- 10.1-megapixel resolution captures enough detail for poster-size prints
- 4x MEGA optical image-stabilized zoom; F2.8 Leica DC Vario-Elmarit lens
- Intelligent Auto (iA) mode
- 2.7-inch LCD screen
- Capture images to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included)
Technical Details
Color: Black
Product Details
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Product Description
Color: Black
From the Manufacturer
The 10.1-megapixel Lumix DMC-FS7 features a bright F2.8 Leica DC Vario-Elmarit lens with 4x optical zoom and iA mode, comprised of four functions including Mega O.I.S., Intelligent ISO Control, Intelligent Scene Selector and Face Detection. Like the DMC-FS15, the DMC-FS7 also include a newly-added independent iA button on top of the camera that lets the user enter directly into the mode without going into the menu.
Other features of the FS7 include a Venus Engine IV processor, which enables an advanced processing system and quick response times. An intelligent LCD screen detects light conditions and automatically adjusts the brightness levels for viewing in sunlight and helps to preserve battery life. The new Photo Frame mode lets the user put attractive borders around photos, so when printed, they look like postcards in picture frames. Also, the new My Scene setting lets the user assign their most frequently used Scene modes to the setting, and with a simple switch, access that scene instantly. The FS-Series is also capable of recording WVGA (848 x 480) motion pictures at 30 frames per second in 16:9 wide-screen format, as well as standard VGA (640 x 480) format.
Product Description
Lumix DMC-FS7 10.1 Megapixel Compact Digital Camera with iA mode, focus indicator options, and Photo Frame mode. Colorful designs with a playful, fashionable look. A camera that is easy to carry, easy to use, and easy to enjoy.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
87 of 88 people found the following review helpful
Color Name:Black
After my overwhelmingly positive experiences of owning Canon PowerShots (SD700 and SD800), I was was pretty sure I wanted another. I looked at three:
SD1200: only 3x zoom, 35mm not wide enough
SD980: 24mm wide, f/2.8, 5x zoom, touch screen. Wow! But no thanks to focus problems.
SD780: 33mm wide, 4x zoom. Almost, but since I take a lot of no flash shots, f/3.2 is a handicap.
After some more searching I came across the DMC-FS7 with f/2.8, 33mm wide, and 4x zoom. Not a lot has been written about this model in either official or user reviews. Amazon.com has not linked the reviews for the various colors of this model, but even combined there are fewer than 20 at the time of writing, despite being available for most of 2009. Based on Panasonic's track record for building decent cameras such as the DMC FX37, DMC-ZS1/ZS3, DMC-LX3--and the irresistible price--I ended up buying this one. No it does not have the hefty 'quality' feel of Canons. After a couple of days, I'm actually preferring the lighter weight because I usually shoot one-handed. I only miss a contoured grip to stabilize the lateral motion required to operate the zoom lever.
What stands out about this camera is the quick access to controls. Exposure compensation is one click away. Forcing FLASH ON is available universally whereas my Canons allowed this only in MANUAL mode. In PLAYBACK mode, you can delete while zoomed in--also unavailable on my Canons. And when you are shooting with a special setting such as a scene mode, MOTION PICTURE, 16:9, etc., one press of the red button switches you instantly into iAUTO ready to take a regular still picture--and another press gets you back to the setting you were in. Much faster than a dial, especially if you like to switch back and forth.
As is typical with digital cameras, outdoor shooting on a hazy day or in consistent shade produces the best pictures: here the DMC-FS7 is capable of good tone, gradation and sharp detail. But introduce some sun and the bright areas tend to overexpose and lose detail. When shooting portraits by the window, even indirect sun can cause parts of cheeks to whiten. Unfortunately, fill-in flash is not much help as FORCE FLASH ON often results in washed out whites. I also get the occasional half stop overexposure when shooting people against foliage.
I really enjoy the 16:9 (HDTV) aspect ratio. At social occasions, it makes up for the not-so-wide 33mm focal length because you can frame 3 faces or a group of people without them having to lean inwards or squeeze together. In fact, at a distance where people fill the frame waist-up, this camera takes some very pleasant indoor flash photos. Beyond that, the flash is too weak. The wide format also brings a fresh perspective to environment and landscape shots. A 3:2 aspect ratio is also available, probably for film converts.
