Testseek.com have collected 73 expert reviews of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and the average rating is 83%. Scroll down and see all reviews for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18.
January 2008
(83%)
73 Reviews
Average score from experts who have reviewed this product.
Users
(92%)
64 Reviews
Average score from owners of the product.
83010073
The editors liked
Intelligent Scene Selector makes taking sharp
Evenly exposed pictures a veritable 'no brainer'
Quick AF minimises shutter delay
Venus Engine III with subject motion detection (so ISO and shutter speed increased to compensate)
Very good image quality with adjusted JPEG settings
Excellent image quality with RAW images
Stabilized 18XZ zoom
Aspect ratio choices
Well supported RAW mode
Excellent monitor and EVF
Manual controls
Great videos
Wide
Long 18x lens
Accurate colors
Great resolution
Effective face detection
Simple design with good controls
Lightweight
Good grip
18x optical zoom
Extremely low optical distortion
RAW mode
White balance can be fine-tuned
Selectable AF points
Live histogram
Ability to limit maximum ISO
Broad diopter control
Lens is well-recessed...
Shoots in RAW mode
Excellent value. Images with accurate color and correct exposure. Versatile 18X optical zoom. 28mm wide-angle lens. Intuitive menu system.
Wide-angle
Long zoom lens
Nice set of shooting features.
Very good photos in a variety of settings
Amazing focal range including wide angle
Manual options galore
Good
Sharp results in optimal shooting conditions
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...
18x optical zoom
Optical image-stabilization
Full manual-mode
RAW support
Excellent 18x optical zoom Leica lens
Burst mode returns clear photos
18x optical zoom with OIS and little fringing
Decent quality 2.5in screen
Intelligent Auto a useful auto mode
Good manual control and RAW facility.
Range of features
Design
Image quality at low ISO
The editors didn't like
Silver bodied version looks and feels a bit plasticy in the 'flesh'
Fine mode JPEG can contains artefacts with default settings
Some shadow noise as of 100 ISO
Wide angle a touch softer focus than all other focal lengths
No flash shoe
207k LCD resolution
Optical zoom nonfunctional in movie mode
Poor audio
Ugly noise apparent above ISO 200
Inconsistent AF in low light
Noise and noise suppression visible even at low ISO
High ISO image noise and noise reduction degrades image quality
Significant chromatic aberration at telephoto
Digital zoom is soft
Moderate barrel distortion at wide angle
Greens are undersaturated
Defau...
Noisy photos at ISO 800 and higher
Zoom doesnt work while capturing video
No MEGA OIS button
Noise in low-light and flash shots.
Cameras JPEG processing choices can produce suboptimal results
No zoom in movie capture
Sluggish LCD/EVF update.
Still too much noise at ISO 400 and above
Poorly designed lens hood
Chuck it
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
Abstract: Introduction A bridge camera, such as the Panasonic digital DMC-FZ18, is halfway between a compact and an SLR. Its an ambivalent category, but one that manufacturers are increasingly interested in. Is the Panasonic FZ18 as easy to handle as a compact...
Abstract: Two months ago Panasonic announced the Lumix DMC-FZ18, an interesting and affordable ultra zoom camera with an 18X wide angle lens, we wrote about it here.Heres our first impression, out of the box. Well, theres not that much to say really; the de...
Very good image quality with adjusted JPEG settings, excellent image quality with RAW images, Stabilized 18XZ zoom, Aspect ratio choices, Well supported RAW mode, Excellent monitor and EVF
Fine mode JPEG can contains artefacts with default settings, Some shadow noise as of 100 ISO, Wide angle a touch softer focus than all other focal lengths, No flash shoe
The Panasonic DMC-FZ18 is the newest addition to Panasonics FZ series of cameras. The Lumix DMC-FZ18 is a bridge camera that offers an SLR feel, an optically stabilized 18X zoom, and an 8-megapixel resolution. The body shape shows its heritage and th...
18x optical zoom with OIS and little fringing, Decent quality 2.5in screen, Intelligent Auto a useful auto mode, Good manual control and RAW facility.
Noise visible throughout ISO range, 50% pricier than earlier FZ8, No flip-out screen, May be too small and light for some.
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 may cost 50% more than its predecessor but it’s still hard not to be impressed. While it no longer offers the same sheer value, it does give you the flexibility of a longer and wider 18x optical zoom with decent stabilis...
Abstract: The Panasonic FZ18 has a superb Leica DC Vario-Elmarit lens and it shows in the quality of the images. The effective optical image stabilization allows hand holding shots at the long focal lengths and slower shutter speeds. The wide-angle makes this a ...
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 an...
Abstract: Anyone who's interested in photography as a hobby will want a bit more versatility in their camera than is offered by a simple point-and-shoot compact. Many will opt for a digital SLR, but for those whose budgets are a little more restricted, or who don't...
Intelligent Scene Selector makes taking sharp, evenly exposed pictures a veritable 'no brainer', quick AF minimises shutter delay, Venus Engine III with subject motion detection (so ISO and shutter speed increased to compensate)
Silver bodied version looks and feels a bit plasticy in the 'flesh'
The FZ18 is a comprehensively featured camera that offers a good 'halfway house' for those not quite ready to make the jump from compact to more fully specified digital SLR, or want one camera that does everything without the need to swap any lenses....
Abstract: Panasonic Lumix This is an 8 megapixel, all-in-one camera with a Leica zoom lens that has a range of 28-504mm. The lens is image-stabilised and fast, f2.8-4.5. It works as a point-and-shoot with face-detection and there is a full range of user co...
The lens is superb. It has true wide angle and a phenomenal telephoto reach of 504mm (film equivalent). The image stabilisation is effective and hand held photos at full extension are possible. Sharpness and contrast are exemplary and focus, even at fu...
The Achilles’ heel of Panasonic cameras has been image noise and it still is. However, by reducing sharpness and contrast by one notch and dialling in one step of noise reduction we got clean images at ISO200. The company’s claim of usable ISO...
This is a good camera and shutter lag is almost a thing of the past. If the standard pre-focus procedure of half-depressing the shutter button is adhered to shutter lag is negligible. It is not as responsive as a DSLR, but fast enough to track moving s...
