Frequently Bought Together
Technical Details
- 14.1-megapixel resolution; slim design
- 4x optical zoom; 28mm wide-angle Leica lens
- 720 HD video capture; LUMIX Image Uploader makes it simple to share pictures on Facebook and video on YouTube
- Panasonic iA mode makes it simple for anyone to take beautiful photos
- Capture images and video to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included)
Product Details
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Product Description
From the Manufacturer
Panasonic LUMIX FH2
Create Beautiful, High-Quality Photos and HD Videos
The ultra-compact 14.1 megapixel LUMIX DMC-FH2 features newly-developed retractable, high-quality 28mm wide-angle LEICA DC lenses with a 4x optical zoom. With the new retractable lens, the LUMIX FH2 has approximately 20% slimmer profile than its predecessor, while maintaining exceptional performance. LUMIX DMC-FH2 also records 1280 x 720p High Definition (HD) video.
Venus Engine VI
The high-speed, high-performance Venus Engine VI is incorporated in the DMC-FH2 to enable the recording of beautiful images with higher quality signal processing including the Intelligent Resolution technology. An advanced noise reduction system in the Venus Engine VI applies noise reduction (NR) to luminance noise and chromatic noise separately. As a result, beautiful images with minimal noise can be reproduced all the way up to ISO1600 high sensitivity at full resolution for beautiful night shots or dimly lit indoor shots.
iA (Intelligent Auto) Mode
When you don't know which mode will give you the best shooting results, or when a sudden photo opportunity pops up and you don't have time to change any settings, simply choose the iA (Intelligent Auto) Mode and let the camera do it all for you. You just choose the iA Mode, aim at your subject, and shoot. Six detection and correction functions are simultaneously activated to optimize the settings so you get stunning photos every time. In addition, the Intelligent Resolution technology is always activated in the iA Mode which results in clearer and higher image quality in every photo with extended zoom range equivalent to 5x by the Intelligent Zoom.
The MEGA O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer)* in the DMC-FH2 compensates for the blurring caused by hand-shake. Even slight hand-shake movement is accurately detected by a sampling frequency of 4,000 times per second, and compensated to produce sharp, clear images. The Venus Engine VI controls the shifting of the blur-stopping lens with even greater precision to further increase the detection accuracy and correction effect of MEGA O.I.S. It lets you shoot in dimly lit rooms or evening illumination to preserve the mood, and works for macro shots and zoom shots, which are especially susceptible to hand-shake. In short, it lets anybody take beautiful, blur-free shots with ease.
* MEGA O.I.S. is automatically turned on in iA Mode and can be turned on or off in Normal Picture Mode or some Scene Modes.
Intelligent ISO Control Motion Detection
The Intelligent ISO Control function* in the DMC-FH2 made possible by the Venus Engine VI detects subject movement and automatically adjusts the ISO setting and shutter speed to best suit the movement and lighting conditions. When it detects subject motion, it automatically raises the ISO setting and increases the shutter speed to prevent motion blur. On the other hand, when the subject is still and no movement is detected, it takes beautiful natural photos with a low ISO setting. The Intelligent ISO Control gives you stunning images with ease because there is no need for complicated settings.
* The Intelligent ISO Control function is automatically turned on in iA Mode, and can be turned on or off in Normal Picture Mode.
Face Detection AF/AE
The Face Detection AF/AE function*1 detects faces and automatically optimizes the focus and exposure settings. It prevents the blurry faces that happen when the camera focuses on something in front of or behind the subject, and keeps faces from appearing dark when shooting indoors or against the light source. It detects up to 15 faces at a time, making it extremely convenient for group photos. Once the camera detects a face, Face Tracking follows it even when the subject moves around. Plus, the system keeps detection on if a face turns sideways to the camera. The DMC-FH2 is also equipped with Digital Red-eye Correction (Red-eye Removal). The camera takes care of the red-eye effect that often happens when shooting with a flash, to ensure attractive facial expression*2
*1 Face Detection function is automatically turned on in iA Mode and can be turned on or off in Normal Picture Mode or some Scene Modes.
*2 Digital Red-eye Correction must be turned ON in the menu prior to use.
Intelligent Scene Selector Scene Detection
With the camera in iA Mode, the Intelligent Scene Selector automatically sets the Scene Mode to Scenery, Portrait, Macro, Night Portrait*1, Night Scenery or Sunset. The camera judges it from the various detection results such as focusing and brightness level of the circumstance*2. You are free from choosing different settings every time the scene changes when taking images with most frequently used Scene Modes to get beautiful results.
*1 In iA Mode, Night Portrait is not identified when the flash is turned off.
*2 With some subject and shooting conditions, it is just not possible to judge the best shooting details. When this happens, it is recommended that you shoot with the Scene Mode that best suits your purpose.
2.7-inch, 230,000-dot High-resolution LCD
The DMC-FH2 large 2.7-inch LCD features high 230,000-dot resolution Intelligent LCD. It automatically adjusts the brightness in 11 steps according to shooting conditions. This LCD provides sharp, clear images in virtually all shooting situations, ranging from nighttime to bright daylight scenes. And it lets you share the fun of viewing images with family and friends. The High-angle Mode makes the display extremely easy to view from a low viewpoint, for example, when taking photos by raising your hand upward to capture the subject over the crowd.
Scene Mode
The Scene Mode lets the camera make the optimal settings for you automatically, so anybody can take superb photos with ease. The versatile Scene Mode range, which handles just about any situation and subject type, is a major LUMIX feature. And to make it even simpler to use, the icons and display are designed for easy visibility. The DMC-FH2 lets you store a frequently used Scene Mode setting in the My Scene Mode.