Panasonic has definitely skimped on some features to keep the cost down. In PLAYBACK mode, rotating the camera to vertical does not fill the screen with a vertically taken (portrait) picture. Unless Canon has a patent on that, why omit this feature? The download to iPhoto seems slower than the Canons despite both being USB 2.0 interfaces. And incredibly, it's possible to insert the battery pack back-to-front and still latch the cover closed! I only realized my mistake because of the gaping sides. Fortunately the flimsy cover flexed and did not break.
In summary, the DMC-FS7 is a well thought out camera with decent performance, some compromises in exposure, and amazing value. I can literally buy two of these for the price of a Canon SD940!
To Canon I say: for people like me, your current line of point-and-shoots are less attractive than your older models. The fact that an SD880 sells for $1,200 (4x original price!) on amazon.com attests to how real a problem you have on your hands.
TWO MONTH UPDATE:
Take a look at the shots I've posted under customer images. iAUTO has really impressed me over time. It senses the type of picture you are taking and switches on the fly to the appropriate scene/mode. My favorite aspect of this is its ability to switch in and out of MACRO without me having to press anything! Image stabilization works well. I continue to experience the occasional overexposure, but the bulk of photos are fine. Forget about setting the COLOR MODE to NATURAL. Anyone used to the boosted color of Canon point-and-shoots will find this underwhelming. STANDARD is the factory setting, and VIVID is for color junkies. I've since learned more about the new Canon SD940 with f/2:8 and 4x zoom. I would seriously consider it, but if I dropped my Panasonic into the ocean today, I think I'd still buy another DMC-FS7.
SD1200: only 3x zoom, 35mm not wide enough
SD980: 24mm wide, f/2.8, 5x zoom, touch screen. Wow! But no thanks to focus problems.
SD780: 33mm wide, 4x zoom. Almost, but since I take a lot of no flash shots, f/3.2 is a handicap.
After some more searching I came across the DMC-FS7 with f/2.8, 33mm wide, and 4x zoom. Not a lot has been written about this model in either official or user reviews. Amazon.com has not linked the reviews for the various colors of this model, but even combined there are fewer than 20 at the time of writing, despite being available for most of 2009. Based on Panasonic's track record for building decent cameras such as the DMC FX37, DMC-ZS1/ZS3, DMC-LX3--and the irresistible price--I ended up buying this one. No it does not have the hefty 'quality' feel of Canons. After a couple of days, I'm actually preferring the lighter weight because I usually shoot one-handed. I only miss a contoured grip to stabilize the lateral motion required to operate the zoom lever.
What stands out about this camera is the quick access to controls. Exposure compensation is one click away. Forcing FLASH ON is available universally whereas my Canons allowed this only in MANUAL mode. In PLAYBACK mode, you can delete while zoomed in--also unavailable on my Canons. And when you are shooting with a special setting such as a scene mode, MOTION PICTURE, 16:9, etc., one press of the red button switches you instantly into iAUTO ready to take a regular still picture--and another press gets you back to the setting you were in. Much faster than a dial, especially if you like to switch back and forth.
As is typical with digital cameras, outdoor shooting on a hazy day or in consistent shade produces the best pictures: here the DMC-FS7 is capable of good tone, gradation and sharp detail. But introduce some sun and the bright areas tend to overexpose and lose detail. When shooting portraits by the window, even indirect sun can cause parts of cheeks to whiten. Unfortunately, fill-in flash is not much help as FORCE FLASH ON often results in washed out whites. I also get the occasional half stop overexposure when shooting people against foliage.
I really enjoy the 16:9 (HDTV) aspect ratio. At social occasions, it makes up for the not-so-wide 33mm focal length because you can frame 3 faces or a group of people without them having to lean inwards or squeeze together. In fact, at a distance where people fill the frame waist-up, this camera takes some very pleasant indoor flash photos. Beyond that, the flash is too weak. The wide format also brings a fresh perspective to environment and landscape shots. A 3:2 aspect ratio is also available, probably for film converts.
