This is one of my favorite low cost camera. This same camera is also sold by Leica for $499. It works perfectly for eBay and website photos and is also a great vacation camera. The image stabalization is fantastic. You can actually shoot shots in normal room light without a tripod.

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Product Description

The DMC-FX30 is a remarkably more slim and super-stylish camera than previous models. The body features a distinctive finish with a different texture to match its cool design and lightweight. The 7.2 Megapixel DMC-FX30 houses a 28mm wide-angle f/2.8 Leica DC lens with seven elements in six groups. The DMC-FX30 is equipped with a bright 3.6x optical zoom lens (equivalent to a 28mm to 100mm zoom on a 35mm film camera) that captures beautiful shots of people or landscapes. Use the Extra Optical Zoom when you want to pull the subject in just a little closer. With this powerful zooming function, you can easily capture and magnify distant subjects. Low Energy Consumption Venus Engine III reduces noise level for crisp, clear images ISO Sensitivity Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1250 (High Sensitivity Mode 3200) White Balance - Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Shade, Halogen and White Set Self-Timer - 2 & 10 seconds Recording Format - JPEG and DPOF corresponding Built-in-Flash - Auto, Auto & Red-eye Reduction, Forced On, Slow Sync & Red-eye Reduction and Forced Off Dimensions - Width 3.74 x Height 2.04 x Depth 0.87 inch (94.9 x 51.9 x 22.0 mm) Weight - 154 grams (0.34 pounds) with Battery and SD Memory Card

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #30464 in Camera & Photo
• Color: Blue
• Brand: Panasonic
• Model: DMC-FX30-A
• Released on: 2007-03-20
• Dimensions: 2.04" h x .87" w x 3.74" l, .29 pounds
• Memory: 27MB
• Display size: 2.5

Features

• 7.2-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 15 x 20-inch prints
• 3.6x image-stabilized optical zoom; 2.5-inch LCD display
• Intelligent ISO Control (I.I.C.) reduces image blur from subject movement and low light
• Records full-size movies in wide-aspect VGA (848 x 480) at 30 frames per second
• Stores images on SD/SDHC/MMC memory cards; 27MB internal memory

Manufacturer Description
The Panasonic DMC-FX30 combines 7.2-megapixel image recording with a superb, newly developed 28mm wide-angle Leica DC lens that features a 3.6x optical zoom(equivalent to 28-100mm on a 35mm film camera) and f/2.8 brightness. Dramatic downsizing by Panasonic makes the FX30 even slimmer and more compact than its predecessor, the FX07, while the Intelligent Image Stabilization system -- which combines Mega O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) with Intelligent ISO Control -- takes blur prevention to new heights. To further enhance usability, the FX30 also includes the new Quick Setting function, which lets you quickly and easily access and set the functions used most often.

Despite its remarkably compact body and slim profile, the stylish FX30 boasts a 28mm wide-angle Leica DC lens that lets you fit more people in a photo when space is tight or capture beautiful portraits of people with sweeping scenery or large structures in the background.

The FX30 also incorporates the Intelligent Image Stabilization system, which comprises two features -- Mega O.I.S. and Intelligent ISO Control -- that together make it easy to capture beautiful photos every time you shoot. Now recognised as a must-have feature for digital cameras, Mega O.I.S. compensates for the effects of hand-shake, making it possible to capture clear, crisp photos indoors, at night, or when taking macro close-ups -- situations in which hand-shake is most likely to be a problem. Even Mega O.I.S., however, cannot suppress the motion blur caused by a subject moving as the photo is being snapped. That's where Intelligent ISO Control comes in. In this system, the camera's Venus Engine III image-processing engine detects whether the subject is moving and, as necessary, raises the ISO setting and shutter speed according to how fast the subject is moving and the light conditions. This happens automatically, so you can shoot without the bother of adjusting settings every time conditions change. Lumix and its powerful Intelligent Image Stabilization system do all the work for you. You enjoy easy, trouble-free shooting in any situation and get the satisfaction that comes with capturing clear, beautiful images.

A carefully redesigned camera body makes the FX30 conveniently slim and even more stylish than previous models. It also boasts an approximately 27MB of built-in memory and accepts large-capacity SDHC memory cards, giving users more flexibility in shooting and recording.

