Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18

Latest – Review by PCWorld (added 12 June’08)

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 features:

• 8 megapixels
• 18x optical zoom (equivalent to 28 to 504mm on a 35mm camera)
• Optical image stabilization
• Face detection
• Intelligent auto mode
• ISO range 100 – 1600
• Weight 407 g (14.4 oz)
• Metering (intelligent multiple, center weighted, & spot)

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Read More Reviews – (updated 12 June’08)

PCWorld has reviewed the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and they write -
“All in all, the Lumix DMC FZ-18K does come through for the price, especially if high optical zoom, a great lens, and a beginners’ course on manual settings is what you’re looking for. If image quality is at the top of your wish list, however, you may be better off with the Olympus SP-570 UZ or the Fuji FinePix S8100fd.”
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InfoSync has reviewed the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and they write -
“Flatly, the DMC-FZ18 has terrible noise-management. High ISOs result in images awash in green blobs, as if, pardon our baseness, someone had sneezed on the photograph. We’ve never seen noise distortion quite like this before, and it’s hands down the worst and most distracting we’ve encountered. Thankfully these splotches are only visible in particularly underexposed images taken at above ISO-400; were they to appear in all exposures, the camera would be an absolute lost-cause. Even still, those looking to shoot low-light photography might want to avoid the DMC-FZ18.”

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Pocket-lint – 13 March’08 – reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and felt it was a very clever camera (whatever that means…). Here’s a summary of their review -
“It seems as though the FZ18 is capable of being just about al things to all photographers, kinda of. Big honking lens, good image quality, and some nifty high end features make it a well rounded camera. Because it also offers RAW image capture the reviewer felt even though it was more expensive it was one of the better deals in the superzoom category. Image quality seemed really good but as the review noted the photos were a little too vibrant straight out of the camera and needed some post production massaging to bring them into normal ranges.”

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PCMag – 29 February’08 – reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and thought it delivers above average images. Here’s a summary of their review -
“About the only ding in the otherwise top performing camera was the noise in low light situations. If you look at its list of features and its performance it clearly is at the top of its class. Colors were accurate with no purple fringing. Cool! The reviewer really like the menu system and thought the camera was a blast to use. He liked it so well he gave it an editors choice.”

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LapTopMag – 21 December’07 – reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and comments this camera has enough features to please anybody. Here’s an excerpt from their review conclusion -
“If you’re looking for a digital camera but can’t decide whether you want one that shoots wide or long, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 will do both for you exceedingly well. Though its 18X focal range is the same as the [[http://www.laptopmag.com/Review/Olympus-SP-550-UZ.htm]] Olympus SP-550 UZ’s, this camera is easier to use and perfect for advanced beginners not quite ready to make the leap to a DSLR. Image quality from this camera when shooting at ISO 400 and below was about the best we’ve seen for a model in this superzoom class, with the FZ18 producing rich color and excellent sharpness even at long range.”

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DigitalTrends – 17 December’07 – reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and noticed the camera had trouble focusing on non-contrasty subjects. Here’s an excerpt from their review conclusion -
“In this case all the Internet buzz was right on target. This is probably the best super zoom camera (12x and above) I’ve tested to date. It’s responsive, saves files relatively quickly, has a boatload of manual adjustments and its Intelligent Auto works very nicely. As always with Panasonic digicams, there are issues with noise once you go over 400 ISO but there’s a blocker to prevent it going higher than that but that feature doesn’t work in iA mode. Forget the purported 6400 rating since it takes a full-frame D-SLR costing 10 times more to pull off that stunt properly. Still the little package has a lot going for it.”

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Lets Go Digital – 11 December’07 – reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and comments that as long as you stay away from high ISO settings the image quality is just fine. Here’s an excerpt from their review conclusion -
“The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 pleased me tremendously and although there is room for improvement of some features, the Panasonic FZ18 offers high quality photography. When you learn to cope with the minus points, which is not so difficult with a MEGA O.I.S. at your disposal, you will experience a versatile camera that lets you as a beginning or advanced photographer work effortlessly with it.”

