Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18K 8.1MP Digital Camera with 18x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)

Average customer rating:

Great on paper

Performs better than expected

GREAT CAMERA!!

Great camera if you want to avoid carrying a bulky SLR

Panasonic FZ18

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18K 8.1MP Digital Camera with 18x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)

Manufacturer: Panasonic
ProductGroup: Photography
Binding: Electronics

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Accessories:

Joby GP1-0BEN Gorillapod Flexible Tripod (Blue)

Joby GP1-0GEN Gorillapod Flexible Tripod (Green)

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Joby GP1-0PEN Gorillapod Flexible Tripod (Pink)

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Product Features:

8.1-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 16 x 22-inch prints

18x wide-angle image-stabilized optical zoom; 2.5-inch LCD display; 0.44-inch electric viewfinder with diopter adjustment for fine focusing; can toggle between LCD and EVF

Intelligent Auto Mode with Face Detection and Intelligent Scene Selector

Shooting at ISO 1600 in normal recording mode; 6 autofocusing modes

Stores images on SD memory cards (includes 27MB of internal memory; powered by lithium-ion battery (battery and charger included)

ASIN: B000TM7GD8
Release Date: 2007-09-20

Product Description

The DMC-FZ18 Lumix 8.1-Megapixel Digital Camera can take photos from vast landscapes to super telephoto shots thanks to its 18x optical 28mm Wide-Angle Leica Zoom Lens. For macro shots, the wide-angle setting lets you shoot all the way down to one centimeter from your subject, while the telephoto setting can be used up to one meter (3.28 feet). Combined with Mega O.I.S. Optical Image Stabilization, the DMC-FZ18 can detect even the tiniest camera movement to automatically adjust the lens to compensate any handshake. Intelligent ISO captures crisp, clear images as you shoot to suppress motion blur, making it easier to shoot scenes with fast moving action. The Face Detection function can automatically detect up to 15 faces in a scene and re-adjust the settings if their positions change. The Intelligent Scene Selector will sense the ambient conditions and automatically select either the Scenery, Portrait, Macro, Night Portrait or Night Scenery mode accordingly, getting beautiful results every time you shoot, no matter what the scene or subject. White Balance - Auto / Daylight / Cloudy / Shade / Halogen / White Set Program AE Shutter Speed - 1-1/2000 seconds Self Timer - 2 seconds / 10 seconds Burst Shooting Mode - Full-Resolution Image, 3 frames/sec Max. 7 images (Standard Mode), Max 4 images (Fine Mode) Built-in Flash Mode - Auto, Auto/Red-eye Reduction, Forced On, Forced On/Red-eye Reduction, Slow Sync/Red-eye Reduction and Forced Off Viewfinder - 0.44 diagonal Color EVF (188k pixels) Power Supply - Lithium-ion Battery Pack (7.2V, 710 mAh), Up to 400 pictures Dimensions - Height 2.96'' x Width 4.63'' x Depth 3.47'' Weight - 0.79 pounds

Customer Reviews:

Great on paper.......2007-12-27

I bought this camera recently because of a great price $249.00 delivered.

That was the good news.

Although on paper it should be a very good camera, it was a disappointment. I have been shooting Sony H series for a couple of years. I do nature in good lighting & need a good auto mode camera that can be hand held. The H5 is good but the H2 is unbelievable. Thought that the FZ18 would be good with its 18x Leica lens system but you really have to play with the camera to get acceptable pictures. The auto mode is almost useless for me. If you like to set program settings & custom settings then you'll have a great time.

BTW the camera does not let you use the zoom in the movie mode! Just sold it on Craig's list & am buying another H2 as backup.

