-
Introduction
-
01.Product Tour
-
02.Color
-
03.Noise
-
04.Resolution
-
05.Video
-
06.Sample Photos
-
07.Playback
-
08.Hardware
-
09.Controls
-
10.Design & Handling
-
11.Canon SD970 Comparison
-
12.Samsung HZ15W Comparison
-
13.Sony T900 Comparison
-
14.Conclusion
-
15.Photo Gallery
-
16.Comments
Resolution
Sharpening is adjustable, and there are many options for size, but sharpness is poor on the default setting.
Resolution (10.02)
The resolution test is divided into three areas: distortion, sharpness and chromatic aberration. While the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FC580 kept distortion low, the poor handling of sharpness and chromatic aberration lead to an overall low score. More on how we test resolution.
Distortion (10.22)
Distortion was the strong suit of the resolution testing for this camera. At 22mm and 13.2mm the distortion was kept very low, 0.7% and 0.3% respectively. However, at wide-angle, 4.4mm, it raised to 1.45% barreling.
While the wide-angle result was a little high, at the other points in the focal range it was low enough to give the Panasonic a decent score in this section.
Sharpness (11.19)
Overall the sharpness was pretty poor. As with most cameras, the center of the lens was the sharpest, which worsened outwards, before improving at the corners. However, the drop from the center to the middle area was significantly greater than what you see with most other cameras. The overall softest results were at 22mm, and the sharpest at 13.2mm.
Chromatic Aberration (6.77)
The chromatic aberration was very similar in performance to the sharpness result. Best in the center, then worsening outwards, before improving. It had both the best and worse results at 4.4mm, in different areas of the lens.
| Image Sharpness and Chromatic Aberration | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Click blue squares to change sample crops below |
||||||||
|
||||||||
Quality & Size Options (9.50)
Once the aspect ratio is set to 4:3, 3:2 or 16:9, the resolution can be set to a number of sizes. This is a mammoth number of sizes and shapes, and suitable for any situation. JPEG compression can be set to fine or normal quality. The only feature missing is the ability to shoot RAW.
| 4000 x 3000 | 3264 x 2448 | ||
| 2560 x 1920 | 2048 x 1536 | ||
| 1600 x 1200 | 640 x 480 |
Image Stabilization (0.00)
The FX580 image stabilization system produced no noticeable improvement in our testing. This test is based around standard indoor illumination, when you would really need stabilization to help prevent blurry photos.
The chart below shows 100% crops from each of the comparison cameras, showing the improvement shown with stabilization on and off. More on how we test image stabilization.
| Stabilization Comparisons | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Panasonic DMC-FX580 | Canon SD970 IS | Samsung HZ15W | Sony DSC-T900 |
| Stabilization Off | |||
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Stabilization On | |||
 |
 |
 |
 |
Shop for the Panasonic DMC-FX580
Latest News
& Reviews
-
12-Feb-2012
Nikon S4300 First Impressions Review
We’ve put the slim touchscreen Nikon S4300 through its paces at CP+ 2012 in Japan, comparing it to the rest of Nikon’s lineup. Read on to see how we think the sub-$175 S4300 stacks up against the competition. Read More...
-
12-Feb-2012
Sony Cyber-shot TX200V First Impressions Review
Sony took the waterproof elements from the TX10, combined it with the sleek, glossy design of the TX100, and made a brand new Cyber-shot camera—the TX200V—that is one of the most stylish waterproof models we’ve ever seen Read More...
Top Rated Point & Shoots
-
$449.951Panasonic Lumix FZ150
Excellent image quality, speedy performance, and a great design add up to the best superzoom that has ever graced our labs. That distinction seems to change hands every week, but trust us when we say that the FZ150 is a truly great camera. Read full 16-part review
$449.95TypesAny Zoom3,5.13.1x to 5x Zoom5.1,105.1x to 9.9x Zoom10,10x & Larger ZoomAny Megapixels0,8< 8 Megapixels8,108 to 10 Megapixels10,> 10 Megapixels -
$378.992Canon PowerShot SX40 HS
Canon's SX30 got a CMOS makeover that resulted in the SX40 HS, an impressive ultrazoom that captures beautiful shots in almost any scenario. Read full 16-part review
$378.99TypesAny Zoom3,5.13.1x to 5x Zoom5.1,105.1x to 9.9x Zoom10,10x & Larger ZoomAny Megapixels0,8< 8 Megapixels8,108 to 10 Megapixels10,> 10 Megapixels -
$427.953Sony Cyber-shot HX100V
This professionally-geared ultrazoom offers some of the best color accuracy we've ever seen. It's a shame the other scores weren't quite so strong. Read full 16-part review
$427.95TypesUltra-ZoomAny Zoom3,5.13.1x to 5x Zoom5.1,105.1x to 9.9x Zoom10,10x & Larger ZoomAny Megapixels0,8< 8 Megapixels8,108 to 10 Megapixels10,> 10 Megapixels16.8 MP -
$309.004Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ47
Panasonic resists the urge to cram more megapixels and more focal length into their latest ultrazoom. The FZ47 instead focuses on image quality and features, resulting in an incredibly strong camera that we loved shooting with. Read full 16-part review
$309.00TypesAny Zoom3,5.13.1x to 5x Zoom5.1,105.1x to 9.9x Zoom10,10x & Larger ZoomAny Megapixels0,8< 8 Megapixels8,108 to 10 Megapixels10,> 10 Megapixels -
$417.005Canon PowerShot S100
Canon's PowerShot S100 improves on the popular S95 and takes its place at the top of the point-and-shoot food chain. Read full 16-part review
$417.00TypesAny Zoom3,5.13.1x to 5x Zoom5.1,105.1x to 9.9x Zoom10,10x & Larger ZoomAny Megapixels0,8< 8 Megapixels8,108 to 10 Megapixels10,> 10 Megapixels
Features
-
DigitalCameraInfo New Year's Giveaway
Check back every day for the rest of 2011 to see what we’re adding to the grand prize package. It all starts with the Sony NEX-5N and ends with over $4000 in prizes! Read More...
-
DigitalCameraInfo.com 2011 Select Awards
After a year of tireless testing and deliberation, we’ve made our selections for the very best cameras of 2011. Read More...
(add your own)