Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX700 14.1 MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0-Inch LCD (Black)

by Panasonic

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 4 x 2.2 x 1 inches ; 6.2 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B003WJR67G
• Item model number: DMC-FX700K
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,637 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: July 20, 2010

Product Description

Color: Black

From the Manufacturer

Panasonic's Lumix DMC-FX700 digital camera records 1080p full High Definition (HD) videos in the AVCHD format and features a 3-inch touch-screen LCD. The 14.1-megapixel digital camera features a 24mm ultra wide-angle F2.2 super bright Leica DC Vario-Summicron lens with a 5x optical zoom, making the Lumix FX700 extremely versatile in low-light conditions and when capturing moving subjects.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX700 Highlights

Full touch-screen operation
The Lumix FX700 adopts full touch-screen operation, which allows for Auto Focus (AF) to be set by touching the 3.0-inch, 230,000-dot LCD screen. Once a subject is locked with a single touch, the AF tracking function will follow the subject while moving. With the Intelligent Scene Selector, the camera automatically switches to the appropriate mode according to the subject selected. All menus settings are now available with one-touch control for shooting images and videos.

Advanced 24mm ultra wide-angle lens
The Lumix FX700's advanced 24mm ultra wide-angle lens, a rarity for a compact camera of this size, makes it easy to capture many subjects due to the great depth-of-field provided by the extra light. Additionally, photographers now have a wider range of composition possibilities with approximately 213% larger viewing space compared to that of a 35mm camera.

HD video in the AVCHD format
The Lumix FX700 can also record HD video in the AVCHD format, which allows for almost double the recording time in HD quality compared to the conventional Motion JPEG format. The Lumix FX700 records in 1920x1080 full HD with enhanced picture quality and Intelligent Resolution technology. Along with this high-quality HD video with a 5x optical zoom, the FX700 also features Dolby Digital Stereo Creator to record high-quality audio.

iA (Intelligent Auto) mode
Panasonic's iA (Intelligent Auto) mode is further advanced in the FX700 with the addition of Motion Deblur mode by updating the motion detection (Intelligent ISO Control) and brightness control (Intelligent Exposure) to gain the highest shutter speed possible. Combined with the outstanding brightness of the lens and the POWER O.I.S (Optical Image Stabilizer), the Lumix FX700 reduces any blur either caused by handshake or a moving subject. Intelligent Burst mode now determines the frame rate in burst shooting according to the speed of the subject's motion, making it easy to capture any image. Included in the iA suite of technologies is: POWER O.I.S., Face Recognition, Face Detection, AF Tracking, Intelligent ISO Control, Intelligent Scene Selector and Intelligent Exposure.

Venus Engine FHD image processor
The Lumix FX700 features the new Venus Engine FHD image processor which includes advanced signal processing capabilities. It also incorporates Intelligent Resolution technology, which examines three areas pixel-by-pixel, to automatically detect and enhance any degradation created during the digital zoom process.

Additional Features

• Handheld Night Shot Using the high-speed MOS sensor, this new mode shoots 10 consecutive shots to simulate and detect the perfect shot of any subject while simultaneously fixing the subject's position. Through the MOS sensor's short shutter speed, exposure is increased while noise is reduced to create a blurless, beautifully- illuminated night shot without the use of a tripod.
• Battery Life The high-performance Venus Engine FHD is also highly energy efficient despite its high processing capabilities, extending the battery life up to 300 shots (CIPA) on a single charge.

Product Description

14.1 Megapixel Digital Camera Super Bright F2.2 Lens with Ultra Wide-Angle Super Bright F2.2 LEICA DC VARIO-SUMMICRON Lens with 24mm Ultra Wide-Angle and 5x Optical Zoom. Full HD Movie Recording Enjoy 1920x 1080 Full HD Movie Recording in AVCHD with the Advanced iA (Intelligent Auto) Mode. Venus Engine FHD Redesigned Venus Engine FHD with Even Higher Signal Processing Performance. Black

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

67 of 74 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Promising features and specifications... but terrible performance!, September 17, 2010

By 

N.K. (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX700 14.1 MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0-Inch LCD (Silver) (Electronics)

Before I go into my impressions, allow me to share some quick information with you. I bought this camera for a number of reasons, which include:

- Leica Lens
- Fast 2.2 aperture
- Full HD video
- VIdeo records in AVCHD
- 10 FPS burst @ full resolution and up to 60 burst at 3.5 MP
- Size and weight
- Wanted to try out touch screen camera
- Wide, 24mm lens
- Cool features such as motion blur and intelligent burst, which chooses the burst speed based on the amount of movement occurring in the frame
- Manual controls (actually has PASM)
- MOS Sensor (which is huge for me, see below)
- Four different aspect rations (1:1, 3:2, 4:3, 16:9)

I have been a long time SLR/DSLR user, and have always had a backup camera. Up until a few months ago, I was happy lugging around super zoom point and shoots as backups. Then, I got tired of not being able to take a camera to dinners, events, concerts, etc. since I was unable to lug around a large SLR format camera or super zoom P&S to certain places and often times did not want to carry around something so obtrusive. Recently, I have been researching some of the newer point and shoots, including the FX700, SD4500IS, S95, ZS7, and LX5. This is the second of the bunch I have tried. The other was the LX5, which I will briefly touch upon below.

