Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX520
Besides the startup time and stylus, it is hard to find fault with the FX520. Image quality has also improved and we really like the features that are incorporated with the touchscreen.
| The good | Stylish design; intuitive 3-inch touchscreen; manual exposure control; 25mm ultra-wide-angle lens; improved image quality. |
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| The bad | Slow startup time; Face Detection didn't recognize faces with spectacles; oddly shaped stylus. |
CNET Editors' Rating
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CNET Editors' rating
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Rating breakdown
Design
The FX520 takes on a minimalist approach for its design. Encased in a sleek brushed-metal chassis, it's easy to pick out the point-and-shoot from the lot of compact cameras that have flooded the scene. It looks silent, pretty much like a good-looking broody actor who doesn't talk much.The camera offers a firm grip and is complemented by a small strip of metal that runs down the right side of the shooter. Even with sweaty palms, the sturdy build of the shooter offers assurance that it won't slip out of our hands.
A stylus comes with this touchscreen device. But if you are thinking a conventional pen-shaped stick, think again. It is a round, flat piece of plastic with a protruding side that acts as the tip of the stylus. We attached it to the other end of the strap as the manual stated and we don't think it looks good when paired with the camera. We hope Panasonic can improvise on this aspect and probably have a slot for a normal stylus instead.
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Tipping the scales at 175g with battery and memory card, this digicam is not a lightweight champion. It is a matter of preference, because some of us prefer the more solid feel that a camera should have.
Features
The biggest selling point of the 10-megapixel FX520 would be its 3-inch touchscreen. Although it is recommended to use the stylus, we find it more convenient to poke with our fingers instead. An AF/AE option at the bottom right triggers the option for us to touch the subject we want the lens to focus on, as well as to optimize the exposure. It will also track and adjust the focus on moving subjects. This AF/AE option worked in all shooting modes, including the 21 scene modes which we will touch on in a bit.)
Unlike Sony's T300, not all the features can be accessed via touchscreen. To sift through the camera's menu, we had to use the four-directional joystick. Switching between shooting modes also required us to press the Mode button, before we could tap the screen for the feature.
In Playback mode, we zoomed in to a designated spot by touching that area, which was a time-saving feature when we needed to check the sharpness of our subject.
Like most touchscreen devices, there is an option to calibrate the display. The shooter prompted us to tap on five small crosses, and for that we used the stylus instead.
What will really please advanced shutterbugs is the extensive shooting modes that Panasonic has included for the FX520. It comes with Program (P), Shutter-priority (S), Aperture-priority (A) and Manual (M) shooting mode. Besides P, in the rest of the mode we moved the slider to select the shutter and/or aperture. In M mode, the minimum shutter speed is 60 seconds, which is sure to please those who are looking to take night sceneries.
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Like its more compact sibling, the Lumix DMC-FX36, the FX520 sports an ultra-wide-angle 25mm lens which, according to Panasonic, gives two times more view than a conventional 35mm lens. The optical zoom is rated at 5x, giving the shooter a total zoom range of 25-125mm.
Panasonic's proprietary Intelligent Auto (iA) mode is now made even more intuitive with the touchscreen. Usually, the iA mode can be easily fooled into selecting the wrong scene settings. But now, we just have to tap the subject on the screen and the camera automatically went into the appropriate scene mode. We tapped a face on the screen and the camera automatically went into Portrait scene mode. This is a good marriage of two features and we think it will assist amateurs to capture better shots.
The 21 scene modes cover a broad range of shooting conditions, but what really tickled us was the Pet and Baby mode. When set, the camera would prompt us to input the baby's or pet's age. Unfortunately we didn't have any babies or dogs in our Labs, but we figured that different age settings would affect the speed at which the camera tracks and follows the subject around.
The point-and-shoot also features 720p HD video recording. We plugged in the camera to an HDTV with a component cable provided with the review set to see how the HD video's quality fared. We recorded a short 10-second clip of moving vehicles and the playback was smooth and detailed. However, do note that the visuals will differ on different televisions.
The shooter comes with 50MB of built-in memory and expansion slot for a SD/SDHC card. If you are looking to shoot more HD clips with this camera, prepare a flash card with bigger capacity as the video files generated are memory-intensive.
Performance
Like the FX36, the dynamic range on the FX520 was quite impressive with Intelligent Exposure activated. When faced with a scene of high contrast, the image captured still rendered a good amount of details in the highlight and shadow regions.Autofocus speed was acceptable, but for those who want their machines faster they can choose the Quick AF mode. The camera will then constantly check the focus on the scene and adjust accordingly for quick snapping. Although we had some issues with the Quick AF on some of Panasonic's previous digicams, the FX520 didn't disappoint. The point-and-shoot was quick to focus when we shifted the lens from a macro subject to scenery.
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Face Detection worked well when we tested it, easily recognizing the faces placed in front of the shooter. However, one exception was that the camera tended not to detect faces wearing spectacles. Although the official word from Panasonic was that it had no problems with the face detection feature, we'll like to state that user's experience may vary in different situations.