Panasonic has definitely skimped on some features to keep the cost down. In PLAYBACK mode, rotating the camera to vertical does not fill the screen with a vertically taken (portrait) picture. Unless Canon has a patent on that, why omit this feature? The download to iPhoto seems slower than the Canons despite both being USB 2.0 interfaces. And incredibly, it's possible to insert the battery pack back-to-front and still latch the cover closed! I only realized my mistake because of the gaping sides. Fortunately the flimsy cover flexed and did not break.
In summary, the DMC-FS7 is a well thought out camera with decent performance, some compromises in exposure, and amazing value. I can literally buy two of these for the price of a Canon SD940!
To Canon I say: for people like me, your current line of point-and-shoots are less attractive than your older models. The fact that an SD880 sells for $1,200 (4x original price!) on amazon.com attests to how real a problem you have on your hands.
TWO MONTH UPDATE:
Take a look at the shots I've posted under customer images. iAUTO has really impressed me over time. It senses the type of picture you are taking and switches on the fly to the appropriate scene/mode. My favorite aspect of this is its ability to switch in and out of MACRO without me having to press anything! Image stabilization works well. I continue to experience the occasional overexposure, but the bulk of photos are fine. Forget about setting the COLOR MODE to NATURAL. Anyone used to the boosted color of Canon point-and-shoots will find this underwhelming. STANDARD is the factory setting, and VIVID is for color junkies. I've since learned more about the new Canon SD940 with f/2:8 and 4x zoom. I would seriously consider it, but if I dropped my Panasonic into the ocean today, I think I'd still buy another DMC-FS7.
31 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Color Name:Black|Amazon Verified Purchase
On the heels of another reviewer, I just spent an hour going through years of archived photos having used the following cameras.
And to keep it short and sweet, I was shocked that the $137 Panasonic Lumix outperformed every camera EXCEPT for the HD Video of the new Canon SD780IS. However, the Panasonic family allows WVGA which takes up a LOT less disc space and perfect for Mac/PC viewing.
Canon SD200 = My first Elph camera worked perfectly in all conditions for over 3 years; ahead of its time. Under 1MB photos stored, but red eye reduction never worked.
Canon SD500 = Bought as upgrade with slightly noticeable difference for still & video, always kept photos in about 1MB size, worked like a charm before 2008 but red eye reduction never worked either.
Canon SD1100IS = the BEST Canon I have owned, but stolen last year. indoor, outdoor and video on AUTO were great! no complaints. Looking back, this camera outperformed the photo quality (all conditions) of the 12MP new SD780IS.
Panasonic DMC-FS7 = THE BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK PERIOD. the still photos and WVGA videos are amazing and AUTO setting for Panasonic is much more effective than Canon's technology. I was told the Leica lenses are far superior to Canon lens technology as well. This was also stolen overseas, so I bought the pricer FX48 below.
Panasonic DMC-FX48 = The still photos were NO different than the lesser priced FS7 and I tested all light conditions, speed etc. However, oddly, the HD video was terrible as compared to the Canon HD. It was very grainy and the motion sensor didn't work well. Sadly, I returned it.
Canon SD780IS = WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT! I am overseas now again after tossing the box and papers, and now stuck with this this lousy camera. The HD video is amazing, but the auto focus never seems to work for stills, the PROGRAM mode is a royal pain in the *ss, the flash always seems to be too bright for indoors even after changing settings, and good luck trying to photo moving children - takes 1/2 day to focus and shoot. In summary, I changed settings and ISO and cannot get the same quality photos as the Canon SD1100IS (now 1200IS).
I AM BUYING ANOTHER PANASONIC DMC-FS7 AND SAYING GOODBYE TO CANON FOR NOW.
Hope this simple review helps, folks!
And to keep it short and sweet, I was shocked that the $137 Panasonic Lumix outperformed every camera EXCEPT for the HD Video of the new Canon SD780IS. However, the Panasonic family allows WVGA which takes up a LOT less disc space and perfect for Mac/PC viewing.
