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

I looked at the Lumix TZ5 and FZ18, because I wanted a camera with more zoom than the usual point & shoot zoom of 3x or 4x. I also reviewed the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5K 9MP Digital Camera with 10x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)--a fine camera and my choice for a pocket sized camera that is ready to go. Neither camera is perfect, but overall I was pleased with these cameras.

The FZ18 is the bridge model for Lumix cameras and it was reviewed in some travel magazines and in Digital Photographer, which compared it to Fujifilm S8000fd (rated 90%) & Olympus SP 560 UZ (rated 86%)--the Lumix was rated #1 at 96%. Out of the box, the pictures were a bit flat and the colors a bit off and less vibrant than the model. The camera needed to be adjusted for color and contrast, but this is a relatively minor considering you can get some very nice, clear shots. The fact it wasn't ready to go out of the box lowered my rating to 4 stars. I uploaded some sample photos.

Pros: More options and programming available than for a conventional point & shoot. Great 18x optical zoom, but use a tripod or monopod for best shot. Mega OIS stabilization is great and you can get some decent zoom & macro shots handheld. Leica lens is a saving grace, producing some nice crisp shots. Can pre-program 3 of your most used scene options and switch so you don't have to fuss with adjustments every shot. Burst mode, bracketing also available. Lightweight and small for a fairly powerful camera with lots of options. Feels comfortable and easy in your hand--great for women who generally have smaller hands and those who don't want to be lifting hefty cameras and multiple lenses around. Menus were easy to learn. Has eyepiece with adjustment wheel for those of us with less than perfect eyesight. Large LCD. RAW available. Inexpensive so overall a great value and camera.

Cons: Since I found colors a bit flat, almost exclusively shoot in Program mode so iA (intelligent autofocus) is kind of wasted. Autofocus didn't do as well in low light and shots were grainy but not an issue if you mostly shoot in daylight plus few point & shoot cameras photograph well in low light. LCD has clear shiny "window" that gets "fingerprinty" (I use a microfiber eyeglass cloth to keep it clean) and may scratch eventually (but by then I will probably be ready to buy a new camera). There are LCD protectors available if you want those. 8.1 MP decent, but would wish for higher MP--however not an issue if you don't do extensive cropping or blow up pictures to large sizes such as poster sized. Would also like to see swing/tilt LCD--great for when you are shooting above your head, but many cameras don't have this option either.

I found this filter set which also appears to be a pretty good value if you want filters Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 - 46mm High Resolution 3-piece Filter Set (UV, Fluorescent, Polarizer) - Silver (not Panasonic Brand)

Verdict: A fun camera. Great if you want to step up from a conventional pocket sized point & shoot to something with a few more features and don't want the expense and hassle of carrying around a DSL with lenses. Great travel camera. Inexpensive price makes it a great value. Overall I was very pleased with the FZ18. I have not tried the Panasonic DMC-FZ50 10.1MP Digital Camera with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black) which seems to have more options and is closer to DSL, but it is also more expensive, so overall I think the FZ18 is a great option if you don't want to spend $500 or $600 but want to have a camera that gives you more creative freedom than a regular point and shoot. As I use the camera more, I will update this review with more info.

Thanks to those who post honest reviews of Amazon--they have really helped me make some product choices. I hope I have helped some consumers in return.

This is my second Panasonic camera - the first one was a VHS-C Camcorder (NV VS7 EG) that I had bought in Oct 2000 and it is still working fine :-) Over the years I have owned and used other Digital cameras / brands e.g. Canon S400, S410, Fuji F10 and F30. The F30 is still my favorite for low light indoor / party photos, but when I step outdoors, the FZ18 just cannot be beaten. I did agonize over my decision for several weeks comparing with the Fuji SF8000fd and Olympus 560UZ and of course, the Panasonic TZ3. However my previous experience with Panasonic products and a great deal on Amazon for the FZ18 (from Vanns) clinched the decision last month. Yes, the images do get noisy at higher ISO's so pixel peepers will not be satisfied and it does not fit into a pocket. However, the Leica lens coupled with the OIS and in-camera processing provides outstanding results with minimal efforts. The zoom is fantastic and the digital zoom works well at a pinch. In addition, you can take over as much control as you like - going upto full manual on exposure and focusing and even fine tuning the white balance. If you are a snapshooter, switch it to the iA mode and let the camera do all the hard work. The flash is powerful enough for most social occasions (although I will still use my F30 for low light snap shooting) and the camera powers up very quickly - so you will not miss a shot and finally battery life is good as well. So if you want to have fun with photography and not blow a hole in your bank account, then this is the camera to go for. Enjoy!

I own two other Lumix family cameras from Panasonic. One is more of a point and shoot while the other, the DMC-FZ20, is a fixed lens SLR.

The FZ18 is an excellent camera for everyday use and also for those of you who may want to control your photos more directly.