DMC-FX30 Highlights

28mm wide-angle Leica DC lens with f/2.8 brightness in a small, slim body With the DMC-FX30, Panasonic has packaged a newly developed 28mm wide-angle Leica DC Vario-Elmarit lens with f/2.8 brightness and a 3.6x optical zoom, plus a 7.2-megapixel CCD, into a body that is slim, stylish, and conveniently compact. Comprising seven elements in six groups, including five lenses with six aspherical surfaces, this advanced lens unit passes Leica's stringent standards and delivers an exceptional optical performance. Further, in 3-megapixel resolution mode, the Extra Optical Zoom function uses the center part of the CCD to provide additional magnification, extending the zoom power from 3.6x to 5.3x.

Intelligent Image Stabilization: Mega O.I.S. for hand-shake plus Intelligent ISO Control for motion blur Panasonic drew on its cutting-edge lens technology to invent Mega O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer), an optical image stabilization system that prevents blurring from shaky hands -- the leading cause of blurry images. With Mega O.I.S., it is easier than ever to capture clear, sharp, beautiful images when shooting indoor portraits, illuminated night scenes or even the scenery you see from a train window.

While hand-shake is the single biggest cause of blurry images, it is not the only one. Another problem is the motion blur that can occur when a subject moves as the shot is being snapped. Incorporating Panasonic's Intelligent ISO Control, Lumix cameras are the first in the world to fight motion blur by themselves. This system detects whether or not the subject is moving. If it is, the system automatically raises the ISO setting accordingly, allowing the camera to shoot at a higher shutter speed. If the subject is not moving, the camera shoots at a low ISO setting and captures beautiful, natural-looking images. Intelligent ISO Control is included as one of the corrections in certain scene modes used to shoot subjects that are often moving, such as Sports, Baby and the newly added Pet mode. Simply select the mode that best suits the subject, and Intelligent ISO Control provides the optimal corrections, making it easy to capture crisp, clear photos.

With Intelligent Image Stabilization -- Mega O.I.S. to compensate for hand-shake plus Intelligent ISO Control to prevent motion blur -- Panasonic has taken image stabilization a leap forward and equipped the new Lumix DMC-FX30 with the industry's most advanced countermeasures against blurring.

High-quality, high-performance image-processing LSI: The Venus Engine III The DMC-FX30 features the Venus Engine III, Panasonic's advanced image-processing engine that can record at a sensitivity setting as high as ISO 1250 with full resolution. Noise reduction is also greatly improved, with picture noise removed in stages during image processing. First, critical noise is roughly undraped and chromatic noise and luminance noise are separated. The chromatic noise, which has a greater effect on picture quality, is then selectively suppressed to a substantial degree.

With its multi-task image-processing capability, the Venus Engine III also boasts outstanding response time. Shutter release time lag is as short as 0.005 second and the shutter interval is as short as 0.5 sec. This fast response makes it easy to capture sudden, spur-of-the-moment shots. In burst shooting mode, the DMC-FX30 can fire off three shots per second at full resolution. It also allows unlimited consecutive shooting -- you can continue snapping shots until the SDHC/SD memory card is full.

Bright, high-resolution LCD for easier shooting and more enjoyable playback The DMC-FX30 has a large, 2.5-inch LCD with full 207,000-pixel resolution for comfortable viewing both while monitoring shots and playing back the results. The pixel-mixed readout method used by the CCD automatically increases the brightness of the live image on the LCD, making it much easier to shoot in low lighting. Thanks to the Power LCD function, which boosts the LCD backlighting by 40 percent, even shooting outdoors in bright sunshine is no longer a problem. The High Angle mode, which can be accessed quickly and easily via a dedicated button, makes the LCD screen extremely easy to view when the camera is held high, such as to shoot over a crowd.

Record clear, bright, wide-aspect VGA motion images -- ideal for widescreen viewing In addition to recording standard VGA (640 x 480) motion images at 30 frames per second, the DMC-FX30 can record stunning wide-aspect VGA (848 x 480) motion images at 30 frames per second. These 16:9 motion pictures look extremely impressive on a widescreen TV. The pixel-mixed readout method used by the CCD enhances image brightness, so the pictures you see are clear, bright and beautiful.

