Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5S 5MP Digital Camera with 12x Image Stabilized Optical Zoom (Silver)
- 5.0-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 13 x 17-inch prints
- Amazing 12x optical zoom gets you close to the action without sacrificing image quality
- Super-fast shutter times: .008 seconds to release (not including AF time) and .4 seconds between shots
- Stores images on Secure Digital (SD) cards; 16MB card included
- Powered by a Lithium-Ion battery pack (7.2V, 680 mAh); battery charger included
MD) CL) PAN DMC-FZ5 DIGITAL CAM
Rating: 
(out of 13 reviews)
List Price: $ 449.99
Price: $ 299.95
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Review by William Balsam for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5S 5MP Digital Camera with 12x Image Stabilized Optical Zoom (Silver)
Rating:
In the last few months three new extended zoom cameras have appeared on the market – the Canon PowerShot S2, Sony DSC-H1 and Panasonic DMC-FZ5. They are remarkably similar in many of their specifications. All are 5 mp, all are 12 X zoom, all are image stabilized, all have a maximum ISO of 400, all are larger than your average point and shoot digital and all have a list price of about $500. Despite these similarities, there are differences that lead me to decide on the Panasonic.
My first concern with a camera is image quality. Several web site have photos taken of identical subjects that allows the user to compare image quality. It was difficult to decide which camera produced the best images after downloading and printing pictures from the three cameras. The images are all so similar that the differences could have resulted from time of day, lighting conditions, temperature (increases sensor noise), etc. Comments from the pro’s who reviewed these cameras indicates some differences. All the cameras have noise problems at higher ISO’s, especially at 400 and perhaps at 200 for the Canon. The Sony may have slightly better noise control but chromatic aberration or purple fringing was a problem. So in terms of image quality, none of them is perfect, but all are very good. If you constantly shoot at low light levels the Sony may be the best choice as it is the only one of the three that has moderate noise levels at ISO 400.
Batteries are another major concern. Both the Canon and Sony use AA batteries which are widely available anywhere in the world, inexpensive and can be bought as rechargeable NiMH AA batteries. The Canon uses 4 AA’s and gets ~500 shots per set of NIMH whereas the Sony uses 2 AA’s and gets ~250 shots per set of NiMH. The Panasonic uses a proprietary Li ion battery and gets about 240 shots per charge. Although rechargeable NiMH AA’s have the advantage of being inexpensive and widely available, they also have some disadvantages. Their charge decreases with time, reportedly about 1% of their charge per day. NiMH batteries also tend to have poor performance in cold weather and are subject to a “memory effect”. Li ion batteries, on the other hand, have a number of advantages. They are lighter in weight, retain a significant amount of their charge when being stored, have reasonable cold weather performance, virtually no memory effect and are relatively small. From the point of view of batteries, I would down rate the Canon because it forces one to carry a set of 4 AA’s as a backup as opposed to a small Li ion battery (Panasonic) or just 2 AA’s (Sony). But, these are matters of personal preferences.
In terms of size and weight there are differences. The Panasonic is smaller (although none of these cameras is small) and weighs about 1/3 less than the Canon or Sony (with batteries installed). So if size and weight are important consider the Panasonic.
There are also major differences in movies. The Panasonic only has a low quality (320 x 240) mode for movies whereas both the Canon and Sony have a higher quality (640 x 480) movie mode. Having never used the movie mode in previous digital cameras I’ve owned, this was not a major consideration for me.
Based primarily on size and weight I bought the Panasonic DMC-FZ5 which can be found on the net for about $375. I’ve taken over 300 pictures with it and I am generally pleased with the performance. The focus is quick and accurate (the Canon is reported to hunt a bit) and image quality is very good, better than my 5 mp Sony DSCP-92. On one close-up of a bee in a flower the hairs on the bee’s legs and pollen grains covering its face were sharp and clear. The image stabilization (anti-shake) works well, but has its limits. Those limits are clearly seen at low light levels and at maximum telephoto. If you are moderately steady, clear images can be obtained at about 1/30 of a second or even a little less, assuming the lens hasn’t been zoomed too far and the subject isn’t moving. As the zoom increases higher and higher shutter speeds are required to get clear images and the camera provides appropriate warning when shake could be a problem. In moderate sunlight and holding the camera in your hand it is possible to get good images zoomed to 12X (432 mm lens equivalent for a 35 mm camera). Without image stabilization this would be impossible without a tripod.