At 2.1 seconds, the startup time for the FX520 wasn't the fastest we'd seen. It took a full second for the camera to take the first shot immediately after powering up. In terms of speed, it didn't quite make the mark. If you are looking for a speedy shooter with quick response time, Nikon's S600 might fit the bill better.
The shutter lag for the shooter clocked in at near to 1 second, which we felt was pretty acceptable for a compact camera.
According to Panasonic's specifications sheets, the Lithium-ion battery will give about 280 shots on a full charge. This is 10 less than then FX36, but we attribute it to the touchscreen which saps a bit more power. On this note, the battery life for digicams differs according to usage. If you activate features like the Quick AF, it will drain the battery faster due to the constant software processing and hardware shifting.
Image Quality
We used to have gripes with Panasonic's image quality being slightly softer than we were comfortable with. For the FX520, this issue is rectified and the edges of focused objects are more well-defined. The Venus Engine IV image processing engine probably had a hand in this, and we were certainly more satisfied with the overall quality of the picture.)
As we can tell from the ISO comparison chart, images captured at ISO sensitivity of 800 and below are clean and almost free of noise. Bumping it up to ISO 1,600 will produce images with slight film-like softness, but it shouldn't show up much on a print.
The shooter was accurate in detecting different light sources and automatically adjusting the white balance for the picture. When we shifted the camera from a candlelight source to fluorescent, the point-and-shoot was quick to change the white balance for natural-looking colors.
Conclusion
The FX520 exceeded our expectations in terms of image quality and features. In the field of touchscreen shooters that was previously dominated by Sony, Panasonic has developed a shooter that can appease even the advanced photographers. AtLatest comments
Pros: Manual Controls, Optical Image Stabilizer, Wide-angle, Fits in my pocket,
Cons: Minor noisy images (especially at higher ISO's), cannot use filters
Summary: A complement for my DSLR
My D200 can't follow me everywhere. That's where my FX520 comes in. Small enough to fit in my pocket, it can be quickly whipped out to snap a photo faster than you can remove the lens cap from a DSLR. At long last, a credible P&S with manual controls and a good wide-angle (25mm equivilent) lens. These two features alone set it apart from the endless sea of P&S that aim to capture the consumer market. Add in the OIS which is on almost every Panasonic camera and you have yourself a surefire winner. My only disappointment - Panasonic should have put in a lower megapixel sensor with better picture quality at high ISO's, rather than succumbing to their Marketing Department (why do we need a 10 Megapixel P&S?).
Pros: Easying Menu
Cons: Can't Zoom During Video Recording!!
Summary: Can't Zoom During Video Recording!!
I've just purchased a FX520 for it's great reviews, but it disappointed me to learn that of all the great features a camera could have, it cannot zoom during video recording! The problem is stupid, really stupid! I mean, it zooms during still image shooting, it zooms before video recording, but locks zoom DURING video recording, so one has to pre-set the zooming BEFORE recording, and if I'm filming something that's closing up or moving away from me - well, tough luck friend 'cause your viewfinder ain't going anywhere! I brought it back to the shop and asked to exchange to a different model, only had learned that similar Panasonic models such as FX38 also have the same limitations. I can't understand why such limitation is set? For it¡¦s a very basic function that a user needs when video recording, and can be found on other brands like Sony and Canon.
Pros: Picture Qualities are Good, Easy Maneuvering & Navigation, Good Manual Controls.
Cons: Video's: Can't Zoom while Shooting, exposure are PAR
Summary: Panasomix Lumix DMC FX520
Just got the camera three days ago and i am very impress with the FX520. The iA features provides users with 0 knowledge or experience to operates the camera and yet shoot a good quality images like a pro. It delivers a very good picture quality and easy maneuvering and controls of your camera. The 3" touch screen LCD are very handy not like the Sony DSC T300 where all the controls are on the screen...it's slows down your navigation. After three days of using it...overall i would say it meets my expectation and i was very happy with the buy. Thumb up for Panasonix Lumix DMC FX520, worth buying.
Pros: 5x zoom, focus selection on touch screen display, lots of manual function
Cons: image quality badly reduced above ISO200. Touch screen display is a little useless since it mainly depends on the joystick.
Summary: Good Camrea, could be made better
Fair price for the product. I really like the focus function by touching the LCD display. But LCD menu functions and drop-down selections mainly depends on the joystick. Unlike other Panasonic Cameras, this FX520 has a manual function. Exposure, etc. is highly adjustable. This camera shouldn't be your first choice. Look at other cameras before making your decision to purchase this product.
Pros: Wide Angle, Good iA feature, Good Video capture and good size screen
Cons: Poor picture quality, various noise and insensitive ISO
Summary: Good,BUT...
