Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30 Digital Camera Review

by Patrick Singleton
Published on October 21, 2005

Navigation
Intro	Testing / Performance
Physical Tour	Components
Design / Layout	Modes
Control Options	Image Parameters
Connectivity / Extras	Overall Impressions
Conclusion	Specs / Ratings

Manual Control Options
The Panasonic DMC-FZ30 offers complete manual control – aperture, shutter speed, white balance, focus, and ISO can all be set directly. The FZ30 also offers partially automated exposure modes – aperture priority, shutter priority, and program. These modes control only aperture and shutter speed, while the rest of the controls can be set manually. The camera's exposure compensation control can be set in any mode except the full auto mode, including scene modes.

Focus
Auto Focus (6.0)
The Panasonic DMC-FZ30 autofocus system has nine focusing zones that cover most of the frame. The camera offers five configurations for the zones. In practice, the camera’s autofocus strongly differentiates it from a DSLR, and not in a good way. In full telephoto, the camera often got confused on the subject in the frame and would focus in and out. Also, for some reason the camera would often select a subject near the center of the composition that was not the closest subject. This could potentially pose a problem in many dense shooting situations; however, at that point users could always switch over to the included manual focus option.

Manual Focus (5.0)
The Panasonic DMC-FZ30 can be set so that the center of the frame enlarges while the focusing ring is turned. The feature helps achieve accurate focus, but it's not for action shooting, because it prevents the user from seeing how the shot is framed. Tapping the shutter release switches the display back to full-frame mode. The camera's macro mode is useful, but it works only in the wide angle to short telephoto zoom range. At the 420mm zoom setting, the minimum focus range is 6.5 feet to infinity, in both macro and regular mode.  

Metering (7.5)
The Panasonic DMC-FZ30 has three metering patterns. Intelligent Multiple is Panasonic's take on evaluative metering, which compares several readings of various parts of the frame to set an exposure. The comparison process is designed to detect backlighting and other common lighting problems, and performs well in automated modes. The FZ30 also offers a center-weighted mode, which makes a single measurement that emphasizes the middle of the image, and a spot mode, which measures a very small area in the center of the frame. Center-weighted and Spot patterns are typically useful in manual shooting.

Exposure (8.0)
The Panasonic DMC-FZ30 offers exposure compensation settings for both available-light exposure and flash exposure. Both controls offer two stops of correction above and below the meter reading, in 1/3-stop steps. This range is both average and expected.

White Balance (8.5)
The Panasonic DMC-FZ30 offers four white balance presets: Daylight, Cloudy, Halogen, and Flash, in addition to an Auto setting. Careful users will get better results with the manual white balance function. The FZ30 can store two manual settings, which many users will find convenient. The FZ30 also allows fine-tuning of white balance. Pressing the exposure compensation button a few times brings up a control to shift the white balance warmer or cooler. It's a feature similar to controls on DSLRs, and one that many photographers will surely appreciate.

ISO (7.0)
The Panasonic DMC-FZ30 offers ISO settings of 80, 100, 200, and 400, plus Auto. According to the manual, in Auto mode the ISO ranges from 80 to 200. Competing compact cameras at this price point offer higher ISO settings – 800 and 1600 are not uncommon. The FZ30 has a problem with noise in its images, particularly at higher ISOs, so it may be that the system simply couldn't produce acceptable results at 800 or higher.

Shutter Speed (8.5)
The Panasonic DMC-FZ30's shutter operates at speeds from 1/2000 to 60 seconds. In manual mode, all those values are available. In scene modes, the camera does not attempt exposures longer than 8 seconds, except in “Starry Sky,” which offers 15, 30, and 60-second exposures.

Aperture (8.0)  
The Panasonic DMC-FZ30's lens has a maximum aperture of f/2.8 at the widest setting, which decreases to f/ 3.7 at the telephoto setting. The lens's minimum aperture is f/11.