Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50 is a digital bridge camera with a super zoom lens . It was first sold in September 2006 and is the successor to the Lumix DMC-FZ30. A largely identical camera is offered by Leica under the type designation V-Lux 1. Since summer 2010, the FZ100 and (as a scaled-down version) FZ45 have been available as alternatives.
Furnishing
Panasonic FZ50 features the of Leica developed and built twelve-fold zoom lens "Leica DC Vario Elmarit " with a focal length of 7.4 to 88.8 mm (35-420 mm ASPH), which was built as early as the Lumix FZ30 . Depending on the focal length, this offers a light intensity of 1: 2.8 to 1: 3.7. A quadruple digital zoom can also be set. The camera has adjustable apertures from F2.8 to F11 and shutter speeds from 60 seconds to 1 ⁄ 2000 seconds.
Based on digital SLR cameras , the FZ50 has rotating rings on the lens for zooming and focusing. An optional magnifying glass function can make manual focusing easier.
The photos are taken on a 1 ⁄ 1.8 inch RGB CCD sensor with a maximum resolution of 3648 × 2736 image points ( pixels ) (format 4: 3). The Venus Engine III processor should ensure the shortest possible trigger delay, good noise behavior, fast image storage and thus short image sequence times. The camera has developed by Panasonic image stabilization system MEGA OIS (Optical Image Stabilizer), which in two modes - permanent and upon release - is available and to prevent camera shake at long focal lengths. This image stabilization system works by means of sensors that analyze the movements of the camera 4000 times per second. The lens element in the lens is shifted in the opposite direction to the camera movements due to the sensor analysis and the user movements are thus compensated as far as possible.
The camera is equipped with an automatic ISO control that can be activated. The so-called IIC (Intelligent ISO Control) analyzes whether objects in the photo are in motion and increases the sensitivity setting if necessary. As a result, a fast moving subject can be shown in focus with a faster shutter speed.
The Lumix DMC-FZ50 stores the photos on SD - or MMC - memory cards with a maximum storage capacity of 32 gigabytes for SDHC (SD High Capacity) in JPEG - or RAW format.
A lithium-ion battery (710 mAh, 7.2 V) supplies the camera with power. An average of 400 to 500 photos are possible with one battery charge, also depending on the proportion of photos taken with the integrated flash. The camera has an electric 0.44 inch color viewfinder with 235,000 pixels with dioptric correction and a 2 inch display with 207,000 pixels.
The Lumix FZ50 was often rated as good among the high-end compacts - precisely because of the equipment that was described as very good.
service
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50 has a fully automatic mode, a fully automatic mode that can be influenced, an automatic with shutter priority, an automatic with aperture priority and motif programs (baby, fireworks, high sensitivity of ISO 3200, candlelight, landscape, dragging effect, night landscape, night portrait, Party, portrait, snow, beautiful skin, food, sports and starry skies). Complete manual control is also possible. The Custom setting on the mode dial enables 3 freely selectable presets to be saved individually. Selectable image formats are 4: 3 (maximum 3648 × 2736 pixels), 3: 2 (maximum 3600 × 2400 pixels) and 16: 9 (maximum 3584 × 2016 pixels).
The program selection is made using a mode dial on the top of the camera; There is a dial on the front of the camera and one on the back of the camera for setting aperture and exposure time. Manual focusing can be carried out using a focusing ring on the lens. Optionally, a magnifying glass function can be activated, which shows the central image section greatly enlarged in order to facilitate focusing.
A manual white balance can be selected via the menu. It is recommended because the camera's automatic white balance does not always work reliably.
The exposure is carried out either via a multi-field or center-weighted integral or spot metering. The automatic focusing can be done either via 9-point, 3-point high-speed, 1-point, 1-point high-speed or spot autofocus. Auto bracketing can be used to take a series of exposures with three differently exposed photos, thus making it possible to select photos in difficult lighting conditions.
The playback of photos taken can either be shown with up to 16x magnification in the viewfinder or on the display in order to obtain an - albeit not reliable - impression of sharpness.
picture quality
The camera offers a resolution of 2211 lines in the image height. A point of criticism that was repeatedly mentioned in the previous models was the camera's image noise from ISO 200 upwards. This could only be eliminated or alleviated with the appropriate software in post-processing. With the FZ50, this noise reduction is already carried out by the camera using the DNR chip ( Digital Noise Reduction ) so that the problem of noise has not been eliminated, but has been significantly reduced.
Video function
In addition to the usual 640 × 480 pixels at 30 frames per second, the camera also offers the 16: 9 format (848 × 480 pixels) with the same frame rate.
Differences to previous models
The FZ50 does not have the option of saving photos in TIFF format. As with the previous model FZ30, photos can be saved in raw data format with the Panasonic Lumix FZ50 . However, this is at the expense of the image storage speed, since the amount of data stored is very large (approx. 20 MB with a resolution of ten megapixels). The photo is also saved in JPG format.
The FZ50 can photos because of the new ten megapixels - Sensor save resolution. The new Venus Engine III image processor with DNR chip is supposed to make the photos of the camera lower in noise. In addition to an ISO automatic, the camera now also has setting options of 800 and 1600 ISO as well as a high-sensitivity mode of 3200 ISO (which, however, can hardly be used due to poor noise behavior).