Camera is absolutely feature rich; Super wide angle shots and good video quality; Nice iA features, ability to touch the subject you want to focus on is awesome. Comparing to Canon IXUS 860IS that my neighbor owns, the picture quality of DMC-FX520 is far far at the loosing side. Unable to capture the accurate lighting, especially under yellow light and blue light is the GREAT DISADVANTAGE for FX520. Picture comes out to be grainy and smudgy, displaying numerous compression artifacts and various noise.
Pros: Compact, 720p recording
Cons: Still picture quality not as expected
Summary: Nothing satisfies everything
I buy a camera for it's photos. If it looks great, it's a bonus. So when I viewed the pictures, I was dissapointed. I would have rated it lower until I realized it's a fact of life that we must live with compromises. My mistake to assume that technology has evolved to the point where a compact today is as good as yesteryear's mid range. Well imagine my surprise when my 2003, Fujifilm S5000 had better picture quality! Forget about the technical specs between the two, I am just concerned with pictures that look good to me. The S5000 gloriously captured the beauty of my daughter since birth. The good thing about the FX520 is that it's compact and the picture quality nears that of the S5000. And the reason I ever glanced it in the first place is the compactness and the 720p video. Giving it a second thought now, it's quite amazing, bordering on miraculous even. And due to it's size the FX520 will definitely be handy most of the time. As the previous camera celebrated the birth of my daughter into my life I am looking forward this new camera will celebrate the birth of my son. But when I'm itching for beautiful pictures, I sure am glad I didn't trade in the bridge camera.
Pros: Touch screen, full manual exposure, good AWB, wide angle, intelligent auto mode
Cons: picture feels grainy beyond ISO800
Summary: The best compact I laid my hand on
Have been playing this splendid toy for past few hours, I've found nothing else but bunches of surprises! The new compact DC from Panasonic have gave me so many 'wow' that none other camera did. Design and Control The new lumix FX520, like the older ones, comes with simple black or grey tone. It comes with metal finished front cover and piano black back cover, with silver metal in the middle. The piano black back cover, although might easily attract finger prints,is not a big problem since most of the area is covered with it's big 3" screen. Though mroe 'squarish' than other older lumix, lack of curves makes it looks more 'professional', and styled for men. On top of the camera, the zoom dial is just in front of shutter button, and a slided power button is just beside. A slide button can prevent accidental trigger in a cramped camera bag, which may result in jammed lens. Other buttons are all on the back beside the large screen, easily acessible and gave good tactile feedback, you wont push the wrong button even in the dark. Feature When I first laid my hand on this camera, I didn't know that it's a touh screen. Just when I wondered how to change different photographic mode, my friend pointed a finger onto the screen, *beep* surprise! Not like other fancy touch screen camera that i've know, touchscreen on FX520 serves fully for practical photography. In photography mode, you can touch the main subject on the screen to focus, and the AFAE mode allows the camera continually focus on the subject. This is especially useful in framing, and for newbies who always mistakenly focus on background instead on subjects. On manual exposure, aperture and shutter speed can also be adjusted on the on-screen scroll. Sad to say, thats all the touch screen can do, other settings like ISO, size, flash, etc, all have to be adjusted only with buttons. FX520 also miss out drawing function, it would be perfect if i can draw moustache on my friend's face. In this new lumix, we no longer find the physical scroll that changes photographic mode, it has been replaced by a single 'mode' button and on screen menu. One of the most important aspect that heavily advertised by panasonic on new lumix line-up is the new 'intelligent auto' function. Previously, I'm not a fan of any camera's auto function. I believe that good pictures are taken by good men that knows the right setting. Bad news is, good men are not always there, good news is, 'intelligent auto' save the day. It provides the right setting at the right environment, recognize the subject automatically as potrait, macro or scenery etc. Anyway, photography is work of creativity, the best way is still learn the basics of it. Performance Auto focus performs fast just as expected, like other previous models. i've even found a quick focus setting in the menu that makes focusing snappier. ISO not like what I've read earlier, I only able to adjust to a maximum of ISO 1600. Lumixes has been critisized for its noisy sensor, FX520 is not an exception. Under normal light condition, pictures still usable until ISO800, in ISO1600 the picture became blurred thanks to the not-so-efficient noise cancelling mechanism. Despite the noise problem, Lumix do compensate it well with its Mega OIS. With mega OIS, longer shutter is possible, I find my self able to take sharp pictures in low light conditions with low ISO. If given me other cameras, the same shutter speed would result in heavily blurred pictures. It's also fun playing with slow shutters, catching moving objects with still backgrounds. Auto white balance performs accurately on most of the environment, excepts that under sometimes under yellow light or blue light, it tends to be adjusted to neutral. Creative photographers might need to manually adjust AWB if they like the colour tone to be real to the actual environment. In short, FX520 is an excellent camera in many ways, some even said that its the best camera they had. If you are looking for quality and ease of use, this is the definite choice. Thanks for my friend who lend me this marvellous camera yesterday. After playing it for last evening, I've decided to show my 2 cents on this baby. Although my experience on DC not as good as on PDAs, hope readers dont find my review biased.
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