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Imaging-Resource – 07 December’07 – reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and -thinks it’s a nice camera as long as you stay below ISO 400. Here’s an excerpt from their review conclusion -
“With Panasonic’s no-nonsense approach to long zoom digital camera design, the Panasonic Lumix FZ18 shines most for its excellent 18x zoom lens. If the sensor were better, the Panasonic FZ18 would be our top pick overall in long zoom digicams. As it is, the FZ18’s sensor is good, but not as good as we’ve seen from many competitors with smaller zooms. It brings to mind the performance we saw about two years ago from Panasonic and others. Still, resolution is up, and that means you can now make good quality 11×14-inch prints from the Panasonic FZ18’s lower-ISO images, ranging from ISO 100 to 400.”

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Digicamreview – 04 December’07 – reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and because of the mode dial the camera is very easy to use. Here’s an excerpt from their review conclusion -
“The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 is an impressive ultra zoom digital camera – and probably the best of the latest ultra zoom cameras thanks to the Leica wide angle 18x optical zoom lens – I didn’t notice any vignetting or distortion and image quality is very good with great colour and detail although noise and lack of detail at the higher ISO settings causes some concern. The camera offers an excellent Leica wide angle 18x optical zoom lens with optical image stabilisation, helping you get sharp, crisp, blur free images even in low light.”

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PhotographyBlog – 03 December’07 – reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and indicates with this camera you can shoot some very tight close-ups. Here’s an excerpt from their review conclusion -
“The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18’s ‘auto everything’ Intelligent Auto Mode arguably produces results as good as, if not better, than most of us could achieve via hands-on adjustment. Overall though I don’t feel as excited about the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 as I feel I should be – perhaps there was too long for expectation to build between the initial announcement and a hands-on with pre-production models UK journalists had back in July, and a review sample becoming available. Or perhaps it’s just that I’ve been lucky enough to get my mitts on the likes of Nikon’s P5100 and Canon’s S5 IS in the meantime.”

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CNET – 27 November’07 – reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and warns the camera has pretty crummy low light white balance. Here’s an excerpt from their review -
“The FZ18’s relatively low resolution 207,000-pixel 2.5-inch LCD and EVF disappoint. Typical for this class of cameras, they preview completely different color and exposures, but worse, they update far slower those of than competitors such as the S8000fd, making it difficult to shoot active subjects such as kids and pets.”