LUMIX Image Uploader
The DMC-FH2 gives you a new form of communication by letting you share your photos and movies. All you have to do is checkmark the photos and movies you want to share and connect the camera or SD/SDHC/SDXC Memory Card to a computer. Uploading automatically starts by simply following the guidance. Facebook can be used for photos and YouTube for movies. You can join these social networking services without having to install any special software. It's easy to share photos and movies on the spot, which means that your friends don't have to wait for you to come back home to see them.
Easy Computer Connection
Select photos and movies on the camera menu.
Upload Photos and Movies
The software is launched after connecting the camera or SD/SDHC/SDXC Memory Card to a computer.
Share with your friends
You can share the URL by e-mail right after the upload!
Built-in Memory 70MB
Take photos even when you don't have an SD/SDHC/SDXC Memory Card* on hand. The built-in memory holds up to approx. 70MB of image data, which you can later copy to an SD/SDHC/SDXC Memory Card or computer. You can also copy images from a memory card or computer to the built-in memory, and view them on the LCD anytime you like. In addition to providing extra memory when your memory card fills up, this is a great place to store your favorite photos so you can view them anytime you want.
* SDHC Memory Cards and SDXC Memory Cards can be used only in equipment that is compatible with their respective formats.
* If the computer being used does not support SDXC Memory Cards, a message prompting you to format may appear. (Doing so will cause recorded images to be erased so do not choose to format.)
Product Description
Available Warranties for This Item
Customer Reviews
The DMC-FH2 is consistent with other Lumix cameras. There are multiple scene modes available for control of your pictures, generally, you choose Intelligent Auto (IA) when you want to camera to choose the correct combination of flash, depth of field, focus points, and shutter speed. You can also manually choose how the camera will operate based on scene type such as portrait, night photography, or landscape (there are many variations).
Unlike others cameras in the Lumix line, this does not have a dedicated mode button; that is done scrolling through options on the screen. The main disadvantage of this approach is that instead of a dedicated movie button, you must scroll to the correct mode on the screen. I found this inconvenient and does not lend itself to quickly jumping into movie mode when the need arises.
The zoom range isn't particularly wide at 5x, but given the compact dimensions of this camera, its reasonable. It's sufficient for most uses, although it may leave you wishing for more range if you're travelling. On the other hand, the zoom button is positioned nicely, so it's very easy to quickly frame your picture. Shutter lag is non-existent. The rest of the controls are consistent with the Panasonic line from the last 4-5 years which is a good thing. All in all, the experience using it is overwhelmingly positive.
The pictures themselves are excellent and well lit using either natural light or the fill-flash. The 14M pixels (!) give you plenty pixels to blow-up, crop, or do editing, but keep in mind this is a small camera with a tiny lens, so don't expect to get sharp pictures if you blow the pictures up on your PC. For most uses, I don't believe this will be an issue.
Movies mode is a bit disappointing. In addition to the control problems I mentioned previously, the camera will not zoom in or out once you start taking the movie. Whatever the zoom position was when you started taking the movie, thats what you'll get. I can't figure out why they added this limitation (motor noise from the zoom perhaps?), but its particularly frustrating and makes the movie function significantly less useful. The good news is the movies are in QuickTime .mov format so should be readable and editable on either PC's or Macs in almost any picture or movie editing software.
The screen, like all new Lumix cameras is big, bright and useful to determine if your last pictures was blurry. Whatever Panasonic uses as the material for this screen is very scratch resistant. I always carry the Lumix cameras in my pocket with no cover and the screens have never scratched.
Battery life seems reasonable. In standby mode, the batteries do not drain away too quickly, and in general use where you take 1-2 pictures, turn off the camera, then shut it off and repeat, I was able to go an entire weekend travelling and at party taking about 150 pictures and the camera's battery indicator showed full.
In summary, this is a compact, well made camera that is perfect to carry along in a shirt pocket when a bulkier camera doesn't make sense. If your photographic needs are simple, its a great one-and-only camera. It has all the usual goodness of the Lumix line (sharp pictures, vibrant colors), an IA mode that will suit 90% of all point-and-shoot needs. And the ability to manually choose a scene mode when the IA system isn't doing what you need.
Pros:
1) Consistently excellent pictures
2) Small, compact
3) Beautifully made
4) Ease of use
5) Intelligent Auto (IA) makes photography easy
6) Control system maturity
Cons:
1) No zoom in movie mode
2) No dedicated movie button
3) Somewhat limited zoom range
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The video shows the quality of the photos. They were taken at a New Orleans house museum where the lighting is varied and can be a little tricky. The photos look great, especially the ones of the spiral staircase. The detail is impressive. This is a great little camera.
I do like the large lcd touchscreen on my older Fuji Z700, but the picture quality seems a little better on the Lumix, so it's destine to become the camera that I carry in my bag for instant use.
Battery life seems good but I wish that it could be charged using the USB cable. You have to take the battery out of the camera and insert it into the wall charger.
One reviewer said they had difficulty viewing the LCD screen on a bright day. I live in Nevada and we have a lot of bright days and I haven't had any trouble viewing the screen.
I would recommend this camera for everyday general use and digiscoping.
I was lucky enough to get this little camera for around $85.00 here on Amazon. (Chose the red one btw.) I think I made a very good selection. Read more
Second camera has serious low light issues. Grainy like a cheap cell phone. Read more
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