Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX500 Digital Camera (Silver)
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX500 Digital Camera provides 10.1-megapixel resolution with a 5x wide angle f/2.8 Leica DC lens (equivalent to 25 - 125mm on a 35mm film camera), features an Intelligent Image Stabilizer based on the renowned MEGA O.I.S.(Optical Image Stabilizer) and includes Intelligent ISO control.
The large, 3.0-inch LCD display provides a beautiful and clear way to frame and view your images and also provides intuitive touch-screen operation. There are also a variety of advanced functions, including Auto focus(AF) tracking which continuously tracks the subject and adjusts the focus, even after the AF is set, which is especially helpful for catching active children or pets. Plus the iA (Intelligent Auto) mode is a helpful shooting assist function that lets the user leave all the settings to the camera. Taking maximum advantage of this iA mode, users can then go a step further to set auto focus and exposure on the desired subject by simply touching it on the screen. The camera also provides true HD motion picture recording and HD slideshows complete with music. There is even an optional cable available to provide HD output to view your movies and images in true HD quality.
For more intuitive operation, the DMC-FX500 has a hybrid control system that combines joystick control with touch-screen operation, allowing basic settings to be directly controlled by the joystick. Other extensive controls are finely adjusted by touch or by moving a slider on the screen with the finger or an included stylus-pen. The Lumix DMC-FX500 is a beautifully designed digital camera that is easy to use, comfortable to handle thanks to it's slim body, and can be used either at a family gathering or a formal event.
- 10.1 Megapixel Resolution
- The DMC-FX500 features a CCD image sensor that is slightly larger than previous types with a size of 1/2.33-inch. With 10.1 Megapixels of image resolution, you'll be able to produce high quality images that can yield photo quality 20 x 30" prints. The camera also has resolution options that are available in three different aspect ratios - 16:9 for displaying on a wide screen monitor or TV, 3:2 for making standard photo album prints, and 4:3 for more traditional image dimensions common in picture frames.
- Wide Angle 5x Optical Zoom Leica DC Lens
- The DMC-FX500 camera has a 25mm wide angle 5x optical zoom Leica DC Vario-Elmarit Lens, and thanks to the incorporation of an unevenly thick concave meniscus EA (Extra High Refractive Index Aspherical) lens element, the camera still maintains a slim design. This wide angle lens enables easy capture of large indoor group subjects or expansive architectural structures and sceneries with dynamic width and a rich perspective.
- Extra Optical Zoom Function
- The zoom ratio of the DMC-FX500 can be extended up to 8.9x in 3-megapixel resolution mode thanks to the Extra Optical Zoom function which gives extra magnification (and minimal image deterioration) by intentionally using only the center part of the CCD. There is also a 4x digital zoom that extends the total zooming power to a maximum of 35.6x (35mm equivalent of 890mm).
- MEGA O.I.S. with Intelligent ISO Control
- The MEGA O.I.S.(Optical Image Stabilizer) system compensates for handshake - the major cause of blurred images. Every slight hand-shake movement is detected accurately with the sampling frequency at 4,000 times per second and is compensated to render clear, sharp images. In addition, movement of the subject, the other major cause of blurred images, is suppressed by Intelligent ISO Control (I.I.C.) and available ISO 800 recording capabilities (ISO 1600 is available in Normal Mode). The incorporation of I.I.C. allows the automatic adjustment of the ISO setting and shutter speed that best suits the situation by analyzing the speed of subject movement. If the subject is moving, the ISO setting would automatically rise to allow a higher shutter speed. On the other hand, if the subject is still and no movement is detected, you can take beautiful natural images with a low ISO setting.
- High Picture Quality, Quick Response Image Processing LSI: The Venus Engine IV
- The DMC- FX500 camera utilizes the Venus Engine III Image Processing LSI to realize high sensitivity recording. The noise reduction system is greatly improved by removing noise at the processing stages in series. First, critical noise is roughly identified and the chromatic noise and the luminance noise are separated to respectively go through the supplemental noise reduction process so that the remaining noise is appropriately minimized. Furthermore With its multi-task image processing capability, the Venus Engine IV also boasts outstanding response time with a shutter release time lag of as short as 0.005 seconds and a shutter interval of 0.9 seconds. In burst shooting mode, the DMC-FX500 can snap 2.5 shots per second at full resolution, and in High-Speed Burst shooting mode, it fires off an incredible 6 shots per second. Together with the fast startup time of approx. 1.7 seconds, the quick response of DMC-FX500 enables easy capture of those spur-of-the-moment shots. Another benefit of the energy-efficient Venus Engine IV is long battery life - sufficient to shoot approximately 280 pictures (CIPA Standard) on a single charge.
