Panasonic F3 Review (Lumix DMC-F3) 1
While the top end cameras have reach somewhat of an impasse in terms of improving features and lowering costs, the entry level market has started to explode in recent months. Up until a few months ago, a $150 camera had no zoom, very low image quality, and the only extra feature was to add a cheesy frame over a picture. These days, however, a very solid camera can be had for the price. Case and point is the Panasonic Lumix DMC-F3 being reviewed today, which has an MSRP of $130 and comes loaded with features like optical zoom and HD video recording.
Overview
The DMC-F3 is a 12.1 megapixel 4x optical zoom point-and-shoot camera with 720p HD movie recording. It features a 2.7" colour LCD screen which is used to both display pictures and modify settings. The camera uses a proprietary 3.6V 740 mAh Li-ion and is charged using a separate charger that comes with the camera. The camera uses classic SD memory cards, and supports both SDHC and SDXC, which gives it a theoretical capacity of around 64 GB using a SDXC card. In terms of outputs, the camera has a MicroUSB port which is used to transfer pictures onto the computer or provide video out. Unfortunately, it only supports composite video (480i).
The device itself has no optical viewfinder, which allows it to fit in such a compact form at 3.8" x 2.1" x 0.9" (96.5 x 53.3 x 22.9 mm). This means that you can easily carry the camera in your pocket as it is the size of an average wallet, if not shorter. While the camera takes some time to get used in terms of its size, it in no way affects usability after a few days of use.
The lens itself is a 5.0 - 20.0 mm (f/2.8 - f/6.2) wide angle lens. The lens goes from 28 mm - 112 mm in terms of 35 mm equivalency.
The unit we tested was black with chrome accents around the lens and at the top. The build quality was quite good and the plastic used for the case felt very solid and sturdy. In fact, we couldn't find any part of the camera that had any play in terms of fit and finish or abnormal gaps. The buttons have decent feedback, but do feel a little cheap. However, they are raised from the surface, so they can easily be found in the dark. One interesting thing to note is that all switches are fixed position, meaning they don't have a spring to put them back into the original position (such as for the memory card/battery compartment). While this may seem like an inconvenience at first, it bides well for durability, as these parts are usually the first to go when it comes to long term use. Likewise, the on/off switch is actually the same type of switch, which is a departure from the classic button (a good one at that).
While the chrome at the top was a bit of a fingerprint magnet, the rest of the case was not. The screen itself, as most glossy screens are today, was also a fingerprint magnet. However, this was only visible when the camera was off.
Box Contents
The following contents are in the box:
- The camera
- CD with software and drivers
- Composite video cable
- USB cable
- Camera strap
- Various warranty papers and quick start guides
Screen
Moving onto the screen, which is quite good for an entry level camera. It has 230,000 pixels and has decent colour reproduction. While the resolution of the screen is a bit low, it does the job and is more than adequate when it comes to taking pictures or reviewing them. In fact, it is probably at the top when it comes to this segment. It does not exhibit any lag at all when in preview mode, and the menus are animated and very responsive.Features and Controls
Beside the various scene modes, you can manually adjust settings like ISO (80 - 1600), white balance, auto focus mode (grid, single point, or face), colour mode (vivid, sepia, and cool among many), digital image stabilizer, AF assist lamp, and red eye removal. The camera also features a travel clock, which allows you to adjust time zones to an area that you are visiting without having to change the clock. You can also change the font size as well.
One of the more innovative features that is present on the camera is the various LCD screen settings. While they may seem trivial at first, they are very useful and innovative for a camera in this segment. The first is the LCD screen dims and brightens depending on how much light is seen through the lens. This saves you the hassle of having to adjust the brightness when you go outside on a sunny day, or to avoid being blinded by taking a photo during a dinner at a dimly lit restaurant. The other feature is a high angle/contrast mode for the screen when you are taking pictures close to a 90 degree angle when the screen is traditionally washed out. Once in this mode, the image is quite visible compared to when the option is off, allowing you to take pictures in tight places without having to blindly press the shutter in hopes of getting the right picture.
In terms of image/video playback, this camera is loaded with a number of features. It can generate a slideshow with music; which is quite impressive as it pans, fades, and generates various other effects during the show. All this is done without any noticeable lag time. It can also generate a calendar view, which allows you to review your pictures by date.
When it comes to taking pictures or shooting video, it performs like any other camera. The shutter button is right above the zoom ring, which makes it very easily to take pictures of a moving subject. Thankfully, this camera does not have the two "W/T" buttons seen on many entry level cameras, which make it hard to zoom or get to the right zoom level. The zoom ring on the camera is very precise and is much more usable than the W/T setup. Unfortunately, you cannot zoom while recording a video.
As with most cameras these days, it also features face detection and macro mode. The macro mode is a bit disappointing, however, as it only works at 0.2m (8") at the lowest zoom. Unfortunately, since the lowest zoom is very wide angle, it doesn't lend itself to shooting anything close up. However, the wide angle lens is fantastic for photos in crowded spaces, and allows you to easily get those group photos at the office.
The Software included on a CD is PHOTOfunSTUDIO which we did not get a chance to review.
Battery Life and Image Quality
In terms of image quality, the camera provided clear and crisp images of almost any daytime outdoor object. The images produced had fair to good details and accurate colours, but lacked the sharpness and fine details that a higher end camera would capture. A comparison of a low end SLR and high end point and shoot are provided below:
A sample to a full sized picture is available here. The picture was taken using full auto mode on a sunny day.
