Panasonic Lumix Dmc Fz18

[Goshawk]

This is the latest offering from Panasonic. A really nice piece of kit that's winning awards all over the place. Just purchased one myself and it really is an amazing camera

[BalthazarBeefheart]

Many Thanks for that - I wonder what price one would be looking at in Thailand ?

Cheers BB

[tw25rw]

Saw them in the upstairs shop in MBK.. Think they were about 18,000b.

I bought mine in September from Japan via ebay.. I enjoy using it but have some criticisms....:

Main one, battery life is shit. Always keep your batery charged up and carry a spare.

I get little or no audio on movies. Probably just a problem with mine.

Filter size is 46mm unless you by an expensive and apparently unavailable adaptor.

Still can't zoom/focus/change aperture on movies.

Overall, I think it's excellent value for money and a great upgrade from my FZ5.

I'm hoping they bring out an underwater casing so I can take it snorkelling next time I go to Phuket.

[taxout]

The reviews suggest the FZ-18 has limited dynamic range, the one sore point I've got with my FZ-3: there's just too much contrast, especially in sunny shots.

[Goshawk]

The Moon is always a good test subject

Here's a shot taken (not by me) with a Panasonic FZ18..

impressive enough ?

[tw25rw]

The reviews suggest the FZ-18 has limited dynamic range, the one sore point I've got with my FZ-3: there's just too much contrast, especially in sunny shots.

Having had a good look at my holiday snaps, I tend to agree. The colour looks a bit washed out in the outdoor shots from the islands.. The actual scene had a lot of blue, so maybe it tries to balance it. All easily rectified with editing software as I never distribute the originals straight from the camera anyway.

[taxout]

But the high-contrast problem's only easily rectified with editing software if you underexpose; at normal exposure, the bright areas get washed out and editing software can't bring anything out because there's nothing there.

As a result, I now seriously underexpose almost all my daylight shots with the FZ-3.

I also agree that in just about all cases, daylight or note, FZ-3 shots need punching-up in Photoshop.

Edited October 30, 2007 by taxout

[Kan Win]

The Moon is always a good test subject

Here's a shot taken (not by me) with a Panasonic FZ18..

impressive enough ?

Looks to me like a Photo of a Photo, but could be wrong.......

Kan Win

[Goshawk]

but could be wrong.......

yes, you are

[NewGuy]

I just ordered one (only the silver was available) on-line and a friend will bring it from the States in two weeks. It was $348 so I think I made a pretty good savings over Pattaya prices, the best I've seen was 16,990 or 17,990 - probably cheaper in Bangkok but I don't plan on going there for a while. I also got an extra li-ion battery, circular polarizer and uv haze filters from Hoya and lots of SDHC storage.

[tw25rw]

I just ordered one (only the silver was available) on-line and a friend will bring it from the States in two weeks. It was $348 so I think I made a pretty good savings over Pattaya prices, the best I've seen was 16,990 or 17,990 - probably cheaper in Bangkok but I don't plan on going there for a while. I also got an extra li-ion battery, circular polarizer and uv haze filters from Hoya and lots of SDHC storage.

I hope you ordered 46mm filters, not 55mm, unless you have managed to find their adaptor.

[tw25rw]

But the high-contrast problem's only easily rectified with editing software if you underexpose; at normal exposure, the bright areas get washed out and editing software can't bring anything out because there's nothing there.

As a result, I now seriously underexpose almost all my daylight shots with the FZ-3.

I also agree that in just about all cases, daylight or note, FZ-3 shots need punching-up in Photoshop.

That's what I have found.. It hasn't done a good job with the sunlit shots at all. Is there a particular filter I should be using? Not that 46mm filters are easy to find.

[Goshawk]

I just ordered one (only the silver was available) on-line and a friend will bring it from the States in two weeks. It was $348 so I think I made a pretty good savings over Pattaya prices, the best I've seen was 16,990 or 17,990 - probably cheaper in Bangkok but I don't plan on going there for a while. I also got an extra li-ion battery, circular polarizer and uv haze filters from Hoya and lots of SDHC storage.

Congrat's on your purchase. You won' be disapointed..

A couple shots i took with mine the other day..

The camera is superb in strong sunlight, colours are among the truest of any camera on the market.

The high contrast scaremongerers ? well you should know, if you do actually own an FZ18, that this can be altered in the Pict Adj menu. I never have because i don't see your 'problem' with my results

The elusive DMW LA3 adaptor is only required for a Tcon or Close-up lens, filters screw straight into the barrel.

[tw25rw]

The camera is superb in strong sunlight, colours are among the truest of any camera on the market.

The high contrast scaremongerers ? well you should know, if you do actually own an FZ18, that this can be altered in the Pict Adj menu. I never have because i don't see your 'problem' with my results

The elusive DMW LA3 adaptor is only required for a Tcon or Close-up lens, filters screw straight into the barrel.

I do own one and have been a bit disappointed with the output, but have yet to master all the features of the camera.

Some ebay stores have been advertising 55mm filters as being for this camera in error. And 46mm are hard to find in stock.

[taxout]

No scaremonger I -- your pictures demonstrate precisely the problem I've got with the FZ-3. Detail is completely washed of the highlights in some of the feathers and leaves.

I would have underexposed those shots by one or two EV to preserve detail in the highlights then brightened up the rest of the areas in PS.

The FZ-3 has no contrast adjustment.

[NewGuy]

Yup, both filters are 46mm. I'm really excited about getting my hands on my new toy.

[tw25rw]

I worked out that my audio problem was only when viewed on XP.. Just installed Vista and videos are fine.

The issue with colour\contrast I can adapt to..

Only real problem is battery life which was also a problem on the FZ5..

[hughden]

DP review have posted a review:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonicFZ18/

[lopburi3]

There is a cheaper alternative at a handful of shops now with gray market cameras using shop warranties rather than from official importers. I just bought a pocket DMC-FX-30 with 1g and case for 8,200 (not cheap but cheap for Thailand) and note the price for FZ-18 is 14,900 baht. There are several places that you can find from GeeTang.com and the place I used was pix-one.com at Fortune Town.

The downside is that software will likely have Japanese installer and if a tourist you would not have any guarantee without return to dealer here.