Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX580 12MP Digital Camera with 5x MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 inch LCD (Black)

by Panasonic

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 2.2 x 0.9 x 3.7 inches ; 5.1 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 7 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B001QFZMAG
• Item model number: FX580 Black
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,127 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: January 27, 2009

Product Description

Color: Black

From the Manufacturer

Panasonic's new touch-screen Lumix digital camera, the slim and stylish DMC-FX580, features a 25mm ultra-wide-angle Leica DC lens with F2.8 brightness, a 5x optical zoom and 12.1-megapixel resolution. Using the popular touch-screen operation is easy with the DMC-FX580’s large 3.0-inch LCD, so both shooting and image playback is intuitive and smooth.

Though featuring a touch-screen, the FX580 uses a hybrid operation system combining the new touch-screen interface and a conventional operation system with the cursor key for intuitive control. Taking advantage of both operation systems, users can set the Auto Focus (AF) and Auto Exposure (AE) at the desired part of the frame by simply touching the subject on the screen while recording. In manual exposure mode, aperture and shutter speed can be adjusted by moving the slider. Users can also make fine adjustments to white balance and color temperature with the touch screen. In playback mode, simply slide a finger across the screen to activate touch scroll for viewing images. An Easy Organization menu is provided to simplify image organizing so the user can quickly select an image to view and edit with the touch menu.

The Lumix FX580 features Panasonic’s iA (Intelligent Auto) mode, a system of technologies, such as MEGA O.I.S., Intelligent ISO Control, Face Detection, AF Tracking, Intelligent Exposure and Intelligent Scene Selection, that engage automatically, without the user having to adjust any settings. Panasonic’s advanced iA adds Face Recognition, a feature that recognizes individual faces, making it a "personal verification system" in the digital camera. Face Recognition allows a user to give AF and AE priority to a single person in a group, ensuring that a person’s face will be beautifully exposed.

With Face Recognition, when a familiar face is recorded several times, the camera will prompt the user to register the face. Once registered, if the familiar face appears in the frame again, the camera will display the name specified for that person and prioritize focus and exposure so that the face is bright and sharply focused. During registration, the user can change the icon that indicates when the registered subject is in focus and the person’s age can also be added. In playback, users can choose to display only photos that contain a specific registered face using Category Playback, so organizing and viewing photos is much easier.

Panasonic’s newly developed Venus Engine V processor integrates these advanced functions and controls the camera’s operation with high speed, high performance, and low-power consumption. The Venus Engine V has twin CPUs to boast approximately 2.4x processing capability and also supports a High Sensitivity mode that lets the DMC-FX580 record at a setting of up to ISO 6400.

The DMC-FX580 can also record High Definition (1280 x 720p) motion images at 30 fps. And, using the DMW-HDC2 component cable (optional accessories), the video can output directly to a television, such as a Panasonic VIERA HDTV, for easy playback.

Other features of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX580 include:

• New Panorama Assist scene mode allows users to shoot a number of consistent photos, either vertically or horizontally, by aligning them according to a guide that overlaps the screen. Then using those photos and the bundled PanoramaMaker software, users can create dramatic panoramic images.
• High-Speed Burst (Speed Priority) that fires off approx. 10 shots per second.
• Macro Zoom function lets users pull subjects even closer to capture dramatic close-up shots by using the 3x digital zoom in the wide-angle.
• Bundled PHOTOfunSTUDIO 3.0 software that features a Face Recognition function that recognizes the faces in photos stored on the computer, allowing the user to easily sort files by the people photographed. Using the software, motion pictures can also be uploaded directly to YouTube.

Product Description

12.1 Megapixel Digital Camera Intelligent Auto Mode Helps prevent shooting errors Touch Screen Manual Operation 3" Intelligent LCD w/ auto brightness LEICA DC Vario-Elmar Lens 25mm wide angle Black

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great camera!, June 29, 2009

By 

cgpetroski "cgpetroski" (North Carolina) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX580 12MP Digital Camera with 5x MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 inch LCD (Black) (Electronics)

This is one fantastic camera, and I look forward to using it a lot.

This is my third Panasonic (FX-01 and FZ-30), and before that I had Nikon digitals, preceded by Nikon film cameras; I had my own darkroom and did my own developing and printing of b&w for many years. I have to admit that when I took the FX-580 out of the box, I was a bit disappointed. I had ordered it to replace my FX-01, which I loved but which did not perform well in low light. The FX-01 is a beautiful, nice-to-hold camera that is covered with a black rubbery coating, and the 580 appeared by comparison to be plastic and unfriendly.

But this is a case where first impressions should be set aside. I have now seen some of what the 580 can do (its English-language instructions run to 143 pages). I am already a believer!

I was worried that the touch-screen control of many functions might be just a gimmick. It isn't, and I am especially impressed at what the AFAE (Auto-Focus Auto-Exposure) function does: When you activate it, it tells you to touch whatever you want the AFAE to work on. The thing or person doesn't have to be in the center of the screen. It's like magic, as you watch the change in focus and the correction of the spot-metered exposure happen. It blows me away.

The 12 megapixel images are fantastic. I took some macro (no flash) shots of some flowers, both outside and indoors, and I enlarged them to my heart's content. You have to get to the point that you can't tell what you're looking at before edges begin to bleed pixels.

Another feature that I know I will use (because I travel a lot and have tried to take lots of panoramas) is the "panorama assist mode." When it is activated, the edge of the previous image appears on the screen so that you can match it up with the next part of the panorama. This may not be a new feature with this model, but it is very impressive.

