Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ20K 5MP Digital Camera with 12x Image Stabilized Optical Zoom (Black) Review
At 5 megapixels this camera is somewhat outdated, yet with owning newer and supposedly better cameras I still grab this one most often. The lens is stunning, fast and clear with an amazing zoom ratio. I got this camera when I was fascinated with photographing ducks. The 430mm equivalent zoom is perfect for bird photography. Compared to an SLR with equivalent length of zoom it's so light and easy to handle. And with a 36mm equivalent wide angle it replaces an entire kit of lenses. And with a 2.8 aperture it's remarkably fast for such a zoom.
My biggest complaint is that the with a minimum aperture of F8 I can't get quite the depth of field that I'd sometimes like. Some other features are a bit dated, too. Maximum movie size is 320 x 240 pixels. The USB connector is only the slower version 1. But since I don't like hauling multiple lenses around (or changing them in bad weather) and don't really use this as a movie camera, it's still the camera that goes on hikes with me. If you can find a used one at a good price don't worry about the 5 MP limit. The few photos that I've needed to print at a large size, I've taken to a print shop that does giclee printing. I have a stunning 16" x 20" shot of a red tailed hawk that's as fine as any of my 35mm prints. The printing was pricey but considering the framing and mounting costs the printing cost was trivial.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ20K 5MP Digital Camera with 12x Image Stabilized Optical Zoom (Black) Feature
- 5-megapixel sensor captures enough detail to create photo-quality 13-by-17-inch enlargements
- Leica DC Vario-Elmarit 12x zoom lens combines with 4x digital zoom for 48x total zoom
- MEGA optical image stabilizer; 2-inch TFT LCD screen; PictBridge Compatible
- Store images on Secure Digital (SD) memory card (16 MB SD card included)
- Powered by lithium-ion battery pack (included with charger)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ20K 5MP Digital Camera with 12x Image Stabilized Optical Zoom (Black) Overview
At 5.02" x 4.18" x 3.43" in size, this isn't the smallest 5 megapixel digital-camera around but among the best for versatility and features. Movie Mode - Quick Time Motion JPEG - 30 or 10 fps (320 x 240 Pixels) Exposure - Program AE, Aperture Priority AE, Shutter Priority AE, Manual Focus - Auto, Normal/Macro (Dial), Continuous AF, Manual (Ring), One-Shot AF 2 TFT Color LCD With 130,000 Pixels (1x, 4x, or 8x Magnification);.33 Color EVF Viewfinder With 114k Pixels, 100% Field of View Connectivity - DC Input, A/V Output ( NTSC or PAL compatible), USB Self Timer - 10 Seconds or 2 Seconds selectable Mega Optical Image Stabilizer Select among pixel resolutions - 2560 x 1920, 2048 x 1536, 1920 x 1080, 1600 x 1200, 1280 x 960, 640 x 480; Motion Image - 320 x 240 ISO Sensitivity - Auto/80/100/200/400 White Balance - Auto/Daylight/Cloudy/Halogen, Flash/White Set, Adjustment (Except Auto) Audio - Built In Microphone (And Speaker) for Still Image Recording With 5 Seconds of Audio, Motion Image Recording With Audio, Audio Dubbing (10 Seconds Maximum) 680 mAh Lithium Battery Pack (Up To 240 CIPA Standard Pictures per charge) Picture Adjustment modes Color Effect Modes - Cool, Warm, Black & White, Sepia Image Quality - TIFF/Fine/Standard SelectableScene Modes - Portrait, Sports, Landscape, Night Landscape, Panning, Night Portrait, Fireworks, Party, Snow, Moving Image, Playback; Dial - Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, Manual, Macro - make photo shoots easy and fun Includes - Battery Charger/AC Adapter (Input - 110-240V AC), 7.2V, 680mAh Lithion-ion Batt. Pack, 16MB SD Memory Card, Lens Cap, Hood, Adaptor, A/V/USB Cable, Strap, SD Viewer For DSC USB, Software CD
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ20K 5MP Digital Camera with 12x Image Stabilized Optical Zoom (Black) Specifications
Featuring a 5-megapixel CCD sensor, the DMC-FZ20K delivers a wide range of detail and color with images up to 2560 x 1920 pixels--enough information to make photo-quality prints up to 13 by 17 inches. Leica DC Vario-Elmarit 12x zoom lens, with 3 aspheric elements, combines comfortably small size with superb image rendering. By combining with a 4x digital zoom, users will have an equivalence of a 48x zoom lens in a very compact body, though users should note that digital zoom degrades picture quality.