I was concerned about the digital viewfinder on this camera (as on all extended zoom cameras). Some users have reported trouble seeing clearly with these viewfinders and following moving objects. I actually like the digital viewfinder. Not only does it seem to work instantly, but when the sun is bright and it is difficult to see the LCD screen on the back of the camera, you can change menu settings looking into the viewfinder. The menus are clear, logically arranged and easy to use. There are many choices, but few surprises. I was. however, disappointed with two things. First, the 15 mb TIFF images didn’t seem to be of any higher quality than the ~2.5 mb fine jpg’s. Second, the camera does not automatically shift to ISO 400 to permit shooting at higher speeds at low light levels. This is not unique to Panasonic; I am not aware of any recent digital camera that will automatically shift to a high ISO, presumably to protect the user from noisy images. Personally, I would rather have noisy images than blurry images from shooting at too low a shutter speed. In general the Program setting works well both outside and indoors. The manual mode is extremely easy to use; it reminds me of an old 35 mm SLR. Put it in manual, press the exposure button and use the jog wheel to adjust f stop (up and down) and shutter speed (right and left). Press the shutter button half way and a scale appears showing the correct exposure and you can watch the indicator change as you change speed and f stop. The only thing that can’t be operated manually is focus and the camera does a good job of that.
The reason to buy this camera is the lens, and it doesn’t disappoint. The 12X Leica lens is great. But with this camera and I suspect with all 12X zoom cameras, the extended zoom is both a benefit and a curse. The benefit is the ability to zoom in close on subjects and the curse is shake. Because of shake problems when the lens is extended one has to be constantly aware of the shutter speed and the amount of zoom to get good images at low light levels (this is not a problem with flash). Fortunately, the Manual and Shutter Priority modes allow this to be done with minimal problems. Nevertheless, more thought is required with this camera indoors than with the average point and shoot camera.
My one major concern with this camera is ruggedness. The body is made of high quality plastic and seems fairly sturdy with well designed doors for the ports and battery. Time will tell.
So is the DMC-FZ5 an upgrade from my Sony DSC-P92? Without a doubt this is a better camera. Having said that, if you are looking for a camera that does everything for you; where all you have to do is press a button, neither the Panasonic nor any other extended zoom camera is for you. Stick with a 3X point and shoot model. Would I still buy this camera instead of the Canon or Sony? Yes, because it is smaller and lighter and has comparable image quality.
Review by H. Cunningham for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5S 5MP Digital Camera with 12x Image Stabilized Optical Zoom (Silver)
Rating:
I wanted a camera to take on a wildlife safari. I’m a novice photographer so I was looking for a lightweight camera that was simple, very easy to use and had excellent zoom. I wasn’t ready to spring for an SLR camera and this Panasonic seemed like a great compromise; I bought it because of other reviews.
The camera FAR exceeded my expectations. It is very easy to use and the photo quality is outstanding. I was able to get incredible close up shots (the camera has 12x optical zoom and also has digital zoom so you can take shots which are 48x zoom). The image stabilization works wonderfully.
As a beginner I was very pleased with how intuitive and easy to operate the camera is, and the variety of features it offers. With very minimal time investment (5-10 minutes of familiarizing yourself with the camera) you can take great photos. I quickly found simple mode to be too simple and preferred photo mode, which has auto-focus but allows for a lot more zoom and other options.
The playback features are also excellent. You can view up to 9 images at a time, there’s a multi-delete and an all-delete feature, and you can zoom in on the pictures to focus on a certain area and/or make sure you got the shot you wanted.
The battery life is also excellent. I was taking around 800 photos a day, as well as reviewing and deleting shots, and each battery charge lasted more than one full day. At night I copied the contents of the SD cards onto a Wolverine and then deleted all photos. With two batteries and two SD cards I was able to go 4-5 days without electricity or recharging.
If you don’t want to spend a fortune but you want a camera that offers great zoom and is still light and small, this camera is a great choice. I was also impressed that it stood up to very tough travel conditions – very, very bouncy roads, dust, heat, humidity, etc. It never faltered. It comes with a lens hood which helps in bright conditions, and for about $30 you can buy a clear lens protector as an accessory (which I recommend if you are travelling to a dusty location and planning on lots of photos).
Another perk: you don’t need a converter to charge the battery internationally – just a plug adapter for the country you are going to. It is built to handle voltages both in the US and abroad.
Review by Larry Wagner for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5S 5MP Digital Camera with 12x Image Stabilized Optical Zoom (Silver)
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I am not a great photographer, but I have an eye for great photos. They are hard to take. I have taken over 400 photos with this camera.
Outdoor photos: I took one set of 60 with my 14 year old daughter outside in 3 settings, and came up with a dozen great shots. Reflected light is a bit of a problem. But get your settings right, the camera will deliver. Photos were for head shot type enlargements of 8×10. I will definitely be able to do this. I also messed up a lot of pictures with reflected light from my pool cover. I did not realize it was there in a 4th set a week later. With better light though, I got some incredible shot of kids in the pool, with dead still water motion caught in the images.
Almost all this was in Program Mode, and the smallest autofocus area. Faces were gorgeous.
