Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18

Auto Mode (8.0)
Panasonic made a few changes to its Auto mode. It nixed the Simple mode on the FZ8 and replaced it with an Intelligent Auto mode, a bit ironic because the Simple mode insulted people’s intelligence with its short, brightly colored and monosyllabic menu and tacky heart icon. The new Auto mode incorporates image stabilization, face detection, continuous autofocus, and the intelligent scene selector to properly expose images. For the most part, it works. Images taken in different types of light all turned out well.

The menu is shortened in the Auto mode to include aspect ratio, picture size, stabilizer, and color effect options only. The flash and self-timer options on the multi-selector function on a limited basis (auto for the flash and only a 10-second self-timer is available). The exposure compensation’s +/- 2 range is simplified to an all-purpose "backlight" instead. Many of the buttons don’t work: the macro and manual focus aren’t available, for instance.

Movie Mode (7.75)
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 has a great Movie mode that shoots standard and widescreen videos in Motion JPEG format. The Movie mode has its own position on the mode dial and is as easy to use as the Auto mode.

Movies can be recorded at resolutions of 848 x 480, 640 x 480, and 320 x 240 pixels with frame rates of 30 and 10 fps available. The Recording menu is nicely populated with more options that enhance the image quality of the videos: white balance, white balance adjust, aspect ratio, picture mode (frame rate), metering, AF mode, stabilizer, continuous AF, AF assist, digital zoom, color effect, and conversion lens options are available.

The 18x optical zoom lens unfortunately locks up when movies are being recorded. Digital zoom is still an option, but that’s never a very good option as it simply enlarges pixels and makes subjects look jagged and odd. The nonfunctional optical zoom was an issue on the Panasonic FZ8 too. Few ultra-zooms are like this.

The Sony H7 and H9 have full access to their 15x lenses in the Movie mode, and the Canon S5’s 12x lens is fully functional while recording movies too. The Olympus SP-560UZ is somewhere in between; it locks its zoom when the audio is turned on, but allows the zoom to work in silent films.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18’s audio in the Movie mode isn’t very good. It sounds garbled and distant even when the speaker is only eight feet away.

There are some limitations to the Movie mode in terms of what media it can record to. When recording to the internal memory, it can only shoot at its smallest 320 x 240-pixel size. The FZ18 can’t record movies to MMC cards, so if users plan to record lots of movies an SD or SDHC card is recommended.

The Panasonic FZ18’s Movie mode tested very well producing great videos in many types of lighting. There are more details in the Testing/Performance section of this review.

The movies can be played back in the camera with VCR-like control to fast forward and rewind. There is, however, no in-camera editing. They can also be played back on computers with QuickTime, which is included on the CD-ROM.

In the end, the Panasonic FZ18 has an excellent movie mode. It has great exposure and can operate even in low light. Its resolution and frame rates are great for making smooth videos, and they can be recorded in widescreen format too. The image stabilization keeps the image from jumping all around. The only drawback to the FZ18’s Movie mode is that its 18x optical zoom lens doesn’t function while recording.

Drive / Burst Mode (5.0)
The Burst mode has a dedicated button to the lower left of the multi-selector. Normal and unlimited Continuous Shooting modes are available. The Normal mode snaps almost three frames per second (a shot every 0.35 seconds) for four shots in a row. This is a decent speed but the length of the burst isn’t impressive at all. For a longer burst, the unlimited mode is available. It is advertised as having a 2 fps speed but in testing it only took a picture every 0.8 seconds. It does, however, continue until the memory card is full. On the subject of memory cards, MMC media have slower operating speeds especially when shooting images continuously.

There is a self-timer available from the left side of the multi-selector that accesses 2 and 10-second options. There is also an interesting triple self-timer that delays for 10 seconds and then takes three shots three seconds apart. When shooting large groups, this ensures capturing a photo with everyone’s eyes open.

Playback Mode (7.0)
The Panasonic FZ18 has a 2.5-inch LCD screen with plenty of room for playing back images, but its resolution isn’t the best on the market. The FZ18 has 207,000 pixels and most other similarly sized LCDs have 230,000 pixels. The FZ18’s screen isn’t as smooth, translating to jagged lines on subjects. It’s tougher to judge focus in these situations.

The Playback mode has a position on the mode dial, although there is a faster "review" mode available from the bottom of the multi-selector. Using this button, pictures can only be scrolled through, magnified, and deleted. This makes it easy to check pictures right after taking them and still return to shooting images quickly.

There are many more options in the Playback mode. Images can be magnified 4, 8, or 16x or displayed as thumbnail pages of 9 or 25 images. Pictures can also be displayed on a calendar. These different views are accessible by pushing the zoom ring around. Scrolling through images isn’t a quick process when viewing them individually – there isn’t a rotary dial and holding down one side of the multi-selector or joystick won’t go any farther than one image.

Plenty more options are outlined in the Playback menu.

Deleting images is accomplished by pushing the button to the lower left of the multi-selector; images can be deleted individually, in batches, or all at once. This is a nice feature because it’s quick to scroll through thumbnails and mark them for deletion.

There aren’t that many options for video clips. Movies can be played back, fast forwarded, and rewound, but not edited.

The Panasonic FZ18’s Playback mode is missing red-eye fix and video editing, which many other manufacturers include. Besides those omissions, it has all the fixings for a good photo-viewing experience.

Custom Image Presets (9.25)
This area is much improved from the FZ8. The older model has a decent selection of Scene modes, but the FZ18 expands them and includes a few on the mode dial rather than grouping them all in one "SCN" position like the FZ8 does.

The Panasonic FZ18 has four "advanced scene modes" located on the mode dial. These provide additional specification and lead to better exposed images. Portrait, Scenery, Sports, and Night Portrait each have a sub-menu where users can choose what type of picture they’re planning on taking.

Portrait: normal, soft skin, outdoor, indoor, creative

Scenery: normal, nature, architecture, creative

Sports: normal, outdoor, indoor, creative

Night Portrait: night portrait, night scenery, illuminations, creative

These are quite interesting and seem to work well. The standard Scene modes are crammed into a graphic-filled menu: Portrait, Scenery, Sports, Night Portrait, Food, Party, Candle Light, Sunset, High Sensitivity (3 megapixels), Baby 1, Baby 2, Pet, Pan, Starry, Fireworks, Beach, Snow, and Aerial Photo. The graphics in the menu are highlighted and move slightly when selected. For instance, the Candle Light mode shows flames shooting out of a candle-holder and High Sensitivity shows a ballet dancer pirouetting.

If the display button is pushed, an explanation will appear for the selected mode. For example, Aerial Photo comes with this blurb: "For taking pictures through an airplane window. Please turn off the camera when taking off or landing."

The FZ18 has a healthy selection of Scene modes. The advanced set is a nice feature and is easily accessible too.