Rating:
Wired – 25 November’07 – reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and notes this camera offers high end features wrapped in an easy to use package. Here’s an excerpt from their review -
“Among the features we tested was the Intelligent Auto Mode found in the dial at the top of the camera. The IA combines four top-notch features that make life extremely easy for amateur photographers: advanced optical image stabilization (or O.I.S.), Intelligent ISO, Face Detection, and the ambiance-correcting Scene Detection feature. Intelligent Auto is easy to keep as the standard setting because it takes little practice to produce very good pictures.”
CNET.co.uk – 19 November’07 – reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and commented it’s not only the excellent image quality this camera produces it comes loaded with a lot of customizable features that make it fun to use. Here’s an excerpt from their review conclusion -
“The Panasonic DMC-FZ18 is one of the two more expensive 8-megapixel 18x superzooms along with the Olympus SP-560UZ. The Fujifilm S8000fd weighs in at £200 but doesn’t shoot raw. The FZ18 certainly justifies the expense with its dSLR-style controls, excellent image quality and myriad of features.”
InfoSync – 15 November’07 – reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and loved the video options the camera offers. Here’s an excerpt from their review conclusion -
“While certainly not the prettiest camera we’ve tested, the DMC-FZ18 is a solid camera with a powerhouse lens and a wider variety of customization options that we usually see on a point-and-shoot. We had some issues with the design (what’s with the tiny buttons?), and sometimes all the custom options got confusing, but overall we were satisfied with our experience. For those looking to purchase a superzoom camera in this class, the DMC-FZ18 is a solid choice.”
Steves-Digicams – 06 November’07 – reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and really liked the overall image quality and thought it was excellent for a consumer camera. Here’s an excerpt from their review conclusion -
“The Lumix DMC-FZ18 continues their tradition of offering outstanding shooting performance, excellent image quality, loads of useful exposure settings, and a Very powerful zoom range (with O.I.S.), all packed in a stylish shell. This camera will make a great choice for anyone in the market for a versatile 8-megapixel digicam, especially if they are planing on a vacation that entails lots sport, wildlife, or portrait photography. That said, with a street price of US$399 or less, we feel the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 offers great “bang for your buck”.”
DPReview – 05 November’07 – reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and comments the sensor performance has a hard time keeping up with the rest of the cameras functions. Here’s an excerpt from their review conclusion -
“If you can live with the compromises that such a camera inevitably comes with (and you mainly shoot in daylight), you will get a lot out of using it, even if it’s your first ’serious’ camera. On this basis we think it’s safe to say that the FZ18 – which is certainly the best of the ‘really big’ zoom cameras we’ve tried so far – easily offers enough to earn a Recommended rating, even if overall the IQ doesn’t rate our highest honor.”
Digicamhelp – 28 October’07 – reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and points out that this is camera is really fast at focusing. Here’s an excerpt from their review conclusion -
“I shoot primarily at long tele but the ability to take wide-angle shots at the press of a lever is a feature I’ll never give up. For my needs, the FZ18 is a near-perfect digital camera. There is no looking back.”
DigitalCameraInfo – 26 October’07 – reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and notes the camera has very bad noise at even ISO 200. Here’s an excerpt from their review conclusion -
“The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 is much improved from the FZ8. It has more resolution, a longer and wider 18x optical zoom lens, and adds features like face detection. The Panasonic FZ18 outperforms its predecessor in almost every way. Its pictures have much more accurate colors and richer dynamic range. The FZ18 retains some of the best aspects of the FZ8, such as the optical image stabilization. These improvements, particularly the image quality and performance, make the $399 price well worth it.”
DCViews – 25 October’07 – reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and writes that this is a camera that you really can appreciate. Here’s an excerpt from their review conclusion -
“Attention to detail has always been a strong Panasonic selling point, and on the FZ18 there are many small but useful features to make life with the camera just that little bit easier. There is that handy joystick, the recessed shutter button, the stepped zoom for precise framing, the fact that all latches stay open when released, plus several intelligent and practical functions to assist your photography. Other strong points are its long focal length, robust built and comfortable handling. Coupled to a well-designed and relatively compact camera body, these all make the Panasonic Lumix FZ18 a strong contender in the super-zoom field and one you should certainly put on your shortlist if you are in the market for this kind of camera.”
CameraLabs – 18 October’07 – reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and indicated that the FZ18 is much more expensive than its predecessor yet it’s still a very impressive camera. Here’s an excerpt from their review verdict -
“As such with the FZ18, Panasonic’s improved on what was already an already excellent camera. It may no longer be the sheer bargain of its predecessor, but still outperforms the competition while matching their prices. Consequently we have no hesitation in Highly Recommending the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 – it’s the best all-round super-zoom we’ve tested so far.”
Megapixel – 16 October’07 – reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and noticed the Leica lens tends to produce soft images at the the widest angle. Here’s an excerpt from their review -
“To any user of a Panasonic FZ series camera, the DMC-FZ18 is familiar territory. In the positioning of the external controls, the design of the body, and its ergonomics, the FZ18 is faithful to the excellent design of its predecessors. The FZ18 is a light but well-constructed camera that offers powerful abilities.”
