Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT1 Reviews: Digital Compact Camera

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT1 Reviews: Digital Compact Camera reviews

This digital camera is a good all rounder.

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8.8 out of 10 based on 105 reviews.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT1: 12.1 MP (Megapixels), 4.6x optical zoom, SD Card storage, Optical Image Stabiliser image stabiliser digital Compact camera. See full product description

Ease of use	8.4
Image quality	8.5
Features	8.8
Build Quality	9.2
Value for money	8.5
Overall rating	8.8

Some customer reviews of Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT1

Most helpful reviews

Mike, Coventry Point & shoot

Score 8.0/10

Good points:: Works well underwater and does not leak as some reviews have said. Instructions clearly state camera should be opened after use underwater and dried out before storing to prevent corrosion.
Basic operations are accessible with one touch and can be easily learn't as buttons cannot be read underwater.
Picture quality is good for the price of the camera and the fact that it is waterproof.
Fast to start up and very fast to focus.
Bad points:: Quite heavy and battery doesn't last as long as I would like.
AVCHD video recording has almost no support as it is still quite new so editing video would require re-encoding or purchase of specialist software.

Ease of use	8.0
Image quality	8.0
Features	9.0
Build Quality	9.0
Value for money	8.0
Overall rating	8.0

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Confirmed purchase: 31 Dec 2009

Chris, London Experienced amateur

Score 8.0/10

Good points:: Bought as a replacement for a Pentax WPI its already spent 4 days underground on a long caving trip coping superbly with submersion in muddy cold water, continuous bashing against rock, very low light conditions, prolonged flash use (probably more extreme than general real world use).
Photo quality is great especially given the conditions and there was little need to use an iso greater than 400.
Battery life in the cold was far greater than expected.
Camera feels robust and build quality seems to be excellent and the zoom is superb.
Bad points:: Zoom button is right in front of the shutter button and easily gets dust/mud underneath it reducing its ease of use.
Program dial easily turns when its in a pocket/case which is being bashed around.
Lens collects dust easily and may become scratched.
The hood around the lens may not last too long depending on what you use it for. I don't know what impact that would have on its waterproofing.

Ease of use	6.0
Image quality	9.0
Features	8.0
Build Quality	9.0
Value for money	8.0
Overall rating	8.0

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Confirmed purchase: 30 Dec 2009

Malcolm, Exmouth Experienced amateur

Score 8.0/10

Good points:: Good image quality and and video. Good features especially face recognition and AF tracking. like the separate button for video function. good menu system and comprehensive set of scene modes. Panorama mode is well thought out and easy to use and fixes the settings to keep them the same across the panorama. Good image stabilisation. Feels well made and solid - like the waterproof dustproof shockproof and freeze proof features. Nice large display.
Bad points:: Easy to get finger in the way of the lens as close to the edge of the camera. Night flash pictures tend to be a bit harsh and cold. Dont like the zoom button operation which is a slider and is too close to the shutter button. Would prefer more optical zoom. Takes a little to long to power up ie you have to press and hold the power button for a little while before it powers up. Rather boxy looks. Cost of spare batteries. The idea of having to take the camera back to a dealer every year to have the seals replaced if you wish to use underwater.

Ease of use	7.0
Image quality	8.0
Features	8.0
Build Quality	9.0
Value for money	7.0
Overall rating	8.0

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Confirmed purchase: 29 Nov 2009

Confirmed purchaser Point & shoot

Score 9.0/10

Good points:: Well built
HD video is clear
Bad points:: A bit annoying when getting around withing the menus
A small variety of scenes

Ease of use	7.0
Image quality	8.0
Features	6.0
Build Quality	10.0
Value for money	9.0
Overall rating	9.0

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Confirmed purchase: 29 Jan 2010

Batman, Leominster Experienced amateur

Score 10.0/10

Good points:: Design, very sturdy and certainly weatherproof (tested in recent snow!). Picture quality excellent and HD video is also very good. Bundled software more than adequate for most purposes. Controls intuitive and menu system logical. Copes even in std shooting mode with contrasty situations, snow, shadow, colours etc really well. Macro good.
Bad points:: Screen can be difficult to see in bright/side light but this is problem with all rear LCD screens I have ever used. Start-up not quickest but adequate. Focus sometimes hunts. Rear control buttons can be a bit fiddly with gloved/cold fingers but show me a truly compact camera that isn't....

