We don’t know if you would still buy a hard disk based camcorder when there are flash based models around. Flash models are a bit costly however they provide larger battery life and also weigh less because of the absence of moving parts. Hard disks on the other end consume more power and are quite heavy. The exterior of the device is quite similar to Panasonics flash based TM 300 but we found there were some changes done to the model like a zoom switch which is quite small and hence difficult to use. We loved the zoom button on the TM 300 but this switch disappointed us. The accessory shoe is located at the top instead of putting it on the sides. We think the video quality of this camcorder is the best that Panasonic has ever made and this model brings the quality on par with camcorder giants like Sony and Canon. The improved video and image quality is due to the presence of 3 CMOS chips which have high resolution capabilities and hence deliver  [...]

We have seen quite a lot of SD camcorders; they are still around even if they have inferior quality than HD camcorders. It is made for people who are looking for cheaper alternatives, who don’t care about quality and just want to capture no matter what. Our eyes popped out when we saw the 70x zoom lens label on the body of the camcorder. It ridiculously zooms in extremely close to distant subjects. The camcorder has optical image stabilization but there is no way you can keep the videos from shaking when you zoom the lens to the fullest. Using a tripod is the only way out. The controls on the device are typical of camcorder and nothing has been placed that will make you uncomfortable. The mode/power dial at the top of the device lets you toggle through the record movie mode, play back or photograph mode. Underneath the LCD is the menu button and the five way joystick button. If you hate going to the menu to change the options, there are buttons  [...]

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS15 is a simple camera with simple functions and so is the photo quality, quite simple. It is for newbies or for people who don’t look for high end features in a camera. Considering the price that it is offered for, this is a good camera for basic photography. The features worth mentioning here are 5x zoom and 29mm-equivalent wide-angle lens. Shutter lag makes this camera churn inferior quality photos but if your prints are small, then you won’t be disappointed by this camera’s photos. The controls on the camera are simple and it shouldn’t bother you too much if you are used to using digital cameras. On the top there is a power button and shutter release and zoom ring sit right next to it. There is also a button for Panasonic's Intelligent Auto mode (iA) which is decides the best Scene mode and is used resolving issues of brightness, focus and blurring. The iA button also lets you switch between movie and photograph mode. You  [...]

This is another point and shoot camera from Panasonic and they have revamped a few features to give better photo quality while still managing to keep it small. The autofocus system of the device is re-engineered, the optical image stablilistaion has been improved to provide better quality pictures clicked with shaking hand and there is a great new 8x zoom wide-angle lens. It is a surprise how Panasonic has managed to put all this and still make it a sleek and thin camera. Mostly you find 5x or 3x optical zoom on cameras of this class, we were glad to find an 8x zoom. The secret behind the compact lightweight body is the presence of extremely thin 0.3 millimeter elements in the lens. If you need a reason to buy this camera, it must be for the Power OIS, a new image stabilization feature from Panasonic. We  [...]

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 is an improved version of the older FZ28 from the same company. This new camera has bigger resolution, faster AF, AVCHD Lite movie code support and improved optical stabilizer. All this gives you better photo quality and better performance from the older model but we don’t think this is the best of mega zoom cameras. The modes such as intelligent auto, PASM and preset scene program are all there and in addition to it, we really liked the new movie mode which had manual controls and the capability to save three custom settings groups. There are plenty of options for AF like tracking, face detection, narrower spot, 1-area and 11 area mode. The Fn button is programmable and is the short cut button to white balance, ISO sensitivity, metering, AF mode or mode of intelligent exposure. You will have to read the reference manual of the camera carefull before you start using the unit even if you are a veteran photographer. This is because  [...]