|
Value
At a near-$300 price point, the Panasonic Lumix FS20 is certainly not the least expensive camera around. Consumers can find digital cameras for as low as $150 new, including Panasonic’s LS-series and Fuji’s newly-launched budget J-series. At this value, the FS20 has some strong features, including wide shooting and optical image stabilization that is key for reducing blur. At the same price, though, consumers can find more attention-grabbing features such as more color options or the waterproof or shockproof abilities found on Olympus or Pentax cameras.
Who’s this Camera For?
Point and Shooters – Chock-full of automatic modes in a portable body, the Panasonic Lumix FS20 certainly caters to this demographic.
Budget Consumers – Not so much. The $299.95 price tag is on the higher end of pocket cameras. Thrifty shoppers can find cameras for about $150 with budget series cameras.
Gadget Freaks – Techies prefer touch screen, waterproofing, or Wi-Fi capabilities that other, oftentimes more expensive cameras offer. None of those features are present in the Panasonic FS20.
Manual Control Freaks – Not really. Users can’t control aperture or shutter speed, which are key components that advanced point-and-shooters might crave for absolute creative control.
Pros / Serious Amateurs - No way. Professional photographers typically are attracted to SLRs and sometimes compact cameras with manual control to use as backup or vacation cameras.
Comparisons
The Panasonic Lumix FS20 will likely draw comparisons with other point-and-shoots announced at PMA 2008. New similarly-priced cameras include the Olympus Stylus 850 SW ($299.99), Nikon Coolpix S600 ($300), Sony Cyber-shot W170 ($299), and the Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS ($249.99).
|
