PANASONIC Lumix DMC-FX500 Black (New Boxed) RRP £300

This camera is Ex-Display, Never used on Shop floor, In Mint Condition, As New, Boxed with Battery charger, Mains lead, USB, AV, Softwear, Full Manual & Paperwork.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX500 intro

The Panasonic DMC-FX500 is the flagship of the Lumix compact camera range. It features 10.1 Megapixel resolution, a 3in touch-sensitive screen and a 5x optical zoom with impressive wide angle facilities equivalent to 25mm.

Wide angle coverage equivalent to 25mm captures a considerably wider field of view than the typical 36mm you'll still find on many compacts. It's also measurably wider than the 28mm equivalent coverage of the better compacts out there, and even most DSLR kit lenses. It's not the first Lumix with 25mm – that honour goes to the slim FX35 – but with a 5x optical range, the FX500 has a longer reach at the telephoto end. Suffice it to say the lens also features optical image stabilisation to counteract camera shake.

Like the Lumix FX35 and TZ5, the new FX500 also sports High Definition video recording options in addition to the already decent standard definition options. The HD mode records 720p video with a 1280x720 pixel frame at either 10 or 30 fps, and the FX500 is also equipped with a port for an optional component video cable for connection to HDTVs.

The FX500 is the first Lumix camera to sport a touch-sensitive screen. This works in conjunction with the traditional Lumix joystick for controlling various aspects of the camera. You can select the shooting mode by tapping the required icon, adjust shutter speed, aperture or exposure compensation by dragging sliders with your finger or thumb, and autofocus on the desired area by tapping it. In playback you can tap on the area you want to enlarge and scroll around either by tapping 'controls' on each side or dragging it with your finger.

Speaking of shooting modes, the FX500 sports full manual control over exposure, along with aperture and shutter priority. This is an unusual degree of manual control to find on a compact, and there's also adjustable contrast, saturation, sharpness and noise reduction.

Panasonic has also equipped the FX500 with its latest Intelligent Auto mode which combines a number of new and existing technologies to detect scenes, motion and adjust the sensitivity as required. This latest revision includes Panasonic's own take on the dynamic range boosters seen on many recent DSLRs which reduce the exposure to preserve highlights, while brightening shadow areas. Interestingly Panasonic does this by actually adjusting the sensitivity in different parts of the sensor.

Over the past few years I've watched the development of Panasonic's range of digital cameras with interest. Panasonic was a relatively late entrant into the camera market, launching its first models in September 2001. Its progress since then has been one of quality over quantity, and even today its digital camera range consists of only 16 models, including the L10 digital SLR and the new G1 interchangeable lens camera system. However those 16 cameras are some of the best you can get, and as a result Panasonic's share of the digital still camera market has grown to the point where, at least in Europe, it is now second only to Canon overall, and is actually the market leader in digital compacts. When you consider innovative, high quality products like the Lumix DMC-FX500 this really isn't at all surprising.

The FX500 is a 10.1-megapixel ultra-compact camera featuring a 5x zoom lens with a 25mm-equivalent wide angle and optical image stabilisation, and a three-inch LCD monitor with a touch-screen interface. Currently selling for £300 the FX500 is an expensive camera, but it does offer a lot of quality and performance for the money. The body is mostly aluminium, with a hard-edged shape that is unlike other models in Panasonic's range. Build quality is exemplary, and the camera feels extremely strong and well made. It is available in black or silver, with both colours finished in an attractive brushed texture.

Unusually for a camera with a touch-screen interface the FX500 also has a complete set of conventional controls. This is because the touch-screen is only used for functions where it is actually an advantage, such as large buttons for main mode selection, fast and responsive sliders for aperture and shutter speed control, and the touch-operated AF/AE system. This is an extremely useful function, in which any object in the frame can be selected by touching the screen, and the camera then tracks the object if the camera moves, adjusting focus and exposure accordingly. If the object moves out of the frame, the camera remembers what it looks like for a few seconds and picks it up again if it comes back in. It is very impressive technology and works extremely well, even in quite low light.

There is no doubt that the Panasonic DMC FX500 is an impressive camera when it comes to the number of features packed into its compact body. Picture quality is good too and all in all Panasonic have produced an outstanding digital camera.

ALL ITEMS ARE SENT RECORDED MAIL AND POSTED WITHIN 24 HOURS.