Performs better than expected.......2007-12-26

After reading reviews about this camera and it's difficulty shooting pictures in low light I was surprised how well this camera performs shooting available light pictures. The picture stabilization feature works very well and the photo prints are great

GREAT CAMERA!!.......2007-12-26

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18K 8.1MP Digital Camera with 18x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black) I have had this camera for about 5 weeks and shot 200+ photos and am VERY happy with the results....pictures are crisp with excellent color....this was a big step up from my 'point & shoot' digital camera and I have found it amazingly easy to learn how to use all the settings..excellent manual with camera. The OIS works very well...have not had even one blurred photo. No 'noise' problems to date either. I spent numerous hours reading reviews on this camera and the comparable Canon, Fuji, Nikon and Olympus and though not everyone agrees and each camera has it's 'issues', I am extremely happy and satisfied I chose the Panasonic and felt at $341 on Amazon it was a great bang for the buck! Battery life is phenomenal, EVF is great (one of the reasons I chose this one). I remove my memory card everytime I take photos to download to my laptop and the memory card is easily accessible and has a good heavy springloaded door....hope this helps someone studying the reviews like I did...you won't be disappointed.

Great camera if you want to avoid carrying a bulky SLR.......2007-12-24

Although the quality is not exactly the same as an SLR, the pictures and functionality are great (a real upgrade from a snap and shoot).
I read many reviews and the main reason why I bought this over an SLR is to avoid carrying a big bag everywhere I go (this one fits into a medium size camera bag).
From the super zoom cameras, I picked the Lumix because of all the positive reviews I read everywhere.

Panasonic FZ18.......2007-12-23

Panasonic's partnership with Leica has created some real gems for photographers who want fast and fun cameras. The latest in their megazoom FZ line is this - the FZ 18, so called because of a 28mm-504mm 18x zoom.

Those optics are the first of three great things about this camera. The lens is sharp and produces remarkably little distortion, a great achievement for a camera of this zoom range.

Second is the optical image stabilization - as Panasonic calls it, MEGA OIS. This feature, one of the best available in the market, helps to steady the camera which allows for clearer hand-held shots than was possible before stabilization, which makes the long end of the zoom truly useful.

Third is the ergonomics and ease of use. The idiot-proof Intelligent Auto mode gets the shot right most of the time and the camera is fun to use with well-placed controls and a functional body.

Other, less defining achievements are fast response times, good battery life, excellent flash recycling times, a useful burst mode, and customizable shooting settings.

That said, there are some faults that inevitably come from the megazoom design - an irritatingly small sensor that will be prone to noise.

As I'm sure most photographic enthusiasts and electrical engineers will agree, the tiny design of such a chip will create electrical noise, indistinguishable from picture detail, which means in low light (and thus high ISOs), the pictures come out grainy. To correct for this, the camera processes the picture, reducing detail even more to smear out the noise.

However, this isn't the end of the world. First, the noise is nearly invisible on small prints - so if you only make small prints, no one would even notice. Second, the FZ-18's noise isn't much worse than its competitors such as the Olympus SP 550 and 560 UZ. And third, better than many of its competitors, the FZ-18 allow for the user to adjust the amount of noise reduction and also supports RAW output, which retains the detail for processing later.

Its movie mode is acceptable but not great. It can't zoom while filming and it doesn't have stereo sound like the Canon S5 IS does. If you want that, this camera might not be for you. Get a camcorder instead.

Another problem is the blue banding effect, which creates a large band of blue color on the left hand side of the picture under special conditions, but will almost never show in real-world shots. This problem seems to vary from camera to camera and Panasonic (as of X-mas time 2007) is working on a fix.

Movie mode (which I hardly use) and the blue band problem (a nuisance that is rarely seen in real life) aside, the only major drawback this camera has is its noise, a zit upon the forehead of photographic greatness. And although this is annoying, it's the same problem present in all megazoom cameras, which in this case is more than made up for by the ease of use and incredibly useful zoom range.

Overall, a good - though not faultless - camera that is probably the best-of-the-bunch of the megazoom range. Get to know its limitations and adjust your preferences, and it will give you excellent results. If you don't want to bother, put it in the Intelligent Auto mode and it will do fine all by itself.