The main reason I got this camera was because of the massive zoom as well as the wide angle ability all in one fixed lens. My FZ20 has a massive telephoto as well, but not the wide angle option built in like the FZ18.

Another nice change that I found with this camera is the addition of the joystick on the back panel. The 4-way-regular selector that has always been on the back of Lumix cameras is still there and still controls the same exposure and flash intensity functions, but the joystick lets you make very quick aperture and shutter speed changes that were a bit harder to do on earlier models.

The photo quality is excellent as well.

The only thing that I am not 100% happy with is the small size of this camera. My FZ20 is a normal SLR sized camera that fits into my hand normally. The FZ18 is smaller and it almost makes my hand feel cramped when I am holding it and trying to get to a function with the 4-way dial or the joystick.

If you can live with that small size factor then this camera is something you should seriously consider.

I read all the reviews before purchasing this camera. I am blown away with the great colors, image stabilization, and clear shots with both the wide angle, telephoto and everything in between. Noise about 200 ISO, but other than this, this is a fanastic camera with lots of cool features including shooting in RAW. Whether you are an aggressive beginner or a true camera ethusiast, you will be very happy with this camera. This is my 4th digital camera. I considered the DSLR, but the extra weight and multiple lenses required made it unattractive (not mentioned the additional dollars). Buy the LUMIX FZ-18 and you will be glad that you did!

I bought this camera for my beginning photography class. It met all the requirements I had and more. I spent some time reading all the possible reviews out there and compared it to many of the camera in its class. The Panasonic FZ18 has been rated the top of the the superzoom so that knocked out most of the competing cameras. It really came down to this camera or the Canon S5. However, Panasonic won me over because of several things;

1. Wide Angle (Canon S5 no wide angle)
2. 18x Optical Zoom (Canon S5 at 12x, not that big of a deal but still a plus for Panasonic)
3. RAW Image Format (I'm first a design major so I like the ability to process my own image)
4. LiON Battery (I prefer this to 4 double AA's, small recharge adapter, one solid battery pack instead of a clutter of 4 double AA's, weighs less)
5. Image Stabilization (On par with Canon's)
6. Leica DC VARIO-ELMARIT Lens

Although the Canon S5 Image quality is much better than Panasonic's at 100 ISO and under, Canon S5 has a lot more noise at 200+. And at 800+, it's pretty much unusable. Although any non-DSLR type cameras will have a lot more noise, I think that the Panasonic FZ18 has a lot less noise than all the other cameras. Yes most places say that it has noise at all range of ISO, but I prefer barely noticeable noise at low ISO and decent image quality from mid to high iso rather than no noise at lowest iso setting and then all other iso settings are crap. That's why I chose it over the Canon S5 even though at 80 ISO, Canon's image is super sharp. Too bad Panasonic doesn't have a swivel lcd screen and a hot shoe but I can live without those two things. Also, Canon S5 can take images up to 0cm away compared to Panasonic's 1cm, I thought about that and decided I probably wouldnt want to put anything close to my camera lens anyway and risk damaging it.

My first impressions of the Camera was wow it's a lot smaller than it looks in pictures, and wow it's super light! I held the Canon S5 in stores and it's a little bit lighter than the Canon. Oh one thing i noticed was that i could feel the lens move when I tilt the camera back and forth. I was scared that it was broken until I read this info sheet that came with the camera saying if you hear noises that's just the lens moving when the camera is shaken. As long as it's not broken, phew. Even though it's light and makes a little noise, it still feels pretty solid and durable. I mean, no one should go around shaking their camera like a spray can anyways. With the batteries inside, the camera feels a lot more solid and the weight is just right. This camera looks a lot better than the Canon S5 to me and it feels more comfortable to hold (I keep the hood adapter attach to extend the lens barrel and this helps with the look of the camera and also at 0X the lens doesn't stick out). After taken several pictures I must say I was really impressed, in good lighting it was spectacular (at 100 ISO in good lighting I can't see any noise!), in low lighting conditions it was still good. The image stabilizer on this camera is amazing, I can nail a perfectly clear shot at 18x without a tripod. That's pretty impressive to me.

In conclusion, the Panasonic FZ18 is superior camera, has well-rounded image quality, and the product just feels tighter and more hassle free. If you want anything better than this, then you really need to get a DSLR. Saying that, you have to keep in mind the price difference, the larger size, heavier weight, and having to carry a million lenses and accessories. (Those people who gave this camera a low rating because of noise are just ignorant, you can't compare it to a DSLR!) I give this camera 5 out of 5 for being top of it's class, and offering maximum quality at an affordable price. So STOP WASTING YOUR TIME AND READING REVIEWS! I ALREADY DID THE HOMEWORK FOR YOU! YOUR SEARCH IS OVER! JUST BUY THE CAMERA AND ENJOY TAKING GREAT PICTURES!