Being a diehard Photoshop user, I have not installed the software yet, but when I get to my home computer, I will check it out and report back as warranted.

Unless you feel you must lug around an SLR, I think most serious amateurs will be very pleased with this camera. Lugging lenses etc. isn't necessary with this camera; I'd rather carry a pocket-sized tripod with the 580. In choosing the 580, I also considered the Leica D-Lux 3 and its Panasonic clone, which would have cost $200-300 more. In the end, I could not buy a camera, no matter how wonderful, that had only a 60mm equivalent at its long end; I knew that would a source of constant frustration in many travel situations. The 580s 25mm wide-angle is just short of the Leica's 24mm, and the Leica's lack of a handgrip really worried me - I am not interested in dropping a $700 camera.

The only downside so far is the cost of the extra battery: $49.90 including shipping from Amazon. It may never even be necessary -- the battery seems to last forever.

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth every cent - Excellent for serious amateurs and new pros, July 18, 2009

By 

N. Montero "Calculus/Science Teacher" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX580 12MP Digital Camera with 5x MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 inch LCD (Black) (Electronics)

I have been a serious SLR photographer (mostly scientific photography but also landscape and personal photography when traveling on holiday) for over 40 years. In that time, since beginning with a 2.25" format Yashica twin-lens reflex camera (phenomenal) and then a Minolta SRT101 SLR several years later, I have been fortunate in my ready access to top-tier Leica film systems and Nikon digital camera systems, which I use heavily.
The Panasonic Lumix became my choice for highly compact cameras because: a) their superlative Leica optics reproduce images with astounding fidelity, b) they are so compact, rugged, and lightweight, c) because they have simple (read fast) intuitive controls that include the iA computerized exposure system. The FX580 is now my third Lumix camera and the best to date.
The FX580 incorporates an extremely fast and highly intuitive touch screen display that allows you to touch the subject (on the screen) that you want to track and adjusts the exposure + focus rapidly on that spot in a very cool sort of "moving spot meter" fashion and can even perform facial recognition if you desire. It also allows you to quickly and effortlessly select the following modes with a simple touch of highly visible "buttons" on you large and bright LCD display: iA (uncanny in its accuracy), Program, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Manual (with touch-screen slier bars for shutter speed and f-stop), and high-resolution 30 fps digital video with mono-aural sound (very crisp high fidelity images). Magnification range goes as wide as the equivalent of a 25mm lens on a 35mm format camera.
Because of the features briefly noted above, its solid metal-composite construction, Leica lenses, uncanny/quick iA mode, and small size/weight footprint, this is the ONLY camera I lug around on short holidays with the entire family. Yes, when on a serious holiday to exotic or remote sites I rely primarily on my Nikon digital SLR system and utilize the FX580 when taking photographs of people or landscapes when I am pressed for time. BUT do not hesitate to rely only upon the FX580 when taking trips where going with a small footprint (small & light weight) is a distinct advantage. The FX580's images are top-tier for a compact digital camera.
12.1 megapixel image size is a definite advantage of this camera but keep in mind that, besides allowing you to perhaps crop more of the clutter away from the periphery of your images, anything above 10 megapixels is only an advantage if you intend to create prints larger than 11" x 14". DO NOT think more megapixels = better or sharper images.
***LENSES are the critical strength (or weakness) of any photographic system and
Leica lenses (German optics) are among the best in the world since the at least 1940's.
Looking for a sophisticated, rugged (yes, the fact that it has a touch screen in no way means it can't take a beating: I can attest that my kids have abused it to no end and it looks and works unscathed), light digital camera for primary use or as a back-up to your digital or film SLR, GET THE FX580, read the manual, play with the controls, and have years of fun taking thousands of photos.
P.S. The fully charged Lithium ion battery that comes with the camera takes an average of 350 to 400 12 megapixel hi-res images AND it fully charges in about 2 hours with the enclosed compact charger unit (excellent).

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not a toy, June 9, 2010

By 

Dion Morris (Ozarks, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX580 12MP Digital Camera with 5x MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 inch LCD (Silver) (Electronics)

I've looked at the various reviews done by other owners and for the most part, I was impressed. Impressed to the point of getting one - I spent, I received it and was surprised at one thing no one had mentioned.

This is one substantial small camera. It feels as if it weighs almost as much as my M3 Leica, has a spectacular lens and the controls are all there, but you better be willing to spend some time to understand how this camera works. You could just plop it into the IA (Intelligent Auto) and never really explore some of the other options. I did this at first to see how things happened. For the most part, the pix were adequate ... Then I started to work with both the general set up and Scene Modes and was knocked over. This camera delivers on its promise. JUST exploring the Scene Modes, you have 26 different choices of presets for various situations.

If you want more manual control, you have Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority and full Manual. The touch pad does take a bit to get used to ... it becomes natural feeling in a short time.

In essence, I like it - very much. This is my 8 or 9th digital camera and while it won't replace my DSLR, it fills a 25 mm wide angle / zoom niche which I wanted to explore. Their are bigger MP cameras out there - there are faster lenses out there, but this is where I wanted to be for my travels and even building files of pix of - ah - things. It's very portable, almost unobtrusive but it weighs enough for you to understand you are using something which isn't a toy.

If there is a complaint - it refers to the Sub Mini B Male connector which is annoying to use as I can't find a short pig tail with that connection feature. 9 foot of wrapped cord is a bit much even on my desk.

In toto - the price is very fair, the quality of the case is off the chart, the lens is remarkable and the final out put is very satisfying. I look forward to enjoying this mini wide angle for a long time.

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