Ease of use	9.0
Image quality	10.0
Features	10.0
Build Quality	10.0
Value for money	10.0
Overall rating	10.0

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Confirmed purchase: 23 Nov 2009

john , Rochdale

Score 10.0/10

Good points:: bomb proof! used everyday for work
Bad points:: none really, i would just be picking

Ease of use	9.0
Image quality	9.0
Features	8.0
Build Quality	10.0
Value for money	10.0
Overall rating	10.0

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Confirmed purchase: 09 Nov 2009

Ady, Bucks Point & shoot

Score 9.0/10

Good points:: speed
Bad points:: looks

Ease of use	9.0
Image quality	9.0
Features	8.0
Build Quality	10.0
Value for money	9.0
Overall rating	9.0

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Confirmed purchase: 09 Nov 2009

Read all 105 customer reviews

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This Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT1 is reviewed on TechRadar

Product Features

Camera Type	Compact
There are 2 main types of camera: The SLR and the Compact. SLR stands for Single Lens Reflex. SLR cameras use a prism to reflect the exact image as seen through the lens and so offers a more accurate viewfinder. SLR cameras have detachable lenses offering greater flexibility if you wish to take a variety of different photographs. Compact cameras have a built in lens and an ‘above lens’ viewfinder which is less accurate but they are often cheaper, more sleekly designed and easier to carry anywhere with you to capture that moment perfectly without having to fiddle with complex settings or a bag full of lenses.
Resolution (Megapixels)	12.1

Optical zoom ratio	4.6
The amount by which the camera optics (lens) can bring the subject closer.
Screen size (Inches)	2.7
Screen size is measured diagonally from corner to corner.
Digital zoom ratio	4
Not to be confused with optical zoom, digital zoom enlarges a portion of the image thus simulating optical zoom. In doing so, some image quality is lost.
Type of image stabiliser	Optical Image Stabiliser
If a photo is taken at a slow shutter speed, or at a long focal length, the effects of ‘hand shake’ will be amplified. Some cameras come with built-in image stabilisation which is designed to act against this to produce sharper images. It’s great for low light shots without a tripod, like at a gig.
Touchscreen	No
Touchscreen technology allows you to move and click things directly on the screen using your finger or a stylus pen.
3D	No

Colour	Blue
The main colour of the product.
Colour	Silver
The main colour of the product.
Media format	SD Card
This is the type of storage that your digital camera or camcorder uses to save images to. The main types of card media format: Compact Flash Micro SD MMC (Multi Media Card) SD Card (Secure Digital) SDHC (Secure Disk High Capacity)
Media format	MMC Card
This is the type of storage that your digital camera or camcorder uses to save images to. The main types of card media format: Compact Flash Micro SD MMC (Multi Media Card) SD Card (Secure Digital) SDHC (Secure Disk High Capacity)
Media format	SDHC Card
This is the type of storage that your digital camera or camcorder uses to save images to. The main types of card media format: Compact Flash Micro SD MMC (Multi Media Card) SD Card (Secure Digital) SDHC (Secure Disk High Capacity)
PictBridge	Yes
An industry standard allowing images to be printed from camera to printer, without needing a computer. CIPA PictBridge Standard Website
Macro Mode	Yes
This mode allows close-up photograpy of small objects such as insects and flowers.
Video recorder	Yes
Video recording functionality allows the capture of videos in mpeg or avi format which is great if you want to capture a whole scene, not just one moment.
Manual Focus	Yes
Almost all modern cameras have autofocus. Manual focus allows you to override the autofocus and set the distance yourself. This is especially useful if your camera is struggling to focus in a low-light or confusing scene.
Timer	No

Weight (g)	162.5
The weight of the product in grams.
Flash	Yes
Whether or not your camera has an in-built flash. Flashes are essential for fully capturing a low light image.
Body Only	Yes
dSLR cameras have detachable lenses and are sold in a variety of combinations. This facet lets you know whether the package your are considering comes bundled with a lens or whether it is just the body of the camera.
WiFi	No
Wifi allows you to connect your device to wireless routers or modems which allows you to connect to broadband internet.
Shortest shutter speed (Fractions of a second)	1/1300
This is the fastest speed at which the camera can take a photo. Faster shutter speeds really freeze the action and are great for sports photography.
Longest shutter speed (Fractions of a second)	1/60
This is the longest exposure your camera will take. The longer you take a photo for, the more light is let in and the more motion is captured. Long shutter speeds can give fantastic, artistic results. Try photographing the night sky at 30s or longer to see how the rotation of the Earth causes the stars to curve through the scene.
Waterproof	Yes
If your camera is waterproof you will be able to film under water which is perfect for diving and snorkeling.
Viewfinder	LCD Monitor
USB port	Yes
Socket for connecting devices such as a computers and other components.
Dimensions (mm)	98.3x63.1x23
The size of the device in millimetres, in width x height x depth.
RAW Format	No
GPS Receiver	No

