Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX580

Viewfinder

The Panasonic DMC-FX580 doesn't have a viewfinder, so you'll have to rely on the LCD screen for all your shooting needs.

LCD

Since the camera doesn't come with a viewfinder, it's packed with a large 3-inch LCD display. The screen has a 230,000-pixel resolution and offers three brightness modes—Auto Power, Power, and High-Angle. The LCD also has touchscreen capabilities, which will likely irk and please the equal amount of users.

The large, 3-inch LCD on the Panasonic DMC-FX580

The good thing about Panasonic's touchscreen setup is that most settings can also be controlled using the navigation and selection buttons to the right of the LCD. This means if you absolutely hate touchscreens, you'll be able to utilize most of the DMC-FX580's features without ever laying a finger on the LCD screen. Just to note, however, manual aperture and shutter speed control can only be adjusted using the touchscreen.

Flash

The flash is located above the lens on the front of the camera. It can be set to auto, auto/red-eye, forced flash on, slow sync/red-eye, and forced flash off. The flash is well placed and shouldn't get in the way of your fingers when you hold the camera. An autofocus-assist lamp is also located above the lens.

The flash is on the left and the AF-assist lamp on the right.

Lens

The lens on the DMC-FX580 has a 5x optical zoom and offers extra optical zoom at some of the lower quality settings (6.1x at 8M, 7.8x at 5M, and 9.8x at 3M). This extra optical zoom is achieved at lower quality settings by utilizing the unused pixels to increase the zoom capability of the camera.The lens has an aperture range of f/2.8 - 5.9 and a focal length of 4.4 - 22.0mm.

The lens offers a 5x optical zoom.

Jacks, Ports & Plugs

On the right side of the camera is a cluster of two ports located behind a hinged port cover. Inside are a USB port and a component-output that is compatible with the supplied A/V cable. The hinged cover feels a bit flimsy and doesn't offer the best seal to protect the two ports. On the upside, the cover closes so it is flush with the body of the camera, thus giving the right side a straight, smooth surface.

The component-out and USB ports

Battery

The DMC-FX580 uses a rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack, which is included with the camera along with a battery charger. The battery loads into the bottom of the camera in the same compartment that houses the memory card. According to Panasonic, up to 350 pictures can be taken with a fully-charged battery.

An optional AC adapter can also be purchased separately from Panasonic.

The rechargeable battery loads into the bottom of the camera.

Memory

The Panasonic DMC-FX580 uses SD/SDHC memory cards as well as MultiMediaCards (for still image only). The camera also has a minuscule amount of built-in memory, but it's only good for 6-7 pictures at the highest quality. The memory cards load into the bottom of the camera, just below the battery slot. The hinged door that protects the compartment locks well and provides a decent seal at the bottom of the camera.

The DMC-FX580 works with SD/SDHC memory cards as well as MultiMedia Cards.

Other Features

Touchscreen - Panasonic touts the numerous 'touch' options on the DMC-FX580 as special features. The LCD allows for touch-sensitive control for nearly every facet of the camera, except navigating the main menu system. This opens the door for autofocus/auto exposure touch adjustment, touchscreen face recognition, and touch-operated playback. Read more about these features in the controls section of this review.

E Zoom - On the top of the camera is an E Zoom button, which will automatically put the camera at its maximum optical zoom with one push. Another push brings the camera's zoom even further, but this time it is digital. A third push pulls the zoom all the way back in to wide angle.