DCResource – 14 October’07 – reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and notes noted they were not excited by the image quality. Pictures at times were soft and perhaps a little dull. Here’s an excerpt from their conclusion -
“Camera performance is superb. Considering the beast of a lens inside it, the FZ18’s two second startup time is quite good. As with all Panasonic cameras, focusing performance is best-in-class, whether at wide-angle or telephoto. The camera manages to focus quickly and accurately in low light, as well. Shutter lag isn’t noticeable, and shot-to-shot delays are minimal, even in RAW mode. The FZ18’s burst mode is quite nice, with the ability to keep shooting at 2 frames/second until the memory card is full (a 4 shot/3 fps mode is also available). Do note that the burst mode is unavailable when shooting with the RAW format. The FZ18’s battery life numbers are average for the ultra zoom group. The one weak spot in terms of performance is USB transfer speed. For some reason, Panasonic just refuses to support USB 2.0 High Speed on their cameras, so I’m going to keep complaining about it until they do.”
ePhotozine – 11 October’07 – reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and notes the camera metering system tends to favor brighter ground over the sky which in high contrast situations leads to detail blow-out. Here’s the verdict;
“What’s good about the FZ18 is the way it works. Everything is clear and straightforward, even the important stuff like ISO control which is in the menu system, can be rapidly accessed and changed. The zoom is fairly quick and has an enormous reach. The image quality is decent, if not top rank, but crucially, it’s still perfectly fine at the end of that very long zoom. Colors tend to be bright and punchy, and the scene modes give quite noticeable results compared to the standard shooting modes. The EVF is very handy to have in bright sunlight and the exposure compensation and the Exposure lock buttons enable accurate exposures and adjustment to be made naturally and quickly. The sizable handgrip means that the camera is always firmly under control, and while the noise performance in the ISO tests leaves something to be desired, if you stick to ISO400 and below there should be few complaints.”
Cameras.co.uk – 10 October’07 – reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and not only was impressed with the quality of pictures they also indicated this camera is one of the most feature rich units on the market. Here’s their verdict;
“Overall the Panasonic DMC FZ18 is a winner. There are one or two areas where I think picture quality could improve, but that is the same for just about every other camera too. The camera has a very good range of controls and taking the length of lens into consideration Panasonic have managed to keep the price tag very reasonable. It is also one of the most feature packed consumer level digital cameras on the market.”
TomsGuide – 05 October’07 – reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and noted that you should be careful when shooting in manual to select the righ ISO or your shot could be ruined by excess noise. Here’s their final verdict;
“Behind its austere design, the Panasonic DMC-FZ18 hides impressive high-level performance. Experienced photographers will find a camera that’s the perfect compromise between compact point-and-shoots that are too short of features and SLRs that are too expensive and perhaps over laden with features they will never use.”
CNET Asia – 18 September’07 – reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and writes;
“The FZ18 offers a host of powerful and interesting features for a camera of its class. It certainly rivals its competitors and provides great value for money. Its ease of use is of note for a user who isn’t prepared to delve into a camera’s manual exposure settings, but who wants something better than a point-and-shoot.”
PhotoReview reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and writes;
“Of the three 18x optical zoom digicams currently available, the Lumix DMC-FZ18 is the best overall performer and, as long as your shooting doesn’t involve a lot of available light pictures in dim lighting, it’s a great little camera and ideal for travellers. Compact, lightweight and versatile, it provides a full range of user-adjustable controls. The Leica lens is outstanding and provides plenty of focal length flexibility as well as covering wide angles of view and the O.I.S. stabilization works a treat. The camera is also relatively fast and efficient to operate.”
Photoxels reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and writes;
“The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 remains the ultra zoom digital camera that sets the standard for the others to follow. It has pretty much everything a beginner to serious amateur photographer could wish for: very good to excellent image quality, superb 18x optical wide-angle zoom with an effective optical image stabilization, fast and precise AF even at the long end of the zoom and in low light.”
DigitalCameraReview tests the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and writes;
“If you’re in the market for an ultra-zoom, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 deserves a place on your short list. While poor noise performance and a small dynamic range detract from some images, overall image quality is good with nice color reproduction and sharp details. I was particularly impressed with some portrait-type images that I took at a childrens birthday party. The very nice Leica 18x optical zoom lens gives you a lot of flexibility and “reach” to get the shot that you want without high levels of lens distortion or chromatic aberration. The new “soft” feature of the camera, the Intelligent Auto mode, will be helpful to beginning photographers in some situations since it takes some of the leg work out of getting the shot. However, I don’t see any intermediate to advanced shooters relying on this mode during everyday shooting. If you’re really set on an 18x optical zoom, the only other camera on the market is the Olympus SP-550 UZ. There are more models coming soon (Olympus SP-560 UZ, Fujifilm Finepix S8000fd), but other ultra-zooms worth taking a look at, like the Canon Powershot S5 IS and Sony H-series cameras are a little bit shorter in the zoom category.”