As a side note, if you truly wanted to get away from noise, get a DSLR, but don't expect to be able to use the same zoom range without constantly changing lenses.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18K 8.1MP Digital Camera with 18x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)

Average customer rating:

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18K 8.1MP Digital Camera with 18x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)

Manufacturer: Panasonic
ProductGroup: Photography
Binding: Electronics

All Digital Cameras | Digital Cameras | Camera & Photo | Categories | Electronics
Product Features:

8.1 megapixel CCD
18x wide angle zoom
2.5 inch LCD display
Intelligent auto mode
Face detection - Intelligent scene selector

ASIN: B000W8AM2Q

Product Description

The DMC-FZ18 Lumix camera from Panasonic enables you to take a large array of photos thanks to the 8.1 megapixels and its 18x optical zoom. This camera contains a mega O.I.S. optical image stabilization which can detect the tiniest camera movement to automatically adjust the lens due to the shake. The Intelligent ISO captures crystal clear images even when the subject is moving. Other features on this camera include the face detection function which can detect up to 15 faces and the intelligent scene selector, which will automatically select a mode based on your conditions. All this and more can be found in the DMC-FZ18. Big zoom, small camera Experience the power of an incredible 18x optical zoom in an 8.1-megapixel camera that fits in the palm of your hand. From vast landscapes to super telephoto shots, the DMC-FZ18 gives you crisp, stunning images using a 28mm wide-angle Leica DC Vario-Elmarit lens. For macro shots, the wide-angle setting lets you shoot all the way down to one centimeter from your subject, while the telephoto setting can be used up to one meter (3.28 feet) from your subject. With the Extended Optical Zoom function, zoom power is boosted. Intelligent auto technology delivers perfect shots every time Say good-bye to complicated settings. Just turn the dial to iA, and the DMC-FZ18 will not only help eliminate blurring from hand-shake or subject movement, but it will also detect up to 15 faces and automatically select the focus, exposure and scene modes for the best results. MEGA O.I.S. prevents blurring from hand-shake Camera shake is the number one cause of blurry, out-of-focus pictures. That's why Panasonic Lumix digital cameras come equipped with advanced Optical Image Stabilization (MEGA O.I.S.) that detects even the tiniest camera movement, and then automatically adjusts the lens to compensate. With MEGA O.I.S., you're ensured sharp, clear pictures every time without any loss of image detail or clarity.

Amazon.com Product Description

Zhumell Aurora 70 Refractor Telescope The Zhumell Aurora 70 refractor telescope may be just the right size for the beginning astronomer. Unlike toy store telescopes, notorious for their dim views, fuzzy eyepieces, and wobbly mounts, the Zhumell Aurora 70 delivers 36 percent more light gathering power than 60 millimeter scopes, comes with two good Kellner type eyepieces (9mm and 20mm), and includes a motorized equatorial mount for steady high power views.

At 17 pounds, the Zhumell Aurora 70 is light and portable; that means it's easy to transport this telescope out of town to a dark viewing sight. It's a little known fact that galaxies look better with a 70mm refractor from a dark rural site than they do with a large 8 inch telescope from the city. When I look at the Andromeda Galaxy from a dark rural location with the Aurora 70 for example, I can pick out its small companion galaxies M32 and M110 as well.

The Aurora 70 easily brings out pleasing detail on the Moon and planets. The 20mm Kellner eyepiece (45x magnification) nicely frames the Lunar disk, and the 9mm eyepiece (100x) easily brings out details like the terraced walls and central mountain peak inside the crater Copernicus. Jupiter and Saturn also show pleasing detail at 100x and even at 150x using my own 6mm eyepiece. It's easy to see Saturn's moon Titan orbiting outside the rings, for instance, and on some nights I can detect Saturn's smaller and fainter moon Rhea as well. In theory, a 70mm refractor can hold its own when compared to larger 80mm or 100mm reflectors. In practice, I find the light weight equatorial mount wobbles while trying to focus at high power, and a bit of distortion in the lens affects the image at powers over 100x.

The motor drive included with the Aurora 70 runs on two 9-volt batteries. Simply point equatorial mount's polar axis at the North Star, Polaris, and the telescope will track stars and planets as the Earth rotates, even at high power. The motor is a bit tricky to use, however, because the speed changes as the batteries start to run down, and because the lubricant on the EQ mount becomes stiff in cold weather. -Jeff Phillips

Pros:

Light, portable and affordable
Pleasing views of the moon and planets
Includes a motor and two Kellner eyepieces

Cons:

Motorized EQ mount can be tricky to use
Slight movement while focusing at high power
Magnifications over 100x could possibly be sharper

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