Indoor photos: As others have mentioned, it can be a problem. We have an old 4 bulb standing candlebra, that had 60 watt bulbs. I got my distances right with some juggling of the chair and tripod distance, and came up with many outstanding photos.
I then replaced the 60 watt bulbs with the same type 75 watt bulbs, and got a variable output switch for more control. What a mistake ! I could not get the yellow right at any, what I thought, light intensity. That was Program Mode, that I thougth I knew how to use.
Then I took pictures of my fair skinned blonde wife in a different room, low light, automatic portrait mode with flash. HUH ???! Great photo !! Went back to the other room, dimmed the lights and forced the flash the same. Great photo, great color !!
I have not tried all the settings. I inadvertently proved indoor light sources vary a lot, and can easily ruin photos that you might blame on the camera. A fellow at work works a 2nd gig nights and weekends doing photography. He still relys on film, since it very true on color, and not so light sensitive. I think I agree with him that a comparably priced film camera is more capable with a skilled photographer. But with the costs of film and develoment to find out how you did add up, and not till days later. With instant review, you keep shooting, make an adjustment, and shoot some more. You get great photos.
With patience, time to learn the camera, and a steady hand, this camera can and will deliver great pictures. Being digital, you save on film and development. Even more just printing those you want, and put the rest on CD or on your computer.
For those folks who don’t like the flash of the FZ5, they need true white bulbs for their house, or have semi-gloss paint that is tinging color in the room, or something other problem the camera is revealing. Years ago I painted my living room in a light beige (California Sand) color semi-gloss. Every picture came out looking sepia-toned from reflected light off the walls and ceiling. That was a different camera, and film.
Back to the FZ5. My nephew took about 60 pictures as if it was in instant camera. Most came out terrible. He did not hold it steady, did not check light sources, did not catch good looks on people. But most cameras can’t fix the issues a user of the camera who does not know what he is doing.
If you can hold a camera steady, wait for a beautiful shot in the viewfinder, or LCD, the camera will capture it. You will also be able to have outstanding enlargements. Oh. I also knocked over the tripod, and the camera hit the concrete pool deck putting slight scrapes near the viewfinder. !@#$%^. Nope, camera still works fine.
I bought the FZ5 for:
12X OPTICAL Zoom for good home distance shots and great portraits NOT standing in someone’s face.
Image Stabilization for help with blurred images.
5 MP for film quality enlargements. Combining this with the zoom works really well.
Very good shutter speed for the price range and feature set.
Very good color accuracy for the price range and feature set.
Trying to stay near $500.
Added plus, a nice little lens hood.
I selected based on cameras of similar features I reviewed on both Amazon.com (somewhat helpful) and http://www.imaging-resource.com (very helpful). The latter includes nearly identical pictures of the same items with each camera and extensive, and identical reviewing standards. Sample lighting seems to vary just a little bit from camera to camera, but the reviewer I’m sure at least used consistent lighting.
I will get a 2nd battery, an A/C Adapter, and a basic set of lens filters. But no external flash. If you want that, the FZ20 should be your pick. Buy with the idea of using it heavily in the trial period. For me, I think the FZ5 is a keeper.
Review by D. E. Soliday for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5S 5MP Digital Camera with 12x Image Stabilized Optical Zoom (Silver)
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I have been very pleased so far with the DMC-FZ5. I have been taking very sharp pictures indoors and outdoors with the Lumix. The LCD is very readable (might not be as easy in full sunlight), and I was able to figure out most menu items without the instructions.
Image stabilization works wonders on this long zoom camera. I took a 12X zoom picture outside in a 25 mph wind, and the result was outstanding. The wind was shaking me all over, but the pic came out as crisp as can be, thanks to the image stabilization.
To Ann I say that the DMC-F5Z may be kind of big by your standards, but I would have to say this Lumix is a very compact camera, even compared to my Canon G2, which is no monster by any stretch.
To Jimmy, I am certainly not a Panasonic employee, but I can’t give this camera a poor review. If 75% of your shots are blurry with the Lumix, then either your camera is defective, or the operator is defective! Is it possible to take a blurry picture with this camera? Yes, but it’s pretty hard, especially with Image Stabilization turned on.
For mid-priced long zoom cameras, the Lumix DMC-FZ5 has to be at or near the top of its class, at least for right now. For those who can wait, you might want to compare this camera to the Canon 2S IS, which is coming in June.
Review by W. R. Miller for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5S 5MP Digital Camera with 12x Image Stabilized Optical Zoom (Silver)
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Okay, maybe I’m not qualified to give it a 5 star rating since this is the first digital camera I’ve owned, but I’ve been very happy with this camera and it’s performance. I’ve been a traditional SLR user for about 10 years, and while this camera doesn’t have the full range of control of an SLR, it seems to be the best for the price if you want some manual controls and a great zoom compared to it’s competitors in the same price range. I’m stopping here, the other reviews already give a lot of detail about the camera.