- Intelligent Auto (iA) Mode
- The Intelligent Auto (iA) mode, comprises various shooting-assist functions so you can shoot without the bother of adjusting settings every time conditions change. The camera will not only help eliminate blurring from hand-shake or subject movement by automatically initiating Mega O.I.S. and Intelligent ISO Control, but will also initialize the Intelligent Scene Selector, Face Detection and Quick AF functions. Furthermore the DMC-FX500 adds the Intelligent Exposure feature and Digital Red-eye Correction to the iA System for even more comprehensive automation of the camera functions. Plus, it differs from other Lumix cameras by including the enhanced option where you can set auto focus and exposure on the desired subject by simply touching it on the screen, and the rest of the settings are automatically supported by the iA mode.
- Advanced 3.0" Touch-screen LCD Display
- The 3.0-inch 230k pixels high resolution LCD of the DMC-FX500 provides a touch-screen interface to achieve amazing ease in both shooting and playing back the images. The LCD screen is also part of Panasonic's hybrid operation system, combining the touch-screen interface and a more conventional operation system that is accessed with a joystick for more intuitive and quick control. In playback mode, an Easy Organization menu is provided to simplify image organizing, and users can quickly select an image to view by scrolling the thumbnails located below the main window, and then edit the image by resizing, trimming and inputting the text title of the picture. Furthermore, the high-resolution Intelligent LCD automatically controls its brightness by detecting the surrounding lighting condition to gives the display the most appropriate clarity in any situation.
- High-Definition Videos & Slide Shows
- Like most other cameras today, the DMC-FX500 can take 1920 x 1080 pixel HD (high-definition) quality photos that perfectly fit a wide-screen (16:9) HDTV for full-screen viewing, however, the camera can also record true HD motion pictures in 1280 x 720p at a smooth 30 fps, in addition to WVGA (848 x 480) and normal VGA (640 x 480) video. Plus the camera has HD component output capability so you can enjoy watching still and motion pictures in stunning HD quality by simply connecting the camera to a TV via an optional component cable (DMW-HDC2). The DMC-FX500 also provides in-camera slideshows complete with music - just select the pictures you want to show and choose the music that best matches your selection from natural, slow, urban or swing, and you'll get an emotion-filled slideshow with a variety of slide change effects and matching music.
- High-speed AF
- The various AF modes available in the DMC-FX500 can be selected according to the shooting environment and the position of the subject: 9-point, 3-point high speed, 1-point high-speed, 1-point normal-speed and spot, to provide a quick and smooth AF without screen-freeze. The inclusion of an AF assist lamp provides further assistance in low light situations when focusing is difficult. The result is stress free photography with never a moment missed.
- Scene Modes and Other Features to Enrich Your Photography
- With twenty scene modes, the DMC-FX500 can assist the user in a wide range of photographic situations. For Example, the "Beach" mode is perfect for shooting in strong sunlight and the "Aerial" mode assists with shooting through the windows of an airplane. In the "Simple" mode, almost all adjustments are automatically set by the camera processor, even including the backlight compensation, allowing even entry-level users to take beautiful images easily. Also of interest is the Title Edit function, which allows text to be input as additional information for the picture, for example, names of children or pets, and travel places. This information, as well as dates, can be stamped on photos with the Text Stamp function whether you print them yourself at home or have a photo shop do them.
- Built-in and Expandable Memory
- The DMC-FX500 includes an impressive 50MB of built-in memory so you'll be able to begin shooting, right out of the box. Plus the camera memory can be expanded using popular Secure Digital(SD) cards or Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) memory cards. Users can also copy images between the built-in memory and a memory card to facilitate image sharing.
- Powerful Included Software
- The included software PHOTOfunSTUDIO-viewer-2.0 offers more convenience to the user by taking advantage of the features available on the LUMIX cameras. You can access pictures not only by date, but also by scene mode, or by text that you have inputted on the cameras Title Edit function. The PHOTOfunSTUDIO-viewer-2.0 allows you to easily organize your growing number of still and motion pictures on one simple interface.