Movie Mode and Audio
The DMC-FZ20K lets you shoot QuickTime Motion JPEG video at resolutions up to 320 x 240 pixels with sound. The amount of video you can capture is limited by space on the memory card; you'll fit more at low quality (10 frames-per-second) than at high quality (30 frames-per-second). The movies aren't camcorder quality, but they're fun and convenient, and they're perfect as e-mail attachments. You can also record audio comments, up to five seconds in length, for your still pictures.
More Features
- Flip Animation: Allows you to create your own frame-by-frame animations.
- Unlimited Consecutive Shooting: Allows consecutive shooting up to the capacity of the SD memory card.
- Two-inch diagonal polycrystalline TFT LCD display (130k pixels)
- Hot shoe for external flash attachment
- Mega Burst Shooting Mode: Shoot up to seven images at three or two frames-per-second in standard resolution, or up to four images in fine resolution. This option is designed to provide you with the best selection of photos during action, such as a sporting event.
Storage and Transfer
Images and video are stored on Secure Digital (SD) memory cards. A 16 MB SD card is included. Files can be downloaded to either a Mac or PC via USB connectivity, which means it can be connected to any USB-based Windows 98/Me/2000/XP and Mac OS 8.6 or later computer without installing any software.
Printing
This camera supports the PictBridge standard. PictBridge is a technology that lets you transfer pictures from a digital camera to a compatible printer, without a PC or image-editing software. Because PictBridge is an industry standard, users can connect PictBridge-compatible devices made by many different manufacturers. Learn more about PictBridge.
Power and Size
The camera is powered by lithium-ion battery pack (included with charger). It measures 3.43 by 5.02 by 4.18 inches and weighs 1.14 pounds.
What's in the Box
DMC-FZ20K digital camera, battery charger, battery pack, 16MB SD memory card, lens cap, lens hood with adaptor, A/V and USB cables, strap, and CD-ROM
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Customer Reviews
Great camera and still performing great after 4.5 years! - Kamol Murodov - AR
Hi,
i bought this camera on January 2006 and till now this camera is still looks and performs like new. I am still using original battery and it lasts for more than 200 shots per charge after 4.5 years of usage! Of course i didn't abuse it much but it performed great in different conditions like in cold snowing winters or humid sandy seashore summers.
I didn't expect i would write review but after serving me well for 4.5 years i felt i should share built quality of Panasonic cameras with others. It still performing great and IQ is the same as a brand new one. All features and mechanisms function well. No signs of wear on camera or lens. It's built very well.
I am glad i choose Panasonic Lumix series camera - they make one of the best p&s cameras. I would advice anyone buying one.
Fast click to capture. Excellent for newbies. - J. Foley -
I bought this camera because of Consumer Reports in 2005 said it
was the fastest in terms of lag time. I needed to capture pics of my little cousins. And they were right, it is fast. It even has 3 frames per second mode.
I found it quite easy to learn how to use the features of this camera for someone new to digital.
Bonus 12x zoom with 24x digital zoom- you can capture things many cameras would miss.
I took photos at my cousin's wedding and at least two were framed in their house- there were many other people who took photos besides me.
Also in using the 3 frames a second mode, I got a great picture of my cousin with her father when she was flinching and the next 1/3 a second she had her eyes open- this camera allowed me to capture that. Otherwise the picture would have had her with eyes closed.
NOTE: - do be careful what kind of bag you put this in. My camera finally has some fine lint that worked its way inside the lens, although I don't see it in the pictures so far.
superb camera - Renee - Emmaus, PA
I bought this camera used for . What a bargain!! It takes fabulous pictures! I downloaded pictures I took at Niagra Falls and use them as my screen saver and I can't believe I took those pictures. They look like they were taken by a professional! I still have a lot to learn on this camera but so far the pictures are stunning. I can't imagine what kind of pictures I'll be able to take when I learn more about the camera.
The only one tiny problem I have is where they put the digital view finder. When I look through it my nose touches the LCD screen. But other than that I love this camera. What a great find!!!
*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Sep 21, 2010 13:40:31
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