Panasonic DMC-FX48

LCD

The DMC-FX48's LCD is a 2.5-inch TFT LCD display with a resolution of 230,000 dots. The LCD screen will perform the duties of viewfinder, and can be set to display gridlines. There is also a power LCD mode that boosts brightness dramatically and auto power LCD mode, which adjusts brightness based on shooting conditions. We didn't see any issues with viewing angle.

 

Although 2.5 inches is a bit on the small side, it looks big on the DMC-FX48.

Flash

The flash is located on the front of the camera, to the left of the lens. The low positioning of the flash means there's a greater risk of red-eye than if the flash was elevated. Fortunately, the camera comes with an automatic red-eye fix tool.
 

The flash position increases the chances of red-eye.

Lens

The DMC-FX48's lens has 5x optical zoom, ranging from 4.4-22mm (equivalent to 25-125mm on a 35mm camera). The aperture range is from f/2.8-5.9, making it a relatively fast lens.

 

The DMC-FX48 has an above-average zoom for a point-and-shoot.

Jacks, Ports & Plugs

The DMC-FX48's ports are located under a spring-loaded panel on its right side. The top port is a DC input for an optional AC adapater and the bottom port is a standard mini USB port, which is used for both computer connection and AV output using supplied cables..
 

Like many small cameras, the DMC-FX48 uses the USB port for both data transfer and AV output..

Battery

The DMC-FX48 uses a rechargeable lithium ion battery (3.6V, 940mAh) that it stows away in a compartment on its base. Depending on which spec sheet you're looking at, the battery life is either 320 or 350 shots.
 

The battery has a clearly marked front and top, which obviates playing a game of 'square peg, round hole' when inserting it into the camera.

Memory

The DMC-FX48 has 40MB of built-in memory and accepts SD/SDHC cards. It will also accept an MMC card, but will only be able to store stills on it. The memory card slot is next to the battery cavity, which is located on the bottom of the camera, under a hatch.