Go To
| Camera Type | Wide-angle Ultra-Compact Point-and-shoot Digital Camera with Image Stabilization |
| Image Quality | |
|---|---|
| Image Sensor | 1/2.33", 10.7 Megapixel CCD with Primary Color Filter |
| Effective Resolution | 10.1 million pixels |
| Color Depth | 24-Bit RGB |
| Color Modes | Natural, Standard, Vivid, Cool, Warm, Black & White, Sepia |
| Image File Formats | JPEG (Fine, Standard) |
| Recorded Resolution |
4:3 Aspect Ratio 3648 x 2736 3072 x 2304 2560 x 1920 2048 x 1536 1600 x 1200 640 x 480 3:2 Aspect Ratio 16:9 Aspect Ratio |
| Video Recording |
QuickTime Motion JPEG with Audio HD (1280 x 720 @ 30 fps or 15 fps) WVGA (848 x 480) @ 30 fps or 10 fps VGA (640 x 480) @ 30 fps or 10 fps QVGA (320 x 240) @ 30 fps or 10 fps) Clip Length limited by available memory to a maximum of 2GB |
| Audio Recording |
WAV Format Up to 5 seconds record time with image, up to 10 Seconds Dubbing |
| Optics | |
|---|---|
| Lens Type | Leica DC Vario-Elmarit Lens (7 Elements in 6 Groups with 4 Aspherical Lenses) |
| Optical Zoom | 5x (up to 8.9x Extra Optical Zoom) |
| Lens Focal Length | 4.4 - 22.0mm (25 - 125mm equivalent) |
| Digital Zoom | 4x |
| Minimum Focus Distance | 2.0" (5cm) |
| Maximum Aperture | f/2.8-5.9 |
| Optical Image Stabilization | Yes (Mega O.I.S. with Intelligent ISO Control) |
| Accessory Lens/Filter Mount | No |
| Focus Control | |
|---|---|
| Focus Type | Auto Focus System with AF assist lamp |
| Focus Modes | Face, 1 point, 1 point high speed, 3 points high speed, 9 points, Spot, Touch AF |
| Focus Range |
Normal: 19.7" (50cm) - infinity Macro/Simple: 2.0" (5cm) - infinity wide |
| Exposure Control | |
|---|---|
| Sensitivity |
Auto ISO High Sensitivity Auto(1600-6400) Selectable ISO (100, 200, 400, 800, 1600) |
| Shutter Type | Not Specified |
| Shutter Speed |
60 - 1/2000 seconds 15, 30, or 60 seconds in Starry Sky Mode |
| Aperture Range | f/2.8-5.9 to f/8.0 |
| Exposure Metering | Intelligent Multiple Metering |
| Exposure Modes | Program AE, Aperture Priority AE, Shutter Priority AE, Manual, Touch AE, Exposure Compensation (±2.0 EV in 1/3 EV increments), Backlight Compensation, AE Lock, Auto Bracketing AE (±1/3 EV - 1 EV Step, 3 Frames) |
| White Balance Modes | Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Shade, Halogen, White Set, White Balance Adjustment (±1500K in 150K steps) |
| Scene Modes | Portrait, Soft Skin, Scenery, Sports, Night Portrait, Night Scenery, Self-Portrait, Food, Party, Candle Light, Fireworks, Starry Sky, Beach, Aerial Photo, Snow, High Sensitivity, Baby1, Baby2, Sunset, Pet, Hi-speed Burst |
| Flash | |
|---|---|
| Built-in Flash | Yes (Auto, Red-Eye Reduction Auto, Slow-sync, Forced On/Off) |
| Effective Flash Range | 1.8' (0.6m) - 20.1' (6.0m) wide |
| External Flash Connection | No |
| External Flash Control | Not Applicable |
| Performance | |
|---|---|
| Start-Up Time | 1.7 seconds |
| Shutter Lag | 0.005 seconds |
| Time Between Shots | 0.9 seconds |
| Burst Capability |
Burst Mode: 2.5 fps up to 5 images (Standard), or 3 images (Fine) @ all resolutions Hi-speed Burst Mode: 6 fps (2.5 Megapixel resolution or lower) |
| Self Timer | 10 seconds or 2 seconds |
| Interval Recording | No |
| Date & Time Stamp | Yes |
| Memory & Power | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in Memory | 50MB | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Compatible Memory Cards |
Secure Digital (SD/SDHC) Card MultiMediaCard (MMC) |
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| Recording Capacity |
Includes 50MB Built-in Memory
Still Image Capacity
Video Capacity
* A high speed SD/SDHC Card is recommended for recording these video formats. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Battery Type | DMW-BCE10 Lithium-ion Battery (3.6V, 1000 mAh) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Power Adapter | DMW-AC5 AC Adaptor (110-240V) (Optional) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Input/Output | |
|---|---|
| Computer Interface | USB 2.0 (Full Speed) |
| Direct Print Capable | Yes (PictBridge) |
| Remote Control | No |
| Video Output |
NTSC & PAL HD Video (requires DMW-HDC2 Cable - optional) |
| Web-Cam Capable | No |
| System & Software Requirements |
Windows 98/98SE, 2000, ME, XP, Vista Macintosh OS X (10.1 or later) |
| Display | |
|---|---|
| Viewfinder | No |
| LCD Display | 3.0" Polycrystaline TFT Touch Screen Color LCD (230,000 pixels) with Real-time Histogram & Composition Guide Lines |
| Language Options | English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Japanese |
| Playback Options | Single Image, 30 or 12-Thumbnail Display, Slideshow Mode (with Category Playback), Calendar Display, Easy Organization (Favorites, Delete, Title Edit, Trimming, Resize), Zoomed Playback (16x max), Image Rotation, Slide Show, Favorite Pictures, Resizing, Trimming, Protection, Aspect conversion, DPOF print setting, Creating still pictures from a motion picture, Dual image playback |