Resolution (Pixels)	4000x3000
A camera sensor, that captures the photograph, is measured in pixels. The number given here is the horizontal amount of pixels followed by the vertical quantity of pixels. The more pixels a camera sensor has, the bigger and higher quality the image will be.
Max. Aperture Lens 1	f3.3-5.9
Measured in f-stops the aperture of a lens dictates the maximum amount of light captured. If you want to do low light photography look for something with a wide aperture like f2.8. The widest aperture is given as a range as it changes when your lens is zoomed in.
In-built memory (Megabytes)	40

Release date	38420
The date the product was originally made available for purchase.
Height in mm	63.1

Width in mm	98.3

Depth in mm	23

Serial Shot Mode	Yes
Bluetooth	No
Bluetooth is a technology for the wireless transfer of data such as contacts, photos and music between mobile phones, computers and a host of other Bluetooth enabled devices. Read more about Bluetooth on Wikipedia
Autofocus	Yes
Changeable Lens	No
Highest focal length (Millimetres)	128

Lowest focal length (Millimetres)	28

Also known as: Panasonic DMC-FT1EB-S, Panasonic DMC-FT1EB-A, Panasonic DMC-FT1, Panasonic DMC-FT1EB, Panasonic Lumix FT1, Panasonic Lumix DMC FT1

Digital Cameras Buyers' Guide

Manufacturer's Description

Water Proof, Shock Proof and Dust Proof Design with HD Movie Recording in AVCHD Lite and iA (Intelligent Auto) Mode

Designed for active use, the FT1 is 3.0 meters waterproof, 1.5 meters shockproof and dust-proof. It is the ideal camera for shooting beautiful pictures and movies in the pool or ocean. Swim along with tropical fish and capture shots of a beautiful coral reef, or get action footage of a friend snorkeling. Protected against sand, you can take it to the beach with no worries. FT1’s fortified outer body casing and intermediate resin chassis protects it from short falls, making it perfect for work and hiking trips.

FT1 records HD movies (1280 × 720-pixels) in AVCHD Lite, which lets you shoot beautiful HD video with almost twice the recording time compared to the conventional Motion JPEG. Optical zoom can be used when shooting motion images. FT1 is also the world’s first compact camera to feature Dolby Digital Creator, which records dynamic, true-to-life audio that brings out the power of the HD video. The wind cut function minimises distracting sound from the background during audio recording.

iA (Intelligent Auto) Mode makes it easy for anyone to take beautiful recordings. Photo iA Mode controls MEGA O.I.S., Intelligent ISO Control, Intelligent Scene Selector, Face Recognition, Intelligent Exposure and AF Tracking. The new Face Recognition function memorises faces automatically and works to optimise both focus and exposure settings by prioritising on the registered persons face. Movie iA is also available, controlling MEGA O.I.S., Intelligent Scene Selector, Face Detection AF/AE, and Intelligent Exposure.

The 12.1-megapixel high-resolution DMC-FT1 features a 28mm wide-angle 4.6x optical zoom LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR lens (35mm film camera equivalent: 28-128mm). This gives you the flexibility for virtually any shooting situation even underwater, where your movement is restricted and the angle of view becomes especially important for composing your picture.

The FT1’s 2.7-inch LCD features a high 230,000-dot resolution, and a wide-viewing angle that lets you frame your shot in a variety of ways for both shooting and viewing. LUMIX’s acclaimed Intelligent LCD function also automatically adjusts the brightness in 11 steps according to shooting conditions. This LCD provides sharp, clear images in virtually all shooting situations, ranging from nighttime to bright daylight, or even underwater scenes and from low-angle to high-angle shooting.

The Venus Engine HD, with its twin CPUs, has exceptional processing capabilities and low power consumption, enabling both HDMI support and HD movie recording in AVCHD Lite. It features effective noise reduction even at high ISO sensitivity levels. Connect to a Panasonic VIERA via an optional HDMI mini-cable, and use VIERA Link to run mixed slideshows of still and motion pictures. Or, insert your SDHC/SD Memory Card into an HDTV equipped with VIERA Image Viewer (SD Card slot) to playback pictures and movies. *must be recorded in AVCHD Lite

More info at Panasonic's website

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