As stated, there were numerous features about this camera that caught my eye. So, why not buy it!!! Well I did and I am VERY disappointed with the image quality. Tonight I had a chance to test the ability of the camera to capture shots in a low to medium light setting. Of the 140 or so pictures I took, all but a dozen or so were soft and many had a very hard time focusing properly, even on IA (automatic) mode which I tried using a for a few shots. For the average person, the pictures may cut it but for me, they were really unimpressive. Additionally, the few pictures I took of people with the flash were awful. The people were wearing black and white but the entire picture had a nasty, red hue. The placement of the flash is very awkward as it is right by the hand grip (if you hold with right hand) so your index finger could easily cover the flash. At first, I thought the red hue was caused by my finger accidentally being placed over the flash but after being very careful to avoid that, the same result(s) occurred. Truly disappointing. On the plus side, however, the camera performs moderately well in well lit situations but unfortunately, that is not what makes a camera good in my eye. This is because I feel as though every camera (especially in this price range!) should do at a decent job in well-lit situations... I should also let you know that I have tried to camera on an overcast day, a clear and sunny day, in an artificially lit room, and in moonlit environments. I was hoping I just had a few crappy outings but I just didn't get the quality I wanted and expected... but maybe I expect too much from having used SLRs and the new LX5.

As for ISO performance... I really thought the camera suffered greatly at any ISO level above 200. In addition to the aforementioned subpar low-light image quality, the inability for the camera to offer good high ISO performance (in my opinion), really makes shooting low light more frustrating and unappealing. A cool benefit of this camera, however, is the ability to choose between four different aspect rations, which are 1:1, 3:2, 4:3, and 16:9. This feature really gives the photographer more "creative control" when taking pictures. Standard cameras generally offer only two or three of these aspect ratios, so keep that in mind! Another plus side is that the camera can utilize shutter speeds of 60 - 1/2000 sec, which is pretty good, but nothing new for a compact camera. Obviously the ability to use 1/3200 and 1/4000 shutter speeds would make the camera better for certain situations but it is pretty good as is. Also, the burst mode works well manually and with intelligent burst so if you want a super fast compact camera and don't mind sacrificing image quality, this may be to your liking.

Now onto video.... Another big selling point for me was the Full HD video capability. I was able to test the camera in well-lit and poorly lit situations and both did fairly well for a compact point and shoot. I was pretty impressed by the quality and the sound was actually pretty amazing for a camera of this size. The MOS sensor was especially appealing to me because the CCD sensors of the LX5, s95, ZS7, etc. really bother me when light sources produce vertical blue/violet lines as a result of the CCD sensor overload. This camera DOES NOT do that since it uses a MOS sensor. For many people, this is a huge selling point so keep it in mind... The only downfalls about the video capabilities is that it cannot record 720P @ 24fps (unless I missed this somehow) for the "film like" look that many people seek or 1080p at any FPS. Please note that some reviews/comments have stated that this camera is 1080p capable but it is not. Also, the product page says it is 1080p capable but I believe that is erroneous. From my observations, it is capable of 1080i. Moreover, I do have and do love the ability of the LX5 to take super crisp 720p/24fps HD videos but really disliked the CCD overload. An LX5 with a large MOS sensor would be the perfect set up... maybe the LX6 to LX7 will make this wish come true.

Another small, and relatively insignificant issue I have is the relatively low resolution of the screen. Since it is a touch screen camera in at a fairly high price point, I expected a nice, crisp, high-resolution screen. Much to my dismay, the screen only had a resolution of 230k. I would have much rather liked to see 460k, which has become relatively standard on point on shoots. Please note that I am saying that it COULD be better and not that it is bad as is. The screen it has is fairly good and gets the job done.

In summary, the camera is WONDERFUL on paper but in action, it really doesn't do a great job for what I needed and expected. If you are looking for a camera that does a good job in low light situations with great image quality, perhaps consider an LX5 (love it!) or S95 (which I am yet to try). Or, if you want a cheaper option with better (or at least better known) results, check out the ZS7. My friend swears by his and I am going to try one soon. If you, however, only shoot in well-lit environments, then this may be a good option for you! But remember... you may not be getting what you are paying for!

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Average picture quality, excellent video and fully packed with features., November 29, 2010

By 

HEPF - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX700 14.1 MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0-Inch LCD (Black) (Electronics)

I wanted to have a all-around P&S camera, let me share some comments on my new FX700 camera after some time testing it.

The camera doesn't surprise in terms of picture quality, it's pretty average and works fine if you don't crop the image. Fitting 14 MP on a small sensor is a challenge that all these small P&S cameras are facing, the result: they simply fail to deliver sharp clear pictures. The MOS sensor even increases the problem as the picture quality is worst with the offset to have a much better video quality.