When it comes to video quality, the 720p HD video is simply stunning for a low end camera. There is no noticeable distortion when moving the camera around rapidly and picture quality is quite good even when paused on a single frame. It is close to the equivilent of shooting a picture with the camera at that resolution with noticeably higher noise and sharpness. However, it is still quite good. The movie format is Quicktime MJPEG, which produces rather large files. However, the file size is worth the quality. Sound, on the other hand, is simply mono sound. While the quality of the audio is decent, the lack of stereo is very noticeable on the recordings.
Value and Conclusion
For the price tag of $130, the DMC-F3 is well worth the money. As well as being one of the few models in that price range with 4x optical zoom, it also offers a lot more in terms of features and value. You therefore get a $200 camera in terms of features and quality for the price.
Value: 9/10
Features: 8.5/10
Image/Video Quality: 7/10
Ergonomics and ease of use: 9/10
Overall: 9/10
We were quite impressed with the cameras price, features, and overall look and feel. We therefore decided to give this camera the "Top Value" award.
Panasonic F3 Review (Lumix DMC-F3) 2
Panasonic has introduced a new entry-level digital camera, the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-F3, which has been designed with simplicity in mind. The 12.1-megapixel Panasonic F3 is a small camera featuring a 4x optical zoom that starts at 28mm (eq.), and shoots 720p HD video at 30fps in addition to WVGA (848 x 480) and normal VGA (640 x 480). Its Auto Scene Mode includes three shooting-assist functions, Intelligent ISO Control, Face Detection and Intelligent Scene Selector. Also, the Panasonic F3 has an auto power LCD function which detects light conditions and automatically boosts the LCD backlighting by a maximum of 40% when shooting outdoors to secure clarity and visibility of the screen. In addition to supporting conventional SD/SDHC cards, the LUMIX F3 is compatible with SDXC media, including Panasonic’s newly announced 48GB and 64GB SDXC memory cards. Pricing and availability for the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-F3 will be announced 30 days prior to shipping date.
Panasonic Press Release
PANASONIC’S NEW LUMIX DMC-F3 DIGITAL CAMERA DELIVERS ON STYLE AND CONVENIENCE FOR ENTRY-LEVEL USER
New LUMIX F3 Digital Camera is Compact with 4x Optical Zoom and High Definition Video Recording Capabilities
LAS VEGAS, NV (January 6, 2010) – Panasonic today introduces a new entry-level digital camera, the LUMIX DMC-F3, which has been designed with simplicity in mind, without overlooking the importance of style and performance. The 12.1-Megapixel LUMIX DMC-F3 has an impressive 4x optical zoom, considering its small size, as well as Panasonic’s shooting-assistant, Auto Scene Mode. The LUMIX F3 also records dynamic High Definition video in 1280 x 720p, at a smooth 30 fps, in addition to WVGA (848 x 480) and normal VGA (640 x 480). The LUMIX F3 is equipped with a 28mm wide-angle lens, a high-sensitivity CCD, and an Extra Optical Zoom function which extends zoom power to 7.8x, plus a 2.7” 230,000-dot resolution LCD designed so the user can clearly see it while shooting still photos and videos.
“The Panasonic LUMIX F3 was designed for the casual and frequent user who wants a digital camera that is not only small and stylish in design, but that has sophisticated features to help enrich the photo-taking experience,” said David Briganti, Senior Product Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronic Company. “With extended zoom and Auto Scene Mode, the Panasonic LUMIX F3 can take high-quality photos and videos, while still being easy-to-use and small enough to fit in your pocket.”
Other features include, Auto Scene Mode, which when activated, includes the following three shooting-assist functions:
· Intelligent ISO Control prevents the blurring of a moving subject by optimizing shutter speed and ISO settings to render sharp, clear images. On the LUMIX F3, unwanted red-eyes are digitally corrected and backlight compensation automatically activates.
· Face Detection helps to clearly capture registered faces and focus on faces with the appropriate exposure. This is helpful when trying to focus on one person within a group.
· Intelligent Scene Selector automatically selects one of six scene modes that best suits the shooting situation – Macro, Portrait, Scenery, Night Portrait, Night Scenery.
Additionally, the Panasonic LUMIX F3 also has a Digital Image Stabilizer which helps suppress hand-shake and prevent blurry photos. The Panasonic LUMIX F3 has an auto power LCD function which detects light conditions and automatically boosts the LCD backlighting by a maximum of 40% when shooting outdoors to secure clarity and visibility of the screen. In addition to supporting conventional SD/SDHC Memory Cards, the LUMIX F3 is compatible with SDXC Memory Cards, including Panasonic’s newly announced 48 GB* and 64 GB SDXC Memory Cards – to enable high capacity content storage and fast data transfer speeds. The LUMIX F3 is compatible with Windows 7**.
Pricing and availability for the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-F3 will be announced 30 days prior to shipping date. The Panasonic LUMIX F3 will come in silver and black models.
*GB = 1,073,741,824 bytes. Usable capacity will be less.
** Windows and the Windows logo are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.
Design and specifications are subject to change without notice.
About Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company
Based in Secaucus, N.J., Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company (PCEC), is a Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC) and the hub of Panasonic’s U.S. marketing, sales, service and R&D operations. In its commitment to provide consumers with extensive imaging resources, Panasonic LUMIX established the Digital Photo Academy, a series of nationwide workshops designed to instruct consumers how to optimize the features on their digital cameras and produce high-quality photos. Panasonic is pledged to practice prudent, sustainable use of the earth’s natural resources and protect our environment through the company’s Eco Ideas programs. Company information for journalists is available at http://www.panasonic.com/pressroom.
For more than 20 years, Panasonic has been proud to support the Olympic Movement as an Official Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Audio and Visual Equipment category and, beginning in 2009, in the Digital Imaging category as well. Panasonic has also renewed its partnership with the International Olympic Committee for an additional eight years through the 2016 Summer Games. For more information, visit http://panasonic.net/olympic/.