The DMC-FX30 also offers an exceptional function that lets you select and display thumbnails of nine sequential frames from a motion image. This is useful, as an example, for analyzing the way you swing a golf club or tennis racquet.

Fast, easy auto focus The DMC-FX30 gives you a choice of five auto-focusing methods: 5-point, 3-point high-speed, 1-point high-speed, 1-point normal-speed, and spot. Choose the one that best suits the shooting conditions and position of the subject. The DMC-FX30 also adds an auto focus assist lamp that is helpful in low-light situations, when focusing can be difficult. The result is easy, stress-free shooting and the ability to capture sharply focused photos on a moment's notice.

Other advanced features The slim and stylish DMC-FX30 features approximately 27 MB of built-in memory, which can save the day should you happen to fill up or forget to take along a memory card. The functions and settings used most often, such as consecutive shooting, white balance adjustment, ISO level, image size and image quality (compression format) are quickly and easily accessed via the Quick Setting function. There's no need to open menus to adjust them. The FX30 also accommodates large-capacity SDHC memory cards. A wide variety of scene modes, including the new Pet and Sunset modes, also make it easy to get beautiful photos in a range of photographic situations. Among these, Sports, Baby and the Pet mode take advantage of the Intelligent ISO Control as previously described, to let you get great results even if the subjects have unexpected motion. When used with the optional marine case housing, Underwater mode allows underwater shooting with optimal automatic settings that capture subjects and the surrounding water in beautifully natural colors.

The Fun Continues Even When the Shooting Is Done With the DMC-FX30, the enjoyment of photography doesn't end when you're done shooting for the day. One additional function that broadens the fun of photography is Direct Print mode. To select it, simply turn the mode dial on the camera top. Then use a USB cable to connect the camera to a Pictbridge-compatible printer, and you're ready to print beautiful photos. Print all the images you shot or only your favourites, and make one copy or multiple copies as you wish. When you turn the mode dial, the mode selected is indicated on the LCD. This lets you change the mode to recording, playback or direct printing without taking your eyes off the subject.

Also interesting is the new Date Stamp function. In addition to showing the date a photo was taken, the FX30 can show on which day of the trip a photo was taken. It can also stamp your baby's age in months on a photo, after you've taken the shots. These dates, which can be helpful when making a photo album, can be stamped on photos whether you print them yourself at home or have a photo shop do them.

And with the optional Panasonic DMW-SDP1 HDTV Photo Player, it's easy to have a slide show of Lumix images in 1080i high-definition quality. By simply connecting the SDP1, via a component cable, to a high-definition TV such as a Panasonic Viera, and inserting the SDHC/SD memory card into its slot, users can view their photos on a large display together with family or friends. Like Lumix cameras, the DMW-SDP1 incorporates the Venus Engine III imaging engine. This provides extremely quick advancing from one slide to the next. It also allows playback of wide-aspect VGA (848x 480) motion images that fit an HDTV’s 16:9 screen.

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Customer Reviews

excellent slim camera
I set out to purchase FX07, but ended up w FX30, which was offered at the same price and I think is the same camera w FX07 feature-wise, except that it is slimmer and newer.

I set out to purchase an ultra compact, because I was reluctant to bring my DSLR in my first trip to China. Used to DSLR, I have high expectation of a camera.

My ground criteria: must have 28mm wide angle and optical stabliser. This significantly narrowed my selection to only 3: Lumix FX07, Lumix LX2 and Canon SD800/850IS.

Since I usually shoots w DSLR, I need 3:2 aspect and Canon does not support it, so it's out of the game.

Reading the reviews, I was initially deterred with the complaints of noise and water colour effects in Lumix. However, after seeing some samples, I decided that those noise and water colour are probably a nuisance only to those pixel peepers, not me.

It was a tough choice betw FX07 and LX2. Finally, I decided in favour of FX07's compactness and full 28mm lens, and foregoing LX2's supposedly better images, RAW support, and A/S/P exposure modes.