What this camera doe's fine is with the intelligent Auto mode, it really picks the right shooting mode for the best picture possible. The only thing I did is to change the color effect from standard to happy to improve the color saturation. There are times where the iA actually doesn't work and you have to go over either with scene or program mode, make sure you properly setup these modes in order to improve the picture quality; what I did was:

- Limit the ISO to 200, as the picture quality really decreases with 400 or beyond
- Select intelligent Exposure to standard
- Select intelligent Resolution, it really gets better picture quality (this is not available on iA, so make sure to switch if you want a sharper picture)
- Changed the color effect from standard to warm to improve color saturation

There is a firmware update from 1.0 to 1.1 (improving Motion Deblur in iA and autofocus on video capture) that I really recommend to upload on your camera.
On Panasonic's global webpage -> support -> consumer products -> Digital AV -> Digital Camera -> Download -> DMC-Fx70/DMC-FX75/DMC-FX700 Firmware update service

There are some really interesting shooting tips (some are just plain basics) on Panasonic's web page that can help you improving the picture quality. See the attached link and select the FX700 model.

The shooting tips specifically for the FX700 camera can be found on Panasonic's global webpage -> support -> consumer products -> Digital AV -> Digital Camera -> shooting tips -> FX700

One that was particularly helpful was to take portrait pictures on the telephoto end of the lens to avoid barrel distortion. This was a very annoying problem that I fixed just zooming in when taking portrait pictures.

Video recording is one of the strong points for this camera, video and audio quality is superior to any flip or similar compact camcorders.

The touch screen menu is quite intuitive and takes only little time to get familiar with it. One really nice feature is the manual focusing by touching the subject on the screen, the focus is followed as the subject moves on the screen and you can change from portrait to landscape mode just by touching the subject or the background.

It's not the best picture quality camera I have had, but for a P&S camera and sharing pictures that are seen on a PC screen (without cropping) or on the TV is more than enough.

26 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great compact camera, September 13, 2010

By 

Drac - See all my reviews

This review is from: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX700 14.1 MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0-Inch LCD (Black) (Electronics)

I have had the Panasonic Lumix DMC FX700 for only a few days. I love everything about this camera it does everything I want it to - EXCEPT the one thing a camera should do well - take sharp clear pictures. The FX700 fails in that task. It is a shame that Panasonic chose to use a lackluster lens and too small sensor (a 14MP sensor should have a much larger physical size) in this otherwise amazing prosumer camera. I chose this camera despite a lack of reviews (because it is so new) because of the amazing number of advanced features packed into its small size. The camera's large touch screen makes it easy to access and use its many features.

The top of the camera has the speaker and stereo mics (not sure they should be on top where it is easy to cover them with a finger), the slide on/off switch, the shutter button with the manual zoom control around it (VERY convenient) and the dedicated movie start/stop button. The lens retracts completely into the camera and is protected by metal shutters when retracted. The side of the camera has a cover protecting the USB 2 and HDMI sockets. The bottom houses the battery/memory card compartment and a tripod socket. The back has the large touch panel, a slide switch to choose either record mode (take pictures) or playback, a mode button that brings up the 6 mode choices on the screen and a menu button.

I was considering the Canon S95 which was the same price. And while the S95 produces sharp clear pictures (I have its ancestor the S70) it cannot touch the FX700 when it comes to features. I was a little leery about the touch screen but I am very pleased with it. The only problem I have noticed with the touch screen is that when viewing pictures that I have zoomed in on (you can magnify a saved picture up to 16 times) it is VERY easy to increase the magnification (which is done by touching the screen) while trying to move around the enlarged picture (which is done by sliding a finger around the screen).

The HD movies looked good, but I haven't yet played them back on an HD screen. The photos, as I mentioned above, are NOT sharp and clear. There is a "softness" about them. I do not know what other word to use. They are not bad - just not sharp. I think it is like watching a program on a standard TV versus watching the same program on an HD TV. The still pictures look like you are seeing them on a standard TV. Running the pictures through Photoshop's unsharp mask can improve the quality a bit.

I like the shutter response time compared to my S70 - which has a significant delay. The SX700 shutter delay is minimal - especially if the focusing is completed (by pushing the shutter button halfway down). The burst mode is fast, the face location/recognition works well, the image stabilization does an excellent job. You can use the zoom while taking movies - a feature I like and one that many cameras do not allow - you can even take still pictures while shooting a movie. The battery lasts quite a while - shot 65 pictures, mosts with flash, and the battery indicator was still indicating full. The camera is very customizable allowing you to turn on/off most features and customize what info is shown on the LCD when shooting or playing back pictures. Panasonic did an excellent job with this FX7x series (which includes the FX75 and FX70) except for the picture sharpness. If you are not a stickler for very sharp pictures, I think you will like this camera, if you are put off by anything less than an ultra sharp picture, this is not the camera for you.

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