| Physical | |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 3.8 x 2.3 x 0.9" (95 x 57 x 23mm) |
| Weight | 5.5oz (155g) excluding battery |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviews(based on 5 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
100%
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Pros
- Easy to setup (5)
- Large clear LCD (5)
- Simple controls (5)
Cons
Best Uses
- Travel (5)
- Fun (4)
REVIEWS
Reviewed by 5 customers
Sort by
Displaying reviews 1-5
Pros
- Bright LCD
- Comfortable Controls
- Easy Setup
- Easy to Keep Clean
- Easy To Use
- Great Picture Quality
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Art
- Family Photos
- Fun
- Travel
Comments about Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX500 Digital Camera (Silver):
I upgraded from a Lumix that I bought at B&H several years ago and I have to say this new version has it all. I use the camera for personal photos rather than my pro gear. But I do take art photos with it since it is always in my pocket. I love the touch screen and "Quick Menu" . Anything that increases the speed at which I can snap the photo is a good thing and so far this camera does everything it needs to do.
Wade NYC
Pros
- Bright LCD
- Comfortable Controls
- Easy Setup
- Easy To Use
- Many features bundled
Cons
- Average image quality
Best Uses
- Family Photos
- Travel
Comments about Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX500 Digital Camera (Silver):
The FX500 is very easy to use, portable, and with loads of features. The 5x zoom combined with the wideangle shots are a good combination, and rare to find on ultracompacts.
I bought this for my wife as I am an owner of Canon A series. I noticed that the images had a certain elevated level of noise on ISO100 (at least compared to my canon) which I did not like much, but when the images are printed to A6 or A4, the quality was still superb. I have not fiddled much with the setting and probably there are some settings of Noise reduction to be set accordingly.
Some argues that the touchscreen is useless, but I find it really fast to control settings, such as you can touch the screen to tell the camera where to focus on (or get AE).
The software looked good, but there was a feature which was missing and was quite unhappy about. When downloading photos, it did not placed the image files sorted by date taken but they were placed all in a single folder. The prog was quite good in tagging photos and organising them according different parameters (Scene mode, date, taggs, etc).
Pros
- Bright LCD
- Comfortable Controls
- Easy Setup
- Short Lag Time
Cons
Best Uses
- Fun
- Travel
Comments about Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX500 Digital Camera (Silver):
I needed the Camera for vacation, [...], so I was able to take the camera on Vacation.Great Camera Too!
Pros
- Bright LCD
- Comfortable Controls
- Easy Setup
- Short Lag Time
- Strong Construction
Cons
- None
Best Uses
- Fun
- Travel
Comments about Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX500 Digital Camera (Silver):
I use this camera for family pictures & vacation. I'm very pleased with it so far.
Pros
- Bright LCD
- Comfortable Controls
- Easy Setup
Cons
Best Uses
- Fun
- Travel
Comments about Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX500 Digital Camera (Silver):
I have a DSLR so I use this one when I don't want to haul around a large camera bag. It takes great photos and great HD video. 720p! (seriously compressed, but still HD rez). All in all, it's great, the lcd/touch screen is awesome and I'd strongly recommend this camera!
Displaying reviews 1-5
Memory Cards
Sufficient memory is not included so be sure to have enough storage capacity.
- Price: $8.99
Batteries & Power
Always keep a spare battery handy so you won't get caught without power.
- Price: $33.95
Bags & Cases
Carry, store, and protect all your equipment with a bag or a case.
- Price: $9.95
Screen Protectors
Protect your LCD screen from scratches and finger prints.
- Price: $8.26
Filters & Adapters
Get the desired effect with a filter and the appropriate adapter.
- Price: $13.98
Books & Tutorials
Learn all that your new camera can do.
- Price: $17.95
What's in the Box
- DMW-BCE10 Lithium-ion Battery
- Battery Charger (110-240v AC)
- Battery Case
- USB Cable
- A/V Cable
- Wrist Strap
- Stylus
- Software CD-ROM (PHOTOfunSTUDIO 2.0, USB Driver, Lumix Simple Viewer)
- Operating Instructions
- 90-Days Labor; 1-Year Parts Manufacturers Limited Warranty
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