Digital Trends

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30 October 26th, 2005 | by David Elrich

Conclusion

With a camera that had so much going for it—a great 12x Leica lens, optical image stabilization and 8MP resolution—the Lumix DMC-FZ30 should have rung the bell. It didn't. The price is right too: it costs around $600. By comparison an 8MP D-SLR like the Canon Digital Rebel XT is $800 for the body and an image stabilized 100-400mm zoom would set you back another $1,400! Unfortunately, digital noise is a problem at higher ISOs. Bummer. If tweaking RAW files in PhotoShop CS2 is your style, then this camera is worth a long look. Other shoppers should consider mega zoom cameras from other companies, even though there is no direct competitor.

Pros:

• Terrific zoom range
• Built-in optical image stabilization (2 modes)
• Great feel with zoom and manual focus
• Excellent menus
• High-quality 2-inch LCD screen and EVF

Cons:

• Very noisy above 100 ISO
• No USB Hi-Speed connection
• Supplied software lacks RAW conversion