Panasonic`s Lumix DMC-FZ8 - Performance and Image Quality
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The performance of the FZ8 is very competitive in shot-to-shot times and shutter lag. The new Venus III processor in the FZ8 doesn't show a considerable improvement in performance over its predecessor, but it still performs well. Shutter lag is a bit slower in the FZ8 as compared to the FZ7, although it is still relatively fast. Shot-to-shot times for the FZ8 were about 1.3 seconds with the flash off, and about 2.0 seconds with the flash and red-eye reduction on. These numbers are solid, and are among the best in the FZ8's class.
Battery life is a tad better in the FZ8 than in its predecessor. Panasonic claims that under normal shooting conditions, the user can expect to get about 380 shots on one battery charge. This is about average for battery life in a camera of the FZ8's stature.
The image quality that the FZ8 produces is above average. The auto white balance feature works nicely, and works especially well outdoors. The colors are vivid and very accurate in this camera. At times, the user may have to manually adjust the white balance levels to get the desired results, especially during indoor shots under artificial lighting.
In low-light situations, the FZ8 is average at best. Shots above ISO 400 have a noticeable amount of image noise in the image, and shots above ISO 1000 are hardly usable. At times, it is hard to remember that the FZ8 is not an SLR, because of the zoom power, so you have to keep in mind that it will not have that type of image quality. The ISO reduction settings of the FZ8 do reduce the amount of noise, but they also cause a small amount of color bleeding in the process.
Overall, I would say that the image quality is excellent under most circumstances. Some indoor shots can turn out a little dull under artificial lighting. For the most part, though, the FZ8 accurately produces high quality shots with the help of the great Leica lens, the 7.2 megapixel resolution, and the Venus III processor. If you will be printing photos that are 8x10 or less, this camera will do just fine for that type of application with minimal image noise and good color reproduction.
Summary
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ8 is an exciting camera! Who wouldn't get excited about a camera with the super zoom capabilities of this one. It is hard to ignore the 12x zoom and the very sufficient 7.2 megapixel resolution of this camera. Add to that the great movie features, excellent editing software, and ergonomic design and you have yourself a great digital camera with all the features you could ever want.
While this camera has a ton of great features, I will say that the image quality could be better. It's not that the images are bad, it's just that you almost expect them to be great, and the quality ends up falling a bit short of that target. I think that the FZ8 is an almost perfect digital camera, and it would be perfect if not for the minor image quality issues.
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