Panasonic Lumix FS30 Digital Camera – Black 2.7 inch LCD
Product Description
Compact Digital Camera FS30 – 28mm Wide-angle 8x Optical Zoom LUMIX DC Lens and iA (Intelligent Auto) Mode with Advanced Scene Detection. In iA (Intelligent Auto) Mode, 4 detection functions work automatically and simultaneously to optimize your settings, making it easier than ever to take beautiful photos every time. The DMC-FS30 can record motion pictures in high-definition (1,280 x 720 pixels at 30 fps in Motion JPEG format). The pixel mixed readout method enables bright motion-picture recording even in low-light settings. The DMC-FS30 can also record stunning full-size motion pictures in WVGA (848 x 480 pixels at 30 fps) or standard motion pictures in VGA (640 x 480 pixels at 30 fps) and QVGA (320 x 240 pixels at 30 fps).
- 8x Optical Zoom Lens
- 2.7″ Intelligent LCD Display
- 14.1-megapixel CCD
- HD Movie Recording
- Megapixels: 14.1
I own a Nikon DSLR and use it alot, however I love my compact cameras for portabilty and happy snapping my dog and family etc. I previously owned the panasonic TZ65 and loved it, the 65 developed a fault and I was offered an exchange, I must admit I was a bit hesitant as the fs30 did not look as robust and did not sport the leica lens. On paper the fs30 did appear better having the better resolution and hd video playback on the PC. I took my time and looked at some other similar priced cameras such as the canon ixus 100IS, the canon did not feel as sturdy as the panasonic and did not have the zoom, ( although it did have a direct hdmi connector which was tempting ). Anyway I opted for the panasonic fs30 and was not dissapointed, it is small,light and the metal case just feels alot nicer than many other camera’s in this price range.The video is excellent, only snag being it records in .mov so you will need quicktime to play the movies but it is supplied, you cannot use the zoom in video mode either so set the zoom before you press record, the quality is so good I sold my camcorder!! Photo quality is excellent too and you have a 16:9 option so your pics will fill a widescreen tv or PC monitor without clipping.In 16:9 mode the resolution changes to a healthy 12.5 megapixels and using a 4gb card you will get approx 870 images assuming you take no video. The camera will take bigger SDHC cards. The camera also has a child/pet mode and will record name and age in the photo description. On a full charge I find the battery is good for about 350+ pictures (probably alot more, this is just the max I have done in one day) . The only 3 things that stop me from giving this product 5 stars is the lack of zoom in video mode,the .mov extension (for movie) and the not so intelligent auto. Having used mine for about a month now I get on great with the menu system and sometimes favour the scene settings over the not so intelligent auto. Would I reccomend this camera to a good friend or family member? Yes I would.
Rating: 4 / 5
Enough people I knew had recommended the Panasonic Lumix to me for me to know it was what I wanted but which model?? Based on the £150ish price tag, high mega pixels and optical zoom, I chose the FS30 over the FS33 because I was worried about the touch screen but I couldn’t actually find any reviews. Our previous camera was a 7 year old Sony Cybershot so one of the differences that I have noticed immediately are that you cannot zoom when shooting a movie (might be a problem on sports day!). I heard great things about the iA mode so in the hour since the owning the camera I have been playing around taking pictures with it on and off and it certainly gives a much more natural colour than you get when it is not on. However, it has got a SCN setting which allows you to group your photos – notably Baby 1, Baby 2 and Pet (tough if you have more than 2 kids and 1 dog) so in the absence of my kids I have been snapping the dog and am a bit disappointed that you cannot use Pet and iA simultaneously. Perhaps it is better to use iA and rely on the computer software to group the shots? I am very untechnical and I would say my needs are quite simple so I am a bit disappointed to have unearthed what I consider to be shortcomings in it’s intelligence in such a short space of time. I am sure the quality of the photos will be fine…..Oh and when buying an SD card it needs to be class 6 or above to shoot movies I bought a 16G elsewhere- Amazon groups it with a SanDisk which is only a class 2.
Rating: 4 / 5
I got this fantastic little camera only yesterday and have been nothing but impressed with the features, quality and all round performance. The auto intelligent mode (a small button on the top right) is brilliant for people more unsure what settings are best and allows the camera to take care of everything. There are also enough features, settings and different modes for people more confident and happy to play around with it, and produces some fantastic quality photos.
The colours are sharp and crisp and the zoom is particularly impressive. The image stabilisation works incredibly well, even when fully zoomed in.
Some users with larger hands may struggle slightly to hold and operate this, as it is on the dinky side, but makes it perfect for carrying around. I’m looking forward to taking this travelling with me to create some fantastic photos for future memories. Definitely the best camera I have ever owned!
Rating: 5 / 5
A fantastic product – 8x zoom is great – sleek, compact & stylish. Best digital camera i have had.
Rating: 5 / 5
Panasonic Lumix FS30 Digital Camera – Black (14.1MP, 8x Optical Zoom) 2.7 inch LCD
I bought this as a birthday present for my daughter who is delighted with it. I have seen some of the excellent pics on facebook.
Rating: 4 / 5