Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 - Expert Reviews

Award: Recommended!

Review summary: Barely half a year after the introduction of the DMC-FZ8, Panasonic added another model to its popular range of compact 'super zoom' Lumix cameras in the shape of the FZ18. Although obviously based on the FZ8 (they are externally almost identical), the FZ

Pros: Good, sharp results in optimal shooting conditions, Good, natural color and excellent exposure, Hugely versatile 18x zoom range covering true wideangle to long telephoto, Smooth, almost stepless 2-speed zoom, Effective image stabilization, Good build qual

Cons: Images lack biting crispness, some loss of fine detail to noise reduction even at ISO 100, Default noise reduction too high at all ISO settings (use low NR setting or raw), Occasional odd artefacts at lower ISO settings (some moiré related, some ju

Verdict: One thing that has become obvious to us as we've looked at the various 18x 'super zoom' models that have appeared since the Olympus SP-550UZ burst onto the scene at the start of the year is that they will always involve a certain degree of compromise, par

Pros: Intelligent Auto mode was spot on most of the time; solid build; good overall performance.

Cons: No hotshoe; no flip-out screen.

Verdict: 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.

Review summary: Panasonic DMC-FZ18 Review - A camera with a zoom so large you don't even have to get out of bed to photograph landscapes is reviewed by torpid Duncan Evans.

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.

Review summary: The success of the Megazoom cameras lead to a farther advancing of the concept and to equip a small housing with no less than 18x optical zoom. The resolution of 8 Megapixels suffices easily for printing small to large prints. Although the immense popular

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