Canon SD200 = My first Elph camera worked perfectly in all conditions for over 3 years; ahead of its time. Under 1MB photos stored, but red eye reduction never worked.
Canon SD500 = Bought as upgrade with slightly noticeable difference for still & video, always kept photos in about 1MB size, worked like a charm before 2008 but red eye reduction never worked either.
Canon SD1100IS = the BEST Canon I have owned, but stolen last year. indoor, outdoor and video on AUTO were great! no complaints. Looking back, this camera outperformed the photo quality (all conditions) of the 12MP new SD780IS.
Panasonic DMC-FS7 = THE BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK PERIOD. the still photos and WVGA videos are amazing and AUTO setting for Panasonic is much more effective than Canon's technology. I was told the Leica lenses are far superior to Canon lens technology as well. This was also stolen overseas, so I bought the pricer FX48 below.
Panasonic DMC-FX48 = The still photos were NO different than the lesser priced FS7 and I tested all light conditions, speed etc. However, oddly, the HD video was terrible as compared to the Canon HD. It was very grainy and the motion sensor didn't work well. Sadly, I returned it.
Canon SD780IS = WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT! I am overseas now again after tossing the box and papers, and now stuck with this this lousy camera. The HD video is amazing, but the auto focus never seems to work for stills, the PROGRAM mode is a royal pain in the *ss, the flash always seems to be too bright for indoors even after changing settings, and good luck trying to photo moving children - takes 1/2 day to focus and shoot. In summary, I changed settings and ISO and cannot get the same quality photos as the Canon SD1100IS (now 1200IS).
I AM BUYING ANOTHER PANASONIC DMC-FS7 AND SAYING GOODBYE TO CANON FOR NOW.
Hope this simple review helps, folks!
34 of 37 people found the following review helpful
Color Name:Black|Amazon Verified Purchase
I bought this camera over a month ago and have taken and printed several pictures. I am very pleased with the quality of the photos and the ease of using and carrying the camera. It fits easily in a pocket. I also have a Nikon Coolpix that I have had a few years. I really like the zoom and image-stabilization on the Panasonic Lumix and the compact, flat shape. It also has a much faster flash cycle than the Nikon. So far, I like all the features that I have used on this camera.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
I love it!
I love this camera. The picture quality is much better than my old canon. It's pretty durable because it fell once from waist height onto a tiles floor and still works (this is... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Consumer
Lumix DMC-FS7, 10MB
I wanted a camera that i could take with me everywhere. I have a NIKON D90 with all the attachments and use that on professional shoots - and where i can get the best shots - but... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Aneesah Mcnamee
Great Point & Shoot Camera
I bought the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS7 in January. Having used it for almost a year, I can say it's been great. Read more
Published 19 months ago by James Arouet
A Great Value!
This camera takes great pics for its size, and it's SO cute. The color is absolutely beautiful, and it is very durable and well-built. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Anna G
short review for agreat small camera
i've had this camera for a year or two and just think it's terrific. too many features to talk about my favorites are the 16x9 shooting and the Film Grain mode. Read more
Published 20 months ago by M. DiOrio
Awesome
This is a great camera, small but full of power. Takes excellent pictures and the charge lasts for a very long time.
Published 22 months ago by D. Spahr
a great camaera, hard to give up!
I had the older version of this that just one day gave up, it worked very hard, so it was no surprise. Read more
Published 22 months ago by klwright
great photos, best low light too
I had a panasonic DMC camera for years with aa batteries. I broke it on a trip and went through 2 new canons, a wide angle Panasonic & a Casio to try to just duplicate the quality... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Ms barbara
so far so good
I have had one of these FS7 for just a few months now and can honestly say I am very impressed. It has a very solid feel compared to many products these days, it takes very clear... Read more
Published 22 months ago by phuntxsatawnymel
Bang for the buck?....Oh yeah..for sure.
This is only my initial review since I have only lived with the camera for about 2 days. Lets start out with the background. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Chris A. Leslie
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