Further innovations are the fold-out and swiveling color display, which, however, is only 2 inches (5.1 cm) in size relatively small compared to competing models, and the TTL hot shoe, which was first installed in the Lumix DMC series.
Preferred settings can be stored in three memory locations (Custom). The manual white balance can be more finely differentiated in a coordinate system with a horizontal amber-blue and vertical green-magenta axis. To align the camera and for better image composition, a grid can be shown in the viewfinder or display.
In video mode, the FZ50 can zoom while recording.
Manufacturer's technical data
| Data | detail |
|---|---|
| lens | Leica DC Vario-Elmarit (14 elements, 10 groups) |
| Light intensity | F 2.8-3.7 |
| Filter diameter | 55 mm |
| Image stabilizer | Mega OIS: optical image stabilizer (2 modes) |
| zoom | 12x optical; 4x digital zoom |
| Extended optical zoom | Max. 13.4 × (8 MP) / 17.1 × (5 MP) / 21.4 × (3 MP) in 4: 3 |
| Focal length | f = 7.4–88.8 mm (35 mm pin: 35–420 mm) |
| focus | AF / AF Macro / MF / MF (ring) / continuous AF |
| Focus area | Normal: 30cm (W) / 200 (D) to infinity; Macro / MF: 5 cm (W) / 200 (D) to infinity |
| Autofocus evaluative metering | 1- / 1-high-speed / 3-high-speed / 9-field; Spot |
| Photosensitivity (ISO) | Auto / Int. ISO / 100/200/400/800 / 1,600 (high sensitivity mode: ISO 3200) |
| CCD sensor / pixel total | 1 ⁄ 1.8 inch, 10.4 million pixels, primary color filter |
| Pixels effectively | 10.1 megapixels |
| Backlight compensation | in auto mode |
| cover | F2.8 [W] / 3.7 [T] to F11 |
| Exposure metering | Intelligent multi-field, center-weighted integral and spot metering |
| Exposure time | 60- 1 / 2000 sec. |
| Picture setting | Contrast, sharpness, saturation, noise reduction |
| Exposure programs (AE) | Program AE; P / A / S / M; 17 motif programs |
| Exposure compensation | 1 ⁄ 3 EV steps, −2 to +2 EV |
| Bracketing | ± 1 ⁄ 3 EV to 1 EV steps, 3 frames |
| White balance | Auto / daylight / clouds / shadow / halogen / flash / manual 1 + 2 |
| Self timer | 2 sec. / 10 sec. |
| Image format | 4: 3/3: 2/16: 9 |
| Image size photo 4: 3 (pixels) | Max. 3,648 × 2,736, 5 gradations |
| Image size photo 3: 2 (pixels) | Max. 3,600 × 2,400, 4 levels |
| Image size photo 16: 9 (pixel) | Max. 3,584 × 2,016, 3 gradations |
| Compression | RAW / Fine / Standard |
| Automatic photo control | 1 sec. / 3 sec. / Zoom |
| Magnification control | 1 × / 4 × / 8 × |
| Video resolution 4: 3 (pixels) | 640 × 480/320 × 240 (30/10 fps) |
| Video resolution 16: 9 (pixels) | 848 × 480 (30/10 fps) |
| Color effects | Cold, warm, black and white, sepia |
| Serial pictures | Max. 2 frames / sec., Max. 5 pictures (standard) |
| Unlimited series pictures | up to the max. Memory card size |
| built-in flash | automatic, 4 settings (including red-eye reduction) |
| LC display (size / pixel) | 2.0 inches TFT (207,000 pixels); Field of view approx. 100%, pivotable |
| Viewfinder | electronic 0.44-inch color viewfinder (235,000 pixels) |
| Power supply | Li-Ion battery (7.2 V, 710 mAh) |
| Max. Battery capacity (LCD) | approx. 360 photos (CIPA standard) |
| Max. Battery capacity (viewfinder) | approx. 360 photos (CIPA standard) |
| Weight | 668 g (734 g with SD card and battery) |
| Dimensions (W × H × D) | 14.1 cm x 8.6 cm x 14.2 cm |
| colour | Black and titanium silver |
literature
- Frank Späth: LUMIX Superzoom Photo School TZ1, FZ7, FZ30, FZ50, Point Of Sale Verlag, Gerfried Urban, Baierbrunn 2006, 1st edition September 2006, ISBN 3-925334-75-0
Individual evidence
- ↑ DigitalPhoto magazine issue 1/2007, page 60
- ↑ chip.de
- ↑ Report of LetsGoDigital
- ↑ Foto-Video magazine 02/2007, page 75
- ↑ Rating in Chip.de
- ↑ Frank Späth: LUMIX Superzoom Photo School TZ1, FZ7, FZ30, FZ50, Point Of Sale Verlag, Gerfried Urban, Baierbrunn 2006, 1st edition September 2006, ISBN 3-925334-75-0 , pp. 93-95
- ↑ Frank Späth: LUMIX Superzoom Photo School TZ1, FZ7, FZ30, FZ50, Point Of Sale Verlag, Gerfried Urban, Baierbrunn 2006, 1st edition September 2006, ISBN 3-925334-75-0 , pages 99-102
- ↑ Chip.de