Rating:
Trusted Reviews has reviewed the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and thinks it’s nearly the ultimate super zoom digital camera. Combine an almost perfect lens with rock solid image stabilization you end up with tack sharp photos. However, it does fall short because of a small sensor size which means its plagued with digital noise and dynamic range problems.

Bottom Line: Powerful lens and steady image stabilization means this camera according to Trusted Reviews is the best 18x zooms on the market.

Read the Full Review »
PopPhoto has a “first look” review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and thinks the camera has that “right on” feel when you hold it in your hands. Their first experience with the image stabilization and face detection where in a word, impressive. The DMC-FZ18 produced great images even in less than ideal lighting. And as the reviewer indicated low light situations can challenge even seasoned pros and can easily fool cameras metering systems. Not so with the DMC-FZ18 once the face detection lock on it would track and expose the pictures with near perfection.

Bottom Line: Even as a first take the review thinks this camera has winner written all over it. Combined the low light performance and ease of operation this camera is bound to impress just about anybody.

Read the Full Review »

Sample Photos

[Sample Test Photos at Pocket-lint]
[Sample Test Photos at Lets Go Digital]
[Sample Test Photos at Imaging-Resource]
[Sample Test Photos at Digicamreview]
[Sample Test Photos at PhotographyBlog]
[Sample Test Photos at CNET]
[Sample Test Photos at Steves-Digicams]
[Sample Test Photos at DPReview]
[Sample Test Photos at Digicamhelp]
[Sample Test Photos at DigitalCameraInfo]
[Sample Test Photos at CameraLabs]
[Sample Test Photos at Megapixel]
[Sample Test Photos at DCResource]
[Sample Test Photos at Cameras.co.uk]
[Sample Test Photos at TomsGuide]
[Sample Test Photos at CNET Asia]
[Sample Test Photos at PhotoReview]
[Sample Photos at Photoxels]
[Sample Photos at DigitalCameraReview]
[Sample Photos at Trusted Reviews]
[Sample Photos at PopPhoto]

[Sample Test Photos at Panasonic]

Video Tours

[Video Tour at InfoSync]

[Video Tour at CameraLabs]

Specifications

[Official Panasonic Specifications]

Owners Manual

[Download Owners Manual]

Press Release

The perfect choice for any photographer with varied photographic needs and high ambitions “ Panasonic is pleased to introduce the new DMC-FZ18 8.1-megapixel Lumix camera, featuring a powerful 18x optical zoom (equivalent to 28-504mm on a 35mm film camera), newly developed 28mm wide-angle LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT lens and Panasonic’s new and unique Intelligent Auto Mode. Panasonic’s award winning FZ series of Lumix cameras has been highly praised across the world, for concomitant realization of both high performance and ease of use, and the FZ18 is no exception.

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Posted in: Panasonic, Panasonic Review Roundups

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