Home > Consumer Reviews > Panasonic DMC-FZ7 6MP Digital Camera with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)

This fine little camera just earned a glowing nod in the June, 2006 issue of Popular Photography, for which it was praised for its relatively fast, relatively fixed maximum aperture of f3.3 (35mm equivalent zoom range is 36-432 mm, with the maximum aperture varying from f2.8 to 3.3) at 420mm. Ergonomically it may resemble a digital SLR only in the sense that its controls are easy to reach and use. Like other recent Panasonic Lumix cameras, this one has a superb image stabilization feature for handholding under low light conditions or fast-paced action shots with an equivalent film speed of up to ISO 1600! In plain English, this is the perfect little digital camera for taking pictures under almost every condition imaginable, with an ample power supply from its Lithium battery. The Leica-designed, Panasonic-built zoom lens offers exceptional image quality.

I loved the FZ5 but up'ed to the FZ7 not for 1 MP but the bigger LCD. To my surprise, I find the menu and button layout improved and intuitive. I can't compare this to similar Sony and Canon offerings but this camera is for sure smaller and very light. The image stab is unbelieveable..when I'm hiking at 8 to 12 K feet and stop to take a pix, I'm breathing hard and can see the viewfinder jump in time with my pulse. No prob, sqeeze off a shot at ISO 100 and the image is crisp. This should have been an 8 MP camera if Panasonic wanted to really wanted offer an "upgrade"...too bad, but for me 6 MP works.

I've had mine for about a month, and I really like it. It is my first long zoom digital camera, and I like all of the things other reviewers noted, but additionally want to note that:
1) The FZ7 is smaller and lighter than others in its class
2) It feels quite solid. I've accidently whacked it a few times with no harm.
3) It has a variable diopter viewfinder. Good for glasses wearers. Some don't.

Now the (minor) bad things about the camera.
1) The viewfinder, though better than most, is not as bright or as high resolution as the Kodak P850. The Kodak also has a better view in low light conditions. The P850 is also available for considerable less money, although some think it takes slightly inferior pics. Night pictures with this camera are almost an act of faith unless you are in range of the LED.
2) You won't find a backlight setting in the Program mode. You have to adjust the exposure compensation click by click. I like a single button option for fast compensation. It is available in the simple mode, which does 90% of what I want anyway, but I use the Program mode most and I think most techie, non pros will too.
3) No AA battery option. I want to take it on travel and camping. It would be nice to be freed of the plug.
4) The Aperture and Shutter priority mode are a mystery to me. And yes, I've read the manual a few times. You still have to adjust to get the proper exposure. That's not how I recall it working in my old Ricoh 35mm SLR.

Beyond these caveats, I have taken some spectacular pictures that people really notice. Sports mode does great for kids sports. And when you press the shutter, the camera takes a picture!! At that moment!! Mirabile dictu!

I've owned this camera for about half a year. This is my second digital camera, after the low-end but generally well-regarded Canon A510. This camera is a definite step up in size and price, but I'm not entirely satisfied with it. While the overall picture quality is undeniably better than the 510, I think the very large amount of noise almost kills the FZ7. This camera shows noise even at ISO 80 and 100, is barely usable at ISO 200, and is kind of a joke at ISO 400. The ISO 800 & 1600 modes are fun for taking snapshots in dark areas, but are comparable to a camera-phone in quality.

The noise problem is mitigated by the excellent image stabilization (which helps by two steps - or being able to use ISO 100 in ISO 400 situations, which is probably a more realistic way to think of it), but only partially. The camera also has occasional issues with purple fringing and poor automatic white balance. Finally, the large display is very low-resolution, and given to weird moray effects.

On the positive side, it's an excellent lens (which is rather fast, especially on the long end of the zoom), the user interface is rather efficient and easy to use, the build quality is excellent, it feels comfortable in the hand, and it's substantially cheaper than the similar Canon S3. The size is compact enough that it can be squeezed into a pants pocket and definitely fits into a jacket pocket, which greatly increases the chances that I'll take it with me.

Personally, though, while I enjoy using this camera, I think the image quality is only half a step up from pocket-size cameras, and can't even compete with an entry-level DSLR.

I needed a camera for a trip to South Colorado/Northern New Mexico. I read the reviews on Amazon and decided on this one (although I bought it locally due to time constraints).

This camera does not dissapoint! A lot of features and a lot of performance for the money. Very intuitive to use, all buttons easy to locate and push. I love the 2.5" LCD screen and the viewfinder works well in sunny areas. Best of all the sunscreen really works to block the sun. It is very lightweight. Good battery life with proprietary battery--would have preferred AA's--and that is truly my only complaint with this camera. I bought an extra battery to use with the encloed charger and had no problems switching back and forth. Also bought a 1G card which allowed approx 375 photographs.

I did some cool artsy shots of crumbling adobe walls and vistas with the manual controls that are also easy to navigate. Got some great wildlife shots too: the camera turns on and is ready to go in two seconds (I just counted). The zoom works quickly. With the digital zoom it goes to 48X with some degradation that the manual takes pains to warn you about. Zoom up to 12x and steady on a car or your buddy and you will get some great shots.

So. . .miles ahead of any pocket camera out there. I certainly would not compare it to any true SLR in price and versatility. It is really an intermediate step between the two. For those that want more quality than a pocket camera, but don't want to invest in an SLR this is a real contender. I really cannot think of a single serious criticism of this camera.