Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 aims to be the camera that has it all: a wide 28mm angle for photographing group portraits and architecture as well as the power of a long 18x optical zoom lens. With a lens like that, this 8.1-megapixel Lumix stands at the top of the ultra-zoom market alongside the 18x Olympus SP-560UZ and Fujifilm FinePix S8000fd. The Panasonic FZ18 boasts full manual control and a host of automated modes, RAW and JPEG image capture, and a $399 price tag.

Physical Tour

Front (8.25)
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 is shaped like an SLR, but is more compact. The hand grip is coated with textured rubber that almost feels silky. At the top of the rubber panel is a shallow divot wide enough for the index finger to comfortably wrap around the front of the camera. At the tip of the hand grip, the zoom ring that surrounds the shutter button is visible. To the right of the shutter release and protruding portion of the hand grip is a small Panasonic DMC-FZ18 label.

The 18x optical zoom lens takes up much of the right side. It has a wide threaded barrel that protrudes so far from the actual lens that it looks like it could be detached, but it can’t. It acts as a sort of lens hood. There is also a threaded inner portion of the barrel just in front of the branding around the inner rim: “Leica DC Vario-Elmarit 1:2.8-4.2/ 4.6-82.8 Asph.” Directly above the lens is the pop-up flash that pops up so violently it shakes the camera. Watch your fingers. On the very front of the flash housing is the Lumix logo. The flash pops up from it about 1.5 inches, leaving a deep crater behind that Lumix logo. In the lower right corner of the camera’s front is Leica’s golden “L” logo that graces most Panasonic digital cameras. In the upper right corner of the front is the auto focus assist lamp. Beneath the lamp are three holes for the microphone.

The front of the FZ18 looks very similar to the front of the Panasonic FZ8, although the FZ18 has a beveled edge to the right of the lens whereas the FZ8 leaves it smooth. The beveled edge makes handling a little more comfortable.

Back (8.25)
The back of the FZ18 also looks very similar to the FZ8. Both cameras have a 2.5-inch LCD screen on the left that is on a platform that is raised from the body by a few millimeters. To the right of the LCD is about 1.5 inches of space occupied by the same buttons as the FZ8. To the upper right of the LCD is a tiny joystick. Below it is a round button labeled display/LCD mode. Below this is a navigational control that consists of five separate buttons. There is a central menu/set button surrounded by four elbow noodle-shaped buttons with icons on them that designate their multiple functions. Exposure compensation sits at the top, flash on the right, review on the bottom, and self-timer on the left. To the lower left of this set of controls is another round button for the burst/delete functions.

In the upper right corner of the FZ18’s back is a piece of rubber that looks like a small wave. It is a thumb grip that helps users securely grip the camera. This is a new addition, as the FZ8 had only a few bumps on its plastic body in this space. To the left of the FZ18’s thumb grip is an oval-shaped AF/AE lock button with a round EVF/LCD button to its left. This is different than the FZ8, which has a power switch in this spot. Both models have a built-in speaker directly right of the viewfinder.

The electronic viewfinder is located directly above the center of the LCD screen. Its eyecup is made of plastic and it protrudes from the body about a half-inch. The diopter adjustment dial peeks out from the left side of the viewfinder. To its left is a small button that is used to open the pop-up flash.

Left Side (7.0)
The left side looks identical to the FZ8 with the exception of the lens’ specs of course. The older model has a 12x optical zoom lens and the Panasonic FZ18 has an 18x optical zoom lens, although the cameras are about the same size.

The side of the FZ18’s lens barrel is speckled with specs: “18x Optical Zoom, Mega O.I.S. 28mm wide, 35mm equiv. 28-504.” On the left side of the camera is a chrome eyelet for the supplied neck strap to be attached. Below it is a plastic door that conceals the camera’s two jacks.

Right Side (7.5)
The right side of the camera looks familiar. It is also nearly identical to the FZ8. The only difference is the addition of a thumb grip on the back of the camera that is visible on this side of the FZ18. In front of that thumb grip is a chrome eyelet for the neck strap, and the rubber hand grip surface in front of that.

Top (7.5)
Two chrome neck strap eyelets flank the top of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18, which is oddly shaped. The lens barrel looks enormous when viewed from above. The flash component sits atop it. The viewfinder juts out from the flash component. Directly right of the viewfinder is the round mode dial. It has many more positions than the FZ8 including custom and several scene modes.

To the right of the mode dial is the power switch with separate macro and AF/MF buttons above it. The FZ18 forgoes the image stabilization button that was included on the FZ8’s top; this trendy feature of yesteryear is now in the menu system, as it should be. At the apex of the hand grip is the domed shutter release button with a surrounding zoom ring.

Bottom (7.0)
Nothing exciting here. The bottom of the camera is quite thick. There is a metal tripod socket that is slightly off-center of the lens, which could make it tough to mount. Below the hand grip is a plastic friction grip door that covers the battery and memory card slots.

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