In a span of 1 week, I shot >600 pics. These included difficult photos: night scenery, low-light night & indoor photos, sunset, panning photos of people in the street. And wow...., this little gem camera exceeds my expectation. Extremely easy to use and very intuitive (at least for me - I hardly need to read the manual to master this camera). The quick access function menu (which provides quick access for most-frequently-changed settings such as changing ISO, white balance or single/multiple shots) is very handy. Accessing some photographic functions such as exposure compensation, flash setting and bracketing are also quick by pressing buttons instead of diving into the menu structures.

Noise turns out to be more tolerable than what I had anticipated (having read the reviews). I used ISO800 often for night photos with no flash; just do not use High Sensitivity (ISO3200) mode - this produced photos worse than mobile-phone camera. Of course, I try to use as lowest ISO as possible to minimise noise. I can handhold the camera at 1/4s with no apparent blur in the photos, thanks to the optical stabiliser, i suppose.

Being much more compact than DSLR, I think this camera is also not intimidating. I have taken many more candid photos of people in the street than I could have using DSLR.

I have not printed any of the photos, but I do not think that should be a problem.

I bought a black one, but the surface is not metal unlike the silver one. It's like a black suede material, which I just hope will not get thinned or peel off over time.

good performer in most situations
The best things about this camera are:
- 28mm is awesome. It is possible to take an arms-length self portrait and get ample scenery in the background. And it is not obvious I photographed myself. Invaluable when you can't find someone to take your picture.
- Image stabilization works well
- Fast performance. I can power on and snap off a well focused shot in a little over a second. Using a 66x 1GB SD card, I can take several shots per second in burst mode indefinitely (I've never tried more than 30 shots in burst mode but I'm sure it could do more)
- Hi-res widescreen videos look good on HDTV.
- Some manual controls such as AWB, ISO, and AF mode. Other point-and-shoot cameras had almost no manual adjustments.
- extra batteries (non-panasonic brand) can be found for cheap on well-known auction site. Look for model # BCE10E.

What I don't like:
- Low light shots are average. Most come out well-focused (due to IS), but they have more noise reduction artifacts than my Canon A510. However, the A510 tends to be blurrier. I prefer the FX30 shots due to less blur.
- No manual control over exposure time. There are a few modes for night shots with long exposres (15-60 sec) but I like to adjust shots in the 1/4-1/30 sec range and I cannot seem to do this with the FX30
- Flash is sometimes too bright in AUTO mode.
- Videos in QuickTime format. Windows users would be better served by AVI or MPEG format, as XP comes bundled with decent video editing and playback software for these formats.
- No optical viewfinder. I rarely use it but it is nice to have.

Great photos from a pocket camera
This little guy is about the size of a cell phone, but it's able to perform as well as the larger point and shoots. After a few test shots, I "tweaked" the factory settings a bit, and my "tweaking" seems to be remembered when the camera is turned off. A morning of shooting at a "robot wars" competition in a local high school gym included some film clips with sound. I would have gotten better quality with a dedicated film camera and external mike, but these are usable for electronic scrapbooking, and great for a camera of this size. (Warning: movies are in Apple Quick Time format, which does not seem to be compatible with Windows Vista.)

I have the black non-metallic version of this camera, and the softer plastic coating is helpful in keeping a grip on this little guy. The build quality seems to be very good. It's not the equivalent of a DSLR, but this is more apt to be carried on casual Saturday morning adventures.

Update to the above, 6 weeks later:

I took this little camera on a recent trip to a family wedding in another area. As a travel camera, this little guy excels. Even when you're dressed up, it slips easily into a pocket.

Outdoor candid photos were clear and sharp. Indoor photos tended to be overexposed if the subject was too close to the flash. It actually worked better in a small room to have the flash off and raise the ISO. (I set 800 as my highest ISO, and chose "natural" as the color setting.) The image stabilization technology gave sharp photos with most handheld shots, I found, even in lower light.

Main weakness of the small lens is noticeable inward curve of vertical lines (buildings on a city streetfront) when shot at extreme wide angle (to maximize available light by using the widest aperture) -- a somewhat surreal effect. Scenes without dominant vertical lines look OK.

I found the shutter lag on this camera to be a vast improvement over my older travel camera, approaching the quickness of a film camera. Much better for those candid shots. Battery held up for about 300 shots, without flash.