Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7
$348 (street)
www.panasonic.com
800-272-7033
It may look like an SLR, but hold the tiny, 12-ounce-and-change Z7 and you know it's not. And it has the fastest lens of these cameras: f/3.3 all the way out at 420mm. Video (a sore point on some earlier Z-series EVFs) is now an industry-standard VGA resolution at 30 fps. But the 2.5-inch LCD and the EVF are both only 114,000 pixels. Pretty gritty!
Smart: Panning mode switches stabilization to single axis, slows shutter speed for streaky action shots.
Fun: Flip animation makes a herky-jerky movie from still frames.
Imaging: 6MP (effective) CCD. Lens: 12X 36-432mm (35mm equivalent) f/2.8-3.3. LCD: Fixed 2.5-in., 114,000 pixels. EVF: 0.33-in., 114,000 pixels. Image stabilization: Lens-based, continuous or shoot only, normal or panning mode. ISO range: 80-1600. Storage: SD/MMC card slot; JPEG and TIFF formats. Output: Hi-Speed USB 2.0; NTSC/PAL video. Power: Proprietary Li-ion rechargeable battery. Size/weight: 2.8x4.4x3.1 in.; 12.6 oz with card and batteries. Video: 640x480 at 30 fps; image stabilization; mono sound. CIPA battery life rating: 340 shots, 50% with flash. In the box: Battery, charger, lenshood and adapter ring, neck strap, 16MB card, AV and USB cables, software (ArcSoft PhotoImpression, Panorama Maker, and PhotoBase). Auxiliary wide and telephoto lenses available.
NEW & NOTEWORTHY
• Well-spaced buttons and dials.
• Beefy Li-ion power supply.
Certified Test Results:
Noise: High/Unacceptable at ISO 80 (3.05), Moderate at ISO 100 (2.93), High/Unacceptable at ISO 200 (3.45) and ISO 400 (4.5)
Color: Excellent. Average Delta E: 8.02. ISO 80, AWB
Resolution: Extremely High at ISO 80 (1603), ISO 100 (1583), and ISO 200 (1541), Very High at ISO 400 (1493)
Lens Distortion: Visible Barrel at 1x (.48%), Imperceptible Pincushion at 5x (.02%), Imperceptible Pincushion at 10X (.07%)
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