720p at 30fps. Videos are recorded at either AVCHD or MOV. Still images are much larger with a resolution of 12 megapixels. ISO ranges from 80 to 6400, making it possible to take quality photos in low-light settings. The lens is a wide-angle that has a range of 27mm to 486mm telephoto zoom; macro focuses to approx. one-half inch. The LCD measures in at 2.7", which is large enough to view most photos.

The modes are standard. The camera has an auto mode that detects the appropriate focus using 11 different points, as well as auto white-balance and exposure.

Image Quality

Image quality is good most of the time, although the occasional shot comes out wonky and subpar. There isn't any noticeable vignettes or blurring around the edges. Contrast is decent and the images are sharp.

Cons

As nice as the Lumix DMC-FZ35 is, it does have some downsides. One of the problems with the camera are small blockish artifacts from the compression used when taking JPEGs. These small pixel-ish blemishes stand out most when displaying the image in prints or posters.

Another problem with the Lumix DMC-FZ35 is a yellow tinge in images taken in dim lighting-this isn't a constant problem, but does happen in certain shooting situations.

Conclusion

Panasonic's Lumix DMC-FZ35 is a good camera for those who need a mega zoom and decent image quality but are constrained by a budget. This camera is cheaper than many comparable cameras by competitors, and has enough basic features to accommodate all types of shots. If you can afford another $50 - $100, however, I recommend upgrading to a better model.